We love our Jay Feather. Jayco makes a very good rig.
Doug & Mary Ann Van Dusen and Phoebe (the dog)
2008 Chevy 1500 Silverado 5.3L LTZ 3.73, HD Trailer Pkg.
2008 JayFeather LGT 31E
Equal-i-zer, Prodigy BC and TomTom GPS
LakeN wrote: We owned a Jayco & it was a nightmare experience. If you manage to get a unit that is intact, it will probably be great. If you get a lemon that delaminates & leaks, the Jayco company is a bear to deal with. It took our state atty. general's office to help us unload the TT. Please look at other models. Good luck!
Please tell me what "delaminates" means...is that something that is due to the smooth exterior siding?
Delamination occurs when the fiberglass exterior separates usually indicated by bubbles. Delamination can occur due to inferior construction of the luan/glues/fiberglass process when manufactured OR it can happen when faulty construction allows water to leak between the layers. This can be difficult to detect until you have a BIG problem. In the case of our Jayco we had 2 different BIG issues: delamination on the front corner of the unit (large bubble in 6 mths.) and massive amounts of dimpling on the interior ceiling. When the dimples were broken with a pinpoint water came out. As time progressed, an increasing amount of leaks occurred damaging interior wood in more than one location. A moisture meter (used in boat yards on fiberglass hulls) indicated that the entire right side front exterior wall of TT was very wet.
Our current TT is fiberglass and we have absolutely no fiberglass issues at 5 years old!!
Do check every nook and cranny of a unit you are buying and preferably after a good hard rain. If you find any moisture, RUN from the unit.
Good luck. Feel free to PM me for more info.
'08 Toyota Tundra 5.7L with tow package/Prodigy
'03 Trail Lite 7230/ waiting on 2009 North Trail
2 Campers + 1 spoiled golden retriever, Daisy
LakeN wrote: We owned a Jayco & it was a nightmare experience. If you manage to get a unit that is intact, it will probably be great. If you get a lemon that delaminates & leaks, the Jayco company is a bear to deal with. It took our state atty. general's office to help us unload the TT. Please look at other models. Good luck!
Please tell me what "delaminates" means...is that something that is due to the smooth exterior siding?
Delamination occurs when the fiberglass exterior separates usually indicated by bubbles. Delamination can occur due to inferior construction of the luan/glues/fiberglass process when manufactured OR it can happen when faulty construction allows water to leak between the layers. This can be difficult to detect until you have a BIG problem. In the case of our Jayco we had 2 different BIG issues: delamination on the front corner of the unit (large bubble in 6 mths.) and massive amounts of dimpling on the interior ceiling. When the dimples were broken with a pinpoint water came out. As time progressed, an increasing amount of leaks occurred damaging interior wood in more than one location. A moisture meter (used in boat yards on fiberglass hulls) indicated that the entire right side front exterior wall of TT was very wet.
Our current TT is fiberglass and we have absolutely no fiberglass issues at 5 years old!!
Do check every nook and cranny of a unit you are buying and preferably after a good hard rain. If you find any moisture, RUN from the unit.
Good luck. Feel free to PM me for more info.
LakeN,
Not to hijack this thread, but you've got me scared... and maybe some others, too. I've been posting about issues with our 26L rear sagging and now the leak that developed in the rear storage area, and after reading all of your posts, I certainly get the drift you would never even look at Jayco again. Maybe we should be running scared, too.
It sounds like you were treated really badly, which is contrary to what most have experienced. I will say Jayco was a totally different company back in 2003. Since then, one of the original founders of Jayco's son bought back the company and supposedly has really turned the company and quality around. Years ago, my wife and I thought Jayco was on the bottom of the scale, so we wouldn't even look at them. By mistake, we found ours, and we've been happy with ours since. That said, ours started as a leaker with the front bunk before we even took it off the lot. It was fixed and has been flawless in that regard. Maybe we should have heeded the sign.
