Has Grand Design quality declined?

[DECelt]

My wife and I are set to pick up our new 31MB on Friday. This will be our third RV, and we really wanted to get this purchase right. We’re hoping for a 10 year camper.

I had limited our selection to four brands and ranked GD as my top choice. It seemed to have the best reputation for the price range we were looking at.

Now, after reading since our purchase, I’ve seen comment after comment (mostly on other forums) about how GD’s quality has declined since Winnebago’s purchase. Is this true? Is this just a few haters or negative experiences? Has this ‘decline’ been exaggerated, or is this your experience?


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We took delivery of our 2021 Solitude in April, and have spent about 16 days in it in nearby state parks to shake out any issues before our first major outing. There have been NO major issues and virtually no minor issues. I have had to make one adjustment...shimming the hinges on the fridge to align the doors. A common and known issue with a 50 cent fix. I am pretty good at discovering problems as this is our seventh towable RV. Just no issues to speak of....really nothing at all. Oh...a cracked license plate mount. (They had a new one delivered to me in 3 days.)

I compare the build quality on this fifth-wheel trailer to our last three relatively high-end fifth wheels (a Bighorn and two Carriage products) and I am pretty impressed. This fifth wheel was ready to go out of the gate. The fit and finish is superior.

The only system that remains unchecked is the Satellite hookup cable system. Always a problem area...we'll see.

The only two real manufacturing issues are a poorly placed electrical receptacle on the exterior (can't be used if the door is latched open) and an absolutely stupid decision to not have built-in cabling for the satellite receiver to tv and any owner supplied DVD player to tv. That took me hours to overcome.

The only major head-scratcher for me is the failure to utilize shock absorbers on a heavy fifth wheel like the Solitude. I knew that going in, but it is still a bad decision on their part. I hope that I have resolved any potential oscillation issues with the addition of sumo springs to the trailer and an upgrade to Bilstein shocks on my truck...which already has timbren springs added.

I am very impressed at the inclusion of quality H-rated tires, tpms and beefed-up hangers and shackles. The Coleman ac units are quiet and efficient, especially compared to the meat grinders that were on the roof of my Heartland.

I don't know if their quality has declined as I had never really spent much time going through a GD product, but if it has it is still better than the competition!

Enjoy....hope that you have good luck!

[DrivingRangeChamp]

Man, I hope I have the same experience.


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[jleonard]

The 2021 2600RB that we had was a good one. It had zero issues. We got it in August last year and used it at least one week per month until it got totaled in May.
Our replacement unit is being built now and due in Tampa around August 1st. I hope it is as good.
But we are more educated now and will spend more time doing a PDI for sure.

[shaggybob]

It seems like many of the build issues are happening on trailers made within the past year as manufacturers are trying to crank out as many as possible. I've read on other sites where people say stay away from Forrest River yet we've had two that had no issues. We haven't had any out of the ordinary problems with our current fifth wheel. However, it was built over two years ago.

I do believe though, with the Winnebago purchase, they have pushed the culture of volume over quality.

That said, before taking delivery on any new RV, a thorough PDI should be done to check absolutely everything, even if it means hiring a tech. Get all the work done before you fund the deal and drive off the lot.

I agree with this 100% based on observations. We just picked up a 2022 17MKE and overall it's fantastic. There are a few small issues that to me seem like they were rushed and just not checked(screws holding back and grey tank handles were loose causing me to lose the black one on the road, a piece of trim at the bathroom door pulled away from adhesive due to being bound up by a screw, one side of the theater seating didn't work as it turned out to be unplugged and almost impossible to reach, and the top shower door rod not installed correctly).

Also some friends of ours just bought a Coleman, and it's far more obvious that there are issues there. It's still a nice camper but there are a lot more signs of being rushed through assembly than I can find on our XLS and I've not spent that much time in or around theirs.

