Read article : 2013 Jayco Seneca 37FS - RV Magazine
Jayco discontinued the Seneca after the 2010 model year absence when Chevrolet discontinued the Kodiak medium-duty truck chassis. Reborn in 2012, the Seneca now features a
Freightliner M2 Business Class chassis. The 2013 Seneca offers a host of upgrades and improvements and really raises the bar. While it’s available in four different floor plans, including a
37RB rear bath model and a 36FK model with fireplace and large mid-coach entertainment center, the particular floor plan we reviewed was the
popular 37FS bunk bed model that can sleep up to eight people.
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Polished aluminum rims help set off the stunning full-body paint. Our particular coach came with the
Espresso exterior paint décor and was protected against stone chips by a Diamond Shield paint-protection film.
ExteriorThe massive three-piece chrome bumper gives the Freightliner chassis a real “big rig” look, plus you won’t need to replace the entire unit if you damage it when parking. Chrome heated and powered mirrors are augmented with rear and
automatic side view cameras, which will display on the entertainment/navigation system by selecting that option on its touchscreen. A
Carefree power patio awning provides plenty of shade in your patio area, and a
keyless entry pad conveniently located near the
entry door controls both the cab and
entry power door locks. Deep tinted flush-mounted dual-pane windows give the motorhome a clean look and
minimize wind noise. The front and
rear fiberglass caps have a
unique molded design with no corner seams to cause any leaks. Dual slide-outs are fitted with
enclosed awning toppers for protection against debris and the elements.
optional exterior entertainment center includes a 32-inch LCD TV, AM/FM radio, and DVD player and is located behind a weatherproof cover in the patio area."> Photo 3/18 | An optional exterior entertainment center includes a 32-inch LCD TV, AM/FM radio, and DVD player and is located behind a weatherproof cover in the patio area. Living AreaOur Seneca was outfitted with the Mocha décor, which is one of three available décor packages. The wood floors and
Washington Glazed Maple cabinetry with
hidden hinges adds a warm look to the attractive interior and attention to detail, and the quality construction exceeds the fit and finish of some Class A motorhomes we’ve seen. The dual slide-outs in the 37FS open up the living and bedroom areas to provide plenty of floor space, and an 84-
inch ceiling height ensures that you won’t be bumping your head. The soft-
touch vinyl ceiling contains recessed halogen lighting throughout and a network of
adjustable ceiling vents duct air from the dual 15,
000 BTU air conditioners with heat pumps.
The
large front cap area sports a queen-size bed with a 32-
inch LCD TV mounted on a powered swivel mechanism on the passenger side of that area. A rocker switch effortlessly allows the TV to swing out for whole-coach viewing or remain flat against the wall for bunk-area viewing or when not in use. A
removable ladder affords easy access to the overhead bunk, and curtains can be used to separate that area from the rest of the motorhome. One optional feature, not included on this particular RV, replaces the overhead sleeping area with an
entertainment center complete with 32-
inch LCD TV and
large storage cabinets to each side of the TV.
The driver-side Hide-a-
Bed sofa located in the main slide-out makes into a bed for additional sleeping capacity. The Dream Dinette features a legless table that also makes into a bed by releasing a lever to effortlessly raise or lower the table. The
comfortable booth seats are hinged to
expose storage area beneath while a
swivel recliner chair is located opposite the couch. The
Flexsteel furniture features attractive UltraLeather upholstery, and seatbelts are provided at all locations, including the booth dinette.
The bathroom is equipped with a
Thetford porcelain stool with foot flush and the shower is fitted with a circular enclosure with
sliding frosted glass doors that prevent water from dripping on the floor when open. An overhead skylight provides warm, ambient lighting and additional height in the shower stall. The bathroom vanity also features a Corian top and a sink with an overhead medicine cabinet.
The
bunk bed area is what separates this motorhome from the rest. The two stacked bunk beds are bound to be a big hit with young RVers. Each sleeping area has individual lighting, windows, and privacy curtains. A pair of
optional entertainment centers is mounted in the ceiling above each bunk. Each flip-down display has an
integral DVD player so that each occupant can view his or her own movie. External jacks for those all-
important game consoles and headphones are provided as well as a storage pouch to place any auxiliary equipment to keep them out of the way. A
cavernous drawer fitted with ball-bearing slides is located beneath the bunk beds and offers plenty of storage space for bedding or other large items.
