Shopping...opinions please

Doodlebug · 01-08-2015, 12:43 PM

After a 20 year absence from travel trailer camping, we purchased a Jay Flight 26BH in 2013.

We love the trailer and only had minor issues with the workmanship which were easily fixed.

The only problem is the trailer doesn't suit our lifestyle,,,,Grandkids are getting older and no-one wants to tag along anymore.

We have been looking at trading up to either a White Hawk 27DSRL or a Jay Flight 27RLS.

Could anyone offer any opinions on the White Hawk Vs the Jay Flight. I know the Jay flight is about 600lbs heavier and the White Hawk is considerably more expensive (about 5k)

As always, I'd appreciate any help, guidance or opinions....Getting ready to hit the RV show circuit....and would like to hear the truth before I go..LOL

ddrueckh · 01-08-2015, 12:51 PM

Unless your tow vehicle can't handle the Jay Flight, I wouldn't get the White Hawk. Don't get me wrong, the White Hawks are nice trailers, but there are reports of soft floors because they use a laminated construction on them. I think the Jay Flights are built tougher and will last longer...that is why they weigh more. In the White Hawk line, you are paying more to get lighter construction...not better construction. If your tow vehicle can't handle the extra weight, then the White Hawk is a great choice and would probably make you very happy. I don't think I would buy a new tow vehicle just to get a Jay Flight over a White Hawk. Hope this helps.

Doodlebug · 01-08-2015, 01:56 PM

Thanks for responding, hadn't heard that about the White Hawk.
Really like the Jay Flight and the $$ makes it even more attractive.

Tow vehicle is fine.....Chevy 2500HD....(gas)

oldmanAZ · 01-08-2015, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doodlebug

... snip ... We have been looking at trading up to either a White Hawk 27DSRL or a Jay Flight 27RLS.

Could anyone offer any opinions on the White Hawk Vs the Jay Flight. I know the Jay flight is about 600lbs heavier and the White Hawk is considerably more expensive (about 5k)

As always, I'd appreciate any help, guidance or opinions....Getting ready to hit the RV show circuit....and would like to hear the truth before I go..LOL

"The truth! You can't handle..." no, wait that was something else.

We, too, were in a similar quandary over the same two units. We made an offer on a used White Hawk 27DSRL that was, thankfully, refused! Looking for another 27DSRL, we found the Jay Flight 27RLS... and KNEW THAT WAS THE ONE!

We got more of what we wanted with the Jay Flight:

1. We wanted natural interior light (wife is an artist) and the Jay Flight has windows at both ends of the slide plus a kitchen skylight as part of an option package.
2. We wanted a pantry and some drawers in the kitchen.
3. We wanted a wardrobe area (or something similar) somewhere in the unit in addition to the tiny things on either side of the bed.
4. We wanted a shelf/opening at the head of the bed; not a solid wall when our head was turned toward the outside of the bed.
5. We plan to boondock, so the ability to carry twice as much water was a big plus for the Jay Flight.

It's funny. We made a list probably a year ago of 'What We Wanted' in a trailer and 'lost' it on my PC. After we bought the 27RLS, I was cleaning some old files and found that list... essentially it is the list above!

Doodlebug · 01-08-2015, 03:17 PM

Thanks oldman;
We really like the Jay Flight. The 26BH is not the best configuration for us....we just knew it would be full of grandkids. I think the bunks were used twice. Like you, we have two dogs...labs and they need floor space which is a premium in the 26BH. They get the couch. Not a problem, except on rainy days.

The only issue with the 27rls is finding one on the east cost. I've searched within 250 miles of here and I think they're are 5.
If I have an issue with Jayco as a company it's not making these dealers service their product....no matter where you buy it.

Thanks for you help.....looks like 27rls is it. Now if it'll just warm a little so I can get this one cleaned up

oldmanAZ · 01-08-2015, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doodlebug

... snip ...The only issue with the 27rls is finding one on the east cost. I've searched within 250 miles of here and I think they're are 5.

If I have an issue with Jayco as a company it's not making these dealers service their product....no matter where you buy it.

Thanks for you help.....looks like 27rls is it. Now if it'll just warm a little so I can get this one cleaned up

The 27RLS are 2015 models. We didn't find one near here (Arizona) either. We ordered a new one from a company near the factory in Middlebury. I'll be making ~3,600mi round trip when it's built to get it and bring it home.

Your comment about Jayco service: I hadn't seen anything like that in this forum. Have you had a problem with a Jayco dealer not servicing a unit because that dealer didn't sell it?

I had a similar problem with the temperature here. I had a number of things on the 'To Do' list that DW moved to the 'DO It Today' list because the weather warmed up... Looking forward to the day when working on my trailer is on one of those lists.

Doodlebug · 01-08-2015, 04:39 PM

Absolutely!!! we were negotiating with a dealer.....their price was pretty high. I had been talking RV Direct I told the salesman RV Direct's price and he said "Oh Yeah...who are you going to get to service it? I asked him if they would refuse to do warranty he work and he said....."We won't refuse to do the work, but you'll go at the back of the line....one of our customers comes in...you go to the back of the line again"

They ended up bringing the price in line.
The irony is..I had an issue with the entrance door....made two trips to their dealership (about 65 miles each way)...and they still didn't fix it.

Sounds like a great trip to pick up the trailer!!! I would do that....

Regarding the temperature...it's a balmy 10 degrees here in Delaware.

