New Jayco Owner - White knuckles, a few bumps, 9 states, pics attached!

[PinotandPaws]

Hey Jayco Family!

My name is Dawn and I have two rescued shih tzus, One-Eyed Willy and Mr. Bojangles. I drink lots of wine, work full time as VP of Sales for a skincare company and love boating, kayaking, biking and anything outdoors.

Due to pandemic, my sales job has gone to 100% remote so I decided to take this show on the road wherever and whenever I want. I still have a condo in Tampa, FL so I'm not full-time, but my first trip will be for 6-8 weeks up and down the East Coast. This has been quite an adventure thus far and it's been 3 weeks.... lol

Since this is a Jayco forum, I want to share the pluses and minuses I have had with my new 2020 Greyhawk 30XP prestige. Please attempt to not judge this newbie and my blunders thus far... I am trying. I swear.

Pluses (will just write up 5 but there are many more!)
1- Damn. This thing looks good. My ex-bf saw it and thought I hid a boy band up in this thing. I totally wish.
2- The Dogs absolutely love it and i found this awesome love seat cover for them. It's easy to wash and allows them to scratch away and keeps the furniture from getting ruined.
3- I hosted 3 business meetings in here already, including a chemical peel training. The dining room is my new mobile office and I'm loving it. Wish it had some storage underneath for work items but I love that I have room for friends and I don't have to use the dining table for sleeping.
4- Spacious: I was going to buy a smaller one but I am definitely happy I purchased a bigger rig for the space for customers and my dogs hanging out too. Extra bedroom storage is used for my work items and the big fridge is packed with wine for my wine tastings *(another job I have and LOVE).
5- Separate bathroom sink has been a HUGE perk. It took me forever to find an RV that had the bathroom sink out of the bathroom so I can get ready for work there and not be in a little, stinky, tight bathroom. I'm a bit girlie and like to do my hair and make up (no judgment please...)

Plenty more perks... but let's move on with the 5 Minuses.

5 Minuses:
1- Auto-Levelers Not working at all: WTF Jayco and RV dealership! They didn't notice until the day I was leaving that levelers do not work at all or even turn on. Was told it could be 3 days to 3 weeks for the repair. Why didn't they fix it while it just sat there... I had to leave Florida without it repaired and i'll take it back in August when I return.
2- Entire floor has to be replaced. The glue is leaking through and staining the floors a yellow and orange color. The dealer noticed it and said I had to deal with it. Called jayco and said it was a warranty issue and they need to replace the floors. ALL of them. More time not in the RV.
3- Backsplash falling off the wall -Did I need a backsplash? Nope. I didn't but I definitely don't need one that has glass tiles falling off while driving.
4- Damn. This thing is BIG and I have run into a few things. It's a lot to handle alone but I'm figuring it out. I hate freaking gas stations and they hate me too.
5- AND the WORST part of this rig is the ENGINE! Oh damn. Whiteknuckled it from Tampa to Jax and then to Charleston and then to Colonial Williamsburg and THEN to the Pocono Moutains in Pennsylvania. I made it alive but it took my body days to recover. I know I need to get a sway bar or some other things added to improve this drive. If the Mercedes Sprinter Chassis was available on a larger model than 24 feet, I would have bought that in a HEARTBEAT! Maybe I will downsize one day but for now, I need to figure this out. I am open to ANY and ALL advice about this engine and how to improve the drive.



Dawn, Willy and Bojangles

[Jagiven]

Congratulations! Nice looking rig. There are a few suspension upgrades that can help. Depending on the handling issues, it might need an alignment.

What I learned about gas stations, start looking before you need the next one! I always set myself up for getting out of the station. It seems like someone always blocks my exit or blocks a drive isle if I just drive in, at take the first open spot. Now I have an exit plan that does not involve backing up.


There is always maintenance to be done on these things. They are far from maintenance free. The leveling system should have been caught during the PDI, but it did not. As for the Floor, it will be a pain to replace, but it gets done. Usually it will include adding a new piece for shoe molding.

Nice to be single and hit the road working!

[JimD]

I just loved your post. It has me laughing at your white knuckles (sorry). Great sense of humor!

Maybe you should put a "student driver" sign on the rear of your rig?

Good luck on your RV adventures and please continue to post using your humor as we all need to laugh more these days.

[Trapper2020]

It all gets easier over time. The jacks and turn signal camera share a fuse. If the camera is also not working it is a 5amp fuse below the steering column. Pop off the plastic panel below wheel and it can be found with out to much trouble. For the driving to get better I installed the following. Do them in this order for biggest bang for your buck.
Roadmaster steering stabilizer
Front Sumo springs
Helwig steering stabilizer
The cost for the parts is about $850. Made a great improvement in our ride. Safe travels.


