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Old 08-11-2017, 08:58 PM   #1
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Rockwood quality vs Jayco? Need advice

We have the opportunity to purchase a new fifth wheel after a nightmare Jayco unit. However, we are being advised not to get into a Rockwood cause the build quality and customer service is either the same if not worst than Jayco. How has everyone's experience been with Rockwood?
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Old 08-11-2017, 09:15 PM   #2
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We have a 2016 Rockwood TT. The quality has been OK, we have had a few issues but nothing that kept us off the road. And we have been on the road for the last 14 months travelling all over the States. We are at the FROG Rally in Goshen, IN and we just went to the factory and did a tour. I highly recommend you do that if you live close enough. I believe on the tour, I heard the Rockwood/Flagstaff Factories have placed 1st in their internal QA for all of Forest River, for the last 3 years, (might be 5 years). That was pretty neat to hear but then to see all the QA stuff they do at the end of the line, including pressure testing each unit for leaks was great to see. Then to top it off, if you are out of warranty and you can go to the rally in Goshen, they will fix stuff for you at no cost. That is superb customer service. I am not saying for sure I will buy a Forest River product again down the line when we purchase our next RV but you can be assured they are at the top of the list. I have not had to go back to a dealer for service so I can't comment on that.
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Old 08-11-2017, 09:15 PM   #3
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We have had a Rockwood for about a year and a half now and no major issues. I have contacted their customer service directly for warranty work (speaker bad and a window strut) and found them responsive and prompt. I am good with what we have so far.

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Old 08-11-2017, 09:20 PM   #4
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I've never owned a Jayco but based solely on the fit and finish of units I've seen at a local dealer, the Rockwood should be far better. I'm on my 2nd Rockwood both purchased used. Rockwood was very fair with me when I had delamination on bunk doors of our previous hybrid Rockwood Roo. I haven't had any problems with our current Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite.

Who is advising you against a Rockwood? They are not high end because they are an Ultra Lite, but they are above average quality for the segment and the Signature line offers many luxury features that other brands in the segment don't offer.
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Old 08-11-2017, 09:46 PM   #5
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Our very first North American TT was a Jayco Jay Feather. At the time we thought it was wonderful because we were only comparing it against UK manufactured TT that we'd used before emigrating. Nearly four years later I went off to buy some antifreeze but ended up buying a Rockwood TT. The finish in the Rockwood was far better. Many of the appliances are pretty much the same across the board because they are made by the same suppliers but take a close look at the trim, carpentry, etc. inside the unit.
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Old 08-11-2017, 10:21 PM   #6
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We are in a real dilemma. We just purchased a Jayco 5th wheel this year and after one problem after another and the dealer compounding the problem by making each one worse, they are offering to give us exactly what we paid for unit. As a result, we can get into a Rockwood 8289 but was advised by the dealer that the build quality is exactly the same as the Jayco but they're customer service is not as good including the warranty. In order to get into the Rockwood we have to come up with money upfront and per month ( the Rockwood is more money though). However, they assure us we won't be happy with the Rockwood if we didn't like the Jayco. Maybe they are just trying to upsell us to something more expensive or maybe they're trying to tell us don't come back if there are problems. We're not sure what to do. What a mess.
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Old 08-11-2017, 10:46 PM   #7
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I can't say enough about how happy we are with our Rockwood. It has a lot of amenities that the higher-end units have that others in the same price range don't have. Of course there's always a few things that aren't perfect, but we've been pretty much trouble free since we got it. Between the floor plan and the leather recliners, it was just what we were looking for. When we first started looking, I had pretty much decided to go with the Keystone Laredo 266RL, but my wife hesitated. Then we found the 8289WS, and I'm glad she made me wait.
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Old 08-12-2017, 08:04 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by rjs3118 View Post
We are in a real dilemma. We just purchased a Jayco 5th wheel this year and after one problem after another and the dealer compounding the problem by making each one worse, they are offering to give us exactly what we paid for unit. As a result, we can get into a Rockwood 8289 but was advised by the dealer that the build quality is exactly the same as the Jayco but they're customer service is not as good including the warranty. In order to get into the Rockwood we have to come up with money upfront and per month ( the Rockwood is more money though). However, they assure us we won't be happy with the Rockwood if we didn't like the Jayco. Maybe they are just trying to upsell us to something more expensive or maybe they're trying to tell us don't come back if there are problems. We're not sure what to do. What a mess.
Hmm I am on my 3rd Rockwood/Flagstaff unit. Each one of them had to go back to the factory for repairs and they never gave me a hassle about the issues or fixing them. The warranty managers all said "camp in it until the end of the season and we will send a transport to pick it up and return it to you". They did just that, picked it up, repaired and returned good as new. As far as customer service, well now that Jayco is owned by Thor Industries, good luck getting any warranty work authorized. I have 2 friends with Thor products and they have warranty issues that Thor refuses to fix. They claim they aren't broke. And I don't know of any manufacturer that will sell you parts for your RV, as all others insist you purchase from a dealer, who will mark up the parts.

