Adam and Amys 17.56-2OB

[meandher (a frost)]

Maccayak, with so many good, great and bordering on the brilliant ideas coming from what is essentially the Voice of the Customer in these forums, there is obviously a need from the heartland of the Jayco buying public. Their Management, if they are not watching these pages currently, then they ought to be. Some Companies pay big dollars for Market Research that brings results of questionable quality from questionable demography. The opportunity to value add on the Macdonalds "do you want fries with that" principle is manna from heaven in marketing circles and by reading these pages it all comes for the princely sum of "nix".

If they read properly......

Only by digesting what their customers are saying and being prepared to invest in people, tooling and dealer/workforce training to give the end user the Quality, Service and features they are asking for (before ask turns to demand and another switched on company more in-tune with their market sneaks in under their guard) they could increase their bottom line by many percentage points and make a well earned big quid. Simultaneously, they get a smarter employee, brand loyalty that is based on something solid and enduring, plus a much better product and a ready and devoted following that speaks from the wallet. I have no idea if Jayco is a family owned business, but it certainly is making the fundamental and traditional mistakes of the business model that has all but wiped out some Australian industries that were killing the pig in the sixties and seventies.

 

[Brad]

Isn't it interesting that no one here is really making that call to walk away with all the knowledge in this forum knowing there is a better than average chance of defects on delivery of the van.

The alternative is to go for another company where vans are an extra 15,000 or more. That is a bucket load of savings for Jayco cause I bet not every customer uses the 15,000 up on warranty jobs.
For Jayco though, I agree with some of the posts in this thread. I reacon I could save Jayco more money. Pay me a decent wage to trawl through these posts. Then let me assess the procedures of the common build issues and propose better ways of doing them. They would save rework costs immensely.

 

[Soaring]

Isn't it interesting that no one here is really making that call to walk away with all the knowledge in this forum knowing there is a better than average chance of defects on delivery of the van.

The alternative is to go for another company where vans are an extra 15,000 or more. That is a bucket load of savings for Jayco cause I bet not every customer uses the 15,000 up on warranty jobs.
For Jayco though, I agree with some of the posts in this thread. I reacon I could save Jayco more money. Pay me a decent wage to trawl through these posts. Then let me assess the procedures of the common build issues and propose better ways of doing them. They would save rework costs immensely.

Yep. Jayco has certainly balanced the value for money vs quality equation. The evidence is their ever growing sales despite fairly well known "quality".

 

[meandher (a frost)]

Totally agree with the sentiments from both Brad and Soaring, and there is something overtly masochistic about the whole thing. I know that I will have troubles, because the balance of the evidence says so and it is a numbers game. As I said previously, I cannot wait for ours to turn up, but will be hypercritical at handover and no money changes hands if there are issues that cannot be fixed on handover day. Which means the unit stays on their property with my money still safe until such times that the obvious issues are rectified. Nothing like cash flow to turn "can't do" into " how long can youwait today". Whether this backfires at a later date with something that doesn't occur until much longer after, is anyone's guess. Perhaps my cousin had the right idea and purchased a well sorted second hand one. Only time will tell........

 

[Burnsy]

Isn't it interesting that no one here is really making that call to walk away with all the knowledge in this forum knowing there is a better than average chance of defects on delivery of the van.

The alternative is to go for another company where vans are an extra 15,000 or more. That is a bucket load of savings for Jayco cause I bet not every customer uses the 15,000 up on warranty jobs.
For Jayco though, I agree with some of the posts in this thread. I reacon I could save Jayco more money. Pay me a decent wage to trawl through these posts. Then let me assess the procedures of the common build issues and propose better ways of doing them. They would save rework costs immensely.

If the "better ways" take any longer on the production line then I don't think Jayco would adopt these procedures, and why would they when they sell thousands a year and people buy another Jayco after already owning one. I guess if there was no rework then that would mean jobs also.....at least they keep people employed

 

[Adam79]

Had a bit of spare time today so I bent up my new stone guard for the front of the van. Used 20mm gal pipe. Bought some long/short mud flaps from the local truck parts. Just need to get it powder coated then the stone mesh fitted. Heaps cheaper than the ones Jayco sell. I spent $65 on the pipe and ubolts. $57 for the mud flaps. Should get if finished for under $300. Not bad

 

[cruza driver]

Nice work Adam79, post some pics when its all done.

One thing just don't have the shade cloth really taught so it doesn't act like a trampoline shooting rocks back at the Prado.
Did you angle it downwards too?

 

[Adam79]

Nice work Adam79, post some pics when its all done.

One thing just don't have the shade cloth really taught so it doesn't act like a trampoline shooting rocks back at the Prado.
Did you angle it downwards too?

.
Thanks for the advice Mate. I welded the guard with about 100mm off plumb angle so the stones will be deflected towards the ground. I have had bad experiences with my old camper trailer smashing not one but two rear windows on our old 80series.. Learnt by experience.

 

[bigman0510]

Adam79 I noticed you have swapped over the gas lines there, I was planning to do the same. Can you please tell me which thread size I need on the regulator side? I think there was 2 on the website.

 

[cruza driver]

Adam79 here is a thread I did when I made my Stone Deflector if your interested mate

 

[Adam79]

Adam79 I noticed you have swapped over the gas lines there, I was planning to do the same. Can you please tell me which thread size I need on the regulator side? I think there was 2 on the website.

I dont know what the thread size is but here is a picture of the lable. Im only a builder, dont really know about thread sizes. I just know it fitted when I bought them from Camec. AS caravan gas line. Cost $20 each. Bit safer than the copper pipe. I have young kids that tend to swing off things.

 

[macca]

Tell them not to swing off the flexies as well.

 

[bigman0510]

Adam79 thanks, No Picture? I might suck it and see...

 

[expanda]

How is the annexe holding up?

Have you had it out in extra strong winds?

I quite like how it extends out from the bottom so it doesn't just sit inline with the slab.

 

[Adam79]

Adam79 thanks, No Picture? I might suck it and see...

View attachment 15790

Sorry forgot to put it in. Looks like them. Mine are 600mm. I kept them off the old eagle.

 

[Adam79]

How is the annexe holding up?

Have you had it out in extra strong winds?

I quite like how it extends out from the bottom so it doesn't just sit inline with the slab.

We havent managed to get it out of the bag yet. Been to busy with work to get away. We are heading to Fraser Island in september so it will be the first trial run. We get some wild days up there.

 

[Xpandafan]

Planning to swap my copper pigtails for the 600mm braided hoses with screw on POL fittings like Adam79 has used when I get around to altering my gas bottle holders. Only caution is that they'll probably require replacing every few (5 or so) years which I don't mind for the sake of the convenience as all rubber hoses eventually deteriorate.

 

[macca]

Yep! They can deteriorate.

 

[Xpandafan]

View attachment 15819 Yep! They can deteriorate.

A Jayco man told me so, but now I really believe.

 

[Adam79]

Had the H/D mesh with stainless steel eyelets every 100mm made up during the week. Fitted it to the van today. Tossing up weather to powdercoat it Black or leave it as Gal. Thoughts.