Having serious second thoughts about a new 2021 310GK-R due to some strange issues

[Cenerus]

Hey all,

Wondering what folks think of what we saw today in a brand new 2021 310GK-R

We ordered a new 2021 310GK-R in November and we got a call from our dealer that it arrived today. But after checking it out we decided to take a step back and consider backing out or asking for a different 310GK due to the stuff we saw at first glance.

Here's the stuff we saw. Has anyone had this experience recently with a brand new 310GK-R?

1. The theater seats didn't have the little drink tables anymore. No hole for them at all. But what's truly strange is that the theater seat now just has a single cup holder in the center armrest. So only my wife or myself gets a place to put a drink while we're watching a movie or relaxing on the theater seats. We asked the dealer what was going on and were told that GD decided to stop adding the little tables because people didn't like them. But they didn't add a second cup holder like Jayco and Keystone have in their 5th wheels if they don't have the little built in drink tables. This is so bad it's a reason not to buy a particular 5th wheel if you have nowhere to set your drink down.

2. The shower fixture didn't match the rest of the bathroom fixtures. By this I mean that the new solitudes have black or perhaps dark brown shower trim, faucets and soap dish. The kitchen has the same look for the faucet of the sink. But the shower head itself, which is a big multi spray affair now was chrome in this solitude and looked nothing like the one on their website. If you look online at grand design, you'll see the new look for the shower fixtures. but in this solitude they used a completely different shower head that is bright chrome instead of the dark black/brown that everything else in teh bathroom and the kitchen faucet use. We asked them what the heck was going on and they told us that this is the way it used to be and that they hadn't quite switched over yet to the new fixture. However, we saw another solitude on the lot that had the new fixture that arrived a week earlier. So I call BS.

3. The water heater was rusted. The anode rod was all corroded and the opening to the water heater was really rusty. The water heater looked old or like it had been sitting out exposed to the elements for weeks.

4. The shades were black on the inside. The new 2021 solitudes are supposed to come with light colored shades to brighten up the interior. But this one had the dark ones you see in older solitudes.

5. The door to the water hook up where the nautilus is located wouldn't latch. The latch was just plain badly lined up such that it could never engage. No way to miss this if they bothered to check at the factory.

 

[RV Sailor]

Sorry bluntly 4 of these issues are really minor IMHO.
Water heater and door latch or door Should be replaced before accepting it
Color of shades ....I prefer the black . You can sleep or avoid peeping Toms.
Shower head we changed ours to a chrome Oxygenic's the first few weeks.
Cup holders is just picky.

Sounds like you looking for a reason to back out. The positives in our case overwhelmed the negatives. The negatives were either fixable or we could work around.

If you don’t want it someone will scarf it up quickly I’ll bet with the issues that need to be fixed.

 

[Cenerus]

Hi Dave,

I understand what you're saying, but I want to clarify some of your response. Before I do that I want to clarify why I'm so disappointed with Grand Design as I'm a huge fan of the company and the products.

The Solitude 310GK-R is a very expensive near luxury level trailer, and it's supposed to be the best that Grand Design makes. I've come to expect to get what I'm paying for from Grand Design and not have to compromise on losing useful features that they advertise and brag about as NEW. My imagine and reflection trailers before this came exactly as advertised with no compromises or shoddy components from the factory.

Back to your response to my list of issues, here are a few clarifications:

The shower head on the newest solitudes isn't like that nasty POS the older solitudes, reflections and imagines all have. This new one is a full body sprayer with multiple spray nozzles for the body, a rain shower head and a wand. You can't just replace it with an Oxygenics shower head and be good to go. I wouldn't be complaining if it was the old shower head as I would be replacing it right away. They new one is quite a large unit that cost a LOT of money to replace or modify. Putting in a chrome one of a different manufacturer and very different color looks really bad seeing as GD advertises this as their awesome new shower head. I suspect that this was done due to a supply issue and them wanting to make their quota for the day. They used a shower head they could find even though it's the wrong color and a different design. It looks so wrong that everything else in the trailer is done in dark bronze, but the very large shower fixture is chrome. It's not a simple and cheap thing to replace anymore, and it's something you'd really expect from a low end RV manufacturer, but not Grand Design on their highest end trailer.