The rear bedroom is equipped with a king bed with a comfortable pillow-top mattress. A
large mirrored wardrobe complemented by a number of huge drawers in the bedroom slide-out at the foot of the bed provides tons of room for clothing. A 26-
inch LCD TV is also placed there and is mounted on hinges to expose a
deep storage area behind the flat screen. A
large window located in the rear cap also serves as an emergency exit if needed.
Cockpit AreaThe cockpit area is the
typical Freightliner business class layout. The switches operating the cruise control are found on the dash. We would have preferred if they were mounted on the steering column for easier access because it was a bit inconvenient to reach. The Allison transmission’s T-
handle shift lever is dash-mounted to the right of the steering column. The
center dash area contains an entertainment and navigation system that uses a touchscreen to control the GPS navigation functions, radio, DVD, iPod, or rear-
view camera functions. Immediately beneath this is the control panel for the
Power Gear leveling jacks. A side cabinet located above the recliner contains the various controls used for the coach accessories, such as the Onan EC-
30 automatic generator start module and a control panel for a Xantrex 1,800-
watt true sine wave inverter that supplies power for the microwave oven and the RV’s entertainment systems. A
holding tank monitoring panel and the slide-out operation switch are also placed here. Six-way
power seats provide comfortable seating for both the driver and copilot. Power windows are also standard.
instrument panel includes a T-handle shift control for the Allison transmission as well as a radio/DVD/GPS system and controls for the Power Gear automatic leveling jacks."> Photo 5/18 | The instrument panel includes a T-handle shift control for the Allison transmission as well as a radio/DVD/GPS system and controls for the Power Gear automatic leveling jacks. Basement Area and UtilitiesThe basement storage space on the Seneca is nothing less than amazing. Every time I opened one of the side-
hinged compartment doors, a spacious compartment made of tough, leak-
proof Rotocast composite material was displayed. If you are one of those RVers who never has enough room to store your cargo, you’ll be very pleased with the Seneca. Excellent compartment height and
wide swinging doors made it an easy task to load or unload cargo.
A bank of four batteries is located in a forward driver-side compartment. These batteries are mounted on a slide-out tray for easy access when
performing battery maintenance. The rearmost driver-side compartment houses an 8,000-
watt Onan Quiet Diesel generator while a
power cord reel makes quick work of rewinding the 50-
amp power cord. A 10-gallon propane/electric hot water heater is located at the driver-side rear of the coach, while the 40,
000 BTU propane furnace is located on the passenger side. A 56-pound chassis-mounted LP tank provides fuel for the water heater, furnace, and cooktop.
The
plumbing service bay is spacious, offering plenty of room to store sewer hoses, fresh-water hoses, or a macerator pump. A whole-
house water filter feeds the coach’s fresh-water system and an array of valves and controls offers access to operations such as filling the fresh-water tank, bypassing the water heater during winterizing, or operating the water pump. A
paper towel holder, outside handheld shower attachment, black-tank flush attachment, and dump valves for the black and
gray tanks complete that area.
storage bay features a long pass-through area that reaches to the far side of the RV for storing ladders or other tall items."> Photo 16/18 | Basement storage space is cavernous in a Seneca. This particular storage bay features a long pass-through area that reaches to the far side of the RV for storing ladders or other tall items. Driving the SenecaDriving the Seneca imparted more of a big-rig feeling than in your typical Class C motorhome. The
aerodynamically sculptured fiberglass hood tapers down at the front, which makes it easy to judge distances. The 340-
horsepower Cummins diesel brought us up to speed rapidly, and the crisp handling of this chassis made the Seneca feel quite sporty for an RV. The hydraulic brakes were adequate to bring this 21,000-pound vehicle to a stop in short order, although it does take a bit more pedal pressure than the air brakes I am used to from driving Class A diesel pushers. This is a front-
engine diesel chassis, so you won’t get the quiet sound of a
rear engine diesel pusher, but I didn’t find the noise to be objectionable at highway speeds.
