new & in the market

[grubster1]

hi all,

in 06 my wife and i retired and thought to try a motorhome. we bought a used bluebird and had 2 years with it. i bought it for the purpose of using it to find a 2nd home and for a trip to alaska. although i have not fulfilled either of these desires we have enjoyed the motorhome lifestyle. we recently sold our 96 bluebird lxi and are in the market for a prevost.

i have been looking for about a month and am in the learning process. we just returned from florida yesterday. we visited liberty, parliament and marathon. the liberty salesman explained that the 24volt coach was the more highly optioned and their top of the line so i thought that might be a good choice for us?? we live in skokie, il., which is about 15 miles from the liberty coach factory. so, i think the liberty will be the easiest coach to deal with?

i saw a 98 liberty at marathon in san antonio, fl and liked it, but.... how do find the history on a coach like this one? it could work out but... generator has 3000hrs, coach has 125k miles. interior is excellent. exterior is good. exhaust is totally rusted on both engine and generator. that includes pipes and mufflers. needs tires. might need batteries. all exterior compartments are decent but starting to show their age a little. marathon says it will pdi but i don't know what that really means or should mean? they are asking about $245k.

i test drove this coach and found that it tracked perfectly. motor and transmission seems just fine. braking and steering very good as well. i did feel some steering vibration which felt like the front tires. when it sat idling i could also feel some vibration in the steering from the engine? that seems unusual, yes? salesman said it was a 500hp but i think its a 470. engine manufactured in 06.

i know this is a long message but....any and all suggestions would be welcome.

thanks, marty gruby

[dalej]

Marty, welcome aboard!

Check out MangoMikes 97 and a few others before you buy one, it will be worth your time. You just missed a good one, Rogers 97 Liberty for around 185 I think. Keep asking questions and you'll get a good supply of answers and comments.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Marty,

I won't comment on price because they are all over the place and what is important is getting the right coach for you. If you can buy it at a low price that just makes it that much better. It is not hard to find Prevost coaches for sale, and if you work the internet you will quickly know what is out there and you will quickly know what you want and are willing to pay.

It is great you live near Liberty because if that is the coach you want you will find that easy access to Liberty makes the initial period of ownership less daunting. In the long run however you will likely find that as you get to know the coach you won't need their help or advice. The coaches are pretty reliable. Several of us on this site own or have owned Liberty Elegant Ladies (24 volt coaches) and they are quite reliable.

I have a 97, but if I were in the market I would not rule out a Liberty Classic. It lacks some of the features of the Elegant Lady, but that is offset by its robust and simple systems that are very reliable and easily serviced and which are built on the same Prevost chassis. Mike can fill you in on the Classic.

Don't be shy about asking questions, and don't let the whiners on this site that have to pull the waste valve handles instead of pushing a button give you any guff.

[Denny]

Manual valves - one less thing to go wrong, never fail to function and less opportunity for air leaks.

[phorner]

Marty,

You are already on the right track by researching the POG forums and seeking member advice. Advice is something we have plenty of and willing to give you as much as you can take :D

We happened to buy our Liberty at Marathon Coach in San Antonio, Florida. So far, we have been very happy with both the purchasing experience at Marathon as well as the Liberty Coach. Liberty has been outstanding in their customer support.

You just missed out on a choice Liberty that was wisely snatched up by a fellow POG member.

I would also highly recommend checking out MangoMike's '97 Liberty as you shop and compare coaches.

Happy shopping.......

[jack14r]

Marty,That generator should go at least 20,000 hours with regular oil and filter changes,miles on the chasis just give you a way to bargain with the dealer.Mango's 97 does look nice,I also like the Liberty push buttons!

[grubster1]

thanks for the comebacks,

i found mangomikes bus. i am looking for a bus with a separate toilet roome. marty g.

[garyde]

Welcome Grubster. There are many nice Prevosts out there right now, enjoy the shopping and take your time.

[adamdegraff]

Dear Marty,
When I was looking for a bus, I had no idea what I really wanted. I was SO lucky to end up with the unit that I did. We have lived in it full time for the past month now and have racked up some serious mileage for newbies. Even though you didn't ask, I'm going to share a few things that I did right, a few features that I just LOVE, and a few things I might have gotten wrong if I hadn't caught a lucky break.

1. I limited my search to coaches by Marathon and Liberty. Not to say that other outfits don't make fine coaches... it was just that after looking at 30 or 40 different coaches, I could really see that Marathon and Liberty were really la creme de la creme. This is something that, IMO, I did right.

2. I went with the marathon for one main reason: it wasn't as fancy. The pleated leather, the roman columns, the high polish of a Liberty was for my taste, well... a little over the top. I felt like I was in Donald Trump's living room. I needed a place I could live in... and that could take some real living. The plainer, yet still fancy Marathon was more me and, IMO, would hold up to my lifestyle better. (We take good care of our stuff, but don't like to be a slave to it.)

