Close to buy

[tlwelsh7]

My name is Tom and my wife Merry have decided to retire in a year and RV full time. Looking at used Newmars and have decided the 4369 floorplan is best for us. Now it is a matter of finding the right one at the right price. We have a general idea of the must haves but it all can be overwhelming. Safe travels

 

[Rich W.]

It can be overwhelming but if you’re willing to travel for the right coach you can save searches on RVT.com and RVtrader.com and wait and watch for the right one where ever it is. It can actually become a hobby of sorts and be fun while you research different years, options available on the model/year(s) you’re looking at etc. One thing to consider is to not get too hung up on milage. I wanted a low milage coach and got a 2016 with 17k on it but in the three years since have put another 45k on it and its only gotten better. Milage is less of an issue on a well maintained coach but the older it is, the more important maintenance records are, and you typically wont get those from a dealer. Also depending on the year(s) you’re looking at 2016 and later emissions are a bit more problematic than pre-2016. Also are you looking at Ventana or Dutch Star?

 

[tlwelsh7]

It can be overwhelming but if you’re willing to travel for the right coach you can save searches on RVT.com and RVtrader.com and wait and watch for the right one where ever it is. It can actually become a hobby of sorts and be fun while you research different years, options available on the model/year(s) you’re looking at etc. One thing to consider is to not get too hung up on milage. I wanted a low milage coach and got a 2016 with 17k on it but in the three years since have put another 45k on it and its only gotten better. Milage is less of an issue on a well maintained coach but the older it is, the more important maintenance records are, and you typically wont get those from a dealer. Also depending on the year(s) you’re looking at 2016 and later emissions are a bit more problematic than pre-2016. Also are you looking at Ventana or Dutch Star?

Hi Rich,
Thanks for the kind encouragement on this adventure. We could be open to either with as you say the right supporting documentation however I am partial to the Dutch Star if only for the side radiator feature. The wife likes bells and whistles but to me that is just more things that can cause problems, but happy wife is a happy life.

 

[Buster]

I purchased my new to me coach earlier this year after looking at the two sites Rich mentioned above off and on for the better part of two years. I'd check prices and inventory once a month just to get a feel for what was out there and how quickly it moved. It was during the COVID era, so stuff moved pretty fast. Pricing seemed to be best during the February through April timeframe in general. There aren't a lot of options in the upper midwest, so I knew I had to travel to get something.

We made the decision to purchase early this year as we were ready and found the coach we eventually purchased in Florida. We got lucky and purchased from a private party and the transaction couldn't have been any easier.

Good luck on your purchase and by the way, that overwhelming feeling doesn't go away once you purchase your coach. It just changes from wondering what to get to wondering what will break next ;-)

 

[Jim]

Hi @tlwelsh7 and welcome to the forum.

All things considered, and in the price range of the Dutch Star, I like the Newmar brand as well. As Buster has pointed out, they are all going to break, it's just part of it. Look around for a place to take it for yearly maintenance. The newmar factory is a good place, but of course, you have to travel to get there. So if your stationary for the most part, make sure you have a place to take it when repairs become more than you can handle yourself.

Believe me, nothing ruins the experience faster than a repair facility that can't do the work properly.

Good luck on your upcoming adventure!

Jim