1st RV purchase - Jayco Eagle 5th Wheel

[mrlarson59]

Buying our first RV and decided on 5th wheel, and narrowed down to Jayco brand. We just got back from Elkhart IN and toured several manufacturers. Jayco quality and process won us over. One of the biggest factors was their use of plywood vs OSB, there were other factors as well.

Here is a list of what we "think" we're wanting:
No longer than a 36' length
Bunkhouse (with door to close off from rest of trailer)
Outdoor kitchen
Fireplace (for use to heat up trailer vs using propane)
Kitchen island (preference but not a deal breaker)
Auto leveler (preference unless manual is not a big deal)
Residential frig? we prefer because we want a larger size
Table/chairs (like the luxury of moving chairs around)

There is basically 1 model that fits the above "wants" (29.5 BHOK) it just doesn't have the kitchen island. I believe it's 36' Have only looked at this model online via 360 virtual tour. My concern is limited counter space in kitchen since no island.

Model #2 that we really like better is (325 BHQS) BUT it is a 38' footer.


Here's a couple questions for you veterans:

1. Best place to buy? The only Jayco authorized dealer in Houston,TX area is Lone Star RV and their reviews aren't the best. We went on RV Trader and there are models we're interested in but not at Lone Star. Lone Star only has the 29.5 BHOK model. We're concerned if you don't buy from them and then try to use them for service, you get redheaded step child treatment. SO, maybe the REAL question is, how to find best authorized warranty service department (possibly an independent that's not a dealership) if you don't buy locally?

2. Best time to buy? We're trying to get a great deal on a 2018 new model and possibly thinking of buying December 2018 or January 2019?

3. In regards to length of trailer, there is SO much conversations out there it's overwhelming. I think most people concur that actually PULLING it down the road there is no difference. It's the pulling in/out of places AND more importantly trying to get the larger spaces at State or National parks can be a problem. Our main travels plans are State and National parks. Is there really a problem getting into most parks with a 36' or 38' 5ther? Or can this be solved by staying at a private park close by? Not sure of likelihood of finding one close to a national park would be?

4. Our reasoning for the bunkhouse is although 90% of the time we will be traveling along (my hubby and I), we have 3 small dogs and plan on family and friends going on some adventures with us. We want to use the bunkhouse as a "doggie room / storage room" when we don't have others traveling with us. We like the luxury of being able to close off the room to storage/dogs and/or giving privacy to our fellow travelers.

Thanks for any help or input! This is an exciting yet SCARY purchase. And that is truly crazy seeing how the purchase of our new truck Ford F250 Diesel costs MORE than the 5ther will cost (hopefully)!

If our "Ideas" above or "wants" don't seem realistic or you have other suggestions, please chime in! Truly desire input and help from our future Jayco family!
THANK YOU!

[Kennessa]

Hayes rv about 200 miles north of you in Longview. They have a good selection and really good to deal with.

Kenny Bryant

[oldmanAZ]

Congratulations on your first RV (no matter which one you buy) and welcome to the forum.

[poohbear]

Originally Posted by Kennessa

Hayes rv about 200 miles north of you in Longview. They have a good selection and really good to deal with.

Kenny Bryant

Great dealership. They actually do a " make ready " on your trailer resolving a lot of potential problems.

[mrlarson59]

Originally Posted by poohbear

Great dealership. They actually do a " make ready " on your trailer resolving a lot of potential problems.

Does “make ready” mean the dealership has a policy that they do an overall inspection upon arrival of all new RV’s to ensure everything checks out and no damages from trip down from IN? I’ve read online about importance of choosing a good dealership and this is one of the MAJOR points of what separates an outstanding dealership to others. Some dealerships just give new units a wash down and no inspections. Just want to move product.

I believe it’s worth the drive when it comes to things like this. However, my concern is buying so far from home and when small warranty type jobs come up having to travel there for warranty work. Local dealerships won’t care about me cause I didn’t buy from them. Your thoughts?
One no advantage I do have though is my hubby is very handy and can fix almost anything so maybe the answer is to fix small stuff ourselves??

