Shopping for a xl 40

[Jack Houpe]

Good morning and hello to all, we are shopping for a xl 40 and leaving in the morning to view 2 in AZ and another in NorCal. We currently have a 45' duel slide Newell and we do all our own work and have put 1.5 years perfecting and bringing the coach up to modern technology including replacing slide seals, rear bushings, brakes and fixing all the air leaks, installing 5250w of solar and inverter mini splits, now that its done we looking for a shorter 40' no slide coach. A new friend has a H3/45 who has shown me the difference between the Newell and Prevost so a bus is on our minds.

[Three5ives]

Good morning and hello to all, we are shopping for a xl 40 and leaving in the morning to view 2 in AZ and another in NorCal. We currently have a 45' duel slide Newell and we do all our own work and have put 1.5 years perfecting and bringing the coach up to modern technology including replacing slide seals, rear bushings, brakes and fixing all the air leaks, installing 5250w of solar and inverter mini splits, now that its done we looking for a shorter 40' no slide coach. A new friend has a H3/45 who has shown me the difference between the Newell and Prevost so a bus is on our minds.

Newell makes a really fine coach, as do others, but it's hard to ignore the Prevost chassis and shell refinements derived from millions and millions of miles logged by the entertainer and seated coach industry.

[Jack Houpe]

We found a 1996 XL40 Marathon conversion and bought it in NorCal, drove is 2000 miles in 4.5 days and love the handling and comfort of a 40'. The paint on this coach is like new even though it was painted in 2013. Still trying to figure out all the light switches. ;) Andrew Steele did a video on it in 2021 when the last owner bought it. I do have a question, where do you find the # of the coach, last 3 of vin?

[Coloradobus]

If it remains, there is a small label next to Vin plate on passenger side defrost vent viewable from front windshield looking in, with a number example 0365XL. If not you can call Marathon with Zvin and they can tell you

[Jack Houpe]

Thank you I was told by another gent thats where it would be but nothing on the vent but the VIN plate, I'll call Marathon Monday.

[Jack Houpe]

We were shopping for a non slide 40 when we bought the Newell, Its a wonderful coach but the size in intimidatingly and limits us from places that will not allow over 40' like many state parks.

[Fratto]

Congratulations! My dad has a 40 foot Marathon. We travel together often and you are right, without the extra five feet, he can easily go places that we have work hard to get into. He loves it.

[BGLogistics]

Your coach number must be close to ours, 1996 XL40 also #379.

[Jack Houpe]

Newell builds their coaches from the ground up one by one so the last four numbers on the vin is the coach number, since Prevost builds thousands of buses and the converter modifies them I guess they use their own number. We are leaning about converters and so on by the day.

[Jack Houpe]

Just got my number from Marathon, its #364.