Wanderlodge VS Prevost

[Garynmike]

I've found that many of you are former Wanderlodge/Airstream/Newell owners and I'm just wondering why....


I know that they no longer make the Wanderlodge or Airstream motorhomes (at least not in Class A) which itself is a HUGE issue for me because I don't want to be unable to get parts easily/affordably nor do I want a coach where there aren't improvements being made that I might be able to have incorporated into mine. (Read: soon I hope!)


One key thing for me has been the greater number of coaches with bunk beds in them... I have a daughter and my dream is to travel the US/Canada/Mexico for 1 to 3 years and "homeschool" her while seeing our beautiful country, meeting the people, tasting the food and enjoying the different environments from coast to coast. Now, I only want 2 bunks so an Entertainer doesn't seem to be a good fit... I want a "family" coach.


The Wanderlodge/Airstream coaches do not seem to be as solid coaches but not as good as a Prevost... am I correct on this?


Thoughts? Suggestions?


Thanks in advance!

[Gil_J]

Both Liberty and Marathon have or still build double bunk coaches. Others may have too.

[travelite]

Hi Mike,

Frankly, I needed more space for my growing family. The 2002 LXi just didn't fit all six of us. We had blow-up mattresses on the floor blocking access to the fridge, the bedroom, and the toilet. It just didn't work. The Vantare floor plan that I chose is their Sanibel floor plan. It's bunk bed capable. My children are still kids, so we don't have the need to do a conversion just yet, but it's part of the future plan. Vantare did many coaches with bunk beds.

The rest of the story is simple. Take any component, save the engine and transmission, of my prior 2002 LXi and compare it to what's in the H3 and the superiority of the H3 becomes obvious, from the stainless steel structure, to the suspension, tires, axles, hubs, to the towing capacity (15,000lbs, 1500lb tongue weight), and on to the house: the water pump, 120VAC plated stranded wiring, full sine wave inverters with load dominance, etc. The list goes on; no comparison.

Finally there's parts and service. I simply tired of having to personally reproduce or source parts for my Bird. Try to find a bumper or a bay door for your Wanderlodge. It's next to impossible. If these components become damaged, stop the bus, pick up all the shredded parts off the roadway, and store them in your bay. You'll need them when you ask the fiberglass shop to build a new panel, and you'll wait 6 months for the job to be completed.

As wonderful as birds are, they are becoming more and more difficult to keep on the road.

[Clipster]

Mike,

Quite simply, the Prevost shell is build to the standard of a commercial vehicle and will always be superior to any vehicle that is manufactured specifically to be a motorhome. The H3 and X3 are bench-tested as a 2,000,000 mile vehicle. While Debbie and I currently own a 2013 Liberty H3-45, we also operate commercial charter buses that are in service across the country. We just completed the purchase of our 25th and 26th H3-45 seated coaches (2018-models), but operate H3-45's that are as old as 2001-models with 700,000 miles on them. These are truly amazing machines! While owning a Prevost is not for the faint of heart, you will always be able to find parts and support, and won't find another machine that is comparable, quality-wise.

Clip & Debbie
2013 Liberty H3-45

[Joe Camper]

I think they r built stronger than 99% of the comercial semitrucks running down the road, not by just a little either.

There is no comparable for these chassis in the relm of motorhome. The only time u see compatable stuff in trucking is a small group of heavy haulers or stuff built for off road and heavy excivation.

Some larger fire truck chassis r as beefy as prevo, some.

A modern day tandem axle semi is equipped with 20000lb axles. Even thou most states say 34000max on a tandem most trucks come with 2 drive axles that r each 20000.

If u pulled axles from prevo and a semi with a 20000lb axle and put them side by side the prevo axle is about a full inch thicker in diamiter. Big big big, everything. Truck air brake hose is ALL 3/8, prevo 1/2 in, ect ect ect.

[Joe Camper]

Hey Clip, did u ever have one of those older articulated Hs with 8v in your fleet?

In Chicago there was a charter co, mid america, they had a couple in a fleet of Hs. I used to take my xl up there for otr-ac stuff. Think they r gone now.

[Clipster]

Those were H5-60's (60 feet long!). No, we've never operated anything very exotic, but I did have a lady driver who drove an H5-60 in Las Vegas before she came to work for Spirit. I don't think Prevost is making those anymore, but I guess there are used units out there, as they are still listed in the bus blue book.

Clip

[Joe Camper]

Hey Gary and Mike if you're still out there following this thread I think a better comparison to make on Prevost to be comparing them to trucks, semi trucks and they're built far superior to the average semi truck in comparison.

Here is an example.

14495

14496

99 % of tandem axle semis r tandem drive axles and r rated for 40000, 20,000 per axle.

That is the brake shoes all semis r stopping on. The smaller one.

The other shoe is off a Mack with 60,000lb tandums, 30,000lb axles. I don't have a shoe from a prevo so I'm using this for a visual aid. The prevo shoes for drive axle drum brakes much more resemble the bigger shoe shown.

The only semis on the road sporting this gear r either hauling big big loads or excivators that want stronger stuff for getting through the mud.

Look at the shoe itself one is a cast piece one is pressed just for starters.

The brake drums prevo mates to these shoes....... EVEN MO BIGGA than the drums off a 30000lb truck axle!! The drums look more like something I'd pull off a front end loader!!

The safe comparison being respectful of the wanderlodge group is they r both popular motorhomes.