Time to say hello

[busmeup]

Hello POG

I have been lurking on your site for several months and I must say, you have the most active, informative & fun RV forum on the net.

We have been looking at (plastics) for a year. I stumbled on your site after seeing a Prevost entertainer at a Ski Lodge and doing a google search to check out this magnificent beast.

We were hooked immediately but are having a difficult time finding what we want and within budget. The number one item on our list has been a bath and half. As far as I know only the Vantare H3 has regularly offered this floor plan. We have seen a couple but they seem to be 2005 or newer.

This has brought us to Newell as they have the bath and half back to 2000. This puts it within budget. I have noticed that you do have some Newell owner members. I do not intend to start a Prevost vs Newell thread but just need some honest insight. On paper they seem to have very similar specs.

I know, I am (fresh meat), so have fun. I can take it but I will warn you that I can also dish it. ;)

Thanks Much...... Randy & Lois

[rickdesilva]

Randy and Lois,
Welcome...........put your Kevlar jacket on. POG abuse is a sign of endearment.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Randy and Lois......

You are clearly going to be a fine fit with this group of misfits by starting out asking for a debate about the merits of a Newell over a Prevost.

That's kind of like asking the Mercedes folks what they thought of Chryslers.

Nothing anyone here or on the Newell site says is going to be valid unless they have considerable experience with both. Those are the folks that are qualified. Anything else we can say is opinion. For our opinions to even have a grain of accuracy you need to tell us what years you are looking at or what your budget is. You need to talk about stuff that is important to you beyond a bath and a half, such as slides.

I have always had the most success weeding out the best product for my needs by asking the owners of the two brands I had been considering the following question:

To Newell owners: If you are going to replace your coach, would you consider replacing it with a Prevost?

To Prevost owners: If you are going to replace your coach would you consider replacing it with a Newell.

Obviously you need a pretty large sampling, but if one is considered superior to the other it will show up in the answer to your questions.

If your bath and a half is an absolute must and is your primary consideration, focus on the Newell. I don't think there are enough Prevost conversions with the feature to give you choices. Also, there are so many things to consider with a Prevost conversion that are really important I think you are boxing yourself in.

[MangoMike]

Busmeup.

A great name that I won't find the need to change.

Welcome.

Jon says it all with his two questions. (No offense Tuga)

Mango Mike

[bonhall41]

Randy & Lois,
Welcome to the wonderful world of buses. We also considered a Newell when looking to move up the RV ladder because I wanted a bath and a half. We found that there really was no comparison and bought a 2005 Featherlite that was on consignment at their place in Sanford. I'm not sure when they first built that floorplan but I really like it. We're not even close to full-timers so I don't mind giving up the closet space. We're going on a "road trip" with my son, daughter-in-law and 3 1/2 year-old granddaughter in a couple weeks and I'm sure the extra half bath will come in handy. We originally planned to buy the used bus and then after a year or so have one built to our specifications but I like this one so much that I don't feel that's necessary. I'm sure anyone at Featherlite in Sanford would be glad to help you. If we can help you with any questions, just let us know. Good luck on your search and we hope to see you on the road in the near future.

Bonnie

[busmeup]

Jon,

We will be using our coach mostly full time. Lois is a RN and would like to spend the next few years, prior to retirement, working as a travel nurse. The bath and half is a must.

I hope this does not hurt any future bargaining but the high end of our budget is 400k. Slides are second on our list.

If anyone would like to answer Jon's well formed ownership questions, then do so. Tuga, can you join in?

I realize that the best answers would probably come while sitting out under an awning with a beverage in hand. I was hoping for chassis comparisons as I believe that I can judge fit and finish.

Again, Thanks for the welcomes. You can be assured that whether it is a Prevost or Newell we will seek your company.

Randy & Lois

[jelmore]

We met Tuga and the Newell not long ago. Every time I've looked in on a Newell, I've been surprised. With Tuga's, I was ready to jump ship. Newell does such innovative things. I think you can get a lot of Newell for $400k. And surely they're good machines.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Busmeup,

I'll vote. (My opinion isn't worth a damn because I have never owned a Newell and I have only been in Tuga's and one other.) Personally I would not consider a Newell, but not because I don't believe it is a lesser product, but because it does not offer things I consider important.

Specifically I will not own a coach that does not have over the road air. I have heard all the debates, I have considered the alternatives, and both my wife and I agree we need over the road air.

We are not going to own a coach with slides. We do not live in the coach, but we do travel. So we have a larger percentage of days on the road (with slides in) than folks who use their coach full time or nearly so. We do not like the trade off of having the slides in while underway, just to gain a few square feet of extra room when parked. We prefer to not have to deal with the added weight and complexity of slides.

