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Old 08-26-2012, 11:59 PM   #1
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After a full week in my new 314BDS (Candid review)

Just spent a full week in my brand new 2012 Jayco Eagle Super light 314BDS. Awesome week.

2 nights at Silverwood Theme park in Silverwood Idaho.
2 nights in Polson Montana at Flathead Lake. Stayed at the KOA.
2 nights at Glacier National Park Montana
1 night in Missoula Montana for the River City Roots Festival.

Amazing, awesome trip. I will post pictures and summary of the trip in another thread.

Here is my candid review of the 314BDS after a full week of living out of it and towing it almost 1000 miles.

Pros:
* The outdoor kitchen is amazing. I didnt cook a single meal inside. Huge, useful, I really liked it.
* The interior decor is so much nicer than comparable models from Keystone and Forest River. Wood paneling throughout. Nice upgrades.
* Best bunkroom of any trailer anywhere. Hands down. Nice big bunks. Wide bunks. We had a nightmare issue (young kids ) and I ended up sleeping half the night in one of the bunks. Very comfy even for a 6'3'' 190 pound adult.
* Just a nice big trailer. One of the nights at Silverwood we had an entire family of 4 stay with our family of 4 in the trailer. With the inflatable hide-a-bed and the trundle in the bunkroom we had PLENTY of room. 4 adults and 4 kids and it didnt even feel cramped at all.


Gripes:
* Biggest gripe - the front queen is short. The entertainment center butts all the way up to the foot of the bed. At 6'3'' my feet were touching the entertainment center and I did feel a bit cramped. I slept a bit diagonal so it wasn't a big deal, but there certainly isnt room for tall people to stretch out. The model I was juggling between was the Keystone Cougar 31SQBWE. Somehow the Cougar manages to donate about a additional foot in the bedroom area. That would have been nice. I tested the bed at the lot and thought it was long enough, but when I got in and stretched out it definitely is a bit short. Tall guys and gals reading this should be warned.
* Only other real gripe - 36.5 Gal for the grey tank is way too small. Every other comparable unit on the market has at least 2X the grey water capacity. I ran into a problem where my bathtub began to fill up with grey water after the tank was full. Luckly I had a sewer site and was able to dump - but I am going to have to get a tote for future dry camping trips longer than about 1-2 nights.

Every other gripe is either fixable, or very very minor.

* The outdoor speakers are weak. I had to turn the bass up on the unit to +7 and turn the loudness on for it to sound decent. Even so it was a bit hollow. I didnt test the speakers on any other unit, but these only get a solid "C".
* The toilet is situated such that the toilet seat will not stay up no matter how level the trailer is. I literally had to stand there holding the seat up with my hand. With two young boys under 10 this created a lot of problems. I will have to fashion a strap of some kind to keep the seat up when the boys are using it.
* Rain gutters are not level. We hit a small rain-storm in Idaho and the water didnt flow properly to the spouts. Rather - since there was a low spot on each the water it the low spot and then just dribbled down the side of the trailer. I intend to ask Jayco to re-fit these under warranty.
* No lights in the front pass-through storage. My last trailer had lights on either side. Very helpful when pulling in at night to be able to see around in the storage area.
* The compartment that the shore power cord fits into is too small. As such - it is a fight to get the shore power cord back in once you pull it out. There are actually blood stains around the shore power cord housing from my knuckles trying to fight that thing back in.
* The unit is LONG. Freakishly long It is going to take longer than one week to get used to a trailer this long. Maneuvering through gas stations and on tighter city streets requires a thoughtful path. I am not too worried because I remember feeling the same way when I went from a truck camper to a 29 footer. Time will tell.
* The fiberglass behind my RVQ500 got pretty hot when using the grill attached to the wall. So hot that I am going to call Jayco in the morning and ask them about after-market bumper mounted hitches. I just dont want the decals bubbling or the fiberglass burning from use of the grill.
* I definitely ran into the problem of the water running out of the shower onto the floor. It really was an oversight by Jayco not to put a lip on the front of the tub. I am going solve the problem the way Shaner did in thread on this forum on the subject with the 1/4 round PVC. Small issue, but something Jayco should have solved for us.

