Grand Design owners forum

[riven1950]

Not sure if this has been posted before or not but there is a fairly new Grand Design owners technical forum in which GD participates. I just joined so not sure of the details but a nice gesture on part of GD I would think.

https://gdrvowners.com/AboutUs

There is also a different GD owners forum which has been around a while. Not supported by GD.

[minnow]

dryfly wrote:

Hammerboy wrote:
I don't mean to offend anyone but I don't get the whole Grand Design hype, it almost seems like a cult or something.
Dan

Yes, definitely a cult. Sometimes on a full moon, at midnight, I have the urge to go out and dance around mine. Never had that problem on other trailers. Needs to be investigated.

I speak for many of us when I respectfully ask that during the upcoming full moon that you take a couple of seconds and at least throw on a pair of underwear before commencing your jig around the rig.

[dryfly]

GDS-3950BH wrote:

dryfly wrote:

Hammerboy wrote:
I don't mean to offend anyone but I don't get the whole Grand Design hype, it almost seems like a cult or something.
Dan

Yes, definitely a cult. Sometimes on a full moon, at midnight, I have the urge to go out and dance around mine. Never had that problem on other trailers. Needs to be investigated.

Was that you making all that midnight racket at the 2017 Grand Design Rally in Goshen? I don't know about dancing around the rig, but some of the folks there that were husband and wife, with matching Grand Design clothing, were special. I got some real dirty looks from some if I brought up issues I had with our 2014. You would of thought I had Leprosy LOL.

Sure glad I have never been afflicted with blind branditis.

No, not me. I don't do rallys. Besides, those folks are not the "true cult" or what we call the inner circle, who by the way would never wear matching clothing.

Branditis????? Inflammation of a brand???

[GDS-3950BH]

dryfly wrote:

Hammerboy wrote:
I don't mean to offend anyone but I don't get the whole Grand Design hype, it almost seems like a cult or something.
Dan

Yes, definitely a cult. Sometimes on a full moon, at midnight, I have the urge to go out and dance around mine. Never had that problem on other trailers. Needs to be investigated.

Was that you making all that midnight racket at the 2017 Grand Design Rally in Goshen? I don't know about dancing around the rig, but some of the folks there that were husband and wife, with matching Grand Design clothing, were special. I got some real dirty looks from some if I brought up issues I had with our 2014. You would of thought I had Leprosy LOL.

Sure glad I have never been afflicted with blind branditis.

[dryfly]

Hammerboy wrote:
I don't mean to offend anyone but I don't get the whole Grand Design hype, it almost seems like a cult or something.
Dan

Yes, definitely a cult. Sometimes on a full moon, at midnight, I have the urge to go out and dance around mine. Never had that problem on other trailers. Needs to be investigated.

[JKJavelin]

Yes, 3 years ago we were on the verge of buying a Grand Design, joined their forum, and started drinking the koolaid. Then we spotted the rig in my signature, and comparing features, made it an easy decision. I've come to realize that they all will have problems....mine has had its share and we still think we made the right choice. I still belong to and visit their forum for entertainment. They're also RVers just like me.
JK

[GDS-3950BH]

minnow wrote:

Hammerboy wrote:
I don't mean to offend anyone but I don't get the whole Grand Design hype, it almost seems like a cult or something. They may have better than average service but construction wise they are just another Indiana manufacturer that probably employ ex Forest River and Thor employees and thier bad habits and using the same junk everyone else is using. They are masters at marketing I will give them that.

I know we walked thru some before we purchased our lowly Wildcat and we still do during the annual RV shows and just don't get the hype. Like I said it must be the service after the sale that makes them popular but then again we were real happy as well with our service after the sale too.

Dan

Oh it's definitely cult like. Go to any of the dozens of Grand Design FB sites and see what happens when an owner posts a criticism about their rig. The faithful respond with seconds denigrating the complainer and touting how great their GD rig. Multiple instant notifications go out to a moderator who promptly deletes the entire post.

LOL, but the same thing happens at other brand specific boards or FB pages. I've now owned two Grand Design products but have never bought into the cult. They are not any better than the Keystone Montana we had or the Forest River Cardinal before that when it comes to how they are built. The supposed great customer service is how you perceive it. Grand Design has sent me parts. Big deal, so did Keystone and Forest River. You don't get any special service at a dealer with a Grand Design, they don't expedite your service or put you ahead of the line.

I went to the Grand Design Rally once, once was enough. Go to that event and you'll really see the cult. I was waiting for a guy in Ray Ban's to drag out some metal garbage cans and start mixing up the juice.

[minnow]

Hammerboy wrote:
I don't mean to offend anyone but I don't get the whole Grand Design hype, it almost seems like a cult or something. They may have better than average service but construction wise they are just another Indiana manufacturer that probably employ ex Forest River and Thor employees and thier bad habits and using the same junk everyone else is using. They are masters at marketing I will give them that.

I know we walked thru some before we purchased our lowly Wildcat and we still do during the annual RV shows and just don't get the hype. Like I said it must be the service after the sale that makes them popular but then again we were real happy as well with our service after the sale too.

Dan

Oh it's definitely cult like. Go to any of the dozens of Grand Design FB sites and see what happens when an owner posts a criticism about their rig. The faithful respond with seconds denigrating the complainer and touting how great their GD rig. Multiple instant notifications go out to a moderator who promptly deletes the entire post.

