Negative Publicity for GD

**WhittleBurner** · 01-22-2020, 03:25 PM

We'll add to JJ and Dan are saying. We also have seen this service from GD. No we did not get a new AC but we had scheduled to have the Holding tank valves and cabling all replaced at the GD service center --> out of waranty. While at the service center they also replaced all the slide seals and re-calked the roof along with other small fixes including trim I had broken. One repair included a slope in the floor near the stove. The slope was fixed by Lippert, they took the trailer over to Lippert and had it back at the GD service facility by the time we returned 5 days later to pick it up.

We've had a relatively trouble free Reflection, most issues have been minor.
The big major thing was a rear left hanger falling off due to a bad weld causing the right one to crack under stress. We reached out to GD service after not finding a mobile welder (in 2018) GD CS contacted Lippert, Both sides fixed by Lippert by their mobile techs who were great to deal with.

**Canyonlight** · 01-22-2020, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by SGT ROC

I am not a PAID (or unpaid) spokesman for Grand Design. I do however sleep COMFORTABLY in their RV's as the occasion allows - usually about 6-7 times a year.[/COLOR][/U][/B]

Reminds me of ......" I don't play a DR on TV but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night !

Dan

**SGT ROC** · 01-22-2020, 05:02 PM

LOL ……

**Schiefswret** · 01-22-2020, 07:24 PM

well said!

**johndeerefarmer** · 01-23-2020, 07:45 AM

I have two GD RV's. I had three Forest River before. I see no difference in quality between GD and FR. In the earlier days of GD they were apt to do a lot for you even when you were way past warranty that made the higher price a little easier to take. Now not so much so.
I paid a premium for my GD RV's but when it's time for another will look at FR again

**Brewhedd** · 01-23-2020, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by SGT ROC

Ya gotta wonder about the haters sometimes. [/COLOR][/U][/B]

Just in case you are referring to me maybe you need to think about that. Just because I question someone else's experience doesn't make me someone that hates anyone or anything. Seems to be the way some think these days. Disagree with the popular opinion or latest political correctness BS and suddenly you're a hater, racist, bigot, etc.

**johndeerefarmer** · 01-23-2020, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by Canyonlight

There have been over the years and continue to be many stories like John's in his post #48 . At regional rallies and the national rally GDRV will address one or more issues even after the warranty has expired, for at times years after. This has been going on since the very first national rally in 2014 of about less than 50 people ? and all around the country now by many mobile service techs.

As John also shared, as the GDRV techs are working on and checking out the RV, if they notice other items THEY take the initiative to point it out and address it if they can. If the item cannot be accomplished at a rally, an appointment can be established that works best for the owner to have the factory service center do so. And when there they will address anything else they find or you may have found as well. Are there some exceptions.......certainly but few and far between.

Gerry McCarthy, VP of the Service Center (top position) and part of the Executive Team shared with Carol and me at the National Rally in August in 2019 - "the RV has our name on it and we are going to make it right." Will there be exceptions and lapses in this standard.......sure but usually explainable.

Constructive feedback on issues is encouraged. GDRV knows they have room for improvement. Doing so in a positive, supportive, constructive, civil, partnership oriented manner goes a long way and without saying.

Oh and yes, we had both our side walls, all slide walls and a list of things I noticed taken care of by the factory Service Center in May, 2018.......well past our warranties. And yes, GDRV found some other things; fixed those and pointed those out when Carol and I picked our 303 up in June, 2018.

Lastly, many of us long time owners did have a list of issues early on with our GDRV RVs which was disappointing. Some here and on other social media have shared the same frustrations. Many of us also had prior RVs with few or no issues which compounded our concern about our GDRV. But where the rubber meets the road is what happens next. GDRV has been the ONLY company that has taken care of not just owners but other stakeholders above and beyond with few exceptions.

Yup- as John shared, not happening anywhere else.

Dan

My comments would be, for one all of us can't attend a rally to get free work. Second GD isn't consistent with their "free" work so it's hard to justify paying a premium for something you might or might not get. I do thin that the bitchers and complainers on Facebook tend to get taken care of- but that's not my way of doing things.

Don't get me wrong, I like my two GR rv's just fine just not sure the premium price was justified.

**SGT ROC** · 01-23-2020, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Brewhedd

Just in case you are referring to me maybe you need to think about that. Just because I question someone else's experience doesn't make me someone that hates anyone or anything. Seems to be the way some think these days. Disagree with the popular opinion or latest political correctness BS and suddenly you're a hater, racist, bigot, etc.

I thought about what I wrote before I wrote it. As it happens I was making a general reference to haters in general not you in particular. If I were referring to you on a personal note I would have used your Nickname. If you look up my posts you can see that I have made reference to people having issues that go unresolved in the past. I do believe they are legit. However - going on and on, and making it an issue at every opportunity tends to lend it to the "hater" category. And lastly, to guote, "Maybe they did this kind of stuff in the past, although I find it very hard to believe they replaced a 4 yr old AC unit, I wouldn't count on this type of service in the future. You say "before last years rally". Does that mean these repairs were done at a dealer? You don't work for GD do you? " kind of points to saying it didn't happen. I also do not like political correctness, and in no was saying that about you or anyone else. I don't know you, and don't recall ever having a dispute with anything you have posed before. And disagreeing, or saying what you believe, is the correct thing to do. However, this time I feel you were wrong. Many people, including in this thread, have had the same experience as John. I think it would have been best to not call him out on that. Hope you have a nice day, and perhaps we'll meet in the future and have a beer together!