I have a 2013 Rockwood 8289WS and even tho it is out of warranty, they took it back last year to replace the nose cap at no charge to me and when a bike rack broke the rear ladder, they sent me a new one at no cost. Sounds like to me your dealer doesn't know what they are talking about when it comes to Rockwoods. Also check the pricing between the Jayco you have and the Rockwood, I bet theres no much difference in the MSRP.
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Old 08-12-2017, 08:40 AM   #9
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I'll throw in my two cents. We bought a Jayco in 2008 and sold it this April. Here is a list of things I had to do to the Jayco...in 10 years...Please bare with me.
1. Replaced three 12v light bulbs.
2. Replaced Fresh water tank valve once...(UV deterioration)
3. Replaced hatchway for power cord...(cover broke last fall, UV deterioration)
4. ??? Guess that was it.

List for my 2018 Cherokee
1. Fix most of the trim falling off.
2. Still battling major rust on frame, due to subpar paint job.
3. Lost most of my 120v electrical, after second time out, due to very shoddy electrical work...(took a month to get it in to dealer)
4. Rewired the trailer umbilical, move the breakaway emergency brake due to the wires being pulled so tight they were tearing themselves out of the connectors.
5. Rebuilt the bench for dinette and will be rebuilding the other as it's getting loose and screws are pulling out of the wood.

The change in quality over the years...(The RV Industry as a whole) has gone down immensely as the popularity has grown in the last 5 years, and I predict will only get worse as the Industry is looking to post another record breaking year in sales in 2018.
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Old 08-12-2017, 08:45 AM   #10
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We started out with a Jayco Jay Feather travel trailer, and upgraded to a Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 5th wheel after hail destroyed the Jayco.

Our Jayco, a 2005 model, had all sorts of fit and finish issues. The trim was sloppy, there were aluminum shavings in all of the cracks and corners and under the bed. The bed was poorly designed, and 6 years of pressure from the gas struts that assist in lifting the bed top shoved the back wall out 2".

Our Rockwood had none of that - well built, not a single trim issue.

Perhaps the Jaycos have gotten better in the past 12 years?
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Old 08-12-2017, 08:47 AM   #11
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Hmm I am on my 3rd Rockwood/Flagstaff unit. Each one of them had to go back to the factory for repairs and they never gave me a hassle about the issues or fixing them. The warranty managers all said "camp in it until the end of the season and we will send a transport to pick it up and return it to you". They did just that, picked it up, repaired and returned good as new. As far as customer service, well now that Jayco is owned by Thor Industries, good luck getting any warranty work authorized. I have 2 friends with Thor products and they have warranty issues that Thor refuses to fix. They claim they aren't broke. And I don't know of any manufacturer that will sell you parts for your RV, as all others insist you purchase from a dealer, who will mark up the parts.

I have a 2013 Rockwood 8289WS and even tho it is out of warranty, they took it back last year to replace the nose cap at no charge to me and when a bike rack broke the rear ladder, they sent me a new one at no cost. Sounds like to me your dealer doesn't know what they are talking about when it comes to Rockwoods. Also check the pricing between the Jayco you have and the Rockwood, I bet theres no much difference in the MSRP.
Thanks guys for all the insight. Last year, we had a Flagstaff TT and this year upgraded to the Jayco 5th wheel. We loved our Flagstaff and felt like it was very high end for our price point. Our impression was always that Forrestriver/ Rockwood had higher quality/features. Ever since we picked this up Jayco it's been a nightmare. It was completely rushed out of the factory, the dealer didn't do a thorough job, and then made more of a mess trying to correct things. Now, after many hours going back and forth, we are able to get out of it. However, we are limited to the Rockwood 8289 or upgrading all the way up to a Colombus (not an option based on size and price). At the dealer, our Jayco is about 10k difference in price from the 8289. So we either stick with this piece of junk (which with do nothing but continuously add to our dissatisfaction) or add another $100 to our payment. So so FRUSTRATING
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Old 08-12-2017, 09:03 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by rjs3118 View Post
We are in a real dilemma. We just purchased a Jayco 5th wheel this year and after one problem after another and the dealer compounding the problem by making each one worse, they are offering to give us exactly what we paid for unit. As a result, we can get into a Rockwood 8289 but was advised by the dealer that the build quality is exactly the same as the Jayco but they're customer service is not as good including the warranty. In order to get into the Rockwood we have to come up with money upfront and per month ( the Rockwood is more money though). However, they assure us we won't be happy with the Rockwood if we didn't like the Jayco. Maybe they are just trying to upsell us to something more expensive or maybe they're trying to tell us don't come back if there are problems. We're not sure what to do. What a mess.
Don't believe the dealer and don't believe anybody here. This is a FR forum. You need to decide what is the best solution to make a bad situation better. As far as one being better over another that comment is being used all over about different brands. It is your money, either keep the Jayco or dump it on another new trailer.

I owned 2 Rockwoods. The first one was a absolute POS. The Superslide did not work first trip out and never did work correctly. We dumped it and bought another Rockwood 5th wheel, an 8289 WS that was much better. As ITAT mentioned they are segment of ultralight that has better finishes and fit. Remember no bike racks, limited cargo and expect some issues with lighter construction.

We ended up with a different brand now for many reasons.

