Opinions on Newmar Dutch Star

[rowekmr]

I'm looking at a 1999 Dutch Star with the Cummins 8.3L diesel pusher. It only has 1 owner who has taken care of it through factory or dealerships. It has 150k miles from their full time use for years. They are slowing down and haven't taken it on the road in years but have continually started it and operated its systems.

What should I be concerned with? What is the reputation of the builder? How are Spartan chassis? What about the reputation of the Cummins/Allison combo?

[rowekmr]

The owners have limited mobility so haven't driven it in 5-7 years (depends on who you ask).
Updates:
The motorhome won't start. They tried to start it a few weeks ago and the starting batteries were dead so they called a service that jumped started it. It ran fine then they shut it off and tried a restart and it wouldn't start. A few days later they had new batteries put in and it still won't start.

I got a mobile mechanic scheduled to look at it and wanted to know what should I have him inspect/test?

First he will solve the no start issues. Then I will have him check tires, suspension, fluids (incl diesel fuel) and filters and take a road test when finished.

Just found motorhome is covered under Good Sam service plan but can not get it driven to shop right now so was going to start with mobile service and see where things go from there.

Any advice/info?

[John_S_]

I sold my 01 Foretravel with no problem in a private sale. I had 184k on it and it is still going strong. I did fully remodel the entire inside and replaced everything. It was needed and it took me three years of doing it one project at a time right at the factory it was built at. I would take that coach over even their new ones. I am buying a new Born Free to go different places in a smaller unit. I would budget for a total remodel and go for it.

[rowekmr]

I found out it has 105K not 150K miles. I know gasoline degrades over time quickly how about diesel fuel. How long can it sit before it is not useable?

[rowekmr]

What's the avg price for airbags?

backhoemike wrote:
I have a 1995 Newmar London aire , couldn't be happier, I have had to do some basic stuff, air bags, tires ,battery , water pump use it 4-5 times a year. The man we bought it off of bought a new RV called me back wanting to buy his old coach back. if you can get it at right price your comfortable with do it. I had a few wiring issues I haven't totally worked out ... check for rust on frame if it spent any time up north... MIKE

[backhoemike]

I have a 1995 Newmar London aire , couldn't be happier, I have had to do some basic stuff, air bags, tires ,battery , water pump use it 4-5 times a year. The man we bought it off of bought a new RV called me back wanting to buy his old coach back. if you can get it at right price your comfortable with do it. I had a few wiring issues I haven't totally worked out ... check for rust on frame if it spent any time up north... MIKE

[slickest1]

Steering and braking would depend on how and where it was used and greased. The 1999 would have the Caps fuel system which can have issues. there are lots of posts on the forum about this.
That said there are lots of them out there trouble free. The ISC has been a bullet proof engine and the Allison should not be a problem either. Another thing with the ISC is they have a problem with the exhaust manifold cracking. Usually a $1000. bill with labor. On mine the new one was much more robust than the original.

I have the same engine trans. in my coach and am very happy with it. There are the odd times I wish it had a little more power on steep uphill grades but hey I'm retired so what the heck.

[rowekmr]

Yeah I am trying to learn and differentiate the difference between components that wear out because of use versus the components that wear out with age (regardless of use). I am not a mechanic I do work around mechanics though but not really a wrench turning but I can do some diagnosis myself with research.

At what point in miles would the steering and braking components need replacing. I figure those components wear out with use so what is a normal life of them (in miles).

I figured the tires, hoses, and batteries will need a thorough looking at. These item deteriorate not only with use but also age. I know car tires aren't recommended to keep beyond 5-7 years what about commercial tires?

What are the weak points if any on the 8.3L and the Allison?

[RayChez]

There are RVer's that take care of their RV's. Newmar has always had a good reputation as far as to quality. The chassis is a good one and 150K miles is not much for those diesel engines. Those engines with care should get you 300-500K miles easy. Same for the transmission. Now I reading where starting a diesel engine every once on a while is bad for it. I would have to disagree with that post. Any engine needs to be started, run enough to get the temperature up. It prevents seals from drying up and start leaking. Also fuel can only set for so long and then it starts going bad.

Now as to the age of the coach, AGAIN I do not see any thing wrong if well taken care off and if it is properly priced.

Now I know many RVer's that have bought older diesel coaches and are completely happy. Not only getting a coach that has had TLC, but they did not have to use a lot of their savings to pay for a motor home that costs more then some houses, and that lose half of their value as soon as they drive off the lot.

So I would check this coach real good, and if I needed help on the mechanical aspect, get a professional to check it out for you, even if you have to pay him a couple of hours pay.

[slickest1]

For me it would depend on how it was maintained. If the owner has records of that it will tell the story. How often it was serviced and what has been replaced. If they full timed a lot of things may be well used. Then again there may be a lot of things already replaced.
!50,000 mi. would not scare me. like said above check the tire dates and how old batteries are and have a mechanical inspection done, looking at brakes, steering, suspension, hoses, belts when the last change of antifreeze, transmission fluid and factor these things into the price. Like Doug said it may not be worth what they think it is. If it was well looked after it might still be a good coach for the right price. Good luck.

[bfast54]

I would not automatically walk away -----

NOW.....if it was that old and it had say 28,000 miles on it I wouldn't touch it ---because that means it' SAT MOST of its life....is made to be driven that is not unrealistic miles for that year

if you get it checked out good because you say you're a mechanic the system's you don't know about have someone who's familure check it--- if you can get it for good price I'd say it'd be a heck of a deal...If well cared for and RIGHT PRICE.

