Our Approved Specials

Here is the list of the approved special requests for our 2016 Dutch Star 4369:

1. 110V GFI OUTLET IN 1ST DS STORAGE COMPARTMENT BEHIND THE DOOR
2. 110V GFI OUTLET IN DS STORAGE COMPARTMENT CONTAINING AWNING ELECTRONICS
3. ADD 110V/USB OUTLET IN NIGHTSTAND TO THE RIGHT OF THE BED
4. 110V OUTLET ON THE WALL BETWEEN THE SHOWER AND THE TOILET IN THE REAR BATH
5. 110V OUTLET ON BDRM WALL (BEHIND IT IS THE SHOWER) JUST UNDER THE WARDROBE TO THE LEFT OF THE FIRST (WILL BE USED TO PLUG IN A VERTICAL FLOOR FAN)
6. 110V OUTLET UNDERNEATH THE RIGHT VANITY SINK
7. 110V/USB OUTLET ON WALL IN CORNER BEHIND COUCH (NEXT TO KITCHEN COUNTER UNDER LIGHTING CONTROLS)
8. 110V/USB OUTLET NEAR PASSENGER SEAT (ABOVE EXISTING OUTLET ON WALL BEHIND PASSENGER)
9. 110V/USB OUTLET BEHIND DRIVER SEAT (ABOVE EXISTING OUTLET ON WALL BEHIND DRIVER)
10. 12V OUTLET LEFT OF STEERING WHEEL ON DASH
11. 2 STD CEILING LIGHTS OVER VANITY TO WORK ON SAME SWITCH AS OTHER CEILING LIGHTS
12. ADD 2 LED LIGHTS MOUNTED UNDER MICROWAVE NEAR BACK WALL. SAME SWITCH AS LIGHTS OVER SINK.
13. 8 AGM BATTERIES ILO STD - ORDER CALLS FOR ALL ELECTRIC OPTION
14. ULTRALUX LEATHER ON DINETTE CHAIRS
15. DS DORMI & ODS 2 RECLINERS<<W/FREE STANDING LAMPSTAND
16. DS16-280 LEATHER "B" ON HEADBOARD ILO STD.
17. ADD 2 EXTRA SHELVES IN BDRM WRB NEAREST PANTRY
18. SPECIAL ORDER EXTERIOR COLORS
• SKIN-56680 CAJUN SPICE OBSIDIAN
• A-64503 MEDIUM FAWN MET
• B-44429B LIGHT CHAMPAINE MET
• C-57714 DARK FAWN MET
• AWNING LINEN TWEED
19. SHURFLO 4048 WATER PUMP ILO STD - NEWMAR #127488
20. RAISE BOTH STOOLS BY 2"
21. INSTALL PLAIN MIRRORS ILO SMOKED IN KITCHEN AND BEDROOM
22. ADD LED LIGHTS INSIDE PANTRY TO TURN ON WHEN DOOR OPENS
23. ADD 2 ADJUSTABLE SHELVES TO WARDROBE RIGHT OF TV IN BEDROOM
24. PREP FOR GROUND TRIPOD SATELLITE DISH ON ODS WITH A/B SWITCH
25. DS16-300 MAIN AND 1/2 BATH WALL BOARD ILO STD
26. VT16-320 TILE INSERTS AND VT STYLE KITCHEN BACKSPLASH ILO STD
27. VT16-320 TILE INSERTS IN BOTH BATHROOMS BACKSPLASHES<
28. LOWER SHOWER SEAT TO 17" FROM FLOOR
29. ADD 110V OUTLET IN KITCHEN OHC NEXT TO MICROWAVE OUTLET
30. ADD 110V OUTLET IN PANTRY (SIDE WALL NEXT TO BDRM)
31. DO NOT MOUNT THE CLOCK (CUSTOMER WILL MOUNT)
32. ADD 110V OUTLET IN REAR CLOSET
33. GE ADVANTIUM MICROWAVE ILO STD - VENTED TO OUTSIDE

Our Basic Order

This is what we've ordered, straight from the 2016 Dutch Star 4369 order sheet dated 7/22/2015.  Specials will listed after they are approved and finalized.  Given Newmar's current workload, it could be sometime next week.

