Another Grand Design Podcast - pretty cool.

[Justaguy]

Expansion, quality control and growth.

Podcast

[ramgunner]

laknox wrote:


As for stereos, there are =plenty= of 12v powered systems. Go to even a neighborhood car show and you'll see some =incredible= systems. Yes, they cost, but are we given an option over the junk that's installed?
Lyle

Let me qualify that - combination stereo receiver/DVD player designed for mobile environments. That limits the numbers a bit.

[laknox]

ramgunner wrote:

topjimmy wrote:
I know 2 people with Grand Designs and they have done zero-zip to advance their RV's since they started except more floor plans...STILL 10in frame,same Cheap Stereo,DVD"Suround Sound" ,No central vacuum's, no ceiling fans ,no back cap,ETC.....Etc...

The Momentum line has Central vacs. The fan they use for ventilation can also be used as a ceiling fan if you read the manuals for them.

As for stereos, there are a limited number of choices designed for 12VDC operation that will work reasonably well in a mobile environment. They don't make them, they have to buy from other companies that do.

They have also made a LOT of design changes based on customer feedback, and they have done so in a very short time span.

We have been VERY impressed with the Momentum 385TH, and haven't found a better toy hauler.

As for stereos, there are =plenty= of 12v powered systems. Go to even a neighborhood car show and you'll see some =incredible= systems. Yes, they cost, but are we given an option over the junk that's installed? Not likely. They can't even do it for a =safety-related= part, like tires or disk brakes... For $500 bucks, you can have one kick-butt system in your rig...if it's that important to you.

Lyle

[laknox]

colliehauler wrote:
I would rather have a unit that did not need parts sent overnite.

No poop, Paulie. 😕

Lyle

[topjimmy]

I am not saying GD's are Bad rv's or anything but facts are facts and when I laid down my 65K I wanted the best RV for the buck, All the other big players have Samsung or Sony home 110V and Surround Not DC TV's, if Grand Designs uses DC TV's that is why your choice is Jensen or Furrion, Most everybody else has gone to 12in frames NOT 10in frame, The Competition has both Fantastic fans AND Ceiling fans,Rear caps,and the Momentum HAS to have a VAC it's a Toy hauler but the rest of GD's.... Not,they are good looking RV's but so are the rest ,they have some more catching up to do,I think they cheap out on some things because they do not have the buying power of Forest River or Thor that puts these goodies as STANDARD and stay in the same price range as the Big Boys

ramgunner wrote:

topjimmy wrote:
I know 2 people with Grand Designs and they have done zero-zip to advance their RV's since they started except more floor plans...STILL 10in frame,same Cheap Stereo,DVD"Suround Sound" ,No central vacuum's, no ceiling fans ,no back cap,ETC.....Etc...

The Momentum line has Central vacs. The fan they use for ventilation can also be used as a ceiling fan if you read the manuals for them.

As for stereos, there are a limited number of choices designed for 12VDC operation that will work reasonably well in a mobile environment. They don't make them, they have to buy from other companies that do.

They have also made a LOT of design changes based on customer feedback, and they have done so in a very short time span.

We have been VERY impressed with the Momentum 385TH, and haven't found a better toy hauler.

[kakampers]

B.O. Plenty wrote:

2008Wildcat wrote:
There is no better company in this industry at responding to customer issues.

Try to get your other main line manufacturers to overnight parts to a customer when they are broken down somewhere.

Will never happen...

Heartland will!

B.O.

Agreed...Heartland has over nighted us parts on several occasions...

[ramgunner]

topjimmy wrote:
I know 2 people with Grand Designs and they have done zero-zip to advance their RV's since they started except more floor plans...STILL 10in frame,same Cheap Stereo,DVD"Suround Sound" ,No central vacuum's, no ceiling fans ,no back cap,ETC.....Etc...

The Momentum line has Central vacs. The fan they use for ventilation can also be used as a ceiling fan if you read the manuals for them.

As for stereos, there are a limited number of choices designed for 12VDC operation that will work reasonably well in a mobile environment. They don't make them, they have to buy from other companies that do.

They have also made a LOT of design changes based on customer feedback, and they have done so in a very short time span.

We have been VERY impressed with the Momentum 385TH, and haven't found a better toy hauler.

[ramgunner]

colliehauler wrote:
I would rather have a unit that did not need parts sent overnite.

When you find the manufacturer that makes them perfect every time with perfect parts that don't fail, let us all know who it is.

[colliehauler]

I would rather have a unit that did not need parts sent overnite.

[B_O__Plenty]

2008Wildcat wrote:
There is no better company in this industry at responding to customer issues.

Try to get your other main line manufacturers to overnight parts to a customer when they are broken down somewhere.

Will never happen...

Heartland will!

B.O.

[minnow]

Those that own a GD product will look back at this period of time as the "golden years". As GD gets bigger (they just built their 10,000 unit) I'm thinking that one-on-one customer service will go away. Like Forest River, Thor and the rest of them, there will be just too many customers to support in the way the company is doing now. And like the rest of them the weak link is the lack of dealer support to the customer and the old "you didn't buy it here so we won't work on it."

[goducks10]

2008Wildcat wrote:
There is no better company in this industry at responding to customer issues.

Try to get your other main line manufacturers to overnight parts to a customer when they are broken down somewhere.

Will never happen...

It did with Northwood. Never had any issues with them sending me parts. Only needed 2 parts during my 1 year warranty. None since, going on 3 years. I don't have a dealer near me, so Northwood set me up with a local independent shop for the only repair needed under warranty. I never contacted my dealer for parts or warranty work. I called Northwood directly.

Not slamming GD but they're not the only company that offers great service. After reading on the GD forum for a year I see a normal amount of disgruntled owners. Just like any other brand forum.

[wilber1]

2008Wildcat wrote:
There is no better company in this industry at responding to customer issues.

Try to get your other main line manufacturers to overnight parts to a customer when they are broken down somewhere.

Will never happen...

I agree. I was most impressed with the fit and finish when we bought ours but the materials used are pretty standard for the price range (surprise). As a result, they do have their issues but are very pro active when it comes to looking after their customers. They are also quick to make production changes based on their feedback. There are some significant changes to the 2016's compared to my early 2015. All of which were a result of comments on the owners forum.

I've haven't broken down but they have sent me parts to deal with a known problem on the strength of just one email. I've even had call backs from their reps to make sure Attwood and Lippert were looking after issues I've had with their stuff.

If I had a complaint when we bought ours it was the absence of factory options. Fantastic fans, central vac etc, which I had to buy and install myself. Don't know if that has changed.

[2008Wildcat]

There is no better company in this industry at responding to customer issues.

Try to get your other main line manufacturers to overnight parts to a customer when they are broken down somewhere.

Will never happen...

[goducks10]

At 1st when GD started producing their trailers they seemed like a great startup company. Then when they got going full tilt like very other company the normal ness stated to creep thru. I was interested in them as they seemed like something different with the way they were doing customer service, so I joined their forum. After spending a year or longer reading it, it's pretty obvious they are no better or worse than the rest. And all that pre startup hype was nothing more than hype.
One thing I noticed was that early on they had one or two customer reps that would read the forum and respond to help those with issues. It was pretty easy to keep up with customer issues as GD was in the early stages and wasn't producing large numbers of trailers yet. Now that they are pumping them out in greater numbers I no longer see the rep on the site. Overwhelmed I guess.
I agree with the above comments that they lack a few things to really set them apart. One for instance is the lack of interior choices. Only one cabinet and material trim choice and no fiberglass rear cap for the Solitudes.