Sorry for sounding so negaitve. I really do LOVE the unit.
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Old 08-27-2012, 02:02 AM   #2
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Good review, and it sounds like you enjoyed Montana as much as we did last year. There is just so much WATER up there! Your rig cons are more and different than ours, and now that we've had it a year +, I've discovered most of the Eagle's problems are pilot error.

I do wonder what you thought of your stock mattress. Isn't it a standard queen length? I looked at your floorplan, and that is an odd place for the furniture. Tough to change bedding, too. Our mattress was sleepable, but still we replaced it wiith an air adjustible. The bed is in a slide, and when its brought in for travel, the mattress tucks under the top of our "dresser." That meant we couldn't get a plusher, or thicker model mattress as we have at home, but it's still just fine.

Hope that you and yours enjoy your new TT as much as we do. We're in night four of a weekend outing with our RV club. Decided to stay a couple extra nights, probably tomorrow night, too. Love retirement! :hihi:
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Old 08-27-2012, 02:13 AM   #3
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Just a thought...when I camp with sewer hookup, I leave the gray water valve open so the tank doesn't fill up.
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Old 08-27-2012, 02:45 AM   #4
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Just a thought...when I camp with sewer hookup, I leave the gray water valve open so the tank doesn't fill up.
Me, too. Just have to remember to close the valve the day before I dump the black water so I'll have flush water for the waste hose.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:55 AM   #5
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Me, too. Just have to remember to close the valve the day before I dump the black water so I'll have flush water for the waste hose.
That's what I do too.
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Old 08-27-2012, 06:54 AM   #6
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Thanks for the review. The 314BDS model is the next trailer my wife and I are looking to purchase very seriously.
The bed is one issue I notice at the lot. I am 6' 7" and Jayco interior height is one of the reasons I purchased a Jayco.
The bed and the wall is an issue, but I will suffer that detail to have all of the other extras such as the bunk house and outdoor kitchen.
Thansk again for your review!!!
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Old 08-27-2012, 09:17 AM   #7
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I do wonder what you thought of your stock mattress. Isn't it a standard queen length?
I think it is a standard queen, but I sleep really stretched out - on my stomach with my arms folded under my pillow in front of me. In that position I am like 6'9'' fully stretched out. It was only in that one sleeping position where I had issues. On my side or on my back I was just fine. I have a memory foam topper that I bought at Costco several years ago on top of the stock mattress. Yeah...the stock mattress needs a little help - but that is true with EVERY trailer.

On the grey tank - that is a good idea when you have sewer in the site (keeping the valve open). I do a lot of dry camping - hence my 2 6V battery settup and need for bigger grey holding tank. I am going to get a tote and everything will be fine. If I fill the grey tank I will just dump into the tote and then dump it into the forest. I use phosphate-free biodegradable soap and am very conscious about putting nothing harmful down the grey tank, so - should not be a problem.
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Old 08-27-2012, 09:55 AM   #8
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They are a Short Queen. makes them anywhere from 2" - 4" shorther than the one in your house.
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Old 08-27-2012, 11:12 AM   #9
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Very good review. We have been looking at pictures for a 32bhds Jayflight but have not seen one in person yet because the nearest one is so far from us. But we have come across a 2012 314 bds that is closer and we have looked at it twice and really like it. One issue we came up with was the bed but as stated before I can live with that for the extra room and outside kitchen. Hopefully we can sell our current trailer soon so we can get the Jayco before it sells. I am not sure I like the ext colors of the 2013`s.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:44 PM   #10
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We love our 32BHDS and everything you mentioned is bang on with what we found, too. For now, I connect both the propane hoses (1 from the outdoor stove and the other from the BBQ) and set the BBQ up on a small table beside the outdoor kitchen. I also do not like the BBQ being that close to the TT, either. Please let us know what Jayco has to say about a rear bumper mount. I know the White Hawks have that as on option. I may get one fabbed as a DIY project over tha fall/winter.
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Old 08-27-2012, 08:24 PM   #11
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I can't imagine having the bar-b-q fired up that close to the rig, but I was looking at the fixture last night thinking about DIYing a small table to hang from that mount.
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Old 08-27-2012, 10:17 PM   #12
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Just a thought...when I camp with sewer hookup, I leave the gray water valve open so the tank doesn't fill up.
You need some water in the tank to flush out all the small solids that end up in the tank. I leave ours open for 3-4 days and then close it for a day or two before dumping. I don't want any small particles getting stuck in the slide valve which will allow liquid to leak past the valve and give you that smelly suprise when you take the cap off.
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Old 08-28-2012, 10:47 AM   #13
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We have the 32BHDS and my only complaint is the short queen bed/bedroom. It is very difficult to make up the bed. It took me 20 mins & lots of sweat, to sheet the bed myself. My hubby is only 5'8" and has complained about his feet hanging off edge. I'm only 5'3" and don't notice it. The mattress itself is very comfortable and my hubby agrees on that.
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Old 09-10-2012, 09:54 AM   #14
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You need some water in the tank to flush out all the small solids that end up in the tank. I leave ours open for 3-4 days and then close it for a day or two before dumping. I don't want any small particles getting stuck in the slide valve which will allow liquid to leak past the valve and give you that smelly suprise when you take the cap off.
That's a good point.
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Old 09-10-2012, 10:45 AM   #15
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Oh, by the way. Discovered one other minor complaint

