Should I buy a used Jayco Greyhawk over a new Sunseeker

[NjNewbie30]

Hello all. I am looking for some advice. I am a newbie looking to buy an Rv for the first time. My wife and I decided Class C. I have an opportunity to purchase a used 2015 Greyhawk loaded with extremely low milage(2owners). We only have 60,000 to spend at the absolute most. I am leaning towards the Greyhawk only bc when researching and looking on-line I am noticing a tun of people looking to unload Sunseekers and other lower brands but not nearly as many comparable sized Jayco s. Is my reasoning sound if the Jayco checks out? Thanks for any in-put...

[TwinDad]

A lot depends on the condition of the used one. Make sure you do a close inspection to make sure you’re not buying someone else’s problems. We looked at Cs for over a year. I wanted new and my wife wanted used because of the price. All the used ones I looked at had problems that I didn’t want to mess with.

We are ended up buying new. I have a good relationship with the dealer and like the piece of mind of Jayco’s 2 year warranty. Also, if and when any problems come up I can ensure they’re fixed correctly. You can’t guarantee that with buying used.

[RetiredOne]

Originally Posted by TwinDad

A lot depends on the condition of the used one. Make sure you do a close inspection to make sure you’re not buying someone else’s problems. We looked at Cs for over a year. I wanted new and my wife wanted used because of the price. All the used ones I looked at had problems that I didn’t want to mess with.

I agree with that, the OP really needs to take a close look and understand and test all the systems. These rigs can have a bunch of issues, and you have no idea how they were fixed by the previous owners.

Maybe hire a independant mobile RV tech for a hour or two to go over the used rig and give you an inspection report.

[EA37TS]

I haven't owned a Jayco Greyhawk but we did buy a new Sunseeker 2860 a few years ago. The coach wasn't bad for an entry level rig and it is definitely entry level. We had issues with drawers always coming open while driving and the coach was a white knuckle driver. Forest River did put air helpers springs one the coach but that is all they did suspension wise.

We had an issuer with the awning coming open while driving down I 95 at 55 MPH. Found out there was a Dometic recall that had not been applied and FR's customer service did not track sales so they could not notify owners about recall notices.

Would I buy one again? Not sure I'd want to take the substantial first year depreciation on another Forest River product. Been there, done that.

[THE MEEKER]

Before you buy, have a mechanic you can trust go over the engine, transmission and drive systems with a fine tooth comb. The mechanic can use a high level scan tool and bring up any important codes that are current as well as a playback of past data and performance.

Modern vehicles with modern components will have expensive repairs as they age. The scan tool will analyze data and diagnose potential problems before they become expensive repairs. You should expect to pay an honest mechanic about a $100.00 per hour to do this for you.

[katiedog]

We ended up buying a new 2016 Grayhawk after putting deposit
on Used 2015 Grayhawk.
After looking at difference between the 2 we went new.
First only $22,000 savings.
6 Speed vs 5 speed Trans
Fiberglass Roof vs Fabric with some damage.
2nd gen Hot water heater. in 2016.
I have seen 2016 models going for $55-60 range

[pward]

You just bought a new, 4 year old RV?

[TCNashville]

Originally Posted by pward

You just bought a new, 4 year old RV?

I'm thinking she bought it 4 years ago.

[NjNewbie30]

Thanks sooo much for the sound advice. I looked at it with a mechanic and a sunseeker owner(2011) and he said he was extremely impressed. We have a tough decision to make...

[NjNewbie30]

Thanks that is exactly what we did today.

[katiedog]

Sorry we bought as leftover right when Jayco changed ownership.
Dealer were deeply discounting the old stock.
As a side note wish it had been a used model.
Finding and repairing all the MFG defects was an adventure.
The dealer was no help unless we wanted to wait 4-6 weeks
for repairs.
Jayco was great , offered to have us return to plant for work.
That not being possible their service advisors sent all needed parts for repairing it on our own.

[Jagiven]

I would not have any major concerns buying a 4-5 year old MH. However, at this age they tend to start needing more maintenance. By the way, ALL campers need maintenance. I too would check it over with a fine tooth comb.

I would check the roof first. If it has a ladder on the back, go up and check over the caulking. The caulking starts to crack and bubble between 3-6 years old, no big deal. It needs constant attention, and touch up. If you see lots of "patches" that is a good sign, means they have kept an eye on things. Best thing to do is replace with eternabond, to reduce the amount of maintenance.

Check the side walls, for delamination. You an see it, especially in the sun. Look down the side of the fiberglass wall, if it is popping out anywhere, there is delam. decide to run fast, or use it to get the price way way down. It is virtually impossible to repair.

Shower area would be next to check. If you are not careful while taking a shower you can get a lot of water on the floor, under the shower, and cabinets. This too can cause rot.

Check the vertical seams. At 5 years they should be good. Easy to caulk, just need to keep an eye on it twice a year. Look closely between the Ford cab and the house. There is a lot of flex, and the caulking has been known to fail here.

Probably has a generator. You say this MH has low miles, which means old fuel, and generators do not like that. Run the Genny, do not be surprised if it needs the carb replaced (no rebuilding anymore). They should be ran for an hour each month under 1/2 load. So look at the hour meter, and do a calculation. But still run it, as they may ran the generator while traveling, to keep the house AC on, so the hours could be up there, but still not maintained properly.

Other than that, just test every feature, put water in the tank, run the water heater, furnace, if you can the AC. Take it for a drive, sometimes they need an alignment or upgraded sway bars for better handling.

Good luck!

Other than that, do a good once over of all the systems.

[NjNewbie30]

Thanks for the details. We went over things pretty well today. Next I take it to next level and bring it in for a closer look by a dealer or rv specialist. Thanks again...

[Jopopsy]

I had a Sunseeker. It was decidedly entry grade. It drove poorly. It leaked, in the cap and the slideout. The slideouts on Sunseekers and Foresters do not have the membrane on the roof like Jayco puts. They also do not have the double seal on the outside and inside like Jayco does.

We got rid of it in under a year. I will not buy another FR motorhome. Ever.

[Trapper2020]

Like you we were between used and new but had already decided it would be a Jacob/Entegra. Went new for a lot of reasons but you may want to look at RVone for pricing. I live in Houston and drove to Iowa to pick up new unit. They were 8k lower for new unit than anyone else in country. Could not be happier with the unit. Took new unit on 10 week shake down trip straight from dealer. No major issues to deal with. Good luck with your purchase.

Enjoy the journey

[t18skyguy]

If the Jayco checks out, I would go with that. Before I bought my Greyhawk, I looked closely at the Sunseeker. Build quality very poor as is typical with Forest River products. The Jayco will have the 5 speed transmission, rather than the 6 speed, but I'd still take the Jayco. Plus the Jayco probably has the 7500 pound hitch. It's overall a better rig.

[Don H]

If you buy used purchase it from a dealer. they sometimes offer a short warranty or you can purchase an after market warranty. they will also show you how everything works and that it functions as it should. We purchased our Grey Hawk from Camping World in Mesa, AZ last year and have been very satisfied.

[Rubyred4]

We bought a 2008 Greyhawk in 2011 with 3000 miles on it. After reading these forums, I would not buy a new Greyhawk. Too many bells and whistles. The 2008 is built with quality and has a wonderful floorplan. When slide is pulled in, you have a wide aisle from front. Can load it without any obstacles. Everything is basic - fridge, waterheater, TV, stove, walk around Queen bed. etc. Still looks good, I keep it covered 6 months a year.

[Captain Morgan]

Hey folks - I bought the GreyHawk. Thanks so much for your valuable input and insights!