Jayco "Temporarily" Shuts Down Its Pop-up ("Fold Down") Line

[bama_ed]

A while back Jayco was bought out by Thor (I think) and they are announcing a "temporary" shut-down of the Jayco assembly line for 2019.

https://rv-pro.com/news/jayco-temporarily-shelves-its-fold-downs

Given that fewer pop-ups (fold downs) are being bought by consumers, one wonders if this will become permanent. The small, light travel trailer segment is not much more expensive than a similar sized pop-up. Before the Thor purchase, Jayco had bought out the Starcraft line and I never did get a sense that operations were combined. Starcraft continued to advertise pop-ups on their corporate website though I never saw dealer or a new camper being used out on weekends.

I bought a 2005 Jayco Highwall with a 12-foot box (Jayco HW12) and our family used it A LOT. It was built like a tank and as long as I kept the canvas dry and moisture out while stored (it was garage kept) it was a champ for our family. It was a great 3-season camper for 5 people.

I could wax on about "small is beautiful" but it's a shame. Sleeping under the canvas (and up off the ground) was a great experience. You still felt like you were outside but protected.

Bama Ed

 

[tiggerdad]

I agree, it still had some semblance of camping. I actually wanted a popup when I started shopping but this was quickly shot down by DW and the TT showed up instead. As a kid, popup campers and tents were all there was and I enjoyed them to no end. That is why I'm not worrying too much about being in a tent in May. I won't have DW there to roll her eyes. I won't need hard sided camper for quite some time.

Starcraft made good hybrid campers, Jayco never really expanded it at all to be honest.

Thor did buy Jayco. Thor is known for quality class a and c rigs.

I look forward to the patter of rain on the canvas again. However, if a storm blows in I have already secured arrangements with other Disers for a safe place to hide.

 

[Teamubr]

My first 2 campers (hybrid, TT) were Starcraft. Nice little trailers. We just out grew them.

Interesting development with Jayco pop ups. Maybe it is just a temporary thing to let demand catch up with supply.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Well the linked article does contain a statement from a Jayco guy saying that the pop-up line WILL come back and I'm trying to not be too cynical. I want to believe him.

Thor owns Airstream too and I toured that factory and was impressed by what I saw.

Bama Ed

 

[sirenia88]

I'm sorry but I don't associate the words Thor and quality. I think Thor and stay away. Then again to each's their own. I generally see them as well as cost produced to capture a wider target audience. My previously owned Thor product, there were all sorts of cost produced features starting at the frame through interior appliances and electrical products. After owning one, I cannot recommend a Thor product. Maybe their higher end models might be better off. But at the low end of the price point, not so much. I thought it sucked for Jayco to be bought out by them.

As for Jayco, my uncle owned a Kiwi hybrid back in 2000-01. He sold it when the vehicle they owned could not continue to tow it. So they sold it. It was 23 foot Hybrid it was a nice trailer. My parents bought a similar vintage 15 ft hybrid Kiwi for a couple of grand locally. My father was able to replace the floor and fix it up overall. They love it. Their V8 powered Explorer pulls it like there is nothing there, They will take it out locally to different campgrounds throughout the year. As a matter of fact, my wife and I almost bought a Jayco Hybrid back in 2011. It was almost exactly like the one my aunt and uncle had. We had to cancel our contract once we realized our tow vehicle at the time would not be able to tow it comfortably. It was a 22 foot hybrid with a wet weight around 4800 pounds in which the sales rep insisted it would handle the trailer. Turns out our explorer was rated just over 5200 pounds. I felt it was cutting it too close. When we called up to let them know our vehicle was not going to tow it, they started to resist on refunding the deposit. I said we would like to cancel on the fact I would not be able to tow safely with my family in the vehicle. Then they offered a credit. I said I don't know when I would get another properly equipped tow vehicle. So they gave back the deposit in good faith. Ironically if my wife had let me get a truck instead of another Explorer which I was sort of against we would have probably have owned the Jayco.

The wife saw this Explorer when we were looking for a replacement vehicle after a terrible accident. I was involved in an accident in which another driver ran me off the road in 2009. This caused me to take on a telephone pole head on at about 45 MPH. I walked away shaken but without any injury. The other person was not so lucky. He blew a .24 and was arrested for DWI. At that time I was looking at getting a F150 saying it would be nice to have a truck for around the house and the projects. The wife begged to differ. She found this Explorer and thought it would be fine for us. It had a rear entertainment system for our at the time infant daughter. My wife thought it was good since it was lower than a truck to get her in and out. I tended to think in terms that our daughter would get bigger and less stuff would be packed on trips. Strollers would be not needed as well as the car seats after a certain point. I was not keen on getting another Explorer since I was kind of attached to the old one and wanted a truck this next go around. Come this July 10 years later, we still own it even with all it's headaches. But it's paid for and can be driven around as a beater vehicle. It has towed my parent's Kiwi for the first couple of years they owned it until they found a later model with a V8 powerplant. Both have said the V8 was hands down a better tow vehicle as our v6 powered explorer was slouch when towing. I wound up getting my truck 2 years later. We bought the truck in thinking we were eventually going to get a trailer. Which we did a couple of months later.

