I found a Jayco Seneca Class C for a really good price - higher mileage but not bad mileage - and went to look at it. It looked nothing like the photos. Lots of dings and scratches outside, older tires, Lots of scratches and things inside, dings, drawers not sitting right. The kitchen slide makes this god-awful noise when it's brought in. I told them I was coming to see it and they said it would be in the shop getting a PDI and everything until today. So I went to day. It's dirty inside - in the drawers, under the sink. Lots of jury-rigged stuff like the screen door. The most concerning thing is that there is a separation between the floor and the wall in the bathroom. I have wanted a Jayco Seneca HD for 9 years. I want this rig. BAD. But I cannot afford to fix things and I can't get an extended warranty because it adds too much to the loan I'm getting for it and Good Sam won't warranty anything over 109k miles. The engine wouldn't be covered no matter what - by Good Sam or an extended warranty. I'd just like to know what you Jayco Seneca HD owners think about the problems I've listed and if they'd be deal breakers. What would you look for? What should I put on my checklist? Thank you very much.

I wouldn't touch that deal with a 10 foot pole.If the inside & structure are that beat up, do you really think the drive train has been taken care of?

It sounds to me like you're best off passing on this unit unless the price is really, really good—which, despite your first sentence, doesn't seem to me to be the case if you're looking at a loan for it. I'd suggest that you have no motorhome you can use and no loan payment, rather than a motorhome that may well prove to be unusable due to needing significant repairs and a loan payment to boot.Scratches and dings, if nothing more than that, are in themselves just cosmetic flaws. A lot of them tend to indicate that the unit has seen hard or rough usage, and so could portend other things wearing out. Separation between the floor and wall, particularly if an outside wall, suggests significant structural problems. (If it's an interior wall, the wall usually isn't part of the basic structure so it would not be quite so concerning, but it is something that needs work.) Jury-rigging can be good or not so good, depending on the jury-rigger, but probably tends towards the not so good if it stands out as such.New tires will run you about $1000. Slide repairs can be costly, if needed, but it's impossible to know what's up without investigating what the source of the noise is. If the engine and drivetrain have received proper maintenance, they would be the least of my worries; the Ford (and Chevy) chassis are reliable and regularly go for many miles in commercial service. Other RV systems can also be costly to repair or replace...I don't know how much of everything you checked out thoroughly. EDIT: I also want to be explicit that all bets are off on the drivetrain reliability if not properly maintained.

Run don't walk away. No price is right for this beat up garage queen.I owned a '08 Seneca for 7 years. I traded for a Dx3 with the Cummins and Allison xmission. IT was on a Freightliner chassis. My Seneca had one ding when I tradedthat I pointed out to the dealer. He looked and took pictures and sent them to his mech. and they said a coupled hour fix. My Seneca had brand new tires, new batteries, bilstein shocks, safety steer. anti sway on the front and anti sway NIB for the rear ready to be installed. It also had helper springs on the rear installed by Henderson. I also carried a full size spare mounted on a wheel for 'just in case". that went with the rig. I had all the maintenance and service records and they went with the rig. I had no structure damage.I got over the top blue book value on my trade. On your Seneca check to see if you have any of the add on's like I had. It appears ,as you described it, your potential Seneca has had a very rough life and was not taken care of.

I strongly agree with the other people who posted, don't walk. Run from this guy.I have a '06 Seneca35GS and love it. My good friend has a '08 35GS that is for sale at a good price. If you have any interest please respond via private message and I'll elaborate on this CLEAN Seneca.

New tires for a Seneca will cost close to $3k.

Problems with a Jayco Seneca that I was going to buy

lfcjasp
Explorer
Dec 12, 2015
This is an easy decision: yes, run fast and far from this mess!
vic46
Explorer
Dec 12, 2015
coolmom42 wrote:
I wouldn't touch that deal with a 10 foot pole.

If the inside & structure are that beat up, do you really think the drive train has been taken care of?

I wouldn't touch that deal with SOMEBODY ELSE'S 10 foot pole!
Explorer1016
Explorer
Dec 21, 2015
ronfisherman wrote:
New tires for a Seneca will cost close to $3k.

Those prices sound very high Ron. I replaced my drive axle tires this year with 19.5-14 ply (G rating) Toyo M920 for closer to $300/each. Mount, liquid balance, no tire waste fee because i kept the take offs and sold them.
mlts22
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
This doesn't sound like a good deal. I'd pass, just because I have a gut feeling you will be inheriting someone else's engine/transmission issues and other problems.

I'd also check for water damage... if there is -any-, run. Especially with a slide mechanism that doesn't seem to be that noisy.
BEVAR
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
$3,000 is right on the money for new Seneca tires if you put on quality rubber. I just turned 100,000 miles and put my 3rd set of XZEs on it. $500 bucks a pop...more or less. Our kitchen slide sometimes howls when going in or out...its the rubber seal not flexing in the direction of slide movement...no big deal.

The rest...that is disturbing.

Boli
Explorer1016
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
The Toyo tire is good quality rubber as is Michelin but at a higher price. I'm not retired so my rug doesn't get as many miles a year as some other folks put on their rigs. My tires will hit their end of use shelf life before they wear out so buying the Michelin is not good economic sense for my situation.
ronfisherman
Moderator
Dec 22, 2015
Explorer1016 wrote:
ronfisherman wrote:
New tires for a Seneca will cost close to $3k.

Those prices sound very high Ron. I replaced my drive axle tires this year with 19.5-14 ply (G rating) Toyo M920 for closer to $300/each. Mount, liquid balance, no tire waste fee because i kept the take offs and sold them.

The Seneca's require bigger tires than your Host. They have 245 tires with a H rating (16 ply).
Explorer1016
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
ronfisherman wrote:
Explorer1016 wrote:
ronfisherman wrote:
New tires for a Seneca will cost close to $3k.

Those prices sound very high Ron. I replaced my drive axle tires this year with 19.5-14 ply (G rating) Toyo M920 for closer to $300/each. Mount, liquid balance, no tire waste fee because i kept the take offs and sold them.

The Seneca's require bigger tires than your Host. They have 245 tires with a H rating (16 ply).

Makes sense. F 550 only uses 225/70's. Anxiously awaiting the new GM/Navistar offerings to see what they come up with. 2018 I believe. I'm a GM guy from childhood but no one offered 4x4 when I bought mine other than EarthRoamer and they are way out of my price range and they are small inside.
ernie1
Explorer
Dec 22, 2015
Bronco Bev:
If you really want this unit"BAD", you'll get it "BAD"! Seems like some neanderthal and his family probably lived in this rv for a long time. One other thing that was not mentioned so far is, can you just imagine what kind of stuff is lurking in the holding tanks, refrigerator, toilet, plumbing and hvac systems?
Bordercollie
Explorer
Dec 30, 2015
It's unanimous! Take your time, don't buy on impulse and have the thrill replaced with buyer's remorse. Wow, I just looked at the wide range of asking prices for 2006's up to present. Lots of room for bargaining but you had better know market values of years, models, floor plans, and options as well as loans available. If you buy used, of course have a qualified RV repair service and diesel truck mechanic inspect rig and give you a written estimate of repairs and services, parts and labor, needed. Get any promises of fixes/upgrades by a dealer on the sales contract.

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