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peanut1012's avatar
peanut1012
Explorer
Jun 24, 2015

Buying New Jayco 23B

I am a newbie - buying and owning anything larger than a pop-up. I am thinking about purchasing a Jayco 23B - and wanted to know if there was any good advice for during the sales process - what to expect that they will throw at me with their sales pitch etc. How much all the tax title and license and little extras cost. Appreciate any advise.
  • Look online for prices and know what you should expect to pay. Also, we bought a one year old unit for $5000 less than the new "this years" model. It still had the tags on the appliances - I think someone bought it and decided it was too small or some such and traded up. Look for a good used unit - they are out there - and let someone else pay the depreciation. There are many nearly new units on Craigslist, etc. If you are willing to drive up to 100 miles for a deal, that is a plus. Most dealers will price match if they can, so if you find it cheaper 50 miles away, possibly your local dealer will match it. I would be willing to pay a small premium to buy from a dealer I liked - so look for reviews and deal with the guy that has the best reputation for service after the sale.
  • peanut1012 wrote:
    How much all the tax title and license and little extras cost. Appreciate any advise.


    don't know how you think someone can tell you tax, title and license, since it'll vary buy what you pay for it and by the state you're in.
    in California, those amounts would probably be 3-4x what it is in Texas.

    get a quote on the 23B from RVDirect and take it to your dealer. see how close they're willing to get to it.
    if they'll get within $1000, buy it from them.
  • Tax, title and licence can vary by state. The dealer should be able to tell you that. Ask about other fees as well. I had one dealer try to pass off a $500 "Processing Fee" onto the documents.

    Another thing, you will likely need a brake controller, Weight Distribution Hitch, Sway control, etc. My RV Dealer won't let RV's drive off the lot unless the vehicle towing them has them. If you don't have these things, most RV dealers will sell them to you and even install them... at a HUGE mark-up most likely. So find out about that stuff.

    Go over in detail what guarantees and warranties the trailer will come with, and whether they are manufacturer or dealer based. One thing I love about the dealer I normally go through is they are very good about being completely upfront with everything. I bought an older used unit and I got a list of things they inspected and would cover in detail (and for how long), and they didn't try to sugar coat what wasn't inspected and was not covered. It was laid out in black and white. Which I was happier having that kind of detail rather than for someone to try to pull one over on me.

    There will also be additional warranties and service plans that they will try to sell you. That is up to you whether you think they are worth it or not. But be aware it will be a decision you will have to make, so you might want to research on them ahead of time.
  • peanut1012 wrote:
    I am a newbie - buying and owning anything larger than a pop-up. I am thinking about purchasing a Jayco 23B - and wanted to know if there was any good advice for during the sales process - what to expect that they will throw at me with their sales pitch etc. How much all the tax title and license and little extras cost. Appreciate any advise.


    My TTs need RV plates which are about $230/year. My Pop Ups had 'trailer' plates which were only $45 due to not being self contained.

    My Pop Up was under my State Farm auto insurance since there wasn't much to go wrong. It was something like $150/year. My Jay Flights have been under progressive's RV premium replacement warranty and are about $500/year.

    Caulking replacement on the Pop Ups were about $100 to $250/year. Caulking replacement with pressure test on the 26BH travel trailer has been $350 to $550 year.

    So my 26BH cost per year Without actual trailer cost is $1280/year. Add in trailer cost divided by 6 year, and price then goes to $3664/year for the first 6 years.

    My Starcraft 2406 Pop was $445/year without actual trailer cost. Add in trailer cost divided by 6 years, and price then goes to $1995/year for the first 6 years.

    So figure on the cost of travel trailer being roughly 2X the cost of the pop up per year. With todays prices, not so much as pop ups cost almost as much as a travel trailer.

    Good luck
  • Research the 23B on here before pulling the trigger. Many negatives for that model including low CCC, low clearance, inability to dump tanks, slanted driveway issues, and climbing over the U-Dinette.
  • Ahhh, but I loved mine! Only traded as I retired and wanted something with hard sides for safety. We had a lot of great memories and it was my favorite. I hope that you enjoy yours!