Thanks, the comments have generally been good. I understand that there a lemons out there, just like cars. Just don't buy one made on a Monday.
Our current Kodiak started out with a delaminated rear wall and peeling decals, which the factory handled. It took three months for the wall to arrive at the dealer, but it has held up well. Quality wise, the Kodiak is fair with sharp edges where legs frequent, thermobond (PVC to melamine)cabinet doors, flimsy or poorly anchored shower walls, etc. All in all we knew what we purchased and have fixed all the problem areas.
What we did not see when we purchased the Kodiak was the total lack of storage(I'm talking clothing and food here), and we travel lite. We have had two Class C motorhomes over the years with no storage problems. Looking at other brands of TT's less than 25', it appears that storage is an issue with most in that size range. Looking at fivers, even as small as 23' there is much more storage for the essentials.
Regarding the drive, there are no models that we are looking at in Florida, Georgia, Alabama or South Carolina Jayco dealers. Jayco even searched their dealers for me. The first is in North Carolina and a few further north and west from there. I have even been talking with a dealer in Montana, only because Bozeman is where my son hopes to go to grad school and the salesman and I are college alumni.
Best I can tell, Florida RV dealers were hit real hard with the recession. Three dealers in my area went under, including the Jayco dealer. The regional RV shows used to take hours to walk through, now an hour or so at best. Some local dealers have only a few models and concentrate on factory orders for the brands that they advertise.
Thanks for the input so far!
Kodiak 21QS, Ford 2011 Super Crew F-150 3.5 Liter EcoBoost/3.73/Max Tow
Lady Fitzgerald wrote: Jayco has been a superior brand in the past but the past two years, quality has been dropping dramatically. Between 2011 and 2012, Jayco cheaped out on many items, including poorer quality cabinet doors, cheaper cabinet and drawer hardware, poorer upholstery quality, replacing the stainless kitchen sink with a resin one in the Eagle line, cheaper lighting fixtures, etc. The worst was responding to complaints of a lack of a Glacier package on the Eagle TTs by cutting the amount of insulation in the roof, then replacing it with a so-called Glacier package one has to pay extra for. I recently learned that in 2013 Jayco is going to drop the best trailers in the Eagle line and make the Eagle lights and Superlights all Eagles, essentially reducing the quality of the entire Eagle line.
I've also been seeing more and more quality control and customer service issues (especially when it comes to warranty work) cropping up on the forums. I would stay away from Jayco until they clean up their act (if they don't go under first).
I couldn't agree less. When we were shopping to upgrade from a TT to FW last summer and fall we didn't set out looking for any particular brand. We kept coming back to the Jayco's because of the quality we were seeing. Our Eagle Super Lite came with Solid Wood Cabinets and a Stainless Steal Sink.
As far as the complaints on the forum, I have seen a lot of repeat complaints from the same few people. Every brand will have a few lemons.
If you got a stainless steel sink, it must have been a 2011 or of the first 2012s.
Jayco builds a nice unit but I have found their list prices push them above the range they intend to serve. For example, compare the features of the Eagle SL to a Crossroads Cruiser or Forest River Sabre and the Jayco seems like its missing some content. The FR and Crossroads both have two year warranties like Jayco. Recently, a poster bought a new Jayco and the roof was questionable with junk under the membrane, staple raised under roof, and the wall flashing raised on the edges... Jayco responded that it was normal....
I would look at other brands and compare accordingly.
2013 Jayco Eagle 334RBTS Disclaimer for the daft: Don't confuse my opinion with facts.
We will definitely get on the roof for a look. I have replaced and fixed a few rubber roofs over the years. Had fiberglass and rubber. Liked fiberglass better than rubber.
The reason we are looking for a fiver with a light pin weight is the tow vehicle, but I don't want to get into that in this thread. The light pin weight limits us to a dozen or so floor plans and out of that dozen or so, we found five or six that we like with the Jayco floorplan at the top.
If you got a stainless steel sink, it must have been a 2011 or of the first 2012s.
Our FW came off the assembly line at the end of November and the wife says I am wrong about the sink, we have the resin sink. Since the wife hates stainless steel she feels the sink is an upgrade. I guess I need to do the dishes more often!
AZ T&T
2012 Jayco Eagle Super Lite 29.5RKS
2011 Chevy 2500 HD 4x4 Duramax
B&W Companion Hitch - Firestone Ride-Rite Air Bags
Honda EU2000i Generator
We are on our third Jayco, Have had only a couple concerns with our second trailer. Warranty dept. was great. IMHO there is no FW comparable as far as quality goes for the price. Solid wood cabinet doors, higher end axles, larger tanks, etc. There other good brands out there but we have always preferred Jayco.
Actually we were looking at a dealer in Asheville, NC. That would be Terrell Camping Center? I had checked their inventory a while back and they did not have any of the 23.5RBS models in stock. Just checked and they are still not in stock. Couldn't find any closer to where we live in Florida.
Gaffney is where the big peach water tower is located correct? I used to live in Myrtle Beach and had friends in Spartanburg many years ago.
riddle family wrote: 6 years with my Jayco and only one issue, microwave went out. I would buy another in a skinny minute.
Is the dealer you are looking at in Terrell, NC? If so best prices I have seen on Jayco products!!!
2006 Jayco Designer (Ordered new).
*NO* issues, never used or needed the 2 yr warranty.
~
Not being able to see the model/floor plan you want:
Dealers order what they believe they can sell.
Even then - some dealers "move" (sell) units quickly.
And - of course *maybe* they just want to sell what's in their inventory!..
I'm in Southern CA - year-round meca for RVing and all sorts of outdoor activities, etc.
Lots and LOTS of RV dealers.
Here's my experience with the Jayco dealer fordsooper likes (Riverside - in So. CA).
DW and I go to see Jayco 5ths there - have a model & floor plan in mind.
Articulate, polite (not "pushy") salesman showed us the two models they had in stock.
When I asked about the model we were interested in - he claimed there was *NO* such model / floor plan!
Hummmmm - - Told the salesperson it was on Jayco's web site - maybe he could take a look.
Reply: "I can't do that - we have one person who does internet things.".
Me: "Well - ask *him* to take a look!".
Ans: "He's not here now.".
Me: "Thank you, and - goodbye."
Was ready to go "cross country" if necessary - ordered & purchased the model and floor plan we wanted sight unseen 1500 miles away in MT. (Matched "Wholesaler" Eastern Jayco dealer price).
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