Jayco is entering the Diesel Pusher gang

[kerrlakeRoo]

Just saw an article on
www.rvbusiness.com
that Jayco is building new Class A units on the Spartan Chassis. First one to be 37' and have 4 slides. New product line to be named the "Embark"
More expansion in the industry.
It's already on their website too
www.jayco.com

[wnytaxman]

Mile High wrote:

lryrob9301 wrote:

wnytaxman wrote:
All they are doing is competing with companies like Tiffin and Newmar. It seems odd to be critical of any company that is just offering competing lines. That competition is what keeps, or should keep, others honest.

My problem is they are passing off cheap Thor products under the Entegra name. I was at the Tampa RV Show yesterday and had a chance to view this first hand. The gas coach is nothing but a Thor Challenger with Entegra name and $7,800 increased price over the Challenger two isles away, same unit. The class C resembled a Four Winds unit with Entegra badging and $3.200 increase in price.

As hard as you want to be a loyalist, when your brand sells out - they aren't the same product anymore now matter how hard you think they isolate themselves from the rest of the company. It doesn't mean the product you are loyal to will take a dive, but it does mean they are free to do with it what they want.

I just saw some pictures of the interior of a new 2018 Cornerstone that a friend took in Tampa at the Show and the interior looks pretty mundane for a Motorhome that lists in the $700,000 range. I was surprised how downgraded it was from what I have seen in the Cornerstone in the past. Sad, but many here who have predicted that Entegra will become more Thor like may very well be right.

[Mile_High]

lryrob9301 wrote:

wnytaxman wrote:
All they are doing is competing with companies like Tiffin and Newmar. It seems odd to be critical of any company that is just offering competing lines. That competition is what keeps, or should keep, others honest.

My problem is they are passing off cheap Thor products under the Entegra name. I was at the Tampa RV Show yesterday and had a chance to view this first hand. The gas coach is nothing but a Thor Challenger with Entegra name and $7,800 increased price over the Challenger two isles away, same unit. The class C resembled a Four Winds unit with Entegra badging and $3.200 increase in price.

As hard as you want to be a loyalist, when your brand sells out - they aren't the same product anymore now matter how hard you think they isolate themselves from the rest of the company. It doesn't mean the product you are loyal to will take a dive, but it does mean they are free to do with it what they want.

[dougrainer]

lryrob9301 wrote:

wnytaxman wrote:
All they are doing is competing with companies like Tiffin and Newmar. It seems odd to be critical of any company that is just offering competing lines. That competition is what keeps, or should keep, others honest.

My problem is they are passing off cheap Thor products under the Entegra name. I was at the Tampa RV Show yesterday and had a chance to view this first hand. The gas coach is nothing but a Thor Challenger with Entegra name and $7,800 increased price over the Challenger two isles away, same unit. The class C resembled a Four Winds unit with Entegra badging and $3.200 increase in price.

How do you reconcile the fact that the JAYCO and ENTEGRA motorhomes are built in Middlebury, Indiana, by the Jayco and Entegra Factory workers THERE! NOT built by a Thor Motorhome division in Wakarusa or Elkhart, Indiana depending on the model. It is obvious you do not like Thor products. But, because YOU do not like them, others do, as they sell a lot. Must be nice to be such an expert, you can just walk thru an RV show and JUST KNOW how and with what they are built:h Doug

[vjstangelo]

Just curious...who on this thread would pay $300 large for any motorhome?

I saw the price and it knocked my sox off.

[lryrob9301]

wnytaxman wrote:
All they are doing is competing with companies like Tiffin and Newmar. It seems odd to be critical of any company that is just offering competing lines. That competition is what keeps, or should keep, others honest.

My problem is they are passing off cheap Thor products under the Entegra name. I was at the Tampa RV Show yesterday and had a chance to view this first hand. The gas coach is nothing but a Thor Challenger with Entegra name and $7,800 increased price over the Challenger two isles away, same unit. The class C resembled a Four Winds unit with Entegra badging and $3.200 increase in price.

[wnytaxman]

lryrob9301 wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

old guy wrote:
didn't jayco build the entegra? and then sold out to thor

Jayco makes the Pusher Entegra line AND built a C class Embarq a few years ago and failed with the Embarq and dropped it. THOR does own Jayco and the Entegra division now. But, it is still a Jayco company. Thor does not really change the Manufacturers they buy. They buy them because they are satisfied with how they are run and built. Jayco's problem is simple. In 20 years they have NEVER been able to build a Diesel pusher motorhome that has not failed. The Entegra division was purchased from the old Travel Supreme that went under and Jayco used the Travel Supreme designs and builds in the new Entegra division, which is why that division has a good motorhome line. Doug

If you really think Thor doesn't change the companies they buy I suggest you look at the Entegra website. You will now find,in addition to the luxury DP offerings, a gas class A ( can you say Thor Challenger), and a class C offering ( of who knows what design). So much for not changing the companies they buy !!! Also as to this being a Jayco DP, sorry it's just the old short Entegra Aspire without a tag axle on a short less expensive chassis that Thor can dump more of it's cheap **** into and sell for high $$$$.

