Community Forums

jigsup · 03-02-2015, 02:59 PM

Today, I was informed by a Newmar dealer, that Newmar sent all the dealers a memo regarding the status of chassis inventory for the remainder of the 2015 model year. He read to me a portion of the memo (dated several days ago) that stipulated Newmar had only four (4) Freightliner SL chassis with the 500 ISX Cummins, for the remainder of the 2015 model year. The dealer surmised Mountain Aires ordered from this point forward would most probably be 2016 models. We did not discuss the London Aire Freightliner SL chassis with the 600 hp Cummins.

As I do not like to start rumors, I must emphasize I have no secondary verification of this information -- Please do not take it as absolute; it is FYI only.

edgray · 03-02-2015, 03:23 PM

what you are reporting isn't that unusual, IMO. It MAY be a little earlier than "normal", but almost every year we read about Newmar notifying their dealers as coach-specific inventory begins to run out. I think you are correct about additional orders becoming the next model year- with all that entails, including increased pricing.

GaryKD · 03-02-2015, 05:09 PM

Yep, chassis have always been the choke point. Diesel chassis delivered to Newmar are proprietary to Newmar. When it is over, it is over.

PanJH · 03-03-2015, 06:39 AM

We ordered our coach in Feb of 2013 and was told they had 4 chassis left at that time. So, it's about the same now.

Vacay Wheels · 03-10-2015, 12:24 PM

I got the same information today. A dealer told me there are TWO gas chassis left. Yikes! Wish I knew this happened, I would have gotten more motivated to put my build together

Guess I may be getting a 2016. Anyone know when those start rolling off the line??

GaryKD · 03-10-2015, 12:55 PM

Hi Vacay Wheels,
You may have lucked out. The 16s will roll of the line right after the 15s are done. That will be about May/June. If you ordered a 15 now, delivery would not be until about the same time.

newmarpusher · 03-10-2015, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Hi Vacay Wheels,
You may have lucked out. The 16s will roll of the line right after the 15s are done. That will be about May/June. If you ordered a 15 now, delivery would not be until about the same time.

That's what I was going to say. I ordered my 2015 in September and it shipped from Newmar exactly 5 months later in February.

With the same timing, an order placed today would ship August. I'd think the 2016's would be out by then.

I think you'd want to get a 2016 at this point. I'm surprised they'd be taking orders for any 2015's at this time.

edgray · 03-10-2015, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vacay Wheels

I got the same information today. A dealer told me there are TWO gas chassis left. Yikes! Wish I knew this happened, I would have gotten more motivated to put my build together

Guess I may be getting a 2016. Anyone know when those start rolling off the line??

Since the ONLY gas chassis is the Ford F53, I can't imagine "why" they would run out of them. I'm guessing all Newmar needs to do is order more. I have not heard of any "new" innovations for the F53, but maybe I missed something. Anybody?

FlyingDiver · 03-10-2015, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edgray

Since the ONLY gas chassis is the Ford F53, I can't imagine "why" they would run out of them. I'm guessing all Newmar needs to do is order more. I have not heard of any "new" innovations for the F53, but maybe I missed something. Anybody?

Lead time. Might be by the time they get more, they'll be producing '16 models.

GaryKD · 03-10-2015, 04:19 PM

Hi edgray,
Every chassis ordered by Newmar from any vendor is proprietary to Newmar. Some of the items that make the chassis proprietary are publically known and some are not known. Winnebago may be different. This may be why you are unable to imagine.

I do know when I am allowed into the chassis area, I am escorted by several people and walk a specified route to the place that has my previously stated objectives. I am shown what I wanted to see. Allowed to look over the items as much as I want. Once completed, I am escorted (sometimes the same and sometimes a different route) back to the employee lounge. Newmar is very non-disclosure about their chassis area. The same is true for the paint area.

Vacay Wheels · 03-10-2015, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Hi Vacay Wheels,
You may have lucked out. The 16s will roll of the line right after the 15s are done. That will be about May/June. If you ordered a 15 now, delivery would not be until about the same time.

Any idea how this works? Dealers are still sending me 2015 build sheets with 2015 prices, and clearly there are no 2016 floorplans or brochures or spec sheets on the web site.

Does Newmar go into a 'dark period' where old-year orders are not accepted until they can get new-year materials out?

edgray · 03-10-2015, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Hi edgray,
Every chassis ordered by Newmar from any vendor is proprietary to Newmar. Some of the items that make the chassis proprietary are publically known and some are not known.....

Hi GaryKD,
I don't have any doubts regarding what you said about Newmar and their suppliers, but I fail to see how that changes my suggestion that they can order more. Again, I'm GUESSING that "ordering more" is exactly what they will do, if they intend to offer 2016 gasser models.

Mike and Cha · 03-10-2015, 08:46 PM

They only get so many gas chassis of each size each year, when ours was built they ended up putting it on the 26,000 lb chassis as they ran out of the 24,000 lb chassis. So we got the upgraded chassis at no charge. Also Newmar does make changes to the chassis that other Manufactures don't, you will see that on the msrp sheet that comes with the chassis from Ford. So they do run out and when they re-order it will be chassis for the 2016 line.

GaryKD · 03-11-2015, 06:07 AM

Hi edgray,
Just order more? After my post I'm surprised you said this,,, again. I will try to clarify:
1. The volume of chassis order by Newmar does not give them much leverage with Ford.
2. Whatever is proprietary on the Newmar chassis involves additional supply chains Ford or Newmar must engage.
3. If the following year's chassis has different components either from Newmar or Ford, I doubt their lead time would allow for another order.
I'm sure all the suppliers involved in the Newmar chassis have their cut off dates before they will accept no additional orders.
4. Then there is the coach. Yep, the coach is also part of the equation. Newmar has all the components of the completed coach figured out and on order. So if Newmar was able to "just order more chassis" that now snowballs into the entire supply chain for the entire coach. While many parts are common from year to year, many are not common.
5. Then there is the manufacturing capacity. Newmar knows what they must do to move from the current model year to the next model year. There are quite a few work items involved in this. Who does this work? The same people that would be involved in "just ordering more". If you were Newmar, do you want employees involved in "just ordering more" of the current model year or getting everything ready for the next model year? There are time tables when the new models must be ready for dealer and public viewing. All manufacturers attend the same shows and are on the same timetable to introduce next year's product. When does Winnebago stop making the current model year?

"Just ordering more" may sound simple. It is not simple.