Newmar Gas and Diesel Opinions

[base1957]

Just curious about anyone's experiences with Nemar gas or diesel class A
motorhomes.
Quality
Common issues
Features
Anything else you care to add... ive owned 3 Winnebagos and looking for another motorhome and want to stay open minded.

[scbwr]

We purchased our 2012 Bay Star 3302 in 2018 and I've found it to be a very well built rig. As with any motorhome built on the F53 chassis, aftermarket improvements can help with handling. Our rig already had Sumo Springs. Handling improved after getting new tires, front end alignment and adjusting air pressure in tires based on axle weights. A Roadmaster steering stabilizer improved steering performance.

The coach is well insulated and the double pane windows are a nice feature. We're very comfortable even in cold temps in the teens. Two AC units provide plenty of cooling even in very hot summer weather. Using the propane furnace keeps the water tank/bay from freezing but I monitor it with remote temperature sensors.

Installing a 5 Star Tune really improved the transmission shifting points and I recommend using the tow haul mode which makes it easy to downshift the transmission and avoid excessive braking.

There's no question that diesel pushers have some advantages, but the Newmar Bay Star is a high quality product that can be a viable alternative depending on what you need or want to spend for a motor home.

[Monkeyman_and_L]

2018 Baystar 3414 here. A few issues, most of which I handled and were because my dear family were not thinking when they worked the slides.

The rig itself, amazing. When we looked and did the "tap" test we felt a big difference in the wall quality between Newmar and anything else in our price range.

The V10 and 6 speed transmission have done well by us. A few trips through the mountains on the east coast and we did fine while towing our Prius behind us.

Winnebago has left Newmar alone, there haven't been any changes that we can tell from a customer service standpoint.

[Ro_n_Joe]

Executive wrote:
Newmar is gone. It's now a Newago!...Dennis

And we also have the Revaco!

With only two Monaco models for sale, do they even sell many anymore?

[two_travelers]

Well after reading all the praise for Newmar, we're the exception. We bought a new 2015 Baystar and had nothing but problems with it. There was not a trip that we went on where we did not have to repair something. In the year and a half that we owned it, we were at the dealer 4 times and the factory for 2 days once. The quality of workmaship was terrible. When the drive mechanism for the full wall slide broke on our way to Florida, that was the last straw. We traded it in on a Winnebago. Lost a bunch of $$ but not having the head aches was worth it. I constantly wrote/emailed Newmar management and got no response.

[Executive45]

Newmar is gone. It's now a Newago!...Dennis

[Bruce_Brown]

We've owned (3) Newmars, bought them all new, if we ever decide on another motorhome it will be another Newmar.

Our current one is 13 years old, it still looks, runs, drives, and acts like the day it was built.

[carringb]

Horsedoc wrote:

Ideally this Canyon Star Newmar would be built on a Freightliner chassis. Of course this is not possible, but in my ideal world that would be the case.

FYI is it available on the Freightliner diesel chassis for 2021, using the 340 HP Cummins 6.7L. Interesting timing on offering a front-end diesel, when gas is cheap and the new Ford 7.3L is quite a bit more capable, and the 6.7L only comes with a 5-speed auto. I'd love to see a head-to-head between those two platforms!

https://www.newmarcorp.com/diesel-motor-coaches/canyon-star/coach-specs/

[Horsedoc]

We have the 2016 Canyon Star 3911 (handicap) with the wheelchair lift and handicap features. This is the first gas coach we have had. The quality of the Newmar seems to be better than any of the three previous diesel coaches we have owned (Coachmen, Itasca and Damon) The Itasca and Damon were on the Freightliner chassis and I have a lot of respect for the Freightliner chassis. Quality of the Damon was sorely lacking and the attention to detail of the actual coach looked good but that was about it.
Ideally this Canyon Star Newmar would be built on a Freightliner chassis. Of course this is not possible, but in my ideal world that would be the case.
I expect this will be the last coach we ever own, but if we are allowed a few more years then the Ventana in the handicap model will be our next choice.

[Tom_Barb]

base1957 wrote:
Just curious about anyone's experiences with Nemar gas or diesel class A
motorhomes.
Quality
Common issues
Features
Anything else you care to add... ive owned 3 Winnebagos and looking for another motorhome and want to stay open minded.

We have owned our Newmar Mountain Aire, since 2009, (it is a 2000) It has never had a single problem, the cabinets are flawless. Our Newmar is showing its age, but there has never been anything major
We had to replace windshields do to rocks, we have changed the air bags due to age and leaks.
The cummins 8.3 has been trouble free

we love it

[theoldwizard1]

There are some major chassis improvements coming in the 2021 F53 chassis as well as the 7.3L gas engine. Early test models still had the old 6 speed transmission, but I am certain the new 10 speed will show up in the next year.

You will save a ton of money with a gas engine !

[wildtoad]

We have a 2016 Newmar Baystar Sport 3004 (a one year model) and so far after almost 25k miles the Ford V10 chassis has been close to perfect in regards to dependability. Has plenty of power, can be a bit noisy when going up hills as it down shifts but overall good stuff. On another forum there is a separate section for improving the ride on a Ford F53 chassis ranging from minor to really spending a lot of money. We did the former and are pleased.

We have found the fit and finish superior to what we saw in the similar sized Winnebago. As compared, we found the Winnies a bit blah. I am a bit concerned that the recent buyout, Winnebago will bring the quality of Newmar more in line with Winnebago. Not that Newmar is great at QA, as ours had a number of issues when delivered but they were good at resolution.

Hope this helps.