Ordering a new RV without seeing it

[wagonmaster2]

Has anyone ever looked at one length RV and ordered a different length one with the options you wanted? I'm interested in a new 37' Dutch Star but will only be able to see two of the 43' models within a days driving distance here in central U.S. Can't imagine spending $250K to $300K for a motor home without seeing an actual one but it's beginning to look like I may have no other choice. Have never even ordered a new car without seeing a similar one, but with different options.

Does this seem like an insane thing to do?

[JohnRR]

Don't know about insane but certainly scary.

[2Labs]

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

Has anyone ever looked at one length RV and ordered a different length one with the options you wanted? I'm interested in a new 37' Dutch Star but will only be able to see two of the 43' models within a days driving distance here in central U.S. Can't imagine spending $250K to $300K for a motor home without seeing an actual one but it's beginning to look like I may have no other choice. Have never even ordered a new car without seeing a similar one, but with different options.

Does this seem like an insane thing to do?

Spending that much money without actually walking in/around the "living space" seems a little insane to me.

The living space - defined by the length and floorplan - is going to be a deciding factor on if you *love* your new 1/4 Million dollar toy or not.

Do you have the opportunity to see other - maybe similar floorplan style - motorhomes?

Are there any RV shows happening over the next few months in a days driving distance?

If not, maybe you should consider a 2-3 day trip out to Nappanee and visit the Newmar Factory. They offer tours of their factory and likely will have motorhomes in your length range that you can take a look at.

[Jeffreys]

We did exactly that. We are picking up a Dutchstar 3736 at the factory on Feb 3. It's been on order for 4 months. With all the pictures and videos online, this was an easy process. In fact, Gauranty RV has a video of a 2014 3736.

After looking at many rvs throughout the past year, we got the feel of what floor plan we wanted. I have never been in any of the newer Dutchstars. But, after considerable research, for us, Newmars Dutchstar was the one to get.

At first, we were set on getting a Winnebago journey. But, when if I found out they didn't have IFS, and the Journeys wheel cut was 55 degrees, I zeroed in on the Dutchstar which has IFS, with a 60 degree cut, and Comfort Drive. The service at Newmar along with the quality of the coaches help sealed the deal.

As long as you can view plenty of pictures and videos, and you have a feel of what works and what wont work for you in terms of floor plans, I would not be concerned about ordering one without seeing one first. But, that's just me. Others may feel differently.

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

Has anyone ever looked at one length RV and ordered a different length one with the options you wanted? I'm interested in a new 37' Dutch Star but will only be able to see two of the 43' models within a days driving distance here in central U.S. Can't imagine spending $250K to $300K for a motor home without seeing an actual one but it's beginning to look like I may have no other choice. Have never even ordered a new car without seeing a similar one, but with different options.

Does this seem like an insane thing to do?

[Jeffreys]

We did exactly that. We are picking up a Dutchstar 3736 at the factory on Feb 3. It's been on order for 4 months. With all the pictures and videos online, this was an easy process. In fact, Gauranty RV has a video of a 2014 3736.

After looking at many rvs throughout the past year, we got the feel of what floor plan we wanted. I have never been in any of the newer Dutchstars. But, after considerable research, for us, Newmars Dutchstar was the one to get.

At first, we were set on getting a Winnebago journey. But, when if I found out they didn't have IFS, and the Journeys wheel cut was 55 degrees, I zeroed in on the Dutchstar which has IFS, with a 60 degree cut, and Comfort Drive. The service at Newmar along with the quality of the coaches help sealed the deal.

As long as you can view plenty of pictures and videos, and you have a feel of what works and what wont work for you in terms of floor plans, I would not be concerned about ordering one without seeing one first. But, that's just me. Others may feel differently.

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

Has anyone ever looked at one length RV and ordered a different length one with the options you wanted? I'm interested in a new 37' Dutch Star but will only be able to see two of the 43' models within a days driving distance here in central U.S. Can't imagine spending $250K to $300K for a motor home without seeing an actual one but it's beginning to look like I may have no other choice. Have never even ordered a new car without seeing a similar one, but with different options.

Does this seem like an insane thing to do?

[Doggy Daddy]

People have been special ordering vehicles for over 50 years using just hard copy paper photos and drawings. I special ordered a 79 Dodge truck in 1978 when stationed in Europe and picked it up in New Jersey. No regrets. No you can special order just about anything; boats, motorcycles, houses, planes If I had the disposable income, I would special order a RV which is easier due to PC software.

