Considering a Newell or Prevost

[fixrim]

Help!! Young family needs a rig, and it seems the Newells had slides a little earlier and are available for attractive prices in a double slide where as Prevosts with slides are a little harder to come by in that price range. So my question is will we notice a big difference between the Newell and the Prevost? I have talked to a good many people, some Newell people say the Prevost is no better than a Newell and is in fact a compromise because it is a converted bus. Others say the Prevost is the only way to go, no matter what. I have owned One Jayco, 2 Monaco's, a Newmar, and currently a Renegade that tows race cars. All were pretty good (except the 2nd Monaco, that thing was SCARY!) but we want something that has some longevity. We tend to put quite few miles on, all towing. I am leaning towards a Newell but am having a hard time getting a good opinion on either unit. Now, if I could find a 2 slide Prevost for the price of a 2 slide Newell I might be better convinced.

We have 5 boys, ages 5 thru 12, and needless to say we need a bulletproof bus that will last. We havent figured out how we will sleep everyone just yet either! Our current Renegade sleeps plenty, but we do't race as much now and want something we can vacation in, not just race out of..

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Sid Tuls]

Welcome to the POG group. I have a Prevost and my nephew has a Newell and believe me there is a great difference in handling down the hwy. Take a test ride and you will see what I'am talking about. Hey have Fun shopping it's a great time to be buying!!!

[dale farley]

Welcome to the POG. This forum make owning a Prevost so much easier because of the availability of the knowledge and support offered by other members. Everybody has their own opinion. Newell is a fine RV, and you will always find them cheaper than a Prevost with the same configuration (slides, etc.).

There is no other coach on the road that is made like Prevost. They start off as buses that are designed to go 1,000,000 miles on the engine, transmission and chassis. Everything about the bus is commercial grade. A good used Prevost will hold its value better than any other coach on the road. I am personally partial to the stainless steel look and feel.

I too have owned many RVs including Newmar and American Eagle. They were all nice, but none of them would even compare to the quality in a Prevost. When you drive a Prevost, you will see the difference. If the slides are the most important things you are looking for, the Newell will be easier to find at any given price when compared to a Prevost. Good luck in your decision and your search for that perfect coach.

[billbunch47]

One of the site sponsors Pantera Coach in Angola In. has a twin slide Country Coach XLV 99 I think, that I have been in and its really nice. Evert thing in the coach is brand new the owner had all the remodle done and never used the bus again. when I looked at it the guy wanted 450.000 now its on there site for 225.000 you would be hard pressed to find a nicer coach. Take a look!

[fixrim]

Thanks for all the advice. Believe me it seems like I have looked on the net at every Newell and Prevost out there. I will look at them all, but just when I think I have this figured out, I'll find another one that becomes a new favorite...Having owned plastic rigs before, I worry a little that the Newell is just a top line plastic rig even though I know it is aluminum...

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I think with 5 boys you are either going to need a motor home floor plan with the 3 bunks in the isle next to the bathroom or you will have to modify the front bay for a sleeping berth, possibly BOTH. That would give you 5 additional spots while still leaving the front room open.

Can't help much on the Newel never been in one.

If price is very high on your consideration list your decision will be easier. If not there are going to be a million things to weigh.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Unless someone has owned both a Newell and a Prevost all you will get when you ask the questions are opinions. One question to ask Newell owners is if they would buy a Prevost, and ask Prevost owners if they would buy a Newell.

I expect Tuga to respond here since he owns a Newell and has considered a Prevost. He may offer some insight.

I started in motorhomes in 1990 with a 1987 Prevost and now have a 1997. One thing that is indisputable is the fact that the Prevost chassis is built for commercial service to the standards required by the DOT, but even more importantly is its durability has been proven over what is likely to be billions (not millions) of miles. If the chassis has any weaknesses the commercial operators who run their buses 100,000 plus miles a year will have found the problems and Prevost will have corrected those problems.

There isn't a Prevost owner in POG that I am aware of that is likely to wear out their Prevost.

But the Prevost chassis is not all that you are buying. You are also buying an interior or a house built inside that chassis. Now would be a great time for all of us to brag about how great our various conversions are, but if I am interpreting your needs correctly you are looking for durability and the ability to provide for 5 children. That leads me to suggest you seriously consider an entertainer coach for three reasons.

