2016 Jayflight 28 BHBE Elite - towing with an F150 - Page 8

Northern Jay · 08-17-2015, 08:55 AM

The bunks are quite large in the 28BHBE. Myself (6'1") and DW (5') have been in the double bunks together and still have room to move around. 2 children will have no problem at all. We figure by the time they hit their mid teens they will want to be in a tent except on rainy nights. The dinette folds down into a double bed as does the hide-a-bed. All are quite comfortable. A TT over 32 ft does indeed limit the campsite selection in most parks. It may even leave you with just pull-thru sites (especially here in Canada). Overall, we have been very happy with our TT and would not trade it for another. Tiz usually just 2 of us with 2 grandchildren that will be camping together. Additional family that may come along have their own TT'S and the grandchildren all get to play together.
Happy Camping

Camper_bob · 08-17-2015, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luv2drum

We also bought a clip on fan for our son....who is always hot. He has had no problems on this trip.

One thing to factor related to Bob's experience...if my wife and I wanted to sleep on the bunk, we could without an issue. We like each other. :-) But my two boys, as brothers....might not experience the same "comfort" being so close. They get along good, but they're siblings...not a married couple. Just sayin.

+1, you need to like each other at least a little to make it work; no way am I sleeping in there with MY brother!

Forgot to mention, We also had some friends along with us a couple times ago, and they slept on the hide-a-bed (option) with their 2 YO son. They did okay. Their only complaint was that the head seemed to be lower than the foot of the bed, but I can adjust that.

NewBlackDak · 08-18-2015, 08:08 AM

My Fiance and I let my parents have the bedroom about a month ago, and we slept in the bottom bunk together. We're both 6' even. I go 235, and she about 150. If we can do it, so can most others. My boys were above us on the top bunk, and her girls were on the dinette.

OhioRVMom · 08-18-2015, 09:29 AM

I am in a dilemma - so if someone can give me their input rather quickly I'd appreciate it. we are faced with a possible truck alternative - there wasn't much available over the weekend, but i see one that came available. it's a F250 3100 payload, 12500 for the towability, it is the SAME price as the F350 that is 4 years OLDER and has double the miles. The only difference is the payload on the 350 is 3748, so about 650 more in the payload. I don't know that we will need that, and the fact that the 250 is a 2015 is VERY enticing. vs a 2011.

can anyone reply quickly? we were to pick up the F350 today but trucks are at the same dealership so I think we can switch as no papers have been signed..

thank you!

Tina

FishAr · 08-18-2015, 09:39 AM

I'd buy the newer 3/4 ton.

OhioRVMom · 08-18-2015, 09:43 AM

also the 250 doesn't have the 'camping' package - which I think is a beefier suspension that they put on 250s to mimic the 350. we saw ONE like that and it was gone in a flash a week or 2 ago. i have the sales guy checking on the other truck. I think my husband was all set to go with the 350 but it was so expensive because it was SO decked out - air conditioned seats even (really??) LOL we were paying for a lot of bells and whistles we never would worry about or use, but there wasn't much out there to pick from. this opens the options a bit. if we get the 250 it might not be as nice to tow with as the 350 but it might be a nicer vehicle to use for daily purposes...

Ottawasteve · 08-18-2015, 09:48 AM

Definitely go with the newer F250. Other than payload, there is little or no difference between the F250 and F350. 3000 lbs plus of payload will be sufficient for the trailers that you are looking at. Ford has done a great job of improving their interiors and creature comforts inside the cabin in the last 5 years.

SilverEscape · 08-18-2015, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhioRVMom

air conditioned seats even (really??)

I also thought this was a useless feature until we got in our F-150. We love them. We live with long winters and hot summers and those AC seats are a super way to cool you down quick when your vehicle has been sitting and heating up in the parking day all long. Also super when you're too warm but the kids in the back are cold, so you can't turn the temperature colder. You can turn on your AC seat and cool yourself without freezing the kids.

That being said, I'd go with the newer truck. I'd probably look for one with all the features I wanted though. If that 250 has what you want, go for it.

Camper_bob · 08-18-2015, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishAr

I'd buy the newer 3/4 ton.

+1

3100 lbs payload is more than you'll need, and the newer truck with fewer miles would be very attractive to me. Why is the 350 so expensive? Is it the toys? Or does it have a diesel whereas the newer 250 is a gasser? Either way, the 250 will be more than enough for what you've been looking at.

That being said, are you thinking of getting a different trailer? Perhaps a 5th wheel? In that case, unfortunately it might be more prudent to go with the 350. I don't know, I would still be looking at the age and miles ...

