Warranty Work and Local Dealer? Is it necessary?

[bshillam]

My family toured the GD Reflection 312BHTS this last week. I have visited this coach several times and tried to find faults in this price range. I have done all the research google has allowed me to without sending me to invalid pages. I have spoke to several dealers within my state. Prices vary by as much as $3,000 on this coach. I have known buyers that once took delivery didn't need much support. The best price on this would be a dealer that is four hours from my house. I wouldn't mind picking it up and then taking it to them with the first laundry list but after that I'd rather take it closer to home. Have you bought and then taken it somewhere else for warranty work? Have you found that your local dealer refused to accept the work? I have never bought a new trailer and I am just not sure how much of the hype is real. I have had four trailers but all used and none covered by any warranty what so ever so it was always on my own dollar. I'd really like to make sure I am getting the best value over all. Thanks for your input!

[Cate&Rob]

RV dealers are not like truck/car dealers. The manufacturer does not require that they do warranty work on a unit that they did not sell and usually they have no interest in doing this or will put you to the back of the line. This is why GDRV is very specific in their website advice that you should buy local.

Rob

[Ruach-Elisha]

On Servicing: I have heard conflicting messages on this. I have personally known three folks who serviced their trailers/RVs at locations different from the one they purchased at without any issues. I have not yet met anyone who claimed they were refused service. This is not Grand Design specific. I have also bought and serviced my trailer at a dealer that was really busy and had to wait 5 weeks to get repairs done despite the fact that I bought the trailer at that location. I got my Grand Design at a new dealer (because it was closer and they had a good price) and they got me in the service bay the day after I dropped off my new GD 350m for some minor warranty repair work: that is darn fast in my opinion. This past weekend was our first "shake down" cruise with our 350m (our second trailer) and I am impressed with how the trailer is put together so far. I was also moving from a 2012 Airstream, which I loved greatly, and my shakedown cruise found fewer issues with my new GD Momentum 350m than I did with my brand new Airstream (we needed more space). And, I do not blame GD for the issue I did find, because it was a faulty rain sensor on one of my max air fans (first time I have ever heard of that problem, but I have not researched that).

On Pricing: You may have already done this, but definitely make sure to get a copy of the exact options sheet on the trailers you see a $3000 difference on in price. I had the same experience but had an epiphany once I got a copy of the detailed option sheets and realized that little things you may not have noticed (like wheels or slide toppers or upgraded sounds systems, larger fresh water tank, etc.) can add up to a big difference in MSRP price. After having bought someplace close by and someplace farther away (I have the close by one now) if you are at all worried I would be willing to pay a little more to support my local dealer. Get the price and options sheet from the one four hours away and take it with you to the local dealer and see if they will match the price, they just might be willing to do it.

Good luck.

[bailer6334]

I suggest you call GD and ask them what warranty service options you may have.

[livinthelife]

It's my understanding that, if you live somewhere where taking your rig in for service would be a hardship (too far, bad dealer), and have a repair facility that you would rather use, you can contact Grand Design to start the process for your preferred location to become an authorized Grand Design repair facility.

I wish I could remember where I read that.

[arhayes]

As ones who full time in a GD and bought from a dealer to which we never returned, warranty work is not an issue. I've had replacement parts shipped to us as we travelled, been to one dealer on the road and used a Mobile RV service. As long as you are dealing with the factory, my experience is they will work with you.

Where you WILL run into problems is that dealers from which you did not purchase will not give you priority service. The one warranty repair that required a dealer meant we had to sit for 10 days until they got us in. Not a GD problem as they approved the repair the day we called. It just took that dealer that long to work us in....for a 4 hour job! We're retired so made an extended stay of it and had fun as always. But YMMV.


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[fishkiller1]

bought my 303 4 hours away for a good price that my nearest dealer "could not touch"...driver slide broke after a few months and made an appt to drop off and it was there for more than 2.4 months..Had all seals leaking from moderate to severe per dealer. They replaced only 1 brake assembly...The worst service ever.....Now in talking to customer service who did help in getting my rig back and extended my warranty for 3 months. You can take to "any service dept and as long as they are willing to work with grand design they will work with them" per service rep at GD...Now I tried to take to another dealer for a water heater issue while on the road and the first question was did you purchase here,,no...5 weeks for appt. Just my experience here

[Aridon]

When we full timed we never had any issue with any brand of RV at any dealer. In fact, saying you full time tends to put you at the top of the list because you're living in the coach on their lot and they want you to get out quickly. So when you bring it in, tell them you're full time, take a mini vacation while at the dealership and they'll rush you right out.

Here is the thing about service. If you're the kind of person that needs the dealer to run a bead of dicor or put a piece of trim up then pay the extra money and have the local guy hand hold you.

If you're the kind of person that tends to do things yourself and aren't afraid to educate yourself a bit with youtube and reading some material then the local dealer isn't nearly as important. You can fix most anything yourself. These units really aren't that complicated.

[avetraveler]

This is a really timely thread. I bought my new GDRV Imagine 2600RB about three weeks ago at a dealer about three hours away (which I thought was the closest GDRV dealer). Had to have the furnace repaired before leaving the pickup from the dealer but the furnace was broke again by the time I reached my first stop.

Contacted GDRV hoping to get furnace repaired somewhere closer and discovered there was a GDRV dealer much closer (30 minutes). GDRV customer support said I should have no problem getting the warranty repair done at the nearby dealer. Contacted them and the unit is in their shop now.

The shops here in Florida are very busy this time of year with all the snowbirds heading North so they did say it would be a few days before I got an update. I'm not hitting the road until May so I told them to take their time. They have been very nice and very helpful up to this point.

I'll update this post with the final outcome once the repair has been completed.

[bshillam]

This is the kind of feedback I was looking for. No I don't need a dealer for everything. But when I do it's important that I have one within a reasonable drive. Also one that is easy to get to. Yesterday I had such a positive encounter. I guess the real problem is most of the other trailers I have been looking at just don't compare. I see a real value in the reflection line. Now I'm going to have a to swallow paying what one cost because used is tough to come by....


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