Bought new coachmen 261 BH.. Deal?

Good deal. You should be good to go then. Happy camping. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with it this comimg camping season.

Agreed on the full wall, i do like that better. Also agreed they are unfortunately throw away units. Both of them have a 12 yr roof warranty. After that the cost to get a new roof is more than the camper is worth. Like a license to print their own money!

I don't like that. That's one of the reasons I've been holding onto my 80s rig. One piece aluminum roof. Original. 28 yrs and going strong. I don't see any of the rigs made today lasting that long, except maybe airstream and i can't afford one of those. Lol

I do like the color combinations on the coachman. And the little aluminium fenderettes. Looks real sharp. Like i said, i nearly bought the exact same trailer at hershey this year, from the same dealer i think your getting yours from. Good luck.

I dont think ill run out of payload. Those tw's are pretty accurate with the campers these days IMO with the tag they put on them.

I took my truck to the scales and as always I go by axle weights.

truck tag.

3925 front
3750 rear

scales

3360 front
2320 rear Me 215 and full tank 34 gallons.

1430 left on rear.

minus say 600 tongue = 830 left.

400 more in passengers leaves 430.. Lets say 400.

To me this is fine. Additionally the WD hitch will move some to front tires and trailer.

Probably about 100 lbs.

My door yellow sticker states 1485 lbs cargo.

This truck has a rpo option that increases the GVW from 6400 to 6900..C5H RPO in glove box.


I carry nothing in the truck but a couple of crates with water hose, sewer, plastic levelers. But I believe I can now keep these in the trailers rear compartment as they are bigger then the coachmen I have now. ( Actually the camper now only has small front passthrough and center storage for under dinette.

http://www.rpocodes.com/GM-RPO-codes/gmrpocodesAthroughF.html

You are comparing the jayco jay flight 261slx. That model has the osb roof and smaller fresh water tank.

No I was comparing the jay flight. Those two water tanks are options and I heard problematic as how they are plumbed. To get that anyway you need the elite package.. How much is that?


Black tank flush
Porcelain foot-flush toilet
Second fresh water tank (total 80-gallon capacity)
Large main entry door grab handle
8-cubic-foot refrigerator (18-cubic-foot residential refrigerator in 38BHDS and 38FDDS)
Large 60/40 acrylic kitchen sink with pull-out faucet
Kitchen sink covers
Porcelain foot flush toilet
Stainless microwave oven
Stainless oven
Stainless refrigerator front
Hardwood frame mission-style maple cabinet doors
AM/FM/CD/DVD player with MP3 hookup/Bluetooth/HDMI
Solar prep
Dual USB and 12V charging port
Denver Mattress brand mattress with bedspread and pillows

And the chill n store with that refidge in rear is an additional option. To me and the pics I see it taks from what you can fit in the opening..

I think the jayco also has a TPO roof Dicor DiFlex II ... Im not sure what the coachmen has.

What it seems like you cant get with the Jayco is that full wall... My wife wanted that. Happy wife happy life....lol

I dont mean to keep going back and forth on what is better. To me both trailers are considered throw aways.. 15 years if lucky and done. They probably both will fall apart to some degree. Most important IMO is to not have a leak during ownership.

Here are spec comparison.


Jayco jayflight 26bh

Weights & Measures
WEIGHTS
Unloaded Vehicle Weight (lbs) View Definition 4805
Dry Hitch Weight (lbs) View Definition 525
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (lbs) View Definition 7000
Cargo Carrying Capacity (lbs) View Definition 2195
MEASUREMENTS
Exterior Length 29' 3"
Exterior Width 96"
Exterior Height with A/C 127"
Interior Height 81"
Wheel Base 226 1/4"
TANK CAPACITIES
Fresh Water Capacity (gals) 42
Fresh Water Capacity - 2nd Tank (gals) 42
Water Heater 6
Gray Waste Water Capacity (gals) 39
Black Waste Water Capacity (gals) 39

Coachmen 261 bh.

Hitch Weight
541 lb
UVW
4748 lbs
GVWR
7000 lbs.
CCC
2252 lbs.
Exterior Length29' 3"
Exterior Height10' 7"
Exterior Width96"
Fresh Wate46 gal.
Gray Water40 gal.
Black Water30 gal.
Awning Size15 ft






261BH
.
.

lawrosa wrote:

Camper G wrote:
I nearly bought this rig at the rv show in hershey, pa this year. Great price at the show. I like the 261bh, it's comparable to the jayco jay flight 26bh, but the jay flight 26bh has a plywood roof and a roof ladder, bigger fresh water tank capacity, black tank flush and other options.