Note that the exterior color isn't specified here.  It was sent to Newmar as part of the e-mail that transmitted this order form.  We requested the Mountain Aire's "Windswept" color scheme to exactly match that of Dutch Star Coach #xxxxxxx, already in our dealer's inventory (see We have chosen our exterior color scheme!).

We have chosen our exterior color scheme!

So we played and played with different combinations of colors.  We liked darker on top, and were considering things like trying to match a color to our toad, the contrast in colors between our interior and exterior, and what would be the easiest to order.

With Newmar, it's not so difficult to change an exterior color - but don't even think about trying to change the design.  So we experimented with several color combinations (see Playing around with the exterior colors) and ended up convincing ourselves that we weren't totally happy with anything.

Our toad will be a Dodge RAM pickup truck.  It's dark gray, so we thought a lot about changing one of the colors to match it.  Then we noticed that the outside would be black, dark gray, light gray and another color that was almost white.  But when you walk into the coach, everything is beige (Cordova interior) and brown.

After spending hours on various combinations, we started browsing around the online inventory photos of our dealer to see how actual photos differed from drawings.  In doing so, we ran across a Dutch Star that wasn't painted using one of the three default Dutch Star schemes (Cannes, Night Sky and Maritime).  We liked the one we saw and my DW looked it up on the specs and saw that its scheme was "Windswept".  Where did that come from?  A quick search of Newmar's site turned up a Windswept exterior color scheme on the Mountain Aire.

Independence RV has this one for sale with the Windswept exterior color scheme.

When we saw it, we knew right away that it was the one we wanted because it has the darker top and the other colors that transition nicely between the exterior and the interior.  It's the one that we've requested.

Wow.  Glad that's done.

9/22/2015 Update:  We received the actual colors for this scheme from Newmar.  Here's how it's listed on the special order sheet:

SPECIAL ORDER EXTERIOR COLORS

SKIN-56680 CAJUN SPICE OBSIDIAN

A-64503 MEDIUM FAWN MET

B-44429B LIGHT CHAMPAINE MET

C-57714 DARK FAWN MET

AWNING LINEN TWEED

Hershey Day 2: What we learned

My DW is doing a bang-up job at Hershey.  She spent another day in and out of the coaches, doing research, talking to other people and sitting with factory reps to iron out issues with our order.  She called me several times, at one point even having me on Skype while her and two others talked about some things that had concerned us.

While this won't mean much to people who aren't getting a Newmar, it goes to show the kind of information you get by attending the shows.  Perhaps you can get some ideas of things to ask about your own coach.

Here are some of the things I got from just a few short phone calls with her - when she gets back, I know there will be even more to discuss:

• Outside LED lights.  We know that our coach is going to have LED lights over the door (the "porch"), along the edge of the awning, and under the curbside slides.  But I had read that the porch and awning lights were on the same switch.  Several people said to make sure that we ordered separate switches.  My wife tested them and found out that they are on separate switches by default.  One special request eliminated.
• Upgraded solar panel wiring.  I had understood that Newmar ran 10 gauge wire from the roof to the power bay to allow for the possibility of future solar panels.  Numerous people had advised to request upgraded 6 gauge wire because it can support more panels.  I did make the request and it was initially denied.  We figured that they may only put in 8-gauge wire.  It turns out that we were using a basic order form dated in May 2015 that only said something like "solar wiring upgrade".  The latest order form is dated in July and the option has been reworded to say that the upgraded solar wiring supports 1200 watts using 6-gauge wiring.  Obviously, it was denied as a "special" order because it is an option on the standard order sheet.  We'll now be adding that option.
• Kitchen sink.  Every coach we saw in person had double-bowl Corian (or similar) kitchen sinks.  However, we saw two online videos that showed a single, large stainless steel sink.  Since it wasn't on the standard order sheet as an option, we added it as a "special".   Much to our surprise, it was denied.  As she learned today, the stainless steel sink is the standard sink for our model; it was denied because it's already there as the standard.  It would sure make things a lot easier if they put some indication on their form as to why something is denied.
• Wiring for External Satellite Dish.  Having read about others who did it and seen it on some coaches myself, I submitted a special request to add extra wiring to support an external satellite dish.  It was denied.  Apparently, the right way to phrase the request is to ask for a "tripod setup".  Yes, words matter.  We'll resubmit.
• Smoke and mirrors.  I had never noticed this before, but the large mirrors in the bedroom and kitchen are "smoked"; that is, they have a grayish tint.  My wife sure noticed it, and she wants to request that they be replaced by regular mirrors.
• Engine pre-heat loop.  This is good to have when you're in colder climates.  We don't know when we'll be where, so we thought we'd ask for it.  It wasn't anywhere on the order sheet and we totally missed it in the brochure, where it clearly says that an "engine block heater" is standard. (See the later post called Understanding Engine pre-heat for an update on this)
• Upgraded Microwave Oven.  I have read a lot of posts that recommend that people upgrade the standard microwave oven to the GE Advantium.  Many folks said it was a major improvement.  We put it on our list of specials, even though we heard that the MSRP on the upgrade was a little over $1000.  She found out today that prior to 2015, a different brand of microwave was used and they received a fair number of complaints.  Beginning with 2015, they are using a Whirlpool and haven't had any (maybe just a lot less) complaints.  Both the Whirlpool and the GE are large convection microwaves, but the GE can also broil.  We decided that we could do without broiling, given the extra cost and the rearrangement of the cabinets to accommodate the larger GE.  So we're going to stay with the standard Whirlpool microwave. [Last minute change when we placed the order:  we're going with the Advantium.  It's vented to the outside and we don't want to regret not getting it]
• Slide-out trays under the kitchen sink.  Beginning with the 2016 DS4369's, the single slide-out tray under the kitchen sink has been replaced with two side-by-side trays.  We didn't think we would like that as much, so we requested that we get the single tray.  After reconsidering and thinking about how we would use the space, we're going to delete that request and stick with the standard two trays.
• Table attached to the passenger chair.  The DS4369 includes a table that folds up to a position above the lap of the passenger seat.  My wife doesn't like the table, and said that it's in a position that it could be bumped into when stowed and the chair is re-oriented toward the living area.  She would have liked to have them not install it, but was told that the coach was somehow certified with the table in place and that they would not be able to "not" put it on during manufacture.  If we don't want it, we'll have to remove it after delivery.
• Air conditioner condensation drains.  I was concerned that the air conditioner condensation would run off on the curb side of the coach, so I made a request that it be "plumbed" so that it only drained to the driver side.  My DW was told that they cannot change that due to something with the gutter trenches or something on the roof.  Apparently, it actually drains on both sides.
• Pantry Shelves and Lights.  We had seen some models with five shelves in the pantry, so we thought we'd ask for another one.  However, Mrs. G found out that the 2016 DS4369 comes with six shelves in the pantry.  The pantry doesn't have a light in it.  However, one of the higher-end models (I think the London Aire) has a LED light strip in the pantry that turns on when you open the door - and it can be ordered as an option on the Dutch Star.  Another addition to our list.

There may be more later.  If so, I'll come back here and add to the list.  If you follow by e-mail, I don't if you get another one when something is updated.  If you don't (or aren't sure), you may want to check back here in a few days to see if we've been able to expand the list.

Choosing a dinette

When considering the dinette for our RV, we found out that there were several choices.  You may have noticed that most dinettes are on the driver's side of the coach.  We asked about this when we saw one that actually had the dinette on the curbside overlooking the area under the awning where you're likely to spend your time outdoors (Newmar Dutch Star 4002).   The answer was that having the dinette on that side somehow causes the basement doors on that side to be smaller -- not as tall.  Quite frankly, they told us why but I have long forgotten.

The old standard for dinettes is the booth, with two booth seats facing each other and a table between them that can drop down to make a small bed.  In a lot of the newer coaches, they have done away with this in favor of several other options.

For many Newmar coaches, they have several dinette options:

The Euro Booth dinette is the closest thing to the old booth style, except that the table doesn't drop down to make a bed.  Instead, it "sticks" out from the wall (no legs) and has a leaf to make it longer.  There is also storage under the seats.  The Euro Booth dinette is one of the more expensive options, and the seating is very comfortable.

The Combo Desk with a Buffet Table is similar to the Euro Booth except that instead of the soft "booth" chairs there are two freestanding, upholstered chairs and two matching folding chairs that are kept under the bed.  The fully-extended table is 38" long.

