It's the little things Jayco!

[prodigyrf]

Like not screwing the corner cupboard shelf supports to the walls and leaving out a benchtop fixing bracket and a sink clip or 2-
 

[Paul (SA)]

I share your pain.......a well designed product seemingly put together by numpties.

[Brad_m]

I share your pain.......a well designed product seemingly put together by numpties.

How much would the price go up if Jayco hire quality trades people and paid them accordingly?   

[fishfinder]

I share your pain.......a well designed product seemingly put together by numpties.

part of buying a camper is doing a bit of research on them before, and i knew that the Jayco has to be tweeked up here and there but for what you get for the coin that is paid is well worth making a few adjustments.

[villiwood]

I am picking my new Flamingo in a week, if things like you have photographed are apparent then I would   Expect that they fix them, annoying but still value for money!


DeVille

[Swannie]

I am picking my new Flamingo in a week, if things like you have photographed are apparent then I would   Expect that they fix them, annoying but still value for money!


DeVille

They will fix them.. The problem is they tend to do more damage to them then when you dropped them off!!

Swannie

[dazzler]

While ever they can sell more than they make it would make no business sense to spend money on better quality.

Sad.

[Brad_m]

part of buying a camper is doing a bit of research on them before, and i knew that the Jayco has to be tweeked up here and there but for what you get for the coin that is paid is well worth making a few adjustments.

I am picking my new Flamingo in a week, if things like you have photographed are apparent then I would   Expect that they fix them, annoying but still value for money!


DeVille

And this is why manufacturers continue to sell this kind of crap. people like you pair still think it's good value.  It isn't good value at all, it's bloody pathetic and customers should be demanding better quality not accepting Shit.

[Woodsie]

Have to agree with Brad....we loved our jayco to a point except that the drawers, cupboards and blinds all fell apart.
Unfortuanately we wont be going back down that road.

As everyone has said who have owned a jayco....you get what you pay for, unfortunately at the time of buying, dollars make sense and then you wished that you had gone for that other make for the sake of saving a few quid that eventually bites you on the bum.

Im not completely bagging them, just, I wish they would put more effort into the finish.

[Swannie]

Yes I have a jayco and I'm happy with my purchase. But I travel regularly with others who have spent double and have the sme problems and some more.... Anything built to mass seems to believe that quality doesn't matter as long as they last the manufacturers warranty period.

Swannie

[crackacoldie]

Unfortunately all caravan manufacturers are turning out rubbish at the moment.  At least Jayco stand by their product and fix no questions asked.

[Jenko67]

we have a swan outback 2011 and never had a problem... touch wood....

[Brad_m]

Yes I have a jayco and I'm happy with my purchase. But I travel regularly with others who have spent double and have the sme problems and some more.... Anything built to mass seems to believe that quality doesn't matter as long as they last the manufacturers warranty period.

Swannie

You just need to remember that under Australian consumer law you have the right to have it fixed outside the manufacturers warranty, So long as it is with a reasonable time frame.   In the case of a house hold electrical goods this is about 2 years,  for a camper trailer you could argue that reasonable is 5 or 6 years.   

Same goes for buying an 'off road camper' if it brakes on it first trip out then you could have a case for 'fit for purpose'  and could be entitled to a full refund and any reasonable costs.

When people start holding the manufacturers responsible the quality will lift.

 

[dazzler]

And this is why manufacturers continue to sell this kind of crap. people like you pair still think it's good value.  It isn't good value at all, it's bloody pathetic and customers should be demanding better quality not accepting ****.

Well yes and no.  A Coromal or Goldstream are far better quality and cost a substantially more.  Second hand both these are around new Jayco prices for vans up to 5 or so years old.

I have bagged Jayco out for this since I bought my new Swan a few years ago but the reality is if they were to spend more on building them the cost would be proportional.  I don't think its quite as black and white as I, and maybe you, think.

It would be interesting for someone with a degree in business management to make comment.

[Smithyworld]

And this is why manufacturers continue to sell this kind of crap. people like you pair still think it's good value.  It isn't good value at all, it's bloody pathetic and customers should be demanding better quality not accepting ****.

