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Post by nvguy on Nov 13, 2018 22:34:40 GMT -5
I figured this category needed a positive thread at the top of the list. So, let's list why you opted for a KZ.
After researching and looking at everything we were getting overwhelmed. Finally my wife summed it up; What are the major "no negotiate" features we wanted?
King bed. This eliminated a surprisingly large amount of models / manufacturers. This seemed more related to length, easy to find a king bed in a 40', in a 35' not as many choices.
Large shower. Again, this slimmed the list a bit
Bathroom door. One didn't require you to back down the stairs to open the door. Another list reducer. We really like the pocket door.
Window over / near the range. Long story as to why i wanted that. But this didn't eliminate all that many.
Good Value. We don't need (or want) a lot of do-dads and added on trim.
End result after several weeks of use, we have few complaints, happy with our purchase.
Lets hear what brought you to the KZ world.
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Post by jetzen on Nov 14, 2018 10:12:08 GMT -5
For us the saga starts in 2004, the DW and I had a 33 ft. travel trailer and were thinking about retirement and wanted to purchase a 5th wheel for our "after" retirement years. We where hot for a 2005 Escalade. At the time the Escalade was the most opulent, highest quality 5th wheel the industry had to offer. It punched everything on our "must have" list except one, it's $130,000. price tag was too steep for us to justify at the time. We wound up with a 2005 Montana Big Sky. This unit served us well and while it had few problems in it's 13 year service with us, Keystone customer service is just plain terrible and swore we would never purchase another Keystone product.
Fast forward to 2017, we were again in the market for a 5th wheel. Our basic punch list hadn't changed much over the years, these are some of our must haves
1) storage, storage, storage. Whether it is cabinet, closet, counter top or basement it must have plenty of storage.
2) The trailer must be useable when closed (all slides in). Access to bed room, bath room, stove, refrigerator, pantry is a must. (this will eliminate a lot of brands/models)
3) We live in our trailer for at least 5 month/year, so it needs to have a certain amount of upscale features but not to the point where it becomes a liability on the road(minimum of things that are prone to failure). It needs to be comfortable to live in, without being a PITA to maintain, (i.e. dusting, vacuuming, moping etc). It needed to be like "home".
4) The trailer needed to be a wide body (101"+) and have high interior ceilings.
5) The manufacturer reputation for quality products and actually how the products withstand a busy 3-5 day RV show. (this will actually narrow the remaining list substantially).
The floor plan we chose a Durango Gold G384RLT, is very similar to the original Escalade we wanted in 2004. We purchased it at the Tampa RV Supershow in January 2017. After our elimination process we were left with 2 choices the KZ or a similar floor plan Redwood. We chose the KZ Durango for 3 reasons;
1) The entry door in the slide, This feature just opens up the whole interior and gives the coach an open airy feeing.
2) The price. (Not as much of a difference as you might think).
3) And finally it goes back to Keystone. While Redwood is manufactured by Crossroads RV, Crossroads RV and Redwood customer service and warranty are overseen and umbrellaed under Keystone supervision.
After a year and a half in our Durango we feel that we made the right choice. We have had no major problems and the minor things that have gone wrong have been handled by KZ without incidence.
I know that I will be in the minority on this but the only thing I wish it had was more carpeting. Carpet is a good insulator for both climate control (cold floors) and sound. Maybe it could be added as an option for future models.
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pandp
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 27
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Post by pandp on Nov 14, 2018 15:27:14 GMT -5
We are also soon to retire and we have always dreamed of going FT in a fifth wheel. When asking others their answer was always to buy a used unit and let others work out the bugs. We searched for 2 1/2 years for the perfect floor plan and never found it. We had owned a 32' flagstaff for 7 years and had no major problems but of course it was just too small. Then we got the bright idea to buy new 3 years early so the bugs are worked out before we leave the area. We also had a list that was difficult to find in all one unit,
1. We needed access to the bedroom to change the mattress to our current adjustable base sleep number bed. 2. A "full size" bathroom (good luck right?) 3. A sectioned off living room like the TZ models by forrest river or a front living room that did not involve a hallway to the bedroom.
I found the perfect model 3 1/2 hours away and was so excited to go see it. A Durango 2500 384FLT (model no longer available as they changed it mid-way through the year) We didn't want to purchase so far from home so we went to a dealer that we love that sold KZ TT but no 5ers and low and behold, KZ let him order one just for us!!!