An entertainer coach is built for durability and reliability. The folks that use these coaches treat them as a tool, not their home so of primary importance is the ability for everything to work day after day. We who use these as motorhomes can tolerate some failures, but the entertainers don't have time to get the coach in for repairs. They want something as reliable as an anvil. The same goes for the choice of materials. Italian marble may be great for a motorhome used occasionally, but it will not hold up to constant daily use so the converter will select flooring and cabinetry and countertop materials that will last and still look good.

An entertainer's coach will have bunks. It is built to house more than a couple. Our coaches can accomodate a guest for a short duration, but an entertainer's coach is built to house as many as 8.

Lastly, entertainer coaches will be much less expensive than a motorhome conversion. They are tools and as such in a short period they will rack up the miles. The truth is miles don't mean much. The engine if maintained is a 1,000,000 mile engine. The chassis has a greater life. The generators are probably good for 30,000 hours. My point is that while a motorhome owner will consider a coach with 150,000 miles on it high mileage, it is nowhere near a high mileage coach and likely is in worse shape than one that is used and exercised regularly.

Entertainer coaches have downsides. You will have to add some stuff we take for granted. Awnings are an example. You are not likely to get an outside entertainment center. The kitchen will be small compared to a motorhome. The long wheel base compared to a motorhome (33" longer) will give you more bay space, but make tooling around in the typical KOA a little more difficult.

I considered a Newell because I think the four slide Newells really are nice, but in the end realized that sometimes a coach with multiple slides really sucks when you are driving because they jam everything together, and when they are open they don't give you any more furniture or sitting places, just more space in the middle of the floor. We don't hold square dances in our coach so we would not benefit from more floor space.

Have fun looking.

[michaeldterry]

fixrim,

I would suggest that you look at entertainers in a star coach configuration with 6 bunks. With this design, you may be able to get the "best of both worlds." Star coach entertainer conversions often have a rear bedroom/stateroom in addition to the bunks (instead of a seated rear lounge). The star coaches also often have a shower - and some even have a second bathroom in the rear stateroom. The galley is often very basic with a small, under-counter refrigerator, microwave, and coffee-maker (maybe no cooktop). However, if your primary concern is comfortable sleeping space for the kids - this may be your best compromise. As mentioned earlier in this thread, the design of the entertainer as a working coach will also provide you a sturdier conversion in terms of the materials standing up to the wear and tear dished out by active children. Finally, you are likely to find a wide selection of well used, well maintained entertainer coaches for sales at subtantially lower asking prices than comparably aged luxuy motorhome conversions.

There are several brokers that specialize in the resale of entertainer coaches as operators are continually updating their fleets. Two of my favorites (that I have personally dealt with) are John Spellings at http://busforsale.com and Wade Staley at http://www.staleycoach.com - both of which are located in the Nashville, TN area and always have an impressive selection of coaches to consider.

Good luck in your search for the right coach for you! Have fun!

[Petervs]

Hi Fixrim,

Have you ever noticed diamonds cost more than coal,

beer costs more than water,

Rolls Royces cost more than Pintos?

Why do you think Prevosts cost more than Newells then?

Good luck in your quest.

[rfoster]

I would suggest buying a Travel Trailer as a toad. Then when someone ask you How many bedrooms do you have? - well how long of trailer do you want to pull?

You would have mulltiple baths too.:cool:

[garyde]

Hi Fixrim. Prevost. A couple of thoughts. The Prevost in the long run will cost less to operate, I believe, for the miles driven. Fewer problems on the chasis and house sides, easy to get parts. You can remodel and customize a Prevost to accomodate your needs . There are several reliable companies that do interior remodels. The POG Forum, hands down, makes Prevost ownership a huge advantage.

[Will Garner]

Ditto what everyone else has said. I only have one question, Is there a NOG (Newell Owners Group) on the net? The only NOG I know of comes around once a year and is preceeded by EGG but not at Easter.

You will know what coach is for you when you see it and not before. Get off the net and get out there in the real world and start smelling the diesel and old bus aromas. They have become better that hot coffee in the morning for me.

