My Misery van continues

Hey Jim · Guru

My Misery van continues

Recoup · Guru

Made in China ??

DMaxer · Guru

Hi Jim, it would seem you are having some issues and the more you stress about these issues, the less you will enjoy your new van and your future travels. Allow me to give you a little advice which may bring you some peace of mind and a positive outcome.

I have spent many years as a member of the legal profession and dealt with many claims regarding consumer law. It was unfortunate you did not have someone inspect your van prior to parting with your hard earned but that is now in the past. My suggestion to you is this;

First of all, ask a caravan repairer or builder to inspect your van and to note all short comings, defective workmanship or general warranty issues. Secondly, see your local lawyer or a community legal centre and instruct them to write to Jayco enclosing this notation and detailing your issues and your profound disappointment. In the correspondence your legal representative will also politely inform them of the process that will be following should they not remedy your van's issues. Thirdly, sit back and just watch how quickly they react to the correspondence of a lawyer.

You will get absolutely nowhere yelling at sales staff, trying to embarrass representatives at caravan shows or threatening to go to the media. Just put it in the hands of your solicitor and for a small fee for the preparation of the letter you will be pleasantly surprised. I have lost count of the number of consumer issues that I managed to resolve with just a letter. The fear of what may follow certainly springs even the most recalcitrant retailer, manufacturer or dealer in to immediate action.

If you don't, you will just have weeks of yelling and tantrums and be no better off. I suggest you give it a try.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Great advice there from Dmaxer, Jim. Well worth the effort to see a legal eagle mate. You have stressed enough.

I wouldn't mind betting that Junco, ooops, sorry, Jayco ( silly iPad ) aren't even reading any of your post's.

Woody n Sue · Guru

I'm certainly no legal eagle but Dmaxer's post sounds like the way to go to me also and may cost less than the entry to the caravan show .
Woody

dishlicker · Senior Member

Hey Jim

Id go down the road suggested by DMax he seems to be on the paulse. Imyself have turned to the legal eagle in the past to sort out a problem less stress and see how they run it's a bit of a laugh as well. All the best hope it goes your way cheers.

brickies · Guru

On the other hand it may be cheaper to pay someone to change the wiring to your standard and just get over it , Has Dmaxer has pointed out which was pointed out early in this situation you should not have taken the caravan and paid the money over till you were happy with your purchase or had it inspected by someone .

Westcoast · Member

It's a bit much to expect someone taking a new van off the dealer to have it inspected to the finest degree problems raise there head only after using the product, it is reasonable to expect that the van manufacturer would construct the van in a way that it is safe for the new owner to use. I have seen a few vans that a basically cr%$ and should not be allowed to roll off the assembly line and even a few high end Aussie made ones that are problematic for example one i had commisioned didn't have a grey water tank as standard when we asked for one of the four water tanks to be converted to a grey water tank the litany of farcical errors that brought about was if it wasn't for the fact that we were laying out cash for it ludicrous. Drain outlet higher than the tank, drain outlet not connected to the right tank so you could fill the grey water tank just not empty it. There was no shoddy workmanship as shown in the photos, but we have found that caravan manufacturers in general need a kick up the backside.

Woody n Sue · Guru

I have to agree with Westcoast who in there right mnd would think that you had to have a new van inspected for roadworthynes

montie · Guru

Now guys we only have one side of the story here, which with no disrespect, has an air of hysteria.

Talk to the dealer and discuss an amicable solution.

Montie

iana · Guru

I feel sorry for you Jim, that is our hard earned cash they have taken. It is not fair that we purchase a product that is faulty, I thought Microsoft was the only company that did that! We have gutless Governments, and if they had any b@lls they would at least enforce laws that ensured the products being put on the road are safe.
When looking at the product, they have them parked in such away one can't have a good look all over, and come pick up time there is so much one is trying to grasp in the way of technical devices, that it is only after a few weeks when the van is at home , one has a chance to go over it properly.
If Jayco came to us and asked if we would like to sell the product back to them, we would except.

Philw · Senior Member

Jim. I am so sorry you are having this problem. I cantimagine how stressful it must be. Dmax is right. See a solicitor. There is a law enacted by federal parliament that sets out the concept of 'fit for purpose'. The reason that car companies and the like are offeri g these long and generous warranties is because they arerequired to sell a product that is fit for the purpose for whicch it is made. The 1 and 2 year warranties could not stand up to scrutiny with regard to this new ruling. Even out of warranty theymust fix what is faulty in most cases. Jayco must follow the same rules. If your van is not fit for purpose and they refuse to bring it up to standard then they are in breach of this law. So a solicitor who identifies all the issues as suggested by dmax is the most likely and logical step. Good luck to you.

