HELP my husband is about to buy a prevost. we have four kids under 6

[Washington]

he thinks they can sleep in the luggage hold. i know that people have done this. i am holding the green light red light call on the decision to purchase a prevost. please help me over the hump. i am not a camper. i love the ocean. i am very tidy i love to cook. i love my kids and think this would be awesome at this age to see the country. thoughts. thx :)

[Ray Davis]

I have never personally heard of anyone making a bunking quarters out of a bay area. It certainly could be done. I've seen TV specials where Marathon made an area for a couple traveling with a lot of cats.

I think if this is where you're thinking, you're looking at custom build, or custom modification. Normally there is no access to the bays from inside, and I'm doubting you want to take your kids outside, and put them in through the normal bay doors.

Personally, in your case, I would look for a bunk bed coach. Or, a coach with two couches that pull out to beds. That would sleep 4 small ones without any problem. Won't work when they are teenagers, but would work for the next couple of years. Some families I know of will travel with lot's of kids, but pick places that they can also pitch a tent.

Ray

[Jon Wehrenberg]

What's your budget for a purchase? That is going to influence whether you get a new coach designed to accomodate your family, or if you might be seeking an entertainer coach that may have racked up a lot of miles, but is cheap and has bunks for the kids.

A number of our members have conversions with bunks and I know of at least one who did what you are talking about, taking time off and touring the country with his family.

There also have been coaches with the front bay used as a pet house, a kid's room, or even for an adult's bedroom. One of our members has that coach.

Tell us more. This group will not be shy about giving ideas.

BTW, welcome to the asylum. Just be careful about taking any of our advice to heart.

[Kevin Erion]

I am on bus # 2, first one with 2 custom couches that came together to make 1 very large bed. This bus is a Marathon with 2 bunks and 2 couches, both couches make into beds. The three girls have many sleeping options.
6 years of ownership and I think the wife and girls still enjoy road trips, as long as we mix an amusment park or water park into the trip. I enjoy the bunk coach because it makes up easier but the girls liked the first bus with the very large bed a little more.
It will work no matter what, as long as everyone is in!

[garyde]

I would caution anyone who would think about converting luggage bays into sleeping areas. Carbon monoxide poisining is a real danger. Battery gases, Diesel tank fumes, Exhaust from other vehicles, Heating and cooling as well. Also, just the idea have having my children under the floor of the bus while traveling would scare me. Not a good idea.

[Seabyrd]

Fantastic... be happy that the coaches today can accomodate many people.. money can give you 4 slides and a custon build can give you really nice bunks 2 + 2 across the hall from each other with a/c small TVs game ports and anything else your heart desires.. I have seen several really nice 2 slide Marathons with a bunk bed configuration at reasonable prices. We started out with Bluebirds and no slides 3 kids and a dog... we headed out (somewhere.. we didn't care but we usually ended up at the beach) every Friday night... I would have the kids bathed and in their pjs .... supper ready.. and when Dad came home we headed out... I would drive while they ate and enjoyed their time together... we kept trading up until we could afford a Newell Coach... (thought I'd died and gone to heaven.. it had everything built in... coffee pot... blender... toaster... can opener ..you name it !!) Those years were incredible...our kids still talk about all the trips and fun we had together... our oldest is now 45 and he said it was the ultimate childhood and he'll never forget it !! Millennium Coach built a really nice one with a downstairs bedroom for kids.. it was really cool and may still be for sale... they would probably know if it still available or not. Once you make the necessary adjustments you'll never look back... I hope it works out for you all !!

[Woody]

There also have been coaches with the front bay used as a pet house, a kid's room, or even for an adult's bedroom. One of our members has that coach.


We may have the coach Jon was talking about.

The first owner had it built with a trap door to the forward bay which had two opening ports,heat, refer, fans and TV however we have been told that he used it himself, not kids.

The downside - you loose almost all you storage.