Good luck in your quest and let all of us know when you succeed - with pictures of course. We really like pictures!

If you have not found your coach before October, come to the POG rally in OKC and kick some tires with us. Its OK to wear dark glasses with a false nose and a wig, if for no other reasons than possible public humiliation being seen with this crowd or sheep avoidance. Sheep knowledge comes after your purchase.

[0533]

Hello fixrim.

At our last rally at TOGO in Titusville Florida we met a 83 year old gentleman who lived at either 103, 107, or 109 Windsong. He has a 2004 double slide Prevost Royal very nice exterior colors very low milage. The man said that he needed to sell it soon, take a low offer, health reasons. Worth a look in my opinion. I would ask Andre Duceote (POG) member if he could track down the owner and get a phone number, ducoteandre@aol.com
The way this man was talking he was ready to raise cash and move on.

[merle&louise]

Hi Fixrim,

Buy the one your wife likes the best!

Will,

Newell does have an online website; it is Newellclassic.com and it is monitored by John Clark, VP service w/Newell Coach. I am member and we also have some pretty knowledgeable guys on the forum. One fellow devised a way to check for air leaks by putting freon 134a in his air system and then using a freon leak detector to find the leaks. In addition to the website, Newell service is on call 24/7 with a toll free number. Newell has an excellent service department with friendly and experienced techs. Many of the techs have been employed there for over 30 years! Also, they have a 2 year / 24,000 mile warranty on used coaches. All in all they are pretty good people to deal with. They have certainly met all of my service needs over the past 17 years.

Would I buy another Newell; you bet I would!:D

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Alright Tuga that's enough.;)

You forgot to mention, you can still get one with a Cat C-15 powerplant, I think, can't you?

[merle&louise]

Joe,

I am sure that there are some around, but I believe the new engine is a Cummins. Do you know anything about that C-15? I know it has more hp but it doesn't get the mileage that the series 60 does.

I have driven a Newell with the turning tag axle and the C-15 engine. It really pulls strong and has good acceleration from 50-70!

I had a 38' Bertram with twin 3208 CATs, and all I remember is the oil filters, fuel filters, and all other parts for a CAT was EXPENSIVE!!!

[Kenneth Brewer]

The designation C-15 is the Caterpillar engine, not Cummins, and it is available up to 625 hp and 2050 ft-lbs torque the last I reviewed it. Cummins has a rival engine with comparable stats. The Cummins has been offered on plastic coaches for some time, but this was before the current economic conditions hit, of course. The Newell had the Cat engine offered, and so did the Bluebird in their last newest coach, before they died. The high torque ratings of these engine required either that the electronic control limit the torque for the ubiquitous World Transmission, or the ZF 10 speed automatic (non torque converter) transmission is used.

[Kevin Erion]

I don't think you will see any Cat's in anything in the future, they are out of the over the road truck engine market as of 2010.
What will the yellow guys buy, Joe, what do you think?

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Yes Kevin I knew that is coming. Sad day. They will put them in trucks only untill the end of the deadline for that new exhaust crap. What do they know or do you think that the decision to stop was because of that???????????? Makes me wonder.

How can that be.:confused:

Friggin tree huggers

There is plenty out there and they will always be around for, the rest of our lifetimes anyway. I prefer the stuff with throttle CABLES not wires and those have been gone for quite some time now:o Lots a them still around too.

Question:

Does anyone think that the day will come when ALL diesels will be required to run this new exhaust washing crap the new ones do?

[fixrim]

Thanks for all the info. We did drive a Newell and a 500,000 mile Prevost today. The Prevost was a Starcoach that, well, looked a little used and the drivers area was rather spartan. The Newell looked, well, like a 10 year old motorhome. Based on drive though, the Prevost won hands down. Smooth as glass! Felt a little underpowered, we have a Renegade conversion now based on Freightliner Colmbia chassis with a 450hp Mercedes. The Prevost seemed like it was as fast as our Renegade, but our Renegade always has 25000 lbs of trailer following. I'm still not ruling one or the other out, but the Prevost has taken the lead for sure. Now I need to find one, a task which is made more difficult because frankly there are so many right now! Wish me luck..

[Jon Wehrenberg]

If the 500,000 mile Prevost drove nice that should answer any questions about the integrity of the chassis.