From my perspective I like the comfort of knowing my chassis has been tested over countless millions of miles in commercial service. If the shell has any weaknesses I haven't seen them, a testament to the development of the chassis in hard service, something a motorhome will never be subjected to.

As to your budget, your secret is safe with us. That sum in today's market will buy you an excellent Prevost or Newell. For a lot less you can get an outstanding coach and with the leftover Benjamins (which will make an impressive pile) you will be able to redo you new coach to include a refreshed interior in your colors or to add features it may not have.

[Jerry Winchester]

Beameup,

Not to dig, but why a bath and a half unless one of you has a chronic turtle head problem?

I am hauling three chicks around and our Marathon has a bath and a vanity / sink in the bedroom that allows for both hair drying and taco processing at the same time in separate areas.

As for the Prevost - Newell thought, I think the Newell coaches are the best of the SOBs, but I go back to Jon's point; I have not seen any of the Prevost owners Jonesing for a Newell.

Welcome to the forum.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

When you say bath and a half you are also saying "rear master bath". It is our favorite floor plan. I have seen a few that go all the way from side to side. The additional water closet forward is more of a bi-product of the private master, than the other way around. IMO

I am surprised they don't build more or are not in greater demand.

[sawdust_128]

I'll throw in a couple of cents worth here.

1. Although not an owner for a year yet, I have seen that of all the coaches out there, Prevost seems to be the best supported in the business. If a converter goes out and a coach is orphaned, Prevost still can keep the beast running. You might have to do some digging to get info on supporting converter specific systems, but you can keep going down the road.

2. If you are somewhat handy, a lot of what needs to be done on a Prevost conversion, you can do. I'm not sure about the Newell, but I suspect it is somewhat the same.

3. POG, based on your comments, no more to say.


sidenote: Welcome to the forum/asylum/freak show/zoo/etc. You were already told about the kevlar jacket. Don't forget the steel-toed boots, cast iron underwear, safety glasses and your hard hat. Oh yeah, don't worry about the name change thing. Those old guys threatening that suffer senility and it is that they just can't remember your name.:eek: Show some empathy and just ignore their rantings, their wives have suffer enough embarassment. :D

[garyde]

Hi Randy and Lois. We travel with kids, dogs, and friends quite a lot and the one bath is fine . We have a sink w/ mirrors in the Bedroom, as well. Slides are big on our list because of kids and dogs. Nothing matches the Prevost ride. The other thing I notice about Prevost Conversions is how well the interior and exterior hold up over the years. Older Coaches look absolutely magnificent. They don't wear out like the plastic buses.
Because Prevost is engineered as a Commercial Bus , the owner benefits in having a machine which will go for thousands of miles with few problems. Any Coach will have maintenance issues but so far I haven't had many problems.

[adamdegraff]

Many Prevost Entertainer busses have 1.5 baths. I assume by bath and a half we are talking about a toilet and sink up front or mid-ship, and a full bath (toilet, sink, shower) elsewhere on the bus? If that is the case, why don't you just get a Prevost entertainer. There are many available out there... even with slides, that have 1.5 baths. There is a thread running right now on the difference between entertainers and motorhome shells.

This one is a little more than you wanted to spend, but it looks real nice. Has two slides, 1.5 bathrooms... and a lot more: http://www.staleycoach.com/48774.html

Or, you can buy that one and give it to me :-)

Good luck!

~Adam

[MangoMike]

We found the best way to have two bathrooms is simply to have two busses.

Mike

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Can't add anything meaningful. Just welcome.

Wondering though about your statement:"We will be using our coach mostly full time. Lois is a RN and would like to spend the next few years, prior to retirement, working as a travel nurse. The bath and half is a must."

What does that have to do with the bath requirement?

:) JIM

[merle&louise]

Hi Randy & Lois welcome to POG.

I'll make it easy for you: use my coach for a weekend and see how you like it. I'll drive it to an RV park close to you and live it in for a weekend; Karen & I will stay in a motel. Then you can see how you like. After the weekend is over you can drive it and see how you like on the road. Then you can drive a Prevost and compare the two coaches.

My coach has the rear bath + half option and 2 slides. We love the bath & a half and the 2 slides. It is roomy, comfortable, and dependable. The systems are simple & easy to work on and Newell has 24/7 phone service available. Their hourly rates are $95/hour for service. The slides in a Newell are better IMO because they are built above the chassis; mine have been trouble free for 11 years!

To answer Jon's question: given my current financial status I would buy another Newell because IMO it is a better value for the dollar. Also, Prevost does not offer the bath+half option except in a hand full of buses that I have seen for sale on the internet.