[mrlarson59]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Congratulations on your first RV (no matter which one you buy) and welcome to the forum.

Thank you. I’ve been reading all the new posts that I can. I love this forum. So much wealth of knowledge. I’m one that prefers to learn from others to help minimize our own mistakes or potential problems

[Jim Smyth]

They are all supposedly to go through the New RVs to check everything out. Its only as good as the person doing it and if they really give a hoot. Sometimes its kids that really dont care.



Quality on RVs today is average at best. I have a 2017 28.5 and find things wrong almost every trip. I am hoping some day it slows down but I just got home a few days back with one of the dining room lights hanging by the wires where is broke the whole metal hosing. Took a few hours to fix correctly.



I am one of those guys like your husband and can fix anything so no worries there. I bought mine used so I have no warranty. IMO its best to take care of the little stuff yourself and take it in for bigger warranty items since it seems to have to sit there for long intervals and the stories you read is it usually comes home with more things wrong.


Whatever model you decide on I would really check that model out in detail. There is specific models that seem to keep having cracks and de-lamination problems. Those I would avoid at all costs because your talking major money and repairs with the factory usually needing to peel the trailer back to fix it correctly. Also big time slide issues for specific models.



Your on the right track with your questions and the above dealer you have been given I have read nothing but good comments about and they seem top notch. If there only a few hundred miles away I wouldnt hesitate to use them. You are right about other dealers not servicing your unit if you didnt buy it from them. I ran into that right away with our first unit a Rockwood. We bought it online and at 1300 miles from our house and had it delivered and saved a bunch of money. But the local dealer in that brand wouldnt work on it and I will never use them again for anything ever.



One thing I havent seen you touch on yet and is very important if what your going to pull this with. Just make sure you get more truck than you need if you dont already own the truck. That was a big mistake I made.

[mrlarson59]

Originally Posted by Jim Smyth

They are all supposedly to go through the New RVs to check everything out. Its only as good as the person doing it and if they really give a hoot. Sometimes its kids that really dont care.



Quality on RVs today is average at best. I have a 2017 28.5 and find things wrong almost every trip. I am hoping some day it slows down but I just got home a few days back with one of the dining room lights hanging by the wires where is broke the whole metal hosing. Took a few hours to fix correctly.



I am one of those guys like your husband and can fix anything so no worries there. I bought mine used so I have no warranty. IMO its best to take care of the little stuff yourself and take it in for bigger warranty items since it seems to have to sit there for long intervals and the stories you read is it usually comes home with more things wrong.


Whatever model you decide on I would really check that model out in detail. There is specific models that seem to keep having cracks and de-lamination problems. Those I would avoid at all costs because your talking major money and repairs with the factory usually needing to peel the trailer back to fix it correctly. Also big time slide issues for specific models.



Your on the right track with your questions and the above dealer you have been given I have read nothing but good comments about and they seem top notch. If there only a few hundred miles away I wouldnt hesitate to use them. You are right about other dealers not servicing your unit if you didnt buy it from them. I ran into that right away with our first unit a Rockwood. We bought it online and at 1300 miles from our house and had it delivered and saved a bunch of money. But the local dealer in that brand wouldnt work on it and I will never use them again for anything ever.



One thing I havent seen you touch on yet and is very important if what your going to pull this with. Just make sure you get more truck than you need if you dont already own the truck. That was a big mistake I made.

Thank you for your input. Can you tell me Best place to find out models with problems?
Also can you elaborate on purchasing online and having it delivered and how you saved a lot of money? Would this work if you’re buying last years model (2018) basically what’s left on lots now that 2019 models are out?
My concern about not buying direct from a good dealership is warranty work. So buying online worries me for that reason.

[Jim Smyth]

Originally Posted by mrlarson59

Thank you for your input. Can you tell me Best place to find out models with problems?
Also can you elaborate on purchasing online and having it delivered and how you saved a lot of money? Would this work if you’re buying last years model (2018) basically what’s left on lots now that 2019 models are out?
My concern about not buying direct from a good dealership is warranty work. So buying online worries me for that reason.

