Just wanted to post a quick note, we are very fortunate to be able to take time to travel, this time of year in the great northwest can be a crapshoot but so far so good. Nice to be able to feel safe and secure in our new rv and visit family. Just another thing to be thankful for this holiday!! Wishing everyone on the road or at home a happy thanksgiving holiday, and safe travels.
so impressed with new gateway!!!
- Thread starter 1_oldgoat
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I have been disconnecting from shore water nightly and leaving a small ceramic heater in the udc, i am not really sure i need the heater but after freezing up the first night did not want to take a chance and have any more issues. It has been in the teens in the evenings but no more single digits. This rv is truley four season livable, very well insulated, its not only warm and comfortable but also quiet inside. I am.so happy we did our research and found this Gateway. We looked at several other fifth wheels, so many it got confusing trying to remember at times which model had what. Once we had a short list this rv was clearly the best for the price point we were looking at. It has every comfort and safty features than several more expensive rv's out there. It fits or exceeds our needs and we are extremely happy with our choice,not one problem so far from a manufacture standpoint really, a little sealant around the outside of the shower enclosure is about it. Our first outing with our last new trailer had over 14k in warrenty work done by the dealership we bought it from and was told that was the norm. Pretty sad. Just something else to be thankful for with our choice!!
Old Goat...I am bummed...looks like the weather isn't going to hold out for us to take the RV to Ohio over Thanksgiving. I really don't like towing through snow...not only the safety reasons, but just the dang salt they use on the roads in IN and OH...
Hopefully all this mess is past us to leave for Orlando a week from today, then headed to Kings Bay, GA to see my daughter for a week...then final stop for the Gateway in Statesboro, GA. My RV's always get to "go South" for the winter as I leave it at a friends cotton farm in Statesboro, GA...just wish "I" still went and stayed south for the winter...DW doesn't let me anymore! LOL! I could...but she can't...
But it is great you guys are getting some quality time with the Gateway! We have to wait another week! But looking forward to it!
Hopefully all this mess is past us to leave for Orlando a week from today, then headed to Kings Bay, GA to see my daughter for a week...then final stop for the Gateway in Statesboro, GA. My RV's always get to "go South" for the winter as I leave it at a friends cotton farm in Statesboro, GA...just wish "I" still went and stayed south for the winter...DW doesn't let me anymore! LOL! I could...but she can't...
But it is great you guys are getting some quality time with the Gateway! We have to wait another week! But looking forward to it!
priorguy
Well-known member
The gateway sounds really well appointed. Where does it fit in the hierarchy of the heartland lineup? Heated tanks and a fireplace standard. I didn't think BH/BC or landmark had that. Tanks are part of the yeti package from what I've read. For my current needs though the Elkridge 37 Ultimate is still the dream but my NT more then adequate for the camping we do now.
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Priorguy, looking at the Heartland website, I would say that Heartland has brought it in as the bottom tier of there "Luxury" 5th Wheel line. Price wise it is below the Bighorn Series. But it is well appointed with some standard options not normally seen with two ducted A/C units Standard, Flush mounted windows. I believe it you order you can get double pain windows along with other options including a generator prep package. The Gateway series if very well insulated also, according to the Heartland website the R values are on par for the walls/ floor and a little better for the roof of both the Big Country and the Big Horn. The only model that has better insulated floor (again according to the Heartland website) is the Landmark, which is pushing close to 2 times the price of the Gateway.
I was very happy with the price I paid for our "end of year" 2013 out the door with tax was a little more than $28K under MSRP...would have liked to had a couple of the New 2014 options with the residential Fridge and LED awning lighting but the end of year discount was too good to pass up. Our local dealer here in New Castle, Indiana had 6 or 7 of the 2013's a couple of months ago...and I think they are down to only 1, maybe two left. I see they have reduced these last couple an additional $2K.
The Gateway is my 4th new camper (second 5th wheel) in the past 15 years and by far the nicest and best insulated one we have ever owned. the 2008 SOB ToyHauler we had the past 5 years was very drafty and was a nightmare to heat if the weather turned the least bit cold. As Oldgoat...we are very happy with our Gateway 3200 so far...and think we will continue to be.