A Prevost will pull, but with the S60 and six speed transmission they are set up to default to economy. They are OK on flat roads at highway speeds, but to make it work on hills you need to go to performance mode and manually select the gears to keep the engine wound up.

[fixrim]

Thanks everyone for all the help. The trailer as a TOAD is a great idea, but we already do that most times and quite often our kids elect to sleep on cots on the 2nd level of the trailer..

I do have a question, my current Renegade has a feature to lock the differential and then engage the 2nd set of axles, so that all 8 rear tires are driving. This has saved me more them once climbing in a parking lot in snow, or on wet grass. Does a Prevost have any traction issues??

Also, am I right to assume a lot of the Prevosts I see right now were listed for sale a year ago or more, and therefore are priced totally wrong? Frankly I wouldn't be in the market for one if the prices hadn't collapsed. Funny I see the same year and similiar features in two coaches, one will be $400,000 the other will be $200,000. I am assuming the 400k guy isn't really serious or is okay keeping the coach in inventory forever. Surely some of the dealers must be in a little bit of a panic??

[Kevin Erion]

Fixrim,
Your are unable to lock up the rear end like your truck, but the Prevost has good traction when you lift the tag, just make sure you are on stable ground or it will sink.
You will find that your truck will do some things like pull a trailer much better than a bus, a lot due to the radiator in the front and not on the side. Also the 6 speed allison and the final rear gear ratio just is not the same as most over the road trucks. Having said all that, nothing goes down the road as nice as a Prevost!

[garyde]

Another thing to think about, the Prevost weighs typically 47000 lbs or more, generally speaking. I wouldn't trust going on roads less travelled with either the Prevost or a Newell.

[fixrim]

Wish us luck we are looking at Star Coaches now... seems like they would work well, with bunks and all... Any advice on what to look for??

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Work from a list of your wants and needs. You and only you know what is important.

As far as evaluating a coach, you need documentation of its service history or maintenance. At the very least you need Detroit and Allison to run the codes and give an opinion on the health of the engine transmission.

There is a lot of information on the POG site. Take advantage of it.

[michaeldterry]

Wish us luck we are looking at Star Coaches now... seems like they would work well, with bunks and all... Any advice on what to look for??

fixrim - good luck in your search! Have fun with it! Based on your information, I agree that a Star Coach configuration will be a good fit for you. As far as "what to look for" - the same caveats apply - look for detailed, up to date maintenance history (records, receipts), documented, verifiable accident/damage and repair history. Inspect (or have inspected) all systems and components (chassis and house) for proper operational functionality before making any firm offer.

Another thing to consider when buying this style of conversion is the type of "construction" inside the bus. Many current entertainer converters now use "condo" or "modular" components (bunks, shower stalls, galleys) to make the conversion more flexible and for ease of accommodating end users with varying needs/specifications. In other words, if user "A" needs 3 bunks and more closets versus user "B" wanting 6 bunks and a larger refrigerator - no problem! The condo components can be changed and reconfigured in a matter of hours between tours to suit current requirements. I've noticed some Star Coach buses for sale in recent years that even come with additional "condo modules' - so you may be able to find and negotiate additional interior options in your purchase to give you more flexibility with your final configuration.

Bottom line - when you find "the one" - you'll know it! So enjoy the adventure and be sure to consult the POG "brain trust" of experienced bus nuts and sponsors when you need help or advice! It's definitely a buyer's market now. There will never be a better time to get the most "bang for your buck" on the best bus money can buy!

[fixrim]

Thanks for all the help. We managed to find a coach that is too much like a motorhome to be a good starcoach but too much like a star coach to be a good motorhome, so it fits us about as perfect as can be expected. Motivated seller too, I ended up with an 03 XLII with 2 slides, my budget was more in the late 90's era range, but I moved up a little and this guy moved way down I think, but such is the state of the market these days. It is refreshing that nearly everyone I have talked to about these units has been extremely helpful and very nice. One exception though, we did see a dealer with several used Prevosts that would barely talk to us. I am sure I do not fit the demographic for a Prevost, but still! My wife said we wouldn't buy one from him on principle alone! I feel for the owners that have their units consigned with him!

