2018 Solitude 300GK

[Bigfred]

Shake Down trip has been productive so far -
My wife and I purchased a 2018 Solitude (Slightly used) last summer but lacked a tow vehicle. We got it home in August and spent the next two months learning how to "turn things on" so to speak. Winter storage is important in Western PA so I winterized and stored. Retrived it in early April and took it to a horse trailer dealer for state inspection. (They could do a little work during COVID)
Finally got in touch with an RV Dealer - Camper's Inn in Ellwood City Pa and made an appointment to bring in on April 28th for them to do a maintenance check (roof, all interior systems, wheel bearings and such...) dropped off at 8:45 am on the 28th - when I made the appointment I told them we had a reservation for May 1st at a campground for 1 month shake down trip. (no problem - unless we find something we need to order parts for) They called me on the 30th of April at noon at said that they had 'not' got it into their bay yet. I reminded them that I was needing to get it for our trip Friday May 1st and their reply was - Well, let us try to work it in and see what we are looking at. Friday at noon, I called and they had still not got it in the bay so I drove to the dealer and picked it up. (1 hour each way, now 2 trips for no work) - I noticed in their service department when I picked it up - All service = $159 per hour. (parts extra)

Is that normal rates?

I'm glad they didn't get a chance to find my problems I guess. Parts and service people are very easy to talk with but 4 days after "they" scheduled the drop off and not starting on the work - is that normal?

I purchased a door key from the parts counter to match the number on the unit. When I got home, it is not the numbered key marked on the parts bag so it doesn't work. Not a good first experience there. This forum has been such a help in research and trouble shooting little issues - very grateful to be a part of the community of Grand Design owners...

I will share a few lessons learned during our first camping trip (our shake down run) soon.

[Steven@147]

Shake Down trip has been productive so far -
My wife and I purchased a 2018 Solitude (Slightly used) last summer but lacked a tow vehicle. We got it home in August and spent the next two months learning how to "turn things on" so to speak. Winter storage is important in Western PA so I winterized and stored. Retrived it in early April and took it to a horse trailer dealer for state inspection. (They could do a little work during COVID)
Finally got in touch with an RV Dealer - Camper's Inn in Ellwood City Pa and made an appointment to bring in on April 28th for them to do a maintenance check (roof, all interior systems, wheel bearings and such...) dropped off at 8:45 am on the 28th - when I made the appointment I told them we had a reservation for May 1st at a campground for 1 month shake down trip. (no problem - unless we find something we need to order parts for) They called me on the 30th of April at noon at said that they had 'not' got it into their bay yet. I reminded them that I was needing to get it for our trip Friday May 1st and their reply was - Well, let us try to work it in and see what we are looking at. Friday at noon, I called and they had still not got it in the bay so I drove to the dealer and picked it up. (1 hour each way, now 2 trips for no work) - I noticed in their service department when I picked it up - All service = $159 per hour. (parts extra)

Is that normal rates?

I'm glad they didn't get a chance to find my problems I guess. Parts and service people are very easy to talk with but 4 days after "they" scheduled the drop off and not starting on the work - is that normal?

I purchased a door key from the parts counter to match the number on the unit. When I got home, it is not the numbered key marked on the parts bag so it doesn't work. Not a good first experience there. This forum has been such a help in research and trouble shooting little issues - very grateful to be a part of the community of Grand Design owners...

I will share a few lessons learned during our first camping trip (our shake down run) soon.

Howdy from Texas, Yup that's pretty standard fare for RV dealerships.

I don't like the dealership service departments in general. If my RV was out of warranty I would use a certified mobile RV service tech not a dealership for service or repairs because they tend to be more honest, faster, more trustworthy and cheaper labor rate in general.
In dealing with RV dealership service departments you have to be Not in a hurry when dealing with them. They are over whelmed with working on RVs and they will put RVs that were purchased at the dealership ahead of other RVs just in for maintenance or repairs.
We have not had our new rig back to the dealership for service. Our old rig we had some warranty work that needed done and when taking it back to the dealership where we bought it, the service writer tried to sell us repairs that were not needed. Like the roof needed re-caulking. He was just trying to up sell us and generating revenue for the dealership service department. He knew most owners do not get up on the roof. You got to watch them like a hawk!

