Thank you for your suggestion regarding increasing the warranty period on caravans. I have referred your suggestion to our Sales/Marketing Department for due consideration.
Jayco has to take into consideration many factors when setting our warranty period. It is not valid to compare a caravan with a car. A caravan is like a transportable house except it is permanently transportable and it contains many parts and appliances that are separately warranted from the caravan manufacturers warranty, unlike with a car where all warranty is covered by the car manufacturer.
Any owner of a Jayco caravan who has concerns about their caravan can take it to a Jayco dealer to have their concerns assessed, the dealer will then report to Jayco and if it is clear that a manufacturing fault is the cause then Jayco will rectify it.
The problem is that the longer a caravan is in use the more complications arise from wear & tear, absence of correct maintenance & servicing, damages and abuse none of which are the fault of the manufacturer and which therefore are not warrantable repairs. The older the caravan the less likelihood there will be a fault with materials or workmanship.
Jayco cannot comment on other caravan manufacturers warranties or on their policies regarding assessment of products where the warranty has expired. This is an area requiring pre-purchase research by the intended purchaser.
I wrote to Jayco before I went to work this morning and got a reply before 9am
it doesn't get any better than that...
and at least he has listened and are going to take it into consideration...
so lets see what happens..
im on my Second Jayco now and apart from a few minor things have been very happy with them and extremely happy with the way that they tow.. first class in fact..
after going to the Jayco display I already have my eye on a bigger model... ;) ;)
We are on our third Jayco and cannot fault their warranty. In saying that we have only had a couple of problems over the past 9 years and our vans certainly do not sit around for long.
Geoff and Bev
Even years after the warranty expired we have had repairs done at several Jayco places, they charged for it but not exorbitantly. And always friendly and helpful.
We took delivery of our new Freedom pop top in Perth in 2001, with a 2 year warranty.
We had sold up in WA and hit the road, a few months later in Vic, via the Top End, we had a list of warranty issues as long as your arm.
To their credit Jayco had them all resolved through the dealership, although we felt at the time better workmanship would have prevented the inconvenience and need for warranty work, however it's a good van, tows well and we're happy with it and with Jayco.
A couple of years later they dropped the warranty to one year, we wondered why.
"Industry standard" we were told by a dealer.
Our van has now done well over 200,000k's, still in good nick and we love it. I'm sitting in it tonight, writing this in Bendigo, having just been along the Murray, down to Strathalbyn and our ACC national muster at Lucindale, one day we'll go home I suppose. (Qld)
Bevan
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Bevan
Friendship is not a relationship with someone whom you've known for a long time, but with someone you trust, under any circumstances.
and yes.... if you want to test how good your Caravan really is, then extend the warranty period and see what turns up... it'll certainly make you make a better product, and/or prove that you DO have a good product..
We've been on the road now for the past 7 weeks in our new Supreme - many small and a large problem that got fixed in a country town.
Talking with all NEW van owners, it doesn't seem to matter who makes them - theyre all not that well put together and the materials used are not up to being what Jayco describes as a "mobile house", especially when youre shelling out $70-90K for it - compare that to the tow vehicle with a motor and all the electronics and they don't all have the "teething" problems with Aussie made vans.
Also be aware that the manufacturers cannot limit their warranty to one year. The federal and state laws on consumer protection are very strong for the user (us) and they expect a van that hasn't been badly treated to be warrantied for 5+ years - most states say 10 yrs.
Also the seller (the dealer you bought it from) is reasonable for the warranty. Whatever arrangements the dealer and manufacturer has is irrelevant.
If youre having problems with warranty issues, then contact either the ACCC hotline or use their on-line complaint service or your relevant State. Most of the dealers and manufacturers don't enjoy these enforcement agencies on their backs and will quickly do what they should have.
If I ever buy another van, I intend to get one that's 2nd hand - about a year old - and by then all the problems will have been sorted out.
The caravan industry in Australia is a COWBOY outfit despite anything they say!!!!
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
We've been on the road now for the past 7 weeks in our new Supreme - many small and a large problem that got fixed in a country town.
Talking with all NEW van owners, it doesn't seem to matter who makes them - theyre all not that well put together and the materials used are not up to being what Jayco describes as a "mobile house", especially when youre shelling out $70-90K for it - compare that to the tow vehicle with a motor and all the electronics and they don't all have the "teething" problems with Aussie made vans.
Also be aware that the manufacturers cannot limit their warranty to one year. The federal and state laws on consumer protection are very strong for the user (us) and they expect a van that hasn't been badly treated to be warrantied for 5+ years - most states say 10 yrs.
Also the seller (the dealer you bought it from) is reasonable for the warranty. Whatever arrangements the dealer and manufacturer has is irrelevant.
If youre having problems with warranty issues, then contact either the ACCC hotline or use their on-line complaint service or your relevant State. Most of the dealers and manufacturers don't enjoy these enforcement agencies on their backs and will quickly do what they should have.
If I ever buy another van, I intend to get one that's 2nd hand - about a year old - and by then all the problems will have been sorted out.
The caravan industry in Australia is a COWBOY outfit despite anything they say!!!!