Dougie. Your an awesome bloke having met you at green lake but I tske issue with your constant junko comments. I can but wont name a number of other caravan manufacturers who have failed to produce a caravan that was fit for purpose and who then were deficit in fulfilling their obligations in rectifying the proble, s under warranty. I have several friends who in the end sorted it out at their own expense and time. Its just that Jayco make so many vans etc., unfortunately one like Jims comes through. Dougie. Its not fair on all of the rest of us Jayco owners, and we are in majority here, who own and travel with our vans and motorhomes and who are really happy with them. My vans and now motorhome are not junk. Please dont generalise. Jims landed with the junk and hopefully it can be rectified to his satisfaction so that he can move past this and enjoy his life with his new purchase. All the best to you.
phil

Desert Dweller · Guru

We met a couple on the road a few years back that had bought a new van with horrific problems. They went through the ombudsman, consumer affairs & legal channels without getting any resolution or satisfaction. It cost them BIG TIME & in the end they traded it in on another caravan at a HUGE financial loss. They showed us a photo album of all the problems on the van they got rid of, it was amazing. We also signed a petition that had 1000's of signatures on it. They were going to use the petition & photos to try to recover some of their life savings. We doubt they did any good!

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Philw wrote:
Jim. I am so sorry you are having this problem. I cantimagine how stressful it must be. Dmax is right. See a solicitor. There is a law enacted by federal parliament that sets out the concept of 'fit for purpose'. The reason that car companies and the like are offeri g these long and generous warranties is because they arerequired to sell a product that is fit for the purpose for whicch it is made. The 1 and 2 year warranties could not stand up to scrutiny with regard to this new ruling. Even out of warranty theymust fix what is faulty in most cases. Jayco must follow the same rules. If your van is not fit for purpose and they refuse to bring it up to standard then they are in breach of this law. So a solicitor who identifies all the issues as suggested by dmax is the most likely and logical step. Good luck to you.

Dougie. Your an awesome bloke having met you at green lake but I tske issue with your constant junko comments. I can but wont name a number of other caravan manufacturers who have failed to produce a caravan that was fit for purpose and who then were deficit in fulfilling their obligations in rectifying the proble, s under warranty. I have several friends who in the end sorted it out at their own expense and time. Its just that Jayco make so many vans etc., unfortunately one like Jims comes through. Dougie. Its not fair on all of the rest of us Jayco owners, and we are in majority here, who own and travel with our vans and motorhomes and who are really happy with them. My vans and now motorhome are not junk. Please dont generalise. Jims landed with the junk and hopefully it can be rectified to his satisfaction so that he can move past this and enjoy his life with his new purchase. All the best to you.
phil

Phil, your comment nearly slipped through to the keeper but I managed to get it in time. Apologies if you or any others are offended by my comment about Jayco. I was only having a little dig but backfired obviously.

You may not have been around when I first got my new van in November 2014. Major problems started two days after setting up at Greens Lake, Northern Country VIC. As said, major problems plus many minor ones. One big difference though, the manufacturer came to me. Still not sorted properly a week later, the dealer then came to me, both to Greens Lake. There were many members from this forum there at the time and were amazed of the after sales service. About this time last year I discovered shoddy breaks and again the dealer came to the party and coverd cost of repairs in full, no questions asked. I am now enjoying my new home to the fullest.

Apologies again.

-- Edited by Dougwe on Friday 25th of March 2016 08:31:11 AM

Hendo · Guru

In defence of Dougie calling Jayco "Junko", when I went to purchase my first second hand van over 15 years ago, I sought the advice of the owner of a Caravan Repair business. I asked what brand should I consider. His answer was "Evernew, Golf or Roadstar". I asked what about Jayco, his very prompt answer was "Junko?, they keep me in business!"

Philw · Senior Member

Hey Dougie. Not an issue mate. Sent a pm on this. Glad you have had all your van isues sorted. There are a lot of good folk out there and you found some of them.

Hendo. As I stated earlier, 15 years ago was relevant to the comment. I question the relevance for the vans now.

All the best guys and Jim. Good luck mate.

Memem · Veteran Member

Jayco supporters seem to miss the point a bit. They talk about aftersales service etc but the point is, there shouldn't need to be any after sales warranty work if they got it right in the first place.
We have owned 2 Jaycos and now own an Evernew so I feel a little bit qualified to speak.
The lead time for any warranty/ repair work with Jayco falls in to months - a bit rich when you've spent a fortune on a van.
We had issues, and also had a friend who found out Jayco had "forgotten" to install the battery! How does that slip though their quality control??

blissonwheels · Senior Member

Gooday,

Yes feel sorry for you too, however you must realise that caravans in general are put together by an UNSKILLED WORKFORCE, huge turnover due to monotony, and possibly poor pay by many employers, yet, I am sure if you were list and E-Mail your Defects and Photos and outline your disappointment to Jayco Head Office you would have some swift action.

