Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-10-2017, 10:01 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
caswelld's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Smoky Mountains
Posts: 553
First Impression of 2018 Isata 3 24FW cockpit & handling

These are first impressions of the Isata 3 on a trip from Columbus, OH to northern Arkansas. The temps ranged from 30-50 degrees, weather from heavy snow to clear & sunny, and calm to gusty conditions. I hope this is helpful to those considering an Isata 3

For those who have operated any Ford motorhome chassis you’re in for a treat. This unit has the Helwig sway bar and Bilstein rear shocks that are standard from Dynamax. Driving in crosswinds of 15-20 MPH it was surprising how well it handled. There was little to no correction needed. It was similar for the push of a passing 18 wheeler, often no steering wheel input was required. All this was experienced in cross winds at various angles and velocities.

The driving experience was more like that of a large SUV than a MH. The ride was excellent even over bridge & highway expansion joints, highway noise was minimal. While there was some slight wind noise at highway speeds, the cab was comfortable and quiet. Using the dead bolt lock on the side entrance door reduced the wind noise. Acceleration was adequate towing a 2500 lbs Fiat 500. Actually, I hardly knew it was back there. Power seemed adequate, but we probably didn't encounter any uphill grade of more than 4%. There was virtually no engine noise and transmission shifts were hardly noticeable. The turning radius was good making maneuvering around gas stations relatively easy.

The side to side roll experienced when exiting a gas station was hardly noticeable at walking speeds, but was more pronounced at 10-15 mph. Right now, I don’t think Sumos would be a necessary addition.

The cockpit itself was very comfortable & roomy. The seats have 4 way manual adjustments with excellent leg room (I’m 6’ 2”) and a nice adjustable lumbar support. If you drive with the seat all the back, be sure to move it forward before extending the slide. A warning printed on a clear plastic flip-cover over the slide controls would be a welcome addition. The Mercedes heating and A/C controls are not as intuitive as most vehicles & required a quick look in the manual to understand the knobology. We didn’t use the A/C, but the heater kept the entire MH comfortable going down the road at temperatures in the low 30s. The cruise control system is excellent & intuitive. The several storage cubbies around the cockpit were a nice surprise.

We ordered 3 options for the cockpit, the Mobileye Drive assist, Remis Shades, and the 9” Xite Infotainment/GPS. The Mobileye is excellent and I unintentionally tested most of the modes during our trip back to Arkansas. I really like it. Here is a video that shows its features.

The Remis integrated shades are really nice & they look neat. Storage in the Isata 3 FW is limited, so having the cockpit shades remain on the windows is a big plus. They worked flawlessly covering all the front & side cockpit windows. There is a picture of the side window shade below.


The Xite 9” Infotainment/GPS has a wonderful hi-def display. Everything is visible at a glance. The MH cameras show a large clear picture. The system itself is mostly intuitive, but we have a couple of issues. There is no AM band reception, just static. FM, Blue Tooth, and the GPS work well. We haven’t tried the Sirius Radio yet. We experienced a software issue regarding the proper switching of the MH cameras that is discussed in another thread. There are advantages to a stand-alone GPS one should consider before opting for this Xite system. However, when we get the bugs worked out we will be very happy with it, especially the 9” screen.

In our opinion, the overall comfort, ride and handling were excellent for an 11,000 lbs motor home. Having just down-sized from a 37’ class A, there is one word to describe the handling of the Isata 3 – smooth. Dynamax has stolen a march on the competition in this area. Most other manufacturers don’t seem to know that the Sprinter chassis needs some help.

Happy camping

Dave
Attached Images
 
__________________
Dave & Julie - Motorhomeless for a while!
SOLD 2018 Isata-3 24FW - Invisibrake/Roadmaster Falcon All-Terrain Tow Bar/2019 Wrangler Sport S 2.0 Turbo
SOLD 2015 Tiffin Allegro 36LA/2014 Wrangler Sahara Unlimited
caswelld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2017, 10:28 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Sandiegodoug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: San Diego
Posts: 1,074
I added the sumo’s
I think the rear ones really stabilized the unit, and it’s about a 5 minute install.
Sandiegodoug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2017, 10:35 AM   #3
Member
 
Fireplaceman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 31
Were the 3 cockpit options after market or did the factory put them on for you?
Fireplaceman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2017, 10:40 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
caswelld's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Smoky Mountains
Posts: 553
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fireplaceman View Post
Were the 3 cockpit options after market or did the factory put them on for you?
They were factory installed by Dynamax.
__________________
Dave & Julie - Motorhomeless for a while!
SOLD 2018 Isata-3 24FW - Invisibrake/Roadmaster Falcon All-Terrain Tow Bar/2019 Wrangler Sport S 2.0 Turbo
SOLD 2015 Tiffin Allegro 36LA/2014 Wrangler Sahara Unlimited
caswelld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2017, 10:57 AM   #5
Member
 
Fireplaceman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 31
Thanks. We take delivery of ours in January-February. Was not aware of these options.
Fireplaceman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2017, 01:41 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 333
I am really tempted to get the Bilstein rear shocks; glad to hear that the ride is now better.
RolandRevenger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2017, 01:59 PM   #7
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 98
How much did the bilsteins cost from Dynamax? We also installed Sumos all the way around, made a big difference
ACMN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-10-2017, 10:35 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
caswelld's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Smoky Mountains
Posts: 553
Quote:
Originally Posted by ACMN View Post
How much did the bilsteins cost from Dynamax? We also installed Sumos all the way around, made a big difference


I think the Bilsteins are standard from now on. Sumos are a great product, had them on the class A. Even with a well behaved coach there’s always room for ride and handling improvement.

