Our rig - up at the Keystone factory in Elkhart. Update.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

So... as I've mentioned, many issues with our Keystone.  A couple large ones.  I was anxious about sending the rig up with a transport company, but I knew that the kids and I would have to drive up there (from Atlanta), to pick it up and the thought of making that drive twice was exhausting.  Gave in and the transport company picked it up.  The driver was actually really nice (I posted on this under "what did you do to your camper today").

It's been 8 business days with no update... until this morning.

Keystone has decided that fixing our rig is not a good idea; so they are sending us a brand new one.   Good customer service, I give them kuddos for that.  Kind-of sad because I'm an emotional thing and we have personalized this rig and traveled across the country in it, twice.  Many memories.  So, feeling sappy.

Before the transport company took the rig, we empty out 85% of our possessions, but because I was planning to drive up and pick it up, I left items (bedding, dishes, waffle iron, some bathroom stuff etc).  Keystone said they'd move it over to a new rig, but I think I'd feel more comfortable doing it myself, so that's where we're at.  If possible (depends on his work schedule), I think I'll leave the kids and dog at home with Tom so I can push myself and make it up in one very long day (I'm hoping they'll let me sleep in "our" rig), then I'll come back the next day.

Ugh... not looking forward to any of this. 

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Oh wow!  I can definitely understand you being happy/sad about this, but kudos to Keystone to doing the right thing.

(which btw, makes me feel good about having just bought a Keystone for the first time)

If I were you I'd probably also want to go retrieve the rest of my stuff myself.  If you do decide to go, safe travels and good luck!!

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Just now, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Oh wow!  I can definitely understand you being happy/sad about this, but kudos to Keystone to doing the right thing.

(which btw, makes me feel good about having just bought a Keystone for the first time)

If I were you I'd probably also want to go retrieve the rest of my stuff myself.  If you do decide to go, safe travels and good luck!!

Yes, they did step up.  Unfortunately, I actually prefer our floor plan to the newer one (they made some minor changes, but not changes that I would have made).  Oh well.  Praying that this one give us less troubles.

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

What's wrong with the old one

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

9 minutes ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

What's wrong with the old one

Frame issues was the major repair...tank issues also, plus some wiring issues. 

[ImDownWithDisney 342]

28 minutes ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Frame issues was the major repair...tank issues also, plus some wiring issues. 

Dang, must have been pretty bad.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

1 hour ago, ImDownWithDisney said:

Dang, must have been pretty bad.

I always thought so...

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

Good for Keystone! 

Sounds like Saturn Cars back in the day.  There was something wrong with an early model and Saturn replaced all of them.  Called the owners in and handed them a new set of keys.

One of my friends had another Saturn model  that had many problems and finally she went to pick up her car and she was handed a new set of keys.  She made me laugh when she mentioned having to wash her car,  Saturn always washed our cars after repair!!!

Am I upset about GMC stopping making Saturns?  You bloody well bet I am.  😠 I did luck into a Captiva, supposedly built on the Vue line.  When it's parked next to a Vue all the parts check out as the same.  But now I'm told GMC is no longer making Captivas either   I'm keeping mine till the wheels fall off.  My Saturn had over 300,000 on it.

 

Anyway Nacole, back to your good news Have a safe trip and you will make the new RV your own also.

[PGHFiend 140]

A whole new rig? Wow! That's really rare. Very cool. You'll have fun upgrading the new one for sure and maybe the kids will help too. 

 

I just got (waiting) a new air conditioner from Dometic.  They extended the warranty no questions asked because of a bad batch....I was related about that. 

How many model years newer are you going to get? 

I wonder what they'll do to the old one?

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

4 hours ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

Good for Keystone! 

Sounds like Saturn Cars back in the day.  There was something wrong with an early model and Saturn replaced all of them.  Called the owners in and handed them a new set of keys.

One of my friends had another Saturn model  that had many problems and finally she went to pick up her car and she was handed a new set of keys.  She made me laugh when she mentioned having to wash her car,  Saturn always washed our cars after repair!!!

Am I upset about GMC stopping making Saturns?  You bloody well bet I am.  😠 I did luck into a Captiva, supposedly built on the Vue line.  When it's parked next to a Vue all the parts check out as the same.  But now I'm told GMC is no longer making Captivas either   I'm keeping mine till the wheels fall off.  My Saturn had over 300,000 on it.

 

Anyway Nacole, back to your good news Have a safe trip and you will make the new RV your own also.

Haha...very funny story.  Good for Saturn.

 

41 minutes ago, PGHFiend said:

A whole new rig? Wow! That's really rare. Very cool. You'll have fun upgrading the new one for sure and maybe the kids will help too. 

 

I just got (waiting) a new air conditioner from Dometic.  They extended the warranty no questions asked because of a bad batch....I was related about that. 

How many model years newer are you going to get? 

I wonder what they'll do to the old one?

We bought in ‘17, but it’s “technically “ an ‘18; I think we’ll get an ‘20.

Thing is, we went to our dealer late this afternoon and took a look at the new model (before that, we just knew of the changes by the floor plan online).  Stinky part is, we really don’t like the changes.  If this was what they had when we bought two years ago...we would not have purchased it.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not ugly (I’m sure tons of people like this model), it’s just not great for us😕

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Great tp hear Keystone stepped up and took care of you!!! When do you plan to come up to move your stuff? I am in Middlebury Indiana right now at the Coachman plant camping and will move to the Elkhart County Fairgrounds on Sunday, let me know if you need any help and if I am not busy with rally things could try to lend a hand. Safe travels 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

1 hour ago, dblr....Rennie said:

Great tp hear Keystone stepped up and took care of you!!! When do you plan to come up to move your stuff? I am in Middlebury Indiana right now at the Coachman plant camping and will move to the Elkhart County Fairgrounds on Sunday, let me know if you need any help and if I am not busy with rally things could try to lend a hand. Safe travels 

Hi!  Thank you!