I bought from Wana RV in Shipshawana Indiana. They are right next to the manufacturer thus saving over a grand in the shipping charge alone. I bought a current year model (2018 Rockwood that we traded in to go bigger) and had them deliver it from Indiana to Florida (2K delivery charge) and I still saved 5K from the cheapest Florida dealer on the same exact model on a 35K purchase.



I used this to find what I wanted 5th wheel wise.


https://www.rvtrader.com/


I would say find the exact 5th wheel you want. Then start reading and do searches on that model. Right here on this forum has tons of info. This will give you your best odds but its going to take leg work on your part.

[mrlarson59]

Originally Posted by Jim Smyth

I bought from Wana RV in Shipshawana Indiana. They are right next to the manufacturer thus saving over a grand in the shipping charge alone. I bought a current year model (2018 Rockwood that we traded in to go bigger) and had them deliver it from Indiana to Florida (2K delivery charge) and I still saved 5K from the cheapest Florida dealer on the same exact model on a 35K purchase.



I used this to find what I wanted 5th wheel wise.


https://www.rvtrader.com/


I would say find the exact 5th wheel you want. Then start reading and do searches on that model. Right here on this forum has tons of info. This will give you your best odds but its going to take leg work on your part.

Where do you have your unit serviced since you bought thousands of miles away? Have you had any issues finding someone that does a good job even though you didn't buy from them?
We did the RV tour and so I know exactly where you purchased your unit, that is definitely RV capital of the world! We did ask our Jayco RV tour guide about buying from a "local" dealership to save on delivery fees, and he said he didn't know anything about it, we'd have to check into it ourselves. So, you're experience tells us yes it is probable. Can you expand on the process? I'm wondering if we can get a 2019 model for a price CLOSE to the same 2018 model by doing this process vs buying from local dealership.

[artoo93]

Welcome to the Forum! One of the biggest things about the length of campers in general is that there is a such a difference in how they are measured. Some are measured from the hitch to the bumper like they should be. Some are measured from the front cap to the rear some where. Jayco seems to be better at using a standard measure so that should be close. The difference in the 36' to 38' is very negligible. I have not had any issues getting in and out of 99% of the state and national parks with our fifth wheels (35' to 43' in length). The other thing is with a fifth wheel, the hitch is centered over the rear axle and actually allows a tighter turning radius then a bumper pull.
As for buying online, we purchased our toy hauler online. We did get a great deal on it as the closest dealer couldn't (or wouldn't) beat or match the price even though they had the exact same model on their lot. We got a little bit of push back from the local dealer when I needed some warranty fixes but it got done. Some times you just have to know which phones to make ring!
Which ever way you decide, don't settle on your home away from home. We picked up our new build 2019 North Point 377RLBH about a month ago and had it built to exactly what we wanted. Also, make sure your tow vehicle is more then what you think you might need. Remember that everything you add to either the truck or trailer will count towards your overall weight.
Enjoy your journey!!!

[Jim Smyth]

I now own a 2017 Jayco 28.5. Bought it used and without warranty through Lazy Days in Tampa Florida. I do all the work myself.

[mrlarson59]

Did you use RVtrader to buy online? If not where is best websites to use? Thanks

[artoo93]

Originally Posted by mrlarson59

Did you use RVtrader to buy online? If not where is best websites to use? Thanks

I started with RV Trader and it is a great tool. I also used just straight Google searches and visited individual dealership websites. That was actually how we found the Venom we ended up buying out of Arizona.

[Da Bud Man]

We have a 2016 325 BHQS and love it. Fits our needs nicely and have not had any major issues going on 3 years of ownership. I will also add that we use ours extensively, over 125 days a year we are in it.

One thing I will add, unless they have changed things, that unit is 40' long from front cap to rear bumper.

If you have any questions about this model, let me know.

