Newmar owner, Prevost admirer

[Bamafan]

Hi, new member checking in and looking for advice (isn't everyone:) ). So here's my deal, we own a 2011 Newmar Mountain Aire Diesel Pusher. It is a very nice coach and I know I should be content however I can not seem to shake that giddy feeling I get everytime I see a Prevost bus pull in the campground or going down the road. It's like seeing that girl in high school that you knew was above your pay grade but you really wanted to ask her out. I have been stalking Prevost-Stuff for months. If I were to do something I would have to stick with something somewhat close in value to what I have now. That means that I would have to go with 2000-2004 model Prevost. I LOVE the XLII's but have read that there are issues with delamination of the stainless on some and I can certainly see the storage benefits of the H3-45 but dang that stainless is beautiful. I'd be going from 4 slides to 1 or maybe 2. I really like the Marathon and Liberty conversions. So if you had to guess, which way is going to have the highest cost of ownership? I can speculate somewhat as to what the depreciation on my coach will be over the next 5 years. I don't know about the Prevost. Looking at a 2000-2004 they have already depreciated significantly. Then trying to consider maintenance on one vs the other??? Just looking for some guidance. Probably should be happy with what I have and leave it alone but can't quit looking;)

[NashXL]

Bamafan,

First I'll let your handle go with just a GoGators! cry. I too admired the Prevost from afar and this spring made the jump. Went from a 2011 Itasca Meridian 3 slides, fireplace, to a older Prevost XL. You would normally get a lot of quick feedback and suggestions on this but almost everyone on here is in transit or already getting settled at Nashville for the POG rallly Monday-Friday. I'm leaving early Monday morn (in Cinci so only 4 hours). If you do not get alot of feedback I'd re post in a week or so. The delamination is a legitimate concern. A total coach repair can run in the $35k range (not to mention the down time). The singular reason I went with a riveted coach. Beautiful more industrial look but no panel pop!

Sincerely,
Doug
NashXL

[Bamafan]

Roll Tide!:cool: Hey Doug, sorry about that. So if you don't mind my picking your brain a bit, do you have any slides in your XL? My first 2 coaches only had one slide and my current has 4. Most of the XL's you see are no slide coaches. I still think though that some of the layouts are nice enough that a person could get by with that. Makes the price a lot more attractive too. One of my biggest concerns is the difference in storage to go from what I have now to an XL. I have a ton of basement storage and the XL's and XLII's don't seem to have much. How has the transition been for you? How much time have you spent in the XL? I actually like the rivets and I'm sure from a quality standpoint there is no comparison.

[NashXL]

Hi Again. No slides in mine. We got this with the intention of more traveling; less long time stationary stays. Slides are great when open, but make the over the road travel tight when opposing slides are closed. A non slide is very nicely set-up to have equipment layout and furnishings that increase alot more daily space. If you do not have over the road Prevost A/C (losing one whole bay), and update the exterior entertainment (TV on a side ways swiveling pull out mount and opens up a full side bay) you have more basement space than we use. You also have other areas; behind the front bumper that has a lot of storage. The non slide ride and absolute quiet from the structural integrity is unbelievable. And just at 99000 miles barely broken in.

Sincerely,
Doug - NashXL

[garyde]

Welcome Bamafan. Ive owned a 2003 Liberty 2 slide XLII for about 7 years now. No delamination issues . The Dbl slide is very nice and gives us a lot of room for the kids and the dogs. Storage is plentiful for me, heck its a 45 foot coach. Plenty of places to store your stuff. The ride is so nice and so quiet. Over the road A/C gives me a cool Coach where ever I travel regardless of the temp outside. Currently, Prevost is adding stainless steel strips at the Stainless Panels when they show signs of delamination. A much less expensive alternative and Prevost may pick up some of the cost. I really enjoy the Liberty. They place the Generator on the Drivers 3rd side bay which leaves the first curb side bay on passenger side, available for your storage.:cool: Nothing wrong with a Riveted Coach either, just not too many with slides.

