17.56 owner

[straydingo]

Hi All
I've been lurking around this forum for a few days, and being encouraged by what I've seen, decided to join up . I've been picking up a few ideas of the forum already, thanks, just got to wait around 4 months to put them into practice.
We ordered our 17.56-1 outback model today trading in the Swan. We didn't go the shower/toilet model as we usually stay in caravan parks and the like, so preferred the extra storage instead. A few little changes ordered - converting the dinette to be a full time bunk like in the 16.49-2, again with more storage under, and of course the usual options - awning, air con, privacy screens, 150l fridge, etc. We ordered the hot water, and the dealer was kind enough to throw in the outdoor shower free.

It's going to be a loooong 4 (ish) months.

Andrew

 

[Fair-Dinkum]

Hello Andrew and welcome to the forum. We are down to weeks now and not months waiting for our 17.56 (they sure are popular)but hang in there, time seems to be flying now days.....well it is for me LOL

 

[chartrock]

Welcome Andrew. Yeah, 4 months is a fair time to be waiting, especially reading all the stuff that comes up on the forum and wishing you could do some of it. But, as Fair-Dinkum said, hang in there and you will wonder where those 4 months went.

Enjoy the forum. :gossip:

Paul

 

[straydingo]

Woo Hoo
We've just been given a collection date! 3rd November!!
We were offered the week before, but already got commitments so couldn't. (Which also means, they are ahead of schedule....)

 

[MolongMick]

THat's great news. WHat sort of suspension did you get?

Mick

 

[straydingo]

Just the standard suspension.

 

[cruza driver]

Great news SD I'll keep an eye out and let you know if I spot it for you :tongue1:

Also how did the factory tour go last month?

 

[kegs]

well done, mine is due mid december, hope they are early with that one too.:whip:

 

[straydingo]

Cruza
Tour was great. Fantastic to see a long row of each model with one piece more than the preceeding one. It's certainly a well organised set up and process. The 'cheaper' pricing of Jayco made sense when they talked about the quantities of everything bought in at any one time. I was a shame no photography is allowed.
Met up with Brett (BankODad) a couple with a 14 on order (you two joined the forum yet?) and another chap with a Destiny or Sterling I think. All in all a worth while visit

 

[cruza driver]

Cruza
Tour was great. Fantastic to see a long row of each model with one piece more than the preceeding one. It's certainly a well organised set up and process. The 'cheaper' pricing of Jayco made sense when they talked about the quantities of everything bought in at any one time. I was a shame no photography is allowed.
Met up with Brett (BankODad) a couple with a 14 on order (you two joined the forum yet?) and another chap with a Destiny or Sterling I think. All in all a worth while visit

Thanks mate I should look into doing it myself.

How long did the tour go for?

 

[straydingo]

about 2 hours or so...

 

[Bank of Dad]

Agree with Straydingo.....the tour is well worth the effort.

I was surprised at the level of accuracy they go to in manufacturing and at how strong the fibreglass mix body shell is.......pleasantly surprised.

From memory our guide said that Jayco make 48% of all new vans in Australia and that the other 52% was made up of 128 different manufacturers, simply staggering!

Huge facility with plans for expansion too.

Liked the "War on Warranty" program as well - a crack down on QC issues!

See your van is due soon Andrew - ours is not far behind.

 

[expanda]

War on warranty?

Are they doing more final inspections or did you see any of this?

 

[cruza driver]

I wonder what there annual warranty bill is considering alot of the warranty issues seem to be small things that are somehow overlooked in the production process. :spy:

:focus: :whistle:

 

[Bank of Dad]

Well, the company have acknowledged that they have heaps of warranty claims per year for simple things that are just down to attention to detail and care. This costs them lots of money and they are trying to erradicate them by getting it right 1st time. How they are doing it is by greater cross checking of work, more stringent QC Checks and even getting some of the suits right up to CEO level to conduct spot checks at regular intervals along the line. There is also an incentive scheme for good work. Each item of the construction process has a record of who conducted it and therefore can be traced back.

Andrew, anything to add, did I miss anything or get it wrong - it was a few weeks ago now.

 

[straydingo]

Spot on Brett

I got the impression their checks weren't regular tho, but irregular to keep everyone on their toes. They'll come and and say "Right take that window out that you just put an and check the finishing off under it" etc

If on a warranty fault, they do find a particular manufacturing error on the van, they said they contact the owners of the immediate 3 or 4 units before and after to see if it is a once off, or a recurring problem. As BankO said, each worker has to sign off on the work they did at their particular station. Thus they can see if this person had a consistent problem, resulting in re-education (sounds rather Soviet doesn't it) or if they just simply had a brain-fade and stuffed up. Over the course of a year, each worker will get rotated through the whole assembly line so they don't become complacent and bored. By contacting the owners, they can pre-empt problems.

Theoretically, on a spot check, a problem found would also then be inspected on units before and after also.

Further, the vans are built basically in modules. Rather than starting with a floor and building a wall frame, run the wire, add the insul, clad the outside, clad the inside etc etc etc, one shop will build the chassis. the next shop will build the each wall unit and send it to the next shop who will stand the walls up on the chassis and simply screw the corners together (so to speak). Their wiring is now done with plugs so its all run a lead from plug A to B to C to D. (if you decide later you want E between B and C, YOU can do it by buying the leads and sockets and not need a sparky). Its all very simple but allows quick and easy repairs and modifications (within reason). Template designs for individual vans are kept on file, so if a wall go damaged, call that wall up, let the laser mark it out, rebuild it and replace it on the van.

Their concern is having such a huge market share, their subsequent *numbers* of warranty claims is also greater than others, which has given them a name for lesser quality. But they reckon with the inspections made, their *percentage* of errors is less than other manufacturers

 

[straydingo]

I tried to edit the title to take out the (to be), but alas couldn't.
We picked it up today and all looks spiffing.

A few surprises:
1800kg with a break away. Told they are now being fitted to all (?) even if less than the required 2000 tare
The supplied chains aren't long enough to get around the massive drop for the hitch. Currently 3 shackles in a row until I can get links added.
Internal lights are still incandescent and not LED. LED to most external ones only.
Feels lighter to tow than the Swan, but we feel every shutter and bounce a lot more.

We're intending the shake-down this weekend, so will post a few pics after.

 

[Klugerclan]

Look forward to your photos, we are now 2 weeks away from pick-up. Finished landscaping the spot for the van over the weekend - she will be proud !

 

[Bank of Dad]

At the risk of sounding like a bureaucrat, VSB1 Para 15.2 and ADR 38/02 requires "Breakaway" brakes on all trailers with a GTM of greater than 2 tonnes. You could easily be over that with an 1800 kg tare.

 

[straydingo]

Fair enough.
I asked Bayswater at order, and and they said that one wouldn't be installed as it was wasn't required for under 2000 tare

thanks