Just got back from a trip, apart from an outside locker door lock falling apart, and something ado with the electrical system, our fairly new van suffered an internal failure. The bed frame let go from its hinges, under pressure from the air struts, the aluminum hinges straightened out where they are rolled to take the hinge wire, and the whole bed frame gets propelled 20cm forward until the struts reach the end of their stroke.
I have to now replace 4 hinges with stronger ones to avoid this happening again. Our van has the bed in a slide out, don't know if other types get effected, but its worth checking, not the sort of thing you want happening if you are out and about.
I figure better quality control would eliminate a lot of Jayco's problems just not enough thought even saying that they do try and rectify problems as quick as possible. They need to employ someone with at least half a brain if you saw some of the problems which occur.
Okay, can we also include all those other problems that the other manufacturers have. You always slam Jayco. I have had two of them and have found them to be great. Yes, I purchased for the price. Realistically, I listened to this forum before I purchased both, looked at other caravans and come to the conclusion that no one is ever happy with the new caravan! Suck it up complainers, what is the percentage that Jayco has of the Australian market of caravan sales? Last I heard was 48%. They must be doing something right!
Can we just stop complaining, and if you really want to whine, message me and I will send you the cost of a telephone call to someone who really cares! It will be a Psychologist!
You really wouldn't want me to list the problems I have had with this van, all of which is poor engineering design or poor construction ethics. The van was 50% less than the initial van I was negotiating to have built, so I still have some way to go expense wise in fixing these problems.
When I brought the van, I hardly got home before a survey was in my email box asking me how much I loved the van, how ever it is sad that Jayco and no doubt all the other manufactures are not interested in your feed back later down the track when the problems start emerging.
While the bed is dismantled, I think I'll re-do the battery system that's under the bed, there is such a mess of wires the battery lids won't fit the boxes.
You really wouldn't want me to list the problems I have had with this van, all of which is poor engineering design or poor construction ethics. The van was 50% less than the initial van I was negotiating to have built, so I still have some way to go expense wise in fixing these problems. When I brought the van, I hardly got home before a survey was in my email box asking me how much I loved the van, how ever it is sad that Jayco and no doubt all the other manufactures are not interested in your feed back later down the track when the problems start emerging.
While the bed is dismantled, I think I'll re-do the battery system that's under the bed, there is such a mess of wires the battery lids won't fit the boxes.
Hope that you get everything sorted Ian
I had a problem where my Jayco bed was very hard to lift, and would not lift high enough, which made it very awkward to store and retrieve stuff
On fitting longer struts, which due to being longer, had to be reposition at one end, I noticed when removing the original struts, that they were not even aligned
The motorhome was seven years old when I purchased it, and I suddenly realised why the storage area looked as though it had never been used It would have been too hard for some people to lift the bed, and when lifted, you would have had to get on your knees, and not be able to reach the far corners
We all know that unskilled or uninterested people sometimes help to build the RV, and that we can expect some things are not quite right
But... We do expect that for what is paid, some sort of quality assurance, should have rectified any problems, before it left the factory
Within the bookwork in my RV, is a receipt for $124,000 dated 2007 If I had paid that sort of money, for this RV, then I would most certainly be complaining
Okay, can we also include all those other problems that the other manufacturers have. You always slam Jayco. I have had two of them and have found them to be great. Yes, I purchased for the price. Realistically, I listened to this forum before I purchased both, looked at other caravans and come to the conclusion that no one is ever happy with the new caravan! Suck it up complainers, what is the percentage that Jayco has of the Australian market of caravan sales? Last I heard was 48%. They must be doing something right! Can we just stop complaining, and if you really want to whine, message me and I will send you the cost of a telephone call to someone who really cares! It will be a Psychologist!
Hello Lancelot Link
No disrespect intended
This is a forum where people can put up a problem, and ask others if they have a solution
It is also good to advise others of the problems they have encountered in all new recreation vehicles, other makes as well as Jayco
This may give new owners something to look for, at the pre inspection, and ask the manufacturer to rectify it, if they notice something wrong.
