Why Greyhawk Instead Of A Minnie Winnie?

[Rvorbust]

My wife and I are big people. We looked long and hard at Winnebago, even traveled to Forest City, IA where they are built. But all the showers in them are dinky, no room. Our 29MV has a 30x36 inch shower. Couldn’t find anything near that in a floorplan that worked for us at Winnebago. Also what appealed to us in the Greyhawk the one piece Fiberglas cabover cap. You can get a Minnie Winnie with a partial Fiberglas cap as a option, but it’s not as impervious to water intrusion as the Greyhawk cap. And Class C cabover’s are notorious for leaking at seams as they age. Good luck!

[RGD615]

From Retired LEO to Retired LEO,
We bought a 2017 Winnebago View 24V. I loved it...notice, I said, I loved it. One year and 10,000 miles later it was on the market. Everything I researched, and I researched it like a cold case file...was spot on. Toured the factory...drove a gillion miles to buy from Lichtsinn in Forest City, Iowa (Great RV Dealer). The problem was I over-researched the wrong stuff. Of course I sold, it for a loss and bought a 2018 Jayco Greyhawk Prestige 29MVP. 2 year warranty, 2 ac's, 4 door fridge, micro-wave and oven, keyless entry, electric drivers seat, gorgeous view out of the bunk windshield, great ground clearance, tows my jeep like it's not there. BUT, number one on the list...the wife loves it and I do too. There will always be little trade offs. Always something to fix or modify on every coach out there. I've made several to ours. I will make several more. Retired LEO...you've had enough stress. Find one you like being stuck in for a week of bad weather without killing each other and you will have made the right choice. Peace Brother

[RetiredLEO]

Originally Posted by RGD615

From Retired LEO to Retired LEO,
We bought a 2017 Winnebago View 24V. I loved it...notice, I said, I loved it. One year and 10,000 miles later it was on the market. Everything I researched, and I researched it like a cold case file...was spot on. Toured the factory...drove a gillion miles to buy from Lichtsinn in Forest City, Iowa (Great RV Dealer). The problem was I over-researched the wrong stuff. Of course I sold, it for a loss and bought a 2018 Jayco Greyhawk Prestige 29MVP. 2 year warranty, 2 ac's, 4 door fridge, micro-wave and oven, keyless entry, electric drivers seat, gorgeous view out of the bunk windshield, great ground clearance, tows my jeep like it's not there. BUT, number one on the list...the wife loves it and I do too. There will always be little trade offs. Always something to fix or modify on every coach out there. I've made several to ours. I will make several more. Retired LEO...you've had enough stress. Find one you like being stuck in for a week of bad weather without killing each other and you will have made the right choice. Peace Brother

Thanks Richard, I'm a Richard also (Rick) Man, we have a lot in common.
I have been researching on the Jayco/Entegra websites and forums trying to learn everything I can before we finally pull the trigger on one.
I practically live on Lichtsinn's page watching all their great video's. They are the type of Dealer I would like to buy from. Sure wish they would take on the Jayco/Entegra lines. I had a poor salesperson right off. Told her exactly what we were looking for and why.........she started pushing towards a Class A they have on the lot......no thanks. We are Class C type people.
We want the extra room so it's comfortable for two-three week trips. Easy to handle and park, capable of pulling our Toy Highlander on a dolly.
All without breaking the bank.........just bending the heck out of it
I do really like the full front end cap extending into the side walls. The window in the front bunk will be a Grandkid magnet.
I was excited about the electric driver's seat but they have dropped them now, gone to the swivel like a Minnie Winnie. I did find a electric seat base from the manufacturer in Elkhart so with my best friend who's a mechanic I'll
have a electric swivel seat.
Also intend to solar the heck out of it, step up the inverter to a whole house inverter, put a auto start on the gen.
Ooops.........there went the bank!
The idea of crowded CG's just doesn't cut it............boondocking for quiet privacy and hidden fishing holes does though
Thanks for the good thoughts Brother and I wish all that's good in life for you!

