Winnebago acquires Newmar

[JimPeoria]

Originally Posted by Gamaliel Kid

I agree somewhat with what you are saying. However, New Aire is selling really well- I think one name plate will go away and Mountain Aire will survive and start offering shorter length coaches that are the current New Aires.

I believe Newmar will go to all DP's in the future. I think Newmar's gas line will be absorbed by Winnebago. This would be some of the synergy they talk about. If a gas coach was kept - it would be logical to keep one level of gas - that would be the Canyon Star. Newmar has already started moving to all solid wood cabinetry in the diesel lines and Canyon Star has that as well. IMO, the gas line coaches are on the way out with Newmar and they will be absorbed by Winnie. Newmar's campus has expanded to capacity and if profit is the motive - then selling more expensive diesel coaches will be the approach. I think that Winnebago will work with Newmar to expand the Newmar line to some of their top dealers and they will limit the product those dealers can sell. Newmar doesn't have many dealers selling several of their coaches now - so that is something they are already familiar with doing. The big money maker coaches are MA, DS and VT for Newmar. The new KS is a much nicer coach that the old KS or VT LE as well. I also see the Super Star or whatever they call it not being around very long. But, that is just an opinion that is worth what you paid to read it - lols!

I just took delivery of a 2020 Ventana 4369 and the improvements in that coach are really nice. A lot of potential DS buyers will now be buying Ventana's - if they are do as they say and look for the best bang for the buck. Dutch Star will always be the coach that made Newmar - but the Ventana is going to become a very, very close second in my opinion.

You must not forget Winnibago already has an up quality coach line, The Itasca line even though they are built on the same assembly line some options are only available on the Itasca line. So it is possible that Newmar could become all DP down the road and possibly even an up quality over Itasca. I am sure the executives are burning the midnight oil trying to figure it all out to the best advantage for everyone including their customers hopefully.

[Steve 716]

I was thinking about trading up to a Newmar but not anymore. Here is what I don't understand. Newmar has maintained a well deserved reputation for building quality and for customer support beyond the one year warranty. Winnebago hasn't. In fact, Winnebago discontinued all but one of their class A coaches. They purchased Itasca and ran them into the ground. Why would they then acquire another company with Newmar quality? (And why did Newmar sell so cheaply)? I do not believe that Newmar quality will continue under Winnebago and only believe, given the history of consolidations in this industry, that Newmar/Winnebago products will decline in quality, value, and customer satisfaction. Many (and I am being generous) of the brands Thor has bought have gone downhill, or further downhill. Certainly Entegra (now owned by Thor) service is no longer the quality it once was. It's move them in, move them out, and don't tell the owner that a service person damaged their coach in the service bay. It didn't use to be that way, now it frequently is. I like Entegra coaches, I own one, but not their quality. REV group no longer makes a quality product and it is readily apparent. Why would anyone spend the money to buy a class A with only three leveling legs? Tiffin has been decontenting and going cheaper in quality materials and components for several years and once the kids completely take over the same thing will happen the last time they took over - a rapid decline in product quality. To paraphrase a title from a recent book, everything Forest River touches dies. It seems to me that with slowing RV sales and a probable upcoming recession this is the perfect time for a coach builder to set themselves apart and make sure only quality goes out the door. It's an opportunity to really differentiate from the other manufacturers. Sadly, as this deal will prove to be, the shortsighted decline is on the way.

[Fanrgs]

We took a factory tour of the main Winnebago plant in Forest City in June. They no longer make any "Itasca" models; everything is "Winnebago". On the three assembly lines inside the plant, there was one Class A coach and it was on a Ford F53 gas chassis. Every other motorhome on all the lines was on a Class C Mercedes Sprinter or Ford cab-chassis. There were a couple of bare-chassis Freightliner diesels parked outside the plant, but none were on the assembly lines.

In talking to the tour guide, Winnebago is now building about 10 Sprinter and 5 Ford Class C's for every Class A--gas and diesel--that they produce. So maybe the Newmar purchase was just to get them back into the Class A DP market.

[Gordon Dewald]

Wonder what the comments would have been if the transaction had gone the other way?

[edgray]

Originally Posted by palehorse89

OK......I am a thread killer.......especially ones that don't exercise my brain ........been holding back.......but........the time has come........enough........

I suggest you exercise your skills HERE: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f59/are-y...er-101849.html


If there ever was a thread that deserves to die.....