We paid BIG $ 11 years ago for our Custom Built Boroma Caravan, our 2nd, and I lost count of the times it went back for minor and a few major fixes, after 3 years got it right by doing lots of things ourselves. One major issue was, paid for and had installed wiring harness in the roof for Oyster Satellite TV system, when we went o get it installed 1 year later, no sign of cable on roof, was in the cupboard inside but they forgotten to terminate the other end on the roof with a Junction Box. Hence the new cable had to be run along the roof outside and a new hole drilled through to the cupboard to connect it, still sits out there held in place by Sikaflex or such.

It is a sad case you have but to my understanding, Jayco have the best value for money caravan built in Oz, and there warranty back up is second to none. You were very unfortunate and not only was it built on a Friday, the bloke at Quality Control was asleep on the job.

Give Head office a shout and I am sure you will find them most understanding and helpful.

No connection to Jayco but have seen a lot of their caravans and a lot of happy customers.

Cheers,

Bliss on Wheels.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

I agree with Westcoast - why on earth should you have to pay a 3rd party to inspect a brand new product? Do you pay an expert to inspect a new TV or motor vehicle or whatever.....no of course you don't - so why should you have to do it for a new RV????

Due to a screw being put through wiring in my van (cladding is put on after the pre-wiring is done) I now have had an electrician (who visited me 3 times) tag out the complete electrical system in my 19 mnth old van and the gas water heater is leaking burnt gas fumes into the van.

It gets back to blissonwheels speculating about the unskilled workforce assembling these expensive RVs. I have been to my van manufacturing plant post purchase and most looked like they had just come off the dole (sorry to the genuine folk who are on the benefit). I spoke to one elderly Italian worker who had worked for the company for 32 years and lamented the fact that due to the low wages, the skilled workers had left for better paying jobs and he was only a small hand full left who were too old to move on.

Most RV manufacturers turn out sub-standard units and don't care

goldfinger · Senior Member

The only thing I find incredulous regarding these discussions is that some appear to believe we should not discuss the merits or otherwise of caravans we own for everyone's potential benefit, on an essentially Caravan, Mobile Home, Camper Forum.....some may wish to bury their heads up their proverbial derriere's, like Bruce's avatar picture...however I am always interested, by way of balance, to read others findings/assumptions/remedy's based on their own experiences with their R/V's....I hope they keep being freely posted, without the fear of backlash by the "I'm alright Jacks or Jills"..... .....Hoo Roo

Desert Dweller · Guru

goldfinger wrote:
The only thing I find incredulous regarding these discussions is that some appear to believe we should not discuss the merits or otherwise of caravans we own for everyone's potential benefit, on an essentially Caravan, Mobile Home, Camper Forum.....some may wish to bury their heads up their proverbial derriere's, like Bruce's avatar picture...however I am always interested, by way of balance, to read others findings/assumptions/remedy's based on their own experiences with their R/V's....I hope they keep being freely posted, without the fear of backlash by the "I'm alright Jacks or Jills"..... .....Hoo Roo

Totally agree & well put!

nocat · Newbie

We have a Retreat caravan that is 11 months old.It has had serious safety and roadworthy issues and a never ending list of problems.It has spent more time in the front yard unable to be used than usable.We have spent 1,000s of dollars on certain items having them replaced ourselves rather than just having them patched up.
It's fine to say start legal proceedings,and i may yet do so,but it is horendously expensive unless you do it yourself and time consuming.Some times with these things i think it is better to do it yourself if you have the time and ability to do so.Should have bought a Jaco and saved $25,000.
Cheers Noel

-- Edited by nocat on Friday 25th of March 2016 07:45:15 PM

Bessie · Member

nocat wrote:
We have a Retreat caravan that is 11 months old.It has had serious safety and roadworthy issues and a never ending list of problems.It has spent more time in the front yard unable to be used than usable.We have spent 1,000s of dollars on certain items having them replaced ourselves rather than just having them patched up.
It's fine to say start legal proceedings,and i may yet do so,but it is horendously expensive unless you do it yourself and time consuming.Some times with these things i think it is better to do it yourself if you have the time and ability to do so.Should have bought a Jaco and saved $25,000.
Cheers Noel

-- Edited by nocat on Friday 25th of March 2016 07:45:15 PM

Hi Nocat, So sorry to hear of your problems whether they are big or small we all have them, I have to totally agree with your solution though, so much easier to fix yourself and move on, after all it is about getting out and about to enjoy our travels, life is to short. Bessie

-- Edited by Bessie on Friday 25th of March 2016 08:04:24 PM

TheHeaths · Guru

Doug,

knowing your current vans history as you have commented on, as with Philw, I was a little shocked with your Junko comment, which I knew you would have meant as a joke, and not to offend people. We have had 3 of them, and the 2 secondhand ones we bought had already been sorted and gave, and give, us good service, and the issues we had with the new one we had were fixed to our satisfaction, and that van also gave us good service.

