Dutch Star Options - Yes or No and Why?

[ianschneider]

We will be placing an order for a 2018 Dutch Star 4052 soon and are wondering about the value/worth of several options:

Central Vac?

Dishwasher?

Radiant Floor Heat?

Undermount Double bowl kitchen sink?

Transfer switch with Surge Protector (I'm thinking of getting a hughs autoformer and progressive surge protector - after market?)

Large Storage tray with one side access vs. Pass through storage tray from either side?

Stainless steel vs. Chrome baggage door package

Safe?

Sanicon System?

Kitchen window?
Girard Awnings vs. standard ($13K wow!!)

Any of the other options to definitely STAY AWAY from or MAKE SURE WE GET!

Thanks

[BBelanger]

Originally Posted by ianschneider

We will be placing an order for a 2018 Dutch Star 4052 soon and are wondering about the value/worth of several options:

Central Vac?

Dishwasher?

Radiant Floor Heat?

Undermount Double bowl kitchen sink?

Transfer switch with Surge Protector (I'm thinking of getting a hughs autoformer and progressive surge protector - after market?)

Large Storage tray with one side access vs. Pass through storage tray from either side?

Stainless steel vs. Chrome baggage door package

Safe?

Sanicon System?

Kitchen window?
Girard Awnings vs. standard ($13K wow!!)

Any of the other options to definitely STAY AWAY from or MAKE SURE WE GET!

Thanks

Get them all except for the dishwasher. You won’t use it very often and they tend to smell if you don’t.

[dlennick]

Yes on the dishwasher. We use it all the time. When we purchased ours, my number 1 must have was the kitchen window.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

[67vette]

I would pass on the following
Dishwasher
Awning - $$$
Kitchen window- loose a lot of back splash


I would definitely get
Heated floors - love them
Chrome package - doors and trim kit


Good luck

[Stuart W]

Originally Posted by ianschneider

We will be placing an order for a 2018 Dutch Star 4052 soon and are wondering about the value/worth of several options:



Central Vac?
*We ordered it for resale, not sure how needed



Dishwasher?
*Did not order, seems like prewash is needed and smell issues



Radiant Floor Heat?
*At first was not ordering, but after putting the question out, changed our minds and added



Undermount Double bowl kitchen sink?
*Liked the stock sink



Transfer switch with Surge Protector (I'm thinking of getting a hughs autoformer and progressive surge protector - after market?)
*Added it, just didn't want to mess with it, plus last year It was the only one Newmar would special do to compatibility issues.



Large Storage tray with one side access vs. Pass through storage tray from either side?
*Only ordered the one none pass through, clearance to frame is short



Stainless steel vs. Chrome baggage door package
*Personal preference, I like the look of the Stainless trim and felt it offered some protection for doors



Safe?
*No! Read articles on how easily broken into, want more closet shelves



Sanicon System?
*Bill sold me on this one so I added it, watch YouTube videos only if you want to spend the money [emoji4]



Kitchen window?
*We went with no window, like the look of backsplash

Girard Awnings vs. standard ($13K wow!!)
*ordered I felt it is worth it, one of the distinguishing features of the DS IMO



Any of the other options to definitely STAY AWAY from or MAKE SURE WE GET!
*I'm not a fan off paying for satellite radio so I did not opt for antenna
Add docking lights, under slide lights, outside tv, in So Cal did not add heated seats, I did not add power shades, at the time of order dealer had 4 MH waiting for updated parts, it is a cool option,



Thanks

Good luck it can be nerve wrecking[emoji51]

[lakebuster]

No to turbo sanicon, gravity dump is fine and do not want to work on macerator as we did in our boat...We have electic floors but live in the south and we wear ankle socks so of no great benefit for us. If you live North of the Mason Dixon line then I would say yes to electric floors. We purchased an electric free standing fireplace and set it up in front of pocket door going into bedroom. We pull door half out and that is where it sits. Set it at 68 and Oasis or Heat pumps hardly come on. No kitchen window takes away from counter space. Would deffinately get the girard nova main awnings, we do not have the girard window awnings though, we have the manual pull down dometic, but the 12K is actually about 8600 and I think I would have spent the extra as that inlcudes slide out toppers, electric window awnings and entry door awning!

[Stripe34]

Originally Posted by ianschneider

We will be placing an order for a 2018 Dutch Star 4052 soon and are wondering about the value/worth of several options:

Central Vac?

Dishwasher?

Radiant Floor Heat?

