Winnebago and Grand Design are famous for quality RV travel trailers. If you want to learn more about both RV brands and their differences, this guide is the right place for you.
Key Takeaways:
The primary distinctions between Winnebago and Grand Design RVs are the RV models, prices, customer service, construction quality, and maintenance. In general, Grand Design RV comes out as superior to Winnebago.
Although this is not mainly an apples-to-apples comparison due to Grand Design only offering non-motorized RVs and Winnebago offering a mix of motorized and non-motorized. We will strive to match and compare the items that matter most to future RV owners and current ones.
Read on to discover the detailed comparison, pros, and cons of both brands to decide which will be better for you.
Quick Brand Overview and RV Types Offered:
| Type | Winnebago RV Types | Type | Grand Design RV Types |
| Motorized | Class A | Non-Motorized | Fifth Wheels |
| Motorized | Class C | Non-Motorized | Toy Haulers |
| Motorized | Camper Vans | Non-Motorized | Travel Trailers |
| Non-Motorized | Travel Trailers | ||
| Motorized | Accessibility Enhanced RVs |
Recommended Read:
If you have ever considered paying cash for an RV thinking you might save some money, sorry to say that is not always the case. I highly recommend reading the following article first.
Winnebago RV:
Winnebago, which has been around since 1958, is yet another recognizable brand in the recreational vehicle industry. Winnebago Industries is a supplier of a wide variety of RVs.
Motorhomes of the Class A kind, Camper Vans, Motorhomes of the Class C kind, Fifth Wheels, and Travel Trailers are available. Also, two Class A motorhomes and one Class B motorhome from Winnebago are available with modifications to make them more accessible.
More individuals will be able to experience the freedom of RV travel, whether they wish to hit the road permanently or just take a holiday in their motorhome.
Winnebago offers a wide selection of RVs at various pricing ranges and with various floor plans.
Many cars are capable of towing lightweight travel trailers from Winnebago, like the Minnie, Hike, and Micro Minnie. Winnebago’s Class C View is one of the company’s best-selling RVs. It offers many high-end amenities and is based on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis.
Grand Design RV:
One of the most rapidly expanding RV manufacturers, Grand Design has been around since 2012.
Grand Design is an RV factory in Middlebury, IN, that produces RV travel trailers, toy haulers, and fifth wheels.
For both seasoned RVers and newcomers, the company’s Reflection and Imagine lines of trailers and fifth wheels are solid choices. In addition, the company’s lightweight versions of its signature lines are compatible with a wide range of pick-ups and SUVs.
Build quality that can be relied upon is a hallmark of Grand Design products. One reason for this is that a dedicated inspection crew goes through a comprehensive 300-point procedure in addition to the regular factory checks.
RV owners can learn more about Grand Design products and get help with common problems by visiting the company’s online knowledge bases and forums.
Winnebago vs. Grand Design: Complete Brand Comparison
| Comparison | Winnebago | Grand Design |
| Founded In | 1958 | 2012 |
| Company Support | Average | Better |
| Maintenance | More | Less |
| Build Quality And Design | Average | Better |
| Cost | Higher | Lower |
Maintenance and Problems: Winnebago vs. Grand Design
| Brands | Winnebago | Grand Design |
| Our Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Winner | ❌ | ✅ |
With almost all RVs, you must expect some maintenance hassle.
Both Winnebago and Grand design can have several maintenance problems down the line. After all, we are talking about giant recreational vehicles with complicated systems, just like your car and house. So realistically, don’t expect to have a maintenance-free experience.
For instance, several Winnebago recreational vehicles were affected by separate problems, although only a few models had every issue.
Vehicles like the Fuse, Travato, Journey, Adventurer, etc., underwent several recalls. The majority of the problems were due to a blocked fire extinguisher; however, others were caused by loose roof racks.
Unfortunately, not all recreational vehicles had their solar charging ports fused, while some had their batteries and hydraulic connections incorrectly fastened.