[2Labs]

I agree with some of the other posters here about being able to see plenty of photos and "get a feel" for an RV over the web ... but

We went to the CT RV show a couple of weeks ago. The DW and I walked the entire show - from one end to the other. The first "luxury" RV we saw, was a 2014 Newmar Ventana 4369. We spent about a 1/2 hour in the Newmar going through it, loving the open feeling of the full wall slide, floor plan, features and options.

I have personally had a man crush/RV crush .. whatever you want to call it, on Entegra Coach motorhomes - especially the DLQ floorplan - and as luck would have it - there was an Entegra Coach Aspire at the show as well. The Entegra Coach was one of the last motorhomes we saw.

After spending about the same amount of time in the Aspire as the Ventana - my man crush changed. Both the DW and I *both* now have RV Crushes on the Newmar 4369 floor plan - so much that we went back to the Ventana to "feel it out" some more.

At the CT RV show we saw quite a few motorhomes that we have looked at online - but almost immediately ruled a few of them out after only a couple minutes inside the motorhome.

I don't know - for me, ordering a car and an RV are two different things. An RV is your vacation home and I, personally, would hate to end up with an RV/floorplan that didn't work for me ... especially when there are plenty of options out there.

Spending time walking around the floor plan, sitting in it, figuring out where you would put all your "stuff" - to me is priceless. We looked at probably 40-50 motorhomes before we decided on our current one. After seeing many of the ones we looked at on websites - in person, we easily marked them off our list before deciding on our current motorhome - and that took 2 trips to the dealer, a few hours in it and a test drive.

But then again, it is YOUR $250K :-)

[Route 66]

I ordered my floorplan without ever seeing one, but I had been in enough MHs to know what I wanted and I was completely satisfied with my choice.

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

Has anyone ever looked at one length RV and ordered a different length one with the options you wanted? I'm interested in a new 37' Dutch Star but will only be able to see two of the 43' models within a days driving distance here in central U.S. Can't imagine spending $250K to $300K for a motor home without seeing an actual one but it's beginning to look like I may have no other choice. Have never even ordered a new car without seeing a similar one, but with different options.

Does this seem like an insane thing to do?

I have to ask, you are going to spend a quarter mil +, why not take the time to go see, research different floor plans in person, drive all of them, and so on and so forth? Can you not travel to go and look at them in person? I would never buy a New Coach without looking at it in person(or one like the one I want to order) used or new..........saying "I should of went and looked at it" after the fact is going to bother you the whole time you own your mistake.........go look at them in person and know first hand what you are ordering!

[Dav5942]

No way! We drove 3 hundred miles with our Harley to make sure it fit into the 4153 AllStar. Then spent two days at the Tampa RV show inside a 4153 planning our mods, changes, etc. before ordering one(made 60 changes). Still have it 8 years later and have not seen a floor plan that compares.

[MJFZ]

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

Has anyone ever looked at one length RV and ordered a different length one with the options you wanted? I'm interested in a new 37' Dutch Star but will only be able to see two of the 43' models within a days driving distance here in central U.S. Can't imagine spending $250K to $300K for a motor home without seeing an actual one but it's beginning to look like I may have no other choice. Have never even ordered a new car without seeing a similar one, but with different options. Does this seem like an insane thing to do?

That is exactly what we did when we ordered our 2012 3734 DSDP. We where able to find pictures of a similar coach at a dealer's website, and that helped. It all worked out just fine for us. the only thing I would have done differently is take factory delivery.

Mike

["007"]

In case you need it here is a Brochure and Owners Guide to help you get started.
As someone suggested go into the dealer network and tour some of their coach's on their lots or Google for video's for coach your interested in.
If your concerned about construction take a look at this coach build just shorten it some.
Check out QT's #3 and some people in process of building their coach's.
Good luck in your quest.

[Crabby Mike]

I have found that there are some things about an RV, especially the floor plan, that pictures and diagrams just don't do justice -- I have to see it for myself. One very important thing I've learned, thankfully not the hard way, is to have them run the slides IN, and see what it feels like then. Every manufacturer/seller wants you to see how large and open the coach is with slides out, but I want to know, for instance, if I can get into the bathroom, the refrigerator, and preferably the pantry (at least) with slides in, so I know that while traveling we can get to those things in a rest area without opening up.

I've seen some otherwise-great coaches (including at least one Newmar that we were interested in) that didn't pass that test.

[bobandshaz]

Originally Posted by JohnRR

Don't know about insane but certainly scary.

For sure is scarey