[RGD615]

Retired LEO (Rick)
How cool is that. Amen on the crowed CG's. But, I love talking RVs. Drives my wife crazy. I forgot to mention that living in the South we went with white to absorb less heat.Peace

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by tannerbailey

It has been six months and we love our Greyhawk. Also, from what I understand more and more 2019 models across the board are coming with electric only fridges. With the 2018 we liked the latitude of using shore power and having electric/propane options for the water heater and fridge.

Good Luck,
Tannerbailey
2018 Greyhawk 29ME
https://www.jayco.com/tools/archive/2018-greyhawk/29me/

Across the board meaning what? Greyhawks? RedHawks? Everything Jayco sells?

[Jopopsy]

I’ve been holding off responding to this thread as my response will inevitably drift towards me becoming salty on the topic.

Here goes.

My first MH was a 2014 Minnie Winnie bunkhouse model. It did not have the ‘Premeir Package’ or whatever they’re calling it. And - in my opinion it was a complete piece of garbage. It just OOZED ‘rental grade’ all over it. The cabinetry was crap, the faucets were crap, the drawer mechanisms were crap, the baggage compartments were metal (and crap - they sweated in the summer temperature swings from night to day and made my compartments soaked), the front cap wasn’t solid so it flexed if you put any weight on it, and the water system had no anti-freeze uptake. Let’s see, what else didn’t I like? It had airbags for the rear end (crap), the drivers seat was one step over the stock Ford in that it was all manual (crap), the dinette was supported by a stick on the end of the table (no dream dinette unless you got that ‘premier’ package), accordian blinds, Formica countertop, no levelers.

Complete piece of crap.

FWIW I also had a 2018 Sunseeker, and while it was not nearly as cheap feeling as the Winnie, it too ended up being a piece of crap. Garbage cabinetry, and it had 2 leaks right out the gate. We sold it b/c we thought we could make do with the floor plan but we were wrong. We weren’t sorry we sold it because it wasn’t up to Jayco’s quality or liveability.

How did I know about Jayco liveability you might ask?

I had a Greyhawk in between the Minnie Winnie and the Sunseeker. Don’t ask me why we got rid of it - its a sad story that ends with me spending too much money. However, for conversations like this, I am pretty qualified to comment !!!

Jayco or bust for us. If this coach we have now ends up being a lemon (so far I only have 2 flickering inside lights) we’re getting out of this hobby completely! Hahaha.

[eeek]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

Across the board meaning what? Greyhawks? RedHawks? Everything Jayco sells?

My brand new just built 2019 Redhawk has a propane/electric fridge. I doubt they are going away.

[Jay Matt]

Greyhawk:
Full fiberglass cap
Lower formaldehyde emmisions and other smelly off-gassing
Much better amenities
2 yr warranty
Hydraulic levelers!!

My First class C was 2001 Minnie. Had to rebuild a rotted nose. Easy to get full specs and parts list (unlike Jayco)

Love the Ford F450 chassis in both!

Love our 2016 Greyhawk 29MV!

[Camper_bob]

For us, the Jayco was my first choice because we were coming from a Jayco TT. I looked at the others, but just couldn't get the right answer to the "value" equation. The biggest features were the fiberglass front cap, and the fiberglass roof. My dad has an old Chateau (?) class C, and it leaks all over the front cap AND down the roof/wall seam. Granted, he's not the best at maintenance, so some of that's on him, but still... My inlaws have a Chateau that leaked through the window in the front cap, but has been otherwise pretty solid.

2 ACs were another selling feature, along with the 2 yr warranty. But also, Jayco was "known quantity" for me. I had our TT for almost 5 years and knew that beast inside and out, so Jayco was familiar to me.

That being said, I still shopped the others, and the only thing I found that I kind of wish the Jayco had was the aluminum frame and Azdel sidewalls you can find in the Leprechaun (Forest River?) products. Water intrusion and damage are what my nightmares are made of. If I can buy a product that makes that fear less of a reality, I'm all for it. But at the end of the day, the Jayco won out on the overall picture.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

That being said, I still shopped the others, and the only thing I found that I kind of wish the Jayco had was the aluminum frame and Azdel sidewalls you can find in the Leprechaun (Forest River?) products. Water intrusion and damage are what my nightmares are made of. If I can buy a product that makes that fear less of a reality, I'm all for it. But at the end of the day, the Jayco won out on the overall picture.