If you read back over some of my posts you will see that I love the looks of an XLII. I also like Shookie's Liberty (2000 Liberty #669) listed on Liberty's website. But every time I consider buying a Prevost the issue of slides and bath+half wins out over my love for the XLs.

Hope that this has helped you. Prevost is a first class product. I don't think you will be sorry whichever coach you choose.:D

[Loc]

Tuga,

You love the extra room? I thought you shared a shower.

Loc

[merle&louise]

LocNess,

Good to hear from you. Remember that photo of Louise and me in Jerry's Marathon! Now that was a big shower.

Let's plan another get together in Kerrville:D Maybe this time Gary can find a site with 50 amps on both legs!:eek:

How about it Gary; get the Margaritta machine cranked up. For those of you who don't know Gary, he has a Margaritta machine that is so powerful it runs on DIESEL!:eek:

[busmeup]

Hello POG,

Wow, you are brutal! Total strangers and you are questioning our bathroom habits? :eek: We have a large extended family that will often provide us with guests. Lois is a labor & delivery nurse so when called she has no time to wait for a busy bathroom. I have probably spoiled all of us as I have been a custom home designer and builder for most of our 36 years together.

We have spent the majority of our time and energy looking at "plastics". The bus concept came along recently and we initially assumed that bath and half would be common. I have considered doing a bus remodel but the wife says no more projects.

We were just introduced to the Newell by a salesman who suggested it because of our preference for a floor plan. I can tell you that right now, the rear bath with a half bath mid ship is the quickest floor plan to sell whether plastic, Prevost or Newell.

We are still trying to get our heads around the Idea of even looking at anything but Prevost. I started this thread as I needed your feed back prior to our going to Coburg Oregon where we can try out both Prevost and Newell. I trust the opinion of those that own a bus more than a salesman trying to sell one.

Your questions, ideas and suggestions have been greatly appreciated. Joe, your remodel with pictures has been great. I look forward to seeing the completion pictures. Tuga, your offer is above and beyond. Thanks, I may want to private email you as this progresses.

We will keep you all posted as our search continues.

Our Best

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Even if Tuga convinces you to buy one of those damn Newells you are still welcome here. The problem is you may not want to hang with us.

[merle&louise]

Hey Randy, feel a load shift! A little pressure! They are just kidding, they will welcome you no matter what coach you buy. But if you know what's good for you it better be a Prevost:D No one has ever looked at a Newell and then bought one and lived to talk about it! Add your next of kin to your signature line:eek:

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

We found the best way to have two bathrooms is simply to have two busses.

Mike

" Touche' " Mike, Now that is funny !!!! :D

Gary S.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Can't add anything meaningful. Just welcome. Wondering though about your statement:"We will be using our coach mostly full time. Lois is a RN and would like to spend the next few years, prior to retirement, working as a travel nurse. The bath and half is a must." What does that have to do with the bath requirement? :) JIM


Jim C. Your getting kind of PERSONAL aren't you :D

The boss says they need a BATH AND A HALF Dang It, and that is all there is too it... ! :eek:

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

LocNess, Good to hear from you. Remember that photo of Louise and me in Jerry's Marathon! Now that was a big shower.

Let's plan another get together in Kerrville:D Maybe this time Gary can find a site with 50 amps on both legs!:eek:

How about it Gary; get the Margaritta machine cranked up. For those of you who don't know Gary, he has a Margaritta machine that is so powerful it runs on DIESEL!:eek:

Very Funny Tuga, but TRUE... :p It is time to hit the road. We have not been able to get away to any of the Mini POG Rallys this winter, but enjoyed the photos of all of them. Anxious to get back out there. If I can just get my bus out of the shops?

"ITS ALL GOOD"

Gary S.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

Even if Tuga convinces you to buy one of those damn Newells you are still welcome here. The problem is you may not want to hang with us.

The ONLY reason we let Tuga hang with us, is cause of his lovely wife KAREN.. :D but I can hear it now, the same is said for me. :o

Gary S.

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

I am on a roll....

4 Seperate posts, and nobody else can get a word in EDGEWISE !!! I guess that's what happens when Peg is away in India for the week....? I get lonely and talkative :rolleyes:

Gary S.

[lewpopp]

Not to change the direction, but....there is a brand new 2008 XL in our park and the owner wants to dump it. Not that he doesn't like it, his wife doesn't like anything he gets. Now the coach is only $675,000 abd it seems to me it would be a good buy. Marathon, beautiful coach.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Gary, when your lonely, it's better to talk to the POG, than to talk to the dog. :p

Hey, if Randy didn't want it discussed, he shouldn't have mentioned it. I just had to have the reason for the bath and a half, to better understand the situation. After all the other two nurses in POG only have one bath and ...........;):D

:rolleyes: Goog Day