[Bigfred]

Thanks Steven,
We will be keeping an eye out for sure. What about the cost per hour, is $159 pretty much the going rate in your area? Any idea how to find the mobile service techs and what those guys charge?

[Steven@147]

Thanks Steven,
We will be keeping an eye out for sure. What about the cost per hour, is $159 pretty much the going rate in your area? Any idea how to find the mobile service techs and what those guys charge?

Yes $150 to 159 / hour is pretty much the going rate for RV service dealerships in our area. Auto dealerships as well. As far as RV mobile techs, I haven't needed the use of one yet but I did a google search for RV mobile techs for our area and a lot came up. Of course our area in South Central Texas has a lot of campgrounds and resorts so probably more mobile service tech options than maybe where you are. You can start your search here- https://www.doityourselfrv.com/searc...v-technicians/
You can also check with local campgrounds around you, they may have a list of RV mobile tech services.

Mobile Service tech rates vary and can include trip charges depending on how far they have to travel. Some mobile techs labor rates are a lot lower than dealerships, some in our area charge $100 / hour, you'll just have to query them for your area. RVIA certified mobile techs tend to be a little higher on their rates than non-certified mobile techs but lower than RV Dealership Service Departments. The great thing about mobile techs is they will come to where you are.

[CoChris]

Shake Down trip has been productive so far -
My wife and I purchased a 2018 Solitude (Slightly used) last summer but lacked a tow vehicle. We got it home in August and spent the next two months learning how to "turn things on" so to speak. Winter storage is important in Western PA so I winterized and stored. Retrived it in early April and took it to a horse trailer dealer for state inspection. (They could do a little work during COVID)
Finally got in touch with an RV Dealer - Camper's Inn in Ellwood City Pa and made an appointment to bring in on April 28th for them to do a maintenance check (roof, all interior systems, wheel bearings and such...) dropped off at 8:45 am on the 28th - when I made the appointment I told them we had a reservation for May 1st at a campground for 1 month shake down trip. (no problem - unless we find something we need to order parts for) They called me on the 30th of April at noon at said that they had 'not' got it into their bay yet. I reminded them that I was needing to get it for our trip Friday May 1st and their reply was - Well, let us try to work it in and see what we are looking at. Friday at noon, I called and they had still not got it in the bay so I drove to the dealer and picked it up. (1 hour each way, now 2 trips for no work) - I noticed in their service department when I picked it up - All service = $159 per hour. (parts extra)

Is that normal rates?

I'm glad they didn't get a chance to find my problems I guess. Parts and service people are very easy to talk with but 4 days after "they" scheduled the drop off and not starting on the work - is that normal?

I purchased a door key from the parts counter to match the number on the unit. When I got home, it is not the numbered key marked on the parts bag so it doesn't work. Not a good first experience there. This forum has been such a help in research and trouble shooting little issues - very grateful to be a part of the community of Grand Design owners...

I will share a few lessons learned during our first camping trip (our shake down run) soon.

Unfortunately, we have seen the same treatment at our local dealer. Windish RC Center in Denver CO area (that we purchased out trailer from new). The labor rate was $145/hr a couple of years ago. An "appointment" date is just to drop off your trailer. They will get to it when they get to it. We were offered to take the trailer after they inspected it (to know what to order and needed done), but the clock would only start again when we brought the trailer back to their lot. Priority is 1) PDI & new trailer (presales) work, 2) Full timers, 3) Units sold there and 4) anyone else.

The one (and only) time I had the dealer work on it was for warrantee. Horrible experience. Took 5 months and was continually lied to (dealer blamed it all on Grand Design - I called Grand Design and either dealer never submitted request or the parts had already been shipped and received by dealer). Got the trailer back, propane tanks (had one full + one 1/2 tank when dropped off) where empty (they had run the furnace over the winter), trailer filthy, many items marks as "done" had never been touched. Many No Trouble Found (about 1/2 of the items it was in for) took me a total of 4 hours work to find and fix (or worse fix correctly!). I am sure there are some good dealers out there, but I can not recommend Windish for any post sales work.

On the bright side Grand Design has, in general been very good to work with. Very helpful with information and sending me parts directly under warrantee, and even out of warrantee in some cases. I have heard Grand Design is good about authorizing mobile techs (you may need to pay the travel cost) for warrantee work.

Sorry for the long rant. I hope you have better experience.
Chris