The coachman has an osb roof and i didn't care for that. Inside it's very nice though. We really did like the coachman 261bh.

I was sure the jayco is osb too.. I looked at that unit There seem to be more quality issues with jayco from my readings..

The coachmen has a bigger fresh water tank @ 46 gallon. Jayco 42 gallon.

Option? The coachmen has the free customer value package.

1 13,500 BTU DUCTED A/C
2 POWER AWNING WITH LED
LIGHT
3 6 GALLON G/E DSI WATER
HEATER
4 SKYLIGHT ABOVE
TUB/SHOWER
5 STAB JACKS (4)
6 2 - 20 LB LP BOTTLES SHOWN
WITH OPTIONAL BOTTLE COVER
7 UNDER MOUNT DUAL BASIN
DEEP KITCHEN SINK
8 RANGE HOOD WITH LIGHT
9 AM/FM RADIO WITH CD
AND DVD PLAYER
10 DIGITAL MICROWAVE
11 3 BURNER RANGE IPO 3
BURNER COOKTOP
12 OUTSIDE MARINE GRADE
SPEAKERS (2)
13 FRONT DIAMOND PLATE
14 LED INTERIOR LIGHTING
15 SPARE TIRE AND COVER
16 REAR VISION CAMERA PREP
18 PLEATED NIGHT SHADES IN LIVING ROOM
17 SPORT WHEEL PACKAGE



It is 7000 or 7500 GVWR though and over 29' long and that is a lot of trailer for a half ton truck. That's one reason i held off on the purchase until i got a 3/4 ton truck.


Its 29 ft. same as the jayco. They are also both 7000 lbs loaded max..

And they both come in at 4800 lbs dry..


My 15 Silverado would have pulled that coachman, but with all the gear, passengers and tongue weight i would have been at or over my payload limit.


I don't know what year your half ton is, but I'd check your weights when you have time to see where your at weight wise.

Dont know what truck you have. Mine is an 06 silverado as in my sig. 6900 lb gvw. I took it to the scales and with myself 215 lbs and a full tank of fuel , 34 gallons, I have a remainning payload of 1425 lbs.

Both TW's are 540..


Truck says it can tow 7500 lbs. If I get 1000 lbs in that camper id be suprised.Propane is included in the weights so the only additional items would be batterys for the dry weights.






Congrats on your purchase. It's a really nice rig.

Thank you.

Watch these videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfP6xDnVprQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXMJrRQ3SVk

Yes sir, I've seen both of those videos. Unfortunately, most if not all RVs in this price range are built the same way.

You are comparing the jayco jay flight 261slx. That model has the osb roof and smaller fresh water tank.

The jay flight 26BH is the nicer model with the roof ladder and plywood roof, black tank flush, 80 gallon of fresh water capacity, etc.

I suppose the more fair comparison is the jayco 261slx to your coachman. They are similarly priced. The jay flight 26bh is about 4k more. Both jaycos had a much larger rear storage area under the bunk beds, the jayflight 26bh also has a small refrigerator back there which is really nice.

Given a choice between the coachman and 261slx jayco I'd have gone with the coachman also. It's a lot of trailer for the money.


I had a 15 Silverado 1500, 5.3/3.42 gears, 1704 payload, 9100 lb tow rating. So My old truck had more capability than what yours does.

The trouble with half ton trucks is that you'll likely run out of payload way before you get anywhere close to your tow rating.

So in your case, if you take the tongue weight off what you have left after your weight is taken off, your already under 1,000 lb of payload left.

How much does your hitch itself weigh? How many passengers will you have with you? What do they weigh? What about camping gear, firewood, a tool box, floor jack, etc?

The jayco 261slxv is 6500 gross, so 500 lbs lighter than your coachman, at least in rated capacity.

I think you may be surprised at what payload you have left when all is said and done.

Typical tongue weights are 13% of trailer weight, if i recall correctly, so if we use 7000, since that's a more realistic fugure than the dry weight it's, that's 910 lbs. If we go 10%, that's 700 lbs. Either way, i think your light on your tongue weight estimate.

Will your truck pull it? I'm sure it will, but a long trip to Disney or myrtle beach is asking a lot of a now 11yr old truck, loaded to near if not over it's capacity.