Any advice on towing?? Does a 20,000 lb hitch really mean it is fine to tow 20,000 lbs? I am used to towing around 30,000 with my current rig, but I also have plenty of experience towing with coaches and I know this one won't tow that. I've had motorhomes that really struggle to tow anything more than a car. I am considering building my own stacker (I have done this before) since the stackers I see are pretty heavy empty, and expensive. I typically don't tow with two cars, but sometimes I might. I would expect to tow about 8000 lbs of gear and cars when I have two, so I have to get a stacker with as low of weight as I can.

Thanks for all the help, I am sure I will need more..

[BrianE]

Fixrim,

From a ninties to an '03? I GUESS you moved up a little. Heartiest congrats to you and your family. How about some more info and some PICS. :)

[jack14r]

I towed 16,000 LBS. on one trip with a 05 Liberty with no problem,4.1 MPG.

[truk4u]

Congrats on the bus purchase, but who was the bad dealer? We like to know so members don't end up spending a lot of time and traveling money to be turned away by some unprofessional dealer/broker. If you're reluctant to post it, send it to me as a PM.

[michaeldterry]

fixrim - Congratulations on your new bus! Having just gotten ours in January, I can totally relate to the excitement of joining the rank of owners of the best bus on the road! It sounds like you found the best compromise of conversion style for your needs. Please do post pictures and info of your new addition and let us know what dealer that you had a bad experience with, so that we can all be forewarned!

[Gary & Peggy Stevens]

I agree with everybody, who was the dealer that treated you so poorly?

I am sure it is nobody we are familiar with in POG? :confused: At least I hope not!

Now that you have your beautiful rig, don't you want to drive thru his lot and honk a bunch of times and wave to him as you drive away in your new rig with that big wide grin on your face. :D

Gary S.

[michaeldterry]

Now that you have your beautiful rig, don't you want to drive thru his lot and honk a bunch of times and wave to him as you drive away in your new rig with that big wide grin on your face. :D

Gary S.

That would be priceless! Do what Gary suggested and take pictures of the dealer's red face as you honk and wave! As you describe yourself, I certainly do not fit the traditional Prevost owner demographic, so it would do my heart good to see a snobby dealer get his comeuppance! :p

[Kenneth Brewer]

Congrats on the bus purchase, but who was the bad dealer? We like to know so members don't end up spending a lot of time and traveling money to be turned away by some unprofessional dealer/broker. If you're reluctant to post it, send it to me as a PM.

Me too. Please.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Congrats, and good luck, fixrim!:)

JIM

[chtree]

Glad to hear we're not the only ones that a dealer would'nt talk to. Last summer my wife and I went to a dealer to look at used prevosts and they pushed other coaches on us for the afternoon and still would not show us a prevost. I guess we just didn't fit the stereotype. I hope you enjoy your coach! it sounds like a real nice one.

[fixrim]

Hmmm I had no idea a poor dealer would elicit requests for details! Well, to run it down, we called because they had coaches, they said the phone connection was bad on the line, and they'd call back. They never did call back, so I called again, they gave some basic information and they were not real helpful, but no worries, they had what we wanted so we made a trip to fly halfway across the country and look at coaches. I called again to make sure they were open, and explained since my wife is a medical resident working crazy hours that we would arrive a couple of hours before they closed. They made no offers to extend hours if needed on that day. However, in their defense, after we arrived at their facility, they did come and open on a Saturday the next day so we could drive the units. Perhaps I am too harsh, but the people we dealt with there seemed to just be going through the motions. As previously stated, we don't fit the demographic, so I suspect that had something to do with it also. They were just not enthusiastic at all, almost like it was a chore for them to show us a coach.

Fast forward one week and we found two dealers in Nashville willing to show us buses on a SUNDAY! I explained again the crazy work schedule and that no bus would be bought unless my wife could see it, and both dealers offered to be there on a Sunday. BusCentral.com and busforsale.com were those two dealers, and the guy at Buscentral.com was fantastic. We didn't get our unit from him, the ones he had were not quite as right for us, but he showed us everything, was very patient, and was just a fantastic guy. He talked to us for a few hours, and never once did we feel rushed or that he was put out by us. The guys at busforsale.com were also really nice, and again, we didnt feel rushed at all.