Combo Desk with Buffet Table 

The Combo Desk/Dinette with the Freestanding Hidden Leaf Table has space in the underneath cabinet for putting computer stuff like a printer and a "hole" where a freestanding 4-legged table can slide into it.  You can move the table anywhere you want. This is the biggest table that can expand to 48".

Freestanding Hidden Leaf Table

The Combo Desk Dinette with the Roll-Away Table is similar to the Combo Desk with a Buffet Table except that the table itself is made of of segments (each about 5" wide) that can roll up into the buffet.  When you pull it out, it unrolls and makes a sturdy table with a single, well-supported leg on the end.  Fully extended, this table is 44" long.

As comfortable as the Euro Booth is, we like the flexibility to move the chairs around.  We also like to play cards and wanted a longer table.  The roll-away table is 6" longer than the standard table and we love the way it completely rolls into the buffet.  This is the one we got.

Specials: The additions and changes we asked for

One of the great things about ordering a new motorhome from Newmar is that they really work with you to customize your order.  The basic order sheet has several options from which you can choose, but you can go beyond that and ask for just about anything.

When you put together your list of "specials", you are telling them what you'd like to add, delete, or change in the coach - changes that are not possible to show on the basic order form.

One dealer told me that they (the dealers) call the specials "SOCs".  I have no idea what that stands for.

After you put together your list, you give it to your dealer.  He sends it to Newmar, and they respond with the list of your items that indicates a number they have assigned to each one, whether or not they have "denied" it (if it doesn't say "denied", then it's approved), and a note as to whether the changes require a new engineering drawing (this could be another 2 weeks of back and forth as they show you the drawings).

When you get the list and look at the denied items, you may go back and suggest alternatives or ask questions.  After a few rounds of this, Newmar will produce the final list with wholesale and retail prices and give it to your dealer.  Your dealer will usually show you the retail price and tell you how much they will discount it.  You then have a final opportunity to remove things if you don't want them or think that they're too expensive.

Here are some of the things that we requested in our list of specials:

• Upgrade the house batteries to maintenance-free batteries
• Install a different model of microwave oven
• Change the upholstery on some chairs from cloth to leather
• Install several additional 110V outlets
• Have HDMI wiring run to all TVs
• Additional wiring for an external satellite dish
• Pre-wiring for some third party devices we want to install after delivery
• Change the type of kitchen sink
• Additional lighting

We just received their (Newmar's) first take on our list.  Some things they denied didn't surprise me (like the pre-wiring).  Other denials we totally didn't see coming.  An example of this is their denial of the single stainless-steel sink in the kitchen.  It surprised us because the "official" Newmar video walkthrough of the 2016 Dutch Star 4369 features the sink we want.  So does the 20-minute walkthrough uploaded by Mount Comfort RV.  Needless to say, we have asked them to reconsider that one.

The next couple of weeks should be interesting as we continue to resolve all of the issues.  Stay tuned!

Interior features of the 2016 Dutch Star 4369

The interior of the 4369 was everything we wanted.  When we discovered that we could customize a lot of it, we were really happy and felt like we had found our coach.

These pictures are courtesy of our dealer, Independence RV in Winter Garden, FL.  It is a 2016 Dutch Star 4369 that they had for sale on their lot in late August 2015.  We walked through it and loved it because it is very close to being exactly what we wanted.

The big differences between what we're ordering and what you see here are in the fabrics, countertops and tile.  We're going to get a slightly darker tile that is laid diagonally and the free-standing chairs will be leather that matches the other furniture.

The recliners and both the driver and passenger chairs have footrests.  The couch comes out to make a bed with an air mattress, and the dining table is a "roll-away" table that rolls back into the under-window buffet so that the leg you see is against the cabinet.  The surface of the table is made up of a bunch of 5" pieces that literally roll-up inside of the cabinet. When you pull it all the way out, the table is 38" long - enough for four people to sit and eat or play cards.

We'll eventually post a list of changes we made, with some explanation as to why we wanted them.

The interior of the coach will have the optional kitchen window, dishwasher, convection microwave oven, induction cooktop, automatic day and night shades, three TV's (the big one raises up behind the couch), heated floor tiles, LED lighting throughout, residential refrigerator, instant hot water, and more.  For us, this will be a primary residence so it's nice to have the same things that people have in their regular houses (okay, I guess the heated floor tiles are extra).