Oh BTW my DD is a truck girl. She loves hopping in the truck and wonders why we don't take the truck more often to places. Hopefully the truck will be around when she starts driving. After all that was the plan with our old 250 before some idiot decided to rear end it. I figured she would be learning how to drive in that truck. Now it will probably be a 350.

sorry for the tangent folks...

 

[rideswithchrist]

Jayco's hybrids are way overpriced as it is...I can't imagine spending $30k on one that will need more upkeep on the canvas than getting a murphy bed TT for $16k.
I wonder if their suspension would make the current line more expensive due to supply and demand, or cheaper if they try and offload them.

There is a used Jayco hybrid at our dealer that has the queen hybrid under canvas and quad bunks in the rear. I am trying to talk my family into it but I keep getting poo-poo'ed because everyone wants a travel trailer. :/


My dad's popup we borrowed for the Fort is a starcraft and it seems really well built. (Or well kept, you never can be sure!)

 

[sirenia88]

@rideswithchrist I know it is not really direct towards me but in general. When we were going to buy the bigger Hybrid, it was around I think $18 or $19K OTD. Great layout. Slept I think 8. However, if you can find a good used Hybrid, that is the way to go. Scourer craigslist, Facebook and other on line marketplaces for deals. I seen a couple of late models going for under 10 with title in hand in my area. However I think all area are different. I think my parents paid $3000 for theirs. My father replaced the floor and did a couple of other minor repairs. The unit is really solid for an 18 year old trailer. Perfect for the 2 of them. I know several companies make the Hybrids However they all seem to be the same size and price range.

Last year, we splurged and bought a new trailer. I thought my truck was expensive however, we like it. Happy wife. Happy life.

 

[rideswithchrist]

@rideswithchrist I know it is not really direct towards me but in general. When we were going to buy the bigger Hybrid, it was around I think $18 or $19K OTD. Great layout. Slept I think 8. However, if you can find a good used Hybrid, that is the way to go. Scourer craigslist, Facebook and other on line marketplaces for deals. I seen a couple of late models going for under 10 with title in hand in my area. However I think all area are different. I think my parents paid $3000 for theirs. My father replaced the floor and did a couple of other minor repairs. The unit is really solid for an 18 year old trailer. Perfect for the 2 of them. I know several companies make the Hybrids However they all seem to be the same size and price range.

Last year, we splurged and bought a new trailer. I thought my truck was expensive however, we like it. Happy wife. Happy life.

18K is not that bad for brand new!
I really really want a hybrid, but my family wants a TT. I am trying to find one that is big enough to just stay inside if we camp in bear country hehe.
Campers are expensive in Texas, so I am thinking about looking outside of the state for one. $3,000 is a great price!

 

[sirenia88]

I know my previous trailer was on the as is lot at the dealership for under 4K. It lasted for about 2 weeks before it was sold and gone. However it was definitely on the handyman special side due to the bathroom floor. But it works for the new owners who ever they are. The real question is going to be what is your tow vehicle really capable of pulling. Not just at the current or near term future but the long term. The kids are the X factor since they will be growing for some time which will obviously change cargo weights and the like. Your got 4 so... Especially if you "outgrow" what you think is the one. Trust me there is nothing worse not having enough truck for the trailer you need.

As for looking out of state, that is probably a great idea. It might be worth taking a 500 mile drive for some thing that is going to be cheaper. The thing is Texas seems to have a pretty long season and nearly year round in southern side of the state from what I have read on different camping forums. IOW, more chances to go camping. Come up north. We are winterizing in Mid to late October and coming out of storage around now or so. Much shorter season for many of us. There was one fellow on a truck forum that I regularly visit, one member drove from North Carolina to Delaware for a trailer. He wound up going to a couple of places. Turned out the 3rd place had want he was looking for and at the price. They hitched up and headed home same day.

Good luck with the search.

 

[rideswithchrist]

I have been checking out RV Trader and seeing what our limit on a drive would be to go get one. What a cool road trip I say. Of course, 6 hours of that drive is just getting out of TX ha.