[Gil_J]

I was in your shoes not so long ago. I had quad slide 42-foot Beaver Contessa. My wife has always missed the slides. For her, the slides made for more room for the dog and our grandkids had plenty of room for staying over. I do agree that our non slide coach is a coach that sleeps 2, not 6 like the last coach.

I can't say I've lost any staorage space over the last coach. We spent 8+ months on the road last year travelling between FL and AK with no want for more space. We don't have Prevost's OTR air, so we have 2 smaller bays that those with OTR Air don't have.

Our coach is a pre EGR engine and would recommend these pre emmission control engines. FWIW, our 08 CAT powered coach was a 20007+ EPA compliant engine and CAT had problems. Although I think they were eventually resolved, I wasn't driving to AK with that power plant.

Our ideal coach would have one slide. Those are available on older coaches. These slides will not be Prevost slides, but I think most claim them to be reliable.

[Bamafan]

Thanks for the responses. I'm putting ours up for sale this week and we'll just have to see what happens. I can't wait until I'm in a situation to pull the trigger when I find the right one. When that time comes I'll post on here to see if any of you are familiar with the one I'd be looking at.
Dean

[jbchevy3]

Bama,

I have seen no slide buses that are fairly open and roomy, all depends on the layout. I would rather have one of those than any plastic coach made. There is no comparison as far as ride, quietness, and quality of components.
2 slides is more than plenty, plus allows for enough room when traveling to walk through. Most times, if we are stopping in a Wal-mart, or quick overnight, we leave the front slide in and just put out the bedroom slide.

We went from an 06 Country Coach Intrigue quad slide with 19,000 miles, to our '01 double slide with 140,000 miles (with no squeaks or rattles) and have been very satisfied ever since.

Come on in, the water is fine......

[Bamafan]

Jerry,
I really don't think I would miss the slides assuming I find the right layout. I actually look forward to having the openness while traveling down the road. I'm a quality fanatic. To the point of being anal. Can't wait till I can "jump on in" and experience no squeaks or rattles while running down the road.

[Bamafan]

Officially listed our current coach for sale today. If I can get her sold I will begin a diligent search for our first Prevost. Maybe next year we will be able to join you for your rally.

[Sid Tuls]

Dean you will never regret getting a Prevost. I'm on my second prevost and I love everything about them!! I've had the XL2 and now have a H3 and they both have a great ride. The one thing a like about my current bus is I don't miss keeping up all the stainless steel. If I can help you with anything give me a call. 559-901-6426

[garyde]

Hi Dean. There are mini rallys thru out the year so feel free to join us in any of those with your current Coach or a new Coach.

[Bamafan]

Sid, Gary,
Thanks for the encouragement. So just how much work is it to keep the stainless polished? I'm pretty meticulous so I would want to keep it looking pretty all the time. Also on the XLII's are the body panels stainless all the way up and on the H3-45's what exactly are the body panels made of. I'm sure these are elementary questions for you guys but I'm still still learning :cool:
Dean

[truxton]

Don't listen to Sid about stainless, he's old.

[Gil_J]

The polished SS is easier to care for than paint. Just my opinion.

[dale farley]

Different converters polish the stainless to different degrees, so some of it shines more than others. The only routine care that is recommended for the stainless is a routine wash. Of course it helps to use filtered water if you don't want water spots. I always just wiped mine with a chamois cloth. I waxed mine once a year with Meguiar's liquid wax hoping to keep it cleaner for longer between washings, but I am not sure it made any difference. I really like the stainless!

[rfoster]

Bernie. That was harsh. We are all old or wanting to get that way.

When end you get " old" I need to trade you out of that black Coupe!

