[kb0zke]

From what I've seen, it looked like a Newell is probably out of my price range. Then I saw this: http://boise.craigslist.org/rvs/3441702580.html and started wondering. That got more questions coming to the surface, so I guess it is time to ask the experts.

1. The grill under the navigator's seat looks like it might be for a generator. True? There is a similar one under the driver's seat. Why?

2. Or, might this coach have cruiseaire units? I didn't see any rooftop a/c units. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

3. How does a Newell like this compare to a Wanderlodge of similar age and size? Looks like the Newell has somewhat larger tanks and has the same engine. Would weights be similar, too? I realize that there are only so many ways one can arrange the interior of a box. I'm not asking about that, but about the stuff that really matters: engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, construction, etc.

4. The ad says that it has "Air Suspension and Leveling." Does that mean it is like the Foretravels, which don't have leveling jacks, but instead use the airbags to level the coach? Or does it mean that it is like the 'Birds, using leveling jacks, but that the jacks are air-operated?

[Gordon]

From what I've seen, it looked like a Newell is probably out of my price range. Then I saw this: http://boise.craigslist.org/rvs/3441702580.html and started wondering. That got more questions coming to the surface, so I guess it is time to ask the experts.

My coach is similiar to this so I will attempt to answer your questions

1. The grill under the navigator's seat looks like it might be for a generator. True? There is a similar one under the driver's seat. Why?

The grill under the passenger seat is the intake for the dash air/heater. Not sure what is under the drivers seat.[size=large]


2. Or, might this coach have cruiseaire units? I didn't see any rooftop a/c units. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Mine has 3 Dometics. Parts are available, but pricy & had to find. About the same sound level as roof airs, but not as efficient. I have installed 2 ducted roof air as backups.


3. How does a Newell like this compare to a Wanderlodge of similar age and size? Looks like the Newell has somewhat larger tanks and has the same engine. Would weights be similar, too? I realize that there are only so many ways one can arrange the interior of a box. I'm not asking about that, but about the stuff that really matters: engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, construction, etc.

Newell construction is about as good as it gets. After 10 years with Mack trucks, they only wish they were build as well as a Newell. When you get to this level of coach, the running gear components are all class 8 truck stuff, which with normal maintaince should out last the coach. This year coach should weight about 1,000 lbs per foot.


4. The ad says that it has "Air Suspension and Leveling." Does that mean it is like the Foretravels, which don't have leveling jacks, but instead use the airbags to level the coach? Or does it mean that it is like the 'Birds, using leveling jacks, but that the jacks are air-operated?

Mine does not have jacks & is leveled with the air bags. Once you get all the leaks fixed, the aux compressor runs less than once a day

[encantotom]

hi david,

i sent you and email with my phone number. give me a call. i am up late tonite.

i responded to what i know about that coach in your other post. i think i do know of it.

a few thoughts...others pitch in as well.

the grill under the passenger seat is an air return for the dash air/heater. if there is one under the drivers seat it is likely the same though i have not seen one over there.

no cruise air on the newells that i know of. this one has basement airs. 3 of them most likely. good or bad.....thats a long discussion. my 02 with 2 slides has 4 basement airs and they work great. they do take bay space. my 90 has 3 roof airs and they work great. but they are noisey. but easy to replace if needed. alot of the newells have basement airs till they went to multiple slides. a select few (steve bares 99) have roof airs. now the new newells have 4 roof airs because of circulation issues with the 4 slides.

about the wanderlodge question. i have to first say i love wanderlodges. to me it was a wanderlodge or newell. i just happened to find a newell that worked first. then i got hooked. the quality is similar between them. both very high. newells have extensive use of laminate on the interiors vs house type cabinets. of similar years, engines are the same (they both used detroit 8v92's, then series 60's). trannys were allisons but newell used hd740 4 speed where i think the WL used 5 speeds. brakes are similar, suspension etc. both are incredible machines.

air suspension means that. airbags. both wanderlodge and newells use them. but the newells do not have hydraulic leveling jacks. they all use either a manual or HWH control of the airbags to raise or lower the coach. works great. no jacks. just move up and down using the airbags. you can get alot of travel. both my 90 and 02 have 120v air compressors as well as the engine air comp. my 02 also has a 12v air compressor as many more things are air powered in it (both toilets, entrance door, slide seals, interior doors, etc)

have a look at my 1990. it has had a total restoration on it and it is for sale as well.

give a call and talk, and others here will chime in. newell is still in business and you can call and talk to a tech any time for no charge. it is way too bad that wanderlodge went out of biz.

i frequent and post on the WOG site as well and i see you there as well.