All they are doing is competing with companies like Tiffin and Newmar. It seems odd to be critical of any company that is just offering competing lines. That competition is what keeps, or should keep, others honest.

[Mr_Mark1]

stvdman wrote:
Surprised no-one has mentioned the Interior. Looks like a brand new 2012-13 coach.

I have to say I didn't look into the interior pics at first. I'm not sure what you mean about your statement. The interior looks OK to me. I'm assuming that you see the interior as a negative.

I think the whole success of the Embark will be on the build. I priced out the 37 ft. with all the options (not including the CDN options) and it came in at $296,999 before PDI.

Customer Value Package View Feature $11,029.00 (15K air/heat pumps, 2k inverter, pwr leveling jacks, 8K gen, backup/side cams, pwr awnings, outside entertainment, solar shades)
Fireplace $809.00
Central Vacuum System $331.00
Theater Seating w/Power Recline $1,397.00
Winegard Trav'ler Satellite Dish $1,316.00
Wi-Fi Extender Antenna (4G LTE) $1,243.00
Slideout Storage Tray $507.00
Solar Power Prep $316.00
Washer/ Dryer Stacked $1,669.00


That price doesn't seem out of line. Probably looking at a 'buy-in' price of $225,000.

Hope it's a winner for them.

Safe travels,
MM.

[stvdman]

Surprised no-one has mentioned the Interior. Looks like a brand new 2012-13 coach.

[Elias]

Yawn!!

[lryrob9301]

dougrainer wrote:

old guy wrote:
didn't jayco build the entegra? and then sold out to thor

Jayco makes the Pusher Entegra line AND built a C class Embarq a few years ago and failed with the Embarq and dropped it. THOR does own Jayco and the Entegra division now. But, it is still a Jayco company. Thor does not really change the Manufacturers they buy. They buy them because they are satisfied with how they are run and built. Jayco's problem is simple. In 20 years they have NEVER been able to build a Diesel pusher motorhome that has not failed. The Entegra division was purchased from the old Travel Supreme that went under and Jayco used the Travel Supreme designs and builds in the new Entegra division, which is why that division has a good motorhome line. Doug

If you really think Thor doesn't change the companies they buy I suggest you look at the Entegra website. You will now find,in addition to the luxury DP offerings, a gas class A ( can you say Thor Challenger), and a class C offering ( of who knows what design). So much for not changing the companies they buy !!! Also as to this being a Jayco DP, sorry it's just the old short Entegra Aspire without a tag axle on a short less expensive chassis that Thor can dump more of it's cheap **** into and sell for high $$$$.

[Mile_High]

irishtom29 wrote:

JCGibson wrote:
Compared to our Newmar Ventana 3709 we had which is similar in length and price...
- GVWR: V - 37300; E - 32000

The higher GVWR of the Newmar indicates a higher payload or a stouter build or both. In any event I consider it an indication of higher quality.

Not that many jaspers pay any attention to payload.

The GVWR doesn't necessarily mean a higher payload and certainly not quality in itself. You can't determine payload until you know dry weight. Maybe the Ventana weighs more for whatever reason.

[JCGibson]

irishtom29 wrote:

JCGibson wrote:
Compared to our Newmar Ventana 3709 we had which is similar in length and price...
- GVWR: V - 37300; E - 32000

The higher GVWR of the Newmar indicates a higher payload or a stouter build or both. In any event I consider it an indication of higher quality.

Not that many jaspers pay any attention to payload.

My guess they wanted to stick with a Spartan chassis since most if not all Entegras are built using this chassis. This is the shortest chassis Spartan offers. It is usually an upgrade over a Freightliner chassis. As for a stouter build, not sure that is true. They might have similar dry weights, but obviously the payload would be much less on the Embark.

[irishtom29]

JCGibson wrote:
Compared to our Newmar Ventana 3709 we had which is similar in length and price...
- GVWR: V - 37300; E - 32000

The higher GVWR of the Newmar indicates a higher payload or a stouter build or both. In any event I consider it an indication of higher quality.

Not that many jaspers pay any attention to payload.

[zb39]

Spartan builds a great chassis. I have had 2, mountain master with a 8.3 cummins and the K2 with cummins
ISM 10.8. Both awesome coaches.