Community Forums

jbracking · 06-08-2015, 03:14 PM

I have owned a 2015 Dutch Star 4369 for all of two weeks now. My wife and I looked for 2 years before deciding on Newmar. Overall I am very happy with the DS and the dealer, Transwest in Colorado. The dealer was competitive on pricing and easy to work with. Even though this is our 6th RV there are so many new systems it takes a while to understand them all.

I made a call to Newmar (the person whose picture in on my window) today and have experienced my first disappointment. First it took over 2 hours of dialing to reach them because the phone rang busy all the time. I was told they were very on Mondays and they needed to hire more people. Well I think over 100% growth in 2014 would have been a good indicator they needed to hire more people.

Anyway I had 2 questions for them. They first was I have had this coach 2 weeks and I have 5 ceiling lights out and I asked them whats wrong? His answer was they do not replace lights under warranty but the vendor had a bad run of lights and he would send me 6. Not a bad answer but if I have 5 go bad in 2 weeks just sitting how many more will I lose? I don't want to keep replacing the lights at $20 apiece. The second question/problem was when I turn on the front TV the other TV also turns on and even the outside TV will sometimes turn on. I asked what kind of fix did they have for this? His answer was to duplicate the problem in a rig he had there and then say it was my problem. He would report it to engineering but I would have to live with it or come up with my own fix.

I have mixed feeling on my first contact with Newmar. Newmar has put themselves into a class of Motorhome where people expect a little more and certainly expect to get a hold of them when the need support. I think 2 hours is a little excessive. While I am still very happy with the coach I was expecting more from Newmar and in my opinion this casts a shadow what support I can expect from them in the future.

Dutch Star Don · 06-08-2015, 03:36 PM

There are two numbers for Newmar. One is a direct area code number and one is the 800 number. I ALWAYS dial the direct number. I called Friday and they answered on the second ring. I was transferred to parts, ordered my parts and was done in about ten minutes.

I think their response to your light issue is acceptable, he's sending you enough lights and a spare. They can't be expected to send every bulb just in case one goes out.

Lastly, the TV issue is pretty much common sense. The TV's are ALL the same brand. Yes, the remote will turn them all on. You can unplug the ones your not using or do what I did. I bought some Stanley brand plug in remote switches. Surprisingly, they're available in a three pack at Harbor Freight or online. You simply unplug the TV, plug in a remote module and plug the TV back into the module. A small wireless remote can now be used to turn the power off to the TV's your not using.

VP Chianese · 06-08-2015, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbracking

I have owned a 2015 Dutch Star 4369 for all of two weeks now. My wife and I looked for 2 years before deciding on Newmar. Overall I am very happy with the DS and the dealer, Transwest in Colorado. The dealer was competitive on pricing and easy to work with. Even though this is our 6th RV there are so many new systems it takes a while to understand them all.

I made a call to Newmar (the person whose picture in on my window) today and have experienced my first disappointment. First it took over 2 hours of dialing to reach them because the phone rang busy all the time. I was told they were very on Mondays and they needed to hire more people. Well I think over 100% growth in 2014 would have been a good indicator they needed to hire more people.

Anyway I had 2 questions for them. They first was I have had this coach 2 weeks and I have 5 ceiling lights out and I asked them whats wrong? His answer was they do not replace lights under warranty but the vendor had a bad run of lights and he would send me 6. Not a bad answer but if I have 5 go bad in 2 weeks just sitting how many more will I lose? I don't want to keep replacing the lights at $20 apiece. The second question/problem was when I turn on the front TV the other TV also turns on and even the outside TV will sometimes turn on. I asked what kind of fix did they have for this? His answer was to duplicate the problem in a rig he had there and then say it was my problem. He would report it to engineering but I would have to live with it or come up with my own fix.

I have mixed feeling on my first contact with Newmar. Newmar has put themselves into a class of Motorhome where people expect a little more and certainly expect to get a hold of them when the need support. I think 2 hours is a little excessive. While I am still very happy with the coach I was expecting more from Newmar and in my opinion this casts a shadow what support I can expect from them in the future.

My first reaction to your post is, why call Newmar direct? Where is your dealer in all of this?

Most repair facilities are over run on Mondays, could this not have waited until tomorrow? I know that is no excuse but you can't have enough folks to cover six hours on Monday and then have nothing for them to do the rest of the week. Beside the answer you got is what happens when you have folks covering items they know nothing about.

As far as the remotes go are the three TV's being turned on by one RF remote? If so RF knows no boundaries. It goes through walls, doors and rooms. Can the system be changed to IR as in switching one switch on the remote? I understand there are a couple of threads on this forum that address this exact problem.

Good luck.

BPoland · 06-08-2015, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VP Chianese

My first reaction to your post is, why call Newmar direct? Where is your dealer in all of this?

Most repair facilities are over run on Mondays, could this not have waited until tomorrow? I know that is no excuse but you can't have enough folks to cover six hours on Monday and then have nothing for them to do the rest of the week. Beside the answer you got is what happens when you have folks covering items they know nothing about.

As far as the remotes go are the three TV's being turned on by one RF remote? If so RF knows no boundaries. It goes through walls, doors and rooms. Can the system be changed to IR as in switching one switch on the remote? I understand there are a couple of threads on this forum that address this exact problem.

Good luck.

Changing over to IR remotes won't solve the problem. I have two TV's up front in or Bay Star 3103 (1 over top of the Driver/passenger seats, and the other mid-ship at the end of the buffet. IR signals bounce off all kinds of surfaces (like glass TV screens). If you can find the IR sensor on the TV you don't want activated, you can put a piece of tape over the sensor, and the problem is solved.