The shades are the same blackout style that you have. The newer Solitudes have the light color on the inside of the shade instead of black, but they are still blackout shades that don't let any light in. It makes the inside of the trailer look lighter at night. It's something they advertise and brag about on their site because it's new and meant to be a nice touch. Again it look slike they ran out of the new shades at the factory and just used older shades so they could make their daily quota.

The rusty water header was just really strange. Not what I've seen from Grand Design in the past and made me wonder at first if the dealer was trying to sell me a used trailer as new.

I know the theater seats sounds picky, but it's really odd that grand design would remove the little tables and leave you with just a single cup holder. There are no end tables to set your drink on, so you're left to just hold your drink constantly while sitting down. They don't do that on any of their other trailers for a reason. I'm not sure why they think this was ok.

I've come to expect quality and consistency from grand design becasue I've owned 2 of them before. This was the first time I saw a grand design that appeared to be rushed out the door and slapped together. If this was a Transcend I might think it's a case of you get what you pay for. But a solitude looking like this just isn't cool. I'm sure some other person will happily buy this trailer. But not me. I hold grand design to a higher standard. Otherwise I could just go buy a keystone Montana or a Jayco Pinnacle and get more features for less money.

 

[WeirdAl]

Hey all,

Wondering what folks think of what we saw today in a brand new 2021 310GK-R

We ordered a new 2021 310GK-R in November and we got a call from our dealer that it arrived today. But after checking it out we decided to take a step back and consider backing out or asking for a different 310GK due to the stuff we saw at first glance.

Here's the stuff we saw. Has anyone had this experience recently with a brand new 310GK-R?

1. The theater seats didn't have the little drink tables anymore. No hole for them at all. But what's truly strange is that the theater seat now just has a single cup holder in the center armrest. So only my wife or myself gets a place to put a drink while we're watching a movie or relaxing on the theater seats. We asked the dealer what was going on and were told that GD decided to stop adding the little tables because people didn't like them. But they didn't add a second cup holder like Jayco and Keystone have in their 5th wheels if they don't have the little built in drink tables. This is so bad it's a reason not to buy a particular 5th wheel if you have nowhere to set your drink down.

2. The shower fixture didn't match the rest of the bathroom fixtures. By this I mean that the new solitudes have black or perhaps dark brown shower trim, faucets and soap dish. The kitchen has the same look for the faucet of the sink. But the shower head itself, which is a big multi spray affair now was chrome in this solitude and looked nothing like the one on their website. If you look online at grand design, you'll see the new look for the shower fixtures. but in this solitude they used a completely different shower head that is bright chrome instead of the dark black/brown that everything else in teh bathroom and the kitchen faucet use. We asked them what the heck was going on and they told us that this is the way it used to be and that they hadn't quite switched over yet to the new fixture. However, we saw another solitude on the lot that had the new fixture that arrived a week earlier. So I call BS.

3. The water heater was rusted. The anode rod was all corroded and the opening to the water heater was really rusty. The water heater looked old or like it had been sitting out exposed to the elements for weeks.

4. The shades were black on the inside. The new 2021 solitudes are supposed to come with light colored shades to brighten up the interior. But this one had the dark ones you see in older solitudes.

5. The door to the water hook up where the nautilus is located wouldn't latch. The latch was just plain badly lined up such that it could never engage. No way to miss this if they bothered to check at the factory.

