Newmar Baystar 3014 – 1-Year Review (1 of 3)

A little over a year has passed since we purchase our Big Blue Box, a 2023 Newmar Baystar 3014. It is our third motorhome, after our Big White Box (2013 Winnebago Sunstar 26HE) and Big Silver Box (2017 Winnebago Adventurer 35P), and by far our favorite.

The Baystar 3014 is just the right size for our adventures. We can go anywhere from a week to two months and feel comfortable and confidant in our motorhome. We have traveled only an hour away to the ocean, and as far as Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, 1200 miles away. For it’s size, it’s drive is comparable in comfort to our Honda CRV, and when in camp, seems just as big inside as the Adventurer 35P we traded it in for.

This wasn’t our first rodeo, so we knew what to expect when purchasing a new RV. However, it was our first Newmar, so we still made some rookie mistakes along the way. Most of it was with our dealer, and finding out things particular to owning a Newmar that we didn’t expect. I’ll get into all of that.

In fact, this review will take three posts to cover everything.

• First, I want to explain why we love our Baystar and discuss what we’ve done to improve several of the systems.
• Then I’ll circle back to the delivery experience and warranty issues we’ve had to date. 
• Finally, I’ll list several things we learned about Newmar Baystar’s in the last year. This is a long list and should generate some healthy discussion!

Would we get another one? Absolutely!

Why we love our 2023 Newmar Baystar 3014

We initially planned to purchase a diesel pusher (DP) this time around, but as we got nearer to the decision, we realized we didn’t want a larger motorhome, but a smaller one! In fact, there were no DPs made under 35 feet with a 7 foot ceiling (also a requirement). That shifted our thinking to buying the best gas motorhome we could buy. The difference in price would also allow me to modify it just the way I wanted to enjoy our travels over the next ten years. That also sounded like a lot of fun!

The choice came down to Tiffin or Newmar, as Winnebago had left the high end gas market. However, the shortest Tiffin we could get, the Open Road 32SA, was actually 34 feet long, per the spec sheet, so we focused on Newmar for their wide range of floor plans.

The Baystar 3014 immediately caught our eye, as the floor plan was similar to our current motorhome. We loved the large living area of our current motorhome, but did not like the added length due to so much unneeded storage space. Everyone has different priorities, but we had many unused cabinets and closets in the Adventurer.

The Baystar was also completely remodeled for the 2023 model year, and I really liked most of the changes. Particularly, the heavier 24,000 pound chassis, higher 7 foot ceiling, fiberglass roof, CarPlay stereo, matrix system (with a 10” control panel for lighting, tanks, battery, HVAC, and Automatic Generator Start). This is all described in detail with video on this blog post, Meet our new Baystar!

Meet our new Bay Star!

We found that Newmar builds all their motorhomes in the same factory with the same process. Ours could have been going down the assembly line next to a $2M MountainAire! Because of that, the Baystar line shares some of same qualities as their larger cousins. Here’s a few of the reasons we chose a Newmar motorhome, and after a year of using the coach monthly for trips ranging from 2 days to 2 months, I have verified it all to still be valid.