[truxton]

Just had to make Sid feel at home. Roger, I want everybody to get old. If you can wrestle the kids out of the coupe, it's yours. A lot of you that were at POG know what was going on in our family. We lost the brother tonight, on our way to Chicago. Life's to damn short.

[jbchevy3]

Dean, the "H" is made of a very thick fiberglass. Most panels are replaceable if needed. I have had no trouble with mine.

[Sid Tuls]

Hey Bernie, so sorry to hear about your loss!! We will keep you in our prayers. Call me if you want you know I'm there for you both. Safe travels my friend.

[garyde]

The Stainless panels are up to the bottom of windows. Ive had no problem with the stainless up keep. Certainly after traveling, especially in Rain, your going to have to wash the Coach. Sprinklers at some campgrounds will spray up on the stainless resulting in spots. When I first purchased my Coach, I washed it once a month as I store it outside. A little less now. I do have the paint waxed twice a year. Some touch up with detail cleaner from time to time. Still Love the Stainless.

[coreygrubb]

Bernie, so sorry to hear about your brother. We know it was expected, but it's still a brutal reminder. Our prayers and safe travels. God speed buddy.

[Coloradobus]

(Stainless easier to take care of than paint)
Yikes Gil, you need to live in inter mountain west. Out here the highway dept uses "Magnesium Chloride" for snow/ice control on our roads. (So people can speed in winter) One NANO-second in mag-chloride, and your beautiful polished stainless is flecked with brown little snowflakes from the goo (it's slimy upon application)settling into the small imperfections in the metal. Then it's hours of polishing to remove them. We owned a 2002 Marathon XLII in 2002-2004, upon trading, Buddy Gregg had to have the two year old coach repolished and replaced the engine compartment doors from pitting for the new owner. issue is a bit lessOur current 1992 XL 40 must be a slight variance in the ingredients of the stainless, since the "brown snowflake" issue is a bit less

[JIM KELLER]

(Stainless easier to take care of than paint)
Yikes Gil, you need to live in inter mountain west. Out here the highway dept uses "Magnesium Chloride" for snow/ice control on our roads. (So people can speed in winter) One NANO-second in mag-chloride, and your beautiful polished stainless is flecked with brown little snowflakes from the goo (it's slimy upon application)settling into the small imperfections in the metal. Then it's hours of polishing to remove them. We owned a 2002 Marathon XLII in 2002-2004, upon trading, Buddy Gregg had to have the two year old coach repolished and replaced the engine compartment doors from pitting for the new owner. issue is a bit lessOur current 1992 XL 40 must be a slight variance in the ingredients of the stainless, since the "brown snowflake" issue is a bit less

Well then... Looks like you guys need a Winter home in Florida so your Bus will be out of the snow ! No problem like that where Gil and I live.

[Gil_J]

Okay, for anyone that can't find the south before the snow falls find an odd numbered interstate and head towards the sun. You and your stainless will be glad you did.

[gavanj]

Dean, I was you six months ago. Beautiful 4 slide Country Coach Intrigue, but yearned for a Prevost. I bought our 06 XLII four months ago, and love it. Night and day difference. My lovely wife and our newborn baby of course could use more room, but we are fine. The bay storage is still good, and actually my layout has huge amounts of interior space and closet space. I have one 4 inch section of one panel out about 1/8 of an inch and will address with a Prevost shop. Other than that, loving the coach. The ride is worth it. Fringe benefit - funny how many people want to do you favors when you pull up in one of these. We have attended 30 country music shows and festivals in 4 months - you get the rock star treatment when you pull into a venue.

[Bamafan]

gavanj, Encouraged by your comment. We are really looking forward to the Prevost Community rally in Branson next week as we only live 45 min from there and will have the chance to look at several buses. So tell me a little about your bus. Do you have any slides? You mentioned all the country music shows. Are you just traveling and going to a lot of concerts or are you connected with the country music community. My son is a drummer in a local pop/rock band and I keep telling him that as he gets better and better he will one day work his way up to country music. :-). We should close on our current coach by the end of the month so I'm getting excited about the prospect of shopping for a bus.