One of the best things is the large rear bathroom.  Plenty of floor space, more than some residential bathrooms.  There's a 38"x40" shower, toilet, double sink vanity with two medicine cabinets, cabinet containing the stackable washer and dryer, and a rear wardrobe that is very spacious.

There are some great walkthroughs of the DS4369 on Youtube if you want to see more.

Chassis and Exterior Features of the 2016 Dutch Star 4369

The 2016 Dutch Star 4369 is a 43' diesel pusher with a tag axle, 450HP Cummins engine, and lots of the features that we wanted in our motorhome. I'm going to talk about a lot of the features here, with more detail on some of them explained in later posts.  We'll also talk later about options we are ordering and why we wanted them.

You can get all of the details about the DS4369 on Newmar's web site.

I love this coach.  It hits every item on our checklist, and adds so many things that we didn't even know we wanted.  Bells & Whistles are nice, too, and this rig has them in spades.

Newmar has been offering something on most of its diesel pushers for several years now that puts their driveability (is that a word?) head and shoulders above the competition.  It's called Comfort Drive, and it is basically power steering on steer-roids (had to do it).  The dashboard has an adjustment knob to adjust the sensitivity of the Comfort Drive.  When you're in a cross-wind or have large trucks passing you, you can usually feel the draft and have to make steering adjustments to compensate.  After you've been driving a while, doing this can actually make your upper arms sore.  But if you have Comfort Drive, it senses what you're doing after about 20 seconds and handles the compensation for you.  You have to drive one to see it for yourself.  In town, or anywhere else, you could literally drive using a single finger.  And when you back into your campsite, Comfort Drive automatically centers the steering wheel when you let go.  There's a video on Youtube called Newmar's Comfort Drive Steering Testimonials.

Tag axles, the rear axles used to support additional weight, are normally built so that they don't turn.  Like the drive axle in front of it, the tax axle is mounted parallel to the RV itself, so when you turn the coach, they get more wear n' tear because they are somewhat dragged across the pavement.  Beginning with some 2016 models, including the Dutch Star, Newmar introduced a passive steering tag axle that is called Ultra Steer.  When you are going below a set speed and make a left turn, the tag axle actually turns slightly to the right.  This not only reduces wear on the tag axle tires, but it gives the coach a reduced (by about 17%)  turning radius.  This Freightliner innovation is described in another Youtube video called FreightLiner UltraSteer.

Since 2010, all diesel RVs have had a special tank for diesel exhaust fluid, or DEF.  It's a liquid that is injected into the exhaust stream to clean up emissions.  Newmar used to have the DEF fill only on one side of the coach.  For 2016, there's a fill on both sides.  That's also true of the fuel fill, which has been on both sides of their diesel pushers for a few years.

Prior to 2016, Dutch Star's could pull a maximum of 10,000 pounds.  They've upped this to 15,000 pounds in 2016, partly because of their new design of the coach's foundation.  The foundation is the part of the coach that they build on top of the chassis before they start building the "house".  Because they wanted to support the additional weight of tile in the slides (another 2016 Newmar innovation), they beefed up the supports throughout the foundation and call it the STAR Foundation (Strong, True and Robust).

One of the features I really like about the Newmar diesel pushers is the side radiator.  Normally, diesel pusher radiators are in the rear behind the engine.  Not only does the side radiator get better airflow, it doesn't get as much road dust and its absence in the back allows easy access to quite a few areas of the engine.  This means that checking oil, filters, and more is much easier - and so is overall mechanical maintenance.

Newmar's quality build includes thick doors and walls (compare them yourself with other brands), R19 insulation in the ceiling, and insulation in the basement floors.  I thought that the doors to the storage areas in the basement were large in 2015, but because of the STAR redesign in 2016, the doors are actually 2" higher.

There are two sets of batteries used in a motorhome:  chassis batteries (for the engine) and house batteries (for all things inside the coach).  Normally, the coaches come with four batteries.  If you order an "all electric" upgrade, you get a residential refrigerator, an electric stovetop, an Energy Management System, and four additional batteries.  We wanted all-electric with the induction cooktop, so we'll have the 8-battery system.

The wet bay, where the sewer hoses are, has connections for the black tank and the gray tank. It also has an optional power reel with a 50' hose to connect to your outside water supply.

The power bay has an optional power reel that has 50' of 50 amp power cable.