Before my mother became too sick to travel, my parents had a Coachmen Leprechaun class C. They didn't keep it long due to her health decline so I can't comment on long term issues, but it was a nice unit. I kinda wish we could have found a way to keep it.

Anyway, I would have to take a serious look at one if we were ever in the market for a class C.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Before my mother became too sick to travel, my parents had a Coachmen Leprechaun class C. They didn't keep it long due to her health decline so I can't comment on long term issues, but it was a nice unit. I kinda wish we could have found a way to keep it.

Anyway, I would have to take a serious look at one if we were ever in the market for a class C.

My dad almost put money down on a Leprechaun (dealer dropped the ball and dad wasn't in any hurry to buy). I looked at the one he had picked out. It was one of their new "bunkhouse" models where the bunks fold down in line above the couch and dinette. I wasn't really a fan, but for him, toting the grandkids along, it would be a neat rig. Also has the swivel front seats (pros & cons there), and like I said, the coach framing is aluminum, and the walls are Azdel; both very attractive features IMO. Yeah, I think it's safe to say I would take a closer look if I were in the market again.

I was really not a fan of the Winnies though; the trailers or the motorized units. They just didn't feel right to me. Can't really explain it other than a thousand little things.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

My dad almost put money down on a Leprechaun (dealer dropped the ball and dad wasn't in any hurry to buy). I looked at the one he had picked out. It was one of their new "bunkhouse" models where the bunks fold down in line above the couch and dinette. I wasn't really a fan, but for him, toting the grandkids along, it would be a neat rig. Also has the swivel front seats (pros & cons there), and like I said, the coach framing is aluminum, and the walls are Azdel; both very attractive features IMO. Yeah, I think it's safe to say I would take a closer look if I were in the market again.

I was really not a fan of the Winnies though; the trailers or the motorized units. They just didn't feel right to me. Can't really explain it other than a thousand little things.

Coachmen has one floor plan that I really like. It's their 27QB/270QB. I prefer a non slide unit and they seem to be the only manufacturer that still makes a non slide plan in that size. If I pulled the trigger today on one, that is likely what it would be. Not a floor plan for everyone, but I like that simplicity.

[RetiredLEO]

The Greyhawk/Entegra Odyssey keeps coming out ahead on most aspects of a Class C. One other advantage I can see is the Dealer Network which is huge. As long as you can find a dealer other than the one you bought it from who will work on it.

[RetiredLEO]

I know I have to be missing something but somewhere there has to be a Jayco Dealer that looks as good as Winnebago's Lichtsinn's dealership. Also a dealer that would stock more than one or two on their lot at the same time to compare them to.
I think Chicago (driving distance) might have a large RV Show or maybe Peoria IL. Would just love to walk through a variety of Greyhawk's and Odysseys

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by RetiredLEO

I know I have to be missing something but somewhere there has to be a Jayco Dealer that looks as good as Winnebago's Lichtsinn's dealership. Also a dealer that would stock more than one or two on their lot at the same time to compare them to.
I think Chicago (driving distance) might have a large RV Show or maybe Peoria IL. Would just love to walk through a variety of Greyhawk's and Odysseys

I hate to say it, or even "recommend" it, but the Camping Worlds around us have LOTS of inventory to walk through. If you can tolerate the sales person being with you, and get them to actually show you what you want to see, it's not so bad. Only two of them (camping worlds that is) IIRC in our area actually deal Jayco though, and by "our area" I mean within 4 hour drive.

There are even a couple spots where the large dealers have created a sort of "RV Row" so to speak. You have 3 or 4 MAJOR dealers all sharing property lines, so you can see SEVERAL different units all in one general area. The Katy area West of Houston on I-10 is a great example of this. There are 4 major dealers and several smaller ones all within less than a mile of eachother.