READ THE FINE PRINT OF YOUR NEW VAN PURCHASE

Liltacker · Veteran Member

READ THE FINE PRINT OF YOUR NEW VAN PURCHASE

wasn_me · Guru

Good reasons to buy a Jayco. Made in Aus, using Aussie (??????) components. Just bought one, 2 months ago. Brisbane Camperland couldn't be more helpful. Cheers Pete.

Phillipn · Guru

wasn_me wrote:
Good reasons to buy a Jayco. Made in Aus, using Aussie (??????) components. Just bought one, 2 months ago. Brisbane Camperland couldn't be more helpful. Cheers Pete.

This comment should be in JUST JOKING.

Liltacker · Veteran Member

Sorry but I agree had a Jayco Sterling Expanda and that's what made us look elsewhere, we live around the corner from the factory and the biggest dealer and that still didn't convince us to have another one as they are just not finished off right.

D and D · Guru

You're not an orphan Liltacker I reckon just about everyone has a story about the poor quality of all or parts of their new van and some of them are literally life threatening. The industry is probably one of the shonkiest around. It has no standards nor do business owners nor their workers have to be qualified. Many of the workers are on piece work contracts or employed as casuals with no certainty of continued employment so you can imagine their level of care. There's no ADR's as apply to motor vehicles and no legal safeguards about the quality of the product or the provision of warranties and guarantees unless you have the resources to use the court system. Best of luck with your case.

Dave

Graden · Veteran Member

We have a UK built for Australia Swift Explorer caravan. Have just completed 10000km's. The finish and quality are excellent and represent ( in our opinion) good value for money. We have not had any problem withit and everything works as it is supposed to. Spend lots of time researching and looking at products, ask questions of purchasers, when you have decided on van, then, recheck and ask more questions before buying, this also applies to buying anything including the tug.

ballast2 · Guru

G'day. We have a Jayco Stirling that developed a defect with the lining in the toilet/shower area outside of the warranty period. Contacted Jayco direct and they could not do enough to rectify the defect. Brought ours from Brisbane Camperland as well. not impressed with them. Can't fault Jayco for their follow up's.
Cheers

Young Simmo · Guru

To all the Jayco commenters, make sure you have all the info before jumping blindly in. If Liltacker is a first timer, it throws a completely different light on things.

When we had our first baby, I was a bit out of my depth. When we had our 13th baby I new exactly how much sugar to put on the Weeties.

Simmo.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Ya right Simmo ... have all the info ... confuse

Liltacker only just stated they had previously had a Jayco ... and their experience with that is why they went to a different manufacturer.

So they are aren't first timers it seems.

cheers - John

Hey Jim · Guru

Phillipn wrote:
wasn_me wrote:
Good reasons to buy a Jayco. Made in Aus, using Aussie (??????) components. Just bought one, 2 months ago. Brisbane Camperland couldn't be more helpful. Cheers Pete.
This comment should be in JUST JOKING.

Hi Phillipn,

Can you enlighten us all, with your one LINE'R. Your ( ISSUES).

Jim

migra · Senior Member

Your right, the caravan manufacturer warranty is only for the van body ALL other components is the warranty of those suppliers.......... About time this changed !!!!!!!

Phil C · Guru

Hi all,

Interesting the comments about Jayco. We bought a 2013 Starcraft brand new, had a few issues but Jayco were outstanding in the manner in which they handled my rantings.

We live in the van 24/7 despite the warrantee telling us that can't be done. The van is still as good as new and behaves well.

What more can a man say other than, some vans are created late Friday afternoon before a long weekend by the work experience kid, others are created by tradies.

Cheers

jrk36 · Veteran Member

..... and second-hand no better!

last month purchased our first ever caravan - 23ft, double axle - from a long standing Perth dealer and costing $38K. Despite that huge (to us) expense it came with zero warranty!
Ok, we were told that up front and as a consequence I paid for an engineer to perform a full mechanical and functional (i.e. all the fixtures and fittings) Inspection prior to purchasing and driving away.

As it turned out, the van was rated a-ok with nothing requiring attention. Still don't regret paying for that Inspection though for the total peace of mind it gave us.
I suppose one could get an Inspection on a new van?

John K

-- Edited by jrk36 on Tuesday 24th of November 2015 11:50:18 AM

Cupie · Guru

My experience with Jayco is perhaps somewhat dated in that I purchased a new Jayco from the forementioned Camperland in Brisbane in 1999.

Like the others my dealer experience was excellent. As I was nervous in driving my (first) new 4WD & large van down the busy freeway, particularly the the reversing onto my suburban block along the side of the house, the salesman accompanied us & did the reverse bit. His boss who lives nearby had to come & drive him home several hours later after our welcome to country party for our van.

They were an excellent dealer with great warranty & service performance.

The van has now done 200,000 largely trouble free KM.

I couldn't be more pleased & Jayco's market domination & longevity is a testament to their product.

I'm a Jayco fan based on personal experience.

ps. As usual I have trouble in deciphering the relevance Young Simmo's LOUD comments ... Perhaps he is once more stirring the pot on a slow day in the West.

katenal · Member

Liltacker who is the chassis manufacturer?

Young Simmo · Guru

It doesn't take much to wake up the 2%ers, in fact one font size can almost cause a coronary failure.

Simmo.

-- Edited by Young Simmo on Tuesday 24th of November 2015 01:23:15 PM

Cupie · Guru

Young Simmo wrote:

It doesn't take much to wake up the 2%ers, in fact one font size can almost cause a coronary failure.