Flagstaff and Rockwood are the same trailer.
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Old 08-12-2017, 09:17 AM   #13
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Thanks guys for all the insight. Last year, we had a Flagstaff TT and this year upgraded to the Jayco 5th wheel. We loved our Flagstaff and felt like it was very high end for our price point. Our impression was always that Forrestriver/ Rockwood had higher quality/features. Ever since we picked this up Jayco it's been a nightmare. It was completely rushed out of the factory, the dealer didn't do a thorough job, and then made more of a mess trying to correct things. Now, after many hours going back and forth, we are able to get out of it. However, we are limited to the Rockwood 8289 or upgrading all the way up to a Colombus (not an option based on size and price). At the dealer, our Jayco is about 10k difference in price from the 8289. So we either stick with this piece of junk (which with do nothing but continuously add to our dissatisfaction) or add another $100 to our payment. So so FRUSTRATING
Like I stated before. The RV industry...as a whole...is seeing it's share of quality issues. They are all pumping out Trailers as fast as they can to keep up with demand. The quality is taking a huge hit because of this. A local FR dealer was saying it was a good summer to sell 100 or so trailers thru the summer, and this year they've had some weekends where they sold 80 to 90 units in a single weekend special event.
In our state...the ratio of campers to campsites has now hit 3 to 1. 3 Campers for every single campsite in the state.
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Old 08-12-2017, 12:32 PM   #14
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Been to both factory tours

After seeing both factory tours Rockwood is superior in my opinion.
After almost 40,000 miles we have had a few minor problems but received friendly service from Forrest River factory people.
Jayco is stick built. Rockwood aluminum cage.
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Old 08-12-2017, 12:46 PM   #15
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I'll throw in my two cents. We bought a Jayco in 2008 and sold it this April. Here is a list of things I had to do to the Jayco...in 10 years...Please bare with me.
1. Replaced three 12v light bulbs.
2. Replaced Fresh water tank valve once...(UV deterioration)
3. Replaced hatchway for power cord...(cover broke last fall, UV deterioration)
4. ??? Guess that was it.

List for my 2018 Cherokee
1. Fix most of the trim falling off.
2. Still battling major rust on frame, due to subpar paint job.
3. Lost most of my 120v electrical, after second time out, due to very shoddy electrical work...(took a month to get it in to dealer)
4. Rewired the trailer umbilical, move the breakaway emergency brake due to the wires being pulled so tight they were tearing themselves out of the connectors.
5. Rebuilt the bench for dinette and will be rebuilding the other as it's getting loose and screws are pulling out of the wood.

The change in quality over the years...(The RV Industry as a whole) has gone down immensely as the popularity has grown in the last 5 years, and I predict will only get worse as the Industry is looking to post another record breaking year in sales in 2018.
X2 !
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Old 08-12-2017, 12:54 PM   #16
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Jayco is stick built. Rockwood aluminum cage.
Jayco is no different than Rockwood.

Only aluminum-sided TTs are stick built and that goes for Jayco OR Forest River.

And all Jaycos filon-sided TTs have aluminum cages, just like Rockwoods.
Such as Jayfeather.
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Old 08-12-2017, 01:03 PM   #17
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None of them fix anything
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Old 08-12-2017, 03:17 PM   #18
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FR, Thor, Winnie ~~ makes no difference. Every unit is a crap shoot. No matter what you choose at what price point you can get a good one, a bad one, or one in the middle. Every warranty item can be easy or tough. A good dealer can get through to any builder. Dealer is key no matter the builder.
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Old 08-12-2017, 03:19 PM   #19
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Rockwood vs Jayco

We have our third Forest River product. We started out with a Rockwood tt and loved it, but it was 26 ft. and small, so we got a Georgetown MH and used it to travel from SC to Portland twice and lived in it. After the traveling days and living in it were over we got a Windjammer V that had the exact same floor plan as our first TT, but was a bit longer. We love our Forest River products, but we have noticed a decline in attentions to detail. We have a plug that is loose, the charging station doesn't and the sound system never worked as promised. Forest River sound systems are an in house product and just don't work well. We have had all of these addressed by Camping World under warranty, but they are still not working. Do your research and if you're going for a 5th wheel for travel your needs may be different than the units built for living in for longer period of times. We think that the quality of Forest River tends to be better than the other manufacturers.
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Old 08-12-2017, 03:46 PM   #20
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We have the opportunity to purchase a new fifth wheel after a nightmare Jayco unit. However, we are being advised not to get into a Rockwood cause the build quality and customer service is either the same if not worst than Jayco. How has everyone's experience been with Rockwood?
They are all put together at peace work speed and no time to stop the line for a repair. I believe it is a gamble which unit you will end up with. That said we had a 2014 Surveyor trailer that was almost trouble free ( split hot water heater line) wanted to buy a Surveyor 5er- could not negotiate a deal. Instead found a Jayco Eagle HT last year (2 year warranty) and it has been trouble free. Fit and finish in and out are very good. The Jayco is warmer in the late fall and seems easier to cool in the high temp summer. (They do advertise a Climate Shield) We also looked at the Rockwood which we liked.
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