Negative reviews

[Jaytow]

As someone on the fence between a Grand design and a Jayco 5th wheeler, the amount of issues on this Jayco forum is by far greater than what I’ve read on the GD forums! I am not saying GD’s are perfect either, but the issues with Jayco’s falling apart is ridiculous with shoddy build quality is disheartening. I work in a lean environment in production. If the workforce can’t simply put a screw in straight without stripping it they don’t last long where I work. No excuse for tolerating inferior manufacturing processes….. Please tell me I am overreacting!

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Jaytow

As someone on the fence between a Grand design and a Jayco 5th wheeler, the amount of issues on this Jayco forum is by far greater than what I’ve read on the GD forums! I am not saying GD’s are perfect either, but the issues with Jayco’s falling apart is ridiculous with shoddy build quality is disheartening. I work in a lean environment in production. If the workforce can’t simply put a screw in straight without stripping it they don’t last long where I work. No excuse for tolerating inferior manufacturing processes….. Please tell me I am overreacting!

You also have to look at the volume of units sold per brand compared to the number of complaints. The JAY FLIGHT is the #1 TT sold in the country and has been for a good number of years.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

You also have to look at the volume of units sold per brand compared to the number of complaints. The JAY FLIGHT is the #1 TT sold in the country and has been for a good number of years.

#1 selling, doesn't translate to #1 in quality. It's not uncommon to see a 30 year old Airstream still being pulled around, I wouldn't keep chickens in a 30 year old tt built by most other mfg's, much less pull it anywhere.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Onyrlef

#1 selling, doesn't translate to #1 in quality.

Never said it did!

If there are 10,000 JAYCO's sold and 7,000 GRAND DESIGN units sold and each brand has a 10% complaint rate you will see 1,000 complaints for JAYCO and only 700 for GRAND DESIGN... Thus your first impression would be there are less complaints for GD when there really isn't.

The JAY FLIGHT has been the top selling TT for 15 yrs and listed by TRAVEL and LEISURE, this year, as #3 as the best for Road Trips with AIRSTREAM being #1 and the MICRO WINNIE being #2. In 2018 JAYCO was averaging over 40,000 units a year.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

Never said it did!

If there are 10,000 JAYCO's sold and 7,000 GRAND DESIGN units sold and each brand has a 10% complaint rate you will see 1,000 complaints for JAYCO and only 700 for GRAND DESIGN... Thus your first impression would be there are less complaints for GD when there really isn't.

The JAY FLIGHT has been the top selling TT for 15 yrs and listed by TRAVEL and LEISURE, this year, as #3 as the best for Road Trips with AIRSTREAM being #1 and the MICRO WINNIE being #2. In 2018 JAYCO was averaging over 40,000 units a year.

So then the Jayflight is not "the #1 TT sold in the country"

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Onyrlef

So then the Jayflight is not "the #1 TT sold in the country"

"BEST FOR ROAD TRIPS" is not the same as #1 SOLD.

[gunafulltime]

Every RV has build and design flaws. Just like everyone of us, every RV requires maintenance and repair. Some have more trouble than others, but even the expensive ones have issues. Many of the touted brands have significant issues. You may or may not have as many issues with the expensive ones, but they also cost a lot more.

I don't have any first-hand experience with a Bigfoot, Oliver, Casita, or Escape. But it does seem like the design of these brands would have fewer areas for failure. IDK. I'm just guessing.

The truth is, RVs are big giant toys. Like I say, they are akin to a massive rolling dollhouse. Just like your body, you are going to spend a lot of time cleaning it, feeding it, and repairing it - and you will never stop it's deterioration. You can only endeavor to mitigate some degenerative circumstances and situations.

The bottom line: It is a toy, a hobby, an amusement, an entertainment, a means to some desired end - but it will be flawed (sometimes deeply flawed) like all of us. Just enjoy the thing. If you can't, get rid of it and move on to the next temporal activity.

[pc35]

absolutly agree with you, the rv industries who was building solide and heavy trailers years ago, have to change ther way of construction, due to gas price increasing. as car manufacturers are start to build small and light vehicule to face gas price, rv manufacturers has to do same . so rv are lighter but roads and climat still same. peoples who buy rv, just look on what they pay for and what they have but didn't realise the change on vehicule construction and why that change.

[pc35]

i agree with you , we do camping with groups of friends, and every where ,also we have friends that owned différent brand of rv , and everyone has some issues with ther camper. somes issues are minors some more important but the most important ,is we have great fun to go out with our fifthwheel, and enjoy life of camping. before our jayco trailer we owned another brand fifthwheel, and we had major issues with it , and when we talk with owners of the same bran, thes says to us that never has issues or just minor with ther trailer. so we make the move, ang trade for a jayco, and even with som minors issues ,so far we love it.

[Myster]

Just bought a 2022 Jayco Melbourne and the fit and finish is very poor.

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by Jaytow

I work in a lean environment in production. If the workforce can’t simply put a screw in straight without stripping it they don’t last long where I work. No excuse for tolerating inferior manufacturing processes….. Please tell me I am overreacting!

Originally Posted by gunafulltime

Every RV has build and design flaws. Just like everyone of us, every RV requires maintenance and repair.

The bottom line: It is a toy, a hobby, an amusement, an entertainment, a means to some desired end - but it will be flawed (sometimes deeply flawed) like all of us. Just enjoy the thing. If you can't, get rid of it and move on to the next temporal activity.

My background is also in Lean Manufacturing. However, in addition to that our goal was 0% defects and 100% customer satisfaction. It was not acceptable to be "as good" as our competitors, but we simply must be the best. One difference here was that management put their money where their mouth was.

