Flew the coop...

[CedarCreekWoody]

I am leaving the flock. We just downsized our 34 ft Keystone fifth wheel for a 27 foot fifth wheel. We bought a Grand Design Reflection 100 22 RK. I looked at a couple of 26 foot Keystone models that looked good but didn't have the features we wanted.
I've had too much fun and gained too much knowledge to ghost you guys so you will still see me hanging around.

[sourdough]

Hang around! Grand Design is really just another Keystone line. It was started by 3 senior executives from Keystone that wanted to improve customer service...which I've heard they did initially. Now I think they're all about the same. They do add some "plus" features like upgraded tires, on some models upgraded appliances etc. but at a 10-20% increase in price for perceived customer service....I'll just do my own. I was about to buy one in FL but called the dealer (owner) in TX and he told me straight up "we only service what we sell and anyone that deals with us knows it's at least 3 months for us to look at a warranty repair"....back to Keystone, my dealer works hard at getting me what I want. Good luck and happy trails with the new trailer - it will be fun.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Thanks Danny. I'm aware that most companies use the same equipment suppliers and unfortunately the same construction techniques. I don't have expectations of better quality for the most part. I only paid a bit more than the Keystones I looked at. I did this to get auto-level, Goodyear tires, dual recliners, increased load capacity, and under-slung spare tire mount. I also got small solar panel and controller but that wasn't important. The Grand Design was the only one I found around here that had what I wanted. My local dealer is all but out of business so I drove over to the Dallas area. Not too far away if (when?) I need service.

[sourdough]

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal. My dealer is about an hour away so not much different than your situation and it's no big deal at all. Having a good dealer vs one almost out of business is worth it IMO. On that underslung spare tire be sure and look at how it's mounted/works. I have the BAL hide a spare which you may have as well. Don't know the size of tire on that trailer but when I went from Ranier F load range to Sailun G load range it put the carrier right at the max for load. It is a DEVIL to pull out and put back with that much weight on it (takes me under the trailer pushing up and DW pushing it in) so be sure and check it out.

[dutchmensport]

Congrats on getting your new Grand Design. I hope you have great success and many happy adventures with it.

Considering you are a seasoned participant on this forum site, I'm sure you already know about the Grand Design forum site also sponsored by RV Life. If not, here's the link to it. Log in with your same user ID and password. Just register there.

You are really not leaving the family at all .... all of these forums are part of the same "family"..... we all use the RV Life forums!

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/

[JBM3M]

Ya, don't leave, this is the best RV forum out there. I bought a Brinkley in July and went through the same thought pattern. I am still very welcome and so shall you be. We all have special areas where we have knowledge. Enjoy that new RV, I know we are ours.

[gkainz]

Yeah, we bought a KZ Durango this spring and sold our Laredo. I still hang out here.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal. My dealer is about an hour away so not much different than your situation and it's no big deal at all. Having a good dealer vs one almost out of business is worth it IMO. On that underslung spare tire be sure and look at how it's mounted/works. I have the BAL hide a spare which you may have as well. Don't know the size of tire on that trailer but when I went from Ranier F load range to Sailun G load range it put the carrier right at the max for load. It is a DEVIL to pull out and put back with that much weight on it (takes me under the trailer pushing up and DW pushing it in) so be sure and check it out.

Thanks, I will check the spare tire hanger. I don't know what kind it is.

[xrated]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

Congrats on getting your new Grand Design. I hope you have great success and many happy adventures with it.

Considering you are a seasoned participant on this forum site, I'm sure you already know about the Grand Design forum site also sponsored by RV Life. If not, here's the link to it. Log in with your same user ID and password. Just register there.

You are really not leaving the family at all .... all of these forums are part of the same "family"..... we all use the RV Life forums!

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/

I'm one of the moderators over there, so tell him to behave himself when he shows up!

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

Congrats on getting your new Grand Design. I hope you have great success and many happy adventures with it.

Considering you are a seasoned participant on this forum site, I'm sure you already know about the Grand Design forum site also sponsored by RV Life. If not, here's the link to it. Log in with your same user ID and password. Just register there.

You are really not leaving the family at all .... all of these forums are part of the same "family"..... we all use the RV Life forums!

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/

Thanks. I found that forum and was surprised that when I posted my new signature there it also updated the one here. I also noted that Janet is the tech person for all the forums so I knew they were "cousins ". Lol

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by xrated

I'm one of the moderators over there, so tell him to behave himself when he shows up!

Too late! You left the back door unlocked and I snuck in. Lol
By the way you do have a memorable screen name.

[xrated]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

Too late! You left the back door unlocked and I snuck in. Lol
By the way you do have a memorable screen name.

LOL....yea, I've had to have some PM's with admins on a couple of forums that I tried to join over the years and fully explain the back story as to how long I've had that user name, and most importantly WHY I have that user name. It's a long story, but suffice to say it involved a time when I first started doing forums back in the early 2000 time frame. It was a motorcycle forum that was specific to the Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird.....the world's fastest production motorcycle when it came out in 1997. I tried to sign up for "XX Rated", and that was already taken, so I settled on xrated instead......no caps and only one "x" and that one stuck. So I've used it on many forums over the years, some with great difficulty getting accepted. And as a side note.......I've been riding motorcycles (legally) since 1971, and still ride today....53 years later.

Do you go by CedarCreekWoody over there too?

Edited to add......I found you over there and sent you a PM....

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by xrated

LOL....yea, I've had to have some PM's with admins on a couple of forums that I tried to join over the years and fully explain the back story as to how long I've had that user name, and most importantly WHY I have that user name. It's a long story, but suffice to say it involved a time when I first started doing forums back in the early 2000 time frame. It was a motorcycle forum that was specific to the Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird.....the world's fastest production motorcycle when it came out in 1997. I tried to sign up for "XX Rated", and that was already taken, so I settled on xrated instead......no caps and only one "x" and that one stuck. So I've used it on many forums over the years, some with great difficulty getting accepted. And as a side note.......I've been riding motorcycles (legally) since 1971, and still ride today....53 years later.

Do you go by CedarCreekWoody over there too?

Edited to add......I found you over there and sent you a PM....

I'm sure you have had to do so e explaining. Lol
I do use CedarCreekWoody on both forums as well as on the Forest River forum. I've owned all three at one time or another.
My user name back story isn't as interesting as yours. I live on Cedar Creek Lake in NE texas, about 50 miles east of Dallas.

[xrated]

A blast from the past.....circa 2002, CBR1100XX Blackbird