Has Grand Design gone down in quality?

[Second Chance]

I am looking at a GD Reflection or Solitude S-Class. I have heard nothing but good about GD but since GD got bought out by Winnebago I have a HUGE question mark on their business plan forward. In addition to COVID and lack of qualified workers and qualified workers jumping ship for more money I am struggling with what I am hearing on the NEW models of GD. I use to own a Country Coach diesel pusher back in the 2000's. CC was like GD and it was a private held company. Like GD, It was the best you could buy with attention to quality control and detail. Then CC got bought out by National and long story it went down hill. Eventually going bankrupt. So whenever a private RV manufacture gets bought out by a big boy it makes me wonder how long before it turns to crap.

Winnebago's acquisition of Grand Design happened in 2016. Winnebago is not involved in the daily operations of Grand Design. Any changes observed in the past few years are likely the result of other causes.

Rob

[OUR17MKE]

Wow Minnow101 you really think that I should have caught all of that on a pre delivery inspection? I'm sorry but that's ridiculous. I didn't think any of you guys worked for Grand Design. You seem to miss my whole point, which is GD talks ad nauseum about their quality and inspections and they missed a ridiculous number of items on our camper. As I said, they may have had high standards and execution at some point but that is not the case on what they are building now. Just like in the stock market, past performance is no indicator of the future. GD is now part of big conglomerate and it's beginning to show. I'm just sharing my experience so that others can make an informed decision.

[Redapple63]

Wow Minnow101 you really think that I should have caught all of that on a pre delivery inspection? I'm sorry but that's ridiculous. I didn't think any of you guys worked for Grand Design. You seem to miss my whole point, which is GD talks ad nauseum about their quality and inspections and they missed a ridiculous number of items on our camper. As I said, they may have had high standards and execution at some point but that is not the case on what they are building now. Just like in the stock market, past performance is no indicator of the future. GD is now part of big conglomerate and it's beginning to show. I'm just sharing my experience so that others can make an informed decision.

While I agree that GD absolutely uses a reputation of quality as a form of marketing, we do need to keep in mind the business model. This business is walking a line of its own and taking elements of other models. Let’s be fair, everyone has had to make adjustments due to Covid-19 and it’s related effects. This is a specialty business with very high elasticity, meaning this industry is based on (at least historically) disposable income. In 2008 this industry was on life support and we witnessed a huge consolidation among companies. The rv industry was doing well when covid hit and that drove enormous demand. So, disposable income, specialty market, human dependency, increased demand, supply chain issues, worker issues. Lots of problems. I am by no means giving GD or any other mfgr out the a free pass, but these all lead to qualify issues.

Now when you look at the sales end, many dealer just want to move product out the door and post sales support sucks eggs. So they push as fast as possible so that many errors (to your very valid point) that should have never made it out of the factory are missed a second time during the dealer Pre-Sales inspection(yes they do one) and then the again prior to delivery (conventional PDI). So, in reality several issues have taken an industry not well known for high quality and made it harder, then a lack of dealer participation prior to the sale pretty much leaves it up to us. Many people who may be new to this market take things at face value and don’t do as complete of a PDI as they should (not saying that is the case with you) and walk away with a time bomb.

To your case, in my honest opinion some of those issues you are experiencing may not have been visible (water leak for example) until bad enough to become visible. I feel for you this is a tough situation. With all that said, GD excels at customer service. Of all the companies out there they are toward the top, so, if you work with them, I believe they will make it right.

Ok, my finger is tired and I need a drink. I wish you the best of luck with your challenges.

[NB Canada]

Wow Minnow101 you really think that I should have caught all of that on a pre delivery inspection? I'm sorry but that's ridiculous. I didn't think any of you guys worked for Grand Design. You seem to miss my whole point, which is GD talks ad nauseum about their quality and inspections and they missed a ridiculous number of items on our camper. As I said, they may have had high standards and execution at some point but that is not the case on what they are building now. Just like in the stock market, past performance is no indicator of the future. GD is now part of big conglomerate and it's beginning to show. I'm just sharing my experience so that others can make an informed decision.

I don’t understand the “GD talks ad nauseum about their quality and inspections”
Where are you seeing this?

Before I bought mine I never saw any advertising by GD
Maybe the stuff on their website but as Judge Judy would say “ that is puffing”

They are no better or worse than anyone

Btw I spent 15 minutes on my pdi
Drove 13 hours there and had no patience to sit there. Just wanted to get back on the road

GD and my dealer must have did a fantastic job because there was no issues
Everything worked as it should in my driveway

First trip out after a week on a site developed a leak at outside spray port
Must have loosened due to road vibration
It happens


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

[Sportsdad60]

Our 2021 GD solitude has had minor issues.