Remember the American cars of yesteryear? Every one had defects and it was accepted. Then, we found out that id didn't have to be that way since some foreign cars were better than ours. The only reason that US cars improved was because they started losing business to what was perceived as better quality.

And so it goes. RV manufacturers do what they do because WE accept it.

I imagine most people understand that maintenance is needed. The problem I see is that as delivered the product is crap, and they fall apart because of poor workmanship.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

My background is also in Lean Manufacturing. However, in addition to that our goal was 0% defects and 100% customer satisfaction. It was not acceptable to be "as good" as our competitors, but we simply must be the best. One difference here was that management put their money where their mouth was.

Remember the American cars of yesteryear? Every one had defects and it was accepted. Then, we found out that id didn't have to be that way since some foreign cars were better than ours. The only reason that US cars improved was because they started losing business to what was perceived as better quality.

And so it goes. RV manufacturers do what they do because WE accept it.

I imagine most people understand that maintenance is needed. The problem I see is that as delivered the product is crap, and they fall apart because of poor workmanship.

0 defects and 100% customer satisfaction reminded me of a plant in Alabama that set an arbitrary goal of x number of defects per floor and y number of unresolved customer complaints. In their infinite wisdom, if they achieved the goal of x number of defects and y number of unresolved customer complaints that translated to zero defects and zero unresolved customer complaints.

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by Onyrlef

0 defects and 100% customer satisfaction reminded me of a plant in Alabama that set an arbitrary goal of x number of defects per floor and y number of unresolved customer complaints. In their infinite wisdom, if they achieved the goal of x number of defects and y number of unresolved customer complaints that translated to zero defects and zero unresolved customer complaints.

Because of certain circumstances in some companies, 0/100 may never be achievable. But it should be a goal. Setting X/Y at better than what you have now is a start.

Quality Management is a journey. If you can achieve continuous improvement, you're on your way to success.

If Jayco wants to survive, they need to get better. Unfortunately, they may not see the need to start until they are NOT the #1 selling RV.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

Because of certain circumstances in some companies, 0/100 may never be achievable. But it should be a goal. Setting X/Y at better than what you have now is a start.

Quality Management is a journey. If you can achieve continuous improvement, you're on your way to success.

If Jayco wants to survive, they need to get better. Unfortunately, they may not see the need to start until they are NOT the #1 selling RV.

It's not so much anymore about real quality and customer service as it is about controlling the flow of information. One way of doing that is having gatekeepers in strategic position to muddy the water with misinformation and whataboutism any time the narrative turns to bringing up quality issues. Another is having trade magazines who accept ad revenue from the mfg's they represent coincidentally rate the mfg. from who they make the most money at or near the top of their rating system. It's fake reviews, only at the corporate level.

[LuckyDuck]

Originally Posted by Onyrlef

It's not so much anymore about real quality and customer service as it is about controlling the flow of information. One way of doing that is having gatekeepers in strategic position to muddy the water with misinformation and whataboutism any time the narrative turns to bringing up quality issues. Another is having trade magazines who accept ad revenue from the mfg's they represent coincidentally rate the mfg. from who they make the most money at or near the top of their rating system. It's fake reviews, only at the corporate level.

I think there are plenty of independent sources for feedback on quality of RVs — with social media, YouTube, word of mouth, forums like this one etc. Like with the lousy American cars that got beat out by higher quality imports, consumers and their wallets eventually will tell RV manufacturers whether their quality is acceptable for the price or they need to step up their game.

In the end, you get what you pay for and those Airstreams that are still so wonderful aren’t in the same price point as a standard Jayco or Forest River or …

I’m curious what brand RV you own, Onyrief?

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by LuckyDuck

In the end, you get what you pay for and those Airstreams that are still so wonderful aren’t in the same price point as a standard Jayco or Forest River or …

Our Jayco cost about $15K. The Airstream with a similar size and floor plan cost $ 45K. I can do a lot of maintenance for 30 grand.

[Onyrlef]

Originally Posted by LuckyDuck

I think there are plenty of independent sources for feedback on quality of RVs — with social media, YouTube, word of mouth, forums like this one etc. Like with the lousy American cars that got beat out by higher quality imports, consumers and their wallets eventually will tell RV manufacturers whether their quality is acceptable for the price or they need to step up their game.

In the end, you get what you pay for and those Airstreams that are still so wonderful aren’t in the same price point as a standard Jayco or Forest River or …

I’m curious what brand RV you own, Onyrief?

I rest my case

[Parcany]

I think people should go on other website, like Tiffin,Prevost and other high dollar ones. Check out ones like outdoors, and see what kind of problems they have. If people are only checking out Jayco that is not a fair test. I don't care if you payed $15,000 or $450,000 there are still going to be problems. For me if I paid for a high end trailer or motorhome and things broke than I would be really upset. Check it out.

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by Parcany

I think people should go on other website, like Tiffin,Prevost and other high dollar ones. Check out ones like outdoors, and see what kind of problems they have. If people are only checking out Jayco that is not a fair test. I don't care if you payed $15,000 or $450,000 there are still going to be problems. For me if I paid for a high end trailer or motorhome and things broke than I would be really upset. Check it out.

good point! but compare a Tiffin to a JayFlight without some other factor?

If you had a Tiffin or Prevost and took it to the dealer... would they keep it for 5 Months without putting the house batteries on a charger?

[Jacjayco]

Originally Posted by Myster

Just bought a 2022 Jayco Melbourne and the fit and finish is very poor.

I have to ask, then why did you buy it?