I shall take you up on your offer of a telephone call to a Psychologists I will use my own money, can I have the telephone number of the Psychologists, who can
Supply me with a wiring diagram of a 2007 build Jayco Conquest, modelFD 22 2, built on a 2006 Fiat Ducato chassis
I am sure that Jayco will pay the bill, when they find out, that when I have a wiring diagram in my hand, I will no longer be advising anyone, not to buy a Jayco, as they have no idea, where their own wiring goes
As a sidenote I have attempted to purchase a copy of a wiring diagram, from Jayco in Perth Western Australia After looking on their computer for me, their answer was that they do not have one The reason being that, as they make so many different models, they would have to have a wiring diagram for every one of them
I have downloaded a generic Jayco wiring diagram from the net, but it is not the same as the wires in my vehicle
And from another Jayco owner,
Yes, I knew they were built to a price (my price?) & I'm on my second (both were second hand, too). A bit more care would have been handy when the factory workers were screwing the floor to the chassis rails so I have discovered.
However one wonders just how long some of the Chinese built vans are going to last particularly when they are driven over some of our "choice" roads both dirt & sealed. My Eagle Outback travelled many of these roads & only the odd small screw fell out.
While I was signing up for our latest van at the New Age agency in Townsville, I was told about people who had brought Chinese made vans coming in & requesting "free" warranty work from New Age because the owners could not contact their manufacturers-agents. I was also told a lot of these vans are built in China, then disassembled to fit into a container, then reassembled here in Australia (the New Age people's words - not mine). How many times can a screw be inserted in a hole before it stresses the frame?
Unfortunately Jayco like most other Australian manufacturers are using some Chinese made parts in their vans.
What is lacking is the customer service from some Jayco agents. I know there are some who are exceptional - my local lot? Well I am not holding my breath!
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Warren
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If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!
rgren2 you are correct, went to the big green shop to check out hinges, they had heavy duty piano hinge there that will do the job nicely.
Have a look at the rest of your hinges, cupboards, overheads and replace them too. Easy to do, you'll never have a problem with hinges in the future. Don't forget folding table and stove top. I think you and I are the only ones addressing the original problem.
Along time ago when I was an apprentice, and I mean along time ago, on a train to somewhere, a little old lady in the seat beside me asked me what my trade was, then she asked me the definition of an engineer. Her answer, a person who only has to do the job once, and you know I have never heard of a better definition.
PS hinge on the table already done under warranty:)
We bought a new Jayco about 10 years or so ago and ran approx. 4K in it until it ended up sitting in the driveway for months on end due to work pressure and no holidays (the joys of self employment). We never had one problem with it and eventually sold it back to the selling Dealer and lost only about $3K - happy with that.
Two years ago we decided to buy another van and went to Perths caravan show. We looked at ALL the Jaycos on display and every single one of them had their shower door handles broken off and many of the cupboard doors were missing. We presumed this was from rough treatment, but none of the other van makes had so many damaged items (and there were several different Jayco dealers there)
We instead opted to buy a Supreme - much dearer than a Jayco - $70K. What a lemon it has been. Just over 2 years later we are still having to pay repairers to fix the shoddy workmanship. We visited the Supreme factory while we were in Melbourne about a year after we had bought the van for a long list of warranty repairs. When we saw the sort of dole queue looking sleaze buckets making them (with a few exceptions to the very few tradesmen that still worked for them) we realized it was all about cost and profit i.e. maximum profit for the lowest cost. One old Italian guy, who looked about 80, chatted with us and bemoaned that he had worked in the industry most of his life and was a qualified cabinet maker, but that he was the last of a dying breed being replaced by cheap, unskilled labour who had no interest at all in quality workmanship.
Despite the fact that a one year warranty is over arched by its statutory implied warranty which can be up to 10 years under the Trade Practices Act and other consumer protection regulations, many manufacturers (like Supreme) just wear you down with their stalling, denials of liability and if you have multiple issues (we have had over 70 warranty repairs - most not done at Supremes cost) you just give up lodging complaints with the ACCC or your state consumer protection agency - each denied fault as they occur requires a fresh written complaint.
