Community Forums

Coolzzy · 10-13-2024, 02:48 PM

I'm looking at two very similiar trailers with a huge difference in list price. A 2025 Jayco 23RL and a starcraft 23rks, same Floorplan on both. Both made in the same factory a few hours away from me.

Jayco is 39k "best price". It has azdel siding, bigger windows, bigger heater, Goodyear tires, huck bolt frame

Starcraft is 29k, before any haggling. It has same Floorplan, but one less window and one less roof vent (doesn't have a roof vent in the main living area, just the bathroom and bedroom). It has power stabilizer jacks, laminated fiberglass siding, lippert frame, somehow a deeper bedroom with real doors on bedroom and bedroom closet (jayco has pocket doors).

10k difference in price, but jayco dealer says they can't do anything on price since it's a 2025, and yet it seems they are pretty close to msrp. Starcraft is 90% the same trailer, but price being equal I'd prefer the jayco for the azdel siding and power fan in living area. Both have the 200w solar to run the 12v fridge, which I'd have to expand to 400 and add lithium battery regardless to keep up with boondocking. Is it even worth trying to haggle on the jayco?

Either trailer would be stored in my heated RV garage and roof inspected and sealed every spring so maybe azdel shouldn't be a deal breaker? I've owned my current trailer since new in 2015 and never an issue, it's just a bunkhouse and we're looking to get into a couples camper as our kids leave home (only 1 left).

db4570 · 10-13-2024, 08:04 PM

Is the Starcraft a 2025 also? If so, 10k is a very big deal. It also makes me think the dealer is BS'ing on not being able to haggle.

Is Azdel the smooth fiberglass siding? It looks really nice, but when it came down to it I chose the old fashioned aluminum corrugated siding, even though it wasn't a big cost savings. It just seemed a little more proven and easier to repair.

I love a lot of big windows in a camper, and this was important to me when I bought ours. Is the window in a place where it would be really noticeable? For instance, in the main living area, I want all the windows I can get. Not sure I'd pay $10k for one, though.

Can you expand your horizons and consider buying one out of town? This seems to open up a lot of options and attractive pricing.

Don't be afraid to shop around. Good luck!

twogypsies · 10-13-2024, 09:25 PM

Try a different dealer. You can even get a price over the phone sometimes. Call different dealers with exactly what you want.

Gary RVRoamer · 10-14-2024, 03:48 PM

Rvs are extremely price competitive. If there is a hard $10k price difference in that size unit, there will be a LOT of differences in materials & workmanship. May or may not be differences you care about. Dig deeper and figure out what's important.

But I agree with the others - call around for some other price quotes on those two.

Coolzzy · 10-15-2024, 09:14 AM

Both units are 2025
Both units are made in the same jayco assembly factory. The jayco has azdel which is a some form of vacuum bonded plastic material (foam in the middle) and does not use luan wood for any part of it so there is no chance of deamination or water damage. The starcraft is vacuum bonded fiberglass gel coat, so the fiberglass is bonded to luan with foam in between and luan backer for the inside coach surface. They can delaminate if not properly maintained.

I have an RV garage so I'm not particularly worried about the elements except for the 20-30 odd days a year it gets used outside for camping.

As far as windows go, the jayco has an additional window in the slide out wall, and every single other window is bigger. But like you said, $10k is a big difference. I also noticed the recliners in the jayco are manual cable operated where the starcraft has power recliners. The power recliners only work on 110v which seemed odd to me.

I'm camping with my in laws who just purchased a top of the line cougar and noticed it doesn't have a roof fan in the living area, and it's electric fridge compressor seems to run nonstop, making a constant fan noise. Is this typical behavior for 12v fridges in rvs? I'm used to the complete silence of my gas absorption fridge. Nice to have that extra fridge space and quick cool down though. I should also mention the jayco has an on demand water heater vs the starcraft has a gas/electric 6 gallon unit, which I think I prefer since it doesn't waste as much water waiting for hot water....

oldenavy · 10-15-2024, 09:26 AM

First hand experience with the on-demand RV water heaters. They waste a TON of water trying to get hot water out of them. That effectively reduces the size of your fresh & gray water tanks A LOT! If you boondock, that can be a very important difference. They also don't work off electric, so if you do have hookups, you're still using your propane to make hot water instead of the electricity you've already paid for in your campsite fees.

db4570 · 10-15-2024, 10:28 PM

My electric fridge runs a lot, but I can barely hear it. Is it possible something else is making that noise? I was fooled by my converter fan, which is near my fridge. (It was running constantly because of a pulled runaway brake switch activating the brakes constantly.)

