Featherlite???

[bonhall41]

I'm new to the site and new to the wonderful world of Prevosts so looking for some input. I've read some of the posts and see a lot about Country Coach, Liberty, Marathon and Millennium but didn't notice anything about Featherlite. We're about to close a deal on a 2005 H3 Featherlite with double slides. The coach seems to be well-maintained and has low miles. It's the Centennial floorplan with 1 1/2 baths. Has anyone had any experiences (good or bad) that might help us make the final decision? Thanks.

[tdelorme]

Welcome to the forum. I think that there are just so many more Liberties, Marathons and Country Coaches is the reason most of the discussion here is about those conversions. But, a lot of the discussion is Prevost specific so it makes no difference which conversion you own.
Congratulations on the new bus. Post a few pictures, we would love to see your ride.

[jack14r]

Welcome,do you mean celebration floor plan?Since it is a 2005 I would request from the owner the maintenance documents.a 2005 coach should have a 2004 shell you can verify this by the Prevost serial number,from the end of the number count back 8 digits and it must be a #4.Also a 2004 shell will have 365 tires on the steering and tag axles.since it was built in 2004 the tires and batters only have about a year left in their life,I would ask the owner to replace house,chasis and generator batteries and all tires.The market is very soft and Featherlite has a 2007 H3 for 999K,which has hurt all used Featherlite products,don"t believe the salesman,make your own offer,if they don't accept it go look at other coaches.

[bonhall41]

I do mean Celebration. I knew it was one of those "C" words. The chassis is 2005 and the conversion a 2006. We looked at the $999 ones and didn't like any of them. Featherlite just got this one on consignment so, of course, they get their cut off the top. We haven't signed on the dotted line yet but I have my heart set on 1 1/2 baths and they seem pretty scarce. We've had several RVs but this is our first Prevost. Thanks for your help.

[dale farley]

Welcome to the group. If you've had other RVs, you will be happy with the Prevost. Most of us have migrated from one of the other manufacturers before obtaining a Prevost, and so far, I haven't heard many who are wanting to go back.

If you find a coach that you like, and it has been well-maintained, and you are happy with the price, you should go for it. This forum will be a valuable asset to you before and after your acquisition of any Prevost. Hope you can make it to the rally we are having in TN starting on 14 April. There are about 50 Prevosts scheduled to be there. Here's a link to the Rally: http://www.prevost-stuff.com/prevost_owners_group_rally_V.htm

[merle&louise]

bonhall41,

Welcome to the forum, you will learn a lot reading these posts. I can't advise you on Featherlite, but I can tell you that my Newell has the 1 1/2 baths and we love it. It is great for tailgating or just traveling with another couple.

Try to make the Tenn rally even if you haven't closed on the Featherlite. You will meet some really nice folks and the information at the seminars is worth the trip.

Click on Quick Links in the top menu of this page, click on POG home, then rally information. Sign up, we would love to meet you.:D

[bonhall41]

Thanks for all the info. Wish we could make it to the Rally but we'll be taking care of our granddaughter that weekend while her parents go to a wedding. We don't get that pleasure very often. By the way, Roadrunner, we live just east of you in Niceville. Maybe we'll run into you somewhere soon.

[bonhall41]

We bit the bullet today and put down a deposit on the Featherlite. We are also buying a Featherlite stacker trailer so my husband can haul his SCCA race car as well as a streetmobile. They're doing a systems check on the coach, wiring it for the trailer and installing the hitch. We're planning to pick it up Monday or Tuesday unless they find a major problem. I'm really excited but now we need to get the current unit ready to sell. If you know anyone who's interested in a 2006 Haulmark d/s on a Freightliner chassis with a 32' stacker trailer, send them our way. I'm sure I'll be visiting this site often in the future. Look forward to meeting a lot of you.

[rmboies]

We bit the bullet today and put down a deposit on the Featherlite.

Bonnie, you will enjoy your Featherlite......We have had two Vantares--one was a non-slide H and the other was a double slide XL. Both were very unique coaches and we also found that customer support was excellent. Looking forward to seeing your new ride and your hubbies car!

Debi and Bob

[dalej]

Debi, did you guys get your new one home yet? I haven't seen anything on it, but then again I miss some posts.

[bonhall41]

Debi and Bob,
We looked at Millenniums also but they didn't have much to choose from in the used market. We wanted one a couple years old since we don't know yet how much we'll use it so we let someone else take the big hit. They do a really nice job though. Hope this one works out for us. Don't know exactly where you are but we travel from FL to Hickory, NC frequently to visit our granddaughter--and her parents. Hope to run into you soon.

[dale farley]

Donald, Its nice to have someone close in a Prevost. I think there is one in Gulf Breeze, but I don't know the owner. Maybe we will get to meet each other pretty soon. Sounds like you're getting a nice coach. Dale

[bonhall41]

Donald doesn't "do" computers so I'm your contact. I think there was a Prevost in Gulf Shores but it was for sale last year. We weren't quite ready to buy then and it was sold; don't know where it ended up. We'll look forward to meeting you. Bonnie

[rmboies]

Debi, did you guys get your new one home yet? I haven't seen anything on it, but then again I miss some posts.