[Bruce_Brown]

I would suspect the bones of the house to be rock solid - thats a Newmar thing. Friends have a 1998 Dutch Star DP, its as straight and solid today as the day it was built.

The 150K miles would give me some pause but wouldn't make me run away. Obviously it has spent far more time on the road than in the repair shop. Miles today aren't what they used to be. Heck my Fusion has 176,000+ miles on it and I wouldn't hesitate a second heading out on a coast-to-coast trip with it.

For me it would all depend on my budget, their asking price, and the overall condition. I'd also go into it knowing it was a used unit with 150K miles on it.

As has been mentioned; Spartan, Allison, Cummins, and Newmar are all top notch builders.

[rowekmr]

Thanks for all the info given. Let me clarify a few things since the questions have come up.

I have been RV'ing since 2007 in a (then new) travel trailer that had a ext warranty so I do understand my systems and diagnosing them but all repairs were done by dealer.

I briefly owned a Class A gasser that was older (1999) but I only had to do one minor repair myself while I owned it but had no problems taking it on the road. I was lucky enough to find one that was well maintained by previous owner (boat racer) who just bought a loaded newer Class A diesel pusher. I caught up with him a few weeks after I bought it because he left some racing equipment that I returned and heard him detail all the huge repair bills he had to perform on his "newer" purchase that is one of the reasons I am asking myself.

I work part time in an automotive business that repairs/rebuilds cars and trucks and have found that accessing service manuals, finding quality shops and performing preventing maintenance minimizes catastrophes but I like to hear feedback from other owners and the internet helps bring that to help me avoid common issues/problems.

My current house was 40+ years old when I moved in but it was "newer" to me because the house I moved from had newspapers from 1912 removed from window sills (stuffing) when I replaced the original windows so I am no stranger to older things lol or remodeling.

Some brought up a good point that I hadn't considered about full timing vs part timing on use of RV systems. Up to now I was just worried about the aspects of the chassis. The original owners used it part time for about 2 years then full timed in it about 10 years but he was methodical on proper use and maintenance on the systems. They have aged beyond the point where they can comfortably manipulate everything to use it so it has been sitting for a few years but they do test it regularly and taken it out a few times. That actually is my worst fear how the systems will operate after sitting for awhile. I want to be clear I do not want to rebuild an older MH because I know the truck systems can become expensive (used to drive trucks). But replacing or updating appliances would not be a deter me from a good deal. As far as I can tell everything works now but of course that has to be verified.

[doxiemom11]

I will agree that most of the used motorhomes we saw on the dealers lots were pathetic. I don't know if they were full-time use or not but most were filthy and disgusting and so were many that were being sold by individuals. There are those of use that know how to care for the things we have including 18 yrs old carpet. It depends on how you treat it, if you clean it on a regular basis before it hits a grungy stage, and one biggie -- what was the quality to begin with.

[2gypsies1]

One thing... an older RV has way fewer things to go wrong with it. We wouldn't consider buying a new one nowadays with all the stuff on it and all the slides. We sold our 10 year-old Newmar '04 Dutch Star for what we considered a very good price. We full-timed in it for 8 years and part-timed 2 yr. It was in awesome condition and well-maintained. You can't make a blanket statement about stuff needing replacement. Yes, things will.... eventually, but everything is not going to go wrong at the same time.

Many folks think an older RV is just fine with them. They don't need all the gadgets and glitz that are found in newer ones. If the OP has it checked out thoroughy by a competent service technician and the price is right for him, then there shouldn't be any problem buying it. For what he'd save buying this one over a new or newer one, he could have repairs done.

Redecorating doesn't have to cost that much, such as new flooring. Our 10-yr-old carpet was immaculate. We never wore shoes in the house and had a runner for the high traffic area in the living room.

I think full-timers take care of their RVs perhaps better than some weekenders. They have to rely on it running without issues. It's their home.

[dougrainer]

doxiemom11 wrote:
We have a 17 yr old coach and have been full-time 6 yrs. There is nothing wrong with our carpet, frig, stove, water heater, etc. It depends on if you do regular maintenance and fix the small things when they happen. We are never concerned if we will make it to our destination, and in the 7 yrs we have owned the coach have never had a break down. These older ones are built much much better than the newer ones. I'd consider it seriously, but have it inspected and checked over by a professional. Just because it's new doesn't mean trouble free, sorry to say - they have more problems than we do.

I have been in the RV Service business (still active) for 38 years. IN the RV business for 44 years. We SOLD Newmar from 1993 to 2008. MY statement is based on MY seeing what older RV's are and have to be done to keep them going. As to the statement "Older RV's were built better". NO WAY. They have all been built about the same for at least 25 years. People get emotional when it comes to THEIR RV's. When they take their beloved RV in to trade, they just cannot believe how their beautiful, well maintained RV could be worth so little. Then they try to sell themselves and are shocked at how little that baby is worth. yes, a new RV will have problems, NEW houses have problems. But, if you are looking at used, you need to stay under the 5 to 8 years to buy. IF you are capable of doing all the repairs, then purchase a 18 year old 150k motorhome. But, the fact the OP is asking the question shows he is not capable of doing all the repairs that will need to be done. I would buy that RV, but NOT for anything close to what the seller is probably asking. Hopefully the OP will report back with an asking price. Doug

PS, you REALLY think you would be happy in a 18 year old house with 18 year old carpet??????????????????