I'm not sure when I'll drive up, I need to talk with Keystone and see when I can have access to our rig.  I don't think the repair crew work on the weekends.. but I am really hoping that other teams are around and we would have access, because that would work the best for us.  I appreciate the offer to help, but I'll be good.  There isn't actually a ton of stuff (I'll probably bring our SUV and use the back of that). 

Have fun with the rally!!

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

11 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Thing is, we went to our dealer late this afternoon and took a look at the new model (before that, we just knew of the changes by the floor plan online).  Stinky part is, we really don’t like the changes.  If this was what they had when we bought two years ago...we would not have purchased it.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not ugly (I’m sure tons of people like this model), it’s just not great for us😕

I can understand that.  Probably the biggest factor in selecting a camper for us is floorplan/layout and there are some that just don't work as well as others.

 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

11 minutes ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

I can understand that.  Probably the biggest factor in selecting a camper for us is floorplan/layout and there are some that just don't work as well as others.

 

Yeah... we're honestly at a loss at this point.  

[fladogfan aka Gretchen 259]

9 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Yeah... we're honestly at a loss at this point.  

Nacole, have you tried talking with Keystone about the changes you don't like?

[dblr....Rennie 224]

22 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Hi!  Thank you!

I'm not sure when I'll drive up, I need to talk with Keystone and see when I can have access to our rig.  I don't think the repair crew work on the weekends.. but I am really hoping that other teams are around and we would have access, because that would work the best for us.  I appreciate the offer to help, but I'll be good.  There isn't actually a ton of stuff (I'll probably bring our SUV and use the back of that). 

Have fun with the rally!!

Ok good, the factories do not work on the weekends and most of them start in the early morning and are done for the day by 2 or even earlier, usually service and sales or office folks are there later then that. Most of the factories I have been to have a lot of Amish working so after they are done there they get back to tend to the farms. Have a safe trip and looking forward to pictures of the new unit.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

13 hours ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

Nacole, have you tried talking with Keystone about the changes you don't like?

I might (just so they can have some input from an RV owner), but they are not something that they could change when making our rig.  A couple of examples are: they've lowered the ceiling so the mid-bunk in the hall, is now very close.  Our daughter (who has been sleeping in our mid-bunk for the past two years), crawled up there and said, "yeah... I can't sleep here, it's much too close".  Also, they shortened the overall length of the rig by 11" and I think they took most of that from the bathroom... so it's now very tight   

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

1 hour ago, dblr....Rennie said:

Ok good, the factories do not work on the weekends and most of them start in the early morning and are done for the day by 2 or even earlier, usually service and sales or office folks are there later then that. Most of the factories I have been to have a lot of Amish working so after they are done there they get back to tend to the farms. Have a safe trip and looking forward to pictures of the new unit.

Thank you!

[keith_h 420]

Sorry to hear about the total on your RV but it is good that the manufacturer will replace it with a new one. Since the new floor plan doesn't suit you as well do they have one that does? I think with the dangerous design flaw your original trailer had they should be somewhat flexible on the replacement. After all the types of failures you've had could have cost them much more if there had been injury or death involved.

[Beckers 1,136]

How’s it going Nacole?

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

On 7/31/2019 at 1:34 PM, keith_h said:

Sorry to hear about the total on your RV but it is good that the manufacturer will replace it with a new one. Since the new floor plan doesn't suit you as well do they have one that does? I think with the dangerous design flaw your original trailer had they should be somewhat flexible on the replacement. After all the types of failures you've had could have cost them much more if there had been injury or death involved.

 

18 hours ago, Beckers said:

How’s it going Nacole?

 

So... I should know more, later today.  We did as Keith suggested and asked for a different model.  Honestly, it's a stinkin' cool layout, HOWEVER.... I'm really leaning towards going smaller.  We are seriously considering getting the brand new unit, turning around and selling it (figured we'd offer it for $5k less than any dealership so it's a win/win for us and the buyer).  Then we'll find a smaller unit.  Hard call as if they do allow us to get this different unit, it is kind-of cool.  LOL

As for our items, I am really hoping to drive up this weekend.  Waiting on that call as well.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

6 hours ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

So... I should know more, later today.  We did as Keith suggested and asked for a different model.  Honestly, it's a stinkin' cool layout, HOWEVER.... I'm really leaning towards going smaller.  We are seriously considering getting the brand new unit, turning around and selling it (figured we'd offer it for $5k less than any dealership so it's a win/win for us and the buyer).  Then we'll find a smaller unit.  Hard call as if they do allow us to get this different unit, it is kind-of cool.  LOL

Good to have viable options!!

We just went a lot smaller (6' and 2,000 lbs smaller) and so far I'm really glad we did.

Good luck with whatever you decide.  🙂

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

1 hour ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Good to have viable options!!

We just went a lot smaller (6' and 2,000 lbs smaller) and so far I'm really glad we did.

Good luck with whatever you decide.  🙂

Thank you, yes... options are a blessing. 

 

[Country Coach Guy 5]

Best of luck! Hope it all works out for you. I thought the same thing as above, take it and sell it, or trade it for one you like better.

[Littleolwoman.aka.Kristie 119]

Only downside to selling the new rig is having to wait to find a buyer. We are close by your route if you want to catch a meal on your way back. Totally fine if you need to push on down.