No personal experience here with the Cougar line. We were camped next to one this summer and it looked real nice. From what I could see through the windows (not being a creeper, just standing at my campsite looking that direction), the inside appeared to be well done. The outside was a high-gloss exterior that was very attractive. I do have to question how well the exterior gloss finish will hold up and/or how much maintenance is required to keep that look.
But between the 2 models shown, I would pick the Grand Design for a few reasons. One reason is that I personally like the GD layout better than the Cougar. But the other main reason is the length and height. Our current GD rig runs about 34’ in length, which is about as much as we wanted. For us, we camp at a few select locations where the longer rigs simply would not work. Naturally, the roads to such places also have height restrictions. This is not a problem that everyone has, but it does apply to us. So the Cougar model listed would be completely out the question for us.
We’ve been full timing in our GD for about the last 2 months, but have traveled extensively with it before this. Other than a few minor problems, the rig has been trouble free. Even for full time use, it’s holding up well. I highly recommend the 2nd AC unit if it doesn’t already come with it.
