Quote:
Originally Posted by LAM66
Hello all,
Newbie here looking for input on the Jayco 195RB Baja Edition.
I've been doing my research on buying a travel trailer. I've done my share of tent camping and will be renting a TT before buying. I am looking at the 195RB for the layout and weight. It's just my wife and I and our goal is short camping trips. I am aware that this is an entry level unit with lower build and material quality but I'm not looking for top of the line for my first TT.
Things I've learned from reading and talking with experienced friends, all TTs will have issues, some minor, some major, every times it moves, it breaks. Small, lightweight TTs tend to bounce more causing more minor issues to resolve. Don't count on the warranty transferring on a used unit. Refrigerator and ac/furnace repairs could be costly and time consuming.
I am an adamant DIYer and have no reservations about minor and most major issues that could go wrong.
So..... from experienced users:
How is the Jayco brand to work on yourself?
Does this model have long term potential (to own, not long term camping)?
Should I go used and let the previous owner fix all the break-in period headaches and minor mods or just buy the new one and then everything I do is to my quality? There is a Jayco dealer in town so there is local warranty service.
Are replacement parts or upgrades readily available?
Is Jayco a good entry level brand or should I stay away from it?
I can't find a lot of reviews out there on this particular model so I'm hoping that's a good sign.
Any and all info is greatly appreciated!
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OK, HERE GOES...a lot of questions require a lot of answers.
FIRST. You've "highjacked" another thread, and only those on the thread will even see this, and fewer may answer. So I suggest that either you copy/paste this post into a new thread or ask the moderators to do it for you.
With that out of the way.
1) It appears this rig comes in two forms: Stick and Tin, or Fiberglass with welded Aluminum box section frame (for the coach). Fiberglass skin over welded aluminum box section frame is vastly superior, especially if you boondock (dispersed camping as you might in a tent). Stick and tin is cheaper, and because of that they sometimes come more lavishly equipped, but they are more fragile.
2) RVs are like box-house computers. They are ASSEMBLED from a broad variety of other manufacturers' parts. The RV manufacturer buys someone else's chassis, running gear, tires, fridge, stove, microwave, furnace, hot water heater, water pump, water and waste tanks, plumbing fixtures, propane regulator, tongue jack, converter, AC unit, awning, and, and, and.
Then they build the coach body on and around all that stuff...and throw all that junk in there. It's important to note that in a rig your size, there are, perhaps, 2 brands of furnace, water heater, range, fridge, and so on. In other words, most of the rigs are pretty much the same when it comes down to how they are equipped by any given RV manufacturer.
WHAT DOES THIS SAY ABOUT WORKING ON JAYCOS? Pretty much the same as working on Forest River or any other brand drawing from the same parts bins. You're not working on a Jayco (unless its the walls and roof and floor). Your working on Dometic, Norcold, Suburban, Atwood (a Dometic by another name), Shurflo, RecPro. The frame, suspension and axles are 3rd party products. It will be a rare occasion indeed that you actually work on something Jayco...say the interior paneling, 120 volt wiring, and so on. Even the roof is a 3rd party product, from manufacturers of EPDM, TPO and some fiberglass products...in the case of EPDM, I think the company behind Dicor Self Leveling Lap Sealant makes the roof (I could be wrong).
Jayco makes precious little of what you buy when you buy a Jaco RV...none of the RV manufacturers do.
3) A lightweight, single-axle rig isn't necessarily more violent when it comes to how it rides. The fact is that, because they don't have shock absorbers, ALL rigs ride like crap. They all bounce unless you add shocks...and in rigs like the one you're eyeballing, that ain't happenin'. The smoothest ride for an RV is at the hitch ball, because the tow vehicle's suspension is far more sophisticated than the ox-cart axles added to RVs. The worst ride on the RV is at the rear bumper. NEVER, EVER, EVER hang a bike rack off the rear bumper or receiver hitch on an RV that doesn't have shocks...unless you hate your bicycles. If you want to carry bikes, there are carriers that go over the propane tank(s) or in your TV (tow vehicle) bed or on the roof.
4) If you take care of your rig....NUMBER ONE, DON'T ALLOW LEAKS...it could last you 20 years or more easily. Don't let the chassis rust out, don't let leaks ruin the coach, and don't let it fall apart, and you can get a LOT of years out of it, especially if you don't use it a lot.
GET A COVER for it to protect it from UV deterioration when it's parked/stored.
5) Warranty service on almost every RV from every manufacturer sucks. You lose your rig for weeks, have to drag it to and from the dealer, and they often do their level best to find a way to make you pay.
I DID HAVE 3 INSTANCES OF WARRANTY SERVICE:
a) The fiberglass roof on my popup began to delaminate in YEAR 5...the last year of the roof warranty. I documented with the manufacturer (Forest River) and they agreed that it was a warranty issue. They agreed to replace the roof in the off season. I finished the summer with a health gob of caulk on the cracks. In the winter, I brought it to a dealer for about a month, and they swapped out the roof. 100% happy.
b) On my Jayco, the rear spring hanger on my double axle rig broke clean off. The FRAME MANUFACTURER was great, and they paid for a mobile welder to repair and reinforce. There was no towing the thing to a dealer anyway, because one of the axles was hanging cockeyed.
