Precept / Alante in comparision to …. ???

[Jopopsy]

In spending a lot of time on iRV.com I quickly came to realize that unless you are purchasing a Newmar, Tiffin, or like brand the population of that forum largely regards most other offerings as junk. There is particular disdain for anything under the Thor umbrella, which of course Jayco is. Recently Tiffin has fallen under our umbrella too, so I’m wondering if iRV.com will turn on that brand as well.

This got me to wondering; did any of you cross shop other brands and come back to your Jayco ‘A’? What things made you choose your Jayco?

For me, I’ve never really appreciated Winnebago; I’ve always felt them to be somewhat cheesey in the interior though I admit I’ve never looked at their big ticket models. I know I don’t particularly like their Class ‘C’ coaches or the Sunstar Class ‘A’. I found the FR3 line from Forest River to be very cheap in my eyes, and while the Fleetwood Bounder I walked through seemed very well appointed, that some model was really sacrificing on the wheelbase and CCC for a Class ‘A’.

The Precept ‘checks all my boxes’, though from ample Jayco experiences in the past I know I’m in for something or another once mine arrives. I’m the type of guy that would buy a more modestly appointed coach if it had solid engineering and build quality over the bells and whistles, but I’m not sure that exists in the RV industry.

What say you guys? What have you found in your experience or reading?

[Rice1951]

I went for value. I looked at all the brands and came across the Jayco Alante and Precept. A DP was not something I seriously considered because of the annual maintenance required and the initial cost as well as the fact my DW and I are weekend warriors and have no desire to FT. A super C was above our price point. The F53 engine is reliable (noisy, yes, going up a hill) but all that’s required is an annual oil change and minor maintenance that you would perform on any RV.
At the time we were in the market there was a much larger selection of coaches sitting on dealer lots. Nothing like today. Also, since we live in a rural area we were going to have to drive a considerable distance to find what we wanted. So having a good local dealer was not really a factor in our decision because there was nothing nearby.
We opted for the Precept over the Alante and other brands for several reasons but the bottom line is the Jayco Precept we purchased offered the most bang for our buck. It offered roll up shades vs. curtains or blinds, washer/dryer combo, tankless WH, soft padded ceiling, swing out storage compartment doors, jacks, mid entry door, OH bunk, king bed, great floorplan, lots of room with slides in, power seats, roof ladder, fiberglass roof and the list goes on. We did have some warranty issues and made arrangements to bring our coach to Middlebury for repairs. We are very happy with how things turned out.
I read the Tiffin, Newmar and Entegra forums on a fairly regular basis and those brands are certainly not without their issues either. I cannot believe how many Tiffin owners make an annual trip to Red Bay, AL for one thing or another. Tiffin and Newmar seem to offer great customer support even after the coach is out of warranty but I have lucked out in that regard since (knock on wood) our trip to Middlebury during our first year of ownership.
My advice would be to do your homework, purchase what you like and can afford and be prepared to address any issues that arise. This would apply across all brands. If you do all of these things you won’t be second guessing yourself down the road. Just my 2 cents.

[Foretm]

I went with an Entegra Vision 31V, same coach as the Allante 31V, just turns out no Jaycos near were I was, and since they're built in the same factory I consider the quality to be the same. I looked at Thor Ace, Forest River FR3, Coachman, etc...

The Thor Ace & Forest River FR3 were just not in the same league, lots of issues with the ones I saw, the windshield was very small, baggage doors had twist locks and not slam latches, baggage areas seemed smaller, the overhead bunk held less weight, just alot of things. I'm akin to the OP in that I don't need alot of bells and whistles, I need a sturdy, well engineed product that will last, and a few key ammenities, and i'm good.

I agree with Rice1951 for the most part... but the Allante/Vision have the roller shades, swing out storage compartment doors, jacks, mid entry door, OH bunk, fiberglass roof, power driver seat, etc... Alot of the competitors did not, agree there.

I was looking for a specific floorplan with specific configuration. My main requirements were slides only on the driver side, TV directly across from the sitting area, 4-door fridge vs 2-door, lots of kitchen counter space, theatre seating vs sofa, mid-entry door, close to 30ft length, etc... The Allante/Vision 31V was exactly what we were looking for. The Precept line doesn't have a similar floorplan or I would've considered it. The only thing I would change on my rig would be to get the 22.5" wheels vs the 19.5" wheels. Aside from that, I love it and wouldn't change a thing.

[norty1]

I can't figure out why the industry still installs analog thermostats in new units.

[mkassab]

2X on both above statements.

We purchased the 34G base on floor plan.... key for us was opposing seating where you could have 6+ adults seated and be able to have a conversation while looking at each other, i.e., 2 or 3 on the sofa, 2 on the recliners and 2 in the drivers/passengers chairs. Plus the dinning table is right next to the recliners... with lots of floor space. Another key feature for us was everything was usable with the slides in and driving.

Mark

[Foretm]

Originally Posted by norty1

I can't figure out why the industry still installs analog thermostats in new units.

X2, I just bought some new digital ones, just haven't put them in yet. Looking forward to them.

[Foretm]

Originally Posted by mkassab

Another key feature for us was everything was usable with the slides in and driving.Mark

That was a biggie for us too... missed that one. The only thing we can't get to with both slides in, is the drawers in the bedroom. Everything else is 100% functional. Makes it nice when stopping for lunch, etc in rest areas.