Considering X18D

[Buckeye ATC]

Hello, I'm looking to upgrade from a Flagstaff pop up and into a Hybrid. I will tow it with a 2014 Durango V6 w/ towing package, rated for 6200 max. I want to get nowhere near that number of course. I've narrowed it down to three trailers that will work for me, wife, and three kids (4yo girl and twin boys, will be 2 in Nov):

X18D
Coachmen 21tqx
Forest River Surveyor 224t

My main priorities are a ceiling high enough for my 6'6" height, and three beds for the kids. I do not have an X18D locally that I can go see. But I have heard good things about Jaycos.

I'm struggling to figure out the fresh water tanks, it seems the x18d got bigger in 2014? Is that accurate? I saw a 2013 that showed 28 gallons, and a 2014 that showed 40?

Of course every camper dealer says their brand is the best. The Jaycos I've been inside seemed solid, but I get lost in all the construction catch phrases and all that. So I'm just going to assume that Jayco makes a good trailer.

My concerns w the x18D are the fridge size, the single smaller sink, the lack of counters, and the lack of any type of couch other than the dinette/bench deal. I absolutely will not upgrade my tow vehicle though because I really love the D for all around use. So I guess my options are limited.

Why is the CCC so much lower on the Jayco than the other two I'm considering? Just marketing perhaps?

The Jayco doesn't seem to have ducted A/C like the Surveyor does, is that a big deal? Seems like it might be.

Any input or advice you can give me would be great. The pop up I have now is my first camper, so I don't have a lot of fall back experience on what I like and don't like, but I really want to be able to just grab clothes and food and go, and also be able to use the trailer while on the road. Those things are why I want to upgrade. But my head is starting to spin trying to sort thru all the information out there. Thank you.

[OC Dan]

Well, I was hoping some other 18D owners would chime in. I have had mine for a few weeks now, so even though I don't have years of use and 100's of trips in it, I will give you my opinion and the reasons I was sold on this floor plan.

Your height: I'm 6'3" and have plenty of over head height except entering the bathroom. Also, you will be too big/tall to take a shower, as it is a small shower. My guess is you would want to be 6' or below to be able to take a shower without having to bend your knees to fit. Not a big deal because I rarely use the shower in the trailer anyways, as we usually stay at CG's with facilities.

Refrigerator/Sink & Counter Space: The fridge is small, but you mostly give up freezer space, as the refer portion is able to fit a fair amount of food. I'm pretty certain you could get a 5lb bad of ice in the freezer though. I plan on bringing a cooler along as well, so no worries. Again, when you see the fridge I think you'll agree that it will hold more than pictures make it appear. Counter space, yep, there is none. Get a cutting board (Camco makes one that fits perfect) to take advantage of the stove top because that is all the counter you're going to have. We do all of our cooking outside, and have 2 folding tables set up outside, so this wasn't really a concern for us. Sink, again, it's small and only a single tub. But I think is is enough to do light dishes and suitable for washing up. In fairness, I don't think the counter/sink space is substantially more in the other Feather Lite Jayco's, but I have not seen them in person. Just basing that from online photos. Bottom line, I don't feel any of the Jayco HTT have "big" kitchens.

Seating: You get the bench across the front bunk, and a 2 seater on the other side of the dinette. Suitable for getting dressed and eating a meal, as you can put a small folding table in front of the additional bench area where the dinette ends. But, unless very foul weather, you will once again find us outside. Indoor seating becomes a non-issue.

Tanks: I believe our 2015 says it has 48 gal fresh water, and like 28 black, and 30 something gray. That is part of the reason I went with a 15 instead of the new 16. For 16 they made this floor plan a foot narrower and put thimbles in for fresh/holding takes. I think the black tank on a 16 is something like 9....yes 9. Would never survive a Taco Tuesday in that trailer!