**Canyonlight** · 01-23-2020, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by johndeerefarmer

My comments would be, for one all of us can't attend a rally to get free work. Second GD isn't consistent with their "free" work so it's hard to justify paying a premium for something you might or might not get. I do thin that the bitchers and complainers on Facebook tend to get taken care of- but that's not my way of doing things.

Don't get me wrong, I like my two GR rv's just fine just not sure the premium price was justified.

Donald - thanks, for your feedback. You've been around here on the forum a long time like a number of us. You have shared many great posts appreciated by me and many others. When you chime in your comments are valued.

GDRV knows not all folks can or will make rallies. I think this is one of the reasons they established the Mobile Tech. program. The techs also conduct dealership training/coaching along with other duties.

There have been a few (not very many as I recall) posts from folks post warranties where GDRV has authorized work to be completed by dealers or mobile techs at no cost. If a big deal (walls replaced, floor, ceiling/roof, cabinets, etc.) they of course, will have to get the RV to the factory either taken by them or picked up by a transport company, etc. We were one of those with our walls as shared in my post. The number is small because most folks just operate under the premise that the RV is past warranty so no reason to even try and have GDRV get involved.

Gerry and the team have made it quite clear that they want to take care of things whenever they can. Units neglected, damaged, have owner inflicted issues, etc. of course can understandably impact decisions. Folks who have had less than respectful contact with company stakeholders make it even more challenging to be accommodating.

By the way, at the GDRV National Rally this past August the FROG Rally just got over before the GDRV kicked off. There were many folks talking about how FR use to take care of rigs post warranty too but this year they cut back substantially on "free" parts and service. If I recall it negatively impacted about 1/2 of the folks who used to get free service and parts were told no. Ouch ! If you know more or learn more about this it would be interesting for you to share.

Dan

**johndeerefarmer** · 01-23-2020, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by Canyonlight

Donald - thanks, for your feedback. You've been around here on the forum a long time like a number of us. You have shared many great posts appreciated by me and many others. When you chime in your comments are valued.

GDRV knows not all folks can or will make rallies. I think this is one of the reasons they established the Mobile Tech. program. The techs also conduct dealership training/coaching along with other duties.

There have been a few (not very many as I recall) posts from folks post warranties where GDRV has authorized work to be completed by dealers or mobile techs at no cost. If a big deal (walls replaced, floor, ceiling/roof, cabinets, etc.) they of course, will have to get the RV to the factory either taken by them or picked up by a transport company, etc. We were one of those with our walls as shared in my post. The number is small because most folks just operate under the premise that the RV is past warranty so no reason to even try and have GDRV get involved.

Gerry and the team have made it quite clear that they want to take care of things whenever they can. Units neglected, damaged, have owner inflicted issues, etc. of course can understandably impact decisions. Folks who have had less than respectful contact with company stakeholders make it even more challenging to be accommodating.

By the way, at the GDRV National Rally this past August the FROG Rally just got over before the GDRV kicked off. There were many folks talking about how FR use to take care of rigs post warranty too but this year they cut back substantially on "free" parts and service. If I recall it negatively impacted about 1/2 of the folks who used to get free service and parts were told no. Ouch ! If you know more or learn more about this it would be interesting for you to share.

Dan

Hi,

I don't keep a close tab on FR since I have had GD units since '16. One thing that they did that I liked was they offered a 1 year extended warranty for $75-125 (depending up on the unit). I think I paid $125 for the one year on my Columbus. FR discontinued that a couple of years ago.

I haven't had a lot of issues with any of my RV's past the first initial PDI. The 29rs had the leaking grease axles. I called for help from GD and they referred me to Lippert directly. I installed those parts myself so either Lippert or GD saved some money there on labor. I also had the bad propane regulator which they sent me. I needed a couple of parts for my 29rs Nautilus panel and they didn't offer to send them - instead they referred me to a dealer in west Texas that would sell me the parts.

I am not sure if getting a free part depends upon the luck of the draw with which rep you get, or what their criteria is- either way I can't depend upon parts being free after the extended warranty so I will not buy the next one based on that. Having said that, I don't plan on getting rid of either the 220rk or the 29rs at least until our vacation home in Colorado is finished. Since it's not even started I expect this to be about two years. At that time we will figure out if we want to keep one or the other or trade them both in on a new one. If I happen to have any major issues between now and then we will see how GD handles them. At that time we can decide whether GD or FR as other than those two, I wouldn't consider any other brand besides Arctic Fox. All I know for sure is that the next one will have a king bed. With two dogs sleeping with us, the queen isn't big enough. LOL
Take care, Donald