Wondering about Jayco construction quality overall

[michael john]

will be buying a new travel trailer in the next week or so like a couple of the jayco Jay flight and white hawk floor plans like the roof and floor construction I realize quaility control in the RV industry overall is not great but looking for owners overall experience of construction quality

[RussOnTheRoad]

Originally Posted by michael john

will be buying a new travel trailer in the next week or so like a couple of the jayco Jay flight and white hawk floor plans like the roof and floor construction I realize quaility control in the RV industry overall is not great but looking for owners overall experience of construction quality

I realize you asked for owner opinions. I don't own a Jayco but I will say this: As you suggested it is a widely held opinion there is a lack of quality control across the RV industry. That, I fear, is all you need to know. That said, I was once told by a higher-up at an manufacturing plant that quality goes up when demand goes down because when the demand dips it's the least experienced workers that are laid off first leaving the more experienced workers on the line.

Demand for new RVs has been at record levels since Covid hit and workers in general have been hard to find. Thus, less qualified workers are more likely to have been hired recently than when demand has been less. I've heard the workers at RV companies today will quit if you look at them funny because they know they can easily get another gig. All told, it wouldn't surprise me if the quality of new RVs coming off the line right now is at a low ebb, I'm sorry to say. I have no evidence one way or the other, but that would be my guess and were I shopping I might be looking for a used RV, made pre-Covid. I tried to find a used RV when I bought mine in 2018 because RVs depreciate very, very quickly and a recent model used RV might save me money in that regard as well as having many of the inevitable problems already fixed. I could not find a used one of the model I wanted so I bought new. BTW, because of the current high demand I believe I could sell my used 2018 now for more than I paid if I wanted to sell it. I know others who have done just that.

In my own experience I have come to conclude that many people will say their RVs are great because they have no idea of the problems right under their noses or because they want to justify their purchase decision and not feel stupid. This is not to say you shouldn't be asking Jayco owners for their opinions but rather to be alert to their qualifications to actually provide you with worthwhile information.

I'm sure others will have differing opinions than mine, but from my cynical corner of the world, the quality of most all RVs probably leaves something to be desired, especial now. HTH.

[PAJeepFan]

I own a 2022 Jayco Greyhawk 30Z. I haven't noticed any major issues thus far, but there are numerous little things like sloppy trim and finishing work. We already had to have a pocket door replaced because of it being warped. It was so bad that I couldn't get it opened. The important stuff all seems to be working just fine.

[Funengineer]

I’m also a 2022 Jayco class c owner. I’m not stupid and don’t need to justify my purchase. I’ve also previously owned a Viking, Jayco and three Forest River (Flagstaff and Rockwood) products you may want to look at.

I have NOT noticed any change in quality or construction in my 2022 compared to my previous units.

Since you asked for Jayco owners experience on construction quality I believe I’m qualified where others may not be so here’s my take on Jayco quality.

Most of the brands I’ve owned and had experience with compare to the construction quality of our Jayco units. Other brands that we researched during our 30 years of camping in my opinion don’t match Jayco or Forest River overall quality. They all use similar construction processes like air nailers/staplers and air powered screw guns. Their interior framing is typically 3/4” x ? which is light weight but splits and cracks in places unseen. There are always too many nails/staples and not enough glue and too many puddy holes. Lots of screws are stripped during the construction process and either need tightening or upsizing. Every unit I’ve ever owned need a good vacuuming of cabinets and spaces that are hard to reach. If you’ve ever watched a video of a travel trailer or motorhome being constructed you’ll understand the process and why there are issues like strip screws and lots of nails/staple holes. These assembly line workers get paid by how many units they process. The more units across the line the more they make. They are always running while performing their tasks. Everyone including Jayco needs to spend more time on quality control.
Where I think Jayco raises the bar is in the quality of cabinetry, furniture, ceilings and wall material, appliances and the overall fit and finish. Simple things like cabinet and drawer pulls, lights and fabric are in my opinion better.

We’ve experienced issues that were easy to repair ourselves and issues that required the dealer or factory to address. The more mechanically inclined you are the better your experience will be in maintaining your new rig. I’ve never experienced any issues getting warranty work done. Remember these are homes attached to a metal frame being driven or towed on rough roads at highway speeds approaching hurricane wind speeds.

Do your research and make an educated decision. Check and see if you can’t find a Facebook Jayco owners group for your specific model. There are lots of them out there. They can be very helpful in your search for answers. I think that Jaycos quality compared to other brands like Winnebago, Coachman, some Forest River, Dutchman and several others is better. This is just my opinion based on my shopping and research based on what I wanted and was looking for in an RV. Your needs, wants and desires may be different and that’s okay.

Good luck in your search and enjoy your new RV.

[Persistent]

Originally Posted by michael john

will be buying a new travel trailer in the next week or so like a couple of the jayco Jay flight and white hawk floor plans like the roof and floor construction I realize quaility control in the RV industry overall is not great but looking for owners overall experience of construction quality

Floor plans show interior layout and are available on manufacturers sales website and many other places.

Construction plans wall, floor, wiring, plumbing, and other build details. These are often not available to consumers for low end travel trailers. Perhaps the manufacturers don't think it will enhance sales and for good reason.

Construction plans may be available from other sources than manufacture's sales web sites. Different models of Jayco may have different construction.

Buying an RV is like gambling. You never know what you are going to get. Some brands and models provide better odds of a good owner experience.

Jayco is more likely to provide a good new owner's experience than Dutchmen, Keystone, Kodiak, Voltage.

I wish you good luck and happy trails head!