I suspect you'll want more truck after a few trips, but maybe not. If your within all your limits, loaded weights, then that's great. What does the yellow sticker on the driver's side door jamb say your maximum weight of passengers and cargo is? I'm not sure how your coming up with 1425 lb of payload remaining, but that yellow sticker is where i got the spec for my Chevy. Perhaps that is the yellow sticker payload limit. That might be right for a 2006 model year Chevy half ton.

I'd check to be sure though if it was me. Again, just my opinion.

It's a real nice rig. I still may consider one when we get serious about looking again in the next few years.

Camper G wrote:
I nearly bought this rig at the rv show in hershey, pa this year. Great price at the show. I like the 261bh, it's comparable to the jayco jay flight 26bh, but the jay flight 26bh has a plywood roof and a roof ladder, bigger fresh water tank capacity, black tank flush and other options.

The coachman has an osb roof and i didn't care for that. Inside it's very nice though. We really did like the coachman 261bh.

I was sure the jayco is osb too.. I looked at that unit There seem to be more quality issues with jayco from my readings..

The coachmen has a bigger fresh water tank @ 46 gallon. Jayco 42 gallon.

Option? The coachmen has the free customer value package.

1 13,500 BTU DUCTED A/C
2 POWER AWNING WITH LED
LIGHT
3 6 GALLON G/E DSI WATER
HEATER
4 SKYLIGHT ABOVE
TUB/SHOWER
5 STAB JACKS (4)
6 2 - 20 LB LP BOTTLES SHOWN
WITH OPTIONAL BOTTLE COVER
7 UNDER MOUNT DUAL BASIN
DEEP KITCHEN SINK
8 RANGE HOOD WITH LIGHT
9 AM/FM RADIO WITH CD
AND DVD PLAYER
10 DIGITAL MICROWAVE
11 3 BURNER RANGE IPO 3
BURNER COOKTOP
12 OUTSIDE MARINE GRADE
SPEAKERS (2)
13 FRONT DIAMOND PLATE
14 LED INTERIOR LIGHTING
15 SPARE TIRE AND COVER
16 REAR VISION CAMERA PREP
18 PLEATED NIGHT SHADES IN LIVING ROOM
17 SPORT WHEEL PACKAGE



It is 7000 or 7500 GVWR though and over 29' long and that is a lot of trailer for a half ton truck. That's one reason i held off on the purchase until i got a 3/4 ton truck.


Its 29 ft. same as the jayco. They are also both 7000 lbs loaded max..

And they both come in at 4800 lbs dry..


My 15 Silverado would have pulled that coachman, but with all the gear, passengers and tongue weight i would have been at or over my payload limit.


I don't know what year your half ton is, but I'd check your weights when you have time to see where your at weight wise.

Dont know what truck you have. Mine is an 06 silverado as in my sig. 6900 lb gvw. I took it to the scales and with myself 215 lbs and a full tank of fuel , 34 gallons, I have a remainning payload of 1425 lbs.

Both TW's are 540..


Truck says it can tow 7500 lbs. If I get 1000 lbs in that camper id be suprised.Propane is included in the weights so the only additional items would be batterys for the dry weights.






Congrats on your purchase. It's a really nice rig.

Thank you.

Watch these videos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfP6xDnVprQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXMJrRQ3SVk

I nearly bought this rig at the rv show in hershey, pa this year. Great price at the show. I like the 261bh, it's comparable to the jayco jay flight 26bh, but the jay flight 26bh has a plywood roof and a roof ladder, bigger fresh water tank capacity, black tank flush and other options.

The coachman has an osb roof and i didn't care for that. Inside it's very nice though. We really did like the coachman 261bh.

It is 7000 or 7500 GVWR though and over 29' long and that is a lot of trailer for a half ton truck. That's one reason i held off on the purchase until i got a 3/4 ton truck.

My 15 Silverado would have pulled that coachman, but with all the gear, passengers and tongue weight i would have been at or over my payload limit.

I don't know what year your half ton is, but I'd check your weights when you have time to see where your at weight wise.

Congrats on your purchase. It's a really nice rig.

That's a nice layout. It's rare to get a couch and bunks in a unit of that length.

Nice rig. I know some mobile RV techs are factory authorized for service. That may be a better fit for you than a 3 hr drive.

Nice camper, but the floorplan would show better with more appropriate aspect ratio, like this ...

It's a good price ONLY if the rig works for your camping/RVing lifestyle.

Congratulations on getting what you really wanted. May God give you many fun and safe trips. May the BVM travel at your side.