Winnebago recalled the Micro Mini for the 2019-2020 model years due to a faulty axle, despite the fact that it is neither a camper van nor a motorhome. In addition, there was no emergency exit window in the bedroom of the Micro Minnee, which made it hard to get out in case of fire or other emergencies.
The Winnebago 2021 Revel, Vista, and Adventure were all recalled because of a problem with the electric bed. The bed’s motor gears may break, allowing it to expand unpredictably and crash down on people below.
There is still an abundance of 2021 model-year complaints. RV owners have complained about kinked plumbing, a jammed sewage tank, missing panels, and a lack of led lights in their RVs.
Bed frames falling apart and interior materials that don’t stand up to cooking liquids are just two examples of the poor quality control that some customers have reported.
Winnebago’s support staff seems sluggish to catch on to new ideas. As a result, consumers experiencing issues with products costing at least $100,000 are finding it difficult to resolve such issues.
Winnebago has been manufacturing recreational vehicles for a long time. They provide a wide range of sizes and configurations, but not all of their offerings are always good values. However, despite the many recalls, 2018 seems to be the strongest year ever for these recreational vehicles.
Ensure any potential RV you buy passes a thorough inspection. Unfortunately, communicating with Winnebago’s customer care department is not always easy.
Now, like Winnebago, Grand Design RVs also come with their own set of problems. Typically, water leaks, broken appliances, poor wiring, and loose screws are the most frequent issues with Grand Design RVs.
Issues with the slide-out may become more common if there are leaks in the plumbing or the slides aren’t properly greased. With time, your Grand Design RV will also develop a few issues.
In terms of problems, both RV brands are almost in a tie situation (although customer complaints of Winnebago RV are relatively more noticeable in this regard).
But when we talk about maintenance, Grand Design mostly offers RVs in the non-motorized segment. On the other hand, Winnebago offers both motorhomes and towable rigs. Usually, motorhomes are engine-based RVs, so the chances of maintenance occurring can more prevalent.
When comparing just the towable rigs of the two manufacturers, maintenance tasks like occasional electrical or plumbing repairs may be present with both brands.
Build Quality: Winnebago Vs. Grand Design
| Brands | Winnebago | Grand Design |
| Our Score | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Winner | ❌ | ✅ |
Overall, Winnebago RVs are claimed to have robust build quality to last longer. But with many customer reports in recent days, as well as the withdrawal of some of the models by the company themselves, Winnebago has a bit of a journey to rebuild RVer’s confidence
In general, Grand Design has a stronger reputation for construction quality than other RV manufacturers. According to our study, Grand Design provides RVs with above-average construction quality.
Customer Support: Winnebago vs. Grand Design
| Brands | Winnebago | Grand Design |
| Our Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 |
| Winner | ❌ | ✅ |
But overall, Winnebago tends to have more maintenance and issues than the grand design. And there are issues with customer support, as explained in the previous section.
On the other hand, if we talk about Grand Design, most customers agree that the company is trustworthy, and they have high praise for the quality of their items.
The firm seems to back its promises and provides excellent after-sale support. In addition, it seems that most of their clients are pleased with their RV purchases.
Cost: Winnebago Vs. Grand Design
| Brands | Winnebago | Grand Design |
| Our Score | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Winner | ❌ | ✅ |
To just give you an idea, as a general rule, the cost of an RV tends to be $10k – $300k based on the features of the RV and the type you choose. So in that term, Winnebago is relatively more expensive than Grand Design RVs.
On average, you can expect to spend $179,000 on a Winnebago Camper van. You should plan to pay between $115,000 to $237,000, with $115,000 being the low end.
For those loyal to the Winnebago name but looking for something more manageable than an RV, the Winnebago Camper van is the way to go.
The camper van’s elevated vantage point makes it easier to see twists in the road and see farther in both directions.
You’ll have no trouble handling a camper van if you’re comfortable behind a big SUV or truck wheel.
You can accommodate sleeping, storing, putting away bikes, and stowing away golf bags in a small footprint. You are free to travel anywhere you want and take whatever you like, whether you choose to join a guided tour or hit the open road.
