As you will see, things don’t always turn out the way you anticipate. This post is about how the trip to the factory is a bust & Eva Grace.
March was going to be a really hectic month for us because we had so many things scheduled. First on the list was a scheduled trip for March 30th at Grand Designs Factory for a new roof on our Imagine Travel Trailer.
The Raised Decking on the roof.
So we completely emptied the travel trailer at Grand Designs request, no easy feat. Now with it empty we could drop it off in Indiana at the Grand Design Factory. Then we would head north to stay with my Daughter Jennifer and Son in-law Bob, in Wisconsin.
I haven’t talked much about this repair situation in our blog so here’s the backstory; it starts in March of 2017.
Tammy and I knew exactly which model of travel trailer we wanted to buy in March of 2017, but we had problems finding it at a dealership near the house. There was one available about two hours away, so we went to look at it.
We loved the layout of the Imagine 2950RL but when I decided to get up on the roof to check it out, there were some issues. I could see objects under the membrane in addition to a less than perfect job of laying down the fabric. It was at this point that I started to think that maybe we would pass on this particular trailer and wait for the next shipment to the dealership. However after assurances from Grand Design directly that they would stand behind the roof, we pulled the trigger and purchased that unit.
Fast forward to Summer of 2019, I am on the roof after our camping trip and I can see the decking is now rising up under the roof membrane. This is happening at every seam. After I send pictures to Grand Design they tell me that they want to replace it at the factory. They stood behind their word – and for that I am grateful and have a great deal of respect for their company. As I have mentioned before, Grand Designs Customer Service is more than likely the gold standard in the industry at this time.
Our prior travel trailer was a Jayco White Hawk. I will say this about the Jayco; it had a better than industry standard roof. When you walked on the roof, you could feel the difference in quality. I would absolutely love it if Grand Design built a roof like that, but that doesn’t mean that Grand Designs roof is weaker than the other RV roofs out there; its just weaker than Jaycos.
I also have a feeling that the GD roofs are nailed not screwed, but I’ll find out more about that when I get to the factory.
OK, that is the backstory on the roof.
Next up in March, we had to get all of our insurance (Auto and Home) renewed as well as our energy company selected and in place. In Texas, you compare electricity rates and select a company to enter into a short term contract with. Rates vary across companies as do their price breaks. It is a pain to research.
I have three motorcycles that need registration renewal, so they need to be inspected before they can get tags. There is half a day down the tubes.
Our pool vacuum booster pump failed around the 20th of March. So that needed to be fixed before the trip. Unfortunately for Tammy and I – it was not cheap! The pump alone was over 300 dollars. I am still struggling with why the pool booster pump motors that are made today will only last five years on average when they run only an hour a day. They are garbage pumps at a Cadillac price. I’m going to see if I can rebuild the old one so I have a spare on standby.
At the same time that the booster pump was repaired the Covid-19 Virus lock-downs began. In addition, campgrounds and waysides across the country began to get shut down. On the heels of that news, Texas began to shut down non-essential businesses and asked people to restrict their travel.
Based on the way the country began shutting down I called Grand Design and asked if they were still working in the repair facility. The answer was yes. The next question I asked was if we could push the repair date out. Our Representative Brian said that moving the appointment out would not be an issue. So, we said we would come up in the fall for the repair; and of course I second guessed that decision for a few days. Five days later I received a call from Grand Design saying that they would not be taking trailers into the facility for repair. Apparently the repair center didn’t know I had cancelled already). So obviously I made the right decision. Had we just left for Indiana (a 900+ mile one way trip) we probably would have had to turn around on the way there.
This actually worked out well for us because we ended up picking up our new floor child earlier than expected. Here She is, Eva Grace:
Don’t let her cuteness fool you, there is an incredible amount of energy in her tank! It’s been 13 years since we have had a puppy; and Tammy is remembering a lot more about that stage than me. All in all shes been really good, and I’m sure its a big adjustment for her too.
If you read our post from earlier this year about the loss of our girls (https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/01/06/bittersweet-camping-to-begin-2020/); you can imagine how hard it has been without our girls roaming the house and camping with us. Eva has some really big shoes to fill, because our girls were nothing short of wonderful. She also is going to have a great life with us, wherever we go. We are looking forward to having great times with her in the trailer. Camping probably won’t be happening very soon because we need to get through the puppy stage first. However, by September, I thing we will be all rolling down the road together.
Here’s hoping April is better for all of us from a travel, and personal perspective. Stay Safe.
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