3. One area I looked at very carefully was the bays and the compartments. I checked for rust, grime, etc. I found that it seemed very easy to keep the shell and the inside looking nice, but that the true test of how well cared for was evident in the bays and compartments. It was like night and day once I noticed that. Some looked terrible. Rust, grime, grease, etc. Others (like the one I bought) looked spit shined. I plan to keep it looking that way too, not just for looks, but because I think if everything is spick and span, then things that need to be fixed will be more obvious.

Features I wouldn't be without:

~I LOVE my full sized washer and separate dryer. I mean, come on, if you plan to spend time in your bus, you need a real laundry situation. Mine has an Asko washer and dryer. I had never heard of this brand but it is amazing. I'm thinking of buying one for my house as it does a better job than any w/d I have ever had.

~I LOVE my power real electric cord. Just so nice. You don't have to lug a heavy cord anywhere, and more importantly, you don't have to find a place to put it.

~I REALLY REALLY LOVE MY POWER SEWER HOSE. This is one of those things I might have passed on, but am so glad I got it. In the time it takes the guy next to me to get out his sewer hose, I'm done. I flip the panel open, push a button, and the hose with 90 degree fitting motor out. I drop it in the hole, pull the air switch and the bladder puffs up, holding the hose in place. (I can do all that faster than I could type it!) I dump my business, and power the thing back in. I can do the whole thing without gloves on as I have to touch nothing dirty. IT IS SO NICE!!

So, I was thinking, I read that you were looking for a private toilet room... which I understand, but really, I would rather have the toilet in the living room, right next to the kitchen table, then be without my power sewer reel. I know, I know, you think I'm kidding. That's how much I like the power sewer reel. In fact, I'm going to go outside and take a look at it right now.

OK, I'm back. Oooooh that is so NICE!

One thing I wish I had....
Shade master. I'm even thinking of looking into getting some sort of power shade system installed. I takes me about 2 minutes every day to open/close all the shades. (Ok, that doesn't sound so bad:-) I do like the black out shades that mine has though. Totally dark (100%) when closed. I sleep well when it's that dark.

Little things I like:
I like our big shower, big GenAir Fridge, monster generator, lighting (actually, that is pretty important), I like the booth dining area. I wasn't so fond of the table and chairs thing even though they seem popular. I like the fit and finish of our Marathon. This was a custom unit, so it is a little nicer than the others of its era as the original owner had pretty spiffy taste.

Sorry for rambling on and on. Good luck finding your dream coach. Don't pass up a good one for a private toilet. You can always close both doors, pop the vent open, and light a match.

Oh, and by the way, I was just in Skokie, IL., dined at the Pita Inn, visited my grandmother in Evanston, parked at the Lakefill at Northwestern (yes, they let me stay over night... though I did "gift" the patrolman with a set of CDs.... and was a student there). We have a show in Waukegan in February. If you want to come by and park your bus next to ours, let us know and we'll get you some tickets.

All my best,

Adam

Good luck,
Adam

[truk4u]

Marty,

Liberty and Marathon are the top two, I agree. I owned a Marathon so I can speak from experience. Just don't discount the other Converters until you fully understand the differences in systems, such as A/C's, Batteries, Inverter Capacity, Electronics 12 vs 24 and a host of other Converter specific options.

[dale farley]

Marty, I agree with Tom. I've owned Marathon and Country Coach, and they each have their advantages and disadvantages. They all start off as a Prevost, so there are many things common to them all.

[Alek&Lucia]

Marty,

Check also Royale.
If you like to see one in person, we are only 2 hr SW from Skokie.

Alek

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Marty,

All good advice. You can wear yourself out looking at coaches, and especially if you are judging a coach on its looks or colors. That has the potential to bite you in the butt.

We were exremely lucky when we go tour first coach and could have ended up hating it, but instead we blundered into a coach that had features important to us (which we realized later) because my wife preferred the laminate interior instead of a walnut interior because the wood made the coach too dark. We bought the right coach for all the wrong reasons.

Figure out what features and systems you want or need. If you go back through the threads you will see discussions on just about everything including OTR (Prevost over the road air), roof airs, Cruise Airs, long range tanks, washers and dryers, private toilets, booths versus tables and chairs, the XL or XLII versus the H3, series 60 versus 8V92 and Michelins versus Double Coin tires.

After you have created your list of priorities you may end up ruling out some conversions, or you may end up including some not previously considered. But whatever you decide don't worry about push button valves being trouble prone. That is whining from guys that wish they had such features because they wish they could dump their tanks from the comfort of their coach.

[Coloradobus]

HI Marty and welcome to bus shopping one Oh one,.