Undermount Double bowl kitchen sink?

Transfer switch with Surge Protector (I'm thinking of getting a hughs autoformer and progressive surge protector - after market?)

Large Storage tray with one side access vs. Pass through storage tray from either side?

Stainless steel vs. Chrome baggage door package

Safe?

Sanicon System?

Kitchen window?
Girard Awnings vs. standard ($13K wow!!)

Any of the other options to definitely STAY AWAY from or MAKE SURE WE GET!

Thanks

Don't get the slide that passes through the entire full-width bin. You will lose half (or more) of the storage that's above rail height.

Some other recent threads have good discussion on who ordered what options & customizations and why:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/fina...ar-362620.html

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/tips...ar-359911.html

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/dutc...ns-360070.html

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/tips...ar-359911.html

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/tips...ar-359911.html

Hope that helps! Happy reading!

[Dutch Star Don]

Everyone is different....you're going to get as many opinions on things as you get posters. As an example, we love our dishwasher and the next coach will have one. I'm sure most have them in their house, why do they dislike them in a coach. I've had a SaniCon unit since 2005, wouldn't have a coach without one.

I would say the majority of people love heated floors and if I lived in a cold climate they would be a must, but not a big issue to us out west. I know many would order a coach with no TV's and would be very happy, yet their dislike of watching television doesn't speak for everyone.

With all that said, read through this list, but take some opinions with a grain of salt as we are all different and RV differently.

[Stripe34]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Everyone is different....you're going to get as many opinions on things as you get posters. As an example, we love our dishwasher and the next coach will have one. I'm sure most have them in their house, why do they dislike them in a coach.

There's a reason for this, for many of us. For fulltimers in shorter coaches, it's sometimes because we need the kitchen storage space more than we need the dishwasher. For people who dry camp often, they are often wary of the water usage. And perhaps for people on a budget, it's one option that they can economize on while still enjoying their unit.

I do learn most from the option discussions when people explain their reasoning. And I get some good ideas and get my mind changed about many of them, too (for example heated floors: extensive discussion here has convinced me that so many people love them that they'd help resale and/or trade-in).

- CC

[TonyDi]

I say no to the central vac. They have bulky hose lose power easily and just don't do the job we need it to. We bought a Shark cordless and it is cheaper than central vac and gets the job done.

[THenman]

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/opti...ts-363384.html

Thread has a lot of feed back on some of the options you question.

[BBelanger]

Originally Posted by TonyDi

I say no to the central vac. They have bulky hose lose power easily and just don't do the job we need it to. We bought a Shark cordless and it is cheaper than central vac and gets the job done.

If you’re losing power on that dirt devil you must have the floor sweep open. I’ve never seen a vacuum with more suction and one hose reaches from one end of the coach to the other and fits in a little shelf in the half bath. I plug it in outside and clean my Jeep.
Maybe the one you have is defective.

[RMD3819]

I'll throw my thoughts out even though we have a Ventana that we bought off the lot.

Originally Posted by ianschneider

We will be placing an order for a 2018 Dutch Star 4052 soon and are wondering about the value/worth of several options:

Central Vac? Wife absolutely loves it.

Dishwasher? Don't have one and glad we don't Looked at them but takes up too much storage.

Radiant Floor Heat? No experience with this.

Undermount Double bowl kitchen sink? If this is a bigger sink then yes. We actually paid Newmar $4K to swap out our sink/countertop for the larger 2017 model which also included the removable cooktop.

Transfer switch with Surge Protector (I'm thinking of getting a hughs autoformer and progressive surge protector - after market?) No experience with this.

Large Storage tray with one side access vs. Pass through storage tray from either side? Depends on what you are carrying. The frame rail limits the height on things.

Stainless steel vs. Chrome baggage door package N/A

Safe? I like it even though it is a cheap type safe and small.

Sanicon System? N/A

Kitchen window? Have it and like it.
Girard Awnings vs. standard ($13K wow!!) Absolutely positively yes. This is not available in the VT but wish it was. Anything that strengthens the awnings I would go for. We have had expensive problems due to wind.

Any of the other options to definitely STAY AWAY from or MAKE SURE WE GET!

Thanks

[BBelanger]

Originally Posted by TonyDi

I say no to the central vac. They have bulky hose lose power easily and just don't do the job we need it to. We bought a Shark cordless and it is cheaper than central vac and gets the job done.

Another thought, maybe you still have the spare bags in the dust collection bin. That would limit suction.