I would like to see what kind of improvement adding Sumos would make. Seems like I saw a Sprinter handling package advertised that had the Helwig, Bilsteins, and Sumos all around.
__________________
Dave & Julie - Motorhomeless for a while!
SOLD 2018 Isata-3 24FW - Invisibrake/Roadmaster Falcon All-Terrain Tow Bar/2019 Wrangler Sport S 2.0 Turbo
SOLD 2015 Tiffin Allegro 36LA/2014 Wrangler Sahara Unlimited
caswelld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 06:03 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 918
"The Remis integrated shades are really nice & they look neat. Storage in the Isata 3 FW is limited, so having the cockpit shades remain on the windows is a big plus."

For $1500 they better be!
FFred is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 07:56 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
caswelld's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Smoky Mountains
Posts: 553
The Remis shade option on the Navion/View is $436, seems like I paid in the $800 range for them as an option on the Isata. The Winnebago price seems more reasonable. 2 months ago they were nearly impossible to find, but I just saw them on Amazon for about $700.

Don't know where BC found them, but we're glad he did. For us, even at $800 they are worth it. My wife doesn't have many 'must have items' but this was one. If BC hadn't found them Dave would have had to & likely paid more.

Happy camping

Dave
__________________
Dave & Julie - Motorhomeless for a while!
SOLD 2018 Isata-3 24FW - Invisibrake/Roadmaster Falcon All-Terrain Tow Bar/2019 Wrangler Sport S 2.0 Turbo
SOLD 2015 Tiffin Allegro 36LA/2014 Wrangler Sahara Unlimited
caswelld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 10:49 AM   #11
Commercial Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Bristol, IN
Posts: 18,878
Options can be misleading. What are the Remis shades replacing when you take that option on the Winnie? (IE there may be some crediting involved and you only pay for the difference) We both pay the same and I assure you we don't mark them up any more than they do.
__________________
If "Search this Forum" does not yield answers, please post questions as a "New Thread" (instead of asking privately) so others can benefit from the answers.

Subscribe for "How To" videos and updates https://www.youtube.com/c/DynamaxRVs/

Sales-Service-Parts https://dynamaxcorp.com/contact-us
bclemens is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 11:02 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
caswelld's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Smoky Mountains
Posts: 553
Winnie has offered them for a while & they likely have had a contract for some time with Remis. The prices of these shades have really gone up lately & I'll just bet Remis 'breathes through their teeth' with every shipment to Winnie.
__________________
Dave & Julie - Motorhomeless for a while!
SOLD 2018 Isata-3 24FW - Invisibrake/Roadmaster Falcon All-Terrain Tow Bar/2019 Wrangler Sport S 2.0 Turbo
SOLD 2015 Tiffin Allegro 36LA/2014 Wrangler Sahara Unlimited
caswelld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 11:58 AM   #13
2020 Isata 5 30FW 4x4
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 49
"There is no AM band reception, just static."

This is most likely a grounding issue. The AM/FM antenna needs to be grounded. It may have to be taken to a dealership to check if the antenna is grounded.
Spike4321 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 06:32 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
caswelld's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Smoky Mountains
Posts: 553
Issues with Xite 9" Infotainment/GPS - Update

I reported on the initial post that the cameras didn't appear on the screen when turn signals or reverse was selected.

I installed the software update sent from RiverPark & the cameras work as they should

Now I just have to get the AM & FM radio working correctly.

If anyone knows where I might check the antenna ground let me know.

Dave
__________________
Dave & Julie - Motorhomeless for a while!
SOLD 2018 Isata-3 24FW - Invisibrake/Roadmaster Falcon All-Terrain Tow Bar/2019 Wrangler Sport S 2.0 Turbo
SOLD 2015 Tiffin Allegro 36LA/2014 Wrangler Sahara Unlimited
caswelld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 06:42 PM   #15
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 32
thanks for the review! We are in the process of doing our research on the Isata 3 & find this very informative!
papazeus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 07:00 PM   #16
2020 Isata 5 30FW 4x4
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 49
"If anyone knows where I might check the antenna ground let me know."

The antenna on the Sprinter is a European design and does not fit a US radio head unit without an adapter. The antenna plugs into the adapter and the adapter plugs into the back of the radio. Grounding can be accomplished on the outside of the adapter. The easiest way to get at it is to remove the radio which is no walk in the park. Other people on the forum may have a better suggestion. Do people still listen to AM radio?
Attached Images
  
Spike4321 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 07:41 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Sandiegodoug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: San Diego
Posts: 1,074
Stream everything from our iPhones. Haven’t heard a commercial in many years or static.
Sandiegodoug is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2017, 10:20 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
caswelld's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Smoky Mountains
Posts: 553
AM as well as FM have some sports shows & game broadcasts not available on the web.

And oh yeah, I paid for it to work.
__________________
Dave & Julie - Motorhomeless for a while!
SOLD 2018 Isata-3 24FW - Invisibrake/Roadmaster Falcon All-Terrain Tow Bar/2019 Wrangler Sport S 2.0 Turbo
SOLD 2015 Tiffin Allegro 36LA/2014 Wrangler Sahara Unlimited
caswelld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-13-2017, 02:10 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 918
"There is no AM band reception, just static."

One poster in the past claimed he pulled the plastic on the drivers side inside and found antenna wires there.

He added an antenna next to the plastic inside and now has AM radio.

I found the Remis shades inline at a "sprinter store" , that quoted $1000 for the windshield and $500 for the side windows.

If anyone has an aftermarket source that is more reasonable , Please! post.
FFred is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-13-2017, 03:02 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Sandiegodoug's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: San Diego
Posts: 1,074
Check amazon
Sandiegodoug is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:48 AM.