I have talked to many dealers in the past two weeks, and what an experience! Most have been beyond helpful, answering questions, and helping out. Nice folks all the way around. Someone from a convertor saw my post here and contacted me, offering to get us a used coach. Once he callled I told him I would like to find a late 90's Prevost with a slide or slides, and he told me if I was really really lucky, I might be able to find one for under 500,000, but that even then it would be in the high 400's. He had a few 2000-2001 models in the mid 500's. I am not sure how this market works, but I have looked at a few of these buses, with slides, for far, far less than what he was selling for. Made me wonder if he is dealing with economic reality or if he is merely hopeful, or maybe the coaches I was looking at were all junk and his were worth the nearly 100% premium over other coaches. In any event, we moved on found the one that worked for us.

Granted, ours is not a motorhome conversion and as such is not quite as decked out as a high line conversion. But, it meets our needs well enough.

We wil be picking it up next week, so I'll get some pics then... .

[merle&louise]

Congratulations Fix, glad you found the perfect bus! Please post some pictures when you get a chance. Happy travels!:D

[Joe Cannarozzi]

There is an 03 double slide with 6 bunks on that site and it may be the one.

He sure found the right place for what he was looking for. Really a wide variety of stuff at that local.

Looks like it would be a fun place to work:o

[michaeldterry]

There is an 03 double slide with 6 bunks on that site and it may be the one.

He sure found the right place for what he was looking for. Really a wide variety of stuff at that local.

Looks like it would be a fun place to work:o

Joe - which site?

[Joe Cannarozzi]

www.busforsale.com is I think where he said they ended up.

I'm guessin he bought "Tumbling Dice"

I miss the way more used to name there stuff.

[michaeldterry]

www.busforsale.com is I think where he said they ended up.

I'm guessin he bought "Tumbling Dice"

I miss the way more used to name there stuff.

busforsale.com is a class act - top to bottom. I bought an Eagle entertainer conversion through them about 10 years ago and even resold the same bus there a few years later. John Spellings,the founder and owner, is one of the nicest and most experienced guys in the bus business. He has a great group of professionals working for him and all are truly "bus people."

Vita and I intended to buy our next (current) bus through John and shopped there regularly for several months - always treated more like family than "customers". However, when I happened on "the one", it was being offered by an RV dealer in London, KY and Vita & I agreed that it was the one we wanted. Maybe one day I'll see another bus at busforsale.com that I just can't do without and will buy from them again. For now, I'm still in love with the Prevost that I have and hope that the day that I start "jonesing" for another bus is far in the future - if ever! :)

As for naming the bus - we really want to give our bus a name! I just have not been able to come up with one that seems to fit yet! My heart says that a bus is like a magnificent woman, and for that reason I tend to lean toward feminine (women's) names. Perhaps I'm needlessly limiting my choices? <shrug> I don't know - naming is such an emotional thing.... :o

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Michael, how about "Heart Beat". You know Drums and Love, ;):D

JIM:)

[michaeldterry]

Michael, how about "Heart Beat". You know Drums and Love, ;):D

JIM:)

Jim - thanks for the suggestion! I'll run it past "the boss" tonight and see if it flies.

We're taking some family in the bus to the Georgia Renaissance Festival this weekend! Turkey legs, shows, lusty wenches in period dress - a good time will be had by all! :D

[GDeen]

Looked at http://www.busforsale.com/ tonight and there is a picture of Bob Stretch (Fixrim) standing in front of the "Fiddleback Bus." Looks like a great ride for your big family.

OTR air and 5 roof airs! Holy crap you guys won't worry about getting hot in that coach!:cool:

Congrats.

[fixrim]

Yeah that's me.

We picked up the coach a couple of weeks ago, took it on a maiden voyage this last weekend. On the way back from Nashville I realized it had a 72mph limiter in it, so I had that removed. WOW, what a difference, it drives like a car and I find I have to let off the throttle a lot or my speed creeps way up. Feels like these thing could cruise at 90 or 100mph and be perfectly fine, though I am sure that is a little unsafe!

The guys at busforsale.com were very nice, but their inspection missed a few things. A defective water pump, valves stuck, aquahot with a big leak. I think this coach suffered from sitting too long not in use. Minor repairs and I can't complain, I bought it as is and expected to have to do a few things.

