Newmar Motorhomes: Feedback Wanted Before Buying

[RafeCovington]

First, let me say Hello. I just joined today. I am in the market for a used Newmar Essex, have found a 2005 and a 2006 at separate Camping World locations but would like to check a little before I buy one of the first two I looked at.

I am very new to the RV lifestyle, and was wondering about members' opinions on the Newmar motorhomes. I would also appreciate any other dealers that I might check out or call. Thanks, in advance, for any information given. Rafe

[tmoning]

Here's a review of a Newmar Essex diesel pusher that appeared in the April 2004 issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine.

On the Motorhome Reviews page, filter "newmar" and you'll see two other Newmar reviews.

Also, here are two Newmar videos on FMCA.com:

2011 Newmar Mountain Aire

2013 Newmar Dutch Star

[medico]

The Essex is a high end Newmar second only to the King Aire. I have never owned a Newmar, but when searching for a MH Newmar, Tiffin and Winnies were high on my list. They were all very well made. The Essex model should be very well appointed and would be a great coach to own. I am not sure if those age coaches would have the Newmar Comfort Steer system, but if so you are in for a treat while driving. I suspect they might be tag axle models which should make them a smoother ride. Good luck in your search.

[akadeadeye]

Our Newmar experience has been very good. We have friends who had a Newmar before we bought ours and they always were saying how great they were to deal with and after sale service and tech assistance and the same tech assistance even after warranty expired. We have had the same experience. We went to the factory in Nappannee near the end of our one year warranty and had a list of things for them to fine tune. While there, we took a factory tour and watched the service department and factory workers. Their work ethic and dedication was beyond expectations.

The comment above about the Comfort Drive is a good one. This technology is truly amazing. It is actually a reason to find a Newmar that does have it. I don't think it was being made in 2005 and 2006 but I could be wrong.

Good luck.

Don

[barberbus]

I loved my 2003 3-slide Dutchstar. I put 25,000 miles on it a year and it ran and drove with no major issues. Their attention to detail is impressive - Newmar is certainly a great product and great value.

Even more impressive was their customer support and service. Every Newmar person I was in communication with knew what they were talking about and treated me like I was the only customer they had.

The Spartan chassis people were great too. A late night phone call on New Years Eve trying to figure out an alarm related to a speedometer issue proved to me they were there for me anytime.

All the best with your purchase.

Kevin

[andyshane]

I've heard from no less than 200 people who own Newmar products, rave about them. One of my closest friends grew up in a motorhome family, his father's final "dream coach" was a loaded LondonAire. My buddy is now in his second year of owning his own retirement dream machine, an '05 Essex, he loves the coach. I've helped work on it, have ridden in it with him, an rank it up there with my own 2007 Beaver Patriot Thunder.

[RafeCovington]

I will be headed down to South Carolina on Sat. to look at a 2006 Newmar Essex, will be in Tampa on Mon. or Tues. to look at a 2005 Newmar Essex. Hopefully I will like one of these and make an offer.

Rafe

[culpkr]

We purchased a 2001 Newmar Dutch Star with 80k miles on it. We have Cummins 330 HP with a Turbo. It is an awesome coach. We have one slide out which is fine for us. We toured the Newmar factory last summer and their attention to detail is phenomenal. After retiring from Criminal Justice I worked for a friend of mine that has an RV Clearcoat Paint and Body Shop in Tampa, FL I was able to drive many motor homes low and high end models. The Newmar Motor Homes are my Favorite. I talked with a friend of mine that is working in the Motor Home Business for almost 25 years and said that you could give him the top five motor homes made excluding Newmar and said he would trade them all in for a Newmar. I know there are other great motor homes out there but Newmar stands above them all. Ken Culp Tampa. FL Member FMCA

[lisagrant007]

We are on our second Newmar coach. Our first was an 01 Mountain Air and now we have an 08 Mountain Air. The first we bought used because we were not sure how much we would use the motorhome. We fell in love with the lifestyle and bought the 08 new after doing tons of research on Newmar and other manufacturers. We travel about six months a year all over the country and we love our coach. The Mountain Air is a step below the Essex however it does have the same Spartan K2 chassis, marble floors and Villa furniture. It lacks some of the finer interior accents seen in the Essex however it drives and wears identical to the Essex. As someone already mentioned you might want to seriously consider Comfort Drive - even if it puts you in an 07 Mountain Air versus an 06 Essex. Drive a coach with Comfort Drive and one without and you will see an amazing difference. We just finished a 6 hour drive across South Dakota on I90 with 35 mile an hour winds and it was a piece of cake with Comfort Drive. After the drive, we pulled into a campground and chatted with a neighbor who just completed the same drive in his 2012 non Newmar high end coach. He was exhausted from the drive.

Another thing to consider on a used coach is an extended warranty. Although it might be pricey you just don't know how the coach was maintained or used. If you do get a policy make sure everything is covered. Too many policies out there have too many restrictions. Also, unless the coach had tires replaced in the last six to seven years you may need new tires ($6,000 through the FMCA Michelin program). We just had ours replaced at the 6 year mark and nobody can touch the FMCA/Michelin pricing. Good luck with your search!

