The $11,000 difference is probably worth it, if you want a 37' FW as opposed to a 31' one. When we bought our 2102 HT 26.5 RLS, we didn't want a trailer that was 37' long due to where we store it next to our house and the capacity of the Ram 2500 six-speed manual that we had. After nine months, we traded for a GMC D/A combo crew cab that probably would have carried the Eagle you are looking at. For us, with just the two of us, the 26.5 works great and we have no desire to upgrade to a heavier, longer FW. As far as quality, I think that, as said above, at each price point, you will probably find that Jayco quality is at least equal to anything else out there. And, the 18 gal equivalent is, I think, a six gallon water heater with the ability to throughput 18 gallons of hot water an hour using both gas and electric. Our water heater is six gallon but is rated at a greater equivalent then that.