welcome to our gang too. not as many of us, but every bit as nice.

later

tom

[Fulltiming]

Welcome David. I have driven one Series 2000 (started with the 1990 models) Newell (a 1991 as I recall) that had both air leveling AND hydraulic HWH jacks. There may be a few out there but they would be rare. Earlier Newells were more likely to have hydraulic jacks and ones after 1989 almost always used air leveling exclusively. Newell builds coaches to the owners specifications and if a customer wants something unusual for Newell, they will try to accommodate it. It is not uncommon for two Newells build one after the other to be significantly different. Especially in the late 1980's and in the 1990's, if you wanted a CAT or a Cummins instead of a Detroit Diesel, no problem, Newell could take care of you. Want bunk beds or a bidet, Newell could take care of that also. It does make it a little harder to give advice since although there are primarily commonalities, individual items may be significantly different in their placement or existence.

[encantotom]

michael is right. he has the most background of any of us.

the 80's coaches i have seen (quite a few) all have air leveling. and from early 80's up they were almost all detroits. (again a few exceptions, but i have not seen any). bills 2003 has a cat.

tom

[HoosierDaddy]

Hi David,
This appears to be a Re-posessed coach. If so I would do a lot of research on this particular coach and budget a fair amount of money to repair items that might need attention. You can pull a small oil sample from engine and transmission and have it analyzed. I would also pull a sample of engine coolant and have it analyzed as well.

http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/whats-yo...g-you.html

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

[kb0zke]

Thanks, all. We weren't planning on bidding on that particular coach. I just was using it as an example of the vintage. I actually passed the link on to someone else who might be more interested, and he called about it. Yes, it is a repo and has some problems. He also decided to pass.

The more I read about Newells the better they sound. At the risk of sounding like I'm insulting three brands (that's NOT my intention), it looks to me like Newell combines the features we like best about the two brands that have been at the top of our list. We like the wide body (some 'Birds and Foretravels), steel body ('Birds), mid-entry (some 'Birds and some Foretravels), and the airbag leveling (Foretravel). What we don't like is expensive repairs (guess that applies to all motorhomes).

Last summer we visited Motorhomes of Texas and saw a fairly new Newell. It was W-A-A-A-Y out of our price range, but it was open and Stewart said to go in and take a look. All four of us in the group agreed that it was too pretty to actually live in, and we went back across the lot to the Foretravels from the '90s. I like luxury, but I don't like glitz (or bling, as the kids call it). Of course, it has only been in the past 10 years that I've decided the 1967 El Dorado isn't completely ugly.

[kb0zke]

I had a nice visit with Tom Thursday evening and got lots of questions answered. At this point we're waiting for our mpg travel trailer to sell. When it does I'll be looking much harder, and at specific coaches. I found out that the factory is only about 2 1/2 hours away from us, so it would be quite easy for us to arrange a day trip down for a tour.

While I was on the factory site I looked at the used coaches they have for sale. If I'm reading things correctly, Newell has built only about 1500 coaches, which explains why they are rather rare. When we're ready to buy there may or may not be one available in our price range. We'll just have to see.

Until then we are learning patience. Thanks again for all of the good advice and answers we've gotten.

[rheavn]

David,
A trip to the factory is a must when researching buying a coach. They will treat you great & no pressure. You can walk through every coach just you & the wife. Gives you the time to see things firsthand without being hounded. If you have questions there is some one available to answer them. You can also walk through the service facility & speak with current Newell owners. We felt our trips were the most important research we did---and we didn't buy our coach from Newell.

It is a buyers market! Don't know what your price range is, but there are lots of Newells currently on the market in every price range----$12,000 to $1,750,000.

Good luck............................

[kb0zke]

Thanks. So far we've toured Airstream, DRV, Heartland, and Foretravel factories. We were going to tour Winnebago, too, but that part of that trip got changed due to a medical situation. I have learned quite a bit on the tours, and I'd like to tour as many factories as possible. Sometimes I think that the tour guides get almost as much out of the tours as the tourists.

Our budget is $30,000 for the coach and $10,000 for repairs and upgrades to make the coach the way we want it. Obviously, a coach that is closer to what we wand (meaning it doesn't need as much) is worth more than one that needs work. That Newell up in Washington State is a good example. The price was pretty close to what we are willing to pay, but it turned out that it needs several thousand dollars of work first.

Is there a dealership that specializes in Newells? The only one I've seen was at Motorhomes of Texas, and they are primarily a Foretravel outlet. In fact, we were there to look at Foretravels. The cheapest coach on the factory site is $249,000, which is quite a ways out of our price range.