Meet my "Hope"!!!
For a short video tour:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saSorDy-SxQ
Specs:
Jayco Jayflight 154BH "Bunkhouse", upgraded to Baja Edition
17', 10"
2500# dry weight
Electric awning/with outdoor speakers
2-burner cooktop
ac/propane fridge
8,000 btu a/c
furnace
nice size food prep/counter top
microwave
digital tv antenna
20 gallon fresh water tank
marine style flush toilet
tub & shower
15" wheels (13" wheels on regular 154BH)
2-steps up
higher ground clearance than standard 154BH
6 gallon hot water tank
dinette/queen bed
stabilizing jacks on all four corners
2 separate (from the dinette) bunk beds
electric brakes
gray and black water tanks (ten gallons each, I think)
stand-up, turn-around, get dressed room!!
30 gallon propane tank
and stuff I am probably forgetting
This has been, literally, years in coming for me. I have had the van now for 6 years, and have had many wonderful and amazing adventures - but, after 12 days on the road in my van last year, I thought "more" would be nice.
I gave very serious thought to Beth's Cruiser, but I always thought that the van would be capable of pulling a light weight trailer (even from the beginning of my DIY van build). Another reason to stay with my van is that I bought the van new, at six years old it still has only about 30,000 miles on it - and I have religiously maintained it, so I know "what it's all about" mechanically.
This started with me on another thread, a month or so back. I had wanted - and searched for - a Casita for many years. I had actually looked at a couple of used units over time, and they never really "grabbed" me, although they were nice. For some reason, I continued my search for a Casita. . . even though those that I had looked at, hands-on, had not totally appealed to me.
After many many van trips over the last couple of years, and especially after the 12-day-er mentioned above, I just wanted something that was "more".
Then I found another Casita, about a two-hour drive from me. It was a ten-year-old unit, 17-footer, that just had the basics. It was listed on Craig's List for $13,500. I hemmed and stewed about it, then finally decided to make the 4-hour round trip to go to see it.
But then I thought, what the hey? Why does it have to be a Casita? So, instead of the 4-hour-drive thing, I took a five-minute jaunt to my local Jayco dealer. What they had there I liked. I was shown a tiny trailer (that still had more amenities than the Casita) that was basically a-bed-and-a-bench inside. The next one I saw was a full bed in front, a dinette on the side, and bunkbeds in back. I asked the salesman if they didn't have something smaller (like the first one) but with bunkbeds on the side, and no front bed.
The salesman said that Jayco made such a unit, but they didn't have one.
I was almost instantly in a lather. Dashed home, lit up my computer to search, and it was off to the races. Found the video of the basic 154BH, the "Baja Edition" was even better. The Sacramento dealership that I originally went to see the basic 154BH wouldn't work with me. Or I wasn't comfortable working with them, same thing.
Two hours north of me, in Redding, Ca., they had the unit I wanted (2018), at a better price. Worth the drive! When I arrived to look at the basic unit, the upgraded Baja edition was there at the entrance, shouting "Here I am!!!"
I had pre-negotiated via email on a price of the basic unit, had never seen the Baja. Whipped out my tape measure (don't leave home without it!) to take measurements in order to compare the two (13 inch wheels vs. 15 inch wheels was very obvious!). The Baja was a brand-new 2017, for only a very few dollars more than the unit I thought I had come to purchase. The Baja upgrade has a LOT more amenities/upgrades/improvements than the basic 154BH. Larger fresh water tank, and larger propane tank as well.
I was (finally!) in love. And the real kicker here is that this brand-new, fully featured, Jayco was a couple thousand dollars LESS than the 10-year-old-well-used, not-many-amenities, Casita that I was considering.
I made her mine.
Took me a couple weeks to get her home - lotta bad weather - wind and rain - intervened before I felt it safe to go get her (also had to have the hitch receiver, wiring, and electric brake controller installed on my van). I had the Andersen hitch installed by the dealer to pull her with.
The day I picked her up I knew would be exciting and stressful - two hours drive there, at least a couple of hours for the walk-through and the hitch install, so I made reservations to stay for two nights in a campground nearby to the dealership (Redding, Ca.). Also thought it a good idea to be near the dealership while I checked things out. While at the campground I unhitched, drove the van around, then came back to hitch back up - just to be sure I could do it. I could!!
After my stay at the RV park, I seemed to me that that the Andersen was not quite right (love those YouTube videos!) so stopped back by the dealership for an adjustment, then drove her the two hours home.
She pulls like a dream - I have to really pay attention, because it is easy to forget she is even there!!
I slept in the bottom bunk for the two-night stay. . . that is, my dog and I slept in the bottom bunk. I will probably remove the table part of the dinette when travelling solo - this will give me a nice sitting/visitor's area.
My van will remain set up as a camper. Hope to do some camping with my married kids - on these trips, they can sleep in the privacy of the Jayco, I will sleep in the "spare bedroom" of my van.
There is more to this story, that I will probably post as time goes by: the part about having major buyer's remorse, followed by several days of major, sleepless-nights panic attacks - even though I had completely thought this through before even considering making the purchase, and knew I would be fine with the it. The panic attack part surprised - and blindsided - me. Have had these in the past, but not for several years - just my semi-OCD personality kicking in, I guess.
Anyway!
It all came out right in the end, and I am totally in love! Am planning my first-ever Yellowstone trip for this spring!!!
Anyone else have buyer's remorse/panic attacks on purchasing their unit?
Thanks for reading!!
Thrilled and happy,
Anne
