I have a 2005 Jayco Baja 10Z that I picked up in basically new condition about 5 years ago. $4200 seemed like a very good price at the time and even better as the years go by. No way can I lose much on this trailer. I believe the dealer made a mistake on the advertised price as he listed it for only $3500, said it should have been $5300, so we worked it out.
It has the short front deck, about 30", & was set up with a storage box and generator box, but no generator. It tows beautifully although the tongue weight is a bit high. for the 2012 4R. I will probably install air bags instead of using a weight distributing hitch for simplicity of use and mild off road purposes. Since I'm a dirt bike rider I removed the boxes, covered the front deck with aluminum diamond plate and installed a motorcycle rail and Harbor Freight front wheel chock. I also installed a similar but removable motorcycle rail on the back, used receiver bar material so I can remove it for storage & when it's not needed. I gusseted the Hell out of the connections, tied it in all the way forward to the spring mount. Yes, I know installing weight on the back of a trailer breaks all the rules. With the short wheelbase, overbuilt Baja frame and axles, it tows great. No sway problems whatsoever.
The Baja is extremely comfortable when set up, which is the only drawback I see as it takes 30-45 minutes. Could be done quicker if you have a better crew than I do, mine mostly stands around and watches me work. Water, not power is usually the limiting factor, I think mine is supposed to hold 17 gallons but as delivered overflow worked like a siphon to prevent filling the tank completely, plus 1/2 of remaining water tended to slosh out while driving. I fitted a simple ball valve on the overflow so I could fill tank completely and not lose water on the road. I don't like to s*** where I eat so lack of a toilet is not an issue. Battery life is pretty good when camping but deep cycle batteries tend to deteriorate, since I generally forget to maintain charge when in storage. Heater will draw battery down if used a lot, we don't.
I would buy it again in a heartbeat.
All in all it's a great setup, maximum comfort and space for given towing/storage size and purchase price. Around 15 mpg on the highway, pretty good for an RV. It never fails to amaze me what nice meals we manage, often in pretty inclement conditions. Only dealbreaker I can see is if you or your significant other require actual luxury. The
Baja is very comfortable but ain't a Prevost by a long shot
