Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > THE OWNER'S CORNER FORUMS > Newmar Owner's Forum
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-13-2021, 07:46 AM   #15
Senior Member
 
twojayhawks's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Lenexa KS
Posts: 2,047
Definitely go kick some tires & drive some DP's. The advantages of a DP over a class 8 tow vehicle or a class 8 conversion are strictly at the campground. On the road the class 8 will win (IMO). I own a business & I have 2017 Peterbuilt, a 2021 KW T-800, and a 2020 FL M2. But I have had DP's for 25 years because we live in the coach much more than driving it. My 5 year old DS has less than 40K miles If you want to make it more apples to apples you need to go higher in the Newmar line & get yourself more power. A DS loaded for travel prolly weighing 42K pulling your 5000K toad will not perform even close to your Volvo pulling the 5er.
__________________
Bill & Kelli 2015 Dutch Star 4366
2002 Safari Zanzibar 3906
1995 Fleetwood Bounder 36JD
twojayhawks is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 05-13-2021, 05:29 PM   #16
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by Car1 View Post
Enjoy your shopping and test drive... I would keep what you have and upgrade or change your tow vehicle. IMHO after 50 years of RVing, and now with a DutchStar, you already have the perfect set-up.

Thanks Car1. Feel free to shoot me a PM and elaborate on that.
Thank you.
Dbl0svn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-13-2021, 07:28 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Vickie 4369's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: WATERBURY, CT.
Posts: 1,219
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dbl0svn View Post
Hello All,

Hopefully I am posting this correctly since I have never posted here before.

I currently own a 2017 Luxe 5th wheel. I had a buyer interested in my tow vehicle and the price was right, so I sold it. So... that leaves me at a point where I can buy a new tow vehicle, or I can change direction and buy a new Class A Newmar diesel pusher. I'm thinking Dutch Star 4369, but I never owned a Class A motorcoach and am not sure that I will like how the handle, drive and climb hills.

I'm headed to NIRVC to look at and test drive a Dutch Star and an Entegra Anthem.

I travel at the speed limit at around 70 mph for long trips. Usually I travel anywhere from 6 to 14 hours at a clip depending on where we decide to go.

Can any owner's tell me from their own honest experience how well these pull 7 percent grades (between 7 and 13 miles long) and how they drive and handle on the interstate? Do they have plenty of power to cruise at 70 mph on the highway for long distances and how bad will it trail off of 70 mph on the forementioned hills? Do they get pushed around on the highway by wind, road ruts and semi-trucks? How well do they handle bumpy, broken interstate? Do they require a lot of steering wheel correction to stay in their lane, or do they track like they are on rails?

I have a non-commercial Class A license and have been driving semi truck for many years. I want a good tracking vehicle that I don't have to fight for many hours to get to my destination.

Thank you all in advance for your help.
After you drive a Class A Diesel pusher on air ride you will never travel in a pick up truck again.

I have the 2019 Ventana 4369 with the 450 HP Cummins, same as Dutch star, I also pull a 12,000 lb race trailer it is an absolute joy, it has no trouble pulling hills at reasonable speeds most of the time I am passing all the big rigs, in fact it is easy to forget your towing anything at all.

The handling is amazing with the tag axle.

We also tow a Jeep Gran Cherokee when on vacations not racing.

Ted.
__________________
My name is Ted, My coach 2019 NEWMAR Ventana 4369 (Vickie) Cummins L9 451 Horsepower.
Vickie 4369 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-14-2021, 06:00 AM   #18
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vickie 4369 View Post
After you drive a Class A Diesel pusher on air ride you will never travel in a pick up truck again.

I have the 2019 Ventana 4369 with the 450 HP Cummins, same as Dutch star, I also pull a 12,000 lb race trailer it is an absolute joy, it has no trouble pulling hills at reasonable speeds most of the time I am passing all the big rigs, in fact it is easy to forget your towing anything at all.

The handling is amazing with the tag axle.

We also tow a Jeep Gran Cherokee when on vacations not racing.

