newmar 5'er

[dustoff]

anyone want to comment good or bad on the newmar brand of 5'er. i am looking at a '96 30 footer in almost pristine condition. its been garaged and used very little. its weight dry is about 10,000 lbs. will pull it with a '94 CTD 4x4. i am also hoping to find a hitch that will allow for some adjustment in height for the side clearances, although the truck is a longbox. thanks

 

[HEYBOSS]

Newmar is a very good make, they make'm well and their up there with the top best trailers. I almost bought one new but a little out of my price range, they're also heavy but, like anything else look it over good and good luck, you'll not be disappointed.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Newmar

Newmar is right up there with the top of the line, if not the top. I toured their factory a couple of years back, very impressive. bg

 

[RustyJC]

Newmars (Mountain Aire, etc) are very well built, high end units. They're also extremely heavy for a given length. If the advertised dry weight of the unit you're considering is 10,000 lbs, you'll be lucky if it weighs less than 12,000 lbs when you hitch up. At 20% pin weight, that will put 2,400 lbs on the truck as GVW. Since you only have 8,800 lbs GVWR to work with, the loaded truck with hitch, fuel, passengers, baggage, etc. couldn't weigh over 6,400 lbs if you're going to stay under your GVWR. If you have a 16,000 lb GCWR, I'm afraid you'll never have a chance to stay under it.



Maybe this matters to you, maybe not. I'm just presenting the numbers so that you can make an informed decision. Our 5ver has a 10,900 lb "dry weight" but is close to 13,500 lbs on the road with dry fresh and waste water tanks. We're running 10,380 lbs GVW (10,500 lbs GVWR) and 21,180 lbs GCW (21,500 GCWR).



Rusty

 

[Casey Balvert]

We have had our Newmar American Star for seven years now and love it. Very well made even though the American Star is their basic unit. We are now in the market for a new trailer and will be getting a Mountain Aire. I recommend Newmar highly but they are not light.



Casey

 

[pmartin]

Newmar 5th Wheel

We purchased a 2003 Kountry Star by Newmar last August. It is a quality trailer and we expect to keep it many years. It is a 35 ft triple slide and it is heavy. Pulls very stable and has good brakes. Very well insulated (we had it in Colorado in below freezing weather) with enclosed heated holding tanks. Also much more holding tank capacity than most 5th wheels. You will be happy with a Newmar. No comparison to the previous Wilderness 5th wheels we have owned. We went to Newmar because a friend has owned an American Star for several years and is very happy with it.

 

[ralbert]

If your truck will haul the load buy it. I found a 2000 Kountry Star in Fla this winter with 3/slides and dry wt of 13880. I do not think my 99 3500 Cummins auto would do a good job of hauling it so I past. 5th listed at $71,000 new and I could of had it for $30. After checking it over most other campers do not look like much. If I had a 6 speed and 410s I would have owned it. Good luck it is one great camper. Buy the way this 5th had only been used 5 months total.

 

[CharlieMiller]

Newmar makes a good coach but as stated they are heavy like most of your top end coaches. From looking at some of the notes above you guys are hauling more weight than your truck can "legally" handle. I looked at a new 32' Kountry Star with triple slides weighed 11800 empty. Would certainly push the envelope for my 3500. I know it can pull it - problem is trying to stop it. With all the budget cuts and companies looking to walk away and leave you high. I would make sure you are within the limits of tow vehicle and trailer. Just my 2 cents. I saw a good one 2 weeks ago. A guy came in and bought a brand spanking new 38' Kountry Aire 5ver. I believe the GVW on them is 20,000 lbs. You will not believe what he had it hooked up to and was going to tow it a few hundred miles with??? Get ready for this boys & girls - a late model Chevy 1500 - THATS RIGHT. No MISTAKE a 1/2 ton regular cab Chevy. I'll bet the tail was wagging the dog there. I thought it was a joke but it wasn't and he was bound and determined to pull it with the Chevy. The real kicker was he a 2 or 3 Peterbulits sitting at home. Its scary wat some people will do to there vehicles and open themselves up to all kind of legal implications.

 

[RMcCulloch]

Could he have simply been trying to get it home?



If he was truly serious about pulling that KA with a C/K1500, I'd love to have the contract for supplying replacement trannys and differentials.

 

[Jim Smith]

We have a 2001 Kountry Star 35, triple slide and all the bells and whistles and really like it. It is heavy like most others have said but its worth it. A few minor warranty items and they have been taken care of by the local dealers. The new 2002 models have a neater looking seals on the slides and a more flush fit to the body. It tows very well almost don't know its behind me. If you find a used one have the owner put it through its paces , open close the slides, check for anything broken or dented. Most that I have seen have are in good shape. Jim

 

[CROW]

As I understand it, Newmar was, if not the first, one of the first RV manufacturers to give a three year warranty on some of their product lines. I was looking at several fifth wheels but eventually I bought a Newmar Kountry Star fifth wheel and the warranty was a big part of the purchase decision. If they are willing to warrant something three years, it must be a good product they have confidence in. Realize you are looking at used, but the warranty issue may give you some perspective on the quality of Newmar products generally. At some point, most RV manufacturers started putting a weight label in the trailer, mine is in the cabinet above the sink. Find the label (think 96 models had a weight label) and, assuming pin weight is not a problem, you should be able to pull it. 10k may be right for a 30' Newmar product depending on which line and how it is equipped. Personally, I would pass on the trailer if it violated any of the weight ratings on my truck.

 

[CROW]

dustoff: Did ya buy it?

 

[dustoff]

thanks for all of the replies and comments..... in the end i did not purchase this unit... . it did violate my gross total towable weight but rather than that the unit had been damaged and repaired sort of so-so... . i passed on buying, but continue to look for a good used unit. again, thanks