Recreation by Design reviews

Nordic Fridge broke in first 5 days. Trim all over coming loose. Outside of bedroom slide separating from top piece. Gaps between slide mechanism and wall letting light in. Will clealrly let bugs and rodents in. Tv not mounted level. Washer Dryer unit door already sagging and bent. Wood valances uneven and need tightened. Trim above toy hauler door and seem tape all ripped and jagged. Ball that goes to hidden section behind TV rolled away during the drive home. Walls around base of garage are already starting to stain from... standard garage use. I have not even loaded a side by side yet. Edges of framless windows has peeling tint. Counter in bathroom not solid surface, thats where you needed it. Show less

The whole experience from purchasing it custom made from the dealer to Grand Design customer service is beyond horrible! It is literally not well made no responses to warranty work! Still have no hot water as the component caught fire 7 months ago and they will not send us a new one, pot lights falling off not working. When it was made they punctured water lines so had a flood still waiting for parts after 1 1/2 years so basically paid $170,000 for a live in trailer that is not liveable. Will be advising everyone not to purchase an RV from Grand Design as you might as well burn your retirement away! Tried several times to get this resolved with them but no reply so BEWARE!! Show less

I did research before I bought this and it was one of the top of the line very well-made travel trailers. I bought this travel trailer during the aftermath of Covid when everything was on backorder, etc. and apparently they have been making these with junk inside them. Both of my furry on air conditioners did not work as they should. One of them had the Freon run out so I replaced both of them with a Coleman Mach. The refrigerator microwave and most everything is Furrion and made in China. My microwave is having issues and my refrigerator since I bought it has an issue with the compressor and it makes a very loud rattling noise every time it tries to cool off. Now that could’ve been just installation of said item, but everything seems to be quickly made with cheap equipment. They would not even reimburse me for replacing my air conditioners because I didn’t take it in to have that looked at when I had already had them checking on the AC why it wasn’t reading the temperature on multiple visits. So in addition to this no longer being a reliable brand, their warranty is crap also. Stay away from this brand. Show less

I am extremely disappointed with my experience with Grand Design. For more than a year, I have dealt with repeated issues and defects with my trailer, many of which have made the unit completely unusable. Despite multiple attempts to seek support and a resolution, the process has been slow, frustrating, and has required constant follow-up on my part. My RV has spent months in storage because it cannot be safely or reliably used, yet I have continued to incur monthly loan payments, insurance costs, storage fees, and additional travel expenses due to breakdowns and mechanical failures. In total, the financial loss and lost use have been significant. Several major issues have occurred, including but not limited to: Electrical malfunctions that remain unresolved Axle and suspension concerns Flooring and wall problems Hot water heater failures Multiple campground disruptions due to malfunctioning components Despite all of this, Grand Design has repeatedly refused to consider a full refund—even though the situation was escalated to management back in April 2025, and a refund was initially discussed as a potential solution. Instead, I was offered a monetary amount that does not come close to covering the actual costs, time lost, or frustration experienced over the past year. The compensation offered feels dismissive considering the long-term impact of these ongoing issues. Additionally, communication has been inconsistent, and I have often been left waiting days for responses on matters that should be treated urgently. Grand Design markets itself as a company that “stands behind its product,” but my experience has not reflected that promise. After more than a year of unresolved problems, excessive repair needs, and thousands of dollars lost, I cannot recommend Grand Design to anyone looking for a reliable RV or a company that takes accountability for its product failures. I hope this review encourages more transparency, better customer support, and a higher standard of responsibility for those who invest significant money into these units with the expectation of quality and reliability. Show less

The worst. Drawers/cabinets falling apart. Pipes leaking, paneling and trip falling down...a lot. Skirting brackets loose. Multiple issues with AC/Heater. Slide outs not working. Door not latching. Refrigerator/ Freezer doors not latching. I have had a lot of travel trailers, and this is far and away the worst piece of junk. Show less