On the passenger side, there are large storage bays in the basement, a central vacuum system, and electric awning(s).  We ordered a two-stage awning system that contains two awnings running the length of the coach, with a wind sensor and LED lighting along its edges.  You can see these awnings in the photo below.

For a real splurge, we're ordering the hammock!  Nice!

And the winner is....the 2016 Newmar Dutch Star 4369!

We have looked at a lot of RVs over the years, and had done a lot of research online and by talking to people.  Knowing what we wanted (as I have said previously), we were better able to focus on several manufacturers.  But things really began to click when we walked through several of Newmar's 2015 models.

Newmar, like other manufacturers, has a line of RVs that begins with smaller ones that are inexpensive to their top-of-the-line King Aire that retails for almost a million dollars.  In our case, we had already decided that we wanted a diesel pusher, so our options within the Newmar line were limited (by price range) to the Ventana or Dutch Star.  Those are the ones we were looking at when we knew that we had found what we wanted.

At first, we were really excited about the Dutch Star 4018.  What a beautiful coach!  It is a 450HP diesel pusher with a tag axle and a very well designed floor plan.  The quality that Newmar is known for was apparent in the 4018's we walked through.  I loved it that the TV was opposite the  seating.  In the diagram to the right, you'll see a couch on the right side.  "OHC" (overhead cabinets) is labeled over the couch.  In several of the ones we saw, the 48" TV popped up on a "televator" behind the couch and two recliners replaced the fireplace and single recliner you see here.  That is one of the things we really liked about Newmar - there were a lot of optional ways to customize a coach to make it your own.

The 2015 Dutch Star 4018 is 40' long and has a lot of the basic features that we wanted, like instant hot water and an all-electric option (no LP gas for a stove, instead you can get an induction cooktop).  While we had been debating a lot of the bath and a half models we saw, the 4018 convinced us how nice it would be to have that half bath.  After seeing the 4018, we were sure that this was the coach for us....

But then we walked through a 2015 Dutch Star 4369.  At first glance (even from the outside), it was identical to the 4018.  However, when we got past the bedroom at the back of the coach, we saw the most incredible bathroom we had ever seen in a motorhome.  It was very spacious, with a large shower, huge wardrobe, double-sink vanity with two medicine cabinets, all kinds of room around the toilet, and a cabinet for a washer and dryer.  The bathroom, like the rest of the coach, had a lot of floor space.  Much more than the 4018.

Not only did it have a great rear bath, but the pantry was twice the size.  Because it is three feet longer, you can also get a third air conditioning unit.  And the fuel tank in the 4369 is 50% larger than the one in the 4018.

Because of the extra weight in the 4369, it can only carry about 5500 pounds of people and their stuff.  The 4018 can carry over 8000 pounds.  But we figure that we'll be fine.

So we changed our mind and decided on the Dutch Star 4369.  The only thing was that we knew we wanted to do a custom order and we had to wait for about a year or so.  This meant that our 4369 would be the 2016 model, and we had no idea what changes they would be making.

So we waited.  And when the 2016 Dutch Star 4369 information was published by Newmar and began to appear on dealer web sites, we were thrilled to find out that it had some new features that were well worth the wait.

Newmar's short walkthrough of the 2016 Dutch Star 4369

Next up:  The features and specs for the coach we have chosen, the 2016 Dutch Star 4369.

The Chassis and External Features

The Chassis

For most motorhome manufacturers, the chassis is built by a separate company.  The two biggest RV chassis builders are Spartan and Freightliner.  The has been a lot of talk over the years in various Internet forums and Facebook about which is better, but they always end up the same:  they are both quality companies with great reputations.

A "house" part of a motorhome is built on top of a chassis.  The chassis contains the long rails and beams that support the motorhome, the engine, tires, batteries, hydraulics, brakes, and fuel tanks.

The motorhome manufacturer takes a chassis and builds a lot of framing on top of it that becomes the "basement" storage areas of the RV.  Then they build up the framing for the walls and roof, add wiring, and so on.

Most of us aren't real picky about what kind of chassis we get because we don't know anything about them.  I was interested to hear that our chassis had a 150-gallon fuel tank, some feature that allowed it to turn a tighter circle, a 450 horsepower engine (I had heard that you should get at least a 350 for better mountain climbing), and a tag axle.  As far as axles go, the front axle does the steering, the middle axle has dual tires on each side and is called the drive axle (because that's the one that the engine powers) and the back one, if present, is the tag axle.  The tag axle is there to support additional weight and is often added to RV's that are longer than 40 feet.

