Heartland Debuts Full-Time Landmark Fiver

[RoadJunkie]

Jim B., what is the Heartland definition of a "Full Time Coach"? Is it simply a coach that Heartland feels confident about and therefore able to offer a one year warranty despite full time occupancy? I read the release article and it left me lacking for details regarding durability--coach, including frame--that might be consistent with full time living. Are those sorts of details forthcoming?

 

[jbeletti]

Sorry I may have missed this info...what is the length of these new units? I know the San Antonio was 40'....are there any plans to make a shorter Landmark? Our SOB relatives would be interested in a Landmark but say they want to go shorter than the 36 they have now...

Cheryl - Two of the floor plans are not new (Grand Canyon and Rushmore). The San Antonio is 40'11". Weights, lengths etc. for these three are on the Heartland website here.

The Key Largo floor plan - I don't have any information on that. Kary will provide that on the forum directly or through me when he can do so.

As for a shorter Landmark, we used to have one - the Shenandoah. At the end of the day, we only want to make what people want. But enough people need to want one to make a floor plan viable.

I personally like what I get in a long RV, but I understand why some want and need shorter RVs. That said, where would a Landmark buyer want 3 to 5 feet cut out from? I know I never want to give up anything But to get down to 36' or less, the length must come from somewhere.

Jim

 

[2psnapod2]

Will the Key Largo be one that they will have at the Kentucky dealers show? Has there been one produced yet, where there would be some pics of it somewhere. My wife and I are waiting till it comes out to make an order. Would like to see some pics, so we can make up our minds.

 

[2010augusta]

Are the new "frameless" windows available in duel or true thermo-pane types like DRV uses?

 

[jbeletti]

Will the Key Largo be one that they will have at the Kentucky dealers show? Has there been one produced yet, where there would be some pics of it somewhere. My wife and I are waiting till it comes out to make an order. Would like to see some pics, so we can make up our minds.

Michael,

The Key Largo will not be at the show. It goes into production sometime in the first quarter of 2011.

Jim

 

[jbeletti]

Are the new "frameless" windows available in duel or true thermo-pane types like DRV uses?

Alan, my assumption is yes to the dual pane frameless. I am not aware of true thermo-pane windows being put in towable RVs due to the potential for a seal rupture between the panes and subsequent loss of gas. This all due to the nature of a traveling RV vs the fragility of true thermo-pane glass.

That said, maybe we're not talking about the same kind of windows.

Jim

 

[DougLynne]

Jim, are the frameless windows similar the ones on the newer Carriage units? We had one next to us this summer and it really looks smart..../Doug

 

[jbeletti]

Jim, are the frameless windows similar the ones on the newer Carriage units? We had one next to us this summer and it really looks smart..../Doug

Hi Doug - I don't know anything about the materials other brands use so I can't say one way or the other. They look similar to me from the outside though Seriously - they look great.

 

[karykatz]

Right now we will be offering 4 floor plans. The new San Antonio and Grand Canyon are currently in production. The New Key Largo and Rushmore will be available after the first of the year. I will have more on the new Key Largo in the next 3 weeks. I will also keep everyone posted on any new floor plans that may come out next year.

Thanks to everyone for thier great input. We definitely are listening to your wants and needs, and will continue to keep delivering the best products in the market place.

 

[Terry H]

If I bought a Key Largo, I can only imagine that the interior decor choices will be:

1. Tropical
2. Seashell
3. Jimmy Buffett "Margaritaville"
4. Jimmy Buffet "Parrot Head"

 

[cookie]

Good one Terry....made me laugh.

Peace
Dave

 

[kkamshop]

If I bought a Key Largo, I can only imagine that the interior decor choices will be:

1. Tropical
2. Seashell
3. Jimmy Buffett "Margaritaville"
4. Jimmy Buffet "Parrot Head"

I kinda think that would be awesome!!! Make mine Seashell, lol !

 

[RV_Vagabonds]

I'm curious--since we own a 2011 Landmark Grand Canyon that we ordered in November of 2009 and picked up in December of 2009 and it came with Lippert axles and framed windows do I not really have a 2011 Landmark that is made for fulltime RVers? It seems with Heartland that the exact options and construction of this particular model varies on a month to month basis as each one we've seen in pictures and in person have differed vastly from the GC we have. Just curious.

 

[JohnDar]

If I bought a Key Largo, I can only imagine that the interior decor choices will be:

1. Tropical
2. Seashell
3. Jimmy Buffett "Margaritaville"
4. Jimmy Buffet "Parrot Head"

No carpet or linoleum, either. Just sand. Tar balls are optional.

 

[kakampers]

I kinda think that would be awesome!!! Make mine Seashell, lol !

Now we're talking! It will match my coach house down here the RGV when we get it finished...LOL!!!