[CAPT MOGUL & Sandy]

First of all, A BIG Welcome to POG!!! I would like to welcome you with your name but it isn't there in the signature line yet. I'm sure it will get there soon. As we will help you with all POG "stuff" step by step. As some say, "even if it is wrong".:rolleyes:
Suggestion: We just bought a ROYALE bus (2nd one) which has 3 bunks in it. They are in the bathroom area beside the washer/dryer. The W/D "WAS" a combo unit and was positioned high up so the bottom bunk was much longer then the top 2. Ed and I have no use for the bunks so we are in the process of converting the bunk area to closet space for linen and a HUGE upright Bass fiddle & etc.. The fiddle will be sitting up straight and not lying on my bed now.:D We now have put in separate washer&separate dryer(both front loaders)Maytags. They are apartment size and I LOVE THEM!!! Made for low water usage.
I don't know if your husband is looking at a 40 or 45 ft. but I'm sure that you could easily change a closet space to bunks and still have a W/D.
Ed and I applaud you and your husband for taking on this activity with your children!!
I do agree with the otherPOGers but not your husband:(, Do NOT consider putting your children in the bay compartment!)
If we can elaborate more, just give us a "SHOUT":D
Sandy and Ed

[Jeff Bayley]

Has anyone suggested a toy short toy hauler if they're going to be taking a car along anyway ? I borrowed one from a neighbor once that wasn't too terribly long and hired a driver for a business trip and he had his own "guest room" when we stopped. I had/have a buddy cord on my generator that ran the roof A/C and had it's own TV bathroom. Small quarters if you get a small toy hauler but a mansion compared to the cargo bay. I guess getting a 40' would be better than a 45' in that case and your overall length wouldn't be much more than a 45' with a car. Backing up is easier (possible).

There was an Italian made couch that Joe Cannarozzi had found and originally posted that is in this forum somewhere still. I might even have it book marked in my browser if Washington wants to PM or email me for it. This was really nice and looked real well made but they were steep at $5,000 each. But they dimensions appeared they would work on our coaches. Even two of them across from each other. Some of you may remember seeing it. Instead of folding out like a futon couch, it flipped up and converted into a bunk bed. So with two of them you would sleep 4 comfortably in the front. I thought about trying to manufacture and sell a copy of them but after a lot of thought I just took a guess that there wouldn't be enough demand for them. Even at $2,500 each. It might be something to think about and compare to the cost of tradition revising an existing coach. But a toy hauler would be less money and maybe kill two birds depending.

With enough shopping and the suggested coaches, finding one already with existing bunks sounds like a good idea.

[fixrim]

I have FIVE kids and a prevost, though my kids range in age from 7-14 now. Prevost is a great way to go, but your kids will grow out of those bays fast, find an entertainer coach with bunks, Ours has 3 bunks, and a fold out couch, and 2 bathrooms, and works great.

[travelite]

I have FIVE kids and a prevost, though my kids range in age from 7-14 now. Prevost is a great way to go, but your kids will grow out of those bays fast, find an entertainer coach with bunks, Ours has 3 bunks, and a fold out couch, and 2 bathrooms, and works great.

Bob,

That sounds great. Tell us more. I have a bunch of kids too. What entertainment coach do you have? What are the capacities of the systems? It seems that entertainment coaches often lack in the areas of holding tank sizes, inverters, batteries, etc; i.e., entertainers tend to run the generators all the time.

Thanks

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Every coach built is a compromise. No exception.

Entertainer coaches offer bunks at the expense of closets and wide open bath and vanity areas. But for larger families they tend to make a lot of sense. Everybody gets private space.

They trade an abundance of bay space for holding tank capacity, OTR, outside entertainment systems, an abundance of batteries, etc. So as a result they have a lot of roof airs and make extensive use of the generator. They need bay storage for instruments and gear so that becomes the priority.

But all is not bad. Getting an entertainer coach provides plenty to work with. With the generally wide open bays holding tanks can be added, additional batteries can be added, and there will still be room for other features not necessary on an entertainer shell. Running a generator all the time for cooling is not the negative it might seem to be. The generator does not use a lot of fuel so there will always be plenty of power available to run electronic games along with the AC units. The long wheel base may be an issue on rare occasion, but not as much as it may seem due to the sharper turning radius of the IFS shells.

I have seen Rob Russell create a coach with a quick change bedroom, converting it into an executuve seating area, and easily changed back so to modify an entertainer coach specific to your needs only takes some imagination. Those interiors are easily removed and modified unlike a motor home conversion.