The change to the air-ride suspension that Jayco made during the 2013 model year is a welcome improvement. The
fully automatic air-
ride rear suspension system provided a much smoother ride. This is a big step forward for the Seneca and will probably make for an enticing upgrade to owners of earlier models with
rear leaf spring suspensions.
The Seneca fills a sweet spot between typical Class C motorhomes and their more expensive Class A cousins. The Seneca is a great choice for Class A owners who want to downsize but don’t want to lose the quality, amenities, and storage that they are accustomed to. From its
solid surface countertops, to its wood floor, to hardwood cabinetry with screwed stile construction, they may even find it exceeds what they were accustomed to. While large in size, most Class A motor-
home floor plans aren’t designed to sleep many people. The 37FS Seneca can easily sleep eight, so large families will find this particular floor plan very desirable. For a couple who travels alone, the
rear bath 37RB floor plan is another popular choice.
The torque and power of the
Cummins diesel combined with a 10,000-
pound trailer hitch means you won’t have any trouble hauling anything you need. Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the Seneca is its huge amount of storage space. With a generous cargo-carrying capacity in excess of 4,000 pounds, you can feel free to load it up.
Jayco has equipped the Seneca with a ton of upgrades as standard equipment. In fact, our well-appointed Seneca only had two options—a
larger 8kW generator and the DVD players in the bunk beds. The only other available options that were not selected were a choice of combo or stackable washer-dryer and a
front entertainment center to replace the overhead bunk. This pricing method is a plus at resale time because
RV dealers generally look at base price without options when determining a trade-in value, so the Seneca should fare well when it’s time to trade up. Jayco backs the Seneca with a two-year bumper-to-bumper warranty, which is also a plus when comparing it to other motorhomes and does add a testament to the quality they put into this unit. With all these features packed into an attractive motorhome, the Seneca will be a tough act to beat.
At a Glance
Base Price: $216,720 (MSRP)
Standard Features:
• Full-body paint
• Accuride aluminum wheels
• 32-
inch exterior LCD TV in galley slide
• 1,800-
watt true sine wave inverter
• 32-
inch LCD TV in main living area
• 26-inch bedroom LCD TV
• 40,000 BTU LP furnace
• 10-gallon gas/electric DSI water heater
• King bed with pillow-top mattress
Customer Value PackageIncludes:
• 12-cubic-feet refrigerator with ice maker
• Two 15,
000 BTU ducted air conditioners with heat pumps
• Backup and
side view cameras and monitor
• Convection microwave oven
• Power electric cord reel
• In-motion Minimax satellite dome
• Touch screen in-dash CD/DVD/MP3 sound system with GPS navigation
•
Flexsteel UltraLeather driver (powered) and passenger (no power) seats
Optional Features:
• Onan 8,
000kW Quiet Diesel generator (6kW standard)
• Dual CD/DVD players in bunk beds
Price as Tested $218,779 (MSRP)
Specifications2013 Jayco Seneca 37FSGross Vehicle Weight (GVWR): 26,000 lbs
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR): 33,000 lbs
Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC): 4,639 lbs
Wheelbase: 275 in
Overall Length: 39 ft, 1 in
Overall Width: 102 in
Overall Height: 151 in
Interior Height: 84 in
Fresh Water: 81.5 gallons
Gray Water: 41 gallons
Black Water: 52 gallons
Chassis: Freightliner M2 Business Class front-engine diesel
Tires: Michelin XZE2 275/80R22.5 14 Ply Load Range G
Front Suspension: 8,000lb Taperleaf leaf springs
Rear Suspension: 18,
000lb Airliner fully automatic air-ride suspension
Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes, front and rear
Fuel Tank: 30- and 40-
gallon saddle tanks (74-gallon total), plus 6-gallon DEF tank
Trailer Hitch Capacity: 10,000 lbs
Engine: Cummins 6.7L ISB with exhaust brake
Horsepower: 340 hp @ 2,800 rpm
Torque: 660 lb-ft @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Allison 2500 six-speed automatic