[Dany]

We have a 2003 Beaver 2 slides bought a2001 marathon no slide guess which we drive Dany

[Todd]

I to am starting to look to move up into a 2003 to 2006 Prevost have been looking at Prevost for sale site for quite sometime and am going to show in Tampa. Im sure I want 2 slides and would entertain a 3 slide as for the model I think H3 is my preference but I am like a sponge for any info or helpful tips anyone can share. Currently have 2001 Monaco Dynasty tandem 2 slide. The things I would change from what I currently have is more horsepower, bigger bed, shower, and the seating arrangement 2 lazy boys and breakfast bar type dining area set up for 2 people mor so than the standart seat 6 feed 4 type set up. Thanks TD

[garyde]

Hi Todd. I'm sure you'll have a great time looking for your Prevost. By 2006, Prevost began simplifying the Slide technology for their slides . They redesigned the frame of the coach so the truss system was below the floor level instead of above the floor level in the earlier Coaches. In the earlier slides, the slide would be cut into the truss system and so there were 4 pins per slide which locked the slide into place to maintain the structural integrity of the Coach. I have not had a issue with my Coach but the newer Coaches have reduced the pins to one at the bottom center and one at the top center.
Some Converters install their own Slide systems. Marathon and Featherlite are two who have installed their own slide system.

http://motorhome.prevostcar.com/product/innovation-and-enhancements

[jack14r]

The (no pin slides) newest slides became available with the 2007 shells which means that they would be a 2008 conversion,they actually have only one pin which is under the slide.I have 2 in my 08 Liberty and they have been trouble free for almost 6 years.I had a in motion light that would stay on after I put a slide in,it would only happen if it had recently rained,Prevost Jax looked at it and found sawdust in the control area that was holding moisture and they vaccumed it up and there have not been any issues since.I am of the opinion that Prevost has engineered the slides with the chassis and that they really know what they are doing,I would not purchase a coach with aftermarket slides,I do know that the Featherlite slides have a good reputation but I think that Prevost will always be here to service their own products.

[gavanj]

gavanj, Encouraged by your comment. We are really looking forward to the Prevost Community rally in Branson next week as we only live 45 min from there and will have the chance to look at several buses. So tell me a little about your bus. Do you have any slides? You mentioned all the country music shows. Are you just traveling and going to a lot of concerts or are you connected with the country music community. My son is a drummer in a local pop/rock band and I keep telling him that as he gets better and better he will one day work his way up to country music. :-). We should close on our current coach by the end of the month so I'm getting excited about the prospect of shopping for a bus.
Dean, Sorry for the late reply. First, Merry Christmas. We have a two slide XLII, converted by Royale. It has a stunning paint job, subtle but very rich. I have not seen anything like it. We are not involved in country music, but my wife and I are extreme music fans. 145+ Jimmy Buffett Concerts under our belt and at least 50 Eagles shows. We just saw The Eagles in Orlando, and are attending 4 of their 6 concerts at the new LA Forum in January, then we will see them in Vegas and New Orleans. We take the Prevost and use it for tailgating and sleeping in it after the shows at the venues. Concert venues have been very welcoming. In the Country Coach, they would knock and ask us to leave In the Prevost, they steer clear. We have had police escorts in the thing, and all sorts of perks, including parking with the bands on occasion. Good luck with your son's career in music, and yes, country is the new Rock & Roll. Have fun with your Prevost hunt, I hope it pays off well.

[Bamafan]

Gavanj,
Wow, thats quite a concert resume. I haven't been to a concert in years but will be at George Straits final concert on June 7th at AT&T stadium. We were able to purchase our first prevost a few weeks ago and will be taking it to the show. I've seen George a few times, a couple times when his career was just getting started and once several years ago. I'm really looking forward to the show in Dallas.