 

[jbeletti]

I'm curious--since we own a 2011 Landmark Grand Canyon that we ordered in November of 2009 and picked up in December of 2009 and it came with Lippert axles and framed windows do I not really have a 2011 Landmark that is made for fulltime RVers? It seems with Heartland that the exact options and construction of this particular model varies on a month to month basis as each one we've seen in pictures and in person have differed vastly from the GC we have. Just curious.

RV_V,

I feel one can full-time in a myriad of RV brands, models and types. I know many who do. Met a couple this year that full-time in a NT. Know another that full-times in a SD and many in LM/BH/BC and CY. There are many variables to one's personal equation of "can I full-time in this thing?".

Heartland continues to evolve the product. I do not see that changing. Improvements and changes made to a product down the road never takes away from the coach you wanted, the one you purchased. We are not a perfect company by any means - but we try to make what people want. There is a limit to how far we will go as we are not trying to be something we are not. That said, we do our best to listen, make improvements, add features, remove some that perhaps didn't resonate with buyers or added little value. The latest Landmark is a good example of this. We have taken additional measures to improve cold weather camping. We have removed the full-timer exclusion from the warranty, we changed running gear manufacturers, we have added more comfort features... These items and more make what we full is an even more full-time livable coach.

Not sure if I satisfied your curiosity or not. Are you happy with your coach's "full-time" capability based on your experience with it, versus your expectations of it pre-purchase? I hope that you are.

Happy camping,

Jim

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Lin & I recently visited a Camping World in New Braunfels. This store was attached to an RV dealer but I forget what the name of the dealer is. Anyway, after shopping, we went to check out a couple of display 5th wheels. My short term memory just went south. I think we looked at a Grand Junction. The sales guy asked the basic questions and I said we were just looking. We are happy with our Bighorn. Did I mention I was wearing my Nashville Rally shirt?

I admit, it was a pretty nice looking coach. I don't know the asking price but as we were walking out of the RV the sales guy was waiting for us. Well, what did we think? I said it was nice but I like my BH better. Then he bangs on the sidewall of the slide out and says, "I bet Heartlands walls aren't this solid". I felt the wall and agreed but told him to me it wasn't that important. Not wanting to debate with him, we left.

All of this leads to this question. Is there any future plan to start using laminated side walls in the slide outs? Would it be more costly to manufacture them? Just food for thought I guess.

 

[kakampers]

Lin & I recently visited a Camping World in New Braunfels. This store was attached to an RV dealer but I forget what the name of the dealer is. Anyway, after shopping, we went to check out a couple of display 5th wheels. My short term memory just went south. I think we looked at a Grand Junction. The sales guy asked the basic questions and I said we were just looking. We are happy with our Bighorn. Did I mention I was wearing my Nashville Rally shirt?

I admit, it was a pretty nice looking coach. I don't know the asking price but as we were walking out of the RV the sales guy was waiting for us. Well, what did we think? I said it was nice but I like my BH better. Then he bangs on the sidewall of the slide out and says, "I bet Heartlands walls aren't this solid". I felt the wall and agreed but told him to me it wasn't that important. Not wanting to debate with him, we left.

All of this leads to this question. Is there any future plan to start using laminated side walls in the slide outs? Would it be more costly to manufacture them? Just food for thought I guess.

Hey Ray...Yep, they are nice looking. However, I have friend here in Retama who had one until last spring. Pulled out of here got to El Paso, saw that his GJ was leaning quite a bit to one side, crawled underneath to discover that his frame just above his axles and ripped apart approximately 1 and 1/2 feet horizontally and his suspension had "folded" up toward the belly of the coach.

He was stranded for over a month trying to get it fixed as it could not be moved...needless to say it is now long gone. The one thing I noticed about them when I looked...they are as big as our units and just as heavy...BUT...they're sitting a 10" I Beam....with that, laminated slide out walls sure don't mean much...

 

[jbeletti]

Technically speaking, our walls are laminated (built in layers). I think what the salesman meant is vacuum bonded versus pinch-rolled. We vacuum bond the laminated floors and roofs of the LM/BH. We pinch-roll the laminated walls.

I think vacuum bonded walls would be awesome though. I have passed this on to Heartland. Thanks Ray.

Jim

 

[Tom of Ypsi]

Hey Ray...Yep, they are nice looking. However, I have friend here in Retama who had one until last spring. Pulled out of here got to El Paso, saw that his GJ was leaning quite a bit to one side, crawled underneath to discover that his frame just above his axles and ripped apart approximately 1 and 1/2 feet horizontally and his suspension had "folded" up toward the belly of the coach.

He was stranded for over a month trying to get it fixed as it could not be moved...needless to say it is now long gone. The one thing I noticed about them when I looked...they are as big as our units and just as heavy...BUT...they're sitting a 10" I Beam....with that, laminated slide out walls sure don't mean much...

Kathy,

Sounds very familiar only ths happened to our LM and on both sides of the coach and we could see right through the frame. The difference was we have the level up on our coach and that held the frame together because it is welded to the top and bottom of the frame.