Did you know that over 15 million Americans own a trailer? Not only this, over one million Americans live in their trailers full time! This widely popular industry has greatly contributed to the economy and continues to do so in 2021.
Understandably, there are a lot of different RV brands to cope with the increasing demand. If you’re planning to buy an RV, you might be overwhelmed with all the options available.
We went ahead and picked two of the best trailer brands to put them side by side, and they’re no other than Winnebago Vs. Jayco.
So, which one would you go for?
Winnebago Vs. Jayco Overview
Winnebago offers its customers an innovative tear-drop aerodynamic design, a lightweight frame, and beautiful interiors. If you can spare the extra money, we definitely recommend choosing it. On the other hand, Jayco employs eco-friendly materials in its manufacturing and an extended 24,000-mile warranty. It’s a great option if you’re on a budget.
What Should You Consider Before Buying a Trailer?
If you’ve decided to buy a trailer, the first thing you need to ask yourself is why? What’s your purpose for getting a trailer?
This guide will help you narrow down your choices by comparing the two RV giants in top features, build quality, price, and frequency of maintenance.
Best Feature
Every brand is well known for one thing. Apple is known for quality, while Samsung is known for performance. We could say the same about the two RV giants.
Winnebago
Winnebago is a well-established trailer company in the RV industry. They’ve earned their name by centering themselves around the customer’s experience with its products.
This is why you’ll find quality in every inch of a Winnebago trailer. Their lavish interiors and attention to detail make them one of the best RVs to own.
Jayco
Jayco, on the other hand, has the most exceptional features that give it leverage over the other brands. The warranty. It provides its customers with the best industry-leading warranty of up to two years or 24,000 miles.
With Jayco’s newer models, they’ve also included a three-year warranty with structural components like the roof, floors, and walls. All the information we need about the warranty can be found on Jayco’s official website.
Construction and Design
Both trailers are known for their durable construction, but Winnebago edges out Jayco with its clever design elements.
Winnebago
The striking feature that’s common in all of Winnebago’s Minnie lines is their aerodynamic design. This has a benefit over other trailers as its tear-drop shape provides great stability.
Some brands tend to compromise on their tear-drop trailers as they don’t take into consideration the added weight, which results in reduced stability and overall performance.
That’s not the case with Winnebago, as they use high-quality materials and exclusive construction techniques to overcome this issue. The entire line is manufactured on an 8 feet wide frame that stays lightweight. This helps to ensure that the travel trailers don’t tip over at higher speeds.
Jayco
While considering the design of Jayco’s trailers, nothing truly stands out. It’s a standard trailer with high-grade aluminum and durable material throughout. However, one feature that distinguishes it from Winnebago is the Climate Shield they have included in all products.
They use incredible insulation to protect your trailer from temperatures up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or down to zero degrees Fahrenheit.
Here are two of our top RV brand comparisons:
– Jayco & Coleman Head-to-Head
– Jayco & Forest River Comparison
– Jayco vs Rockwood Detailed Comparison
Comfort and Extra Features
Both brands prioritize comfort and aesthetics, but Winnebago always goes the extra mile with some extravagant features.
Winnebago
Winnebago is all about providing us with the best! That’s why their interiors are aesthetically pleasing to look at. You won’t be able to take your eyes off its lavish interior once you get inside.
The standard features that every Minnie offers include a fiberglass roof, microwave, LED TV, an electric power tongue jack, water heater, BTU roof air system, and a double door refrigerator.
Not only this, but some Winnebago models also include commodious dining areas, free-standing tables and chairs, and a burner range with an oven. So, once you’re inside, you won’t have to leave our trailer ever again!
Jayco
Jayco cares more about practicality than aesthetics. You won’t find the same level of high-end materials in the furniture. You also don’t get a double-door refrigerator or the same high-end microwave. However, Jayco makes sure its appliances are built to last. We rarely get reports of malfunctioning devices within a Jayco trailer. This is, unfortunately, not the case with Winnebago.
Price
The price tag of the trailer is perhaps the most conclusive factor in any purchase. Both trailers aren’t cheap, but Winnebago RVs are generally more expensive. Retail prices are subject to fluctuation, but they serve as an indicator for the average price of both brands.
Winnebago
A 2021 Micro Minnie starts for as low as $25,000 but is customizable up to $35,000. The 2021 Voyage is one of Winnebago’s most popular models, starting at around $45,000.
The Adventurer 35F retails for a whopping average of $225,000, but it doesn’t compromise on features. It sleeps five people, spans over 35 feet, and comes equipped with every conceivable appliance.
Jayco
Jayco trailers are considered more affordable than Winnebago’s, although the cheapest model is considerably smaller than Winnebago’s cheapest trailer. The 2021 Jayco Jay Feather Micro is only 13 feet and 4 inches but starts at only $15,500.
Moving to more popular models, the 2021 Jay Flight is a fan-favorite among campers. It retails for around $20,000.
The 2021 Precept is Jayco’s most expensive trailer, going up to $165,000.
Environmental Sustainability
These luxurious features in the Winnebago models do compromise their environmental rating, something that Jayco doesn’t let slide away easily.
Jayco
Jayco pledges to help in environmental sustainability. It understands the need to have eco-friendly manufacturing of its products to conserve resources. The company is actively working to reduce carbon footprints through its innovative technologies. It’s also taking steps towards eliminating excessive waste and packaging.
Jayco is also known for building lightweight products with low consumption of fuel to save natural resources. They’ve also started educational campaigns for their customers to reduce gas consumption, and to exercise eco-friendly means of driving and traveling practices
Winnebago
Winnebago hasn’t exactly done anything “bad” to the environment, it’s just that Jayco puts in considerably more effort.
You can find a Corporate Responsibility report on their website, which has a few pages dedicated to environmental sustainability.
In the 2020 CR report, they pledged to convert their Grand Design RV manufacturing facilities to solar power only. They’ve also proposed a new model for their Environmental Management System (EMS), to establish better sustainability goals in the future.
Frequent Issues
As far as the reviews of each brand’s product are concerned, most of the complaints customers have for Winnebego include plumbing issues, thin walls, and malfunctioning appliances.
On the other hand, regular customers have great things to say about Jayco trailers apart from some warranty problems and subpar customer service.
Rentals
Before renting a travel trailer, the location, area, and duration of camping should be kept in mind.
Renting Winnebagos
There’s plenty of options to choose from which include Class A Diesels, Class A Gas, Class B’s, Class C’s, Fifth Wheels, Travel Trailers, and Toy Haulers.
Winnebago provides a monitoring system, a quick port connection area that permits us to easily hook up hoses, and a smart storage system. It costs more than $200 for one night. The prices may vary depending upon the size of the trailer, location, and features.
Renting Jaycos
Jayco only offers 4 models to choose from. It costs around $100 to $200 per night which is relatively cheaper than the Winnebago.
Jayco trailers employ various kinds of floor plannings to meet every requirement. They also have a climate shield which is beneficial when camping in extreme weather conditions.
In Conclusion
Both companies have consistently ranked high in the list of best RV trailers manufacturers. Their quality of construction and commitment to resolving customer issues have made them stand out from the competition.
Even though their products are not the most affordable, their travel trailers are always worth the higher price tag. You can’t go wrong with either one of them!