Cenerus,
We bought a few weeks back a 310GK that had a build date of November 2020. (Possibly October 2020) We have the stone interior, and the little tables that attach to the theater seats. We also have the color matched shower head and the light colored shades. I didn't take out the anode rod to check that like you did. BUT, we must've looked at half a dozen 310's (all 2021 models) some came with light shades, some dark. Some had the crazy full body shower unit, others had a more conventional design, but those had the molded in shower seat. Some also had the older rounded corners to the island and the dark brown wood! Now, GD is outfitting the shower with a fold-up wood seat. All of these are supply issues, they are building so many fifth wheels they even eliminated travel trailer floorplans on the reflection to divert those resources to fifth wheels. My wife and I preferred ordering one, and were willing to accept the 4 month wait. What we were not willing to accept was that we would have NO WAY of knowing exactly how an ordered one would be outfitted. It's funny because the dealers have all kinds of 310's with the dark brown furniture, but they have almost NONE with the stone (like a light grey) furniture.
But, between the pandemic destroying the supply chain, and mid year model changes, it is literally a crap shoot. Good luck on your decision! (FYI we had a reflection travel trailer (297rsts) I will always miss my outdoor fridge and TV, lol)

 

[FreddieD]

In mho,
Most of this is normal, if you look hard, you will find rust on the frame, If it just came in and the anode was degraded, I would inspect the water heater in detail and check the manufactured date.
The door to the basement is not a big deal, mine came that way.
The shades and the shower is more than likely an availability issues (just like every other manufacturer these days, due to covid)
The tables being removed does not surprise me, they were flimsy at best, I don't know this for a fact but I can see these breaking and being a huge warranty issue.
To give you a reference line, I ordered a 2021 3540 GKR in August, when it came in FEB there were 13 things that were change from the unit I looked at when I ordered it. To be clear, I caught most of them on video and
discussions with the factory before it arrived. Point being it's not like the auto industry. I will say so far I am extremely happy with everything.

 

[NB Canada]

Not that it matters here,or maybe it does but I noticed you purchased a 2600 RBC in August of last year and your signature says you have a 303 and now you are looking at a different trailer?

I am completely confused


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew 1840 payload

 

[Cenerus]

Not that it matters here,or maybe it does but I noticed you purchased a 2600 RBC in August of last year and your signature says you have a 303 and now you are looking at a different trailer?

I am completely confused


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew 1840 payload

Great question NB,

When we bought the 2600, we loved it. We'd never had an RV before, and decided to start with a reasonable sized TT to see if we liked. As it turned out we LOVE rv'ing. But we soon found that for us the 2600 was a bit small and we wanted a trailer with a sofa to go along with the theater seats so our dogs had a place to relax. We asked our dealer about the 303rls because it looked like the logical upgrade and a good beginner's 5th wheel. We were shocked to see that the dealer gave us what we paid for the 2600 in trade. 2600RB's are so popular that even a couple of months used they sell like new. So we thought, heck this is easy, no loss on the 2600. After we got the 303rls, we liked having a 5th wheel so much we started wondering about doing the same thing with the 303 and getting something larger with more bedroom space which is the one thing the 303rls has very little of. So we called our dealer an asked about the soliltude 310GK-R. Same thing again, we got almost what we paid for the 303rls in trade. So we decided to pull the trigger on a 310GK because everyone here raves about them, and it seemed to address our issue with the bedroom nicely. Who knows, if this continues my next post might be a questions about a 41' Momentum.

 

[NB Canada]

Great question NB,

When we bought the 2600, we loved it. We'd never had an RV before, and decided to start with a reasonable sized TT to see if we liked. As it turned out we LOVE rv'ing. But we soon found that for us the 2600 was a bit small and we wanted a trailer with a sofa to go along with the theater seats so our dogs had a place to relax. We asked our dealer about the 303rls because it looked like the logical upgrade and a good beginner's 5th wheel. We were shocked to see that the dealer gave us what we paid for the 2600 in trade. 2600RB's are so popular that even a couple of months used they sell like new. So we thought, heck this is easy, no loss on the 2600. After we got the 303rls, we liked having a 5th wheel so much we started wondering about doing the same thing with the 303 and getting something larger with more bedroom space which is the one thing the 303rls has very little of. So we called our dealer an asked about the soliltude 310GK-R. Same thing again, we got almost what we paid for the 303rls in trade. So we decided to pull the trigger on a 310GK because everyone here raves about them, and it seemed to address our issue with the bedroom nicely. Who knows, if this continues my next post might be a questions about a 41' Momentum.

Are they giving you what you paid off of retail?
Dealers are in the business of making money and lots of it
It is your money but I would bet you are loosing thousands each time
3 trailers in the span of 4 months ??
I would cancel this deal if I were you

Have a great day


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew 1840 payload

 

[huntr70]

Sounds to me like your dealer pulled an old stock unit from somewhere.

Can you get an offline date from the weight sticker on the side of it?

I haven't seen the chrome fixtures in Solitudes for months. As for the furniture, the options are completely changed. Cotton is the new Linen, and no more Java. It is now Stone, which is what the Reflections are using.

 

[Cenerus]

Are they giving you what you paid off of retail?
Dealers are in the business of making money and lots of it
It is your money but I would bet you are loosing thousands each time
3 trailers in the span of 4 months ??
I would cancel this deal if I were you

Have a great day


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew 1840 payload

They gave me what I paid with tax and everything on the 2600RB, so I didn't lose anything there. The price of the 303rls is obviously higher than an imagine, but it was just as good as any other Grand Design dealer in Texas for the discounted price, so no upcharge for the new unit. The solitude price is again right in there with the other dealers. The trade on the 303rls is a little less than I paid, but really close. So far I'm just moving up steadily without being totally ripped off.

 

[Cenerus]

Sounds to me like your dealer pulled an old stock unit from somewhere.

Can you get an offline date from the weight sticker on the side of it?

I haven't seen the chrome fixtures in Solitudes for months. As for the furniture, the options are completely changed. Cotton is the new Linen, and no more Java. It is now Stone, which is what the Reflections are using.

I'd have to go back to the dealer to get the off the line date, but that's a great idea. The material on the furniture was very light, I think cotton is what they call it. The exterior paint is white with a subtle burgundy swoosh on the side of the unit.

 

[Cenerus]

Sounds to me like your dealer pulled an old stock unit from somewhere.

Can you get an offline date from the weight sticker on the side of it?

I haven't seen the chrome fixtures in Solitudes for months. As for the furniture, the options are completely changed. Cotton is the new Linen, and no more Java. It is now Stone, which is what the Reflections are using.

One more question Huntr70.

Have you seen any Solitudes with the little tray tables completely absent on the theater seats and only a single center cupholder? This was a really strange thing to see and I just want to know if it's the way it is now on Solitudes. We called the factory and the rep there said it's the way they are going forward. Seems strange to not then add a second cup holder like reflections and imagines have.

 

[NB Canada]

They gave me what I paid with tax and everything on the 2600RB, so I didn't lose anything there. The price of the 303rls is obviously higher than an imagine, but it was just as good as any other Grand Design dealer in Texas for the discounted price, so no upcharge for the new unit. The solitude price is again right in there with the other dealers. The trade on the 303rls is a little less than I paid, but really close. So far I'm just moving up steadily without being totally ripped off.

It isn’t getting “ripped off”. Dealers have to make money
I just don’t see how they would possibly give you what you paid when they can buy them from the manufacture at cost plus they have to sell them used without warranty to the next buyer and make money doing it

Anyway that doesn’t matter. I would cancel this deal and wait.


2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew 1840 payload

 

[Walaby]

Understand the disappointment, but most or all of this can be resolved.

If there is another Solitude with the proper shower fixture, tell dealer to swap them for no charge prior to you scheduling PDI.

Same with the trays. If they are a deal breaker for you, and they are available in the other Solitude, then same deal.

HW heater - same deal. Inspect it as other poster(s) have suggested. If old and rusty, tell them you want a new one.

Blinds - guess it depends on how hard over you are. If other Solitude on lot with the blinds you want, see item 1 and 2 above.

