How Much Customization ????

hellojohnny · 11-29-2011, 01:53 PM

I am ordering a new Mountain Aire

and am glad that I didn't rush as fast as I was going to as I keep learning. After reading running posts on here and doing searches in older posts I am learning that Newmar does a lot of customization if the customer wants to pay.

I thought about buying an Essex but it would work out to approx. an extra $200K the way I had them both optioned out and I like the 4330 floor plan of the Mountain Aire better.

Question: What are Newmar's limit's with respect to customization? I was blown away when I read in a post that someone even got them to do a custom floor plan? One of the thing's that I really like about the Essex is it's beautiful dash? Will they tile the front entry step's and sidewall's beside the entry step's?

What are some stories of the most customization on a Mountain Aire?

Thank you,

Adam

**Route 66** · 11-29-2011, 02:14 PM

Newmar is not always consistent on what they will do as a special and the floorplan will affect what specials they may do.

Always ask the factory rep to check on something you want and ask what specials they have done that may be close to what you want.

Also Carlyle Lehman does excellent work and he's a few miles from the factory. I had him do several things for me.

Dav5942 · 11-29-2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66

Newmar is not always consistent on what they will do as a special and the floorplan will affect what specials they may do.

Always ask the factory rep to check on something you want and ask what specials they have done that may be close to what you want.

Also Carlyle Lehman does excellent work and he's a few miles from the factory. I had him do several things for me.

Exactly! We spent two days in an identical coach(factory spec) to the one we were ordering before ordering our specials. Out of 30, two were turned down.

saydiver · 11-29-2011, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellojohnny

I am ordering a new Mountain Aire

and am glad that I didn't rush as fast as I was going to as I keep learning. After reading running posts on here and doing searches in older posts I am learning that Newmar does a lot of customization if the customer wants to pay.

I thought about buying an Essex but it would work out to approx. an extra $200K the way I had them both optioned out and I like the 4330 floor plan of the Mountain Aire better.

Question: What are Newmar's limit's with respect to customization? I was blown away when I read in a post that someone even got them to do a custom floor plan? One of the thing's that I really like about the Essex is it's beautiful dash? Will they tile the front entry step's and sidewall's beside the entry step's?

What are some stories of the most customization on a Mountain Aire?

Thank you,

Adam

While Newmar did allow us to roughly design several changes to a King Aire standard floor plan, they would never allow me to design my own complete floor plan,

but one can only hope.

The following link shows the modifications Newmar did for us:

Flying, Diving, Cruising, and RVing! » Interior Shots

Sue

Perry White · 11-30-2011, 09:19 AM

I know everyone likes to have a new RV but you could take what you are going to pay for a new Mountaire and buy a good 1 to 3 year old Essex. That's what I did. All the new bugs are run out of it. Ask new buyers how much time is spent running back to dealer or factory the first year getting things fixed. PLUS++I paid around $85,000 less almost 3 years ago what NADA says it's worth today. You might not have all the options you'd like but you would have a load of bucks to play with. I'll bet you can almost pick up a good used King Aire.

Besides ,the reason I found mine is Newmar didn't want to customize a new '08 Essex for the original owner so he was going to trade it in on a $1.4 mill foretravel. Which he did.

Besides, a Mountaire needs at least a 500HP.

hellojohnny · 11-30-2011, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perry White

I know everyone likes to have a new RV but you could take what you are going to pay for a new Mountaire and buy a good 1 to 3 year old Essex. That's what I did. All the new bugs are run out of it. Ask new buyers how much time is spent running back to dealer or factory the first year getting things fixed. PLUS++I paid around $85,000 less almost 3 years ago what NADA says it's worth today. You might not have all the options you'd like but you would have a load of bucks to play with. I'll bet you can almost pick up a good used King Aire.

Besides ,the reason I found mine is Newmar didn't want to customize a new '08 Essex for the original owner so he was going to trade it in on a $1.4 mill foretravel. Which he did.

Besides, a Mountaire needs at least a 500HP.

