New member in search of a Prevost

[amt]

Hello. I am a new member in search of a used Prevost. Just wanted to drop in and say Hi. I am in Austin, TX. I am looking for a used Prevost to go on trips with my wife, daughter, 2 cats and a dog. Yes, the pets really need to come with. I am having some trouble deciding what vintage to go for. I see many in the early 90's under 100k, but also see some late 90's and 2000 around 200k. I am quite mechanically inclined and don't mind doing a lot of maintenance myself. However, I am a bit worried about buying a coach with the 8v92, only because of availability of service when traveling.

I would not mind doing some remodeling inside to suit our needs, so an older coach with a lower price has some advantage. But it seems like finding a coach with S60 engine and still in the lower end of prices if hard to come by.

Also, I am curious if there's anything else I should consider when looking at an older coach (pre-S60). Any concern over brakes, suspension, steering, ride quality in the older coaches? Is the circa-2000 H3 models a step above the other models in some ways?

Thanks!

[WinterStorm]

Highly recommend Olympia Luxury Motorcoach in Murfreesboro, TN. They have a large assortment of Prevost coaches (Liberty, Marathon, Millennium, Featherlite, Country Coach, Parliament, etc.) and if purchasing a Zeroed-out coach it will be done professionally, thoroughly - including having the chassis, axles, wheels/tires done by Prevost Nashville. We absolutely Love our “new to us” Coach. Austin Hicks (Business Partner/General Manager), Brad Land (Sales) and Bobby Kerce (Service Manager) are World Class Prevost knowledgeable! They and their technician teams employ Midwestern work ethic and courtesy! Good fortune in your search.

[amt]

Greg and Deb, thanks for the recommendation. I am still learning a lot, and I will try to ask specific questions in the appropriate sub-forums. IMO, it looks like a minimum price for a good condition coach is $150-200k. I am seeing some for less, but I get the impression they need a bit of work. I will check out Olympia Luxury Motorcoach. However, I am hoping there might be some more local options for at least window shopping, as I'd like to get some "touch and feel" before committing to a sale. Also, BTW, leaning towards a non-slide, as I think there's enough room, and I do not want any possibility of needing to fix a slide down the road.

[Hoffman]

AMT,
I understand your position, similar to mine. I didn't mind doing a lot of work myself, wanted a lower price, but not a problem child. I ended up with a 2001 H3. It needed some work, and I've done a lot and given our budget, it's been a good decision historically. We're very happy, even if I bitch periodically to my wife about something not working just right.
However I saw a red flag when you mentioned you're traveling with your wife, daughter, 2 cats and a dog. You didn't mention the age of the daughter, nor size of the dog, but that's a lot of love in a small space without slides. Another important factor is the length and frequency of your travels. My concern is that in 6-12 mos you'll be wishing you'd gotten a bit more space with a few slides.
Of course I'm sure you know there's a lot more bargains available in private transactions, but you just take on a lot more responsibility for the state of the coach. If you go private I highly recommend you consider hiring Gil Johnson (Active on this forum) who can provide you an excellent pre-purchase review and opinion of the coach. Well worth the investment particularly with an older coach as you're inclinded. Nothing wrong with a Prevost that needs a bit of work, they're very workable. Just be sure you're walking into it with open eyes, that's where Gil's value is worth the investment.

One thing you might consider with any coach that is 15+ yrs old is having Joe Camper rebuild your chassis components. Joe can also be found on this forum. Another investment that's worth it. Having him go thru it with you, you'll learn a ton of great info about your coach, along with getting new air bags, shocks, break calipers, pads, brake lines, brass fittings, air valves, and anything else Joe finds that needs attention.

I personally recommend something in the 2000-2005 age range, not too old, still has some good life, pre DEF, D60 engine, available slides (if you want). But still cheap enough to not kill you. I'd estimate you should budget 50-100k of work in the first few years to get it all fixed up and improve it to suite your needs/style. An example of this type of work is new front seats. About $10k, but well worth it, even to include 3 point seatbelts. Your aZZ will thank you every time you drive down the road.

I'm happy to chat in person and share more of our journey. Just reach out.

[Gil_J]

I don't recommend the 8V92. Not because it's a bad engine. 2 stroke diesel mechanics are getting harder to find.

If you are ruling out slides, a late model XL is hard to beat. I believe 97 was the first independent front suspension year. Nothing wrong with the solid axle front ends. The IFS will give you a tighter turn radius and more front axle weight carrying capacity.

If you have specific questions, a call may be easier.

[amt]

Hello, Joe and Diane. Yes I don't mind getting my hands dirty. The real issue is *time*. I am pretty handy, I have rebuilt engines, welded custom exhaust systems from scratch, done suspension & brake work, but don't have any experience with large chassis vehicles. If I am being honest, the biggest hurdle just might be getting used to driving something so big. I am pretty sure I have to get a different class of license for TX (but not commercial).

As for space, my daughter is about to turn 12, and she has down syndrome, so I would say her experience is bit different than a typical 12 year old. She absolutely loves busses, and having our own, she will probably want to live in it even when we are home. The cats will probably hide the entire time and our dog will most likely be by my side 24/7. We don't plan on going on trips for more than 3-4 weeks initially (probably much shorter to start), and I suspect we would do 4-5 of those per year. Some of the time I will be working (I always work remote, even when home) and I'll just find a quiet place like the back room if I need it, or if it's nice outside, I'll be on my computer outside. I understand the slides will offer more room, but I am trying to keep initial expense low and not have to worry about and future problems with them. Who knows, maybe I will change my mind.

Thanks for the opinion on the 8V92, Gil. I think I can safely state I am only interested in S60 coaches now.