Disagree with you Brad. I have just purchased the Jayco Eagle Outback and I was quite impressed with what you get for the money. Not only is it the physical $$$ value of what goes into building them but also the fact that the product has come from years of design, testing, improving, developing and so on. From all the research I have done the problem that people have seem to be very minor. Perfection can never be expected but good value for money can. If when I take delivery of my Camper in June I have to return for a few minor repairs then that is acceptable to me based on my understanding of what I have purchased at that price point. If I was buying a Rolls Royce then it might be different.


Chris and Angie
Ford Ranger Wildtrak & Jayco Outback Eagle 2013
Www.chrissmithphotography.com.au

[Smithyworld]

Well yes and no.  A Coromal or Goldstream are far better quality and cost a substantially more.  Second hand both these are around new Jayco prices for vans up to 5 or so years old.

I have bagged Jayco out for this since I bought my new Swan a few years ago but the reality is if they were to spend more on building them the cost would be proportional.  I don't think its quite as black and white as I, and maybe you, think.

It would be interesting for someone with a degree in business management to make comment.

Hey Dazzler

Interesting that u say the other brands are better quality. I checked them out last week at the Rosehill Camping show and couldn't see how they were any better in quality. They seemed to have the same interiors, brands and materials. The exterior looked crap and looked like they hadn't been updated in 30years. I did read though that they have a bigger chassis but that was all I could find. If you know the differences would you mind pointing them out to me? I'd been keen to know? Thanks!


Chris and Angie
Ford Ranger Wildtrak & Jayco Outback Eagle 2013
Www.chrissmithphotography.com.au

[fuji]

Buy cheap, buy twice.

[Swannie]

I have a masters degree in Business management so I may be somewhat qualified...

Ultimately a business is about profit... One of the ultimate measures is the return on sales % (ROS). If bosses at Jayco are happy with the ROS despite significant costs involved in warranty and rework than to improve the overall quality at the start would not be high on the agenda due to the amount of sales jayco has coming in and therefore "masks" their ROS.

But..... If I was a Senior manager at Jayco I would argue improve the quality at the start. It would
- potentially increase their sales due to more positive feedback on their quality
- the warranty and return work would be less and therefore potential savings
- they could charge a little more for their product and therefore employ "tradesman"

Again this is just my thoughts..

Swannie

[Brad_m]

Well yes and no.  A Coromal or Goldstream are far better quality and cost a substantially more.  Second hand both these are around new Jayco prices for vans up to 5 or so years old.

I have bagged Jayco out for this since I bought my new Swan a few years ago but the reality is if they were to spend more on building them the cost would be proportional.  I don't think its quite as black and white as I, and maybe you, think.

It would be interesting for someone with a degree in business management to make comment.

My first post in this thread said exactly that, How much would the cost go up if they hired quality tradesman and paid them accordingly.

Either way, a product that has faults and breaks is not good value EVER

[Brad_m]

Disagree with you Brad. I have just purchased the Jayco Eagle Outback and I was quite impressed with what you get for the money. Not only is it the physical $$$ value of what goes into building them but also the fact that the product has come from years of design, testing, improving, developing and so on. From all the research I have done the problem that people have seem to be very minor. Perfection can never be expected but good value for money can. If when I take delivery of my Camper in June I have to return for a few minor repairs then that is acceptable to me based on my understanding of what I have purchased at that price point. If I was buying a Rolls Royce then it might be different.


Chris and Angie
Ford Ranger Wildtrak & Jayco Outback Eagle 2013
Www.chrissmithphotography.com.au

Are you going to tow it with a Great wall?

[Jason B]

Hey Dazzler

Interesting that u say the other brands are better quality. I checked them out last week at the Rosehill Camping show and couldn't see how they were any better in quality. They seemed to have the same interiors, brands and materials. The exterior looked crap and looked like they hadn't been updated in 30years. I did read though that they have a bigger chassis but that was all I could find. If you know the differences would you mind pointing them out to me? I'd been keen to know? Thanks!


Chris and Angie
Ford Ranger Wildtrak & Jayco Outback Eagle 2013
Www.chrissmithphotography.com.au

I don't think it's the materials mate but rather the man hours that have gone into putting the others together properly that makes the difference. It's the build quality that make the others better IMHO not necessarily the quality of the parts.