I was very happy with the price I paid for our "end of year" 2013 out the door with tax was a little more than $28K under MSRP...would have liked to had a couple of the New 2014 options with the residential Fridge and LED awning lighting but the end of year discount was too good to pass up. Our local dealer here in New Castle, Indiana had 6 or 7 of the 2013's a couple of months ago...and I think they are down to only 1, maybe two left. I see they have reduced these last couple an additional $2K.
The Gateway is my 4th new camper (second 5th wheel) in the past 15 years and by far the nicest and best insulated one we have ever owned. the 2008 SOB ToyHauler we had the past 5 years was very drafty and was a nightmare to heat if the weather turned the least bit cold. As Oldgoat...we are very happy with our Gateway 3200 so far...and think we will continue to be.
Jamie, Dan, Greg, i believe Greg is correct on where the Gateway fits in Heartlands line up, its the bottom of the high end fifth wheels. We looked at a big horn 3650 RE, with the bathroom slide but after weighing pros and cons decided on the Gateway, one big thing was price, the big horn was 20k plus more and for one extra sink not worth it for us anyway. Still have the insulation package as well as some other comforts that were options on the big horn and come standard on this 3500 RE. This had every option on the pamphlet other than a couple add ons so not sure whats standard. I'll find it and post what we ended up with. Enjoying our stay, the park this time.of year is empty, alot of wildlife around, eagles, geese and deer everywhere. Nice to sit and watch the river. Only a few more days and it will be time to head home, we are thinking about heading to Spokane for x-mas but its going to depend on road conditions. Another peaceful night sitting by the fire was enjoyable, couldn't ask for a better first outing.
Greg, sorry to hear the weather is hanging you up, i saw where the midwest was getting some terrible weather. We plan on heading south next year, have to do the family thing this winter, made a deal with the wife....we have been so lucky this trip, fingers and toes crossed!! The new rv is incredible, so much nicer to live in than any of our past units have been, sure gets alot of compliments as well.
Thank you for your service to while i'm thinking of it, safe travels and have a great thanksgiving!!
Thank you for your service to while i'm thinking of it, safe travels and have a great thanksgiving!!
Jamie, Ginger and Madison, thanks for reading my little adventure with our new Gateway. This is our 4th new rv, first fifth wheel, our last unit was a 2010 Keystone Cougar 30RKSWE, we bought it on impulse because of the way it looked and liked the layout and didn't do the research we should have. We kind of got hammered on it as far as price and while it served our purpose it wasn't designed to be lived in like the Gateway is. My wife an i are both so happy we made the decision to buy this unit, it is by far the best built of any of our past rv's. For our first outing i had been expecting to have problems as we did with all of our other trailers but so far so good, nothing to worry about at all as we are finding out, if you decide to buy one you won't be disapointed. Amazing rv!!
GSXR 130, i believe you are correct. The Gateway is a step up acording to what little i know!
Something i haven't mentioned, well a couple of things actualy, the framless windows are so nice, easy to open, and almost as efficient as the double pane windows so not sure that option is really necessary, when we were in Ontario on the way up with no power hook ups, the LED lighting is excellent, super brght inside, lights and switchs galore, outlets to for that matter, i'm getting.off track again, battery usage was so minimal, furnace was running off an on most of the night, lights on, didn't drop batteries from full harged acordinv to the servi e panel, with everything else being so nice and working correctly i have no reason to doubt the batteries kept a full charge for 12 hrs of usage on them.alone. thats running watef with the pump as well. Just another positive to add to the list that inhad forgot to say anything about.
On a personal note, please say thanks to a veteran tomorrow for thier service and sacrafice. It takes a special person to make a commitment to serve our country, so thank you all, past and present!!
Something i haven't mentioned, well a couple of things actualy, the framless windows are so nice, easy to open, and almost as efficient as the double pane windows so not sure that option is really necessary, when we were in Ontario on the way up with no power hook ups, the LED lighting is excellent, super brght inside, lights and switchs galore, outlets to for that matter, i'm getting.off track again, battery usage was so minimal, furnace was running off an on most of the night, lights on, didn't drop batteries from full harged acordinv to the servi e panel, with everything else being so nice and working correctly i have no reason to doubt the batteries kept a full charge for 12 hrs of usage on them.alone. thats running watef with the pump as well. Just another positive to add to the list that inhad forgot to say anything about.