I didn't want to pay for all the bells and whistles when I bought mine, but my '15 Tradesman is better equipped than my '12 GMC SLE was, so I'm happy.

OhioRVMom · 08-18-2015, 09:56 AM

it's the bells and whistles - its got a lot of toys and nice things - that are 4 years old by the way. the 250 has a higher tow rating too (not much, 12,200 vs 11,900 for the 350).

the biggest functional hit is the 350s payload but to get a 4 year newer truck with all the warranty and actually feel like we are 'upgrading' for spending the extra $12,000 vs DOWN grading

.. that would bug me for some time to know that we went down too far. and we thought about 5th wheels but I dont' think so. I think for all the research we are still learning to the 28BHBE

OhioRVMom · 08-18-2015, 09:56 AM

should we worry about the beefier suspension we are missing in the 250 from the 350?

OhioRVMom · 08-18-2015, 10:12 AM

sales guy is trying to talk us out of it - said the newer one was a rental with enterprise and had 21,000 miles put on it in 7 months and then it sat for many months. it doesn't have a running board or some other things (that we can add) I am not sure if he is talking from honesty or from wanting a possibly bigger commission on the older truck. I get that rentals are beat up - I do... but I'm still not sure

tylersdad · 08-18-2015, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhioRVMom

...but it was so expensive because it was SO decked out - air conditioned seats even (really??) LOL we were paying for a lot of bells and whistles we never would worry about or use, but there wasn't much out there to pick from.

You'd be surprised how nice those air conditioned seats are!!! Our Acadia had heated and cooled seats. When we bought it, I thought it was a useless feature that I was paying for but would never use.

Turns out, we used it all the time! If you have leather, the air conditioned seats are almost a necessity.

FishAr · 08-18-2015, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhioRVMom

sales guy is trying to talk us out of it - said the newer one was a rental with enterprise and had 21,000 miles put on it in 7 months and then it sat for many months. it doesn't have a running board or some other things (that we can add) I am not sure if he is talking from honesty or from wanting a possibly bigger commission on the older truck. I get that rentals are beat up - I do... but I'm still not sure

I take it he's not a close friend so he's obviously trying to sell the truck he'll make the most money on.

OhioRVMom · 08-18-2015, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishAr

I take it he's not a close friend so he's obviously trying to sell the truck he'll make the most money on.

really trying to see how a 4 year older truck is better.. he's touting all the bells and whistles. Hubs only used a couple of the features on his xlt that are not on this one, that we can add - and the other ones, the heated/ac seats and all the other stuff - is just fluff.. (I mean I know they are nice, but it's just one more thing to break down when the warranties run out). we can add the things that are needed like a running board

OhioRVMom · 08-18-2015, 10:23 AM

and I'd agree that heated seats with leather is a must - which these seats are on the 350. I guess I just don't look for all the bells and whistles when we buy - we're more frugal than that. We don't go totally basic, power seats and windows and AC for example.. but we don't need all the extra fun stuff

tylersdad · 08-18-2015, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhioRVMom

and I'd agree that heated seats with leather is a must - which these seats are on the 350. I guess I just don't look for all the bells and whistles when we buy - we're more frugal than that. We don't go totally basic, power seats and windows and AC for example.. but we don't need all the extra fun stuff

I hear ya. We didn't get the cooled seats in this truck. The seats are leather, so I wish we did. But we didn't really have a lot of options since we were looking at new trucks that were 2014.

Country_Mouse · 08-18-2015, 10:31 AM

I always like to bypass the salesmen and deal with the fleet mgr to get the EXACT one that I want. We have saved a lot of $ skipping bells and whistles.

OhioRVMom · 08-18-2015, 10:42 AM

Well - I just talked to the hubs - I feel bad he has to get rid of his beautiful f150 - that we nicknamed "the enterprise" when we got it because it was so flashy inside. Blue metallic and just pretty. I hated that he had to get rid of it for us to do this, and the 2015 is really stripped down. I asked him how he felt, and he really does like the green one, which, we had already nick named 'The Hulk" by the way. His happiness is a huge part of this as he is sacrificing his Blue Enterprise. The red, stripped down model, even though newer, isn't as appealing to him. We're moving forward with the 350. AND - I know this is what he wants - so that's important.

Thank you all VERY much again for the input. Greatly appreciated. I promise to post pics when the deed is done

Camper_bob · 08-18-2015, 10:43 AM

My dad works for Enterprise truck division. It may have been a rental, but chances are pretty high the PM was kept up. Depends on the manager of the area and the renter; most of those trucks are long-term contract rentals and the renter pays the bill if they don't take care of the truck. With the '15, at least you have some warranty left, and 21K miles is not a lot.

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