That said....every manufactured RVs have issues. Some bug some small.

[SGT ROC]

Everything manufactured will have a percentage of defects in their products. Everything. Most, if not all, companies have it built into their business model. That being said, it really sucks being one who gets the bad products, in this case RV. I, like most others, have had very few and mostly minor issues. Some, like you have many issues, some major. I have found, in talking to people who own different brands (as I did once), and people who own Grand Design, that Grand Design stands behind their product better and more than most. The few times I have called them they have been very responsive, and gone overboard to help. I have gotten excess parts to fix things that I didn't even ask for. It was something I could fix and did not really need the replacement parts. It really does suck to have the "bad" unit. I wish I could help, but I can't, other than to say, Call Grand Design.

[traveldawg]

fwiw..... RVDA has come out with their "Best Of The Worst" list... oops.... sorry... That should be the RVDA's "...Quality Circle Awards for achieving the highest scores in the association’s 27th Annual Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey..."


[LIST][*]Airstream[*]Alliance RV (Paradigm, Valor)[*]CrossRoads RV (Zinger/Volante)[*]Cruiser RV (Shadow Cruiser, MPG, Radiance, Embrace, Stryker)[*]East to West (Alta, Della Terra)[*]Forest River (Flagstaff travel trailers, fifth wheels, and Shamrock expandables)[*]Grand Design RV (Imagine, Momentum, Reflection, Solitude, Transcend)[*]Gulf Stream Coach (Innsbruck, Amerilite, Conquest, Kingsport)[*]Heartland RV (Milestone, Elk Ridge, Big Country)[*]Highland Ridge RV[*]intech RV (Flyer, Luna, Sol, Terra)[*]Keystone RV (Alpine, Avalanche, Cougar, Montana, High Country, Raptor, Carbon)[*]KZ RV (Durango, Durango Gold, Venom, V-Series, Sportsmen, Sportsmen Sportster, Sportsmen Classic)[*]Lance Camper (truck campers)[*]Venture RV (SportTrek, Sonic, Status)[*]Winnebago

I thought that last year (or the year before??) GD was at the top of the list. Maybe it was a different list.

[huntr70]

fwiw..... RVDA has come out with their "Best Of The Worst" list... oops.... sorry... That should be the RVDA's "...Quality Circle Awards for achieving the highest scores in the association’s 27th Annual Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey..."


[LIST][*]Airstream[*]Alliance RV (Paradigm, Valor)[*]CrossRoads RV (Zinger/Volante)[*]Cruiser RV (Shadow Cruiser, MPG, Radiance, Embrace, Stryker)[*]East to West (Alta, Della Terra)[*]Forest River (Flagstaff travel trailers, fifth wheels, and Shamrock expandables)[*]Grand Design RV (Imagine, Momentum, Reflection, Solitude, Transcend)[*]Gulf Stream Coach (Innsbruck, Amerilite, Conquest, Kingsport)[*]Heartland RV (Milestone, Elk Ridge, Big Country)[*]Highland Ridge RV[*]intech RV (Flyer, Luna, Sol, Terra)[*]Keystone RV (Alpine, Avalanche, Cougar, Montana, High Country, Raptor, Carbon)[*]KZ RV (Durango, Durango Gold, Venom, V-Series, Sportsmen, Sportsmen Sportster, Sportsmen Classic)[*]Lance Camper (truck campers)[*]Venture RV (SportTrek, Sonic, Status)[*]Winnebago

I thought that last year (or the year before??) GD was at the top of the list. Maybe it was a different list.

What's even funnier, is that several of the top of the list are horrible builds. You couldn't give me a Crossroads RV for free....

Cruiser has several models that share an assembly line with Heartland, (same trailer, different graphics) and no mention of Heartland.

It really is who pads whose pockets for that rating.

[SGT ROC]

What's even funnier, is that several of the top of the list are horrible builds. You couldn't give me a Crossroads RV for free....

Cruiser has several models that share an assembly line with Heartland, (same trailer, different graphics) and no mention of Heartland.

It really is who pads whose pockets for that rating.

I agree. Forest River has more recalls than most, along with Keystone. Apparently more money goes to padding pockets that build quality...

[CaptPicardo]

What's even funnier, is that several of the top of the list are horrible builds. You couldn't give me a Crossroads RV for free....

Cruiser has several models that share an assembly line with Heartland, (same trailer, different graphics) and no mention of Heartland.

It really is who pads whose pockets for that rating.

Hmmm, good point, me thinks we could do our own RV manufacturing, I'm good with drills, who's in?