Keystone toy haulers

I have the Voltage (by Dutchman) 42'...bottom line is they all are made to impress the women with nice interiors but don't look too closely at how they are built. Wiring is shabby and poorly done, it wouldn't pass any electricians inspection. Same with the plumbing. They used an 8' section of flexible hose to connect the pump to the main header where a 3' piece would do. The result was the hose was kinked so there was little water pressure and almost no flow. It took me a whole day to disassemble the compartment and find the problem. 5 minutes with a pair of scissors to cut the hose and reattach it and the problem was solved. Why wouldn't they do that at the factory?
The LP gas line to the frig was also getting kinked when the bump-out was closed. Turn the frig to LP to travel with the BO open and it all worked. Close the BO, go for a 6 hour trip with hose now in the crimped position and the frig would be warm and food spoiled. I had to fix that as well.
Finally, the tire size is such that I can only buy crap Chinese tires..but there's another whole thread on that subject.

 

Look at the Cyclone series by Heartland

http://www.heartlandrvs.com/toyhaulers/cyclone

 

I've heard good things about the Momentums. Congrats!

 

Our 2012 Cyclone 3010 was just totaled by insurance due to damage from a blowout while returning home from last year's GNF. Long story short: frame I-Beam was defective from original manufacture which led to suspension never aligning properly which manifested itself by tire damage. I noticed the issue 1 month past the 1 year warranty period and Heartland said "looks good and works well... Tires are NOT our issue". I went through 3 sets of damaged tires before the blowout caused bodywork repair issues and the shop wrote up a new frame as part of the WO because they wanted to fix the problem not the symptom. I think this frame was a "one-off" defect however I have learned more than I care to about the entire modern RV industry.

I have owned a Keystone product prior to this Cyclone and I purchased the Heartland Cyclone due to the "better build materials/quality" told to me by many different sources. What I discovered was, that despite the better materials- the units and suppliers are mostly from the same company (ie: Lippert) and thus there is little distinction between brands. They ALL leave a lot to be desired when it comes to build quality and It is up to the layouts, accessories, and fit/finish to differentiate the different makes.

FWIW - my next hauler will be a Momentum 348 and I know of 2 other friends who have Momentum series rigs and absolutely rave about them!

 

Heartland is owned by Thor industries, just like Keystone (along with half of the other brands of RV out there). Some of the newer companies are simply boutique branding of the same old rigs, maybe with some nicer drapes. There are only a few companies that actually build these things.

 

My wife and I window shopped RV's over the weekend. I cannot believe the difference in amenities between the Class A and Class C RV's and these trailers. The trailers are NUTS! They had new "Predator" Toyhaulers listed for $78k: dual slideouts, full sized appliances, washer/dryer, fireplace(?wtf?) and more. The RV's were more money for so much less. Obviously you'd have to buy a truck capable of pulling these beasts, but still, I can get a decent used F-350 for under $20k, even less if it's JUST going to be a tow vehicle used occasionally. The only real hitch is that with an RV you have everything right there with you, so at any point the person not driving can get up and walk to the bathroom, the dogs can wander around, and so on.

 

I was all set to buy a Keystone Fuzion 371... until I found the Grand Design Momentum 350M. Essentially the same floorplan but better in a few key ways:

- door from living room to garage is taller so you don't hit your head like you do in the Fuzion
- heater vents in the Momentum are built into the cabinets instead of in the floor so you don't get dirt in them when you sweep
- overall decor is nicer / classier in the Momentum
- no carpet on the bedroom steps to wear out

More importantly, Grand Design's customer service is a cut above all the other manufacturers out there. Problems are dealt with quickly, with top cover from the factory and management if your dealer tries to screw you.

My 350M arrives next week and I'm more than just a little excited about it!

 

Where did you get it? Mind if I ask what you paid? Thinking about upgrading to a fifth wheel myself.

 

Bought it at Windish RV in Denver. They're one of the bigger Grand Design dealers and as such have some of the best pricing in the country. I know of buyers coming to Windish from the southeast part of the country because of the price.

That said, I paid $69k for a mostly-loaded 350M, which includes a $2000 upgrade to Goodyear G-rated tires. Most people are paying around $67-$69k for the 350M without the tire upgrade.

 

Thanks! I haven't seen them at dealerships around here (Tampa, Fl), but have just started looking.

 

Trust me, what Chris (flyingpig998) said is SPOT on. Look VERY hard at the momentum series. If I had it to do again that is what we would have purchased. There was one at RRR this weekend but I did not have time to go talk to the owner. You should also plan on upgrading to 17.5 rim and tractor trailer tires. They run 30.5 diameter. You won't have to worry about blowing the side of your trailer off. They are well above the operating range of the fifth wheels. Everything else is crap. Listen to the voice of experience.

 

Had a 23krs that we loved. Half ton towable, lots of amenities, everything worked. Hated to sell it.

 

Love my Forest River XLR Hyperlite 27HFS, but am thinking about going bigger for the growing family. I've had it for a year and haven't had any issues that weren't covered by warranty and those have all been little things that I was not picking. Other than a fridge issue, but I place the blame with Dometic on that one.

 

http://www.goevergreenrv.com/page/265/Toy-Haulers