Simmo.

-- Edited by Young Simmo on Tuesday 24th of November 2015 01:23:15 PM

Looks like I was right!

Onedodger · Guru

We own a 2004 Jayco freedom poptop and have done many outback k's as well as a full year touring WA. Now over 70 thousand k's.

Very happy with the purchase and would purchase another Jayco product.

The best thing about ours is the little creature comforts that we have inbuilt in it.

EG Drawers under both single beds, diesel heater, and some mods to the water system.

It has been serviced regularly with bearings repacked every 10 thousand k's .

I do all the service work myself and the van has only had one problem, it sprung a leak in the hot water service which required me to replace it with a new one.

Even though I often flushed the system and replaced the anode. I put it down to the variable water quality in WA. Viz a little salty.

This was easy peasy except for the price $740 ouch.

-- Edited by Onedodger on Tuesday 24th of November 2015 02:38:25 PM

Young Simmo · Guru

Cupie wrote:
Young Simmo wrote:

It doesn't take much to wake up the 2%ers, in fact one font size can almost cause a coronary failure.

Simmo.

-- Edited by Young Simmo on Tuesday 24th of November 2015 01:23:15 PM
Looks like I was right!

OK, if my using a slightly larger print is causing you so much stress, you must be right.

Simmo

ken thomas · Guru

I had a luxliner and it was built on a G&S chassis, have they changed from that???
From my previous experience I would have had another built
Dissappointed if Bob has gone the cheap version as they were a good van
Ken

Liltacker · Veteran Member

Roo Chassis and Trailers, Coolaroo, Victoria

Even after the first incident and he still altered and did a band-aid job telling us everything was ok, but it was not roadworthy or more to the point NOT SAFE TO TOW as an independent expert documented and then rang them and told the owner of Roo Chassis, with bearings being frozen on axles and metal filings after 7 days falling out of the Chinese bearings.

His only comment "Mate I do want I'm told to build for a price from the owner of the Caravan Company".

Liltacker · Veteran Member

Exactly Bob has gone cheap cheap cheap on the Chassis apparently they changed 12 months ago and told nobody!

At the moment they are that snowed under trying to spit them out like sausages and just producing junk junk and more junk

Waterbags · Veteran Member

I see you have notified Consumer Affairs, that is good. I think you Van manufacturer is in for a Big shock. The manufacturer must warrant the complete van, they cannot palm you off to individual suppliers. Consumer Affairs and a good solicitor will sort this fellow out.

Most Manufacture warranties are written to bluff the consumer, luckily Australian Consumer laws override these and offer some protection to the Consumer, if they are aware.

Liltacker · Veteran Member

Thanks Don and Shirley,

Sound advice and no we wont let the B******s win as I worked to damn hard for my money!

Safe Travels, will catch up on the road.

Drover · Member

We are currently getting near the end of a little over 8 months in a van which is now a little over a year old we are booked in for warranty work repairs at the factory next week and we have quite a few things to attend to, but in saying that our experience on this trip is that the majority of newer van owners have had problems within the first year some only trivial quality control issues which should have been picked up by either the factory or the dealer prior to delivery, but some have had horrendous experiences.
Sadly I believe quality control is a major issue in the industry and is widespread over many makes and models and is very annoying especially if you have spent a very sizeable amount of money thinking you are buying a top quality product.

mjt57 · Senior Member

This is worrying.

We are looking for our first van. Not sure what to do, now.

Should a list of vans and dealers to avoid be posted? Or perhaps the opposite, a list of recommended vans and dealers

Sylva · Veteran Member

Hi I am Sorry to hear your story.

It does not matter if it is locally built or overseas built we have an expectation that after spending our hard earned money that the product we buy is the best standard available and if not that it will be fixed.

We purchased a new Royal Flair and 18 months after delivery while in harvey bay (we come from gippsland) the spring on the chassis snapped, we contacted Royal flair, they put us in touch with Melbourne Trailers whom organised Harvey Bay Trailers to fix it for us, it was done in under 2 hours (we went to the movies).

My point is that this is the level of service that we expect, no hassle, easy and done asap. If this is not given to us then no matter the manufacture we need to stand up for our rights as caravan consumers.

just me 2 cents worth

sylva

wasn_me · Guru

Hi Liltacker, I feel my post may have turned your topic into a Jayco verses the rest debate. Sorry about that, that wasn't my intention.

You have a major problem, hope it gets sorted, & works out in your favour.

Cheers Pete

ken thomas · Guru

This is the problem when a man'f has a good product then cuts corners to make more quick profits
Shame about that

Ken

Liltacker · Veteran Member

Thanks Pete for the reply,totally agree it's not about Jayco v's the rest it's more about the point that the governing body should be able to protect buyers from rediculous warranty documents that only protect shonky builders and there suppliers.

We have been advised by Consumer Affairs to take the Warranty Document to our Solicitor and then on to VCAT.

One valuable point I learned today from CA was that under Section 263 of the act is that if returning your purchase no matter the size if it causes you unfair and large expenses it is up to the Seller to help out. The reason I highlight this is we bought the van from their Somerville Showroom as we live in Patterson Lakes but the van and chassis both built in Epping and Coolaroo so I'm self employed which means every time they want me to take it back for their bad workmanship or faulty chassis products in a round trip it costs me $300 plus tolls. And that isnt fair either.