Lisa and Joe Grant, Marco Island Florida

[ChuckElsesser]

We are on our 2nd Newmar and are happy with the coach. Current a 43' Dutch Aire. Rear bath full wall slide.

If you are looking for a Dealer with great service I can recommend Independence RV in Winter Garden FL. Close to Orlando and easy

to get to..

I recommend no matter what you buy or who from you buy, have a qualified independent service person check it out.

We are full time and if I have a question or concern about something I call the service Dept at Independence and the service desk has

been able to help or has had the service person that knows the most about the area I'm asking about call me back. I think that is great.

Good Luck

Chuck

[FMCANationalOffice]

Look for a Newmar Mountain Aire on the cover of the August 2013 issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine.

[rje582]

I have a 2012 Dutch Star 43' that I bought at Independance RV near Orlando.. I put 7K miles on it last fall and it is a joy to drive. This is my 3rd MH, the 1st was a '06 Newmar Ventana without comfort drive, 2nd was a '10 Tiffin Alegro Bus. Both were very good coaches but neither drove as well as the Newmar Dutch Star.. Without Comfort Drive, you are constantly correcting the steering wheel, tough on the shoulders after a long day. I am spoiled now..

Good luck with your purchase.

****

[ocglass]

Here's a review of a Newmar Essex diesel pusher that appeared in the April 2004 issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine.

On the Motorhome Reviews page, filter "newmar" and you'll see two other Newmar reviews.

Also, here are two Newmar videos on FMCA.com:

2011 Newmar Mountain Aire

2013 Newmar Dutch Star

That's a real expert advice that you have given. Thanks for sharing as I had a similar issue.

[RafeCovington]

I really appreciate you folks opinions and information, have decided on a Newmar Essex for sure. I have found a 2006 at the Camping World in Tampa, Florida, would ask anyone who has bought a motorhome from Camping World if they would do it again. I am sorry to be asking so many questions but I figure you folks would be the ones to ask.

Thank You

Harold

[desertdeals69]

I have toured most of the major factories and found Newmar seemed to be one of the best overall.

[barberbus]

I'm sure you will find valid contradictory feedback about any seller or dealer. Regardless of buying a previously owned coach from a dealer or private seller, I found a few basics that have helped ensure I had a great purchasing experience and get the most out of my new-to-me rv. This is my opinion and in no way, shape, or form is meant to be a complete list.

Research:

• I identified my budget, how I would use the coach and my “must haves.” Sounds like you’ve done that.
  
• I got the money together so I could make an offer when I found my coach.
  
• I found knowledgeable people to help me with my purchase – mechanics, and people who knew the specific coach I was buying.
  
• I researched the coach I was buying looking for recalls, reviews, known issues, talked to owners, and became familiar with the coach's chassis, engine, electrical and house systems.
  
• I had a ballpark idea what the going prices were.
  

Once on the lot I checked:

• Tire date codes and condition including tread wear and cracking. Uneven tread can be a sign of over or under inflation, among other things. Cracking, easily seen on sidewalls, typically means dry rot. Both are very dangerous. Most tire people say to replace your tires, regardless of tread wear or condition, between 5 and 7 years. To give you an idea of cost, this summer through the Michelin FMCA tire program I will be buying 8, 315/80r22.5 tires for just under $700 per each installed.
  
• Chassis and House Battery age and condition. This is another big ticket item. My manufacturer has a standard price for my house batteries of $3800.
  
• Look for service records and receipts.
  
• Overall inside condition and operation of the house. Microwave, stove, AC and heat, plumbing. Look for leaks, signs of fire, condition of electrical outlets. If tv is important to you, the age and provider and HD compatibility of installed satellite system.
  
• Overall outside condition and operation of the chassis. I checked all the lights, turn signals, brakes, headlamps, reflectors, looked for cracks in the windshield, washer fluid/wiper operation, made sure the horn worked. Basically everything from a DMV commercial Pre-trip inspection test.
  
• Check roof condition.
  
• In the engine compartment I looked for leaks, wire and belt condition and fluid levels.
  

On a test drive I looked for:

• Stability, driveability and noises. These things do have normal noises, but if anything stuck out I would ask and research the response. I checked the operation of the brakes, throttle response and acceleration, Jake brake and operation of all gears. I made sure the radio and dash heat and air were operational. I checked all gauges to ensure air, oil and water temps were with-in normal ranges with stable needles. A jumpy needle can mean a leak at the gauge.
  

I negotiated a price that reflected known issues and left myself 10k for initial service and unforeseen repairs. I also negotiated a Pre-delivery Inspection to get trained on the coach's systems and to identify any known issues that would be covered by the seller. I had a couple sellers asking market value that would not budge on the price when confronted with 5+ year-old tires. I left immediately.

Good luck. You’re going to love it!

[lynndaniel]

I am glad to hear the positive comments about the Comfort Drive. We are considering moving from a Class B (Airstream Interstate) to a Newmar Ventana (34 ft). My wife loves driving the Airstream but is a bit intimidated by the bigger coach. Hopefully, the Comfort Drive will help.