Pex Hose vs Soft Hose Update

[Aridon]

Aside from our plumbing we've had no real issues that can be attributable to Grand Design. I'm going to knock on wood now because you know how that all goes.

We had the plumbing issue, which certainly pissed me off as a new owner. I had the choice to bring it to the dealer but I have zero faith in 95% of dealers out there. We had a good one with our Newmar but they are in Wintergarden FL and don't sell Grand Design but if I was in a pinch I'd use them before any others.

We've had a number of RVs over the last 12 years.

Forest River - Formaldehyde smell. Kept a year.

Newmar Dutch Star - water leak behind the shower, leak on the hydronic heating, loose neutral on a transfer switch blew our washer dryer (thank fully the EMS stopped it from destroying the entire coach), oil leak on the cummins that we could never fully track down despite two weeks sitting at cummins.

DRV - black tank was never plumbed right and an elbow let go on the way to the tank, roof vent pipe inserted deeply into the black tank, water leak under the bathroom sink and behind the washer dryer connection in the master bedroom (that one sucked), plywood on the roof broke free and was rattling when in motion caused a lot of damage to the roof seams

Momentum - Plumbing redone to Pex, mostly because my local dealer has their heads up their rear ends and I would only used them if I was desperate. I also didn't want to have to keep going back as they fixed one hose, then another and another. So I did it myself the right way. We had on air conditioner go out, low amps on the compressor when running so it was out of gas. Manufacturing defect, not on GD.


You can see that it doesn't matter how much money you spend. Brands that have a well known name for quality and high prices have the same issues and you can buy a cheap TT with formaldehyde in everything (this was back before the switch) but everything works.

Much of it is the luck of the draw. You can have relatively trouble free and if you were the last one on the line before quitting time you might get stuff thrown together a little faster. It shouldn't be like that, quality assurance should catch it, they don't. Bottom line is they are building them almost as fast as people are buying them, for now. The next down turn is approaching and that will change, many lines will get the axe just like before and the cycle and reset itself.

I didn't buy GD because it would be trouble free. I bought it because the price and floor plan were right and as a bonus they had a good rep here for taking care fo their customers. I can attest to that thus far in my ownership as well. That said, I'd buy another one if the same factors hold true but I'm not married to any brand and ultimately as a full timer the floor plan is the most important factor and I'd gladly buy another unit somewhere else because in the end, they are all mostly the same when looking at the same price point.

Its a house on wheels that goes down the road, you're going to have issues with it at some point. Sure they can be built better, the Q/A control could be a lot better but in the end, you're going to have issues.