Community Forums

FRasco · 05-22-2015, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogster

Holy Cow Frank!

I think you are the "specials" King for the 2016 model year. We ordered our DS 4018 two weeks ago and only have two specials on our build sheet. I understand you have a three page spreadsheet no doubt describing the reasons for all those 12V and 110V outlet adds. Can you provide a summary of the reasons, or have you provided details in a previous thread?

Mike,

Most of the specials came from other people in the last year of threads.

To summarize, most of the outlets are for convenience and they charge about $10 each is what I understand. My wife and I are always connected, me on work her on Facebook and pintrest! Some are specific, like near the driver for the TPMS and Navigation.

The ones near the bed are for charging cell phones at night.
In the storage bays to be able to easily run a line to a specific bay for a future add-on, like a freezer. I could not get the freezer option since my front slide out makes that bay to short, so I may put in a smaller unit. Also charge my cordless power tools and run extension cords out side easily.

I am planning on adding at least 1000w of solar panels, depending on fit, so I added the extra conduit and upgraded the gauge wire.

I plan on adding see level tank monitoring, so I needed to run extra wires, better them than me!

Feel free to pm me your phone number and we can go into more detail. I can talk all day about this stuff!

FRasco · 05-22-2015, 09:39 PM

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, it's on order! We decided to go with North Trail after receiving over 10 quotes. They may be able to pull the production date (August 24th) in, but we will see....

They promised we will take one of the 2016 slots that they had ordered, but our engineering plans have not be done yet for 2016, since our 4381 is the lowest volume floor plan.

tick tock tick tock, is it August yet?!??!?!

TwoCorners · 05-23-2015, 05:29 AM

Congratulations Frank, you have put together a spectacular Dutch Star and can look forward to many years of great travel together. Can't wait to see pictures. Speaking of pictures, thanks again for the shots you grabbed of ours this past week. We just were told yesterday that delivery will be next Friday. It's been a long four months as you are about to discover, but worth it in the end.

FRasco · 05-23-2015, 08:51 AM

Thanks, Steve! Your coach is beautiful as well!

HighwayRanger · 05-23-2015, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogster

Roy, I thought you were looking at fifth wheels? What made you go back to getting a Dutch Star?

Mike, we have gone back and forth dozens of times over the last 10 years of planning. As we watched various manufacturers go out of business (like Teton Homes) we kept finding that the fifth wheel products all had a ton of compromises. The primary compromise was weight carrying capacity (the ones we were looking at only had about 1700 lbs of NCC left after they showed up at the dealer's lot with various options like a residential fridge, etc.) 1700 lbs is really a pathetic amount of capacity for fulltimers.

So, now that we are ready to make the final decision, and we have seen what's available for 2016 (it's not theoretical anymore) we decided that the Dutch Star will be a great way to go. Yes, we are spending nearly twice as much, but this will be our only home for the foreseeable future and we want to do whatever we can to ensure that we'll be happy out there. (within reason!)

With the Dutch Star, we can have many things we want such as the big refer, 8 batteries, big built in generator, exterior freezer, hydronic heat, etc, plus nearly 10,000 lb cargo carrying capacity.

A New Horizon's luxury fifth wheel would have solved many of the inadequacies of the more common fifth wheels, but we just felt that the motorhome is a better way to travel for us, is solidly built, and is easier to spec out and purchase than the NW.

I'm sure we would have been happy in a fifth wheel, but just not as happy as we will be in this diesel pusher.

Roy

Rogster · 05-23-2015, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighwayRanger

Mike, we have gone back and forth dozens of times over the last 10 years of planning. As we watched various manufacturers go out of business (like Teton Homes) we kept finding that the fifth wheel products all had a ton of compromises. The primary compromise was weight carrying capacity (the ones we were looking at only had about 1700 lbs of NCC left after they showed up at the dealer's lot with various options like a residential fridge, etc.) 1700 lbs is really a pathetic amount of capacity for fulltimers.

So, now that we are ready to make the final decision, and we have seen what's available for 2016 (it's not theoretical anymore) we decided that the Dutch Star will be a great way to go. Yes, we are spending nearly twice as much, but this will be our only home for the foreseeable future and we want to do whatever we can to ensure that we'll be happy out there. (within reason!)

With the Dutch Star, we can have many things we want such as the big refer, 8 batteries, big built in generator, exterior freezer, hydronic heat, etc, plus nearly 10,000 lb cargo carrying capacity.