My wife has a 2014 Durango R/T, love that thing. But, we'll be using my F150 for tow duty. The CCC of the 2015 18D is 4600, so at max you would be under the Durango's ability, but be conscious of how you load up that Durango. That 8 speed trans will help you manage this trailer, because the close ratio's will help you stay in the 6's sweet spot. The longer wheel base of the Durango will help with trailer duty as well. We had a 13 Durango with the V6 before we fell in love with the 2014 R/T, and it is a strong motor, and my option is it would be suitable to pull this trailer. Just make sure you get a trans cooler and good WDH hitch.

Lastly, those beds! That is what sold us on the 18D. We are usually only in our trailer if we're sleeping, and that is where this trailer shines! 3 Queens can usually only be found in a toy hauler. They are big (80"), and you, like me, will appreciate not having to curl up in a ball to sleep. I am in the market for mattress toppers because although the mattresses in the trailer seem to be decent quality, they are not nearly deep enough for my taste. For kids I think they are fine. We like that we can invite our family and friends that don't own RV's along and have nice accommodations for everyone.

I always say this is the biggest little trailer on the market. Folded up the box is 17 1/2 feet. Each bed is 60" wide. So, unfolded you have the equivalent of a 32 1/2 foot trailer if you go by length alone since you don't have beds taking up all of your floor space. That is substantial, and when all of the beds are out it gives the inside a great open feel. As far as quality, it seems good, but since it is still new, I can't give an honest assessment. That will take a year or two. Overall, based on our plans for this trailer, it is the perfect floor plan for us and we look forward to many years in it.

Best of luck to you!

[Raven]

I wish that forums had a "like" button. OC DAN , I think that was a great summary review

[saintsfan]

We have enjoyed our X18D since the fall of 2011. Ease of towing, three full time queen beds and open floor plan attracted us to this hybrid. The Jayco workmanship is also a plus IMO. The lack of counter space and comfortable inside seating is evident from day one, but spending most of your time outside helps overcome these short falls.

The bathroom is tight but worked well for bathing the boys when they were small. For a growing family I think it's a perfect fit.

Whatever you decide good luck.

[5swigerts]

^^^ Agreed with everything above.

We took delivery in April. Graduated from a 1995 Viking PUP. We just came home from our seventh outing of the year, and just booked our eighth for late October (in Wisconsin. fingers crossed!)

Counter space: Yes, its quite limited. We do the cutting board trick over the stove. We also bought the neighbor's outdoor kitchen table from Cabelas & have a lot of stuff out under the awning now. (It also has a trough sink for dishes, which has been fabulous!)

We had a deluge this past weekend. Not a single drop. DEFINITELY recommend getting your canvas wet once or twice on a sunny day in the driveway to help thicken up your stitching. We have friends that did not do this. They dripped this past weekend. We were dry.

Our 2015, as stated above, is a 48 gal fresh tank. We boondocked w/o bathrooms Mem Day weekend (family of 5, 3-day weekend). We did NOT fill our grey or black.. even with 2 or 3 military showers thrown in. (which, btw, you'll want an inline shutoff button for your shower head. turning off the hot/cold knobs repeatedly is a pain..) Each outing, I seem to spend a good 5 minutes standing on the toilet flush trying to fill up the black tank before I go to the dump station.

We tow with a GMC Envoy XL... 4.2L inline 6. Tows great. I know its there, as its dragging a lot of wind, but it feels very stable. We also have a WDH and anti-sway bar.

We used to camp once or twice a season with our tents and then our PUP. We just cannot STOP using this thing. Set up/tear down is a snap, the inside space feels HUGE, and it has given us some of the best sleep of the year. (I like hearing the noises outside, and the rain on the canvas).

My only knock right now is the placement of the TP holder. That thing has GOT to move. Just haven't gotten to it yet. Also, see the forum posts about adding your own LED light strip. For $32 total, I have a dimmable, any color I want weatherproof strip on my awning gutter, and it is far better than the bright white factory option. My two cents.

Enjoy it... we sure do love ours!

[Buckeye ATC]

Thanks for the replies so far!

[Trophyduck]

Did ya get anythign yet Buckeye?
I'm looking too and I looked and like the surveyor 224T......BUT did you "use the toilet". I'm 6-1 and could not sit and shut the door without having to shift a liitle sideways.....

That may be a deal breaker for you.....the trailer is big enough to give just a couple more inches to the wall.....