When viewing a DVD from the bedroom the Jensen remote does not work as the DVD player is on the other side of the entertainment center. As such, if you want to pause or rewind you need to get out of bed. I know, I know... I am being picky!

That said:
* I am not seeing any of the issues that others commented on regarding quality. My unit is super tight both inside and out. Fingers crossed, but so far no leaks, loose fittings, shoddy construction, etc. etc.
* (Here is one for all of you wondering if you should purchase a trailer this long) my 314BDS is *WAY* easier to back in than my previous trailer (30 feet). I cannot explain it, but I simply have way better control and the ability to turn much more sharply. With my previous trailer it would usually take me 3-4 tries to get it set into a site. I am hitting bullseyes every time with the new trailer.
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Old 09-10-2012, 11:44 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by CruizinKim View Post
We have the 32BHDS and my only complaint is the short queen bed/bedroom. It is very difficult to make up the bed. It took me 20 mins & lots of sweat, to sheet the bed myself. My hubby is only 5'8" and has complained about his feet hanging off edge. I'm only 5'3" and don't notice it. The mattress itself is very comfortable and my hubby agrees on that.
I am also 5'-8" and will not buy an RV with the entertainment unit butted against it. I want to be able to walk around all 3 sides when I upgrade.

Just wanted to say that the OP's review is clearly honest and it is with feedback like that - ignoring blind brand loyalty - that results in improved products for all.
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Old 09-11-2012, 04:48 PM   #17
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We looked at a ton of trailers from many manufacturers and most larger units had the entertainment center wall that took room from the bedroom, I'm 6 ft 6 and knew I would overhang the small trailer bed, but if I couldn't do it without touching the wall, no thanks. My wife complained about how she would have to get around the wall to make the bed on some of the models we saw. We went smaller because of out TV and are very happy with the open design and ability to walk around 3 sides of our bed without a wall in our 228. In my mind a waste to spend that much money to be annoyed by a wall everytime I went to bed.
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Old 09-11-2012, 04:49 PM   #18
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Sounds like you really like your choice, congrats and I hope you continue to be happy with it.
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Old 10-02-2012, 11:42 AM   #19
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* I definitely ran into the problem of the water running out of the shower onto the floor. It really was an oversight by Jayco not to put a lip on the front of the tub. I am going solve the problem the way Shaner did in thread on this forum on the subject with the 1/4 round PVC. Small issue, but something Jayco should have solved for us.
I've been searching the forum, but I can't find this thread. I have the same problem on my 32BHDS; I usually solve it by putting the nose of the trailer down about 1" from level.
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Old 10-02-2012, 09:25 PM   #20
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I've been searching the forum, but I can't find this thread. I have the same problem on my 32BHDS; I usually solve it by putting the nose of the trailer down about 1" from level.
Here is the link. Shaner has pictures of the solution I followed on post #14.

http://www.jaycoowners.com/showthrea...-Shower!/page2

I used quarter round vinyl. I glued it down with Liquid Nails Tub and Shower Surround Adhesive that I bought at Home Depot. I then caulked with Sink and tub caulk. No water issues anymore!
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