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  1. #1
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    The time "Might" have come - 369RL to ???

    Seems like yesterday, but our 369RL is 5.5 years old. We're at the point where we need to start doing some work to keep it tip top. Seals, tile work, wood repairs from being stupid, etc. We have started looking at a couple of different trailers and a couple of different brands as well (I thought GD didn't like me recently...) We're down to a 385 GK, 372 WB, and possibly a 375 RES because the dealer has a left over '18 "that they'll make me a screaming deal on." We have also looked at the Luxe and the New Horizons, but both require a tow vehicle upgrade we're just not willing to do yet.

    There are things we liked in the upgrades. The full body paint is NICE. The larger fridge is AMAZING. Front bath...APPEALING. But then I am back to we're half way paid off. We do like our floorplan, but we love some of the new features. I'd love the multiplexed wiring of some of the higher end brands.

    I'd love your input if you have upgraded recently. Why did you choose to do that? Anyone consider going to a diesel pusher? We're kind of all over the place, but it's because we still have our career income, and if we were going to switch, now is a good time to do it.

    Thanks gang!
    Chris
    Chris Tretta
    Albuquerque, NM

    2013 Ram 3500 Megacab 4x4 6.7L Cummins
    2019 Grand Design 385GK
    2014 Grand Design 369RL - Sold
    Class A CDL, Doubles/Triples, Hazmat and Tanker endorsements


  2. #2
    Long Hauler bertschb's Avatar
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    Chris

    We "moved up" but within the Grand Design family. Not sure if that counts!

    We went from a 2016 318RST Reflection (a short-lived model very similar to the 337) to a 2019 Solitude 373FB. My wife and I both love this new model! I think the two biggest changes for us are the half bath (game changer for my wife) and the "full size" front bath. The residential fridge is also really nice. These changes make this new rig feel much more like a home to us. Of course, there are other things we really like...

    - Full body paint (no more worries about fading/peeling stickers and it looks awesome!)
    - Huge holding tanks (3 weeks between emptying black tanks?)
    - Massive storage in basement

    There are also a lot of little things that are just nicer. Convection MW. Residential looking cooktop and oven. Almost no carpet to clean. Vac system. Higher quality plumbing, cabinets, doors, TV's, light fixtures, furniture, AC units, appliances, etc. The air conditioners and furnace are MUCH quieter than the units in our Reflection. Grand Design has made a lot of improvements over the years and it shows in their newer models. Of course, you already have a Solitude so you already have some of these things.

    We have some friends with a Luxe and it's very nice but they've had several major problems with it. We also have some friends with a new DRV and they've also had some major problems with theirs. We've been living in ours for the past month and so far the only real problem we had was a finicky master bath toilet that was "burping" when you flush it. That lasted for about a week but has been fine since. Not bad for a unit that costs half the price of the high end stuff.
    Brian & Kellie
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, FBP, 1,460w solar, 540ah BBGC3, MORryde IS w/disc brakes
    2020 F-350 Platinum SRW Powerstroke Tremor, 60g TF fuel tank, Hensley BD3-F air bag hitch

    Previous setups:
    2019 Solitude 373FB-R, 2019 F-350 Platinum DRW Powerstroke, Hensley BD5 air bag hitch
    2016 Reflection 318RST, 2016 GMC 3500 Denali SRW Duramax, Hensley BD3 air bag hitch

  3. #3
    Long Hauler
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    Chris
    Welcome to the forum, I see this is your first post in a while and hope you get some great input from the helpful community here...…….hahahaha.

    When we "upgraded" from our KZ TT to the GD it was not a great upgrade, KZ has a really nice product but did not check all of our boxes when we were shopping. There are plenty out there to choose from that you may see in NM that I may not see here in PA. I am not brand specific , so when we decide on the next camper we will look at GD as well as many others as we have done in the past. Moving from a tow behind to a motor home may take some adjustment , you may have to haul a vehicle to get around. Never really liked the big motor homes. 5.5 years old is about right for things to start needing attention , my local dealer and friend for many years told me that a camper is good for about 3-5 years then they start to go south.
    Again glad to have you here and look forward to hearing your decision.

    Brian

  4. #4
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    Thanks Brian, and you are correct...this is a very, very helpful community. Obviously fostered with love.

