Jayco vs Forest River comes down to warranty length and choice. Jayco builds its RVs in Middlebury, Indiana, and backs them with a two-year limited warranty plus three years of structural coverage. Forest River sells dozens of product lines from Elkhart, Indiana, and its towable warranty runs one year for the first buyer only.
| Factor | Jayco | Forest River |
|---|
| Founded | 1968, by Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager | 1996, by Pete Liegl |
| Owner | Thor Industries (since July 2016) | Berkshire Hathaway |
| Base limited warranty | 2 years, plus 3 years structural | Towables: 1 year, first retail buyer only |
| Lines on the maker's travel trailer menu | 6 | 69 |
| Tent campers, truck campers, park models | None in the current lineup | All three |
All figures come from Jayco's and Forest River's own websites and warranty documents, read on 12 October 2026. Forest River's motorized warranty is one year or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Browse Jayco and Forest River RVs for sale on Searchshop.
Each brand fact here was read from the manufacturer's own website, including the addresses in each site's footer, or its published warranty document on 12 October 2026. Warranty terms come from Jayco's warranty page and from the Forest River limited warranties for RVs bought on or after July 1, 2023. Lineup counts come from each maker's own RV menus on the same day. Nothing here comes from test drives or owner surveys. Floorplan prices and specifications differ by model, so they are covered model by model in Searchshop's comparison pages linked below rather than averaged across whole brands.
Jayco is owned by Thor Industries, and Forest River is a Berkshire Hathaway company. Jayco's history page says Jayco Corporation, including Jayco, Starcraft RV, Entegra Coach and Highland Ridge RV, was acquired by Thor Industries on July 1, 2016. Jayco was founded in 1968, when Lloyd Bontrager developed a lifter system for fold-down campers on the family farm in northern Indiana.
Forest River was founded in 1996 by Pete Liegl, and its website footer reads "A Berkshire Hathaway company." Besides RVs, Forest River builds cargo trailers, pontoon boats, buses, vans and trucks.
Jayco's warranty is longer on paper. Jayco offers a two-year limited warranty, which it describes as two camping seasons of coverage, plus three years of structural protection. Jayco also lists separate supplier warranties on some parts, such as five years on Dexter axles and 20 years on Dicor roofing material, though Jayco notes that not every RV has every listed part.
Forest River's limited towable warranty, for towables bought on or after July 1, 2023, lasts one year from the date the first retail buyer purchases the RV. The document says the warranty applies only to the first retail purchaser and lists the chassis and frame among the items it does not cover. Forest River's motorized warranty for the same period is one year or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.
A used Forest River RV bought from a previous owner does not carry the factory limited warranty, because Forest River's warranty covers only the first retail buyer. For a used Jayco, ask the seller and the dealer what coverage remains and get the terms in writing. Either way, the Searchshop used RV inspection guide lists what to check before you buy.
Forest River offers far more product lines. On 12 October 2026, Forest River's travel trailer menu listed 69 names, from Airelume to XLR Boost, including Wildwood, Rockwood, Cherokee, Flagstaff, Salem and r-pod. Jayco's travel trailer menu listed six: Jay Feather Air SL, Jay Feather Air, Jay Feather SL, Jay Feather, Jay Flight and Eagle.
The two lineups also differ in type. Jayco's current menu covers travel trailers, destination trailers, fifth wheels, toy haulers and Class A, B and C motorhomes. Forest River's menus cover the same towable types, Class A, B and C motorhomes, and also tent campers, truck campers and park models.
More lines mean more floorplans to choose from, but also more names to sort through, so compare individual floorplans rather than line names.
Model-level comparisons are more useful than brand averages, because each brand's lines range from small lightweight trailers to large family trailers. Searchshop's comparison pages put matching models side by side with prices and specifications:
When you compare two floorplans, line up length, dry weight, cargo carrying capacity, sleeping capacity and tank sizes from each maker's own specification sheet. The Searchshop travel trailer buying guide explains what each figure means for towing.
The better brand depends on whether warranty length or floorplan choice matters more to you. Use these points to narrow it down:
- The longest factory coverage: Jayco's two-year limited warranty and three years of structural coverage are longer than Forest River's one-year towable warranty.
- The widest choice of floorplans: Forest River's lineup has far more lines, so you are more likely to find an exact layout and size.
- A tent camper, truck camper or park model: Forest River builds all three; Jayco's current lineup has none.
- Buying used: the Forest River factory warranty does not pass to a second owner, so budget for an inspection and repairs.
- Any new RV: read the warranty document for the exact model year before you sign, because terms change by purchase date.
If you are still choosing an RV type, read fifth wheel vs travel trailer first. When you know what you want, compare Jayco and Forest River RVs for sale from dealers on Searchshop.
Jayco is not owned by Forest River. Jayco Corporation was acquired by Thor Industries on July 1, 2016, according to Jayco's history page. Forest River is a separate company owned by Berkshire Hathaway.
Jayco's limited warranty lasts two years, which Jayco describes as two camping seasons, and Jayco adds three years of structural protection. Some parts carry separate supplier warranties, such as five years on Dexter axles. See the owner's manual for the exact terms that apply to a specific RV.
Forest River's limited towable warranty lasts one year from the date the first retail buyer purchases the RV, for towables bought on or after July 1, 2023. The motorized warranty for the same period is one year or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. Both apply only to the first retail purchaser.
Forest River makes far more RV lines than Jayco. On 12 October 2026, Forest River's travel trailer menu listed 69 names against six on Jayco's, and Forest River also builds tent campers, truck campers and park models, which are not in Jayco's current lineup.
