Prevost Customer Appreciation Dinner in Perry

[Steve Cooper]

One of the highpoints of every FMCA convention for Martha and I is the dinner put on by Prevost Car for it's coach owners. Always a first class affair and a great opportunity to mingle with other owners you might not meet otherwise.
I've heard that there won't be one in Perry and with the current economic situation, I don't blame them, but has anyone heard anything else?
Sure would like to go to that dinner.

[Will Garner]

Steve,

Perhaps it is time to turnabout and throw an appreciation dinner for Prevost instead of always expecting them to throw the party. I attended one in 2007 and really enjoyed the evening.

What say you?

[Steve Cooper]

They throw the party because they want to, not because we expect it. I'm just saying it's a nice evening out.
I have heard they're not having one this year because the Prouds are having their rally in Louisiana and many may not be going to Perry. I hope that's not the reason.

[0533]

There will be a lot more cuts at Prevost besides dinner.

They are feeling the same squeeze as the rest of the economy. Their business will fall off quickly now as the converters stop ordering shells, and they are forced to sue to get back existing unpaid shells and $$ outstanding from converters. Prevost car had a pretty relaxed approach to doing business, its over now.

I wonder what percentage of their annual shell output each year was dedicated to the converter industry? Is it about 30% ???

I also wonder what percentage of all warrantee claims and service goes to converter coaches?? I have felling based on my visits to Prevost its about twice as often as the seated buses, as they have less complicated buses, and less time for dealing with the details unless there is no air. they do not deal with the small stuff like we do.

If the converter shells are cut by more than 50% Prevost car will have to consider cutting out more than dinner, and are in fact letting staff go as we speak, good folks like the rest of the business world is doing now.

I have done my part this year at Prevost Car, they actually did take me to dinner in Jax. just before they emptied my wallet.

I used to get my invoices about 30 days after each service, now it is about 2 days. Cash is king.

[garyde]

I would guess Prevost will shift to where the money is. Possibly municipal Transportation Buses. Goverment money.
I am wondering also how the entertainment Coach industry is doing. They are larger than the private convertors.
Except for the private converted Prevosts, these Buses put on 100,000 plus miles per year. I think this is where Prevosts makes its maintenace and upkeep money.
If you spend anytime at a Prevost Service Center, entertainment Coaches, Commercial Coaches, and Municipal Coaches out number Private Coaches by far.
The warrenty issues on the Converted Buses are just a thorn in Prevosts overall industry.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Actually our coaches from the Prevost perspective are simpler than seated coaches. Where things get complex is that conversion owners are not versed in where the cutoff is, so they have Prevost service or repair converter items such as Bruce's isolator repair.

A seated coach has door mechanisms, toilets, destination signs, seats, storage bins, entertainment systems, etc. for Prevost to service. On our coaches all they need to service is below the floor.

As to their response to the slowing economy, if their facilities and tooling have been amortized, their expenses should be variable and easily eliminated as production slows. If however they have cash flow requirements to retire debt on facilities and equipment then the problem gets more severe and less easily addressed.