Enjoy the journey

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by PinotandPaws

5- AND the WORST part of this rig is the ENGINE! Oh damn. Whiteknuckled it from Tampa to Jax and then to Charleston and then to Colonial Williamsburg and THEN to the Pocono Moutains in Pennsylvania. I made it alive but it took my body days to recover. I know I need to get a sway bar or some other things added to improve this drive. If the Mercedes Sprinter Chassis was available on a larger model than 24 feet, I would have bought that in a HEARTBEAT! Maybe I will downsize one day but for now, I need to figure this out. I am open to ANY and ALL advice about this engine and how to improve the drive.

I'll touch on that. These rigs are definitely a white knuckle ride the way they leave the dealer, but it's not the engine, but the Ford OEM suspension. You rig comes with an upgraded rear sway bar, but stock Ford OEM Econoline van front sway bar and steering damper. There are plenty of threads and posts here about that.

What many of us have done is replace the front sway bar with a upgraded Hellwig sway bar, and replaced the stock Ford OEM steering damper with a Roadmaster Reflex steering stabilizer. Those two upgrades will definitely help hold your rig in lane and keep you from being pushed around.

Oh, and I really like the exterior of the rig (look at my avatar ) !!

[Scott]

Welcome to the forum!

Your post was definitely a fun read. I'm looking forward to reading more of your adventures.

While I don't have a motor home, we did upgrade from a 18 foot, 3,000 pound popup to a 32 foot, 6,000 pound travel trailer in June. There is definitely a learning curve. Fortunately I have not hit anything...yet.

I've only had to get gas once while towing. I went to a Flying J which has RV lanes on my first tow with the new trailer. That was not very scary. We are leaving for a 10 day trip in a few weeks and I preplanned the fuel stops by going on Google maps satellite view and street view to make sure I can navigate the stations I have in mind.

[PinotandPaws]

Oh burn.... student driver!! haha!! you ass but it's too funny not to laugh. One time when a big rig driver was passing me, i was SWAYING ALL OVER the road. I was white knuckling it hard with my arms and elbows totally out to the side. I was screaming WTF!!!!! He looked over at me and we briefly made eye contact. He sped up to get away from me.... and I was damn grateful. This will get easier? It better!!

[PinotandPaws]

Thank you!
The turn signals still work just fine actually. There are wire hanging underneath the rig and underneath the dash that go to the auto-levelers. I will have to have them professionally fixed or I will probably electrocute myself.

Thanks for sharing what you added. I am working on that with another new Jayco Greyhawk owner now and figuring out the best way to get that installed. APpreciate your feedback greatly!!

[PinotandPaws]

Awesome RetiredOne. Thank you!! I have been chatting with JamJelly or whatever Jonathon and Bea use on here. We have the same rig and we appreciate the kindness of those of you with more experience!! thank you!!

[PinotandPaws]

Originally Posted by Scott

I've only had to get gas once while towing. I went to a Flying J which has RV lanes on my first tow with the new trailer. That was not very scary. We are leaving for a 10 day trip in a few weeks and I preplanned the fuel stops by going on Google maps satellite view and street view to make sure I can navigate the stations I have in mind.

WOW!! you planned out your gas stations? I probably should have done that. I just rolled in hot and figured it out as I went. I will definitely check out Google maps satellite and street view next time. What did you look for in terms of a good gas station?

[JimD]

Gas station planning is a must for me. I hate surprises. Just returned from a 10 day trip to Oregon from Southern California and I had mapped every gas stop I intended to make. I researched the stations on Google maps and looked at both the satellite view and street view to make sure the driveways weren't real steep causing things to drag and there was easy access.

For this trip I selected Pilot and Loves gas stations as they are truck stops, not that the truck section had anything to do with my fueling. I also input all address to my GPS before leaving so I could just select each one when needed without much thought.

I may be anal with all the pre-planning I do. I also input everything to my computer so I can get a nice printout. Am a computer geek.

Although I am not Russian, one of my favorite movies must have stuck in my conscious. In The Hunt For Red October it was stated "A Russian won't take a dump without a plan". I tend to over plan things. I actually have fun planning everything out in advance. I must be a mutant.

[JimD]

One additional thing just came to mind. I noticed that gas prices were lower when there were multiple stations competing with each other in a given area. If you pick a station all by itself odds are they will have higher prices. Some of the stations I noticed were up to a dollar more a gallon. Talk about gouging.

At some stations, if you can find them online, you can see what they are currently charging per gallon.

[Captain Morgan]

Wow you brave soul! I envy you.
Plus your rig looks better than mine. I envy you.
Plus YOU look a lot better than I do. I envy you.
I can't find an emoji for all that.

Thanks for the great thread/posts, I like it.