Thanks again for your help

oldmanAZ · 01-08-2015, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doodlebug

... snip.. "Oh Yeah...who are you going to get to service it? I asked him if they would refuse to do warranty he work and he said....."We won't refuse to do the work, but you'll go at the back of the line....one of our customers comes in...you go to the back of the line again"

I'm really at a loss for words except:
1) I hope mine won't need any warranty repairs
or
2) If warranty repairs are needed, I hope I find a dealer with a different policy.

Boy, oh, boy.

Now I wish just one of the salesmen I talked with had been competent. Maybe I would have bought local.

Collinp · 01-08-2015, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddrueckh

Unless your tow vehicle can't handle the Jay Flight, I wouldn't get the White Hawk. Don't get me wrong, the White Hawks are nice trailers, but there are reports of soft floors because they use a laminated construction on them. I think the Jay Flights are built tougher and will last longer...that is why they weigh more. In the White Hawk line, you are paying more to get lighter construction...not better construction. If your tow vehicle can't handle the extra weight, then the White Hawk is a great choice and would probably make you very happy. I don't think I would buy a new tow vehicle just to get a Jay Flight over a White Hawk. Hope this helps.

We just traded our 264BH Jayflight Swift for a Whitehawk and the 1st time we used it we noticed the soft floors and found little things wrong with the camper that we didn't have with the 264BH. So, The initial assessment is that the Jayflight was better made. Our TV was our lmiting factor so the WH was the way for us to go for us.

RVer-Bill · 01-08-2015, 07:39 PM

I haven't noticed any softness in our Whitehawk floors, but then my wife and I only weigh 275# together. The Whitehawk floors are 5/8" plywood, the same as the Flight. The flight floor is supported on 6 2x3's while the Whitehawk is supported on 4 aluminum joists. I would think that the vacuum bonded Whitehawk floor construction would be at least as stiff as the Flight using the same thickness plywood.

Doodlebug · 01-09-2015, 08:25 AM

Oldman:
If I was making the purchase over again I would do exactly what you're doing. If the fridge and air work when you pic it up chances are you're good. That was my only concern.
Ill test the waters about trading the 26BH at the RV shows,,,,If I can't get a reasonable offer I'll just wait and clean it up when the weather turns and offer if up for sale. (it's like new anyway) When it sells I'll travel to find one set up like we like it....or order from one of the online dealers.......

mschaef2813 · 01-09-2015, 12:39 PM

My experience with the laminate floors has been horrible. We had a 2010 Forest River Surveyor. My wife was nagging me this past fall to buy a new trailer for size. I resisted until one day I stepped on the stairs and it pushed down. Determined that water had gotten in somewhere and destroyed the floor integrity. I spoke with the service manager where we bought it and he said, "patch it and sell it". We bought a 2014 Jayflight 32BHDS and LOVE it. The ultra-lite was very nice for towing but in the end, I don't believe they will have near the longevity of a conventional build.

cekkk · 01-10-2015, 06:08 AM

IMO the service policies of RV manufacturers and dealers is pathetic. If one of our Fords has a problem (fat chance!) in warranty I go to any Ford dealer. Nobody asks me where I bought it, they just schedule me and in a day or two, I'm in.

But Chevy owners would know more about that.

robkelly · 01-10-2015, 06:42 AM

Granted it's only a year old, but we've had no issues with our WH. While we were looking for our TT we also looked at several Jay Flights and thought the fit and finish was about the same. The floors are solid throughout...

jamer · 01-27-2015, 02:39 PM

Just bought a 27DSRL and anxious to hit the road. The configuration is perfect for my wife and I and our Jack Russel. Love the back seating area. A bit far from the Television, but it will work. I will look into the matter of soft floors however. But again, my wife and I combined only weigh 258 lbs. The arrangement of the trailer is just perfect for our needs. Love the two entries, especially useful when needing to stop and use the lav. For my 2 cents it is certainly worth a serious look.

Redhorse 823 · 01-27-2015, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cekkk

...But Chevy owners would know more about that.

Hey now, that's not right...And Ford stealerships have much larger service depts. than Chevy...Now Ram owners really know more about that...

Got to love that rivalry between truck owners...

wags999 · 01-27-2015, 04:37 PM

So from this dealers attitude should I assume, if I moved to there area, they would give me crappy service ? Why would I ever buy anything from them?

Wally26RLS · 01-27-2015, 07:07 PM

I cant speak for the WH but I can for the Jay Flight lol. We upgraded from a pop up to a TT this past fall. We went with the 26RLS...as my name implies lol. We have only used it a few times before our camping season ended but DW and I absolutely LOVE IT. The lay out is what attracted us to it, the craftsmanship is what sold us on it. So glad we pulled the trigger and upgraded!!

Nighthawk 96 · 01-27-2015, 08:43 PM

As you can see in our signature we have a White Hawk 27DSRL. We love the floorplan for us and big dog; and are quite happy with the quality after almost 2 years.
It tows very well.

The similar Jay Flight is new for 2015. I would get that if I were in the market now.
I miss the tables on each side of the bed and the Jay Flight has bigger black and grey tanks, which is a plus.

I do like the outside fridge on our trailer and the front storage compartment is much larger than on the 2BH.

It would not be worth the money I would lose on a trade in to get the Jay Flight so I will be quite happy with what I have.

redenbacher · 01-27-2015, 09:01 PM

We also have a WH DSRL. We bought it in early Fall so we only had a chance to use it a couple of times. Such an upgrade from our previous TT that we haven't had a chance to regret anything. We looked at the flight but bought the WH because of the style. Went to a dealer about an hour away instead of the Jay Flight from our local dealer. No regrets here!

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