If you are remotely considering an XLII, but don't want the glued-on stainless, but want XLII goodies, how about an "H"3-45, prior to 2001 conversion year.
Yes, they are plastic, but easier to wash, less ridges, easy panel repair incase of a boo-boo..
The "H" received goodies that the XL ONES didn't get until they morph into the XLII.

Disc brakes all the way around. XL's have drums on the drivers, discs on steer and tag. The XLII has disc brakes all the way around starting in 2001 conversion year.
Dual Pane Windows which aids outside noise reduction, better heating and cooling, and no interior windowsill frost build up during winter travels.

Air activated foot pedal to adjust steering column tilt/telescoping.
We are partial to Marathons, since we have had 2, and maybe working on a third. Our current coach is up for sale. The Tech Link electrical system is programmable incase at a later date you wish to add a feature to interior switches or re-arrange them to better suit your needs.

Another item, the "H"3-45 has a flat floor, from the stairs leading from the cockpit into the salon and back to the end of the bedroom. This feature is GREAT if you need something done on the top of the engine. All motor work can be done from entering the engine compartment. Unlike the XL and XLII's, where you need to tear apart the bedroom rear cabinetry to access floor panels to reach the top of the engine.
The "H"3-45 has wonderful enormous windows. They are 5ft long and 42 inches tall. Sitting higher, the view over other coaches is wonderful in a campground, or down the road.. Some converters order the maximum window configuration from Prevost and then cover them up.???????? So, if this is something to consider, check to see how many of "H"'s have all the windows open to see out of. Normally there are 3 on either side in the salon plus the weird shaped trapezoid, and 2 per side in the bedroom. Makes for great day lighting.
We like cruise airs, over rooftops. They do gobble up some underbelly space, but the "H" has taller and larger bays, and add to overall chassis weight, but they are much quieter than rooftops, IMHO.
Also with the Trace 4000 dual inverters Marathon uses, you can power up to 2 cruise airs, or rooftops, while driving down the road for overall house cooling, eliminating the need for Prevost over the Road Air. (Oops, I'll hear about this:eek:)
"H"'s also comes with larger standard fuel tank, 235 gallons. However some XL's will have the optional tank to bring the fuel cap. up to 298 gallons in a 45 and 250 in a 40ft.
the "H", also can carry more water, depending on converter, ours is 207 fresh water gallons. 86 gallons grey and 68 black.
The H3-45 entry door has manual latches, no air lock to mess up.
The last item, is mileage. For whatever the reason, whether its the lack of ridges of the stainless, or no rooftop a/c units, or the tapered sides and the narrower tapered bus nose of the bus, slipping thru the air, our "H" gets the best mileage of the 3 busses we have had. The 2001 XL CC 2 slide on '99 shell, got 5.8 mpg. The 2002 XLII one slide Marathon got 6.5 and our current coach, 2000 model "H"3-45 gets 7.2 towing either of our 3 toweds. Their weights range from 4800 lb Rover, to a Chevy 4X4 duramax 3/4 t truck of 6220lbs, or Ford E-350 B Class, Airstream B-190 weighing 8600 lbs.

Good luck and keep us all up to date what you do. We love spending others $$$$$$$$$:D

[lewpopp]

Now, really, is a "H" easier to wash than an "XL"? I really doubt it by a long shot. All of your other points are closer to being fact than the wash "bit".

[grubster1]

hi adam,

thanks much for the reply and suggestions. i totally agree with your opinoins. now all i need is a coach that fits. i did see a 99 marathon that is a cream puff but was a little high in mileage and price. i am always concerned with resale value and take that into consideration. sounds like you did get lucky. i forgot how hard it is to find the right coach. i spent 2 years getting my bluebird up to my standards and then sold it. i am commited to buying a prevost this time around. in the meantime the cd's are paying 4.25 or better so thats a plus. that is, unless this economic bloodbath continues.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

You just entered into a whole new realm Marty.

These buses are not investments, and if you are buying one with resale in mind hang onto your shorts. It could be a wild ride.

If your plan is to flip buses every once in a while, forget all the advice and just focus on the Marathon or Liberty coaches because they tend to be better at holding their value. Then lay in wait and pounce upon the first bus you can find that shows up below market value because of a distress sale.

As long as you are thinking of trading and resale it doesn't really matter about floor plan, colors, systems, etc. because you won't have it that long and nobody exactly suffers with any of these coaches. Even the worst is better than anything else out there.

About that mileage comment.....people that buy Prevost coaches are the first ones to brag about their 1 or 2 million mile coach, but a lot of them have this irrational sense that somehow an 80,000 mile coach is better than a 200,000 mile coach. I want a coach that has been used regularly and is well maintained. A 500,000 mile bus is likely to be just as reliable as a 100,000 mile bus as long as the bus has had good maintenance.