.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by PinotandPaws

WOW!! you planned out your gas stations? I probably should have done that. I just rolled in hot and figured it out as I went. I will definitely check out Google maps satellite and street view next time. What did you look for in terms of a good gas station?

I first look for a Flying J along my route and about 150-200 miles from my last fuel stop. That's about how far I can go before I get to 1/4 tank left (my margin for if a station is closed, etc. so I don't arrive on fumes). I live and tow in the Midwest, so I don't have to contend with big hills that might cause me to burn more fuel, but I do often travel through metro-Chicago, whose traffic can easily kill my fuel economy. Because of this, I usually find a couple of gas station options in case I need fuel earlier than anticipated. I also always have a full tank in the truck before I hook up the trailer as it is much easier to fill up solo. I know that's not an option for you.

Flying J often has dedicated RV lanes. They have a mobile app that will let you know if the station has RV lanes. They are much easier to get into and out of than a regular station. Here's a link. Plus I'm a Good Sam member and get a nickle off a gallon. With the amount of fuel we burn RVing, it really adds up!

If I can't find a Flying J, my next choice will be a Loves, TA, or Pilot (i.e. truck stops) as they are usually bigger and easier to get into or out of even if they don't have dedicated RV lanes. Then I try other local stations along my route. I try to avoid stations were the islands are perpendicular to the street and store as they are harder to navigate. I also look for stations on the proper side of the road so I don't need to make a left turn out of them as I'm 50' long bumper to bumper and that can be a challenge. A left turn in is much easier. As JimD mentioned, I also look for the approach to the station. What is the elevation change from the station to the road? Will I drag as I enter/exit?

I always go to an outside lane where I can be plenty far from the pump to avoid hitting it when entering or exiting the lane. Watch for off tracking and tail swing! Check out this

video

. You might find it helpful. Here's another

video

specifically about getting gas in a motorhome. I also want an easy escape, preferably without going under the overhang or between the store and pumps. I really don't want to back this rig up in a gas station!

I think the key is being patient. Car drivers don't know what to do around big vehicles like ours and frequently do stupid things. If you get blocked in, just wait. Don't try to force your way out and put yourself in a bad situation. Sometimes you will have to wait for another vehicle to finish filling up in the perfect pump even though other pumps are free. Sometimes you need to wait for someone to leave so you can easily get out. Just be patient. It's not a race and you're not on the pit crew! I have no problem blocking two or more pumps. With the amount of fuel I am buying, they are still making more off me that if two little cars are pumping in my place!

As JimD does, I plan it out and put it on a spreadsheet--gas station addresses, campground addresses, and points of interest addresses that we are going to visit while traveling. Then put in the addresses in the GPS so I can easily find each station.

Originally Posted by JimD

Although I am not Russian, one of my favorite movies must have stuck in my conscious. In The Hunt For Red October it was stated "A Russian won't take a dump without a plan". I tend to over plan things. I actually have fun planning everything out in advance.

Jim, I love this quote and do this too. I also like this one: No one plans to fail, but many fail to plan. Both describe me perfectly!

Happy Camping!

[Pfflyer]

Welcome to the forum. FYI the Mercedes Chassis needs extras as well for a non-white knuckle experience.

safe travels

[MikeThompson]

Not sure which states you plan on hitting, but I'd be happy to share the names of a few really nice wineries in NC, VA and MD. Course according to your name, you like Pinot, so you really need to get out to my neck of the woods in Oregon.

[licamp]

Nice rig. You will learn to look out for the 18 wheelers coming. Slide over as much as possible those suckers push a lot of wind. How far north are you heading?

[Micikas]

Jayco has a habit of saying the rig has a HD rear track bar and it's not there. The track bar helps much with what we call tail wag. Mostly when going around corner's but help much when them 18 wheelers pass. Jayco has something call Jayco Ride and it's not very good, the shocks are junk. So a good set of Koni's with the quad kit in the rear is major inprovement and better ride. The other folks are correct about front steering stablizer, larger swaybars front and back and the Sumo Springs. The front end alignment can be done at some Ford dealers under warranty. I plan on keeping my Jayco Alante 31L so I had it all done about $9000.00. But it rides and handles like my Volvo. You didn't say which engine you have. Maybe the new Ford V8 if not it's the Ford V10. You might want to check out 5 Star Tuning for one of there engine tuners. About gas i use a app called Gas Buddy, its free. Good looking rig, Good Luck and keep the shinny side up.

[spark of insanity]

Ah I remember 2011 7 states. From Michigan to Wisconsin SD ND Montana, Idaho, Yellowstone and Glacier. What a great trip that was. I need to get back on the road again. Thanks for the memories. My mother passed last April, cancer and I miss her saying hey lets go here or there or anywhere. Enjoy the journey.

[Dave A]

I'm pretty old but aren't girls supposed to be girlie? Loved your story! Keep writing.