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10-03-2016, 07:00 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 10,744
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Winnebago Buys Grand Design RV
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10-03-2016, 07:28 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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Typical big business. The 3 founding owners quickly built a great company with superb customer service, making it a very valuable company. Take the money and run while it's good. They have $500mil in their pockets, still have jobs, and if the RV industry tanks, they are in the clear. Someone else's risk now.
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David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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10-03-2016, 07:33 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Iowa
Posts: 1,413
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davel1971
Typical big business. The 3 founding owners quickly built a great company with superb customer service, making it a very valuable company. Take the money and run while it's good. They have $500mil in their pockets, still have jobs, and if the RV industry tanks, they are in the clear. Someone else's risk now.
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What would you have done?
__________________
Days camping (2016)----181 days
Days camping (2017) --- 82 days
2016 Wildcat MAXX 28RKX (33' TT), 2007 13' Scamp
2015 Ram Laramie Hemi, w/air suspension
30 years RV'ing
11 different RV's
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10-03-2016, 07:52 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 291
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We've been casually shopping/looking at fivers.... Grand Design made it to the short list. Sorry to see the industry bunching up like this, I won't consider them any longer.
__________________
John and Linda
2016 Rockwood 2604WS
2017 Ram 3500 CTD SRW
2016 - 47 nights
2017 - 47 nights
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10-03-2016, 08:01 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Seaford, De
Posts: 2,377
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RSchleder
What would you have done?
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I didn't say I wouldn't have, just stating what happened.
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David & Lynn 2014 Coachmen Chaparral Signature 327 RLKS 2016 Ford F350 Lariat CC Dually
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10-03-2016, 10:34 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LandJ
We've been casually shopping/looking at fivers.... Grand Design made it to the short list. Sorry to see the industry bunching up like this, I won't consider them any longer.
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Seriously? You like the coach but suddenly because another company bought a controlling interest in them you don't like it? What changed in your choice from yesterday? It's still the same coach and same company, right?
__________________
2917 Vibe 268RKS
2011 Ford F350 FX4 CC 6.7 PSD SRW
3 Canon cameras
3 Border Collies
3 chickens a'laying
1 Wife
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10-03-2016, 10:55 PM
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#7
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 11,069
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Can't say I'm surprised. I figured it would be Thor or FR that bought them but I guess Winnebago got there first.
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2014 Crew Cab Chevy Silverado 3500 4wd Duramax/Allison
2014 Sabre 34REQS-6
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10-03-2016, 11:16 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
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Quote:
Originally Posted by asquared
Can't say I'm surprised. I figured it would be Thor or FR that bought them but I guess Winnebago got there first.
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Or had deeper pockets!
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
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10-04-2016, 06:38 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 10,744
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Weren't the principal owners of Grand Design former Prime Time managers?
We also liked what we saw. Trim quality was quit good, floor plan wa nice . Everything else is built by someone else. Not too many ways to skin a cat.
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10-04-2016, 06:54 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 795
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As an owner of a FR and a Winnebago, being acquired by Winnebago as opposed to FR or Thor is a very positive move.
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10-04-2016, 11:40 AM
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#11
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 11,069
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I like the grand designs which is why I hoped FR would buy them.
__________________

2014 Crew Cab Chevy Silverado 3500 4wd Duramax/Allison
2014 Sabre 34REQS-6
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10-04-2016, 01:40 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 837
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Quote:
Originally Posted by asquared
I like the grand designs which is why I hoped FR would buy them.
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Why, So FR can screwup what these guys have created.
What I've seen very impressive trailers by grand design.
2012 Ford F-150 EB Crew FX4 3.73 gears
2012 Micro Lite 23lb
Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums
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Tim & Tracy, Jennifer (17), Alyssa (13), our dog Jazy
2012 Ford F150 EB Crew FX4 3.73 gears
2017 Grand Design Imagine 2800BH
Previous: 2012 Flagstaff MicroLite 23LB
2006 GMC Envoy Denali V8 & 2005 GMC Envoy I6
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10-04-2016, 04:37 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 291
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnbro27
Seriously? You like the coach but suddenly because another company bought a controlling interest in them you don't like it? What changed in your choice from yesterday? It's still the same coach and same company, right?
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Yes, I'm serious.... I still like the coach, but I won't spend that kind of money with a company in transition. The same thing happened to me with Dutchman a couple years ago. I don't want to deal with long term ownership and/or problems, until a track record is established. Besides, once the bean counters from corporate get looking at things, it may be a completely different coach going forward.
__________________
John and Linda
2016 Rockwood 2604WS
2017 Ram 3500 CTD SRW
2016 - 47 nights
2017 - 47 nights
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10-04-2016, 05:03 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 9,839
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rockfordroo
Or had deeper pockets! 
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Very deeeeep!
__________________
2016 F350 6.7L LB CC Reese 28K 2014 Chaparral Lite 266sab
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." 2014 19 days camping 2015 17 days camping201620 days camping
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10-04-2016, 06:24 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LandJ
Yes, I'm serious.... I still like the coach, but I won't spend that kind of money with a company in transition. The same thing happened to me with Dutchman a couple years ago. I don't want to deal with long term ownership and/or problems, until a track record is established. Besides, once the bean counters from corporate get looking at things, it may be a completely different coach going forward.
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So maybe you should buy one NOW, before FR gets their fingers into it.
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
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10-04-2016, 06:37 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 10,744
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rockfordroo
So maybe you should buy one NOW, before FR gets their fingers into it. 
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FR did not buy Grand Design, Winnebago did..
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10-04-2016, 06:42 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 291
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rockfordroo
So maybe you should buy one NOW, before FR gets their fingers into it. 
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I'm not ready for a bit....
GD was on my short list, but I have had a great experience with both of our Rockwoods, so I'd likely stay with FR, anyway.
We'll see when we get there.... maybe GD will have a good story to tell by then.
__________________
John and Linda
2016 Rockwood 2604WS
2017 Ram 3500 CTD SRW
2016 - 47 nights
2017 - 47 nights
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10-04-2016, 09:50 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 10,907
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B and B
FR did not buy Grand Design, Winnebago did..
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Oooops.
Change Fr to Winnebago. Same response.
__________________
1988 Coleman Sequoia - popup (1987-2009) - outlasted 3 Dodge Grand Caravans!
2012 Roo19 - hybrid (2012-2015)
2016 Mini Lite 2503S - tt (2015 - ???)
2011 Traverse LT, 3.6L, FWD
2009 Silverado 1500 Ext Cab, 5.3L, 4x4, 3.73
2016 Silverado 2500HD Dbl Cab, 6.0L 4x4, 4.10
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10-13-2016, 07:10 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Dacula, Georgia
Posts: 1,283
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One impressive feature of Winnebago is PARTS AND AVAILABILITY. I considering a motor home before we bought our Silverback. It was a hard decision, MH or 5er. Having had a previous 5er, we stayed that route as the living space fit our style.
Winnebago numbers each part. Easily and quickly ordered and replaced by the owner or local expertise. That is worth a LOT. Try to find replacement parts on most fifth wheels! Incredible. You cannot even get a schematic!!
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10-13-2016, 07:29 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Dacula, Georgia
Posts: 1,283
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I "was" considering ..........😄
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