    We have looked at the KZ many times over the years. But like you, they didn't hit all of the boxes. When we first picked up our GD, it was because when we walked into it for the first time we said Wooooooooooooow. We RV hunt as a hobby, and had been looking at 5th wheels for years as well as TT, MH, and every other damn thing out there. lol. But walking into the Solitude was game changing for us. It felt and looked like you would want. It didn't smell like it would keep you from decomposing for 100 years by sleeping in it. It had nice touches that made the wife smile. It felt solid. We have had numerous issues with ours. If you read my blog, you'll see my temper tantrum on quality. I went through the axle seal fiasco early on. I've had a westlake blow out on me, I have a squeak in the floor, etc. But at the end of the day, I still love this damn trailer.

    We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee that we can flat tow behind a MH. I don't mind towing anything, I don't mind length, but it is a fundamental difference that we also went through when we bought this rig. The thought of having the MH has always appealed to me, but it's a single purpose purchase. You can't drive the propulsion for any other reason, can't separate it. So if you don't camp a lot, then it is an inefficient use of the asset. On the other hand, using my truck as a daily driver also has interfered with our ability to camp when it was down for repairs. I think we're stuck on a fifth wheel, and since we don't want to upgrade the truck to my preference - a class 8 - I think we'll be sticking in the upper mid range category of GD.
    Chris
    Chris Tretta
    Albuquerque, NM

    2013 Ram 3500 Megacab 4x4 6.7L Cummins
    2019 Grand Design 385GK
    2014 Grand Design 369RL - Sold
    Class A CDL, Doubles/Triples, Hazmat and Tanker endorsements


  5. #5
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    Chris, we also have been in the upgrade dilema. The decision is not an easy one. Good luck making your choices.Nothing really wrong with the 303 so we guess it's just an itch. Gary wants a motor home but I'm not on that page and the thought of replacing so may big tires at one time is scary big $$$
    Right now we have 2 GDs in the running. Looked at only a few dffereent brands and like many of the GDs lack of storage is an issue or the CC is ridiculously low.
    The S class 3350 has great cargo capacity but other than at the factory we have not been able to spend time in one. Solitude 385 is fabulous but slightly longer than we want but if an offer to good to pass on was on the table it would sway us quickly and would need a dually . But then the 373 and 380 are waining in the background saying think about us too!
    Last edited by WhittleBurner; 01-17-2019 at 08:45 AM.
    Marcy & Gary
    2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
    2022 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax Longbed SRW
    2015 GMC Denali 3500 - Retired
    2003 F350 - retired
    Michigan
    We're in trouble now, the dog are bloggin'!
    https://3dogsandatrailer.wordpress.com/


  6. #6
    Long Hauler
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    Quote Originally Posted by chris View Post
    Thanks Brian, and you are correct...this is a very, very helpful community. Obviously fostered with love.

    We have looked at the KZ many times over the years. But like you, they didn't hit all of the boxes. When we first picked up our GD, it was because when we walked into it for the first time we said Wooooooooooooow. We RV hunt as a hobby, and had been looking at 5th wheels for years as well as TT, MH, and every other damn thing out there. lol. But walking into the Solitude was game changing for us. It felt and looked like you would want. It didn't smell like it would keep you from decomposing for 100 years by sleeping in it. It had nice touches that made the wife smile. It felt solid. We have had numerous issues with ours. If you read my blog, you'll see my temper tantrum on quality. I went through the axle seal fiasco early on. I've had a westlake blow out on me, I have a squeak in the floor, etc. But at the end of the day, I still love this damn trailer.

    We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee that we can flat tow behind a MH. I don't mind towing anything, I don't mind length, but it is a fundamental difference that we also went through when we bought this rig. The thought of having the MH has always appealed to me, but it's a single purpose purchase. You can't drive the propulsion for any other reason, can't separate it. So if you don't camp a lot, then it is an inefficient use of the asset. On the other hand, using my truck as a daily driver also has interfered with our ability to camp when it was down for repairs. I think we're stuck on a fifth wheel, and since we don't want to upgrade the truck to my preference - a class 8 - I think we'll be sticking in the upper mid range category of GD.
    Chris
    Could not agree more with all these statements. You have a good idea of things and I appreciate that. We too had the wow factor if only in the Reflection, and the Solitude S-class has caught our eye very much.

