help me decide! Jayco or Starcraft

[mrazndead]

Hi Guys, new here, new to RVs.

Want to buy a small travel trailer, and narrowed down to 2.... Jayco Hummingbird 17BH, or Starcraft Satellite 17... both are about same size, the hummingbird is 2k more expensive.......which should i get? whats better quality and reliability? what are your experiences with either? let me know what you think! i like the hummingbird because it has the bunk beds... but the starcraft looks nicer, has the queen....i dont know which to get.....Thanks in advance!

[GrandpaKip]

mrazndead wrote:
well guys, my travel trailer journey has come to an end... just did a lot more research on maintenance of trailers, and it looks like a handful. especially needed to be very secure on an incline garage driveway, dont want it to roll down and smash someone. gotta cover wheels, seal the roof every so often, worry about delamination or dents, or leaks, and rot, water pressure, tanks, cleaning, things breaking, saw a bunch of youtube videos of crappy trailer quality, etc... etc..... just too much for me to handle. going to join a sports car forum now.... Thanks for your inputs!

If you think a TT will take a bunch of maintenance, yeah, get a sports car. Actually, I spend less than 24 hours/year doing maintenance on our camper. Unless you are looking to get a Mazda MX5, you’ll probably spend a lot more time on it. And it’s really uncomfortable to sleep in one.

[Route_66_Travel]

Oh, oh, guess we overloaded him with too much information. Didn't mean to scare you off! Guess some are meant to be RV'ers, others stay at Holiday Inn.

A mute point, but my current '17 Starcraft has been the most trouble-free RV I have owned since I connected my first sewer hose back in 1996.

[mrazndead]

well guys, my travel trailer journey has come to an end... just did a lot more research on maintenance of trailers, and it looks like a handful. especially needed to be very secure on an incline garage driveway, dont want it to roll down and smash someone. gotta cover wheels, seal the roof every so often, worry about delamination or dents, or leaks, and rot, water pressure, tanks, cleaning, things breaking, saw a bunch of youtube videos of crappy trailer quality, etc... etc..... just too much for me to handle. going to join a sports car forum now.... Thanks for your inputs!

[mrazndead]

man im so torn, at least i still have a year before i buy...... this is going to be a longggggg thread i tell you...

[myredracer]

I believe all Jayco models now have a BAL frame (not Lippert). If the Starcraft doesn't, I'd opt for the Jayco. JMHO.

Both have had a decent reputation for a long time, but Thor now owns them. Don't know if quality or features have suffered as a result.

Aluminum or fiberglass? Both have their pluses & minuses. For ex., a TT with wood studs (ie., aluminum-sided) is more forgiving on rough roads and might be better for dry camping depending where. Fiberglass is definitely much easier to wash 'n wax but the aluminum framing is very rigid and transfers heat/cold faster. The rigid foam in fiberglass walls should out-perform batt insulation in wood-stud walls (but the ceiling insulation isn't much different). Fiberglass just looks sexier... 🙂

Perhaps you might inquire on the Jayco forum, if you haven't already?

[mrazndead]

I'm leaning towards Hummingbird becuase of the bunk beds and i like the larger dinette. but a new contender has shown up. the coachmen clipper cadet. its' cheaper, and its aluminum side, on wood structure. would it be better? i heard its easier to maintain, no fiberglass to delaminate, and paint fading, but its on wood frame so its more suseptable to rot.... choices.....what do you guys prefer? aluminum frame or wood? aluminum siding or fiberglass?

[filrupmark]

Buy the trailer that your wife likes. We bought our first and only one thirty years and 5 trailers ago.:B

[Route_66_Travel]

Jayco bought Starcraft, then Thor bought Jayco. I have a 2017 Starcraft Autumn Ridge that must have been built on a Jayco line because all major components have Jayco stickers, with a Jayco part numbers.

That being said, buy the one that meets your needs from a dealer with good reviews for warranty work. Mine came with a 2 year warranty that I never used because I have never had any issues with my trailer...knock on wood!

One thing to consider is that there are more Jayco dealers than Starcraft dealers and when I asked about getting service done at a Jayco dealer I was told no, it had to be done at Starcraft. Doesn't make any sense to me...

[Dick_B]

I like a large living area and small bathroom (which is a waste of space IMHO).
The buying trick is to spend some time in each RV and go thru a day's activities in each. In your mind make a meal, where are the dishes, take a shower, stop at a Rest Area, prepare and go to bed.
They buy what DW wants.

[mrazndead]

I like your thoughts. Hummingbird it is. Now I just need to find some money.

[fitznj]

As stated - buy the floor-plan which works for you.

Looking at both floor-plans I find the Hummingbird much better.
The bed takes less floor-space and you have some where to sit, play cards,
write, work on the laptop, lounge and watch tv. Also you can use the top bunk
as temporary storage when you travel.

The Satelite has very little seating area and "day" area. The bathroom takes up
a lot of space. Although you have to live with the small bathroom in the
Hummingbird.

[mrazndead]

I have 2 dealers close to me. I checked out both in person.... Just can't decide gonna be my first and only trailer....

[Dick_B]

Which one is sold by your local dealer?

[mrazndead]

Maybe I should just buy both since I can't decide. Looks about the same size and shape one has bunk the other doesn't but I like the starcraft looks cooler though the color I think is nicer and plus $2,000 cheaper