This RV, on a Mercedes-Benz Chassis rides as comfortably as anything you have ever driven, true Mercedes-Benz comfort. The bathroom could be a bit larger, but other than that, no complaints. The Onan generator and on-board LP gas tank are very convenient. Show less

This travel Trailer is great to tow though i use an equalizer hitch and a 3500 diesel to pull it. Even in very strong winds this trailer pulls very nicely. We have two adult sized special needs men and the bunkhouse is perfect for them. The primary bedroom has enough room when the slide is out to allow dressing in that room. The kitchen and living room are very roomy and makes cooking easy and out of the way of others that are watching tv etc. Only issues we have had is a broken refer latch and a piece of trim fell off inside. This floor plan is perfect for our needs. Show less

The floor plan is absolutely amazing. It feels so open and easy to move around in. The counter space is unmatched that is for sure. Plus the bathroom is perfectly sized and has lots of storage. The ability to drive our truck and not have to get a fifth wheel hitch but have a fifth wheel feel is perfection. We use our truck bed for hauling other things so this is the best of both worlds. Best travel trailer design I have ever seen. Show less

We had a 42 foot Alpine, and traded it in on this one, as we planned to travel more and the ease of smaller unit appealed to us. We are retirees, and hoped this would be our 6th and final RV. What a mistake!!! Nothing but problems from the start. First trip (end of September) my feet froze while doing Dishes....the wind was very noticeable under the sink and cabinets. The dealer said the furnace needed a fresh air intake from inside the trailer.... but, the wind was coming in when we were NOT using the furnace! They fixed with spray foaming all the "holes". The sliding door in the bedroom continued to come off the rails every time we moved. There was a freezer tray missing, and the fridge made a God awful noise every time it kicked in! We were told all these noises were normal, yet, never experienced in the 5 other Brand new units we owned! Also, the flimsy little plastic bar that was to hold the fridge doors closed, just bent, and allowed the door to open several times. They offered to "sell" us a latch (are you kidding me!?) We finally fixed it ourselves with a latch used to babyproof cupboard doors!Although equipped with a solar panel, the hot water on demand makes it difficult to boon dock as you use a half tank of water for it to get warm depleting water supply, and filling tanks! There was a screw under the lino in the bedroom, that we fortunately caught soon enough that a hole was not created. Although our vehicles receive radio reception - the indoor radio does not receive anything! Our next trip was to Southern USA in February. We had been on the road for over a week, but it was when we got to California that it was warm enough to just have the screen door open. That s when we noticed the door was falling apart. It was progressively getting more and more difficult to close, and at times it took two of us to actually close it! The bottom corner of the door was cracked, peeling was being hid behind the plate of the screen door. Long story short it took THREE (3) doors before they finally got it right.....and it still is giving us grief. Doesn't close properly. The table had to be replaced because it started cracking.....obviously they stained it prior to it being properly dried. Grand Design finally, in good faith, gave us an additional 6 months warranty - but as this was granted in October, it would run out before we actually got to use the trailer again, so really, was it in good faith? Not! I know there are law suits regarding the frames of some of the models....although our unit isn't listed in the law suit yet, I'm sure it is the problem with the door not closing properly. In any case, I know it wont be our last RV, but will steer very clear of Grand Design, and really any dealership that sells them as our experience with the dealer was about as good as with the manufacturer. Good luck! Show less

Save your money and buy a different brand, I understand things fall apart while your towing your camper, but for them to use 1/8” staples to attaché trim moldings and self taping screws to hold in the fuse box that completely fell apart while towing is a joke. We are now dealing with roof leaks and dry rot, woke up to a puddles of water in the bedroom, called an RV repair guy and he went up on the roof and there are bubbles everywhere, the roof is separating from the membrane, by the way the roof was serviced by the dealer 5 months ago, and they said its all good, now certain spots your foot will go through if you stepped hard enough! Should have bought the Jayco, the $8K difference is well worth it! We’ll see what’s next! But what a lemon. And no customer service department will not do a damn thing. Show less