Gateway 3200rs

We are looking to go full time and have narrow our search down to the Gateway 3200rs. Any pro or con on this. Really like the layout. A little concern about not having the 6 leveling jacks. We will be pulling with a f250 Heavy duty. Thanks
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Hi mgambill48,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and hopefully to the family. We have a great bunch of folks here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

You will love the layout of the 3200RS, probably one of the best or most popular floor plans on the market. Good use of all the space. I'm sure you will get more pro's than con's. You might have your dealer call Heartland and ask about the jacks, somethings are available or they will add that the dealer does not know about or just wants to sell the unit that is in stock. The jacks are not cheap,, but everyone likes them.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M
 
Hi mgambill48

We have the 3200rs and really like it. We have only taken one short trip in it but plan to spend next winter in it. We did get the auto leveling system and really like it. Setting up is much easier and the rear of the trailer is really solid. The front will still bounce around some and we just orders the JT Strongarm stabilizers. We also have the residential refrigerator and like it also. We are experiencing some problem with the power inverter, which provides the 110V while traveling, shutting off during the trip. It is only 1000w and I think it needs to be larger.

The layout of the trailer is really great. The moving island counter is nice, but will be a bit of a nuisance if we were traveling every couple of days. We will be staying for weeks or months at a time next winter so I don't think we will be bothered by it. The bed room is much improved over our last 5er. There is plenty of room to walk on both sides of the bed and the full sized queen is great. The dining table is a great idea. We seldom eat at the table and it can be configured to be pretty much out of the way and when we need it we can position it and run out the extension. The two folding chairs are out of the way until you need them also.

We will be stopping at the dealer the first day of our trip to get a few things worked on and also to get the axels aligned with all of our gear aboard. The one thing that kind of bothers me is the cheap fan they put in the bathroom. We will be replacing it with a fantastic fan hopefully before our big trip.

We are also pulling with a 3/4 ton. I think we are probably pushing the weights some but it does handle it well. This trailer's gross weight is 2000 pounds heavier than our last one and it pulls easier. I'm not sure how they do that but it sure feels good back there.

We will be taking a two week trip next month including our first Heartland Owners Rally in Two Harbors MN. We will learn more about it then. So far it makes me happy just to look at it setting in the driveway.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will do my best to answer.
Good luck with your decision.

Don
 

danemayer

Well-known member
We also have the residential refrigerator and like it also. We are experiencing some problem with the power inverter, which provides the 110V while traveling, shutting off during the trip. It is only 1000w and I think it needs to be larger.
There's a fix for this. Call Heartland Customer Service at 877-262-8032 / 574-262-8030. Have your VIN # ready.

The refrigerator manufacturer changed compressors without notice and the new compressors overload the inverter at startup. The inverter has been modified to deal with the higher surge.
 

Speedy

Well-known member
Don,

My wife and I are helping her mother (Melba) select a Heartland 5er to fulltime in and she has been leaning towards a Sundance but we feel it will not be up to the task of fulltiming. We just started looking at the Gateway for her and would like to know how you like the stepped countertop on the island. From the Heartland posted pictures there is little working space if you were to add a couple of counter top appliances (Coffee maker & NuWave oven) so they would end up on the island.

Comments.
 
Hi John & Rana,

Our 2014 Gateway 3200rs came with a flat topped island. We looked at a 2013 and it had the stepped countertop. Without any experience with the stepped style, we like the flat version that we have. I talked to our dealer about the difference and he said that people who liked to entertain preferred the stepped countertop and those of us who just wanted to live in it liked the flat version. This make sense to me but again we have no experience with the stepped version. I'm not sure if all 2014s come with the flat version or if it is an option that can be ordered by the dealer.

I hope this helps. let me know if there is any other questions you have.

Also, I would like to thank Dan for the tip on the inverter problem. I will call first thing Monday and let you know how it works out. It's great the way this forum works. I was trying to help someone else with my response and wound up getting my own problem solved. I really appreciate it.

Thank
Don
 

GrumpyOneandTwo

Well-known member
We are looking to go full time and have narrow our search down to the Gateway 3200rs. Any pro or con on this. Really like the layout. A little concern about not having the 6 leveling jacks. We will be pulling with a f250 Heavy duty. Thanks

Since you asked....lol..I've said it before....I ABSOLUTELY HATE THE TIERED MOVEABLE ISLAND!!!!! Now, that is me...if my wife would let me I would saw it in half and remove it!

The reasons???? First you have to have it positioned correctly to keep it from rubbing on slides when they are in. After that you have to lock the four corner rollers. Now you have to tie the back two corners to the cleats in the floor under the edge of the 3 recliners. Now you can bring in the slides. Next you have to tie the front two corners to the cleats in the floor on the slides. Now it is ready for travel. When arriving you MUST remember to unfasten the two front corners from the cleats in the slides.....guess what happens if you don't?.....next you can move the slides out. Now you can undo the two ties on the rear. Then you can unlock the rollers. Now you can move it where you want it....IMHO... areal PIA!! I would never again buy a trailer with a moveable island...then again, that's just me...we have had our Gateway a little over a year. Now, the Island is about the only thing I don't like. I wish we had the king bed but we can make the queen work. The décor is absolutely beautiful. The "feel" of the living space is as good as at home. But if I was going to be traveling a lot I'd get a Big Horn 3010. But that's just me.......

Mike
 
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