Jas

[nbd73]

Hey Dazzler

Interesting that u say the other brands are better quality. I checked them out last week at the Rosehill Camping show and couldn't see how they were any better in quality. They seemed to have the same interiors, brands and materials. The exterior looked crap and looked like they hadn't been updated in 30years. I did read though that they have a bigger chassis but that was all I could find. If you know the differences would you mind pointing them out to me? I'd been keen to know? Thanks!


Chris and Angie
Ford Ranger Wildtrak & Jayco Outback Eagle 2013
Www.chrissmithphotography.com.au

The differences aren't so much the style but the way they are put together. Or at least intended to be put together. There was another thread last week of a similar theme and I added the pitiful failings of my GS for all to read. They have a more luxurious feel inside, IN MY OPINION I might stress, and they offer the VC coil independent suspension as an option, but otherwise I somewhat regret not going the Jayco. The after sales support for GS is rat sh*t in SE Qld. $10k price diff is a bucket load of extras, and overall the GS is not worth it, once again IMO. Can't speak for the coromal.

[fishfinder]

And this is why manufacturers continue to sell this kind of crap. people like you pair still think it's good value.  It isn't good value at all, it's bloody pathetic and customers should be demanding better quality not accepting ****.

Your funny Brad_m - next time I think something is good value for money I will drop you a PM for your opinion first. I brought mine 2nd hand 2 years ago and have stopped at many camp sites and through conversation talking about camper trailers / caravans etc around a camp fire EVERY person could not believe the value for money I got on this purchase even after I told them the things I had to fix on it. But obviously they were all incorrect. 

_Thanks for the heads up on how all these people were just full of it and was only being polite.   

[Brad_m]

Your funny Brad_m - next time I think something is good value for money I will drop you a PM for your opinion first. I brought mine 2nd hand 2 years ago and have stopped at many camp sites and through conversation talking about camper trailers / caravans etc around a camp fire EVERY person could not believe the value for money I got on this purchase even after I told them the things I had to fix on it. But obviously they were all incorrect. 

_Thanks for the heads up on how all these people were just full of it and was only being polite.   

My version of value doesn't equate to low quality being ok if the price is lower.   If you are happy to sacrifice quality for price, go for it.

[Topender]

Are you going to tow it with a Great wall?

Or worse a Patrol!!!!  Hey Brad what brand camper do you own?................enough said!  I love keyboard warriors.  Save us all!

My first post in this thread said exactly that, How much would the cost go up if they hired quality tradesman and paid them accordingly.

Either way, a product that has faults and breaks is not good value EVER

I think you are kidding yourself.  Seriously you name any product, any brand and someone somewhere has had a problem with it.  With that mentality good value just doesn't exist    I am a Tradesman and Workshop Manager and I know what is required pay wise to get and keep quality tradesman.  "If" as you say Jayco aren't using "quality" trades then myself having run some pretty large work forces I think they do as a mass produced product a bloody good job.  I'm sure you've never made a mistake or maybe you have never been so under the pump time wise you can always create perfection.  And there you have it, Perfection takes time and time costs money.

My version of value doesn't equate to low quality being ok if the price is lower.   If you are happy to sacrifice quality for price, go for it.

Refer to the first part of my reply!

btw I love my Jayco and agree with the others 100% they are "good value for money".  I weighed up the for and against of all the similar brands and no matter how we looked at it Jayco won out. I could have happily afforded any of them, but couldn't see the extra cost.  Like almost everyone has said it would be nice if quality control was better, but generally it is only minor.   As some have stated here and other posts it doesn't matter how much you spend, all brands can and do have problems.  We have had not one problem that has stopped us from ever using our camper and we had an A4 page of little fix ups that where all taken care of by either myself or Jayco at service time.  Most where just me being a "perfectionist"

I understand where some people are coming from, but I'll happily take the price reduction for minor problems any day and as quite a few have stated they have had no problems at all and most Jayco owners that have had issues will vouch for the fantastic after sales/warranty service Jayco dealers provide.  I'll take that any day.

Regards Dave