A few fairly minor problems later and we found the dealer is the key!!! Any problem, in and out in a day. KZ has stood behind it 100% Super Happy Campers!!!
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Post by Edd505 on Nov 14, 2018 21:51:08 GMT -5
After several other 5Ws we knew we wanted 1. apposing slides 2. access the fridge, bedroom & bedroom with slides closed 3. Theater seats across from the TV 4. night stand both sides of the bed. 5. walk around bed 6. The more storage the better
jetzen: we use through rugs when it gets cold |
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Post by Chuck on Nov 17, 2018 11:04:17 GMT -5
Well all I can say is that everyone has just about covered what we like in our G384RLT I can say we were sort of looking because our 2006 33ft Coachmen Chapprel was seeming small, getting older an when
the grand kids an are large Great Dane was all with us on camp outs we were pretty cramped for space ...
We new what we wanted but like others when looking allot of trailer's an MFG's didn't fit the bill. as far a length I wasn't to worried but wanted to keep under 40ft or less if possible ...
Are list was more or less the following like others:
1) more room 2) light colors 3) King size bed 4) more kitchen storage
5) led lighting 6) bigger frig 7) more storage
We had been sort of looking at Montana's an Coachmen 5th wheels, but they all seemed dark inside an the layouts just didn't talk to us at all ... We also as stated in another post walking thought trailers at a show with trim falling off, lights already out,
doors that either were ajar or just were wrong for a 5th wheel or for that matter any trailer an were cheap looking ...
We walked thought the G384RLT we now own an we saw everything we wanted an after two days at a show everything was still holding up even after many people had pulled, twisted, more or less kicked the tires ... All the seven things we wanted an more was included in this trailer but I or the wife had never heard of the brand, I had to ask the salesman who they were an how long they had been around in the trailer market ... I was surprised when when he told me they had been around for a number of years an had built very good products for some time ... The salesman also stated that Kz was a small but upcoming company in the RV industry an was starting to make their mark in such in the last few years out west ...
Still to this day I have to believe they are slowly making there mark out west unlike other brands you see on the road, you
may see fifty or even sixty Montana's to one Durango Gold, so we feel like we are are in the upper class do to the fact that
less is more an know the quality they have put into ours ...
Am I not saying the trailer is perfect, no, there are things which I have talked about in other threads that I'd like to see them
do in the future or at least offer ... Do I think our trailer is well built, yes, it's held together very well an Kz has stood behind anything an everything that needed to be fixed way beyond what they needed to do ... Would I buy another Kz product, yes, I believe they listen to their customer base an try very hard to put quality into their products ...
As far as I am concerned we are Kz owners for life 
Safe Travels an see you next year at the Kz National Rally I'll be there will you
Chuck
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Post by RdRmr on Nov 18, 2018 13:35:57 GMT -5
Living in the southwest we wanted a unit with more insulation and a bit more room, our unit at the time the insulation was like non existent. A/C ran constantly, never shut off and would never get below 90* if the ambient temp outside was over 100*. Plus we wanted just two slides more storage and a king size bed, larger bath/shower. Wife loves the rear kitchen. Very pleased with our choice.
One thing I have noticed/found out now is the 1500 and 2500 5TH wheel line no longer have a six sided aluminum cage, only the Gold line is six sided now. While at the RV show this year in SoCal at Pomona I asked the KZ rep why, he said it was because of cost. Now its wooden trusses. Also, the Gold line is the only one with "full" gel coat now, the 1500 & 2500 are now Phylon. I was shocked to say the least. Sure glad we got ours before the Thor bean counters started their cuts. I just don't get it, if you have a good product leave it alone. Happy Campin....
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hanr3
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 16
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Post by hanr3 on Jan 25, 2019 10:41:27 GMT -5
Hello All,
I'm not a full timer and don't plan on it for at least a decade or more. My needs are different than the fulltime crowd. To keep this short, I'll skip the history and suffice to say I tent camped for 40+ years, however we are empty nesters now and she wants to go on trips, road trips. While hotels/motels might be less expensive, they have drawbacks. Specifically there aren't too many at the lakes I fish. My Camper requirements;
Couples camper with room for the occasional grandkids and a parent or two. (sleeps 6 and as the grandkids get older we will set up a tent outside).
Hot water, flush toilets. Nothing fancy here. But its not a public facility, she won't do public facilities.
Wall to divide bedroom from living spaces. Privacy while sleeping.
Ability to tow boat behind camper. No motels/hotels at the lakes I fish, and my wife doesn't want to tow. She wants to ride with me in the cab.
Illinois has a 60' length restriction on county, city streets. Short 5er.
Fully insulated- I Crappie Tournament fish starting March and go through October- Daily highs in the 30's and lows in the 20's. Plus I spend a week or so at hunting camp in middle to late November. Last season we have 2" of snow on the ground in southern Illinois and 10 degree nights.
KZ-231RK meet every need and exceeded our expectations. Comes with a ton of bonuses for a small 5er. Huge grey and black tanks. Fresh water is a little on the small side at 38 gallons, however a 30 gallon bladder and I don't have any trouble spending a week in her before we need to dump tanks.
Motion light at the entrance- works great as an alarm when the grandkids get up or are farting around. Plus I don't need to find a light switch when accessing the fridge.
Kitchen in the rear- fridge next to the door, less dirt tracked into the camper by adults and kids.
Cable ready.
Solar ready.
Under basement cable lock for toys or a inverter/generator for boondocking.
30K BTU furnace is more than enough to heat the camper, even on 10 degree nights.
Upgraded to 15K A/C which is more than enough for 5-6 of us inside on a 95 degree days while we watch a DVD during the heat of the day.
Upgraded to 12v refrigerator, which runs off my truck while traveling and the inverter while on shore power, or off the battery. It doesn't burn propane which leaves the propane for heating and cooking.
Dual 15 gallon propane tanks- I can take one to get it filled and still have propane while I'm gone to keep the camper warm. Worked great at deer camp.
Outside vent on stove range hood. Sucks out odors and cooking moisture.
Dual axles with self adjusting electric brakes on both axles.
More than enough storage space for out needs. Even during a week of hunting camp and umpteen sets of clothes and hunting clothes for all sorts of weather conditions.
Rear mounted rack worked great for hauling firewood and venison.
While some of these are things most don't look for in a camper, they are important to me. They are the little things that make a difference.
I really like how KZ put in little features that you don't see in other more expensive campers. The motion lights, solar and cable ready, lighting where it needs to be, and adequate sized tanks for week long excursions. Even the rearview camera, I use it to back up to my boat trailer.
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Post by jetzen on Jan 27, 2019 23:04:18 GMT -5
Living in the southwest we wanted a unit with more insulation and a bit more room, our unit at the time the insulation was like non existent. A/C ran constantly, never shut off and would never get below 90* if the ambient temp outside was over 100*. Plus we wanted just two slides more storage and a king size bed, larger bath/shower. Wife loves the rear kitchen. Very pleased with our choice. One thing I have noticed/found out now is the 1500 and 2500 5TH wheel line no longer have a six sided aluminum cage, only the Gold line is six sided now. While at the RV show this year in SoCal at Pomona I asked the KZ rep why, he said it was because of cost. Now its wooden trusses. Also, the Gold line is the only one with "full" gel coat now, the 1500 & 2500 are now Phylon. I was shocked to say the least. Sure glad we got ours before the Thor bean counters started their cuts. I just don't get it, if you have a good product leave it alone. Happy Campin.... This is only partially correct. The Durango half ton and the Durango are now 5side aluminum frame but it is the nose that is wood not the roof trusses. Also the still use the Lamilux 4000 gel coat fiberglass just like the Durango Gold. The Sportsters and the sportsman line of 5th wheels use wood roof trusses and filon style fiberglass. I known this first had from being at the factory and being able to see many of the 2019 model year 5th wheels being built. This would include all but the Durango Gold on the production line. I will agree that sometimes they change things for the sake of change and don't listen to the voice of their customers. There are many things on the Durango Gold they changed for 2019 ,some for the better most not so much. They really screwed up the bedroom, took away shelving and dresser cabinet/drawer space made dresser smaller with less storage space. However saying this They were still the class of the 5th wheels in their price point at the Tampa RV show. |
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Post by kathyed on Feb 13, 2019 12:34:00 GMT -5
We had 2 different FR Signature Lites over the past few years. They were good units and just minor issues. The main reason we were looking to trade (again) was because both campers just weren't large enough. We wanted the king bed, more residential style and SPACE. We have a Labrador and a 33' camper just wasn't enough space for her and us. So, I would drag my husband through different campers "just looking". Then one day he walked into the 384RLT and he actually called me in to look at it. It had everything on our wish list and more. We love the space with the door in the slide - really opens the unit up. While we've had some issues when we first bought it (which the dealer has addressed) we love the camper. Fingers crossed when we take it out this spring those issues are gone. We hope to fully enjoy the unit especially next year when I'm retired and we can take it SOUTH for the winter. I do agree with jetsen - from what I've seen in the brochures (haven't seen one in person) they really screwed up the bedroom in the 2019s. Why would they think a dresser that you have to clear off to get to that storage area is a good idea? Plus never take away storage... ever. On the other hand, the finishes in the rest of the camper looks wonderful. Hurry up Spring!