However, Grand Design RVs may cost anywhere from about $30,000 to $160,000 or more.
On the low end of the price spectrum are the Transcend Xplor and Imagine trailers, with fifth wheels from Solitude and Reflection beginning at roughly $75,000 MSRP(manufacturer’s suggested retail price).
Needless to say, if you buy used, you can save yourself a few thousand dollars.
Pros and Cons Of Winnebago
| Pros | Cons |
| Old and trusted brand | Relatively Expensive |
| Wide varieties available | Not up to the mark quality in recent days |
Pros and Cons Of Grand Design
| Pros | Cons |
| RVs are available at a relatively lower cost | Fewer RV varieties are available |
| Superior customer support | Relatively newer brand in the space |
What Is The Consensus Of Customers About Both Brands?
We visited different online RV forums to understand and analyze the consensus of other RVers on both of these brands.
As per some RVers, both brands have a fair enough leg-up compared to ordinary brands. They also like some specific features offered by each brand.
For instance, some of them highlighted that they really liked the strong frame offered by Winnebago. But, on the other hand, they also liked the modern look of Grand Design RVs.
In general, according to the reports and personal anecdotes of different RVers, Winnebago doesn’t have an appealing reputation regarding customer support or issues with the RV. In our research phase, we noticed many more complaints about Winnebago than Grand Design RV.
The consensus is that Grand design is preferable to Winnebago these days. If you are looking for a decent brand (but not the top level), then Winnebago is more suitable. However, if you are looking for good RVs, Grand Design is your way to go.
What Do Redditors Think About Winnebago And Grand Design?
The consensus among Redditors is quite mixed. But overall, the general theme of the Redditors’ discussion is that if you are looking for quality, both brands are almost similar. What makes a difference is customer service.
Grand Design is talked about more in the discussion threads as having great customer support.
Redditors also highlight that whichever brand you buy, you can’t get away with the problems of managing your RV issues with dealers down the line. But, in general, Grand design seems to be one of the popular RV brands in recent days since it is more often noticed on roads.
[Source: Reddit Thread On Winnebago, Grand Design, And Newmar]
Final Verdict – Which Brand Is Better For You?
| Brands: | Winnebago | Grand Design |
| Maintenance | 8/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Build Quality | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Cost | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Customer Support | 8.5/10 | 9/10 |
| Our Thoughts | 🤔 Fair | 🙂 Better |
In short, unless you are a loyal fan of Winnebago and previously experienced some success using their RVs, it won’t be a great move to go with Winnebago RVs (considering all aspects from quality to customer support).
But let’s say you don’t have a vehicle to tow the trailer, and you want Class A, Class B, or Class C RVs. Your choice is limited to only these two brands. Then of course, you have to go with Winnebago (because Grand Design only makes towable non-motorized RVs).
However, in terms of travel trailers, you can have a great time RVing in a Grand Design as long as you have practical expectations about the build quality or the assistance you get.
With every RV, there will be some problems down the line. However, you should not allow this information to deter you from purchasing any RV. Before making a final choice, it is important to consider your needs and budget carefully and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each company.
You probably take a lot of pride in your motorhome or travel trailer, as do most RV owners. It’s the door opener to exciting new experiences. It’s like having a home away from home, making you feel relaxed and at ease in any new environment.
Unfortunately, RV problems are pretty much inevitable for anybody who has been on the road for more than a couple of days.
In the end, it’s a mobile home. The technology is impressive, but this is a massive vehicle with a plethora of intricate parts. As a result, there will inevitably be some problems.
To make matters worse, the average cost of RV repairs and upkeep is not exactly pocket change.
Thankfully, we live in an era when a wealth of knowledge on RV upkeep is just a Google search away. Even better, instructional RV repair videos are available on YouTube.
In fact, we also provide helpful blog posts and solutions to common issues on this site. For example, here are some informative blog posts that you may like to read further: