NOT CDL, NOT CDL, NOT CDL - Grand Design / Blue Dog RV

[Vegas Teacher]

O.K. Just so people did not think I was asking about a CDL again LOL!!!!!

So Pam and I are looking for the perfect 5th wheel set up now. We love to shop and are not in any hurry at all to spend any money. Pam is not fully retired, I am 5 years behind her. For those of you who are wondering Pam had been teaching in Vegas before I got to Vegas and I met her out here. I had been teaching, in the little town of Stockton Missouri, for a couple of years before that. Instead of teaching right after college, I went back and got a M.S. in Molecular Biology.

So now that that is out of the way I can explain or ask my question.

We have been shopping, don't plan to buy for two more years at least but starting the shopping and saving. I don't do loans on anything but a house. We are really liking Grand design and the Blue Dog RV company. We really love the front living, center kitchen and rear bedroom.

What the the opinions on Grand Design and Blue Dog RV?

Thanks,

Cory O

P.S. not a CDL Question.

 

[Darryl&Rita]

For the price and build quality of any new RV, I'd be looking hard at the used market. FB HDT group currently has a New Horizons @ $90, and a full set-up, ready to roll HDT, smart, and trailer. Admittedly the 5th is just another Indiana special, but a tun key set-up can often save $$$. 

[Vegas Teacher]

53 minutes ago, Darryl&Rita said:

For the price and build quality of any new RV, I'd be looking hard at the used market. FB HDT group currently has a New Horizons @ $90, and a full set-up, ready to roll HDT, smart, and trailer. Admittedly the 5th is just another Indiana special, but a tun key set-up can often save $$$. 

Thanks! I am not opposed to buying used! My first trailer was a 2003 Fleetwood, Pioneer 23.5 feet bumper pull. I was the 3rd owner on it and man did I learn a lot about stuff, from pumps to electrical. I hope if I find something used it is in better shape than that one. However I did pull it from Vegas to Michigan, looped back through Kansas and back 5 times and did a loop from Vegas to Vancouver Washington and back, plus a lot of little side trips up to St. George / Zion Utah / Bryce Canyon Utah etc. It was pretty old and pretty beat up. I learned a lot about backing and communication skills with my wife when setting up too. It was the Vancouver trip that started the talk about a bigger trailer and Vegas Flyer, telling me to look at Volvo Semi's, to which I told him he was crazy, LOL!

Later,

Cory O 

[dblr]

What's nice is you have plenty of time to research everything you're interested in, and I bet your thoughts might even change by the time you're ready to buy, good luck and take your time

[Larry Burkett]

4 hours ago, Darryl&Rita said:

For the price and build quality of any new RV, I'd be looking hard at the used market. FB HDT group currently has a New Horizons @ $90, and a full set-up, ready to roll HDT, smart, and trailer. Admittedly the 5th is just another Indiana special, but a turn key set-up can often save $$$. 

I don't believe you can call a New Horizon an Indiana special, since they are built in Kansas.

[rickeieio]

I think Darryl left out a couple of punctuation marks.  It appears he meant there is a New Horizons, or a complete rig with an Indiana Special.  At least that's how I read it.

I'll add, there's a very nice New Horizons toy hauler available too.  A few years old, but has some very nice, and recent, upgrades.

Edited October 25, 2022 by rickeieio

[Darryl&Rita]

Rickeieio is correct, there's 2 different posts, both very near the top. The complete setup is pulling a DRV, which I don't think of as good as earlier DRVs. They used to make a pretty solid rig, aside from the batt fiberglass insulation sliding down the walls from road vibration.

[Sculptor]

Cory, I’m no expert, but this article talks about the industry in general over the last 12 or so years.  It’s not for or against a certain brand.  The writer is calling out the industry as a whole for some systemic problems that were already problems, but made worse by, you guessed it, covid.  The demand for rvs shot up and the quality, such as it was, dropped off the chart.

https://www.rvtravel.com/indianapolis-newspaper-report-blasts-rv-manufacturers/

im not saying don’t buy an RV, just be cautious.

[Vegas Teacher]

14 hours ago, dblr said:

What's nice is you have plenty of time to research everything you're interested in, and I bet your thoughts might even change by the time you're ready to buy, good luck and take your time

Yep that is true, Pam and I love to research (both of us have Masters Degrees, just part of that) and love to shop. Took us 2 years to buy the Subaru outback we bought in 2014 and still have it, and 3 years to buy our 2008 Tundra. The Semi was 4 years almost. So a trailer of over 85,000.00 it is going to take a while. Now we are shopping for our state to retire in, when I retire in 5 years.........

Later,

Cory O

[Vegas Teacher]

9 hours ago, Sculptor said:

Cory, I’m no expert, but this article talks about the industry in general over the last 12 or so years.  It’s not for or against a certain brand.  The writer is calling out the industry as a whole for some systemic problems that were already problems, but made worse by, you guessed it, covid.  The demand for rvs shot up and the quality, such as it was, dropped off the chart.

https://www.rvtravel.com/indianapolis-newspaper-report-blasts-rv-manufacturers/

im not saying don’t buy an RV, just be cautious.

Thanks Kevin, aticles like that are some of the best sources of information!!!!! Are you still on your trip or have you made it back home yet? Hope it was all good!!!

Later,

Cory O

[Sculptor]

7 hours ago, Vegas Teacher said:

Thanks Kevin, aticles like that are some of the best sources of information!!!!! Are you still on your trip or have you made it back home yet? Hope it was all good!!!

Later,

Cory O

We just got to Mission TX a couple of days ago. We were scheduled to arrive Nov. 15 but got here early. The National Rally was about 2 long days of travel in the wrong direction so unfortunately we missed it again this year.  No breakdowns or injuries so ALL was good that way. 

[Chad Heiser]

I have several friends with Grand Design RV’s and I have done installations on quite a few Grand Design RV’s as well.  I have been in and around their 5th wheels, toy haulers and travel trailers.  Overall, for the market segment they are going for, I like their rigs.  I would have no problem owning one of them.

[Second Chance]

3 minutes ago, Chad Heiser said:

I have several friends with Grand Design RV’s and I have done installations on quite a few Grand Design RV’s as well.  I have been in and around their 5th wheels, toy haulers and travel trailers.  Overall, for the market segment they are going for, I like their rigs.  I would have no problem owning one of them.

Obviously, I would second this. We started out in a Grand Design Reflection fifth wheel and, when we saw that we were going to stay on the road long-term, we moved up to a Solitude ordered "our way" (dual pane windows, residential fridge, solar, etc.). Ironically, the Solitude we have is almost an identical floor plan to our previous Reflection - just wider, taller, and with a lot more glass (for that open, airy feeling). We've had no issues with the unit itself, just vendor supplied things like the convection microwave and such. GD has been very good in responding to warranty requests and our on-the-road lifestyle that means we're not always near a dealer. 

Rob

[Chad Heiser]

This is not widely known, but Grand Design has six (I think) mobile RV techs that travel around the country going to rallies and other events who fix Grand Design RV’s out in the wild (usually at no cost to the owner).  When traveling between events they are instructed to stop and assist any RV they see that appears to be in need of assistance (again usually at no cost to the owner).