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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper KirbyRVA's Avatar
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    Opinons on our Solitude, 15 months later

    We've owned our Solitude 344GK-R for 15 months, bought it new in November 2018. While we don't tow it and use it as a vacation/retreat on a permanent site in Myrtle Beach, SC, we've stayed in the rig for about 8 months out of the last 15. We are in an ocean side resort which include 850 RV/transient sites and about 2,500 annual lease sites with mostly homes and some RV's like ours. Folks stop by our site and compliment our set up, many of them from the RV park who inquire about our set up, cost of the annual lease, etc. Several are considering buying a 5th wheel and have asked how we like/would we recommend Grand Design. I try to answer their questions objectively and always advise them to shop carefully but expect to have issues with any new RV. I ask them if they are a demanding customer and, if they say yes, I warn them about overall RV quality concerns.

    So, we offer our current assessment of our Grand Design. Overall, it is serving us well and meets our needs for a place to stay when we are here. Things we like/appreciate are as follows:

    1. plenty storage for our needs, inside and out. This floor plan has good storage and has lots of overhead cabinets in the galley and living area. The large pass thru basement area offers a lot of space.
    2. the floor plan works well for us. The kitchen is functional, there is plenty of space in the living and bedroom areas.
    3. the interior is attractive. Lighting is good even though placement of some of the switches under cabinets is not terribly convenient.
    4. in spite of negative comments we have read about the Thomas Payne furniture, we think it is very comfortable. We really like the reclining theater seating and at this point, the fake leather seems to be holding up well.
    5. we like the open feeling you get provided by the large and ample windows in the living/dining area.
    6. while we've also read negative comments on the kitchen appliances, the Furrion microwave, gas cook top and gas oven have worked well for us. We like the residential fridge. Samsung is not a favorite brand for us but this one is working well so far.
    7. we enjoy the electric fireplace and the LP furnace seems adequate and is very quiet compared to what we have experienced in previous RV's.

    Things we would change or at least wish we had given more consideration before purchase:

    1. wish we had double pane windows and a third AC. I take full blame for not giving more consideration to these two items. We got a great deal, including a generous trade in for our motorhome, on this dealer stock unit. We got the trailer plus a fairly large check since our used County Coach was worth quite a bit more than the Solitude. Since we use the rig here year round, we get a lot of condensation on the windows when it is cold outside. Dual pane windows would help with that. We just added a dehumidifier so expect that to get better. We are not completely satisfied with the cooling ability of the two AC units when it gets hot and humid here. Double pane windows and a third AC would remedy that. Even if GD had included prep for a third roof AC I would have been thrilled. Small comfort that they are now offering a 3rd AC on the new models.
    2. disappointed in the high use of vinyl covered MDF in so much of the cabinet construction. We had two Winnebago motorhomes that used the wood-look vinyl wrap but the quality of the vinyl was much better and it was wrapped over wood and not MDF. Our last WGO motorhome was 8 years old when we traded it and the cabinets were in great shape. The rather thin wrap on the MDF in this Solitude is already nicked and chipped on the sharp edges on frequently used cabinets. Moving pots, pans and dishes in and out will do this in spite of trying to be careful. You can't really touch this stuff up well. I use a MinWax stain pen but touch up of dings is not as easy as with wood. These Solitudes are billed as higher end rigs and I would certainly have paid more for real wood cabinets.
    3. the wooded and fabric surrounds around the windows are really flimsy. GD used some sort of pin nailer to attach the pieces and if you look at them wrong, the side pieces will fall off. I have reattached several with a real 18 ga brad using my brad nailer. The pins GD used are so thin they just don't hold.
    4. kitchen and bath faucets were just cheap. We replaced both with Moen faucets so we're OK now but sad that GD used the cheap stuff.


    So, bottom line when folks ask if we would recommend Grand Design or buy another.....I tell them what we like and don't. I tell them that we are basically OK with our Solitude but wish we had shopped more carefully and looked at the Riverstones at another dealer here in Myrtle Beach. I do acknowledge that GD is offering more options on the 2020 models.
    2019 Solitude 384GKR
    Stored, used at Myrtle Beach, SC
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor
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    Nice write up. Agree with the points you raise.

    I added a few observations / mods as well to my 344GK purchased in early 2018: https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...138#post161138
    2018 Solitude 344gk
    2021 Ram 3500 SRW

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