New 38GK

[jhardin]

(26 days) Carol and I heard today that our camper was on time to be delivered to Denver the week of March 17th. Both excited and ready to load it up and take a trial weekend run. Maybe to Pueblo State lake. Just to try all the systems and see what problems come up.

 

[atom ant]

Excellent idea! Our first stop was Chatfield SP where I installed all the equipment and gave it a rundown.

How about that new one in the springs - Cheyenne mtn?

 

[Ramblin Roadrunners]

They are wanting to go to Pueblo where it is wamer LOL!!! Congrads on your new purchase. I'm going to Windish Saturday to look at a 38 Bonus Room that they got in Tuesday. DW and I have been looking to buy a new 5er and go full timing for 7 years. We are retiring in Oct. of this year. We have been focused on the Big Sky. The Big Sky is making some huge changes right now and will look alot like the RW when finished. The 38BR would solve our storage problems. Keystone is talking about leaving off the hitch. We were planning on adding a cargo carrier to the hitch. The DW and I vend (boutique ) at Red Hat Society events and carry about 25 tubs with us filled with merchandise. We enjoy dong the conventions and a little extra income for retirement always helps. I have noticed it seems like less problems from the RW than Montana's and Big Skys. I joined the Montana Forum Sept.2007.

 

[atom ant]

They are wanting to go to Pueblo where it is wamer LOL!!! Congrads on your new purchase. I'm going to Windish Saturday to look at a 38 Bonus Room that they got in Tuesday. DW and I have been looking to buy a new 5er and go full timing for 7 years. We are retiring in Oct. of this year. We have been focused on the Big Sky. The Big Sky is making some huge changes right now and will look alot like the RW when finished. The 38BR would solve our storage problems. Keystone is talking about leaving off the hitch. We were planning on adding a cargo carrier to the hitch. The DW and I vend (boutique ) at Red Hat Society events and carry about 25 tubs with us filled with merchandise. We enjoy dong the conventions and a little extra income for retirement always helps. I have noticed it seems like less problems from the RW than Montana's and Big Skys. I joined the Montana Forum Sept.2007.

Wonder what they will do on the Big Sky. I think what kept away was Big Sky had no ice maker, no dishwasher, no disk brakes, and the sides of the slides in black was just tacky.

 

[brenkco]

Brad,
Saw pics and specs on the new Big Sky, had all the bells and whistles that you mentioned. It was a proto type at lazydays (I think) in Florida. It may still be on their website. Rumor had it that they were going to build it at a new plant.

Ken

 

[Ramblin Roadrunners]

Adam ant, Here is some of the changes as standard "New Big Sky": 8k axles, disc brakes 100" frame. 3 colors of body paint, dishwasher, 3 different floor plans based on 3402, 3900, 3725,6 pt liff, duel ac with heat pump, 4100 suspension, heated holding tanks, duel pane , outside tv entertainment system, water filtration, led lights, 2 awnings, leather theater seating,pedistal free dining table,led lighted steps with dimmer,pillowtop mattress, MCD shades , g tires with h option, power cord reel,gen prep,raised letter badge, upgraded walls, ceiling, cabnets, trim, crown molding,floors,walls, finishes and televisions. The only options are paint colors, resindential frig option and generator. I wrote this in a hurry-- sorry for misspellings. I hop I remembered everything. Keystone had it posted on the Montana web site for a couple of weeks and then took it down. They are clearly not ready to roll it out yet. A proto type wes shown at the Tampa show and you can view it on http://www.lazydays.com/
Got to run.
Jay D

 

[atom ant]

OK - I just saw it on Lazydays. It's looking nice - they needed to do something. They need to try and capture some of us Montana alumni that jumped to Redwood

 

[Ramblin Roadrunners]

Its not a rumor. They are building it at a new plant. I talked to Mark (Keystone rep) and he said they were overwhelmed with orders. They are taking it slow and producing about 5-7 a week; making changes, improvements and adjustments as problems come up. Lord have mercy on the owners of the first 100 made. LOL I understand the model at Lazydays RV has the shades installed with the wrong side out.
Jay D.

PS each to his own--- I like the black sides on the slides. IMO

 

[dave and ginny]

I'm just glad to see more models trying to increase their standings with options. The end consumer wins when there's competition.

 

[Ramblin Roadrunners]

You can tell a few people on the MOC that now own a Big Sky are a little butt hurt. I agree that the competition between different divisions of a company and other manufactures is a good thing. Improvements to the Big Sky will bring improvements to the RW. If you look closely at the different models at RV shows and come back a year later and look; they copy each other and usually improve on that copy.
Jay D.

 

[mhs4771]

Jay, very true. When we ordered our RW there was almost no one with a floor plan to match. Now there are numerous brands with very similar floor plans.
If Montana had the coming changes in the Big Sky, we might have stayed with them. Sort of the ole, "Day late, dollar short".