I have a couple of tech questions however, not sure if anyone can help. The inverter seems to only come on after I hit the battery merge button, like it has to be "shocked" into coming on. Most times will not invert, takes minutes to hours to start inverting, and is inconsistent. It is a xantrax unit. I would prefer not to run the genset while driving, but that is exactly what we have had to do. The water pump is a headhunter mach5 110v unit, makes great pressure, but goes into fault mode after about 2 minutes unless the water is always running. Any advice on that issue? And lastly we have a Catcon tank level system which appears defective. I have called catcon but they are either out of business or won't return my calls.

I also am on the hunt for a stacker. I called Prevost and they claimed 20,000 lbs of trailer is no problem for an XLII. I hope they are right, my trailer will end up in the 14,000 range.


Also anyone know about an aquahot? Is it also my hot water heater> If so it does not supply constant hot water, rather, we run out after a few minutes. Fine for people who take regular showers but I like longer ones and am wondering what to do here..

As for the Newell vs Prevost, well, the ride in the Prevost is nothing short of amazing.
Oh and one last thing, I was totally unprepared for an insurance bill that is FOUR times what it costs to insure my Renegade! Is this normal?

Thanks in advance everyone for all the help

[tdelorme]

Bob, below are a couple of links to get you started on your issues. You don't say who you insured the bus with, but Explorer is a company that a lot of bus owners use. I'm not kidding when I say they will be one third the cost of Foremost or other regular RV insurance outfits. The Prevostman link is a ton of info put together by one of our members who is in the witness protection program. There are other helpful links on the POG home page under "articles," including a complete manual for your Aquahot.
Click on the red bus in the upper left hand corner to go there. Just take um one at a time and you will get a handle on all problems.

http://www.prevostownersgroup.com/public/index.cfm?fuseaction=articles.view&id=3021&publicati

http://www.prevoman.com/index.html

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Who is the converter and did you get house manuals with the bus? You have just 1 large inverter not 2? Does the inverter still function as a battery charger?

Does aqua-hot have and electric heat source as well as the "heat exchanger", anybody?

If you want true continuous on demand hot water I think you need natural gas or propane but I could be wrong.

You are going to make a good test platform for this issue with your 5 children and wife. Have you thought about a second bathroom in the stacker:eek::D

[phorner]

Joe,

On our old coach, we had Aqua Hot heating and it did have an electric heating element that could be used in addition to or instead of the diesel fired heat.

When running both, it pretty much was continuous hot water.....

Lots of looooong hot showers :)

[truk4u]

The Aqua-Hot should have both diesel fired and electric. On the ones I've had, electric is good for small amounts of hot water (depending on heater size). On the diesel position, it should give continuous hot water without running out. The heat exchanger should make very hot water while driving.

I think the Aqua-Hot is a great system since it's self contained and has both electric and diesel vs our Webasto.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

That is what I thought but I was not sure.

Either something is not entirely correct or you are not operating it correctly possibly both.

Who is the converter and is there any documentation for the house stuff:confused:

[lewpopp]

Fixrim,

You ask a lot of interesting questions about your recent problems with your coach.

Is the reason you listed all your kids and ages is because you think we are the family doctor forum. By the way, we have 8 kids but no one knows that here unless we are personal friends. It makes no difference anyway.

What I getting at, list the year and converter of your coach in the childrens list so we can take some shortcuts.

There you have been reprimanded by the grouch.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Tom why can't you can run the webasto along with the electric element in the hot water heater when the need for much hot water is anticipated, that cuts the recovery time in half.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Joe, when I run my Webasto I get hot water so fast it's remarkable.

The added electric heater will not shorten the time in a meaningful way.

Maybe fixrim doesn't have his water valves for the Webasto/Aquahot set for maximum hot water flow through the heat exchanger of the potable hot water tank?

JIM

[truk4u]

Joe - Hot water from the Webasto and the electric is never an issue, tons of hot water from either source and we have never run out. Our tank is 20 gallons.

