Buy a Jayco, always something to fix

[norty1]

Here is a happy story. Our friends just purchased a 24.5' Jayco TT. I noticed it gone from the driveway and the truck there so I called. She said they used it for a maiden voyage of 10 days and dropped it off at the dealer with a list of 2 items. They pick it up after a week in the morning.

Nothing like the new one they bought last year, Forest River, and the out of town dealer kept it for 3 months and still could not fix all the problems with it. They were very happy campers buying local.

Me too, cause I worked on the last piece of junk a number of times. It was a lemon from the factory. Major electrical, fit and assembly problems.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by norty1

Here is a happy story. Our friends just purchased a 24.5' Jayco TT. I noticed it gone from the driveway and the truck there so I called. She said they used it for a maiden voyage of 10 days and dropped it off at the dealer with a list of 2 items. They pick it up after a week in the morning.

Nothing like the new one they bought last year, Forest River, and the out of town dealer kept it for 3 months and still could not fix all the problems with it. They were very happy campers buying local.

Me too, cause I worked on the last piece of junk a number of times. It was a lemon from the factory. Major electrical, fit and assembly problems.

So true. I think the recipe for buying a TT is:
1) Buy from a good local dealer who will support you if there is a bigger problem you can’t fix.
2) Be willing to fix the little things yourself and avoid the shop, even if it is a good one.
3) Hope like heck you got a rig that was built on any day but Monday or Friday . Then go play the lottery!

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by LuckyDuck

So true. I think the recipe for buying a TT is:
1) Buy from a good local dealer who will support you if there is a bigger problem you can’t fix.
2) Be willing to fix the little things yourself and avoid the shop, even if it is a good one.
3) Hope like heck you got a rig that was built on any day but Monday or Friday . Then go play the lottery!

Ha..

I'll agree with that, but sometimes you have no idea about #1 until AFTER the fact.. #2 and #3 are spot on!

[JimD]

There should be a new way of buying an RV. You should automatically receive a scheduled appointment with the service department about a month or two after the purchase to address the list of problems.

I have been fortunate. I have been able to fix the 28 problems I have encountered. The dealer did have to fix one which we noticed when about to pull off their lot. One of the front running lights at the top was out. Their techs had to run a new wire to the outlet for some reason. Sat in my new Greyhawk for an hour while they addressed the issue.

I will do everything in my power to fix whatever happens to my RV. Always have. I don't want it sitting for months at a service site while nothing is being done.

It is best if you are a handyman if you own an RV. Or be prepared to be without it for periods of time. These things can indeed be a chore but are usually worth it in the end.

[JFlightRisk]

Just think, if all RV's came off the assembly line absolutely perfect, and nothing ever went wrong with them, we would have no reason at all to pass along our expert advice...no reason to use our great supply of tools...the dealers wouldn't need a service department, or probably a parts department...manufacturers would have no need for tech support people, and did I mention all our expert advice??

We keep such a huge number of people employed, Wives are happier, 'cause we're out fixing stuff, and not in their hair. We have a reason to buy new or better tools. Most of all we're not terminally depressed, 'cause there's nothing to do but go camping all the time, and have fun, without the worry of something in the camper going wrong.

See, there's a silver lining to all the problems we have with our RV's.

[Tunce the traveler]

Sorry to brag but this is me going in to year # 7 in a few months. Outside of regular maintenance I’ve had “0” problems and I bought the unit second hand.

[RetiredOne]

Send that guy in the blue uniform over to my house. My 8 year old Maytag fridge took a dump.

[norty1]

My fifth wheel is my hobby. I feel that I know every nook and cranny after 7 years. If you can do minor repairs, just like at a home, you can save yourself untold money and headaches.

[norty1]

Originally Posted by RetiredOne

Send that guy in the blue uniform over to my house. My 8 year old Maytag fridge took a dump.

We have a guy in our town with a appliance repair business. He guarantees he can repair a washer or dryer labor and parts for $100.

He can. He looks at it and if he can't he will tell you for no charge.
He told me that they don't make them to last over 5 years and if older they are fixable, if newer they are throwaways.

[JohnWedell]

I have Northpoint below. I have no issues with the construction of the unit it’s actually not that bad there are problems, but problems can be fixed. My biggest complaint is with the engineering of it.