Although we have no delamination issues, I am beginning to wonder if we have a lemon here. I think Jayco will make good, but I can't envision any way they will be able to fix a sagging frame without really messing up the interior wall joints and caulk joints. I sure hope for our sake, we can prove Jayco has in fact turned around. Your case looks to be the exception rather than the rule. I hope ours is repaired, or replaced if necessary, as the rule.
Your thoughts are welcomed.
Dad, DW, DS, and DD
2007 Jayco Jayfeather 26L EXP Hybrid
2008 Ford F-150 King Ranch Supercrew
Equalizer Hitch & Prodigy Controller
1. Jayco has a very good reputaion. 2. The rear queen slides are nice...save on towing a longer trailer but you should lay down in one to make sure you fit and that you are comfortable sleeping "boxed in" as opposed to a walk around bed. 3. The U dinettes are great for a big family..we had one and miss it. KZ Spree 289KS is a similar quad bunk, smooth side rear queen slide trailer. Similar length, weight but the U dinette is in the side slideout as opposed to in front of the queen bed, you dont have to climb over the dinette to get out of bed. The KZ also has a "king" bed which runs lengthwise as opposed to sideways so you dont have to climb over your spouse to get out of bed too.
Buffalodan: Yes, supposedly Jayco does have a good reputation. That is why we purchased one! However, the company puts you thru a heirarchy of reps where each one tries to stall you at their level. That is why the atty. general was necessary for us to get some real action. At the end, Jayco was going to allow us to choose another Jayco TT. We spent hours locating one only to be told they would not get the unit from one of their own dealers in Indiana!! Previously, the IN factory replaced the roof & that resulted in more leaks in different places. Plus the unit returned to our NC dealer with someone else's moldy shower curtain!! How is that for customer service?
Kampefirekid: Yes, we were treated badly by both our own dealership and the Jayco reps. The only helpful person we contacted there resigned to go with another company. Several of the reps told us bold faced lies. If your frame is sagging, take action with them NOW while you are under warranty.
Our issues began very early (3-4 months old) and our camper spent more time at the shop than with us. Camping trips were limited. We spent more than a full year documenting, photographing, hassling, etc. Unit owned from May 03 to Dec 04 when we received compensation for our Jayco junk. It was very sad as we absolutely loved the unit when we chose it! It was a Kiwi; now the Jayfeather line. We refer to it as the "unspeakable." Overall, a horrendous experience.
Good luck!
PS During our experience, we were contacted by at least 5 people from this forum who had similar issues with a Jayco. One person had the same year & model and also had delamination. We posted several questions here on the forum. Even had one member basically tell me to shut up about the situation (a big Jayco fan)!
BUFFALODAN wrote: 1. Jayco has a very good reputaion. 2. The rear queen slides are nice...save on towing a longer trailer but you should lay down in one to make sure you fit and that you are comfortable sleeping "boxed in" as opposed to a walk around bed. 3. The U dinettes are great for a big family..we had one and miss it. KZ Spree 289KS is a similar quad bunk, smooth side rear queen slide trailer. Similar length, weight but the U dinette is in the side slideout as opposed to in front of the queen bed, you dont have to climb over the dinette to get out of bed. The KZ also has a "king" bed which runs lengthwise as opposed to sideways so you dont have to climb over your spouse to get out of bed too.
Thanks alot for all of your info...but, unfortunately, we went to look at the Jayco, and were very dissatisfied with the condition of the unit that was supposedly used only two times...if that is the case, the way this unit held up was horrible.
We will continue to look for another unit...it may be a Jayco, but probably not. The salesman at this dealership was pushy, unknowledgeable, and just plain rude. I DEFINATELY won't purchase from them.
Buffalodan, thank you for the insite on the KZ. We really like the 289KS floorplan, and it is less expensive brand new. The only problem is, I can't locate one anywhere in the south. This may not happen for us this summer...
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