The Agua-Hot has to heat the self contained anti-freeze tank and then the water heater. The two that I have had would heat the water with no problem on electric, but there just isn't enough volume to even get a shower. Ok for washing dishes and things, but anything beyond that takes the diesel. You can run both electric and diesel.

Where is really shines, is in the winter you can set it on electric, turn on the bay, engine and coach heat loops and it warms things up nicely. Not hot, but warm enough to keep things warm when freezing.

Mine were in plastic coaches, a CC and Foretravel and lots of friends had the same systems and it was a given rule, if you want a shower, hit the diesel button.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

My comments were suggestions for fixrim who has 7 on board not 2.

We have only 1 10 gal hot water heater currently warmed only by the electric element and lack of hot water is not an issue for us.

Only 2 people with 2 hot water heaters and 2 heat sources, Tom what do you do in the shower:confused::o:rolleyes:

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Joe,

Don't you have important things to do like fixing broken pipes or are you going to pick on Liberty owners who have good systems and don't have to worry about stuff like lack of hot water. With an 80,000 BTU webasto and a 22 gallon electric water heater we don't have to worry about details like hot water.

We can focus on draining our water system so pipes don't break.

[Will Garner]

Hey Joe,

Why you wanna know what the Trucster does in the shower?:confused: Sometimes it is better to wonder in silence than to give voice to a question like that. Heck, Tom might even answer the question and embarass all of us!:eek:

[truk4u]

Only Joe and Houdini could get creative in bus showers!:eek:

[hillndale]

Yeah that's me.

We picked up the coach a couple of weeks ago, took it on a maiden voyage this last weekend. On the way back from Nashville I realized it had a 72mph limiter in it, so I had that removed. WOW, what a difference, it drives like a car and I find I have to let off the throttle a lot or my speed creeps way up. Feels like these thing could cruise at 90 or 100mph and be perfectly fine, though I am sure that is a little unsafe!

The guys at busforsale.com were very nice, but their inspection missed a few things. A defective water pump, valves stuck, aquahot with a big leak. I think this coach suffered from sitting too long not in use. Minor repairs and I can't complain, I bought it as is and expected to have to do a few things.

I have a couple of tech questions however, not sure if anyone can help. The inverter seems to only come on after I hit the battery merge button, like it has to be "shocked" into coming on. Most times will not invert, takes minutes to hours to start inverting, and is inconsistent. It is a xantrax unit. I would prefer not to run the genset while driving, but that is exactly what we have had to do. The water pump is a headhunter mach5 110v unit, makes great pressure, but goes into fault mode after about 2 minutes unless the water is always running. Any advice on that issue? And lastly we have a Catcon tank level system which appears defective. I have called catcon but they are either out of business or won't return my calls.

I also am on the hunt for a stacker. I called Prevost and they claimed 20,000 lbs of trailer is no problem for an XLII. I hope they are right, my trailer will end up in the 14,000 range.


Also anyone know about an aquahot? Is it also my hot water heater> If so it does not supply constant hot water, rather, we run out after a few minutes. Fine for people who take regular showers but I like longer ones and am wondering what to do here..

As for the Newell vs Prevost, well, the ride in the Prevost is nothing short of amazing.
Oh and one last thing, I was totally unprepared for an insurance bill that is FOUR times what it costs to insure my Renegade! Is this normal?

Thanks in advance everyone for all the help


Congratulations! Looks like an awesome coach. Beautiful woodwork!
We have four boys and recently ordered a Prevost conversion. Its a few years old but still looks new (as i guess all XL2's do). We're having some mods done to provide sleeping for everyone and should be taking delivery in a few weeks.
You definitely made the right choice. Before placing our order, we had looked at everything under the sun (and also previously owned a freightliner truck based coach similar to Renegade). The ride, handling, and braking of the Prevost is by far the best out there.
Good luck with it!

PS: we saw some nice lightweight all aluminum stacker trailers made by Featherlite that might work for your needs. We're considering one of those as well to fit the car and the quads.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

How are you bedding that many bodys without bunks?

[hillndale]

How are you bedding that many bodys without bunks?

it has a big sleeper sofa (two people), and being added is another sofa across the aisle with motorized extendable seat cushions (one person), plus a pull-out trundle feature (one person), and l-shaped dinette with extendable seat cushions (one person). Plus of course the back queen bed.