We need the USA's lemon law to protect us - both with motor vehicles ( VW, Jeep, Ford just to name a couple) and RV manufacturers. I understand the lemon law works that if there are 3 major or numerous on-going smaller issues with the vehiecle, the buyer can return the vehicle and receive a full refund (not a pro rata one based on use). By all accounts, manufacturers and Dealers are much more attentive to customer complaints nowdays over there
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Oh dear, notice I have not quoted anyone in response. I would like to point out I like this forum. I would also like to point out that so many of my posts have been attacked without logical, or proper thought processes! I would like to point out that all posts in this post slammed Jayco without even admitting to having owned one before I posted. That suggests to me that there is no experience in owning one and that the posters should not have even opened their mouths. Can I take a question to the forum here, "How many of you people who posted before my original post have owned a Jayco?" I would be interested in the answer.
Other than that, I am sorry again if I have offended anyone, just return my respect with logical argument and not disrespectful comments!
Give me a go, I have asked for a legitimate response!
Oh dear, notice I have not quoted anyone in response. I would like to point out I like this forum. I would also like to point out that so many of my posts have been attacked without logical, or proper thought processes! I would like to point out that all posts in this post slammed Jayco without even admitting to having owned one before I posted. That suggests to me that there is no experience in owning one and that the posters should not have even opened their mouths. Can I take a question to the forum here, "How many of you people who posted before my original post have owned a Jayco?" I would be interested in the answer. Other than that, I am sorry again if I have offended anyone, just return my respect with logical argument and not disrespectful comments! Give me a go, I have asked for a legitimate response!
No one is attacking you Lancelot Link
I always try to quote other posters on a longish topic, otherwise my answers sometimes do not make much sense, if they happen to land between other posts
I also agree that we should all treat the topics, with logical argument and not be disrespectful to others with our comments
Over the years of lurking on this forum, I have come to the conclusion, that there are many more bad Jayco stories, than good ones
I suppose that it all comes back to the same old story, make a good pie and people will eat it, but make a bad pie, and everyone will know about it
I am glad that you have had a very good experience with Jayco
I was the third owner of my seven year old Jayco Conquest motorhome. In that seven years previously, it had only travelled less than 30,885 kilometres (I did not bother recording the mileage, until after my shakedown trip) That tells a story, that for whatever reason, it had not done very much travelling
In all honesty, I can not recommend my model Jayco Conquest to anyone
I can Sympathise with people who purchased a new Jayco RV, and found problems down the track
As you mention, there are more Jayco's, than other brands, so if all things were equal, they should have been the best
but comments such a "suck it up complainers", and offering to send the name and money to contact a psychologist is in my opinion not conducive to having your comments returned or argued in a logical manner or after due thought process.
I am sorry but that type of approach seems to be a common thread in your responses to those who disagree, as it has happened in other threads, using similar type comments as those to "argue" your case. That is why at times your posts seem to draw what you consider to be an attack. I must say though that when I look at the responses after your initial post, I see none that either attack you personally or the points that you made.
You may be correct about those who comment on Jayco in this thread, and you may make good sense at times in other threads, but you certainly argue against it in a manner that will often get someone's back up.
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Thursday 23rd of March 2017 07:12:44 AM
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Regards Ian
Chaos, mayhem, confusion. Good my job here is done
I have owned 2 Jayco's 1 was a 17-55 it had no problems at all I now have a Mercedes optimum which isn't cheap and have had a few problems with it but Jayco have done everything they can to rectify the problems they source out repairer where ever I'm traveling to organise repairs before I turn up to a workshop can't ask more than that in my opinion.
The first and our current one were second hand, and we have had no faults or issues with them. We have been pleased, and the vans have gone where we have wanted.
The second one was new, and we had major issues for a new unit. The dealer was very helpful in getting the things sorted, and Jayco came to the party, and didn't start the warranty period until the major faults were fixed. That was 4 months after we picked it up, so I couldn't complain.