[joes2901]

Originally Posted by edegenhart

I'd like to know about your MCD Duo Shades. Many of my shades have been replaced at least once and now I'm replacing spring assemblies. I have the original shades and don't know who the manufacturer is.

After replacing the strings in 3 window shades and a 4th needing fixing too I looked into MCD Duo shades as a replacement. Their web-site indicated the Platinum Duo shades were their best grade of shades and the night shade had color choices to match the inside of my Bay Star.

I travel alone and decided to have power cockpit shades so I can adjust them while driving. That is well worth the cost and stops the blinding or heating sun and I adjust their height until I feel my eyes say thank you for the sunshine relief. The remaining 13 windows, including the door, are manual and easy to adjust during the day. I now sit on the couch and do not feel the sun's heat from behind my head, and the same for cold windows in sub-freezing temps. The fabric is a higher quality than the OEM version Newmar installs.

The MCD Platinum Duo shades maximize my comfort and minimize the hassle, but are not cheap. Check their web-site for installation info and dealers. Redlands truck and RV installed the powered cockpit windows.

[AKConnie]

If you were asked to name the three best RV manufactures not counting the super-duper-luxury, wouldn't it be Newmar, Winnebago and Tiffan?

[baraff]

Admittedly a bit of a stretch but lets take a look at Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL). Carnival is a holding company for several cruise lines, Princess, Seabourn, Holland America, and of course Carnival.
All are different, each serve a specific market. Seabourn is small ship, expensive, luxury, Holland appeals to an older demographic, Princess to the 30-60 set, Carnival for the younger active crowd.
All are of differing quality in food, accommodation, ports of call, activities and entertainment.
This is kind of where I see the Winnebago/Newmar acquisition going. There will be something for everyone. They would be crazy to mess with Newmar. Winnebago is the oldest RV manufacturer in existence today. They have survived several recessions and industry downturns. They didn't do that by being stupid.

[Lug_Nut]

Originally Posted by Fanrgs

We took a factory tour of the main Winnebago plant in Forest City in June. They no longer make any "Itasca" models; everything is "Winnebago". On the three assembly lines inside the plant, there was one Class A coach and it was on a Ford F53 gas chassis. Every other motorhome on all the lines was on a Class C Mercedes Sprinter or Ford cab-chassis. There were a couple of bare-chassis Freightliner diesels parked outside the plant, but none were on the assembly lines.

In talking to the tour guide, Winnebago is now building about 10 Sprinter and 5 Ford Class C's for every Class A--gas and diesel--that they produce. So maybe the Newmar purchase was just to get them back into the Class A DP market.

Well, hopefully Winnie has some potential customers for those diesel pushers as there will be bunch available that were potential Newmar buyers and replacements for long time Newmar clients that will apparently be looking elsewhere.

[rlott2k]

Originally Posted by JimPeoria

You must not forget Winnibago already has an up quality coach line, The Itasca line even though they are built on the same assembly line some options are only available on the Itasca line. So it is possible that Newmar could become all DP down the road and possibly even an up quality over Itasca. I am sure the executives are burning the midnight oil trying to figure it all out to the best advantage for everyone including their customers hopefully.

Itasca wasn’t a real upgrade over Winnebago, and WGO dropped the line a few years ago , much like Ford dropped Mercury, and GM dropped Pontiac.
These were virtually redundant duplicates rebadged.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by AKConnie

If you were asked to name the three best RV manufactures not counting the super-duper-luxury, wouldn't it be Newmar, Winnebago and Tiffan?

NOPE. MY list would be Entegra, Newmar, Tiffin. Entegra ahead of Newmar primarily because of their 2 year warranty -otherwise they are tied for first place and WGO would still absent from my list. Tiffin is the only one I have NOT owned.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by rlott2k

Itasca wasn’t a real upgrade over Winnebago, and WGO dropped the line a few years ago , much like Ford dropped Mercury, and GM dropped Pontiac.
These were virtually redundant duplicates rebadged.

You are right on both counts I put in bold. You left off Olds and Saturn

[becks]

Originally Posted by AKConnie

If you were asked to name the three best RV manufactures not counting the super-duper-luxury, wouldn't it be Newmar, Winnebago and Tiffan?

Newmar/Entegra equal, then Tiffin. Winnebago a long way down the road in fourth.

[Gordon Dewald]

If you look at the forum threads that complain about defects in the product my observation is that all brands and models have defects. If you look at the solutions provided some users have their addressed quite well and others not so much. According to what is posted.

If you apply quality as a failure rate based on number of units manufactured I believe you will find that all of them have a similar rate.