Grand Design v Rockwood

You couldn't give me a Rockwood. My parents have an 8289ws and it has been a nightmare since day one. It's in the shop for months at a time. It had the entire roof replaced at the factory due to leaks and rot, damage repairs from axle and tire failure ( they were underrated from factory) Too many other problems to list.

We don't have a lemon law here so it ended up in a court battle with the dealer and Forest River. Parents won the lawsuit but it wasn't worth the stress and hassle for 3 years. I couldn't ever recommend one.

Forest River vs. Grand Design?... No contest! Obviously, I'm a bit prejudiced since we've been full-time in our Grand Design Reflection fifth wheel for a little over a year. We love the floorplan, the build quality is good, and the customer service is the best in the industry. Last night on this forum I read a new thread about a new Forest River product that experienced a fractured frame while being leveled, too...

Rob

Second Chance wrote:
Forest River vs. Grand Design?... No contest! Obviously, I'm a bit prejudiced since we've been full-time in our Grand Design Reflection fifth wheel for a little over a year. We love the floorplan, the build quality is good, and the customer service is the best in the industry. Last night on this forum I read a new thread about a new Forest River product that experienced a fractured frame while being leveled, too...

Rob

Forest River has many lines of product for entry level to higher end. Shooting at them with a shotgun seems to hit them all, which is unfair. We had a Cardinal for 11 years and loved it. Chris

Took me three times to learn Forest River products aren't worth my hard earned money. From bumper pull to higher end 5th wheels their quality leaves a lot to be desired. Not to mention the support personal don't care. Been having the Grand Design for 6 months and already see better construction and product. The support personal are exceptional.

Me Again wrote:
Forest River has many lines of product for entry level to higher end. Shooting at them with a shotgun seems to hit them all, which is unfair. We had a Cardinal for 11 years and loved it. Chris

Very true, but comparing a product that was made 11 years ago today carries the same overall risk. Often comparing apples to oranges. Each needs to be evaluated against set standards. I fear the quest for lighter and cheaper has had a very significant impact compared to similar units from 10 years ago. Traded one problem for another.

After losing our 2014 Grand Design last month to a fire that started in our tow vehicle, we were in the market for a new rig. After our experience with the Grand Design customer service, I'd never consider another rig. We purchased a brand new 2017 Grand Design Reflection 297RSTS yesterday.

If you'd like the windows on the other side, take a look at the 303RLS. It is a nearly identical rig with the living room reversed so the windows are on the other side. The 303 is one of their top selling models.

I am with TucsonJim. Grand Design provides the best customer service I have ever experienced.
I have never had a problem with the build quality. I have experienced problems with components supplied by Lippert and Grand Design has insured that the problem was corrected quickly.
All the builders use components supplied by outside vendors, mostly Lippert. The differences come in the quality of the build and the manufacturers service record.

That 303 RLS looks about right, and I should be able to handle it with the 2500. Hmmm.

TBammer wrote:
That 303 RLS looks about right, and I should be able to handle it with the 2500. Hmmm.

I actually have a friend who pulls one with the "Max tow" package on an F150. He just makes sure he keeps the load to a minimum.

camp-n-family wrote:
You couldn't give me a Rockwood. My parents have an 8289ws and it has been a nightmare since day one. It's in the shop for months at a time. It had the entire roof replaced at the factory due to leaks and rot, damage repairs from axle and tire failure ( they were underrated from factory) Too many other problems to list.

We don't have a lemon law here so it ended up in a court battle with the dealer and Forest River. Parents won the lawsuit but it wasn't worth the stress and hassle for 3 years. I couldn't ever recommend one.

That's a pretty broad statement considering you own a Keystone product!
We absolutely love our Rockwood and have had zero problems so far. (Not counting operator error.) That being said, I've never heard one bad thing about the Grand Design. I think they're a little higher-end than the Rockwoods.