Greetings, from a bus-owner wannabe!

[Double K]

Greetings. I am a new member, and apparently I have "bus fever." I have had three Winnebagos, and I currently own a Newmar Mountain Aire. It is a great coach, but I have been lusting over Prevost conversions for years. Indeed, I have been lurking on the Prevost-Stuff classifieds for about two years. Looking back, perhaps I should not have gone to the Tampa Supershow a few years ago, or taken a tour of the Millenium facility, or test driven a 2004 H3. Or maybe I should not have gone to the Prevost Stuff show in Tampa earlier this month. I met Dave Wall in Tampa, and he could have talked me out of it, but he didn't. Thanks, Dave.
So, I am in the market, and I have read with interest many threads posted by members who, like me, are just beginning to get an education about buses and bus ownership.
I am partial to the H3, but I also like the XLII. I think I would consider either, depending on the coach. It looks like I will be purchasing 2005 or older.
Thank you to Dale Farley, who I met briefly in Tampa, and who persuaded me to join POG. I complained about having to pay to be a member, but he assured me that it was money well spent, and I have already gotten my money's worth in education reading various posts.
So, like everyone else in my situation, I appreciate your patience as I prepare to buy something that I really cannot afford, and really don't need, just like I have done so many times in the past. Let the search continue!

Double K
2005 Newmar Mountain Aire 4304

[dale farley]

Double K,

Welcome to the forum, and I can assure you that you will get your money's worth. Most of us bought something we knew we didn't have to have, but seemingly couldn't live without regardless of the year or cost. Don't hesitate to ask specific questions about any bus you are thinking about purchasing. Also look under the Articles section at the top of the screen and check out the Pre Purchase check list. You don't have to check everything on it, but it will give you a good idea of what you need to be looking for.

[Gil_J]

Double K, many of us have been down that road before. I went from a 2008 quad slide 42-foot Beaver to a 1999 no slide XL. Although my wife is not really happy with the loss of space, she and I enjoyed spending the better part of a year exploring this great country of ours, including Alaska and our Canadian neighbors beautiful country.

You will likely find owners that have strong support for whatever brand they own. Why shouldn't you expect that as most converters build a very good product. Personally, I have a Country Coach and really like it. Ultimately, in my opinion, each converter did a thing or two better than their competitors. Likewise I would say some converters did some things that just doesn't make sense to me. They aren't big things, so it all averages out that each conversion is a pretty good product.

Hopefully you won't hear the members on this site that try to scare you away because someone doesn't have a receipt for an oil change from years ago or that this or that wasn't changed out at X miles. If you hear that kind of talk, do yourself a favor and call the manufacturer of whatever widget they are discussing for the facts. Of course, if money is of little importance you can always replace items well ahead of their schedule.

I'm sure you were impressed with the professionalism and expertise of Dave Wall at the MotorHome Exchange. You might be even more surprised that many of the other dealers have a similar level of expertise and professionalism. It seems to be a logical connection between dealers of Prevost conversions.

Feel free to ask questions on any topic related to conversions. The members represent a broad breath of expertise and practical knowledge. Best of luck in your quest for the perfect coach.

[Bamafan]

Double K,
We went from a 2011 Mountain Aire 4 slide to a 2003 Liberty non slide. Purchased through Dave Wall @ The Motorhome Exchange. First of all you won't do better than Dave. He's one of the good guys. We love our Liberty and are doing just fine without slides (so far). Have fun with the search and keep us posted.

[garyde]

Welcome To the POG Double K. Looking for a Prevost has got to be just about as good as it gets in my book. Its a great Journey and even more fun when you find the one you just can't do without! So, enjoy the ride and ask us about anything . If we don't know the answer we'll just make something up.

[otto]

You are doing this the very smart way. I am very happy with what we have since it fits our unique situation but I wish I had joined POG,or at least known about it, before I jumped in. The initial learning curve can be steep and POG has been a lifesaver for me.

[Double K]

Thank to all for the encouragement. I want to try to narrow my search for a pre-owned bus. As I stated, at this point I am partial to an H3, but I like the XLII's also.
I initially thought that any coach converted by a now defunct converter should not be considered, because of the absence of factory support and resources. However, I reviewed another thread where this issue was being discussed, and the general consensus was that since all of the converters used many of the same components, the viability of the converter was not that important. Some owners of "orphaned" coaches claimed to have no problems getting service and service related information. Are they just lucky? By way of example, even though most converters use the Aqua Hot system, would not it be advantageous to be able to determine from the converter how the system is wired and plumbed in a particular coach?
Next issue: I live in North Central Florida. I am still working way more than full time. It would be difficult to find the time to go to Sanford or Stuart, for example, for service, but it would be impossible to go out of state for service. Should I limit my search to only those coaches that have service facilities in Florida? I understand that I would still have some choices, but similiar to the "orphaned coach issue," should I be concerned about access to factory service?
And finally (for now), the general consensus I gleaned from threads on this forum is that purchasing from a reputable dealer, rather than an individual, is generally "safer," although it may be more costly. I am pleased to see so many glowing reviews of dealers on this forum...you don't see that with so-called "glass" rv's. If there is anyone in particular I need to stay away from, please send me a pm.