[Tunce the traveler]

Have you thought about going for a Hibrid a few years old? You may want to pull up a few PDFs of Hybrids that Jayco offered just a few years ago, I did and found exactly what we were looking for.
Mine is a 2010 Jay Feather, EXP 21M,I know it's only 2 beds but if you do a search you might find a 3 bed version to your liking. The 3 extra feet makes a huge difference in the kitchen.The grandkids love the extra floor space on rainy days and Tunce goes up into her den and watches them play.

[Tunce the traveler]

Forgot the kitchen shot. We didn't use the oven and for us the microwave was to high so I just moved the wave down in its place and if we cook inside I have 2 portable Butane burners that we can use. Love the counter space for food prep and I can do the dishes from left to right and not run out of room. All in just 21' and we can park it anywhere.

[RoyBraddy]

I think the JAYCO site still has the comparison pages where you can look at the various floor plans and specs side by side...

Not sure if this goes back in the various years or not...

Having extra room for the kids will be the hangup...

When we was bringing our kids and grandkids along with us they all would rather sleep outside in a tent haha... We always brought that sort of things with us for them to use and just just the trailer as the home base so to speak...

We was camping one time at Myrtle Beach right on the beach and had a couple of tents setup around our trailer. The trailer was getting 120VAC power from the pedestal and then we ran extension cords to all the tents for the kids. They loved it...

[Buckeye ATC]

Hey guys thanks for the responses. I have not bought anything yet. I think at this point I have looked at every triple bunk hybrid made. I'm certainly not opposed to used, in fact that's primarily what I'm interested in. I keep coming back to the Jayco. When I looked at it and the surveyor side by side it just seemed better built somehow.

Anyway, I currently have made an offer on a used 2015 in E Lansing. Hopefully the dealer is still riding high off that football game that they will take my offer!!

Does the jayco warranty transfer to a new buyer?

[Buckeye ATC]

Thought I'd update my old thread....

After much deliberation, I pulled the trigger on a like new 2014 x18d. It has the power awning and power tongue jack. I picked it up from a dealer in PA, paid $12800 with a Husky wdh and sway bar installed. I felt it was a great deal. Came with everything as new, all manuals, keys, etc. I haven't used it yet but I'm incredibly excited about it. I towed it home to Ohio about 100 miles and I am glad I didn't get anything bigger or heavier. I tow with a 2014 Durango v6 with 6200 towing capacity. That number is pure fantasy. This trailer is fine but I would not go bigger. Got 25mpg going to get it, and 12mpg towing it back. Into a major headwind though.

I lucked out and found a great place to store it close to my house. So, I towed it home and put it immediately into winter storage. Thought about a cover but I can't tell for sure if they're worth it.

I absolutely cannot wait to try it out come spring. It is a huge upgrade from my pop up.

[Buckeye ATC]

Here's a couple pics

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mnl9gm1qem...687_n.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mrc5uhyqjo...660_n.jpg?dl=0

[5swigerts]

Ooh, that looks GREAT! Congratulations!

We tow with a V6 Envoy XL. Agree with you, its about as big/heavy as I'd go with it.

We upgraded from a 1995 pop up.. and we LOVE IT! I can capitalize that enough. We had such a great season. We are now mourning the onset of winter, and are praying for an early spring!!

Welcome to the club!

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by Buckeye ATC

I tow with a 2014 Durango v6 with 6200 towing capacity. That number is pure fantasy. This trailer is fine but I would not go bigger. Got 25mpg going to get it, and 12mpg towing it back. Into a major headwind though.

Actually 12 is pretty good. That's on the high side of towing any box down the freeway. I got 12 towing our old setup which was a 2003 Trailblazer with I6 and an '03 Kiwi 17a hybrid. That dropped to 8 when we got our X20E, and towing the X20E with the Sierra in my sig we get a consistent 10 mpg.

And congratulations!

[Buckeye ATC]

Good to know. You gotta pay to play after all . It doesn't bother me anyway, the vehicle gets such good mileage the rest of the time.

[jloco]

Congrats! Great looking rig!