Another one bites the dust. Grand Design

The wife and I are on the fence about a different RV in a couple years. Lots of time for things to change of course. Grand Design, Outdoor RV and Northwood are our current favorites. I've had the same customer service satisfaction as those at Grand Design while being a Northwood owner. I've been able to talk one on one with the tech guys. They've sent me parts 3 times so I could repair things myself. Even did some trouble shooting over the phone. I see the same thing happening at GD. IMO that's one of the top priorities that I like. They both build great trailers. Not having to deal with incompetent dealers is a blessing. I hope that GD can continue as is.
Winnebago would be smart to them alone.

RinconVTR wrote:
I bought a 2017 GD Imagine 2800BH in July and have yet to have any issue. But I have emailed questions to GD directly MANY times (before and after purchase) and always received a prompt accurate response. I cannot say that for any previous trailers brands I've had, except Triton.

The GD owner forum is also very good and focused, but you do pay to play.

Regarding the sale; reading between the lines its clear they will let GD manufacturing continue as is but their white collar jobs may be combined, possibly moved, and I bet that will mean a few lost jobs. How could they not do this having paid that enormous purchase price.

I loved the fact the GD was not under some big parent name and was bursting at the seams with sales, free to design trailers as they see fit. Now, some of that luster instantly fades even if reality is nothing changed and there are bigger rooms of people who have to approve new designs and improvements. That's not good.

Heck. If nothing else, perception has changed, and not for the better.

Well said !

I bought a 2017 GD Imagine 2800BH in July and have yet to have any issue. But I have emailed questions to GD directly MANY times (before and after purchase) and always received a prompt accurate response. I cannot say that for any previous trailers brands I've had, except Triton.

The GD owner forum is also very good and focused, but you do pay to play.

Regarding the sale; reading between the lines its clear they will let GD manufacturing continue as is but their white collar jobs may be combined, possibly moved, and I bet that will mean a few lost jobs. How could they not do this having paid that enormous purchase price.

I loved the fact the GD was not under some big parent name and was bursting at the seams with sales, free to design trailers as they see fit. Now, some of that luster instantly fades even if reality is nothing changed and there are bigger rooms of people who have to approve new designs and improvements. That's not good.

Heck. If nothing else, perception has changed, and not for the better.

Just like the auto makers. If you can't beat 'em - buy'em.

For those who might not be aware, Winnebago had already purchased Sunnybrook (Mobile Scout in some markets) a few years ago. It appears that their business plan is to expand their towable product lines.

It looks like the towable RV market is boiling down to just a few major players - Thor (who just acquired Jayco), Forest River and, to a much smaller extent Winnebago who apparently wants to be a factor as well.

For those who think these buyouts don't matter, in the approximately 2 years since Thor acquired DRV, we've seen both good and bad, and that's coming from our perspective as DRV owners since 2004. The good - Thor has invested $$$ in the DRV facilities to build a new service center with full hookup RV sites, a water test booth, etc. The bad - Thor has put their own management and operating philosophies in place to tighten up spending. While DRV would often supply parts and service at no charge even after the warranty period was up, that's no longer the case. DRV was always quick to say "yes" - Thor seems just as quick to say "no".

Rusty

Maybe it is more like Winnebago raising from the grave to become a player again. Buy rather than build up yourself. Last winter they took over the old Country Coach site in Junction City, OR.

http://www.countrycoach.com/2016/01/winnebago-industries-announces-west-coast-production-facility-expansion/

Greene728 wrote:
OP
How exactly do you figure GD bit the dust?

Another good stand alone company bought out. Anybody's guess as to which way things will turn out. Initially all seems fine. But as we all know in the RV world, things aren't always as they appear.
From all that I've read it seems as though there's some quality drop off when these things happen.
I guess bit the dust was a little hard, maybe, "Another good company gets sucked up" would be better.

OP
How exactly do you figure GD bit the dust?

WHAT A SHOCKER!.....NOT I told my buddy when he bought a Solitude a couple of years ago this would happen well MAYBE now they can stop Cheaping out on some of the inferior components they use compared to their competition now that they will have more buying power of a bigger company, a predictable move by the former Keystone Exec's that started the Company and now they are Rich,next time they will start a new RV company called THE GRAND ILLUSION

Me Again wrote:
MAybe Wini can find a rear cap for the Solitude line. Chris

I don't know Chris , i have seen a few of the rear caps on the Winni towable lines and they are not attractive... although anything is better that the flat back. . . .

Joe