1 - The water heater Has to be removed from the unit to replace a $10 heating element because it’s located in the back and it is completely inaccessible.
2 - The furnace Has to be removed from the unit ( it’s buried behind pipes and wires ) for any type of service or maintenance. Good luck trying to get that back in and hooked up correctly.
3 - The dealer says the Island may have to be removed to get the residential refrigerator out for service. Even if it can be removed without removing the island you’re talking a lot of labor.

At $130 per hour even these easy repairs will turn in to a monetary nightmare. I just wish they would design them more service friendly.

[haweinberger]

We have a 2017 37rsts which we bought 20 months ago, new.

We have used it about 6 months so far, approximately 14,000 miles.

Arizona to the florida keys, and everywhere in-between.

Some minor cosmetic issues but for the most part all systems are go

and have never been back to the dealer. Went in with our eyes wide open

and have been enjoying the retired RV life on the road. Jayco has been

a pleasant surprise and the quality has been good so far.

Sorry that others have issues, but issues sometimes arise because of your

own fault.

[JFlightRisk]

We've been very happy with our little one. So far, mods have outnumbered repairs 'cause I like to putter with stuff. (Read, "make stuff better").
The tongue jack broke, but it was six years old, and made strange noises before the motor shaft let loose. Not Jayco's fault. I put it on myself to upgrade from the crank jack.
Replaced the bath skylight with a better one. The original had a crack through a screw hole, and it started to leak a little. Maybe a cheap skylight, but it's mother nature's doing.
Outside shower faucet leaked a little from the diverter when you turned it on. Jayco didn't make the faucet. annoying, but an easy fix.
Everything else I did to it was only to upgrade to better components, or add things I thought would make it more loveable.

One window shade string broke, a sharp edge on a grommet inside frayed the string. Not Jayco's fault.

We love our Jayco!!

[Marv]

Join the club, 2018 Eagle, still trying to get slide outs to work, Jayco had lost the quality levels of the past. Sad

[Johnnymailman]

It's like any toy or such. Just like any boat owner, refers to their boats as money pits. Tents are cheaper to maintain but ...lol

[Joenissan]

I won’t buy anything but a Jayco. Our last was 12 yrs old and never had a failure or problem of any kind. This one seems to be built just as well using all the same appliances. Could just be an anomaly.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by JohnWedell

I have Northpoint below. I have no issues with the construction of the unit it’s actually not that bad there are problems, but problems can be fixed. My biggest complaint is with the engineering of it.

1 - The water heater Has to be removed from the unit to replace a $10 heating element because it’s located in the back and it is completely inaccessible.
2 - The furnace Has to be removed from the unit ( it’s buried behind pipes and wires ) for any type of service or maintenance. Good luck trying to get that back in and hooked up correctly.
3 - The dealer says the Island may have to be removed to get the residential refrigerator out for service. Even if it can be removed without removing the island you’re talking a lot of labor.

At $130 per hour even these easy repairs will turn in to a monetary nightmare. I just wish they would design them more service friendly.

Back in the day when I was an auto mechanic, I said the same thing about cars!

[Imazman]

If you have the Furion system with Garmin and installed by Jayco like I have, it is junk. Dump it and get something else you will save yourself a lot of frustration. Someone needs to sue the RV industry and take em for millions so they are forced to provide quality standards.

-J is for Junk

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Back in the day when I was an auto mechanic, I said the same thing about cars!

Back in the mid 80's, when I was the special orders manager at an internal engine parts warehouse, I had a customer who's father was way WAY up the food chain at one of the Big Three auto manufacturers. I asked him why do they start building an engine with the most common part (like the oil filter, or water pump), build the rest of it around it, so you can't even see it. His off-the-record response was, they're designed to get them off the assembly line the fastest. They don't care one bit about the mechanics, either in the shop, or under the shade tree.


I really miss my '57 Chevy!

[FloydsKnobbin]

Amen to that.
Most all trailers use the same brands anyways...
When you buy Jayco, your buying a better structure to hold all those ‘same issues’.

Expect to repair and update any trailer you buy... at least with jayco, the foundation is good.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

snip...
they're designed to get them off the assembly line the fastest. They don't care one bit about the mechanics, either in the shop, or under the shade tree.

I really miss my '57 Chevy!

I always knew that, but I was really P*O'd when I'd have to virtually remove a front fender to get to a heater core, or remove a dash to replace a bulb, or ... the list goes on and on!

And I miss my '69 Z28!