The dealer will either agree, and you'll be happy, or disagree and you will have to decide just how much you really want these items and the 5er.

I agree with others that it's probably all supply related. Also, if you are getting the deal you say on trade in, I can almost guarantee you will NOT receive the same treatment if you go try to buy another brand from another dealer. I suspect you are not getting as good of a deal on the 310 GK-R as you would without the trade.

Mike

 

[huntr70]

One more question Huntr70.

Have you seen any Solitudes with the little tray tables completely absent on the theater seats and only a single center cupholder? This was a really strange thing to see and I just want to know if it's the way it is now on Solitudes. We called the factory and the rep there said it's the way they are going forward. Seems strange to not then add a second cup holder like reflections and imagines have.

So, you do have the newest of the new build. They only just started the white exteriors on them.

Yes, the new furniture is missing the little tables. Gone. They don't add anything or build the furniture, it is made by Lippert. The Reflections and Imagines don't have powered seating like the Solitude do. (only heat and massage)

Sounds as if they may be shorting some parts on the builds to get units sent out.

 

[bertschb]

Have you seen any Solitudes with the little tray tables completely absent on the theater seats and only a single center cupholder?

I don't know if you've actually used the little tray tables but in my opinion, they don't work very well. We tried using them in both of our Solitudes and they are a little dicey. The trays don't sit level and when you try to get in or out of the chair, you need to be careful moving items off the tray before sliding it out of the way. If they sat level and had a rim around the edge, they would be more useful. We ended up tossing ours.

As for the single cup holder - if you are really desperate for a second cup holder, you can lift up the center console and put a glass in there.

There is no way I would pass on an RV because of these two items. Besides, this is throw away furniture anyway. We figure ours will last for a couple years and at that time, we can replace it with whatever we want.

 

[Cenerus]

Thanks for all the very supportive feedback folks. We're loyal to Grand Design, but not fully comfortable with this trailer. We'll order another and work more closely with the factory rep.

 

[Walaby]

Wish you luck. Hope you get exactly what you want.

Mike

 

[WeirdAl]

Thanks for all the very supportive feedback folks. We're loyal to Grand Design, but not fully comfortable with this trailer. We'll order another and work more closely with the factory rep.

FYI
From the GR website
"Because of our commitment to continuous product improvement, Grand Design RV reserves the right to change components, standards, options, specifications, pricing and materials without notice and at any time. Photos may show optional equipment which may not be included in the standard purchase price of the featured unit. Be sure to review current product details with your local dealer before purchasing."

 

[Cenerus]

FYI
From the GR website
"Because of our commitment to continuous product improvement, Grand Design RV reserves the right to change components, standards, options, specifications, pricing and materials without notice and at any time. Photos may show optional equipment which may not be included in the standard purchase price of the featured unit. Be sure to review current product details with your local dealer before purchasing."

I'm totally fine with Grand Design changing things all the time to improve the RV's. My 303rls has several cool features that were not anywhere on their website that are improvements over what was on the website. They can make those changes all day long and twice on Tuesday. But switching out a dark bronze shower head for a chrome one in an all dark bronze bathroom is not a commitment to continuous product improvement. It was a factory doing anything it takes including mismatching fixtures just to make quota that day. RV manufacturing is all about quotas of vehicles that roll of the line every day. Some manager at the Grand Design Solitude line prioritized the quota over quality. There's no other explanation for making that kind of cheezy substitution. I really do think Grand Design makes great trailers. But it's clear that Covid is really taking a toll on the RV industry supply chain management. I sympathize with their predicament of not having a fully functional supply chain. They should slow down production to match what he supply chain allows. That would be a commitment to quality. It's clear that they chose a different path, and I choose not to spend top dollar on a compromised trailer. They'll find another person who's happy as a clam that I backed out on this one. I've ordered another one and spoken with the factory rep about just please being consistent with fixtures on the next trailer they send me. I'm still loyal and excited to get a new trailer from them.