Community Forums

Beacher · 02-14-2012, 05:31 PM

My wife and I just order a 2012 Dutch Star and can't wait for it to be done. Newmar is a great company and builds a great coach they care about what they build. Good luck and happy camping.

Perry White · 02-14-2012, 05:45 PM

I got it backwords ISB in Ventana LE--ISC in Ventana

"007" · 02-14-2012, 06:16 PM

Welcome SueMac to the forum & irv2.
Here is a link to build your own, this dealer has both DS and Ventana's so you can pick what options you want, with the pricing between coach's and what maybe standard compared to options between them.
Good luck in your hunt and remember they are both Newmars that you will be happy with.

rosannemarie · 02-15-2012, 09:32 AM

Sue,

I will introduce myself soon when we pickup our new Canyon Star in just 14 days from Guaranty RV in Oregon (a fantastic experience by the way)!

But like you, we live in eastern WA with little available to see/drive near us that we consider a higher quality - 95% are towables. You may have considered this already... but a large Newmar dealer in Winter Garden FL offered us a 'significant' travel incentive which is worth considering - especially if they have both the Ventana/DS for you to compare and drive. We're both still working and couldn't break away to drive that far back across country. But if we were retired...we'd consider it in a heart beat! For us, we'd driven 3 Newmar gas coaches including a 2006 model to compare drive/rattles/squeeks from the 2 new ones we drove. Be sure to haggle on price. We did NOT plan to buy new - but the price was only $15,000 above our original budget since it was a 2011 clearance model and the floor plan was perfect for us. We just couldn't say no!!!

"007" · 02-15-2012, 11:10 AM

Welcome rosannemarie to the forum & irv2.
Congratulations on your new to be Newmar and thanks for joining in the discussion.
Many safe and happy miles for you.

Mr_D · 02-15-2012, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve N Sal

I don't understand how they couldn't be used for fulltiming.

To me that's ridiculous. We're short two months of fulltiming in ours and it's just fine. I sure would like to know why they would think it wouldn't work out.

Our 2002 DSDP specifically says in the owners manual that it's not rated for full time use.

Perry White · 02-15-2012, 03:40 PM

Just for weekends or what?

Perry White · 02-15-2012, 03:50 PM

I hate to say it or bust anybodys bubble, but for the price of the Ventana's, I'd go for a good used Essex or a Mountainaire. Lot of coach for the price.. Look at them before you decide.'08s are going for under 3. Keep the Essex for a couple of years and then flip it for about what you paid for it.

Only thing keeping me from buying a new Essex, is I know as soon as I drive it off the lot I've lost close to 200 grand and a year of running the bugs out. Can't do it.

(Also, the $44,000 sales tax and 14,000/year per prop tax.) OUCH

SueMac · 02-15-2012, 10:59 PM

Thank you to everyone who commented on my questions. When the time comes we plan on getting a Dutch Star, floor plan 4346.

Sue

Mr_D · 02-15-2012, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Our 2002 DSDP specifically says in the owners manual that it's not rated for full time use.

Forgot: Our 2000 DSDP said the same thing too.

Mr_D · 02-15-2012, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perry White

I hate to say it or bust anybodys bubble, but for the price of the Ventana's, I'd go for a good used Essex or a Mountainaire. Lot of coach for the price.. Look at them before you decide.'08s are going for under 3. Keep the Essex for a couple of years and then flip it for about what you paid for it.

Only thing keeping me from buying a new Essex, is I know as soon as I drive it off the lot I've lost close to 200 grand and a year of running the bugs out. Can't do it.

(Also, the $44,000 sales tax and 14,000/year per prop tax.) OUCH

We've been looking at used Essex's too, the last one was a 2006 but it had that funny half round dinette setup and needed new tires. The dealer said they could take care of all that but I just put new tires and Alcoa wheels on our DSDP, new TV's, new slideout awnings, new engine and house batteries, etc so I guess we'll keep it for a while longer.

Chickadee · 02-16-2012, 07:59 AM

SueMac:

We full time out of Parkston (S. of Mitchell) and I can't tell from the thread whether you'll be full timing or not, but, if you plan to spend alot of time traveling around, DO, for sure, consider a rig with a tag axle. You'll likely regret not having a tag axle unit when you discover you'd really appreciate having a reasonable amount of additional carrying capacity, and.....the handling is definitely more comfortable.

Steve & Lynette

KBolin · 02-16-2012, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Our 2002 DSDP specifically says in the owners manual that it's not rated for full time use.

Our 2010 manual says the same thing for our DSDP. Not intended for full time or commercial use. I think they do that to potentially limit their warranty exposure.

SueMac · 02-16-2012, 09:04 AM

We are going back to full time (Yippee!). And we'll base out of Rapid City/Hart Ranch. We'll be in the area when not traveling since we have a lot of friends here and are quite active in our church. We'll use America's Mailbox for our mail forwarding as well.

We definitely want a tag axle! Our previous Class A was a 43' Tag Country Coach Allure, so we understand the weight/carrying capacity/drivability etc. The CC was easy to drive and we sure could feel the stability of it when loaded. But I have to say, the Dutch Star we drove last week was miles a head of the CC. That Comfort Drive sold us! We had looked at other brands and liked other floor plans better, but like I read elsewhere...once you drive a rig with the Comfort Drive you won't want anything else.

When we get to do this we've decided on a 43' Dutch Star, floor plan 4346 with the tag.