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Post by juzplanekrazy on Feb 24, 2019 0:47:02 GMT -5
Hello KZ Peeps,
I am new to this forum, but not new to KZ products. We bought our last KZ, a New Vision 38SB toy hauler in 2007 and it rolled back and forth across the country a few times with minor problems over 10 years. We even lived it full time for close to a year while doing a complete remodel on our home.
We are now proud owners of from what I was told at the Pomona Ca. RV show last year one of the last 371RTL's to roll out of the factory. A now discontinued model.
Our last KZ was not our first RV or first 5th wheel. I have been RVing since 1974. And I have seen some serious changes in the RV world over the last 30-40 years.
When we decided to sell our last rig we looked at all the other brands, in size, type and price point. KZ won out hands down in overall quality. I barely know a thing about this new rig and how to work all the new bells and whistles this thing came with. The dealer we got it from was less than informative on how to work everything. That's a whole new thread on it's own.
So what we love about this new rig is.
1. Way more living area from the toy hauler with separated garage.
2. Fancy interior, more creature comforts.
3. Huge refer, and dish washer.
4. Way more cabinet space.
5. Room for "washer & dryer". We did have a combo unit it our last one in the bathroom closet. So a washer/dryer setup was a must.
6. One of my favorites, and I barely know how to use them. AUTOMATIC LEVELERS....WOO HOO. No more hand cranking.
7. One button slide out spot.
8. Bigger bathroom.
9. Comfy couch and chairs.
10. And the patio, a great area to let the dogs sit and look out. And a spot to chill if campgrounds are all dirt.
I could go on and on why we we love this new KZ 5th wheel. I'm not naive enough to think this rig will be a problem free rig. From only one short 3 day shake down trip I have seen a few problems already.
None to scare me away from KZ, at least not yet.
I'll keep you all posted on my findings, and I hope I can ask for help as I learn as I go with this new rig.
Thank you KZ owners.
Joe
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routerguy
Newbie RV’er
Great to back into a KZ
Posts: 15
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Post by routerguy on Jul 31, 2019 23:24:51 GMT -5
I had a 2008 sportsman no problems with it traded it in for a 2017 Jayco. Too many problems with the Jayco traded it in for a kz Durango.
Like the storage full size beds leveling and just a kz
Chris
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Post by laknox on Aug 6, 2019 12:33:06 GMT -5
SHE liked the big pantry, the peninsula island and the big shower.
ME, I liked the bigger tanks than the comparable Jayco I was looking at. Also, higher cargo capacity. This KZ was the first one I'd seen, and felt that it was better built than the Jayco (KZ was #1 and Jayco was #2 when I was shopping.).
BOTH couldn't pass up the price. Rig had sat at the dealer for almost 11 months and the owner wanted it gone. Made us an offer on a new unit that was several thousand less than the USED KZs I was looking at.
Lyle
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sg
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 28
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Post by sg on Aug 7, 2019 21:58:34 GMT -5
Floor plan ! And storage ! We had a puma tt and it was a good weekend camper but I’m retiring soon and we are planning on seeing the country from coast to coast. We need more storage inside and out . We looked at lots of rvs of all kinds and when we walked into our Durango we knew it was perfect for both me and my wife. On top of the floor plan it just looked and felt better built that a lot of other 5th wheels we looked at . It’s not huge which is what we wanted so it would be easier to get around but the floor plan makes it great for extended time on the road. And to top it off we got a great deal it’s a 2018 256rkt and was on clearance sale but new . We love it
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Post by csp1116 on Aug 7, 2019 23:49:45 GMT -5
Good luck, great choice and safe travels. I’ve had every make of camper from a pop up to a Class A. My Durango was my first 5th wheel. I’ll never go back to anything but a 5er. The amount of storage is off the charts. We can’t fill all the storage compartments or cabinets. Like you said it’s not huge (36 feet) but we just finished five weeks traveling nearl 5000 miles on the road with not one single problem. The only thing I did was upgrade the pinbox to a Flexair pinbox.
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