    Brian

  7. #7
    Long Hauler bertschb's Avatar
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    I suspect I'm in the minority here but I've never understood the appeal of a class A motorhome. The front 6-8' of space is wasted (more or less) by the cab. You are required to tow a second vehicle so you have something to drive while at your destination. You pay a lot of money for the engine and transmission that rarely get used. And finally, they are far more expensive than a 5th wheel. The only advantage I can see is that if you're willing to spend enough money, you can get excellent quality materials. But, for that kind of money, I'm buying a really nice house instead!
    Last edited by bertschb; 01-17-2019 at 09:54 AM.
    Brian & Kellie
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, FBP, 1,460w solar, 540ah BBGC3, MORryde IS w/disc brakes
    2020 F-350 Platinum SRW Powerstroke Tremor, 60g TF fuel tank, Hensley BD3-F air bag hitch

    Previous setups:
    2019 Solitude 373FB-R, 2019 F-350 Platinum DRW Powerstroke, Hensley BD5 air bag hitch
    2016 Reflection 318RST, 2016 GMC 3500 Denali SRW Duramax, Hensley BD3 air bag hitch

  8. #8
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    Chris another consideration is the ccc of the trailers you are looking at. Weigh your setup now to find out how much weight you are hauling. Then add that weight to the dry weight of the trailers you are looking at to get an idea of where you would be, look at the pin weights and the GVW. You may not like what you find out. We are heavy and I don't see us losing any weight. That's one of the reasons we like the 3350 S-Class with having over 4K #'s of ccc. Yet with the weight we are hauling and the pin weight % we have we could tow that 3350 with our srw 1 ton with room to spare. Figuring 21% for pin weight of the max GVW is 3300#'s 200 #' under what our truck is rated. Adding the weight we are hauling now added to the dry weight of the 3350 we would be way under that 16000#'s the 3350 is rated.
    Last edited by WhittleBurner; 01-19-2019 at 07:36 AM.
    Marcy & Gary
    2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
    2022 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax Longbed SRW
    2015 GMC Denali 3500 - Retired
    2003 F350 - retired
    Michigan
    We're in trouble now, the dog are bloggin'!
    https://3dogsandatrailer.wordpress.com/


  9. #9
    Site Team
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    So we spent some time in the Vanleigh Beacon and Vilano this weekend. Both very nice rigs. Suitable competitors to the GD. Since our truck is a SRW, the Vilano would be a closer fit. We found a floor plan that we really liked. Circumstances dictated a change in activities, and we discussed the VL, GD trailers and a Fleetwood Discovery that we looked at and liked. Much discussion ensued. Then we pulled up the videos of walk throughs, and we ended up with the GD 372WB as our primary contender. We really like the windows over the VanLeigh, We like the Coat Rack and Closet. Loved the seats on each side of the dresser, and the closet in the front. The 18 cuft RV fridge and thought that was the bomb! The island counter was larger, and we really liked that.

    On the other hand, the VL had amazing furniture. The bar area was much nicer. The smaller beverage cooler was much nicer than the large "afterthought" that was the GD beverage fridge. And the sink? Really? Why? It is goofy and odd. The counter space on each side of the range were larger overall. The furniture was a smidge more comfy in the VL over the GD as well. The wood work in the Beacon was a tremendous upgrade as was the floor. The availability of the 3rd AC and the 42K BTU heater was nice, and would be used by us. The bathroom cabinetry, the toilet, the mirrors...all nicer in the VL, but that closet...? WTH? The shower in the GD is larger, and the same as what we have in our 369RL. We can both fit in that shower, but not in the smaller shower in the VL. The multiplex wiring is HUGE! Why is this not standard in all rigs?

    Based on what is important to us, the GD is the winner. I can add a sound bar, change the stereo, make the other things work. GD continues to set the bar for what we want. The VL is an amazing group of coaches. It was really, really close. We liked the Fleetwood. It was a nice rig, but the one we looked at had a Cummins ISB. A nice rig overall, but my truck has more HP and torque.

    I hope this helps someone along the way.
    Thanks!
    Chris
    Chris
    Chris Tretta
    Albuquerque, NM

    2013 Ram 3500 Megacab 4x4 6.7L Cummins
    2019 Grand Design 385GK
    2014 Grand Design 369RL - Sold
    Class A CDL, Doubles/Triples, Hazmat and Tanker endorsements


  10. #10
    Long Hauler bertschb's Avatar
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    Great choice Chris! We love all the huge windows in our 373FB (almost identical to the 372WB) as well as all the other things you mentioned. Are you getting the linen interior?
    Brian & Kellie
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, FBP, 1,460w solar, 540ah BBGC3, MORryde IS w/disc brakes
    2020 F-350 Platinum SRW Powerstroke Tremor, 60g TF fuel tank, Hensley BD3-F air bag hitch

    Previous setups:
    2019 Solitude 373FB-R, 2019 F-350 Platinum DRW Powerstroke, Hensley BD5 air bag hitch
    2016 Reflection 318RST, 2016 GMC 3500 Denali SRW Duramax, Hensley BD3 air bag hitch

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