Newmar Dutch Star 4310 Ordering Help

[ravencr]

DEAL FELL THROUGH: So, we were supposed to pick up our new to us used 2018 Dutch Star 4310 Friday, and I unfortunately haven't heard a peep from the seller for 3 days. Better to know ahead of making the purchase and regretting it. So, now we're considering ordering a new one, but I have a number of questions:
? Is there any reason to pay $7,140 extra for the Spartan chassis?
? How does the On Guard Collision Mitigation Package work, exactly? I don't use the lane departure, shaky steering wheel stuff on any of my cars, but I do like the brake now alert that happens if somebody pulls out in front of me. Is there a good run though video somewhere that explains just how this new system works on either chassis? I like adaptive cruise control on my cars, but our Toyota's are far too aggressive. My F-450 works great. Any direct experience with it you could share would be awesome. It's $7,735, so not sure if it's worth it or not.
? Dishwasher or not? We are a family of 4 and will be living/traveling in it every 3 weeks for a while, then maybe extended periods after my wife's chemo is completed in December. I've seen differing opinions on this...we use ours at the house, but not sure if the storage space is more worth it or not?
? Satellite Dishes? Do we get the In-Motion with HD Dish Network or get both dishes, and why would I need the in-motion and the Open Face SWM?
? Sleep Number R5 Radius Corner Air Mattress for $1,295? I assume this is for the master bedroom, right? I've heard of these mattresses, but definitely not a fan of air mattresses that leak. Any feedback?
? Baggage Door Stainless Steel Trim Kit for $3,773? Is there anything functional with this, or merely looks?
? Additional Girard G2000 Side Awning on Door Side for $3,913?
? Our salesperson has mentioned specials, such as custom paint, maybe a different sink in the kitchen, upgraded tile, etc, but is there anything you'd recommend doing for sure from a functional standpoint?

I really appreciate everyone's help with this...we would like to get it ordered this week, if possible, but don't want to miss or waste or any money, either. I'd also love to see pictures of Dutch Stars with custom paint combinations, if you don't care to share.

Chris

 

[Utclmjmpr]

If you are considering extensive travel , you will lust for the storage space, and you won't miss having to dump more often as a result of filling the grey tank faster.  The Spartan is more expensive for a reason,, they are worth it..
  In motion TV is a waste do to obstacles during travel..
  Most with Sleep Numbers are throwing them out after a short while,, too many problems..
  Nothing functional about a "trim " kit.  They are added so you can "stick your chest out"
 
Every "add on' has it's own markup included,, and they do add up. Just ask the dealers whom push them.
  Most folks don't keep an RV long enough to benefit from marked up add ons, and they return you nothing at sale time.

  What you save from the add ons would pay the registration licence and taxes that will be enormous.>>>Dan

 

[ravencr]

Thanks for the feedback Dan. I didn't realize there was a big difference in the Spartan in regards to storage space and tank sizes...that's definitely very important to us. Good to know on the in motion satellite. Don't care about the trim kit...more of a function guy than looks. Thanks for the help,

Chris

 

[Utclmjmpr]

The first sentence was more a reference to the dish washer question..>>>Dan

 

[ravencr]

Gotcha...thanks for the clarification.

Chris

 

[ChasA]

We wouldn't get a dishwasher. It would destroy our Dixie dinnerware.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I have a different perspective of Spartan vs Freightliner chassis.  Spartan builds only mid and high end quality & priced chassis models, while Freightliner offers a broad range of submodels to meet different price targets.  If you hear somebody badmouthing a Freightliner coach chassis, it is near-always about a low-end cach model where the coach builder low-balled the chassis specs. That's not Freightliner's fault.    You need to look a bit deeper than just chassis brand name to know whether Newmar configured that Dutchstar with a cheap Freightliner version or a better one.    For 12 years I owned an American Tradition that could be had with either Freightliner or Spartan and I can assure you that they are equal in capability and quality when configured to similar specs (mine was the Freightliner version).

I'll also note that "Freightliner" in this case is Freightliner Custom Chassis, not the same company that builds commercial trucks. The chassis is designed from the wheels up for carrying a motorhome body.

Looking at the 2021 Dutchstar brochure, I see only rather minor differences, but you have to select a specific model to evaluate. In the 4310 model, it looks like the Spartan has an additional 1200 lbs of GVWR and NCC (payload). That's important only if you truly need the extra, which we have no way to judge at this point.  The Freightliner version has about 10,400 lbs of payload, so not all stingy!

https://newmar.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/15141438/2021-dutch-star-brochure-combo-1.pdf

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

How does the On Guard Collision Mitigation Package work, exactly?

It's a standard package from Wabco that detects impending collisions, warns the driver and applies braking if the driver fails to do so. Read about it here:


https://www.wabco-auto.com/americas_en/Our-Solutions/Truck-solutions/Truck-Safety/Advanced-Driver-Assistance-Systems/OnGuard-CMS-Truck

Dishwasher: Purely personal preference. Every convenience feature in an RV is a space tradeoff as well as cost.  Will do be doing a lot of dishes in the RV? How does you/wife/kids feel about doing it by hand. For us it is an insignificant chore, but your situation likely varies.
In-motion Satellite Dishes?  Do you need to entertain the kids (or wife) with tv while driving down the highway? If enroute video is important, would DVD or streaming be sufficient?  Bare in mind that an in-motion satellite still cannot guarantee perfect reception everywhere.  If you can wait until reaching a campsite, you don't need in-motion.

Sleep Number R5 Radius Corner Air Mattress for $1,295?  As opposed to what standard mattress? sleep Number quality is good enough, but any air mattress can be punctured or develop a leaky pump or fitting.  Besides, this is something you can opt for later if you don't like the standard mattress. You can buy the mattress you prefer at any bedding store (or order form an online source). No magic here - get what you like.

Baggage Door Stainless Steel Trim  Trim is trim. Just for looks.

Girard G2000 Side Awning (additional):  The G2000 is an extra awning (one awning is standard) to give more covered space if you like to sit outside under an awning. Awnings on big coaches tend to be high up and thus do not provide all that much shade except when the sun is directly overhead.

 

[ravencr]

Thanks everybody. I really appreciate the feedback.

Chris

 

[A Traveler]

I can only comment on the sleep number mattress because I have no first-hand experience with the other things you asked about.

We have had a Sleep Number mattress for many, many years. We love it. When we bought our motorhome, we installed the same model on the bed in the coach that we have at home. No problem with either of them.

Sleeping on the road is exactly the same as sleeping at home.

 

[mrschwarz]

We did the same thing with our Sleep Number bed. We are in our second coach with our original Sleep Number from home. As far as the dishwasher goes. I put one into our last motor home and got this one with it installed. We are full-timers and rarely use paper or plastic anymore. It's easier to use real stuff and wash it. We will use a little more paper when boondocking. That's about it.

As far as the chassis is concerned, remember neither Freightliner nor Spartan make anything. They may form the rails, but everything else is a purchased component from someone. In most cases, they're buying from the same place (engine, transmission, axles, etc.) Compare the specs. If you get a better chassis, spend the money. If you're only getting a better name, think about it a little more.

I struggled with in-motion satellite dishes for a few years. I gave up a while ago. The new motor home was standard with an in-motion dish and deleting it brought no credit so it's on the roof. I have never connected or used it. I put a Travel'r up there and it works just fine.

We ordered a second Paramount awning (like the Girard). We don't regret it. The awning is high up, but it's huge. It provides lots of shade. I would order it again.

The stainless trim can also protect the paint from road junk. Just sayin'. As far as anything else, get what you want. Don't worry about resale. Life is short.