YES we did Dale, just this past week and of course Bob is polishing and polishing, you know how he is! It took longer to make the changes we wanted then anticipated but I will try and get photos soon. We have family from Ohio visiting, well, my family, so Bob has his escape to the bus barn every evening:D Thanks for asking Dale!

Debi

[rmboies]

Debi and Bob,
They do a really nice job though. Hope this one works out for us. Don't know exactly where you are but we travel from FL to Hickory, NC frequently to visit our granddaughter--and her parents. Hope to run into you soon.

We are in the upstate of SC, right in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains north of Greenville, SC. We are only 10 minutes from the NC border. Hickory is about an hour north of us. Please let us know when you are coming through we would love to meet you and we have plenty of room for dry camping here on the farm. In fact we held a mini Farm POG rally here last fall. I am not sure which interstate you are traveling to head north but we are very close to I 85 and I 26.

Debi

[rff105]

Welcome to the forum and to Featherlite. We also recently purchased a slightly used Featherlite in October. I have done quite a few posts on the forum with the usual first time Featherlite/Prevost owner type questions. If you do a forum search for Featherlite most of the threads will show up. If you have any specific questions feel free to post or email me directly.

We have been very pleased with our coach and the service we have received. I do have some concerns about the overall stability of the company the recent fall through of their Camping World deal and the overall state of the economy. I get the impression that they are a stressed company and hopefully they are able to weather this storm and survive.

I see you said you were getting a stacker and are into racing. Do you go to any NASCAR races? Featherlite does rallies at Daytona, Lowes, Bristol, and Homestead although their website is sometimes lacking of the information. We are heading to the All-Star race at Lowes this spring and the fall Bristol race with Featherlite. Maybe we will see you their. Welcome to POG.

[rff105]

Coach 4964 on the Featherlite website? Very nice looking looking coach.

http://www.fthrc.com/coach_detail.cfm?ID=377

[bonhall41]

Yes, that's our coach as of Monday. I have the check right here. Featherlite has been in business a long time so hope they can weather this storm.
We go up I-85 from Atlanta to 321 and up to Hickory. We fly a lot also because our son is a pilot for Continental but we're not crazy about flying standby. We do go to some NASCAR races. Last year we went to both Bristol races and the year before we went to the Indy race. We go to the Daytona 500 every year. We have gone with Good Sam Club to some of them and done some on our own. My husband (Donald) has a dirt track that he sometimes races on Saturday nights at a local track and he has a "spec racer Ford" that he does road racing with the SCCA mostly around the southeast. He's doing a race in Savannah in April and then the Daytona road course in May. Your coach looks beautiful. Do you have any other photos? What floor plan is it? If you ever get to the Gulf Coast, we live in the panhandle between Pensacola and Panama City. We keep our RV in the garage but we have room to park another rig. I guess the old RV will be moving out next week until we can sell it. We'll look forward to meeting you soon.

[bonhall41]

Got my posts mixed up. All I can say is that it's late and I've been running around all day. The part about how we get to Hickory was for Debi and Bob who live in SC. Sorry about the confusion.

[tdelorme]

(Yes, everyone's nice in Niceville)

For years while on our way to Panama City Beach, the kids would always talk about "is everyone nice in Niceville." Wonderful memories your line brought back. These days, we go to Navarre Beach so we don't pass Niceville. We did, however stay in the Niceville Walmart parking lot on our way to Daytona last month. Yea, they were nice :)
I've always be suspicious of people in DeFuniak Springs. I'll bet they aren't as nice as Niceville folks.

[bonhall41]

Ted & Jan,
Could it have been the KMart parking lot? We don't have a Walmart although there is talk that we could be getting one soon. Gee, you should have stopped by to see us but we were probably on the way to Daytona also. We've gone for about four years in a row with the Good Sam group. If you're ever going to be in this area, let us know. We have room to park a coach and can set you up with some hookups. Hope to see you on the road! Bonnie

[tdelorme]

Hi, Bonnie, thanks for the invite. When I read Jan my earlier post, she told my that it was the Walmart in Crestview where we stayed on the way to Daytona. We were on the Camping World tour and it worked well for us. Maybe we will try the Good Sam deal next year if we go back. We do come your way every September, but stop off in Navarre Beach. We have taken the same house there for years (three rebuilds after storms) and the owner put in hookups for us several years back. The kids and grandkids stay in the house and we hide out in the coach.
Still, one of these days we will give you guys a call and get together.
You will love this forum. As I have said before, the best hundred bucks I've spent in a long time.

[bonhall41]

Ted & Jan,
We used to rent a house in Navarre on the sound side before we bought this place in 1988. Then we used it as a vacation house until Donald retired in 1998. Then we redid the house and moved here full-time in 1999. Let us know if we can do anything for you while you're in the area.

[bonhall41]

Ted & Jan,
Forgot to mention that we did the Camping World tour for the NASCAR race at Indy last year and think Good Sam does a better job. Our tickets at Daytona are phenomenal. We're just before the start/finish in the top row so we have a great view of the entire track. Our parking spots are just outside the new tunnel so it's easy walking distance to the track or the group leaders rent a couple golf carts for the people who have trouble walking. I highly recommend it.

