Momentum 399TH

[tinner12002]

Going to the Momentum factory today to take a look at the 399TH and to see how its put together and to see how organized and clean their facility is. Will post my thoughts here in a couple days.

[NC_Hauler]

momentum rv wrote:
FYI GD just build a new facility to do nothing but PDI on all trailers before leaving the factory. Hopefully that will take care of the delivery issues.

From GD web site:
"Following construction, every Grand Design product goes through an initial quality inspection process. This is usually the final step other manufacturers take before shipping their units. We at Grand Design RV believe that this “industry standard” process falls far short of producing what we would regard as a quality unit. So, at this point in the manufacturing process, we send each unit to our dedicated PDI* Center where it is meticulously taken through a rigid point-by-point inspection process and final finished. Only then do we consider it “Grand Design great”. In terms of time, building space and manpower, this step is a costly one. But we believe it to be an absolutely essential step in delivering the finest quality products to our dealers and customers."

Sounds more like "yada-yada"..I've been in manufacturing for 41 years, and EACH PHASE of a manufacturing process should have a Quality check, then signed off, and go to the next phase, and on and on until final product and then given final Quality checks and final test...Should NEVER be any surprises at a PDI, with ANY of them...When there is, there has been a failure in the manufacturing process AND a failure in the QUALITY processes, BUT we're buying these rev's anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter..

If you walk into a manufacturing plant and the place is a mess...It tells me, from YEARS of 5S and Lean Training, that not much pride is taken in their work....Again, I'm not talking about just GD, it's most all of the rv manufacturers. We've come to accept a lot of bad work with almost all of them....It's really not acceptable, but we even make excuses for some of them...they have to love those of us that do not complain..

99% of the time cost of Quality control's, i.e. ALL these checks and test, ARE BUILT into the cost of the unit, AND, it should be done anyway...tells me they care about what they're selling to their customers.

[momentum_rv]

FYI GD just build a new facility to do nothing but PDI on all trailers before leaving the factory. Hopefully that will take care of the delivery issues.

From GD web site:
"Following construction, every Grand Design product goes through an initial quality inspection process. This is usually the final step other manufacturers take before shipping their units. We at Grand Design RV believe that this “industry standard” process falls far short of producing what we would regard as a quality unit. So, at this point in the manufacturing process, we send each unit to our dedicated PDI* Center where it is meticulously taken through a rigid point-by-point inspection process and final finished. Only then do we consider it “Grand Design great”. In terms of time, building space and manpower, this step is a costly one. But we believe it to be an absolutely essential step in delivering the finest quality products to our dealers and customers."

[MrHavasu]

Thanks for the review. I was hoping for better, but it is what it is.

[tinner12002]

Well you have to realize this is just my opinion...
Upon entering the plant office everyone was friendly but as soon as I entered the manufacturing area I was pretty turned off as to what I was seeing.
Trash all over the floor, couldn't hardly even walk without walking on something, 3, 4 and sometimes 5 people literally running...I mean running carrying parts, panels or whatever, jumping, climbing whatever it took to complete their task without being slowed down. It actually looked pretty dangerous to me like an accident waiting to happen!! I was amused watching, thinking someone was going to run into the hitch or trip over something, fortunately nothing happened. Fit and finish seemed okay, the model I looked at seemed a lot shy of kitchen cabinets and had what seemed to be a pretty small master shower, also the storage compartment didn't go all the way across the hauler so several things would have turned me away from that model had the manufacturing area been okay. No disc brake option, no changes, none unless it was something on their option list. Salesman said it would be too hard to make sure unit was built like the new owner wanted it if they did something outside of their options. They build 6 toy haulers a day, inspect 1 or 2 out of eight according to the salesperson. Tooo fast for me, I want a manufacturer to take a little more time putting my next new hauler together.
So, with all that being said, I stopped by the RV Factory again and looked at what they were doing on their Weekend Warrior..some new changes, full tube frame installed under I beam frame, very similar to what people are doing when they raise up their RV. By doing that they are going to spring under 8K axles and are able to drop the hauler down about 4". They had one in there that a customer wanted the Mor-Ryde independent suspension system on with disc brakes...they sent the frame out for him to Mor-Ryde and had that all installed...at a price of course, certainly not an item on their option list but willing to work with the customer to build something they want. They also are going with the air-ride tailgate to make it easier to raise the back ramp. Out of the haulers I've looked at I'm still leaning toward the Warrior though I have a couple more I want to check out.

[MrHavasu]

Me too

[Hobo2]

Me too , were interested in a 397th

[ramgunner]

Looking forward to your observations.