Ted.
Thanks Ted. We will be towing our Jeep Grand Cherokee also.
Dbl0svn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-14-2021, 06:11 AM   #19
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by twojayhawks View Post
Definitely go kick some tires & drive some DP's. The advantages of a DP over a class 8 tow vehicle or a class 8 conversion are strictly at the campground. On the road the class 8 will win (IMO). I own a business & I have 2017 Peterbuilt, a 2021 KW T-800, and a 2020 FL M2. But I have had DP's for 25 years because we live in the coach much more than driving it. My 5 year old DS has less than 40K miles If you want to make it more apples to apples you need to go higher in the Newmar line & get yourself more power. A DS loaded for travel prolly weighing 42K pulling your 5000K toad will not perform even close to your Volvo pulling the 5er.
Good points. So, maybe I should look at a Mountain Aire, or larger? That may be a double edge sword though. The larger the coach, the more power, but the more it will weigh. I wonder if the power to weight ratio is the same at all the different diesel pusher levels? The only downside to going with a Mountain Aire, or a 605hp London Aire is the price at $700- $800 thousand . I can buy a new Kenworth custom ordered and be in the $150-$190 thousand price range and have all that over the road power
Dbl0svn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-14-2021, 06:45 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
PandS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,074
The reason you will get more HP and Torque with a Mountain Aire or London Aire is that you will need it. They are both heavier than the Dutch Star.

You would not gain an appreciable amount in the HP TO weight ratio.

Now, if you want more luxury features, then go for it.

We have crossed the Rockies multiple times and we have driven the Alaskan highway as well, and have encountered some pretty steep grades. We have no complaints about hill climbing performance. But, we have never felt that we were in a race where we had to win. Since you were a Truck driver you know how to drive and will quickly figure out how to be pro- active getting a rig to the top, and equally important, get down safely using the transmission in a class A motorhome.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the lack of effect of being moved around by Tractor-trailer rigs.

We have friends with the same tow vehicle you just sold, but newer. They are currently in Kansas picking up their brand new 42' New Horizons Majestic. Can't wait to see it.

I'll be very interested to hear what you think of the DS after your test drive. Hope you enjoy it! -Paul
__________________
2017 Ventana 4369
towing a 2013 Honda CRV
PandS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-14-2021, 06:15 PM   #21
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by PandS View Post
The reason you will get more HP and Torque with a Mountain Aire or London Aire is that you will need it. They are both heavier than the Dutch Star.

You would not gain an appreciable amount in the HP TO weight ratio.

Now, if you want more luxury features, then go for it.

We have crossed the Rockies multiple times and we have driven the Alaskan highway as well, and have encountered some pretty steep grades. We have no complaints about hill climbing performance. But, we have never felt that we were in a race where we had to win. Since you were a Truck driver you know how to drive and will quickly figure out how to be pro- active getting a rig to the top, and equally important, get down safely using the transmission in a class A motorhome.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the lack of effect of being moved around by Tractor-trailer rigs.

We have friends with the same tow vehicle you just sold, but newer. They are currently in Kansas picking up their brand new 42' New Horizons Majestic. Can't wait to see it.

I'll be very interested to hear what you think of the DS after your test drive. Hope you enjoy it! -Paul
That's what I figured Paul. Thank you for the information. I remember back in the day having to get a run for the hills and hope that i didn't get slowed down by another vehicle to keep momentum on the hills. Now a days, with my own rig, I just buy enough power to climb hills. It has nothing to do with being in a rush, or racing others. It's all about climbing hills the best that you can without impeding traffic. It's bad enough when a car drives 55mph in the left lane of a 70mph interstate jamming up the works. It's not just cars. These young fleet drivers do the same thing.

As an aside, every time I order a new truck and get the big engine, my KW dealer laughs and says that I like to drive with my hair on fire
Dbl0svn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-14-2021, 08:50 PM   #22
Moderator Emeritus
 
"007"'s Avatar
 
Nor'easters Club
Workhorse Chassis Owner
iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 30,785
Welcome to the forum.
Here is info on all new coach's with also the Super C's truck chassis.
This link will give you info on COMFORT DRIVE and any older coach by accessing COM_NET.
__________________
98KSCA, 99MACA, 03 KSCA-3740- 8.1 Chev-- ALLISON Trans
VISIT the NEWMAR QUICK TIPS & EASYMODS 1 & 2
QUICK TIPS # 3
RV SYSTEMS & APPLIANCES & RECALLS --- TECH INFORMATION
"007" is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2021, 02:20 AM   #23
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by 007";5751813]Welcome to the forum.
[B][URL="https://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/newmar-coachs-for-2021-complete-488842.html
Here is info[/URL][/B] on all new coach's with also the Super C's truck chassis.
This link will give you info on COMFORT DRIVE and any older coach by accessing COM_NET.
Very nice. Thank you.

Like your forum name. Any significance?
Dbl0svn is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
dutch star



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Dutch Star :: 2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4369 Kenstrucks iRV2 Owners Registry 0 02-02-2020 06:10 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.