[coreygrubb]

Dbl K, you are in a pretty good geographical position, not only in searching for a bus, but also having it checked out and future service. Central Florida is darn near ground zero for all things Prevost. You have in no particular order: Prevost Jacksonville, Marathon San Antonio, Millenium and Donny Meyer Sanford, Liberty Stuart, Parliament/Coach Worx Clearwater. Feel free to PM me. George

[Gil_J]

Double K, we must be close to being neighbors.

You mentioned the value of wiring and plumbing details. You might be surprised, or not, that some existing converters hold much of their electrical details, even fuse IDs, close to the vest stating these details are proprietary. Some of us, but certainly not all, want to be able to perform some service ourselves or go to any reputable service center. Ohers don't mind going back to the converter for service. Depending on which camp you're in, it might make a difference.

[garyde]

I believe most of the Service centers will work on a Coach regardless of the Convertor. For the same reason , all the components are similar or the same as what they use. It's a learning curve for owners, but not for most of the Service centers. The Sponsors on POG are quite capable on working on most converted Coaches.

[Double K]

So, I think I have made some progress, albeit small. I have looked at a few coaches and have been shopping both the online dealers' inventories and Ebay. I have been doing this for years, but now I have some knowledge and I am actually shopping to purchase. I have spoken to a broker. It appears to me that it is a "seller's market." I see many coaches priced less than $400K selling rather quickly.
I have seen a few coaches located out of state. If they were in Florida, I would go look at them. I cannot seem to evaluate a coach from pictures and descriptions on the internet to an extent necessary for me to buy a plane ticket to see it in person.
And what about pricing? I know there is no "blue book." The dealers post a price, which you can compare to other posted prices for comparable coaches, but how do you know the selling price? How can you determine the market value of a coach, or a fair price? Or, should I just form an opinion on the value of the coach to me (what I am willing to pay for it) and not worry about whether I got a "good deal?"
I have looked at a couple of coaches that are represented as "needing nothing" with good/new tires, batteries, etc., recently serviced by Prevost, etc. I would like to avoid incurring any significant maintenance expense for at least a couple of years. Is that a realistic goal?
I would think that an independent evaluation of the entire coach would be prudent, regardless of the seller's reputation for truth and honesty. Does anyone have any recommendations for this service, and how much should an independent evaluation cost?
Thanks to all for your generous guidance.

[Joe Camper]

I think U should form an opinion on the value of the coach to U. Find one U like in your budget. But U defiantly SHOULD be concerned about getting a as U mentioned "good deal".

U should have no problem finding something U like in that year at that price and U also mentioned the H and the XL R both options. Lot out there with those parameters.

Have U narrowed down any preferable converters??


Find one that is being sold out of inside storage. A bus that has its complete history traceable. A bus that was stored inside and plugged in by all its owners. A bus that is being sold by an owner that has had a few others previously. And I bet U would be surprised just how many there R They R everywhere.

Id also be looking for one with some miles on it to both bring the price down further. To get chiseled down to 125 for a beautiful97 Liberty XLV just for 300,000 miles was a travesty for the seller and a real bargain for the buyer.

[dale farley]

Double K, I agree with all of Joe's comments. Once you have looked at a number of coaches, you should be able to determine approximately what a particular year should be worth. Make sure it has the layout and main features you are really looking for. There can justifiably be thousands different in the fair price for the same year and model if one has been well maintained and the other has not.

There are probably very few coaches that really won't need "anything" once the purchase is made, but there are many that have all the expensive things up to date such as tires, batteries, etc. Of course the newer the coach and the more extensive the past service increases your odds of getting one that will require significant repairs up front. It is still a buyer's market, but I think "maybe" it starting to slow down a little.

[garyde]

Some Dealers will tell you what they have done to the coach in terms of servicing. Others will just give you a general sense of what Service has been included. Here's the issue. Very few will spend the time and thoroughly inspect and service all the systems on a bus. The more specific the answers to your specific questions, the happier you will be.

For instance, a 10 year old coach which has its original water heater and pump may not last much longer. Air Bags on a 15 year old coach should have had the air bags replaced by now.

Batteries are good for 5 years if they were well maintained and are a dependable brand. Tires 5 - 6 years. Hoses and belts, the same.


Refer to the pre purchase list available on this site and you will get a better idea of what is involved.
Its not a deal breaker either way, it just gives you the information to offer an informed price for a coach.
In terms of Price, all convertors have a different number . Those price levels you can see in the different Web sites .