we have a dream

frenchdreamer · 12-16-2011, 04:10 PM

Hello to all of you. Cathy and me (philippe) are a French couple (sorry for my english) and we consider to buy a Newell this summer (may be a 2003 or 2004 model). We had already travel in your country several times and we like it so much that we want to travel round USA for the next 5 or 6 years. We want to buy a Newell because it seems that they are the best motorhome in USA. And we love their "look".
We own an RV in France, a very nice one for european but not as nice as a Newell and much more smallier ( 12.000 lbs, 28 feet).
So we dream about your Newells RV and hope to reach your country this summer, travelling all around USA, meeting some of you (if you do not care about garlic....I am kidding).
Sincerly frendly.
Philippe and Cathy.
PS: I post another message because I have a lot of questions about RV in USA, if you could help us to prepare this big change in our life, it should be great. Thank you by advance.

MarkofSJC · 12-16-2011, 04:29 PM

Seasons Greeting and a warm welcome to Philippe & Cathy!
What an exciting adventure, and I agree a Newell is the way to maximize your enjoyment of all the wonders you'll experience! On of my former clients is the largest garlic grower in the U.S., so no worries here!
You will find this board to be incredibly friendly and helpful (I know, I've asked about a million questions). You may want to see if a question you have has been previously asked, using the "search" function. I also found it fastinating to just sit down and read through all the posts in various areas of interest.
Cheers!
Mark in CA

chockwald · 12-16-2011, 04:52 PM

Hello Philippe and Cathy! Welcome to our Newell family. We wish you good fortune in finding your Newell to travel. We, too, will be embarking on a multi year odyssey traveling the length and breadth of this amazing country. We hope to meet you on the road. Our journey begins this February.

frenchdreamer · 12-16-2011, 04:53 PM

Thank you very much Mark for your frendly welcome to Cathy and me. I have already saw a lot of post in this forum but I still have some questions about the Newell and the way of RV's life in your country (RV way of loife is very different in Europe). But I do not know in which kind of discussion I must post my questions (for exemple what is the annual cost of maintenance of a Newell which is 8 years old and well maintened, I mean oil, tires, if we travel 10.000 miles a year). How much miles by gallon of gaz? What is the life span of the batteries if they are well maintenaned?
Is there some resctrictions of towing a car (like a jeep) with a Newell of 45 ft in some states?
Sorry for all these silly questions, but I have to manage this very big change in our life and I have to prepare my budget for that.
I already know the price for insurance for a non-resident in USA, the price of campground and of course the rpice of a Newell...but as we say in france " when you love you do not count" .

rheavn · 12-16-2011, 05:25 PM

Phillippe & Cathy,
Wecome to the forum. You will find many people on the forum that have many years experience traveling the US and many years experience with Newells. You will also find people who will go out of their ways to provide any needed help. You must remember every one here started out just like you, so there are no stupid questions.

As far as where to post a question, go down the forum topics and pick the category that your question would best fit. If none of the categories fit your question use "general discussion".

Good luck in your very exciting search for YOUR Newell. Just remember no two Newells are the same.

See you down the road.......................

lbrachfe · 12-17-2011, 12:09 AM

We look forward to you both joining us all on the road in our Newells. We have a 2003 and you could spend about $5000 a year for fixed maint. Repairs are not included. We have a Det 60 , 505hp and get approx 7 miles per gallon and diesel is anywhere from $3.60 to $4.10 around the USA the past year and we have been everywhere but the Northeast and Northwest the past year. Your eight 8d batteries (not AGM) will last from 2 to 6 years or more depending on how you keep the water levels, if you use a "Power Pulse", clean regulary,etc. No real restrictions on tow vehicle except in CA stay under 70 feet total length to avoid citation. Go to the "introduce yourself" forum and post your progress.
Good Luck.

larryweikart · 12-17-2011, 01:35 PM

Hello Philippe and Cathy! It amazes me how some are fortunate enough to find the "best" Coach in the world on their first experience. I have been enjoying motor home travels since 1978, having logged over 600,000 miles (most in the U.S., but also in Europe and Japan) and have owned our 1994 Newell since 1999. We are in the auto racing hospitality business and we are involved with the 24hrs of LeMans. If you find yourself in that area during race time we could visit and I could share some thoughts and experiences with you. As you probably know, that race is always in June and we will be there next year for most of the month.

frenchdreamer · 12-19-2011, 07:36 AM

waooo...!!! This site is very frendly and helpfull. Thank you all for the way you welcome us. (I am not shure this sentence is vey good english).
Just a précision, it si not or fisrt expérience in traveling in RV. We have been travelling in RV during 30 years in Europe and are owners of a Notin 2007. But we are not so fortunate as it seems, we just love nice RV and do or possible to buy one which is a preowned. It is the reason we need to know as well as possible what is the cost of maintenance for a Newell by year.

rheavn · 12-19-2011, 10:56 AM

Phillippe & Cathy,
I'll try & answer your cost of maintenance question. First of all I do 90% of the maintenance myself, so my labor costs are lower than some one who has a shop do the work. In figuring my maintenance costs I included coach drivetrain and suspension system, genset and all house systems. I have owned my Newell for just under 2 years and traveled about 26,000 miles. My cost per year is running about $2,500 a year. Now remember when you first get a coach there may be some "wants" that are not included in maintenance costs....ie I updated satellite system, new steps, etc.

I purchased my coach from a private party so I accepted all repair costs--no warranty. Now if you purchase a used coach from Newell, that is within eight model years, the coach would come with a 2 year, 24,000 mile warranty.

Hope this helps............................

frenchdreamer · 12-19-2011, 03:06 PM

Hello Steve and Suzy,
thank you so much for helping us. I purchase to buy this Newell at the factory and get the 2 years warranty and have provided a bidget to upgrade the coach and make some changes. I will choose thoses changes functions of the prices and hope they will be in my provided budget for that.
For the maintenance, as we would have a lot of free time, I also think that I will maintain a lot of things by myself. I am smiling because I am not a very good mechanist, but I will learn...I HOPE.
If you come in France, Cathy and me will be very happy to receive you at home, we live in southwest of France...wines and restaurants are very good and a lot of things to see (mountains, sea, castles, forest....)
I also hope to meet you when we'll come in USA...we dream about it!!!!!
Sincerly friendly.
Philippe and Cathy

folivier · 12-19-2011, 05:28 PM

Welcome! You've found a great place to learn about Newells. The guys here have helped me and I've found friends here also.
I'm sending you a pm (private message).
Forest