Done some more research, and have come to some conclusions.
Like most, I was enamored by the (recommended) higher end rigs; DRV, New Horizons, Landmark, etc); they look really nice, and should hold up well, due to the heavier construction and residential materials. And the fact they are 6 figure coaches should be more than enough to convince anyone they are the real deal. However, after much research (hands on, talking with owners and internet research) I've concluded that cost does not dictate quality, as each of the higher end units suffer from the same maladies as "3 seasons" or "lower quality" rigs; improperly installed slides, dangerous wiring, cabinet doors falling off, bathroom pocket doors jamming shut due to hardware falling out, bathroom mirrors falling out and destroying vanities, water leaks, improperly installed suspensions, delamination, cracking frames and the list goes on.
The difference between the higher end and "lesser quality" rigs is, mainly, in the price of admission and, as such, a higher level of customer care after the sale is expected. However, especially in the case of DRV (at least as late as 2013) some owners never left the delivery lot without issues being found during delivery inspections by the owners. One blog shows this in great detail, and how DRV mishandled the situation.
I can't link the website, but you can Google it; search DRV REVIEWS and look for Puppy Paths: The Start of our Elite Suites RVing Journey!!
Not bashing any brands here, as there is always 3 sides to a story (yours, mine and what really happened) and, frankly, I do not have the whole story from any side, just their accounts of the incidents. Saying that, how a manufacturor treats its customers after the sale says a lot; it seems that even the most problematic manufacturors of lower end units still handle the warranty and customer concern aspects better than the higher end units (especially DRV). Imagine you've just spend $120,000 on a custom FT rig, only to have it back to the manufacturor 3 months out of the first year for warranty repairs (for issues that could have been corrected or prevented on the assembly line and/or final QC prior to customer delivery). I would be livid.
What counts most are the dealer experience and manufacturor's customer care, and most higher end rigs seem to lacking in both. If I'm going to experience the same issues in my 6 figure rig, and a similar customer care experience dealing with repairs, I won't worry so much about buying a "lesser quallity" snowbird type rig, and spending 1/3 of what the higher end rigs go for.
I couldn't find anything about the 2014 units, so I can't say if their quality seems to have gone up or not. However, there seem to be a lot of units on the used market from this timeframe; the prices are good, but I don't know if I would trust them or not, as out of warranty repairs on those rigs are expensive.
