Tag Archives: paint

How To

How To choose your Newmar Custom Colors – Part 2

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In my prior post, I discussed the option of custom ordering your Newmar coach. I am going to discuss how I use Adobe Illustrator to customize the prints as an aid in choosing my colors.

Assumptions:

  • Adobe Illustrator for Windows. Mac may be slightly different.
  • A dealer provided print for your year, model and floorplan

I have provided a sample dealer template for a 2022 Dutch Star

Starting with original pdf named “2022-RB-DSDP-Template.PDF”.

  • Open in Illustrator
  • From Window menu select “Layers” – it may be already selected. Needs to have a checkmark
  • From same windows menu, select “Swatches” so it is check marked.
  • Open Layers Tab, and expand graphics
    • You will see 3 sections, Front, Rear, Side. Expand Side
    • There are 4 groups. Click the “eye” symbol on the left to turn the group on or off, to help identify the group you are on.
    • Top group is the skin. Highlight this group as shown in picture above
    • In the swatches, you will see that the “eggshell” is highlighted once you have the selection above
  • Click on a new color from the list. This will change the color.
  • Repeat this for each of the “groups”
  • Advanced Selection to make it easier
    • After you select the side graphics from step 4, expand out “front Graphic”.
    • Press “Ctrl” and click the circle to the right of the group. This adds the front graphic to the side graphic
    • Expand Rear Graphic, and again, press CTRL and click the circle to the right of the group for the skin.
    • Next You will see 5 groups under the graphics that are not labeled. As you expand them, there will be a sub-group and then a text. Find the one that matches “SKIN:” and add that to the selection using ctrl-click on the circle to right of group
  • This will now allow you to change all the colors at the same time.

    Repeat this for each of the 4 groups. Before you start another group, go to the menu “select” and choose “Deselect”. This will let you start from scratch.
  • To add colors, you first need the color code you want to add.
    • Open one of the PDFs you found with a color you like in illustrator.
    • note: always import range page 1-1 when opening. This is the default
    • you may get errors, you can ignore by choosing “OK” or “Close”
    • Choose the eyedropper tool by pressing “I” on the keyboard, or clicking this icon on the tool menu
    • Go to window and choose color to open the color tool bar
    • Now move the eyedropper over the color you want to match. This is best done on the side view image.
    • My example was sampling what Newmar calls “64147A SALSA RED PEARL”. I have this view:
       
    • The 4 % values are what you are after.  Make note of these values
    • Return to your main document, and go to Color tool as shown in the above image.
    • Your color will have changed to another value. Update the 4% values to match what you documented in step 4.
    • Drag the color from the square shown below and place it on your swatches group, anywhere you like
  • You should end up with a name like shown below, with your different % values and a preview of the color. Double Left click this value and put in the name the way Newmar labeled it.
Customizations, How To

How To choose your Newmar Custom Colors – Part 1

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I have custom ordered 3 Newmar RV’s, and each of them had a custom paint scheme. Newmar is one of the only manufacturers that will allow you to customize your coach color on a factory build. The only aspect they will not allow you to change is the graphic design. They will allow you to choose any color you want for each component of the graphic.

The process can be very frustrating if you do this with your dealer, as they have to go to Newmar and request prints, and the final print will be a computer representation that is close the the actual, but in some cases very different.

For example, compare the Newmar print of my 2019 DSDP 4369 to the actual here:

2019 DSDP 4369 Newmar Custom Paint Print
Finished Color

From the print, it is not possible to see the metallic or depth of the color. The Marina Black that I chose for pathway C has a lot of depth to it, and can look different with the sun. Here is another closeup of the paint

Understanding the limitations of the print is very important. I spent time looking at coaches that had similar colors when making my decision, which your salesperson can help you with. I based my color scheme off a 2018 London Aire caprice which used the same colors I chose in a different pattern. Here is the image my dealer sent me of the caprice paint scheme

In the Dutch star there are 4 colors you can choose. The Skin, which is the base color of the coach, and then 3 pathways labeled A, B, and C. I have seen some coaches choose to make more than one of the colors the same, and alter the overall appearance of the graphic. There are even a few that choose to go with solid colors, and choose the same color for all 4 paths.

In my next post I will detail how I use Adobe Illustrator to customize the print to help find the perfect color options.

Maintenance & Repair, Quality Control

2019 Newmar Dutch Star – Paint Correction & Ceramic Coating

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Newmar performs a cut and buff paint finish on all Dutch star and higher coaches. The problem with their process is the quality is not consistent.

My rv had a terrible cut and buff job. Every panel and every color had terrible swirl Marks. These are only visible with direct light, but when they show, it looks terrible.

I have a crew out working on the paint correction, and then will be applying CeramicPro PH9 to the rv in multiple coats.

Close up of paint prior to correction – View 1
Close up of paint prior to correction – View 2
Close up of paint after correction – View 1
Close up of paint after correction – View 2

I am not exaggerating when I say the entire coach looked like the pictures shown.

This is a direct result of the soft clearcoat and the rushed polish process. While at camp newmar, I saw a brand new 2019 king aire, and it was just as bad.

Newmar has too many unskilled laborers working in the paint process. I know they have some really good people there too, and I am sure that they are frustrated.

I also question the Newmar wash method. They do not have a 2 bucket rinse or a grit guard, they just grab the lambs wool and wash. The lambs wool becomes contaminated during the wash of a single coach.

Swirl Marks are in most factory paint jobs to some degree. Both of my BMW’S have factory swirl Marks. Once you see the swirls, you will never unsee them.

You have to get the angle just right in direct light to find them. Some will look like spider web, others are circular. The circular is from using the wrong tool to polish. Spider web could be from washing or the plastic protector they use when shipping. Most dealerships cannot repair this.

This is not a new problem, but it is the reason why Newmars cut and buff was a separator in the industry.

Once they brought the process to the Dutch Star, it became less valuable. They produce too many to do it properly.

I have never seen a description of what they do for cut and buff, and how many layers, not what their tolerance for imperfections per square inch is. I have to assume this process is nothing like the King Aire was in 2013.

Today’s King Aire does not look as good as they used to, but they can all be saved with paint correction.

I guarantee every motorhome has the issues I have shown. If you question it, you need to look at it from many angles with the sun on it, and at different distances.

Once you see it, you will never unsee it. Similar to the Jesus wood carving that traces the opposite of the letters. Hard to see at first.

I am a perfectionist when it comes to paint detail. I didn’t save my 2013 in time, and don’t want to live with a coach for 5 years that has these swirls.