Calling All Ventana Le Owners

[Yianni]

Hi Everyone!
New to the forum and looking for some help with our next motorhome.

We currently have a Tiffin 35QBA (bunk model) gas motorhome. My wife is tired of getting beat up on our California roads so we are considering selling it and moving to diesel.
My wife prefers the interiors of the Newmar's over the Tiffin's. Tiffin also makes a bunk model in 38 foot. We would like to stay around 38 as a max.

The problem we are finding is there are no Ventana LE 3845's to look at. They have to be ordered. I'm not too keen on ordering one sight unseen.
So, some questions for current owners.
Can you access the bathroom and fridge with the slides in?
Have you been happy with the build quality?

I would much rather have the Ventana with it's bigger motor,tile floor etc. in a bunk version but it doesn't look like that's an option.

Thanks for any thoughts, input and ideas.

["007"]

Welcome to the forum & irv2.
Here is the Brochure for Ventana LE and Owners Guide Ventana and one for LE..

In QT's # 3 there are threads of people and their process of buying a coach and how they ordered from Newmar through their dealers.
3845 LE has the bunks.

Here is a thread out of #3 and purchase of his LE.

If the coach does not have a bath 1/2 yes you can access the bathroom with slides in.

Have you tried Guaranty RV , people say go dealership.

You can look at some LE's as far as built quality.
Or get same info in this link.

What ever you do good luck and maybe a welcome to the Newmar family in the up coming future.

[capnqball]

Per our contact at Guaranty RV after asking the same question on access when closed, the factory provides a minimum of 18" clearance. This supposedly applies to all models. We'll find out the end of March if this is true on our 3847.

[Dutch Star Don]

Yianni.....Where do you live in California? There is a little known Newmar dealer in Moorpark, Ca. I live in Moorpark and went in two weeks ago with a piece of paper with my name and phone number so they could call me when a Dutch Star came in. They weren't stocking them, but occasionally got one in that had been ordered. I was like you and wanted to see the fit and finish. To my surprise he had 4 Ventana's and two Dutch Stars. I know that I've seen him normally carry LE's too.

Give him a call....Tom Lindstrom RV 888-850-2076

[danddclydes]

I have a 2014 Ventana LE 3845 and yes you can access both the bath and the reefer while the slides are in. I got the bunks for the dogs and actually can open and access the bunks while slide is in as well. It has the vinyl flooring instead of the tile but other than that I like it very much. Also looked at the Berkshire and the Palazzo but liked the Newmar much better and the comfort drive makes it like a car in handling

[Yianni]

Thanks everyone for the great info.
I have talked to Guaranty RV. They had 1 they just sold. He said they have none ordered as they are not a good seller.
I've done a Google search and can find just 2 for sale across the US.

We are in Northern California but I did leave a message at Tom Lindstrom Rv.
Thanks Don. Will let you know what I find out.

So after more research I'm thinking the Ventana LE is comparable to the Tiffin Allegro RED and the Ventana is more along the lines of Phaeton for those who know the Tiffin line.
We figure the kids will still be coming with us for about 10 years so we need the bunks.

I have a couple more questions.
Does the LE have a gravity water fill? We dry camp a lot and on occasion I add fresh water from a 5 gallon container through the gravity fill.

I'm not really sure what to make of the big wood covers on the ceiling. I thought that Newmar had all ducted A/C. Are these covering the A/C units and how loud are they when run? Our Tiffin has ducted A/C and is pretty quiet.

Thanks again and thanks to 007 for all the work with the links. I have some reading to do.

[danddclydes]

not sure about the gravity fill, the large wood covers are air intakes and the heat blows through the ducts. Very little noise. We like the bunk set up with the doors so they can also double as storage.

["007"]

Interesting observation about the AC's both coach models never notice that before. The furnace has vents below the cabinets I can see but there is no ceiling grills for AC venting or return air.
Maybe for costs reasons for new design for AC's.
Some of the big Newmars have different ceiling roofs also will have to check them out.
Yes but Tiffin does not have Comfort Drive.

[kwilke859]

I looked at a Tiffin AllegroRED before I bought my Newmar. I liked the layout of the Tiffin better, but Newmar's better reputation for quality and the only Tiffin dealers for hundreds of miles having a terrible reputation won me over. No (serious) complaints so far.

[Dutch Star Don]

Our new Dutch Star has three of the approximately 6' long by 2' wide slotted wood ceiling panels. These panels have a piano hinge running the length of them and four large magnets on the opposite side. On the one at the front of the coach it has several intakes with filters and A/C ducts. The middle one is about the same and the rear one has just two ducts more toward the front of the coach. On ours, with the rear bath, there are four of the standard round roof ducts. Two intakes and two A/C ducts.

The half bath also has a single round duct. We tried the system this weekend and it was pretty quiet with the spread out of the ducts.

The magnets are stout...it takes some puling to pull one of the roof covers open.