99phantoms · 06-08-2015, 06:14 PM

If Newmar needs to 'hire more people'... that should have done that already.

If they’re too busy on Monday… then open customer service 7 days a week.

If there was a ‘bad run of bulbs’… Newmar should send replacements for all the bulbs.

If the remote for a single tv operates other unintended tv’s… the answer is a better remote system, not some Rube Goldberg work-around.

I expect more from a ‘high end’ coach builder.

Mr_D · 06-08-2015, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99phantoms

If Newmar needs to 'hire more people'... that should have done that already.

If they’re too busy on Monday… then open customer service 7 days a week.

If there was a ‘bad run of bulbs’… Newmar should send replacements for all the bulbs.

If the remote for a single tv operates other unintended tv’s… the answer is a better remote system, not some Rube Goldberg work-around.

I expect more from a ‘high end’ coach builder.

If you've been in the Nappanee area you should understand that it's very hard to hire QUALIFIED people there.

Again, lack of QUALIFIED tech's is a problem

Bulbs are almost never covered by your warranty.

There are better remote systems, our 3/4 million $ Magna has it, but you can't expect Newmar to add the cost of it to their prices and remain competitive.

We've owned two Dutch Star DP's and wising we'd have gotten a third (2015 4375).

zman62 · 06-08-2015, 06:35 PM

My thought is with a new coach and 100s of components and your complaint is light bulbs and a remote you are in good shape. The remote is a non event. I just shield it with my hand and the problem is fixed. Light bulbs are a consumable. I am a builder and cant imagine a client calling me telling their light bulb went out and I should warranty it.

Coming from entegra I find Newmars customer service top notch.. I always call first thing in the am and get right through. They always have been on top of things in my book.

99phantoms · 06-08-2015, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

If you've been in the Nappanee area you should understand that it's very hard to hire QUALIFIED people there.

Again, lack of QUALIFIED tech's is a problem

I've been to Nappanee... but I don't have a clue about the availability of qualified workers. Don't know how one could tell by visiting & looking?

Rotate the builders through the call desk - 4 days per week building, 1 day per week answering the phone.

zman62 · 06-08-2015, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99phantoms

I've been to Nappanee... but I don't have a clue about the availability of qualified workers. Don't know how one could tell by visiting & looking?

Rotate the builders through the call desk - 4 days per week building, 1 day per week answering the phone.

I have never had an issue getting in touch with them even on a weekend. I call in the am and they pick up and are a pleasure to work with. Sometimes phones just get busy and we have to wait our turn. It happens at home depot or Walmart as well.

snickers · 06-08-2015, 07:28 PM

We are on our 5th newmar a 2014 Mountain Aire have had great service from the company and staff. Our coach is at Nappanee right now having warranty work done and we get a detailed email everyday on the progress. The main problem I have seen is getting the replacement parts from the vendors, also never use the toll free number.

jbracking · 06-08-2015, 07:46 PM

I did call the main number and got the buy there as well. From what I see I think some of you are being a little easy on a company that is making considerable profit off of the coaches and parts we buy. They say they are a step above the competition so they should back it up with support. If they cannot hire the people in the local area then they either relocate the company or bring in outside people. Its not our problem they are overloaded with success. They are a lot of other successful companies that do just that. I do not agree that the response regarding the lights is reasonable. You spend enough on the coach and you should be able to expect the lights to work. As far as the TV goes the problem is they only work through IR and not RF so without a option on the TV to change the IR code it responds to the solution is change out one TV to another brand. One of the reply got it right when they said "they should have already hired the additional people".

Lastly if I did not say it before I love my coach and would have done it again. I just expected more from Newmar as they claim to be a step above the others.

So there is my two cents.

zman62 · 06-08-2015, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbracking

I did call the main number and got the buy there as well. From what I see I think some of you are being a little easy on a company that is making considerable profit off of the coaches and parts we buy. They say they are a step above the competition so they should back it up with support. If they cannot hire the people in the local area then they either relocate the company or bring in outside people. Its not our problem they are overloaded with success. They are a lot of other successful companies that do just that. I do not agree that the response regarding the lights is reasonable. You spend enough on the coach and you should be able to expect the lights to work. As far as the TV goes the problem is they only work through IR and not RF so without a option on the TV to change the IR code it responds to the solution is change out one TV to another brand. One of the reply got it right when they said "they should have already hired the additional people".

Lastly if I did not say it before I love my coach and would have done it again. I just expected more from Newmar as they claim to be a step above the others.

So there is my two cents.

I for one as well as our friends with Newmars feel they are more than a step above. We have had exceptional customer service. I am sure there are some as there always are that feel they have been let down. We nor our circle of friends just have not felt that way. I came from Entegra and there is no comparison as to Newmars top notch customer service being better.

conmoto · 06-08-2015, 08:13 PM

This about light bulbs and a remote turning on TVs? I have experienced the busy signal as well and it is frustrating but I guess we have to keep everything in the proper perspective.

**TonyDi** · 06-08-2015, 08:37 PM

I was in Nappanee last Thursday and they were extremely busy. That said If you call the toll free number,especially on a Monday, it will be busy signals. Use their regular number and you get through. I've had to call upon support several times over the years and they have always been very responsive. The issue with the light bulbs is minor and they did right by you. the fix for you TVs was addressed by Dutch Star Dan. Newmar like every other company has a lot of service inquiries. To criticize them for not dropping everything they're doing to address your problem is not fair.