The motorhome we selected uses a Freightliner chassis.  When we were at the 2015 Tampa RV show, Freightliner had a tent with a chassis on display.  We went over to look at it and I was amazed at its size.  Standing at one end of it looking all the way down the rail...wow.  The tires were huge and the tanks looked small (a 150 gas tank really doesn't look that big).  As wee asked questions about the one we were looking at, the Freightliner rep asked us what motorhome we were getting.  When we told him, he smiled and said that the chassis we were leaning against was the exact same one used to build our RV.  We wanted to learn more, and they didn't let us down.  Not only did they answer all of our questions, but we were told about "Camp Freightliner".  It's a two-day workshop in South Carolina where you go to learn all about your chassis.  You learn about tires, maintaining correct tire pressure, batteries, engine basics, and a lot more.  My wife said she wanted to go before I even had a chance to tell her I wanted to go.  We'll probably go sometime next year.  Learn about Camp Freightliner

External Features

Outside of the RV, we wanted a lot of storage.  Every experienced RVer out there (especially the full-timers) will tell you how important it is to have a lot of storage.  I've been surprised more than once to see someone do their laundry at the camp laundromat even though they had washer/dryer hookups in their RV. Why?  They wanted the space for storage.  Storage is important, and the more the merrier.

There are other outside features that we wanted besides storage.  Having some of these seemed to be a necessity, while others were just on our wish list:

• A nice awning that automatically retracts
• Ample lighting, especially for backing up into a parking space (these are often called docking lights)
• LED lighting under the awning (more common now that LED lighting costs have dropped)
• Easy-to-lock storage compartments.  Some RVs allow electronic locking so that you can lock everything at once.
• Extra outlets in compartments on the passenger side.  When you're sitting under the awning, you may need power for tools or to charge your devices.
• An outside TV
• Power reels to help reel the power cord and water hose back into the RV after they have been used
• Side cameras.  Most RVs now come with a backup camera, but side cameras allow you to see the sides before you change lanes or turn.
• Awnings over the driver-side windows.  I saw a video where a guy measured the temparature of a window before and after an awning was put over it.  It was about a 15 degree difference.
• A generator that's powerful enough to run all of the RV's air conditioning units.
• Instant hot water instead of a hot water tank.  With these devices, you'll never run out of hot water.

There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to the outside of the RV.  We looked a lot and found most of what we wanted.

Up next:  Choosing a Manufacturer

The Floorplan

Coming up with a floorplan we liked involved a lot of discussion.  There are so many options that two people could talk about it for a year before coming to an agreement.  Compromises must be made, and priorities set by each person.

The best way to decide what you want is to get out there and look at a bunch of RVs, see what you like, talk about it and then make your decision.  Yea, I know that's just common sense.  But I think a lot of people just sit and look at floor plans and think they know what they want without even walking through some real RVs.

In our first discussions, some things quickly became priorities.  A king size bed was one of them.  We have always had one and can't imagine getting anything smaller.  It had to have a nice dinette, lots of TVs, and a comfortable bathroom with a reasonably-sized shower.  We have loved having houses that had open floor plans, so it was important to us that the RV didn't have hallways and narrow walking spaces.  Having rented and walked through a lot of RVs, we knew how size-limited they were.  But knowing our priorities meant that we could look at them with a more critical eye, and begin to focus on other things besides our basic requirements.

One of the key things in selecting a floor plan is how many people will be living in the RV and how many sleeping spaces you'll need.  If you're going to get a motorhome and you have three children, you'll probably want to get a "bunkhouse" model that has bunk beds.  If there are just one or two of you, there might be more interest in things like a basement refrigerator, a space to play cards with visitors, or a place that you can use for an office or craft area.

As we looked at more and more motorhomes, we begin to see things that we liked and added them to our wish list for that "perfect" RV.  Examples of things like this include a recliners, a bath and a half, day/night window shades, and a washer/dryer.

We knew what kind of floor plan we liked and models from several manufacturers met almost all of our criteria.  But that's just the inside.   Next up:  the chassis and external features.