[CaLBaR]

2012Coleman wrote:

GDS-3950BH wrote:

Not sure where you get your information, but the original Grand Design owners forum was not sold to RV Life Network, which is actually a company called Social Knowledge LLC. It was sold to another person. Grand Design still participated for a time until they were acquired. The entire fiasco was initiated by Grand Design shortly after the acquisition by Winnebago, by Winnebago Attorneys. I have been a member there since the beginning,joined shortly after buying one of the first GD products to roll off the line. RV Life Network was never mentioned throughout the dispute. It was nothing more than corporate legal departments doing what they do. A lot of things have changed at Grand Design, none of them for the better.

I get it from the source - RV Life Network is owned by Social Knowledge LLC which is owned by the guy who bought the forum (Andy)from the original guy (Chris). I'd give you the URL, but you're smart and can most likely find it yourself.

Your entitled to your opinion - Me? I'm getting a lot out of both forums - maybe because I don't have some kind of axe to grind.

Just like 2012Coleman I am getting a lot of use out of both forums and the knowledge in them. Doesn't matter to me who owns it as long as the forum has a lot of good people and lots of good information and help.

[2012Coleman]

GDS-3950BH wrote:

Not sure where you get your information, but the original Grand Design owners forum was not sold to RV Life Network, which is actually a company called Social Knowledge LLC. It was sold to another person. Grand Design still participated for a time until they were acquired. The entire fiasco was initiated by Grand Design shortly after the acquisition by Winnebago, by Winnebago Attorneys. I have been a member there since the beginning,joined shortly after buying one of the first GD products to roll off the line. RV Life Network was never mentioned throughout the dispute. It was nothing more than corporate legal departments doing what they do. A lot of things have changed at Grand Design, none of them for the better.

I get it from the source - RV Life Network is owned by Social Knowledge LLC which is owned by the guy who bought the forum (Andy)from the original guy (Chris). I'd give you the URL, but you're smart and can most likely find it yourself.

Your entitled to your opinion - Me? I'm getting a lot out of both forums - maybe because I don't have some kind of axe to grind.

[Hammerboy]

I don't mean to offend anyone but I don't get the whole Grand Design hype, it almost seems like a cult or something. They may have better than average service but construction wise they are just another Indiana manufacturer that probably employ ex Forest River and Thor employees and thier bad habits and using the same junk everyone else is using. They are masters at marketing I will give them that.

I know we walked thru some before we purchased our lowly Wildcat and we still do during the annual RV shows and just don't get the hype. Like I said it must be the service after the sale that makes them popular but then again we were real happy as well with our service after the sale too.

Dan

[GDS-3950BH]

riven1950 wrote:
I can't speak for before, but we bought a new 2019 Fall of 2018. We had several problems immediately and were on a deadline to go to the Keys. The customer service was great, authorized a mobile tech, sent out parts, and promptly refunded my expenses for labor. We had a couple of small issues later that I could repair. I emailed pictures of the parts and they sent them directly to me. We have been impressed so far with GD. The Forum hopefully will be as good. Time will tell.

Yes, the service is good, but there are also many other manufacturers that will do the same things you mention.

There is a distinct difference however since the buyout. Having owned a 2014 prior to the 2020 we have now, I have experienced it from many angles. If they will do things such as THISon the Transcend line, they will also cut corners on others, and they do cut those corners. Unfortunately it turns out they're just another RV manufacturer, nothing special.

Manufacturer sponsored forums suck. The moderators typically drink the corporate Kool-Aid and will be biased towards the brand.

[riven1950]

I can't speak for before, but we bought a new 2019 Fall of 2018. We had several problems immediately and were on a deadline to go to the Keys. The customer service was great, authorized a mobile tech, sent out parts, and promptly refunded my expenses for labor. We had a couple of small issues later that I could repair. I emailed pictures of the parts and they sent them directly to me. We have been impressed so far with GD. The Forum hopefully will be as good. Time will tell.

[GDS-3950BH]

2012Coleman wrote:
The original guy that owned the URL and created the subscription site approached the company and got their buy in and support. The company was an active participant in the forum with over two thousand posts. Then the original owner was approached by RV Life Network and promptly sold it. If you don't know what the RV Life Network is, it's a conglomerate of similar brand based web sites - mostly subscription based.

Grand Design no longer was interested in participating and pulled out, demanding that the new corporate owned web site infringed on their trademarks - don't blame them one bit.

Of course, they wanted to keep a web presence and continue helping their customers. READ I have been on the receiving side of their customer support - even after my warranty expired and it is outstanding. So some of the mods there were offered gigs moderating a new web site where GD is again an active participant.

It's all about money, and no one here would do anything different. The new site is a great tool to get technical help and they don't tolerate bad behavior. Those that behave badly are not welcome, and that makes the site more enjoyable to use as you don't have to wear your flame suit like on other RV boards. There are plenty of critical posts to be found, but those posters are willing to discuss calmly and open to suggestions from others.

Not sure where you get your information, but the original Grand Design owners forum was not sold to RV Life Network, which is actually a company called Social Knowledge LLC. It was sold to another person. Grand Design still participated for a time until they were acquired. The entire fiasco was initiated by Grand Design shortly after the acquisition by Winnebago, by Winnebago Attorneys. I have been a member there since the beginning,joined shortly after buying one of the first GD products to roll off the line. RV Life Network was never mentioned throughout the dispute. It was nothing more than corporate legal departments doing what they do. A lot of things have changed at Grand Design, none of them for the better.

[CFerguson]

A RV-building company screwing people? Say it isn't so!

"...no one here would do anything different...". Do you really have that dim a view of EVERYONE here? I'm sorry to hear that.