How Newmar Baystar stands out from the competition

• Overall build quality is better than competition. It just seems sturdier and more solid than our last two motorhomes. One reason is that they use real metal studs 16 inches on center throughout the exterior walls, ceiling, and floor. Most manufacturers use pressed walls with a styrofoam center glued and pressed to the inner and outer wall, with metal added as needed for strength. Another example is the slides. Newmar invented motorhome slides and ours was built in-house with their patented design. It has stood the test of time and has reduced the “slide anxiety” I had with the previous motorhomes. With good maintenance, these will last as long as we own the motorhome.
• Insulation is great. Newmar uses real batten insulation in the walls, floor, and roof, in addition to the styrofoam most manufacturers use. Its like adding an extra blanket on your bed, and makes it easier to keep the motorhome warm or cold. You also don’t hear outside noises (e.g., birds walking on roof, vehicles, rain, etc.) as much. Because the AC is ducted inside the roof, it also makes for a much quieter air conditioner.
• Exterior painting is beautiful. We love the beautiful, smooth paint job every Newmar has. It’s glossy and reflective and smooth! However, because of this, it may be easier to see imperfections. I would prefer a harder paint that is less easy to scratch, even if it wasn’t as glossy smooth.
• Customer service is head and shoulders above. When you have a new motorhome, it’s not a matter of if, but when, you will need help with some system. Newmar gives you an 800 number to call, like other manufacturers do, but I have found them to be much more responsive. I’ve called or emailed on the weekends and in the evening and have always received a response within a few hours, either providing instructions or sending a part. One time, over the weekend, a rep called me back to help me through an issue with my inverter. Another time, the rep called the step manufacturer to resolve an issue on my behalf. In addition to the 800 number backed up by real technicians, they also have a mobile service called NewServe, in Florida, Arizona, and California. Newserve is staffed by Newmar employees and can complete most repairs and maintenance right at your campsite. I can understand this service for really expensive motorhomes. I was pleasantly surprised that they offer this for their Baystar line, as well!
• Newmar holds value better than other brands. When I sell, I expect to get a little more for my motorhome, due to the quality reputation the brand has.
• Owners seem more satisfied overall. I have participated in Newmar boards on irV2.com and Facebook, and overall the satisfaction of Newmar owners seem higher overall. I mean, all motorhome manufacturers need to improve in many ways, and Newmar has clung onto some old manufacturing techniques that need to be updated. However, because Newmar backs up a higher quality build with excellent customer service, owners seem to be happier overall, compared to other manufacturers. 

What we’ve done to Improve our Baystar

• Liquid Springs Suspension. The week after we brought our Baystar home it was in the shop getting Liquid Spring Suspension (LS) installed by DZ Services (which I highly recommend) in Sacramento. After test driving a motorhome with LS, we were that confidant in how it would improve our drive. When you have a motorhome, the journey to the destination is half the fun and adventure. LS has lived up to the hype, making our drives more pleasant, enjoyable, and less tiresome. Bridges, overpasses, and railroad tracks are driven over with confidence, and we end the day with energy to spare at our destination. We detailed our install here in the post Smoothing the Journey with Liquid Spring Smart Suspension.

Smoothing the Journey with Liquid Spring Smart Suspension

• Solar and Lithium Batteries. Newmar does not provide an option for solar or lithium batteries for their Baystar line, so about 6-months after our purchase, we drove to Eugene Oregon to have AM Solar (UPDATE: Sadly, AM Solar went out of business June 2024) install a system in their nearby facility. They were a great organization to work with, discussing with me in detail my requirements and proposing the best options for upgrading my system. Newmar strangely stores the house batteries in two compartments (4 in a basement compartment and 2 under the hood), but AM Solar sorted that out and the end result is a beautiful installation that looks like it came from the factory. We no longer worry about power when we dry camp, and doubling the power at half the weight has been good!

Solar and Battery Installation (158-159)