Not Jayco's fault.
c) On my Jayco, the main leaf on one of the springs on my Dexter axles broke. I proceeded with the repair with the help of a mobile RV repair. Again there was no towing the thing to a dealer anyway, because one of the axles was hanging cockeyed. I got it fixed and fought tooth and nail with Dexter for 6 months before they finally accepted responsibility and reimbursed me.
Not Jayco's fault.
Beyond that, I've DIY'd myriad repairs: replaced the microwave, pulled the furnace 3 times before diagnosing the sail switch (all in the field), replaced the tongue jack (3rd party part), replaced the propane regulator...even though it was recalled for the very problem I had, the manuf. wouldn't replace it unless I BROUGH THE RIG TO A DEALER to remove the fitting, replace the regulator, and "test" it.
I replaced the garbage kitchen faucet Jayco chose after one of the hoses that are part of the faucet blew clean off the faucet. I replaced their $10 faucet with a $100 faucet from Home Depot. Much better. Then there are the myriad screws and other fasteners that just fall apart on a new rig. Easy fix. Toothpick and glue in the hole, replace screw. Or Gorilla glue in the hole, replace screw. Upsize screw and replace screw. Lots of that, but no biggie.
I also installed 400 watts of solar on the roof and repaired two scrapes from low hanging branches that damaged the EPDM...can only blame that one on me.
6) Replacements... super easy. Amazon has almost everything, and eTrailer can fill in any blanks. Because so much of the stuff is off-the-shelf, you can buy many replacements at ANY RV dealer or even a hardware store. If you do something dumb like break your door frame, remember that most of the doors are the same, but you'll probably have to order from Jayco. Even things like taillights and such are basically off-the-shelf parts added to your rig. If you break your skylight over the shower, add duct tape and place an order. It will get there sooner or later.
7) Jayco is a decent brand. But RV brands are a constantly evolving mess of owners. Thor Industries owns Jayco...at least for now. This'll make your eyes roll:
https://www.thorindustries.com/thor-companies In travel trailers, I'd say Thor owns from the best, Airstream, to the worst, Starcraft. But even the Starcraft is serviceable enough, because, wait for it, Starcraft only makes the body, and they fill it with more or less the same bits that other manufacturers have at their disposal.
So, you're a tent guy that wants to step up in the world. There are MANY considerations that can impact your choice of rig.
1) What is your tow vehicle? That means everything when it comes to what you can tow.
2) Are you an RV park guy or a boondocker? If you boondock, there's a LOT to know...which I'd be happy to cover in a sequel.
3) The junk battery a dealer will supply (a group 24 lead acid "marine" battery) with
a new rig is just that. Get $100 off the price and bring your own
LiFePo4. A new rig will come with a converter/charger that can be setup to handle a lithium battery. OLDER RIGS MAY NOT, AND UPGRADING TO LITHIUM WILL BE MORE COMPLICATED...BUT VERY DO-ABLE. If you go Lithium, you must take steps to protect your tow vehicle (TV) alternator, too....but no big deal. This is a book in its own right.
4) What kind of fridge comes with the rig? I have a 120 volt/propane "absorption" fridge...the good old RV fridge that runs on propane in the boonies. These days, it's all the rage to install a 12-volt compressor fridge. Great if you always have electric hookups, but terrible if you boondock. These fridges will, at minimum, eat an entire group 24 marine battery per day...or more. To run one, you really need solar, lithium and a good generator. Another book-length discussion.
5) And if you boondock, that means you will tote water in your freshwater tank. Fully loaded freshwater tanks are notorious for falling out onto the road, unless they are reinforced.
Yup, yet another book.
6) An extra throw in: for giggles I'll mention that stabilizer jacks are most definitely NOT leveling jacks. To level your rig side to side (essential for refrigerator health), there are many methods. I personally prefer the
Anderson Style leveler. Then you use the tongue jack for fore-and-aft leveling. Once level, drop the stab jacks. Whatever you do, get the
Hopkins Levels to add to the rig. Their main advantage is the flat bottom and top that allow you to apply them to a straight surface without having to level your rig first.
But I digress.
Your not going to believe this, but I've barely scratched the surface. But if you're good at DIY, you'll do fine, and the forum is a great place to learn.
My Jayco is below...festooned with 400 watts of solar (which I installed when I was 71), two big 6 volt golf cart batteries in series on the tongue (when Lithium was a kilobuck a pop), and my cherished propane fridge. All we do is boondock, and in 2020, I had a choice. Today, a new rig might only offer the 12 volt compressor fridge, so you'll need to upscale your solar and battery if you boondock...and you'll need a
generator. There are many to choose from, but I like mine. We don't need air conditioning in the Colorado Rockies. The other two images are where we camp...no hookups. If you squint, you'll see the rig parked about 1/4 mile down an ATV trail.
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