Better Windows

[Freespool]

I just read a couple window articles, one from Duncan and one from Mike. Unfortunately I had trouble logging on to those articles and I had something to say, hence the reason for the brief post.

We all know how important window are and after reading both articles I agree windows have gotten better but there is still room for improvement. Thankfully Rex over at Northstar is in agreement with many of us. For those of you who are interested in new information go to TCM and then click on the STC review. When you scroll down to the bottom of the post you will be able to click on a new review introducing the new SS model. There is new information on windows that are now being used by Northstar. The quality sounds better and the screens are finer. New interior colors are also heading are way.

[ardvark]

Have those spiffy new windows. Require care when retracting or shade wrinkles up. Still don’t get the attraction of a window that requires raising the screen to close the window and easily scratches. Guess I am odd man out but seems like eye candy to me. If this is progress count me out. With glass windows if one broke, I could pull it and get glass replaced for under $20 and reinstall. Could get it fixed anywhere in a day. Try that with these. I’m just getting too old for all this progress. 🙂

Steve and Andra
2012 F350 6.2 gasser SRW LB
Fab Fours front and rear in case we run into a rhino
2019 Northstar Laredo SC

[Freespool]

That sounds a little disappointing. I must say you and I think the same way. The article made them sound much more desirable. Maybe if Rex gets more feed back like yours he will continue to search for a better product. What concerns me the most is these window are new to Northstar and they will be used in all there campers until something better comes along and who knows when that might be.

My overall pick for my retirement TC is the STC, my only real concern has been the non conventional dinette now it sounds like I can add windows to my concern list.

[ardvark]

My wife and I like NorthStar as obviously we have one, however there are no perfect RVs. When it comes to marketing, I think Rex could sell snow cones in the Arctic. One of the things I am curious about is they have been advertising for dealers in the last two issues of RV Business yet the wait from date ordered to date received already means waiting months. How is that going to work if orders increase?

There were several small problems with our camper, none of which were hard to fix, but shouldn’t have been and NorthStar has very few dealerships. No problem there, but if you call the factory number you got a recording that gave the sales manager’s number for sales and said to call the dealer for service. That just is not the best way to handle things in my opinion. I think it is fine when RV manufacturers want to imitate automotive manufacturers, but after decades and thousands of RVs, the biggest players in the RV industry are just getting to that point.

If I was not handy, the first time we camped with ours it would have required a 250 miles trek back the dealership. Now I know Northstar would say that was because the dealer didn’t do a good enough job on the Predelivery Inspection, but what tech would think to make sure the dead bolt worked so you could lock the door from the inside? Ours did not because the striker plate was mounted too high. That’s on the factory and the door distributor.

I would encourage NorthStar to do what many many RV manufacturers have done for years which is to also make service available at the factory. It is a heck of a marketing tool and really builds customer loyalty! They might even think of holding a “Homecoming” annually.

So in the end my wife and I like our NorthStar and would buy a NorthStar again, but expecting perfection is probably not realistic in my opinion.

Steve and Andra
2012 F350 6.2 gasser SRW LB
Fab Fours front and rear in case we run into a rhino
2019 Northstar Laredo SC

[Jefe4x4]

Ardvark,
I hear your concerns. This is why it is not a bad idea to buy a slightly used camper. Hopefully, all the bugs are ironed out by the original owner so you don’t have to go through the ‘period of adjustment’. This is what we did the first time in 2001; but we got very lucky. We got 18 years, and hundreds of nights out of a $6500 camper that we still like. The problem was finding a used Northstar Laredo SC SB that check all our boxes. Not going to happen. So i was happy when the folks at Northstar agreed to my strange wishes; basically a stripped model with all season insulation and the few appliances with a good track record\: fewer perforations of the epidermis to eventually leak. Almost all the weight down low.
When we pick up the new Laredo SC in Sept. I hope we can park on the premises a day or two to load all our goods and familiarize ourselves with, and try every system enough to find any flaws.
jefe

2020 Ford F-350 XLT FX4 4WD SRW SB SC 7.3L Godzilla Gas TorqShift 10R140 397 amps dual Alt dual batts Frnt Dana 60; Rr Dana M275 E-locker 4.30's 4580/4320/4066# payload 7243# curb wt. 11,300# GVWR 5-er prepped. 2020 Northstar Laredo SC, 12v compressor fridge, cassette, 320w Solar sub zero insulation.

[ardvark]

I absolutely agree “used” is the way to go, but as you note, tracking down a used Northstar or a Northern Light for that matter is like hunting for a unicorn. We searched for three years while continuing to use the 04 Hallmark that we bought used and are now getting ready to sell. And we searched almost the entire United States and Northstar dealers. A couple of times used ones sold while I was literally on the phone with the owner. The few that didn’t sell quickly had water damage and I was not in the mood to do a major rebuilt.

Over that time the Northstar sales manager and I emailed back and forth several times and I also spoke with him on the phone. We ended up buying new when dealers restocked in the winter. It was either that or wait 6 months.

And yeah, we have a lot of stuff on it we would never have wanted like that huge hail damage prone ceiling vent over the bed, a microwave, and a lot of other options. On the other hand, I also found quite a difference in selling price between dealers, so we got everything for what one dealer wanted for strippers. Again, the price you pay is the price you pay and everyone says they got a good deal when they buy, so we are no exception there.

As I said earlier, our Northstar is not perfect. We hate the cassette toilet. It may be great when you are in the West, but here in the East try hitting that little hole at your campsite when it’s time to dump (and we don’t have the vast wilderness of the West) is a mess waiting to happen. All-in-all I think Northstars are very reasonable choices at their price point.

So soon we will be in Minnesota, then the Oshkosh air show before winding our way up into New Hanpshire and Maine for summer/early fall.

Hope to see you on the road,

Steve

Steve and Andra
2012 F350 6.2 gasser SRW LB
Fab Fours front and rear in case we run into a rhino
2019 Northstar Laredo SC

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