I know some have had other experiences, and quite frankly the QC at Jayco should be better, but as Iana says, the van he purchased was 50% cheaper than the custom built unit he was contemplating, so is still probably reasonable value for money, especially as there would be no guarantee that the custom build would have been fault free. As Bruce says, he has had a worse experience with another builder, and we met a lovely couple last year at Tom Price who had a 6 month old, $100k van, and they were fixing it "on the run", as the builder and dealer would not help them at all. They were contemplating action to get their money back for all the repairs when they got back home after their trip. So other brands suffer as well.
I would buy another Jayco, probably second hand so the faults had been attended to, and I would accept that I hadn't purchased the $100k unit, so it wouldn't be at that level of finish.
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Regards Ian
Chaos, mayhem, confusion. Good my job here is done
As I sit her in the Port Macquarie Breakwall CP in my 19 YO much loved & well used 21'6"Jayco Westport, I am amazed at the percentage of Jaycos that pull in here.
It seems that it is right that they still have a substantial market share. They must be doing something right, despite all the knockers that seem to go ballistic at the mention of "Jayco". Makes me wonder how objective we really are. Perhaps a Holden/Ford or Cruiser/Patrol thing.
The current ones may not be made as well as the old ones like mine were. Sure we have had a few issues over the years, but all minor and mostly my fault ... banging into things and the like.
Having said that I am of the view that Australian caravans at most price points leave a lot to be desired. However when I was in England a few years ago I stuck my head into every van that I could & talked to owners about their experience .. bloody hell, I have never seen (or smelt) so much mould or water damage in my life. So we are not alone.
Edit ... Our slide out bed is still going great, but we are gentle people.
Edit 2 .... One bed slat came adrift about 10 years ago. I fixed it with a few screws. In fact at the time I went through the whole van and added screws where I thought that the staples were not up to the job. An easy fix rather than getting my knickers in a knot and complaining about quality of build.
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 23rd of March 2017 08:05:48 PM
-- Edited by Cupie on Friday 24th of March 2017 11:00:36 AM
Thanks "the rocket" Hope to have the bed problem fixed over this week end. Will not happen again, going from 50mm alluminium hinges to 150mm steel hinges. Now I have to figure out what's making the drifter give erratic readings on the two water tanks. I would suggest anyone who has a new J van to have a look at the hinges on the bed frame, to make sure the same thing won't happen to them.
but comments such a "suck it up complainers", and offering to send the name and money to contact a psychologist is in my opinion not conducive to having your comments returned or argued in a logical manner or after due thought process.
I am sorry but that type of approach seems to be a common thread in your responses to those who disagree, as it has happened in other threads, using similar type comments as those to "argue" your case. That is why at times your posts seem to draw what you consider to be an attack. I must say though that when I look at the responses after your initial post, I see none that either attack you personally or the points that you made.
You may be correct about those who comment on Jayco in this thread, and you may make good sense at times in other threads, but you certainly argue against it in a manner that will often get someone's back up.
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Thursday 23rd of March 2017 07:12:44 AM
I give up, you are totally right, I have no respect for anyone else and I should never post again. I am a degenerate with Bolshevik views and should not be part of this Forum. Perhaps a complaint to the moderators to get me removed from the site is in order! It is amazing, but I wish there more free thinkers on this forum such as you, we may have more lucid discussions!
If I wish to post in future, I will remember to check with you to get my opinion so that I don't upset you. I say that as it seems that unfortunately you have a misplaced sense of intellectual superiority to others on here.
You are obviously none of the things you mention, nor should you be removed. You are just a man with a very thin skin to those who disagree with you.
Anyway, you can continue without me now, I won't waste anymore time on this, as you seem intent concentrating on comments that have not been made or inferred.
PS Iana - sorry I have allowed this to draw me so far off topic.
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Saturday 25th of March 2017 06:45:36 AM
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-- Edited by TheHeaths on Saturday 25th of March 2017 02:19:42 PM
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Regards Ian
Chaos, mayhem, confusion. Good my job here is done