[triplebvalp]

Originally Posted by mrlarson59

Buying our first RV and decided on 5th wheel, and narrowed down to Jayco brand. We just got back from Elkhart IN and toured several manufacturers. Jayco quality and process won us over. One of the biggest factors was their use of plywood vs OSB, there were other factors as well.

Here is a list of what we "think" we're wanting:
No longer than a 36' length
Bunkhouse (with door to close off from rest of trailer)
Outdoor kitchen
Fireplace (for use to heat up trailer vs using propane)
Kitchen island (preference but not a deal breaker)
Auto leveler (preference unless manual is not a big deal)
Residential frig? we prefer because we want a larger size
Table/chairs (like the luxury of moving chairs around)

There is basically 1 model that fits the above "wants" (29.5 BHOK) it just doesn't have the kitchen island. I believe it's 36' Have only looked at this model online via 360 virtual tour. My concern is limited counter space in kitchen since no island.

Model #2 that we really like better is (325 BHQS) BUT it is a 38' footer.


Here's a couple questions for you veterans:

1. Best place to buy? The only Jayco authorized dealer in Houston,TX area is Lone Star RV and their reviews aren't the best. We went on RV Trader and there are models we're interested in but not at Lone Star. Lone Star only has the 29.5 BHOK model. We're concerned if you don't buy from them and then try to use them for service, you get redheaded step child treatment. SO, maybe the REAL question is, how to find best authorized warranty service department (possibly an independent that's not a dealership) if you don't buy locally?

2. Best time to buy? We're trying to get a great deal on a 2018 new model and possibly thinking of buying December 2018 or January 2019?

3. In regards to length of trailer, there is SO much conversations out there it's overwhelming. I think most people concur that actually PULLING it down the road there is no difference. It's the pulling in/out of places AND more importantly trying to get the larger spaces at State or National parks can be a problem. Our main travels plans are State and National parks. Is there really a problem getting into most parks with a 36' or 38' 5ther? Or can this be solved by staying at a private park close by? Not sure of likelihood of finding one close to a national park would be?

4. Our reasoning for the bunkhouse is although 90% of the time we will be traveling along (my hubby and I), we have 3 small dogs and plan on family and friends going on some adventures with us. We want to use the bunkhouse as a "doggie room / storage room" when we don't have others traveling with us. We like the luxury of being able to close off the room to storage/dogs and/or giving privacy to our fellow travelers.

Thanks for any help or input! This is an exciting yet SCARY purchase. And that is truly crazy seeing how the purchase of our new truck Ford F250 Diesel costs MORE than the 5ther will cost (hopefully)!

If our "Ideas" above or "wants" don't seem realistic or you have other suggestions, please chime in! Truly desire input and help from our future Jayco family!
THANK YOU!

mrlarson59, we do quite a bit of camping in State Parks here in Florida. Our FW measures 30'11" cap to bumper. Its a 27.5RKDS. Although we haven't had any issues "fitting" into sites, some have been very tight. You will need to be careful with anything over 30' especially in National Parks. I have read some National Parks limit length to 30'.

My other thought turns to your truck, in particular the cargo carrying capacity. Since your truck is a diesel, the cargo carrying capacity is reduced simply because of the weight of the engine and transmission … compared to a gas engine truck. Be careful to take note of the hitch weight of the FW you decide on.

[triplebvalp]

Oh, and about the residential frig. Problem with this type of frig. is that you cannot run it on propane while traveling. It has to be hooked up to shore power to function.

[Jim Smyth]

Originally Posted by triplebvalp

Oh, and about the residential frig. Problem with this type of frig. is that you cannot run it on propane while traveling. It has to be hooked up to shore power to function.

Good point and why I didnt want a residential frig.

[dkegel]

Actually, the residential fridge will run off the inverter when traveling, which in some ways is a better (safer) option than using propane on the road.

Dave

[AKRUEBBE]

Originally Posted by triplebvalp

Oh, and about the residential frig. Problem with this type of frig. is that you cannot run it on propane while traveling. It has to be hooked up to shore power to function.

I have the residential frig and it runs off the inverter while going down the road. I wouldn't have anything other than a residential fridge.......JMHO.