A New Horizon's luxury fifth wheel would have solved many of the inadequacies of the more common fifth wheels, but we just felt that the motorhome is a better way to travel for us, is solidly built, and is easier to spec out and purchase than the NW.

I'm sure we would have been happy in a fifth wheel, but just not as happy as we will be in this diesel pusher.

Roy

Early on I was looking at fifth wheels, but DW quickly nixed that. She has back problems and did not relish traveling everywhere in a one ton or larger truck. So I started looking at Class A's.

I got my choices down to a Tiffin or a Newmar. Then we had a chance to compare a 2013 Ventana against an almost identical floorplan in a Phaeton. DW liked the interior of the Ventana better; I decided on the Ventana when I saw the 2000# CCC for the Phaeton (tag VS non-tag). That 2000# CCC just felt too low to me for full timing.

Since then we have pulled together enough $$$'s to afford a Dutch Star. Can't wait to get on the road with it!

tomakat · 05-23-2015, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogster

Early on I was looking at fifth wheels, but DW quickly nixed that. She has back problems and did not relish traveling everywhere in a one ton or larger truck. So I started looking at Class A's.

I got my choices down to a Tiffin or a Newmar. Then we had a chance to compare a 2013 Ventana against an almost identical floorplan in a Phaeton. DW liked the interior of the Ventana better; I decided on the Ventana when I saw the 2000# CCC for the Phaeton (tag VS non-tag). That 2000# CCC just felt too low to me for full timing.

Since then we have pulled together enough $$$'s to afford a Dutch Star. Can't wait to get on the road with it!

When I was doing the Tiffin / Newmar comparison, the Tiffin sales guy told me that Newmar had to put the tag axle on because their chassis wasn't strong enough to handle the weight. Of course I knew he was talking smack. Now I'm happily driving my Newmar 40ft. tag with Comfort Drive.

HighwayRanger · 05-24-2015, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomakat

When I was doing the Tiffin / Newmar comparison, the Tiffin sales guy told me that Newmar had to put the tag axle on because their chassis wasn't strong enough to handle the weight. Of course I knew he was talking smack. Now I'm happily driving my Newmar 40ft. tag with Comfort Drive.

I hope to be right behind you, with our own Dutch Star with Comfort Drive and all the bells and whistles. If all goes well, we'll be on the road by Thanksgiving!

Roy

tomakat · 05-26-2015, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighwayRanger

I hope to be right behind you, with our own Dutch Star with Comfort Drive and all the bells and whistles. If all goes well, we'll be on the road by Thanksgiving!

Roy

I just did a 440 mile trip from SoCal to the Santa Cruz Redwoods (one-way). For all but the roughest surfaces, it was like floating on air. So smooth, quiet and, with Comfort Drive, uneventful. I did encounter some heavy winds in some sections, but for the most part, it was steady-as-she-goes and I didn't feel it. I still can't believe how such a big box on wheels can handle the wind as well as the Newmar's do with Comfort Drive.

Yes, that's a BIG FAT SMILE on my face. This was one of the major reasons why I upgrades from my 34ft. gasser with the Ford chassis since it was a white knuckle affair in most windy conditions.

Rogster · 05-26-2015, 04:23 PM

Asked my Dealer yesterday when Newmar would be building my 2016 DS 4018. Today, he forwarded an email from the Newmar Rep who said it would be:

In chassis prep 6/22 & out on 6/24
In main plant 6/25 & out 7/8 (4th of July shutdown)
In paint 7/9 & out 7/16
Out of CQI (Customer Quality Inspection) & complete on 7/22

Of course, I am thrilled. I realize those dates can change, but for now I am doing the happy dance.

PDR John · 05-26-2015, 05:43 PM

Nice. You going to be able to see it being built?

Rogster · 05-26-2015, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDR John

Nice. You going to be able to see it being built?

Not sure. We are taking our son to his new College for orientation for his Freshmen year. Not sure if the timing will work out. Newmar is 4 hours from the college, Ohio Wesleyan University, so it is tempting. Hmmm...

CoreyinWP · 05-26-2015, 06:50 PM

OWU...went there 40 yrs ago! Just visited last summer. Good luck to him and to you on the new coach. Take the trip to the factory, well worth it!

HighwayRanger · 05-26-2015, 11:21 PM

Well, we are in order development stage for a 2016 Dutch Star 4369! We have enjoyed our interaction with Guaranty RV in Junction City, Oregon, thus far. They are a well-respected Newmar dealer, so hopefully they will play nice with us, and we'll have our order in by mid-July!

Wish us luck!

Roy