New member - Looking For First RV

[Spike32]

Spike here. Like most newbies looking for their first RV, I've been lurking on a number of owner forums to help narrow down choices. With all of the horror stories out there I figured I would get better insight from the forums. I've narrowed down my choices to Jayco and Grand Design. Specifically, a 2019 Eagle HT 272RBOK and either a GD Inspire or Reflection of comparable size and layout. The Eagle appears to have better fit and finish, although I have not done an in-depth inspection. Anything I should be aware of regarding this model or Jayco customer support. For transparency, the Eagle is being purchased from a dealer 160 miles away, and the GD dealer is 8 miles away.

[wiscampsin]

Welcome from Wisconsin. Now that you've narrowed it down to 2 manufacturers I would seriously consider the dealers. Jayco has pretty good customer support but some dealers don't. Many dealers, not all, won't treat you that well once you hand over the check and drive the new unit off the lot. Their distance from you should also be considered if you need follow up service after the sale. Saying that both manufacturers are good choices. I see alot of Grand Design products at campgrounds so that says something. We looked at some GD products just out of curiosity at a recent RV show and they seemed well built. We're on our 2nd Jayco and have been very happy with both, no serious things that I couldn't take care of myself. Good luck with your decision.

[Stingray75]

Welcome to JOF. Ditto on choosing a dealer you feel comfortable with. The dealer is independent and is the manufacturers customer so it’s less about the the manufacturers customer service and heavily tilted to the dealer relationship. In most cases, the dealer has from three to ten days after taking delivery to report defects to the manufacturer. If they don’t properly inspect for issues in that time, they will have a difficult time submitting a warranty claim. If the dealer waits for the end user to find issues, the cost of the repair may be out of their pocket and their willingness to do the right thing is questionable. This isn’t so much on major appliance defects as it is for the numerous build related issues. So far as Jayco VS others, we’ve been pleased with Jayco on an issue after the two year warranty expired and their willingness to participate in the repair.

[RogerR]

I would go through all the possible online reviews I could find on the dealer you choose. If you see a lot of bad reviews or Better Business reports you might get a feel for how trustworthy and reliable your dealers are.