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Old 12-01-2019, 01:39 PM   #1
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Solitude vs Montana

Was dead set on the Solitude 373FB-R just waiting to go and look at one in person. Now i see that the Montana has the same floor plan in the 3931FB but you can get it with disc brakes, a fiberglass rear cap, surge protection, and electric cord reel, all that are not offered on the Solitude. I think this has swayed my decision over to the the Montana. I have heard all the statements on Grand Design customer service but the disc brakes alone might be worth it. Guess i need to go see both in person. Any thoughts?
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Old 12-01-2019, 02:52 PM   #2
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Montana the number one fiver in sales. Grand design a really good reputation for standing behind their product. Disc brakes can be added for under 3 thousand dollars. The rest is fluff that you may or may not need. If you really want to know about a product, look at ones 3-5 years old.
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Old 12-01-2019, 04:45 PM   #3
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Since we were shopping for a 5th wheel to place on a more permanent site, I wasn't really concerned about the running gear. If I was towing one of these beasts down the road, I would not have one without disc brakes.



Our Solitude is nice enough but there are some shortcomings in features and some goofy design decisions. Surge protectors and cord reels can certainly be added with aftermarket products. I do like Montana's claim of color-coded and numbered wiring that makes trouble-shooting easier. The wiring in our Solitude is sloppy to say the least and how anyone could troubleshoot it would be a mystery to me. I also like that the Montana comes pre-wired for a 3rd AC unit. Larger 5th wheels can get pretty warm in hot weather and having the option to add another AC unit is a plus. Grand Design does not offer this on the Solitude.
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Old 12-03-2019, 07:41 AM   #4
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One other point the GD is wide body, is the Montana?
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Old 12-04-2019, 06:39 AM   #5
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a 3rd air is a sub for lack of insulation imo
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Old 12-04-2019, 04:03 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smlranger View Post
Since we were shopping for a 5th wheel to place on a more permanent site, I wasn't really concerned about the running gear. If I was towing one of these beasts down the road, I would not have one without disc brakes.



Our Solitude is nice enough but there are some shortcomings in features and some goofy design decisions. Surge protectors and cord reels can certainly be added with aftermarket products. I do like Montana's claim of color-coded and numbered wiring that makes trouble-shooting easier. The wiring in our Solitude is sloppy to say the least and how anyone could troubleshoot it would be a mystery to me. I also like that the Montana comes pre-wired for a 3rd AC unit. Larger 5th wheels can get pretty warm in hot weather and having the option to add another AC unit is a plus. Grand Design does not offer this on the Solitude.


Maybe the Solitude is better insulated . I would compare the R factors . Disc brakes are a definite plus . I retrofitted mine with them . Never without them again . You should look at Cardinal and Cedar Creek they are also in the same price point .
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Old 12-05-2019, 01:43 PM   #7
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I'd choose Montana with the luxury package if you like the floor plan and colors inside.

We would have picked the Montana except we didn't like he interior color scheme. Since we're actually IN the RV every night for 6 to 7 months a year, being comfortable counted a lot. I had to install disc brakes, an electric cord reel, MorRyde hitch pin and still don't have the day/night shades Montana offered.

If you buy from a good dealer you don't need to worry about the manufacturers customer service. GD customer service actually doesn't do much except refer you to dealer for parts and repairs; but they do answer their phones most of the time and talk to you. I have no experience with Keystone/Montana CS.
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Old 12-05-2019, 02:44 PM   #8
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The points about the disc brakes and other features are valid. I would weigh that in with price and other features. When I looked at both of these a few items stood out.

Montana has more counter space. But the GD had two utility closets that were nice.

The Montana has bigger bathroom. Smaller closet but more useable space IMO as the washer/dryer is by the kitchen-which is another thing.

Some like W/D near bedroom (where you get dressed anyways). But-some like to wash clothes at night and want the washer further away. Hmm...

The GD has a bigger “feeling” bedroom. I like the seats by the dresser. But that cost space in the 1/2 bath, so the Montana is nicer there.

I also believe the GD has an outdoor kitchen.

Tough choices to be sure
They are both really nice fivers and I believe very similar in quality. Sort through the details and find which items best fit your lifestyle. After that weigh those details against any cost difference and decide where the better value lies. Sometimes the higher price is worth it. Sometimes not.
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Old 12-06-2019, 01:53 PM   #9
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Thanks for the comments. Right now I’m leaning towards the Montana with the Leagacy package but need to walk through both and get a real life comparison.
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Old 12-06-2019, 08:26 PM   #10
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Just stirring the pot:
https://www.jayco.com/products/fifth...nnacle/36fbts/
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Old 12-09-2019, 07:05 AM   #11
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What works for you...

Really, you can find the floorplan you like across the brands. We narrowed our multi-year search down to brands and lines mentioned in this post. What was immensely helpful was being able to see all the choices in-person, which meant we drove a lot! However, by doing that, we ruled out the Montana because we did not care for the finishes and some of the design that was an issue for my height. We ruled out a Cardinal Luxury after Forest River drastically cheapened them up. The Pinnacle was beautiful and technologically superior, but had a lot of poorly executed storage and just an OK bath. The Solitude checked the majority of our boxes, and I also negotiated the best deal on it, and for a brand new one on it's way to the dealer fresh from factory- so never a day on the lot. Yes, I had deals negotiated on units from each within an 8 hour pickup. The money I saved at purchased woukd easily pay for an EMS, cord reel, and creature features we would like but not standard.

You're spending a lot of money so just make sure it works for you!
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Old 12-09-2019, 11:06 AM   #12
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I would buy the solitude, I have had two Montana’s, the first was a 2004 which was problem free and the second is a 2016 3160rl legacy package. Every issue I’ve had with my 2016 including items noted during PDI, keystone refused to fix. Dealer had me contact keystone directly, dealer said that sometimes they have had better results with customers calling them direct. Me contacting keystone didn’t make a difference and in the end, almost all items were fixed by me on my dime. Items that keystone refused to fix even during first 12 months included cracked decal from factory, rear ladder mounted crooked from factory, one corner decal permanent stained from roof sealant, veneer pealing off edge of wood near ceiling, etc. other items that I have fixed is replace two sewer valves and replace one hub assembly after suffering total brake failure due to a short in one wheel. I told keystone that I am in my 40’s and already on my fourth Rv, they didn’t care and ultimately lost a customer for life.
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Old 12-12-2019, 07:36 AM   #13
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was going for the alpine 3701fl but when i found out that the tow receiver only allowed 300# i quickly went back to montana, now it looks to be the 3931fb because of my 2 requirements, the half bath and a tow capable receiver! alpine has great models but NO towing, montana also is in same spot but it has to do with the underneath sub structure on certain units whether that receiver has something to grab onto, cause we orig wanted the montana 3761fl but it has no towing cause of the huge storage area in the rear?? so it is ALWAYS give and take??? happy hunting and i will say do not get one without the legacy package, u just have to really bargain on the price and not back down and do this towards the end of model year b4 the new ones start showing up(after summer) also i have had weekly communication with the manufacturer rep direct and he has been super when it comes to info and answering questions, i try to avoid sales folks for the most part(my lack of patience for lack of training/experience comes out in a loud way, its the marine in me)!!
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Old 12-12-2019, 09:15 PM   #14
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You can get disc brakes now on the Grand Design Solitudes. It's a very new option. My dealer doesn't have pricing on it yet but added it to the order I just placed this week for a 2020 Solitude 310GK-R. The Solitude also now comes with a cord reel, MORryde pinbox and MORryde suspension (not their IS system though).
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