I know exactly where you are at!! I felt the same way just last year when we finally got ours. We spent a long time looking, and searching this forum and getting help from lots of folks here thru questions just like you are asking. We had a pup for many years, but this is quite different. I know for us it was a HUGE investment and we wanted to be sure we really would like the HTT and that we got the best unit for us. Everyone has different needs for there situation. Have fun while you are deciding. Even tho it is frusrating sometimes, it is a fun process! If I can help, don't hesitate to ask or PM me if you want.
Dave
2007 Jayco 23B
2000 E150 Ford Club Wagon 5.4 w/ tow pkg
Equalizer hitch, Prodigy P3 brake controller
Buddy 125 Scooter-FUN!
1997 Coleman Sunridge- Served us well for 11 years!
Coach, I see you just joined today, Welcome! It may help if you made a list of things that are important to you. On the 23B, we loved the big dinnette. It becomes a huge bed, and can fit many more people around it than any of the standard dinettes. That was our #1 item on our list as we love to play games in the evening and often camp in the Spring and Fall when we often can't be outside in the late evenings.
How many are in your camping family??? Whats important to you?
Just a few things to think about.
It is my wife and two little ones (9 and 8). The thing I'm struggling with the most is: should I buy new? If I do buy new do I spend a little more for the Jayco (2 yr. warranty) or go with the Roo for a couple of thousand less?
We bought our Jayco 23B new, but that's been a few years. Could live just fine without the "RVQ". We like the heated mattresses, but could live without them if we had to. I would definitely recommend the lift kit. Jaycos and Roos are among the best out there. I don't think you could go wrong with either. If you're buying used, are you comfortable fixing things? Is there a dealer nearby that you know well enough to go to for repairs? With a brand new one, everything gets fixed and Jayco offers a good warranty. BUT...its gonna be more on the front end. Six of one; half a dozen of the other. It has to be what YOU are comfortable with.
When we bought ours new, they also threw in the weight distribution and elec. jack.
CoachJ wrote: It is my wife and two little ones (9 and 8). The thing I'm struggling with the most is: should I buy new? If I do buy new do I spend a little more for the Jayco (2 yr. warranty) or go with the Roo for a couple of thousand less?
we learned and researched for over a year before we decided what hybrid to buy and what tow vehicle to buy.
i'd recommend not worrying about deciding until you educate yourself. this will make you a much more confident buyer. especially, since you've never even had a popup. don't rush into buying the first thing you find.
if the Jayco dealer wants $950 for a sway control bar and brake controller, i'd run away from him. you called it a "stabilizer bar". unless you mean the whole weight distributing hitch. even if it was the whole WDH and brake controller, it should only cost around $600 max.
also, the Roo has a second year factory warranty available for $150, i think. we bought it for ours.
based on your info, i'd recommend buying new. you'll have the confidence of the factory warranty to get all the bugs fixed. and you'll get the latest upgrades.
Dan- Firefighter, Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever, 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LS, 2007 Rockwood Roo 23SS w/Equalizer and Prodigy, and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes
Welcome to the forum from another neighbor in Texarkana. I have a Roo 21ss o5 model, bought it in 04, and have been very happy with it,no problems to speak of. I used the RVW price in my negotiations with a dealer in Hot Springs AR to get a deal I could live with. while you are checking out RVW you may want to look at the 23ss,it wasn't available when I was shopping but it has more counter space and storage than the 21ss and isn't a lot higher. Good luck and have fun looking. Bob
Find out the towing capacity on your vehicle. I started out with an F150 supercrew with the smaller V8 4.6l and it towed fine,some of the hills in AR were a little tough,My truck now has the 5.4l,same body style and it makes a lot of difference. Don't take the dealer word for it a lot of them will tell you that your truck will pull anything.
Thanks so much for all the help. If I can get another year warranty for $150 on the Roo then it will make me feel a lot better.
Another question to everyone - do the beds get real warm during the daytime if they are exposed to the sun?
Don't confuse a good warranty with a good product. A Roo or Jayco is unlikely to have any problems beyond the first season, let alone the first year. We elected to not get the second year warranty on our Roo and the $150 is still in my wife's pocket.
I've noted no quality issues to differentiate the Roos from the Jaycos, but strongly prefer the Roo. A matter of feel, taste, call it what you want. The Roo, especially the 23SS, just felt right. You'll know it when you find it.
Look at used hybrids even if you intend to buy new. They're a good indicator of how well they hold up in your climate and on your roads. Some brands may not fare well.
The major feature and benefit of a hybrid is sleeping outdoors under tents.
The major liability of a hybrid is sleeping outdoors under tents.
The beds will get hot in strong sunlight, but are easily covered with reflective material like Popup Gizmos(tm). They get chilly on cold nights. They get wet in the rain and need to be dried off before closing up for more than a couple of hours. But they're worth these minor hassles to sleep outdoors.
-- Chuck
'06 Roo 23SS behind '07 Expedition out of Cleveland Our Photo pages
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, Shawn- Musician/Entrepreneur
, Zoe- Faithful Golden Retriever
, 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche LS, 2007 Rockwood Roo 23SS w/Equalizer and Prodigy, and 5 Mtn. bikes and 2 Road bikes