On a personal note, please say thanks to a veteran tomorrow for thier service and sacrafice. It takes a special person to make a commitment to serve our country, so thank you all, past and present!!
Happy thanksgiving everyone!! Our last day here in Oregon and then on the road tomorrow morning. I am going to miss staying in our new rv but do need to get home and ready for the next outing. Happy holidays everybody. Couldn't have ask for a better first outing, tomorrow will be 10 days and no problems to speak of. I have a short list of things i will be doing to the truck and trailer, nothing major for either, thank you all for some excellent ideas and help, i do appreciate it. For those of you who are thinking about buying a Gateway, its a great choice, what an incredible rv is all i have to say, thanks Heartland for making a solid comfortable home away from home!!
GSXR130, I think i am.going to install a set of firestone air bags on the truck, i have xenon lights both driving and fog, they are extremely bright even without the trailer hooked up i am.getting hit from oncoming drivers with there high beams, my truck does have a leveling kit installed so the front is up a bit from stock, i think the bags will help pick the back up a bit and distribute a little more weight forward. The trailer i am.going to do as another did with the access panel and install hinges and a slide lock so no screws to remove to get to the back of the water heater, and install a set of sissor jacks in front of the rear suspension to minimize movement from the tires and leaf springs. I did notice the brake wires on the offdoor side axles are sitting on the leaf springs as well so need to adress those, seal the shower surround and replace a stove burner. Nothing major as far as the trailer goes and really don't need the extra jacks but have heard from others it helped what little movement there is so thought why not!
What a great thanksgiving, and alot to be thankful for. This was the first time our family has been together for over 20 years, you all know how it is, everyone has thier own famlies and plans so this was huge for us anyway. My older sister is a cancer survivor, very fortunate to have her with us still. Her two daughters, my little nieces are grown and have beautiful children of thier own, so proud of them. Greatful to be able to be here and enjoying our new rv as well, what a nice suprise to not have problems as we have had with every other trailer we have owned, i guess a person dosn't have to expect to have trouble, the way it should be. Maybe the people who work at Heartland do care about the product they produce, which is very nice to see now days with incompetence every where we go, don't get me wrong, and i am not on a soap box right now but it seems to me at least nobody cares anymore. Had i done my job the way alot.of people do now, i wouldn't have made it 30 yrs. Anyway the sun has set once again and the temps are dropping so its time to disconect from shore water and turn on the heaters. Last night here for a while.
Hope everyone had a great day. See you all soon.
Hope everyone had a great day. See you all soon.
Keith, Kim, couldn't be happier with our choosing the Gateway for our new trailer. No issues to speak of, i'm no a picky person so when something like ourr shower stall isn't sealed corectly its not a big deal, saying that, our last new units first outing we had doors for cupboards fall off, u couldn't level the thing and close a door on it anywhere, over 14k in warrenty work, second trip was another 11k, after the first year and no warrenty i did repairs on every trip we made, the straw that broke the camels back was our anivesarry, we went to Cannon Beach Oregon, got to the rv park and the slide wouldn't open, i spent a day running for.parts to fix that, then the water heater quit. The dealership we bought the cougar from said it was normal to need work done, i was kind of expecting something to go wrong with the Gateway for this first trip, nothing so far, hope now you understand! Could not be a more satisfied customer, sealing the shower corectly isn't worth the drive to the dealership, or a problem for that matter. I can't say enough good things about our new rv. Averaged 5 bucks a day to heat in sub freezing weather these last ten days, thats more than good, thats great!!! So in answer to your coment, very happy campers!
Well, it appears our good luck has run its corse as far as weather goes, fog is thick off of the river this morning, it has been every morning but has burnt off by 9:00 or so, not today, just went and fueled up and roads are icey.....keeping fingers and toes crossed the sun comes out soon, i wanted to make it home today but may only get half way.
I was correct, made it a bit past half way. Had one moment with the trailer sliding on ice at close to a 30 degree angle to the truck, i don't know how i got it straightened up, just dumb luck. The freeway coming home is a bit rough so i figured if anything was going to come apart it would, when we stopped nothing wrong inside the trailer, however there is what appears to be a nipple.on my truck seat from a body part puckering up. Another nice quiet evening in the rv at a rest stop, coffee is brewing, life is good.