Perry White,

I hear ya. I already know what you are telling me but I am a new kinda guy. I am way to picky and fanatical to buy used. After walking through the 4330 floor plan I don't think I could go back to a closed in dark kitchen floor plan with the dinette facing my neighbour. If I am going to buy used it would be a used Prevost XLII conversion. I actually got close on one but even it would require too many modifications such as adding an Aquahot system to make it work so I abandoned the idea. I also know what you are saying about the first year bugs to work out as I had a lot of really bad experiences with my Allegro Bus to the point that it would almost be technically impossible to get any worse.

Adam

Mr_D · 11-30-2011, 02:55 PM

We had them remove two walls and two pocket doors around the commode then substitute a vanity from a MA in our DSDP. The next year they offered that same floorplan option. In fact it came to over $35,000 in extra's and options (in 2002 $$) and we didn't get the real tile floors. The only thing they wouldn't do was put the hydro hot in. Even got MA countertops.

Mr_D · 11-30-2011, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perry White

I know everyone likes to have a new RV but you could take what you are going to pay for a new Mountaire and buy a good 1 to 3 year old Essex. That's what I did. All the new bugs are run out of it. Ask new buyers how much time is spent running back to dealer or factory the first year getting things fixed. PLUS++I paid around $85,000 less almost 3 years ago what NADA says it's worth today. You might not have all the options you'd like but you would have a load of bucks to play with. I'll bet you can almost pick up a good used King Aire.

Besides ,the reason I found mine is Newmar didn't want to customize a new '08 Essex for the original owner so he was going to trade it in on a $1.4 mill foretravel. Which he did.

Besides, a Mountaire needs at least a 500HP.

We looked at the new King Aire and Essex, but, if were ever need to buy another rig I think we'll look more closely at used ones. We got kind of close on a '06 Essex but it would have taken a rebuild of the dinette and tires all the way around. I just put new tires on the DSDP and didn't want to go that route again so soon.

Perry White · 12-01-2011, 11:24 AM

Remember that the new Mountain Aire is on a Freightliner chassis. Not a Spartan K2 no more.

soricobob · 12-01-2011, 02:21 PM

Be very, very careful, and make sure everything is in writing and/or in pictures. I ordered an Essex with custom carpet under the sofa, Mountainaire Dinette (squared corners keep the cats in sight), and King Aire finished cabinets; thanks to another member of this forum who saw it being built and sent me pictures, I was able to catch the mistakes before they shipped it out. Then, both the dealer and Ken W. said they had no recollection of my ordering those specials. Needless to say, it was not much fun!

GaryKD · 12-01-2011, 02:28 PM

Hi hellojohnny,
Newmar's motto is "We mass produce in quantities of one". The only way one can tell if Newmar will do the special request is to ask. The answer all depends on the behind the scenes work that needs to be done and if Newmar feels Brand separation is being retained. Lastly, get what you want in a single list. Do not continue to ask one or two requests at a time.

Mr_D · 12-01-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perry White

Remember that the new Mountain Aire is on a Freightliner chassis. Not a Spartan K2 no more.

I don't know if that's bad or not though. FL has more service places than Spartan but it wouldn't be a deal breaker to me even though I'd prefer the Spartan.

Mr_D · 12-01-2011, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Hi hellojohnny,
if Newmar feels Brand separation is being retained.

That's why they wouldn't put the Agua Hot in our 2002 DSDP when we ordered it.

Dav5942 · 12-01-2011, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soricobob

Be very, very careful, and make sure everything is in writing and/or in pictures. I ordered an Essex with custom carpet under the sofa, Mountainaire Dinette (squared corners keep the cats in sight), and King Aire finished cabinets; thanks to another member of this forum who saw it being built and sent me pictures, I was able to catch the mistakes before they shipped it out. Then, both the dealer and Ken W. said they had no recollection of my ordering those specials. Needless to say, it was not much fun!

Don't understand, as "specials" are signed off by Newmar and the customer.