Potential Newmar owner

[AWMIII]

2 weeks ago, I wrecked my 1997 HR Endeavor. I got up against a construction barrier and the insurance company totalled the rig because the body parts were extremely expensive.

Anyway, I think I have made a deal on a 2000 Mountain Aire 3565 with a Ford V10. The rig appears in excellent shape. It has been very very well kept. I has about 56,000 miles.

What should I be looking for for potential headaches? There is absolutely NO SIGN AT ALL of water damage. It has brand new tires. Let me know if there are any V10 or Newmar specific failure points or problems that I should look at before signing the deal.

I have looked at about 10 different dealers within a 300 mile radius of our home. There are relatively few used class As in this part of the country. I wanted another HR, but have been unable to find one that meets my expectations for the right price. I know that Newmar is a quality company that builds good products.

[edgray]

NOT Ford bashing here, but the Newmar MACAs were some of the best built and heaviest coaches built on a gasser. You didn't say what the chassis GVWR is, but I think you should check to see how much CCC the rig you are considering offers. If it handles and drives to your satisfaction when full of fluids, go for it.

[AWMIII]

The brochure says it has 2390 lbs of ccc.

[barbaram]

Bought our first Newmar MH over a year ago and love it. Have had few minor problems - nothing big. Good luck and safe travels.

["007"]

Welcome to the forum.
The Newmar coach itself will satisfy you the chassis to carry it may need to be checked for spring support.
Had a 98 KS AND 99 MA that I had to help lift the coach up about 3" all around for better handling.
These were 37' coach's yours is 35' which may make a difference for carrying the coach on the chassis.
After I had leaf springs added on 98 and installed air bags on 99 they turned out to be great coach's.
The drive train should meet your needs if it has been maintained properly.
Here is a Brochure and Owners Guide for 2001 MA 2000 is not available.
Info on the tag axle.

[Sky_Boss]

Originally Posted by AWMIII

The brochure says it has 2390 lbs of ccc.

Do yourself a favor and get it weighed. With gassers the rear axle can really get loaded up making it very hard to use all the CCC.

[AWMIII]

I am running into an issue with what year the unit is. It is on a 1999 chassis and Newmar has titled it as a 1999. I called Newmar and they confirmed that the unit is a 1999. However, It is NOT a model that was available in the 1999 model year. There do not seem to be any 2 slide units in the lineup for 1999. I am trying to acertain what the book value of it is. The book value because VERY important when my insurance company decided to total my old HR. Thats why I am stuck on the whole book value thing.

[Route 66]

During those years, Newmar would introduce new floorplans midyear, but the brochures were not reprinted.

That is probably why you cannot find your floorplan listed.

[AWMIII]

So it is a 1999 not a 2000?

[edgray]

Originally Posted by AWMIII

I am running into an issue with what year the unit is........ I am trying to acertain what the book value of it is. The book value because VERY important when my insurance company decided to total my old HR. Thats why I am stuck on the whole book value thing.

I feel your pain. ACV policies allow the insurance companies to decide what they will pay you (they chose which "book" to read), and apparently that is why they sometimes seem almost eager to "total" a coach rather than fix it.

There is a way to buy better protection....it is called an "Agreed Value" policy. You determine the value and they quote their premium for that amount of coverage. If repairs exceed this value, both parties know what the check amount is. There are only a few insurance companies that will write an Agreed Value policy (State Farm won't), but I think both Progressive and GMAC do, if pressed. You may have to get an "official" appraisal from a recognized appraiser to establish the initial value on an older coach before they will write AV coverage, but I think that is what most of these "total replacement cost" policies revert to after 5 years.
Good luck with your replacement coach!
Ed

[Route 66]

Correct. If Newmar says it's a '99, then it's a '99.

The midyear additional floorplans were considered part of the current year's models.

If those midyear new floorplans were popular, they would be carried over to the following year's models.

Originally Posted by AWMIII

So it is a 1999 not a 2000?

["007"]

Your chassis is a 1999 but the coach box model 3565 is a 2000 I have a 2002 chassis with a 2003 coach box 3740.
Newmar would order many Ford chassis's for the year and some of them would be use the following year to clean up the previous year chassis's.
The only gas chassis at the time that Newmar used were Fords before the Workhorse chassis came on the market.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by "007"

Your chassis is a 1999 but the coach box model 3565 is a 2000 I have a 2002 chassis with a 2003 coach box 3740.
Newmar would order many Ford chassis's for the year and some of them would be use the following year to clean up the previous year chassis's.
The only gas chassis at the time that Newmar used were Fords before the Workhorse chassis came on the market.

Hi there Roger! Are you saying that Newmar did not use the Chevy chassis ??? I'm sure you are OLD enough to know , and I remember your previous Newmars were F53s, so please forgive the question.
Thanks, Ed

["007"]

Your right as usual, Chev was in and out of lineups since 88 Brochures, did not find which was a option or not, I just did not like the nose down Chev chassis and stayed away from them.