Coolzzy · 10-16-2024, 08:46 AM

I checked with another jayco dealer several hours away and they said pound sand on getting a lower price. Seems like they don't know we're going into winter? Anyway the starcraft just keeps on looking better. However my dear wife now wants to consider another bunkhouse on the off chance one of my college kids decides to come home and camp with us next season (very low possibility of that). I love my kids but I'm not really interested in planning an RV purchase around an unlikely "what if" scenario. Otherwise we'd still have a minivan. I'm worried if I don't get one now at a great end of season price, I'll have to wait another year. By then I probably won't be able to get one with a gas/electric water heater, already missed that opportunity on the gas/electric fridge.

Besides, in a pinch, someone can sleep in a recliner, they are more comfortable than the bed I currently sleep on in my rv as it is. But in another year my current rv will be paid off so I'll get more out of it when I sell and maybe lower interest rates in a year....

Nlambert · 10-16-2024, 10:00 AM

You're looking at the bells and whistles. You need to be looking at the construction.

AZDEL is a superior siding in comparison to fiberglass. While that may not matter as much to you if in storage, it might if the roof springs a leak while you're on the road.

How thick are the sidewalls? What type of insulation? What type of wall framing? What type of roof framing? What type/size AC and furnace? What type of suspension? What type of frame? What size axles? etc... etc...

Bells and whistles are often used to make people think they're getting a higher quality rig when in fact they just can't see past the cool stuff. Dig deeper before you make a decision. There's a reason for the $10k cost difference.

ocbizman1 · 10-16-2024, 10:52 AM

Whether it's a truck, car, RV or trailer, each dealer has a price. And that price is THE price. Any deals will be determined by how motivated the dealer is, be it their sales volume, over-stock, or needing to make room for the next years inventory. But once they settle on a price, you will never get past it. Shopping around from one dealer to the next is your only option.

I bought a truck a few years ago from a dealer advertising deals, deals, deals! $5000 incentive, zero percent financing, deals, deals, deals. Of course you can't have both the incentive and the financing. Finally picked a truck I wanted and got pricing. Managed to get 3 prices from them. One for all cash, one for bring my own financing, one for using their financing. The final price of the truck was only a few hundred dollars difference between the 3 options. There were NO deals. In the end you paid the sticker price.

inthepines · 10-16-2024, 05:49 PM

local dealership has only received I'd say a dozen 25's as of yet. More of the 24's on the lot still.
The fan in the living room is most likely due to their not being a exhaust range hood on that floor plan.
Does the starcraft have a range exhaust fan over the stove vs the jayco?
One other reason there is a 10k difference I'd imagine is the 2 yr vs 1 yr warranty.
But if you only use it 20 days a year than that warranty isn't probably worth it.
and the azdel vs laminate.
I'm still a fan of the aluminum siding myself.

Coolzzy · 10-16-2024, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthepines

local dealership has only received I'd say a dozen 25's as of yet. More of the 24's on the lot still.
The fan in the living room is most likely due to their not being a exhaust range hood on that floor plan.
Does the starcraft have a range exhaust fan over the stove vs the jayco?
One other reason there is a 10k difference I'd imagine is the 2 yr vs 1 yr warranty.
But if you only use it 20 days a year than that warranty isn't probably worth it.
and the azdel vs laminate.
I'm still a fan of the aluminum siding myself.

Both units have range hoods over the stove with fans vented to the outside. I purchased an extended warranty on my current trailer when I bought it brand new and never used it. Just a trim peice fixed within 30 days or purchase. Now back in 15 I think they were building these things better than they are today though. For example my exterior baggage doors are thicker and very sturdy, no flex in them when opening or closing. All the new ones I've looked at seem to be made of Styrofoam sandwiched between plastic. My concern is having a power roof fan in that kitchen or living area is useful for evacuating smoke more efficiently than a range hood. It also can be used to create a breeze by cracking a side window. We boondock 95% of the time and don't often use the AC/generator unless absolutely necessary.

BPTS · 10-17-2024, 07:24 AM

Buy a 2019ish Outdoors RV for the same money.
Twice the unit and quality.

Still want something from Jayco?

https://youtu.be/aLHux4SuXbY

Coolzzy · 10-17-2024, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BPTS

Buy a 2019ish Outdoors RV for the same money.
Twice the unit and quality.

Still want something from Jayco?

https://youtu.be/aLHux4SuXbY

Those also are much heavier for any given floor plan. I'm towing with a half ton primarily in the mountains and need to limit Gvwr to around 7k pounds while still having a large slide out. I'm not planning on living in it and really dislike the dark wood interior of those units. It hasn't aged well (I have a dark wood interior in my current trailer and after 10 years, ready for something different).