[mtpocket21]

I am not an owner but I was looking for a new camper. Jayco was one of the lower quality trailers we saw. They were also over priced compared to the competition. They were cutting a lot of corners in their builds. We looked at two new campers on the dealers lot and one was torn apart because they were trying to fix a problem and the other had many inoperable features. I had heard very dood things over the years but apparently since they sold out the quality has tanked.

[ctgt]

I think that with any trailer brand you may come across a bad build. My 3 previous RV's were a Sunnybrook trailer, A Landmark fifth wheel, and a Lance trailer. None of them were bottom line units, but I did have some issues with them all. My current trailer is a Jayco 274CKDS Eagle HT, a year old now, and when we were looking I found the Jayco build quality to be better than about anything I saw in the market. I was not looking at lower priced units so I can't compare them to what I ended up ordering and buying. Jayco has a large offering, as do several others, so you have to compare price points. I also wanted to buy from a convenient servicing dealer, so I looked at dealers and brands within 200 miles of my home. After a year of use I must say that I am very happy with my Jayco, and would buy another---and I can't say that about the three prior brands.

[Mikelmartin]

We purchased a 2019 whitehawk that was 9 months old and never used. Taken it on 10 trips with only one issue that I could not fix myself. Unfortunately I had a well greased bearing grenade on the road but that was a Dexter problem not Jayco’s. I suggest you go the the Jayco owners group website and look what they are saying

[klspahr]

I had a coachman and a jayco in the past. I felt the build quality was about the same. Most everything is stapled together with a lot of particle board with vinyl wood grain applied over that. The wiring was sloppily done. The builders left trash and sawdust behind/under the cabinetry. Built with the “get it out the door as fast as you can” mentality.

They were both perfectly usable and we had no issues with failure due to construction quality. When we were shopping for our motorhome, everything we looked at in our price range seemed to be built the same with the same appliances. If you removed the makers name I doubt you could tell any difference. So for me the floor plan was the deciding issue. It also is nice if you are “handy” and can do minor repairs and modifications yourself because once the dealer has your money all the boasting of their great service department doesn’t materialize into action on their part.

We now have a Roadtrek Class B and the build quality on this 2015 is a little better but not a whole lot.

[Fushux]

I've got a 2022 Redhawk 31F and like others have mentioned, I've found numerous trim pieces, cabinet latches, door hinges and other that small things that needed tweaking. It did go back to warranty work because the main door handle needed to be pulled with the hands of hercules to release. They adjusted and all is fine.

Also like others have mentioned. The entire industry lacks quality control. I've seen some high end motorhomes at dealerships and RV shows that display the same issues my "cheaper" model has. You don't typically see this in passenger car manufacturing but there is a lot less moving parts to deal with.

Andrew

[michael john]

OP here thanks for the feedback. I finally bought a jayco white hawk 32BH with the separate room. In the end the deciding factor was the floor plan and some of the construction details. delivery date is May 20 I will keep my fingers crossed on the delivery date. I will add a small review when I actually have it.

[PAJeepFan]

Originally Posted by michael john

OP here thanks for the feedback. I finally bought a jayco white hawk 32BH with the separate room. In the end the deciding factor was the floor plan and some of the construction details. delivery date is May 20 I will keep my fingers crossed on the delivery date. I will add a small review when I actually have it.

Congratulations on your purchase. That is a beautiful RV, with a fantastic floor plan! You will really appreciate the entertainment center on those nasty days when you are stuck inside. Happy camping!

[DelawareShaw]

We purchased a 2017 Highland Ridge new and we have had nothing but problems with this unit since the first trip. Quality of construction, assembly and design of the cable operated slideouts are our biggest issues. The slides in the kitchen and living areas have a hangup problem when pulling them in. Since the floors are not a flush design, you have to pull the slide out floors up into the main structure and they pull extremely hard to climb up to slide over the main floor. When the slides are out, the difference in the floor heights can be a nuisance when having 4 at the dinner table. The kitchen/dining slide is extremely hard to pull in. It usually pops up with a loud crack and a jump. From that point on, it sldes in without issue. Our floors have several soft spots and with the enclosed underbelly, will be an interesting job to reinforce. This unit was taken back to Jayco, after fighting with them for three years and it is still not a decent unit. The 3X insulation is a joke! When we open the rear upper cabinet at the rear left corner, there is a red light that glows from the lack of anything between the upper marker light and the upper cabinet but air. So much for 3X! We had what could have been an extremely disastrous incident on our way back from Florida this May. The rear spring shackle bracket broke loose from the frame at 60 miles an hour. We literally slid to a stop. Very poor QC at the frame shop when it was built. Almost no weld was present at this crucial attachment point. My entrance door was replaced at Thor/Jayco/Highland Ridge. You can see out at the top and at the bottom, so much for 3X insulation. The rack that the topper is attached to the sidewall above the slide out pulled away from the wall. Screws were to small to hold the rail long term. Cabinetry, very cheaply made. I would say to anyone wanting a Thor product, be very wary. This was the second Thor product. The first was a 35 foot Chateau. We won't get into that one, not enough space.

[arcaguy]

I took a tour of the Jayco Seneca factory a few years ago (pre Covid) and was happy with the quality I observed. Had I liked their engineering better I would have bought one. What I didn't like was their aluminum framing, the rotomolded plastic basement compartments and luan walls. Aluminum tends to work harden more than steel if it gets stressed, plastic basement compartments are difficult to repair and luan will rot causing delamination while Azdel will not. My advice to anyone buying any RV is to try and arrange a factory tour but I realize that is not practical for everyone. Good luck.