• Safe-T-Plus Steering Stabilizer. This system was installed in Grants Pass Oregon by Henderson’s Lineup (which I highly recommend). Liquid Springs builds a connector specifically for Safe-T-Plus into their product, so its a no-brainer to add. It adds a level of safety in a blowout and improves steering all the time, making it more stable.  
• Proteng Fire Suppression. This was installed in the heater and water heater compartments by NIRVC (which I highly recommend). Proteng is an unobtrusive tube that will automatically provide suppression where needed as an area gets too hot. It was first used in racing cars, and is tried and proven technology. Here is a link to Proteng.
• Rettroband Run Flat. This will actually be installed by NIRVC next month, but I’ll include it for completeness. Its a run flat system installed on your front tires, which allows you to remain in control should a blowout happen. As we age, we have given priority to safety systems. It never hurts to have a little extra help. Here is a link to Rettroband.
• Ceramic coating. While at NIRVC for some body work last year (here is a link to When Bad Things Happen to Good RV’s), I decided to add ceramic coating. They spent 30 hours preparing the motorhome by buffing out some of the swirls (I wish they would have been more thorough, but they totally squeezed us in during a very busy time), then applied ceramic coating. It has made washing the motorhome after a days drive much easier and it looks mawww-vel-ous. Why did I have swirls in the paint? I’ll go into that more when I discuss dealer prep in the next post.
• Digital TV antenna. When we purchased the motorhome, it had a crank-up style antenna (really Newmar?!). NIRVC (which I highly recommend) changed this out for a KING digital antenna that doesn’t take up much roof space. It works well, about the same as the original, but we hardly ever watch over the air TV, anyway.
• Fantastic Fan vent covers. The vent covers allow the vents to be open in the rain, which is a nice option to have.
• Bluetooth for Xantrex Inverter/charger. The model installed by Newmar did not have the bluetooth option for some reason (really Newmar?!). It was just a plug and play swap of the control panel, which was super easy, even for me!
• Important Accessories. Here’s a few accessories that we either moved from our old motorhome or bought new for the Baystar. I consider each of these essential to good and safe travel.
  • Dash Cam. There are a lot of crazy drivers out there and the Garmin dash cam helps us record any issue in front of us.
  • Supplemental Brake Controller and TPMS. We tow our 2014 Honda CRV, and use the RVi supplemental braking system and TPMS. While I love the brake controller, the router is not strong enough to consistently pick up the signal from all tires, and many times will temporarily drop a signal on a trip. The tire sensor batteries are also not user replaceable, so you have to order new ones when the batteries die. They replace them at cost ($16 each), but its still a lot more than a battery! Great idea, but needs better engineering.
  • Router and Apple TV. We stream everything, and love the AppleTV interface. The motorhome is wired so we only need one AppleTV to stream to all TV’s. We use the NetHawk Mobile router with AT&T to provide internet to the whole motorhome. It’s amazing how many gadgets need wifi these days! I’ll be upgrading the router soon to 5G.
  • Security System and Systems Monitor. We use Canary as our motorhome security system. It is inexpensive to purchase and has no monthly fees, but includes a great camera, microphone, temperature, and air quality readings that you can monitor from anywhere. We use it to monitor the dog when camping, and for a security monitor when in storage. We love how it turns on and off automatically. We use RV Whisperer for our systems monitor. RV Whisperer works with many manufacturers, so we can monitor temperature in the fridge, basement compartments, etc, the status of the battery, and also the power connection. I like getting alerts if the power goes out while in storage, if the battery state of charge goes too low, and if the fridge temp gets out of range. There is a small annual fee for the service.
  • SnapPads. We have had RV SnapPads on all three of our motorhomes, and it makes setting up camp that much easier, sine we don’t ever have to place pads under the jacks based on the ground surface.
  • 3 Stage water filter. We use tank water for everything from cooking to drinking to bathing. Having a pristine tank thats safe to drink is made possible by our 3-stage filter from BluTechnology. It’s also smaller than most and easily fits into the compartment. While I still disinfect the tank annually, this keep it pristine during the year.
  • Water pump controller. IRVWPC makes a great addition to the water pump. It basically makes the existing pump a variable speed pump, which quiets it down under most conditions, and adds several safety features that will prevents leaks or breaks from turning into expensive nightmares.

So that’s our Newmar Baystar 3014 setup! You can see that its one sweet ride! We have enjoyed about 14,000 miles of travel in her so far, and many more trips planned in the future. Of course, you can read about any number of our adventures in the last year right in this blog!

We hope you enjoyed this segment of our 1-year review, and in the next week or so I’ll post about the delivery process and warranty issues we’ve had in the last year. While the number I’ll share may seem high, there have been no major issues, and none that have kept us from enjoying our first year. I’ll also go a little into finding a good network of repair shops and how important this is to good RVing.

Take care!

Al & Deb

Newmar Baystar 3014 – 1-Year Review (2 of 3)