 

[atom ant]

PS each to his own--- I like the black sides on the slides. IMO

Definitely to each his own - the black sides were one of the single reasons I wouldn't even look at one inside when we were shopping, because I had already seen the Redwood and Lifestyle with color coordinated sides.

I never really forgave Montana for selling me hi-gloss gelcoat in 2007, but the slide sides and all cabinet doors were standard filon. The slide sides are still standard filon last time I looked , but they did wise up on the cabinet doors by 2008, at least on the big sky.

I think you will find that Keystone would have to come a long way to catch up with Redwood. Check out the differences in floor, cabinetry, equipment, and open the basement door on a Redwood and look up. I think all you will see on the Big Sky are trusses unless they changed it. The wood finish in the ceiling really impressed me on the Redwood, not to mention not a single drain pipe in the way down there.

 

[Ramblin Roadrunners]

Michelle and Ann, nice to hear from you again. I did go to the MOC rally this year and stayed in a motel. I am strongly considering the 38br. My only turn off for me is where the livingroom TV is located. I'm not sure where else you could put it. Everything else about it is PURRRRR-FECT. How is that for a pun? Guys, do you really think there are less problems with the RW or just fewer of them and people to complain? I think from the beginning the RW had fewer problems because if the stronger frames, axles, tires and other things I may not even know about. I'm a pretty open minded guy. That's why I am not deciding on a rv till I have to have one by end of August.
Ramblin Roadrunners
Jay D

 

[Ramblin Roadrunners]

I welcome everyone's opinion. Don't be bashful. You won't hurt my feelings if you say something negative about the Big Sky. LOL The new Big Sky is going to be a close match to the RW.
Jay D.

 

[dave and ginny]

I welcome everyone's opinion. Don't be bashful. You won't hurt my feelings if you say something negative about the Big Sky. LOL The new Big Sky is going to be a close match to the RW.
Jay D.

I have a better idea....gather your information about the Redwood and then ask us questions. You'll find a bunch of friendly people on here that are more than willing to help sort things out and identify problems.

If you want to know about another brand......go to their website and ask their opinions.

Thankfully, there are a lot of different RVs made and there's a perfect one for everybody out there somewhere.

 

[atom ant]

I think from the beginning the RW had fewer problems because if the stronger frames, axles, tires and other things I may not even know about. Jay D

The frames and axles are identical between the two brands. Montana had a bad run of frame issues but I think they have been resolved.

 

[mhs4771]

Yea, shortly after RWs came out, Keystone upped the frames on the Montanas to match. But from the beginning RW was using the Famous "China Bombs" aka GY Marathons. Told the Regional Rep numerous times it was a BIG mistake and they have finally wised up.
Now if we could just get them to add 17.5 wheels with H tires and Mor/Ryde IS as options they would be right up there with the other High End units, as we have just about everything else.

 

[Ramblin Roadrunners]

Dave, I feel like you had a little bit of an edgy tone to your response. I have been reading some of the threads on this site and one in particular caught my attention. It was about a guy who wished he had never bought a RW. I have owned a SOB for 15 years. I have enough experience with RV's to know and understand these rolling Condo's are not without some problems. I guess my main concern is service in general, warranty service, availability of shops to do the service and does Thor help with issues after the warranty has expired? Has RW corrected some of the problems found on early models and made those adjustments and fixes to the currant models? I spent 4 hours today crawling all over a RW at Windish RV in Lakewood, Colorado. I wouldn't be asking these questions if I were not getting serious about a RW. I see you post a lot and maybe you are tired of answering the same old questions over and over. Now that reply was my edge and tone. That's all I am going to say about that. If you didn't mean anything by your response and I took it wrong; I apologize and we can drop it. I have been following the RWO site and watching for a couple of years without commenting under a different user name. Now I am a 2-3 months from ordering and have moved from being sure I would buy a Big Sky to 50-50. Than is how much the outside look at the quality has moved me. I also was on a tighter budget 5 years ago than I am now. OK, my little fingers getting tired.
Thanks,
Jay D.

 

[mhs4771]

Jay, just like the MOC there has been a person or two who have signed in here, Drop a BOMB of a post about what a POS a Redwood is and then disappear never to be heard from again.
Seems many times it's been more a Dealer issue with repairs than a true RW issue. Some Dealers will point the finger at RW for delayed parts, when in fact the Dealer hasn't done a thing.
If reference to how RW will handle out of warranty problems, rather hard to say as some are just now coming to the end of the 2 year warranty.
Best of luck in the next phase of your life be it in a RW or a Big Sky, or even a Tear Drop (LOL).

 

[Ramblin Roadrunners]

Tear drop would have been a cozy thing to have 30 years ago. I hope I didn't read too much into the post.

The BS is getting Mor/Ryde LRE 4100. I've been to their site and LRE4100 is not addressed. Thet do show a LRE 4000. Must be next generation or small upgrade. Where are you guys parked for the winter?
Jay D