However, you have proved the high standard man you really are with your apology, and doing that apology in open forum.

You continue to show why you are one of the most admired and liked people on this forum.

Thank you for your contributions and good humour.

Philw · Senior Member

The Heaths..Ian. amen to that. Hes a great guy.

Phil C · Guru

Hi all

I feel so sorry for Jim, I was a bit bent when my Jayco started to leak all over the floor. However Jayco were quick to fix the issue under warranty. There have been many other issues which I have fixed myself.

We can go on for ages talking about how good or bad a caravan or for that matter a toaster operates. I still maintain we are the quality control and warranty fixes the issues.

From what I am reading poor Jim has the golden standard of Lemons, put together by work experience kids, who have little or no technical expertise. Perhaps a short sharp letter from a lawyer may be the answer, then consumer affairs and the press. A lot of hard work for Jim which may get results "the wheel that squeaks the most gets the oil"

Good luck mate

DMaxer · Guru

Hi Jim. Let me add some more. When one rings up and complains to sales people, receptionists, workshop managers et al it has little effect. They didn't make the product and although they share your distress (sometimes), there is not a great deal they can do or control. However, when you engage a legal representative, that letter goes to the top and on to their legal adviser. They know that if they are responsible then legal action will follow which means not only will they have to fix the problem but they may well be liable for the buyer's legal costs. It works every time. Trust me, I have taken on motor dealers, electricity providers, petrol companies, the lot. One letter gets the phone call and the apology together with the plan of action. This is where the skill of the lawyer comes in to play as he reminds the manufacturer or seller or whoever how annoyed his client is and that legal action is about to commence within days if the fault is not rectified. All of sudden you are promoted to the head of the queue. Legal practice in the rights hands is a powerful tool.

Lawyers won't charge you much for this service. Compare this to countless phone calls, letters, emails which don't get read or seen by the person who can best fix the issues.

Don't worry about Consumer Affairs or media, that does not have the same effect. Your solicitor's letter will hit them straight between the eyes, so to speak. They know, if the lawyer takes them on and is successful, they wear most of the client's costs. It never gets that far, all over in one letter.

There you go, matter for you.

dogbox · Guru

Westcoast wrote:
It's a bit much to expect someone taking a new van off the dealer to have it inspected to the finest degree problems raise there head only after using the product, it is reasonable to expect that the van manufacturer would construct the van in a way that it is safe for the new owner to use. I have seen a few vans that a basically cr%$ and should not be allowed to roll off the assembly line and even a few high end Aussie made ones that are problematic for example one i had commisioned didn't have a grey water tank as standard when we asked for one of the four water tanks to be converted to a grey water tank the litany of farcical errors that brought about was if it wasn't for the fact that we were laying out cash for it ludicrous. Drain outlet higher than the tank, drain outlet not connected to the right tank so you could fill the grey water tank just not empty it. There was no shoddy workmanship as shown in the photos, but we have found that caravan manufacturers in general need a kick up the backside.

if you are buying a car or a house you usually get an inspection done by an expert or at the very least one done before the end of warranty period so why would you not get one done on one of the biggest purchases some people will make in there life time a lot of these caravans are worth as much as or more than the expensive vehicles towing them

montie · Guru

Jim,

I sympathise with your situation and when this happens it can be stressful.

Life is not meant to be like that, especially when you go into retirement mode.

You obviously have some problems with your Jayco which are causing you some angst, I am however a tad confused about the response you have received.

Firstly, you would have purchased your van from a dealer as Jayco do not sell direct. Did the Dealer address your issues? What was his response? If the dealer fails to remedy warranty problems then you present your case to the manufacturer. The email you posted here, I assume you sent to Jayco.....what response did you get?

Jim, if both the dealer and manufacturer refuse to remedy any warranty issues, which would surprise me with Jayco, then you would be justified in taking the next step as per DMax.

Bottom line, legal action is your last resort......talk to the dealer who you bought the van from, discuss the issues and an amicable solution will result.

Bagging Jayco, who are the largest player in the Australian market, and for good reason, will only dent the credibility of your argument.

I am not a Jayco dealer

Monty

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Montie - check out Hey Jim's post - Our email has landed!