[rff105]

Featherlite has about 30 full hook-up spots right on Lake Llyod in the infield at Daytona. If you are at Featherlite Monday make sure you meet Lori Koon she does all the NASCAR event orginizing.

[bonhall41]

Richard,
I heard that the infield is pretty wild and wooly. Is that true? Also, where are their seats? Seems as if I saw something about the Featherlite setup and it was quite a bit more expensive than Good Sam. Of course, we're dry camping outside the track. We're close to the "water hose" and they do have service vehicles that come around but hookups would be nice. I'll try to meet her on Monday. Thanks for the info.

[rff105]

http://www.featherlitecoaches.com/vip/rally_detail.cfm?ID=78

We were unable to make it this year but a seriously considering going next year. Here is a link to this year's races, and i don't think the fenced off section of parking on the lake is the wild and wooly section of the infield they show on TV. And yes I think this is likely the most expensive way to experience speedweeks in an RV. Keep in mind that the packages do include your tickets for all speedweeks events and Featherlite has a hospitiality tent where they serve lunch, dinner, and beverages Wed through Sun included with all packages.

[rff105]

Back with the new bus yet, I see the Featherlite site has it marked SOLD. Pictures, first impressions?

[bonhall41]

We're back. Love the coach so far. There certainly is a lot to learn. We have one little problem. My husband was sure we have 14' doors on the garage but it turns out they're 13'. We just found this out this afternoon so not sure yet what we're going to do. We didn't get back from Sanford until Wednesday night and he had some surgery Thursday morning so we hadn't even moved the coach since we drove into the driveway. Our old RV was in the garage and we moved it out this afternoon and found the problem. We're going to check into having one of the doors enlarged or lowering the floor a few inches. He feels really stupid right about now. After lowering the coach, we're just a little shy of being able to get in. The satellite dome is the problem, of course. I drove it for the first time on the way home and loved it. We're able to plug it in where it is so we can keep a couple air conditioners on. It's starting to warm up around here and we don't want to have problems with the laminate. I'm anxious to get on the road but don't know when we'll be able to get started. Any advice on what to do or not do? This one is a completely different animal than its predecessor. Thanks.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Drop the coach all the way down using the level low. A lot of us do gyrations like that to get our coaches inside the garage. That might just do the trick.

[garyde]

Depending on the constructon of your Doors and the header above the door, the opening may be able to be modified by a Contractor without a lot of cost.
If your door is a roll up, it may be modified by adding another tier of panels.
Lowering the approach may be the best answer if it does not change your drainage.

[rff105]

We had the same problem with the 13' doors. We raised the head 8" and replaced 4 of the panels with 2" higher ones.
KVH does have a new low profile satellite system at MSRP $3k you might want to look at as an option vs cost of mods to you door (See link). Make sure nothing else is going to hit though if you go to that expense. We also had an issue with clearance at the rear of a garage because it sloped down at the back, some joist needed modified to get the sat to clear. Don't forget about the weather stripping in your calculation, every inch will count.

http://www.kvh.com/products/Product.asp?id=92

Our coach is exactly 13' 4 1/2" at the top of the domes at normal operating height yours is likely to be the same. If you do remove your original sat you will likely need some roofing done i think the older sats are sunk into the roof according to the spec drawings.

[bonhall41]

Thanks for all the info. We did lower the coach as much as possible but it wasn't enough. The contractor who built the garage is supposed to come by tomorrow and give us his input. My husband would like build another bay on the end exclusively for the coach but that will mean losing some huge oaks, some site work and an extension to the driveway. That certainly would be the most expensive solution other than his proposal to buy a lot and build another building. I would like to keep the coach at the house so I'm not voting for that one. I'll keep you posted.

[bonhall41]

We have a call in to the service department of Featherlite to see if they can install the KVH low-profile satellite system. I'd rather they do it so it ties in with all the other electronics. The KVH website says this comes with its own receiver so I don't want things to get all messed up. The guy we need to talk to will be back tomorrow. This could solve our problems if it can be done. Thanks.

[rff105]

We have a similar low profile sat on our van from KVH, and the in motion reception is much worse then the big sat on our coach. I am not sure if it is the 6' height diffrence or the sat its self is to blame. Although when stoped they both are equal as long as you don't have trees or other obstructions.

[bonhall41]

Sounds as if we need to check into that. Does anyone out there have the KVH TracVision A7 installed on a coach and, if so, how is the reception while in motion? Thanks.

[bwalz]

We have had 1 Country Coach and 2 Featherlite Prevosts. The customer service on the Featherlites dwarfs the service from Country Coach.

[bonhall41]

Featherlite has advised us that they've had problems with the TracVision A7 and that the customer service is (to put it politely) not what it used to be. I guess we're going with some kind of garage modification. We know we can rework one of the doors to get the bus in but husband wants it in the end bay to lessen chance of damage. Haven't gotten quote yet on adding new bay. We might have to sell the dog.;)