First time buyer.

[soccs11]

I am new to the RV world. I became interested in buying an RV because my sons live on opposite sides of the country and I thought travelling to see then in an RV would make good sense. I like the Jayco Class A units because of size, price and standard equipment. All the bells and whistles look great, but I need to know what I am getting into. I need to know about what you don't see on their web site. What items are missing that I should definitely add and what is lacking? Thank for your help in advance and don't forget, I am new at this.

[jmrace]

We are new too, looking at the Alante 26 X or 31 have no experience at all saw these at an RV show

[Vicr]

Before you buy, RENT! Rent a class A for at least a week to make sure you're going to be OK driving a giant box around. Before we got into the RV life 20 years ago we rented a tent trailer twice for two summer vacations and then bought. There is a learning curve to towing or driving an RV and then you have to see if you like being in RV parks and interacting with close neighbors.

[norty1]

Another thing is the initial cost and the cost to properly maintain your investment.

If you are fairly handy. you can learn to do much of the maintenance and repairs. If not you can quickly find that it is expensive to maintain.

[Doug]

Class "A"'s have additional expenses versus a TT.
Changing a flat tire is more difficult, maintaining engine and transmission.
A TT can be maintained and repairs done by anyone a little handy.
You also have your vehicle for getting around with a TT versus having a TOAD.
I always dreamed of a Class A until I became familiar with RV's.
JMHO,
Doug

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by Doug

You also have your vehicle for getting around with a TT versus having a TOAD.

That's what Enterprise is for !!

[Rustysocket]

I would liken a motorhome to that of owning a personal airplane. There are things that come up often that you have to take care of and they cost money. The implications of not doing them may not kill you, but they still need to be done to keep the motorhome in good operating condition.

If your the kind of person that is willing to take on that responsibility it can be a lot of fun and very rewarding. If your not it can be a big headache and a money pit and leave you stranded.

Don't be discouraged. Your taking the right steps by reading up and getting educated before you buy. I prefer my 5th wheel to a motorhome but that is just a personal choice.

[norty1]

Like many I have to find out for myself. It's expensive to do it that way. I owned every kind of camper. Ruled out class A and TT but settled on fifth wheels for us and our lifestyle.
Have fun searching.


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[William]

I have had pop ups travel trailers and fifth wheels I just got done with a 3100 mile trip in our 2015 31 UL and I love the class A the passengers can use the coach while you are driving down the road, you can run the generator at rest stops and make lunch, when you get to the campgrounds the camper is already cooled down and you can have a small toad easier to park when sight seeing. It is true it helps to be handy alway something to fix or adjust but I thank that is with any rv.


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[soccs11]

Thank you all for your feedback and opinions. I will greatly keep all this in mind when I start shopping. I have driven the largest U-Haul that can be rented and had a full size car on a trailer behind it across the country. I don't know if that qualifies me to drive a Class A around the country, but it is some experience.
Another question. Have all of you with Class A Jaycos needed to add additional support in your units to stabilize the ride. I see on their web site that they now have this JRide Plus on their models. Has that corrected the handling of the ride or is there still more that needs to be added?

[Coachhark]

I bought a 2016 35s late last year. It came with the j ride plus. After doing research before my purchase I anticipated upgrading the suspension however the dealer suggested I drive it for a few months before I spend any more money on the unit. I'm glad I did. I now have over 6000 miles on the coach and other than increasing the tire pressure to 100 pi I have done nothing to better the ride. I have towed, driven through high winds up and down steep grades and not had any cause for concern. So for what its worth my advise is unless the dealer is willing to make these upgrades part of the deal drive it for a while and see how your coach handles.

[Rice1951]

X2. I too have read about all the suspension upgrades others on this forum have completed but so far I have not had any negative experiences. I have my tire pressure set to 95psi but have made no other changes. I will continue to monitor the handling as the miles pile up. At the very least I have learned what upgrades might help should my rig start to exhibit some of the same symptoms as others have experienced. Good luck with yours.

[William]

I have 11000 miles and no up grades I thank your comparison to the u haul is good it will never handle like a suburban but like a u haul. Maybe it does with all those upgrades i don't know. But I'm happy with the stock handling.


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[soperman3]

As first time buyers of an Alante 26x we have already learned quite a bit about ownership and it's mostly frustrating. Please recognize that dealers operate on a business model that heavily emphasizes new sales over service. During the season, you should expect two to three months to get your rig in for even "big" warranty items. It will certainly be a plus if you're mechanicaly handy! Finally, the owners you meet on this forum are very, very valuable and patient. Don't hesitate to post as they're all ready to share!

Good luck with your decision!

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