Seems like just a symptom of the market right now. Everybody wants campers and boats and there are hardly any campers or boats to be found, so MFG's are cranking out as fast as they can and have apparently told the QA guys to take a break

Overall I'm extremely happy with our new XLS even with a few small issues. It's a fantastic floorpan for us(we love to cook), details are nice, space is great as we may even have everything we need on board with space to spare, and it get's us where we want to go.

[DrivingRangeChamp]

I agree with this 100% based on observations. We just picked up a 2022 17MKE and overall it's fantastic. There are a few small issues that to me seem like they were rushed and just not checked(screws holding back and grey tank handles were loose causing me to lose the black one on the road, a piece of trim at the bathroom door pulled away from adhesive due to being bound up by a screw, one side of the theater seating didn't work as it turned out to be unplugged and almost impossible to reach, and the top shower door rod not installed correctly).

Also some friends of ours just bought a Coleman, and it's far more obvious that there are issues there. It's still a nice camper but there are a lot more signs of being rushed through assembly than I can find on our XLS and I've not spent that much time in or around theirs.

Seems like just a symptom of the market right now. Everybody wants campers and boats and there are hardly any campers or boats to be found, so MFG's are cranking out as fast as they can and have apparently told the QA guys to take a break

Overall I'm extremely happy with our new XLS even with a few small issues. It's a fantastic floorpan for us(we love to cook), details are nice, space is great as we may even have everything we need on board with space to spare, and it get's us where we want to go.

I wonder if there could be another factor. I know in Alabama, where I live, there are massive is a massive worker shortage. When the unemployment benefits jumped, a lot of folks took the money and ran. Maybe there are a lot of new employees learning the ropes or not enough workers to begin with?


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[caswelld]

Man, I hope I have the same experience.


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2X!!!

Dave

[huntr70]

Is this just a few haters or negative experiences? Has this ‘decline’ been exaggerated

Yes.......


Winnebago hasn't touched any of the factors in Grand Design,. Actually, GD has helped Winnebago, since their market share has been dwindling over the last 10 years. Don Clark's been on the board of Winnebago since the acquisition, and has been helping Winnebago's struggling business model.

There is a reason that you don't see any Winnebago branding on any GD product.....

[jleonard]

. Everybody wants campers and boats and there are hardly any campers or boats to be found

I'm not ready to believe that. We just drove from CT to FL last week. We passed several large RV dealerships and their lots were packed with RVs.
I think there are plenty if one looks.

Don't know about boats we sold ours last year in one day without advertising it and not looking for another.

[bertschb]

...based on some of the issues being discussed lead me to realize there are a lot of new people to the RV experience that have an expectation to that of buying a car

I agree completely. I've read dozens of posts from people who are complaining of super minor issues that they could have fixed themselves in less time than it took to post their comment here. RV's are NOT like new cars. Not even remotely close. Even $200k+ RV's have issues.

We've owned three Grand Design RV's. I don't notice any difference in build quality since Winnebago took over ownership. We've had just a couple of minor issues that were easy to fix ourselves.

If you expect new car quality, you will be sorely disappointed. If you understand the RV industry, you'll enjoy your new RV!

[DrivingRangeChamp]

I'm not ready to believe that. We just drove from CT to FL last week. We passed several large RV dealerships and their lots were packed with RVs.
I think there are plenty if one looks.

Don't know about boats we sold ours last year in one day without advertising it and not looking for another.

As someone who has been looking, I can confirm that there are almost no units available. At the lot I ultimately purchased from, they had tons of units on the lot, but they were almost all spoken for and awaiting delivery. In one week, we had four units bought out from under us.

I expanded my search to the entire southeast and found this to be the case regardless of how far I was willing to drive. I mentioned that I had four brands that I was interested in, and I found some of them, like Open Range, to be virtually nonexistent. Once I decided on a Reflection 31MB, I wanted to compare prices. The only other unit I found within 200 miles was in Atlanta and cost more.

The only reason I was fortunate enough to get the one I did was that it was on order, and they were willing to rush delivery. I was on the lot when it arrived from the factory, and they said most of their units are sold before they arrive on the lot. It’s crazy.


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