Newbie Needs Help

[doodlebug45]

We just introduced ourselves in the New Member Forum. We have been searching for a Prevost suitable for our needs and ran across POG in the process. What a relief! There is a dealer in a city close to us that has a 1993 Marathon that looks to be in excellent condition. They are in the process of fixing a few problems that are normal for an older coach but our initial impression is that it is a great unit and just what we need. I got a copy of the Marathon Retail Invoice and it says the V.I.N. is N-975, the production number is 0208XL and customer name is Buddy Gregg. We are confused by the year because the plate in the engine compartment says 1992. The date on the Retail Invoice also said 1992 but this has been crossed out and 1993 written in. The date on the Prevost Car Inc. "Coach Final Record" is December 1991. What is this unit? Is anybody out there familiar with this particular unit? The other thing that is of some concern is that this bus is incredibly well priced according to our research at $149,000. Grandma used to say "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" but grandpa used to say "if its too good to be true it usually is". We have a ways to go yet in our purchase process but any help you experts out there can provide would be immensely appreciated. By the way, I have owned motorhomes since 1971 and had my Bluebird for 8 years. I'm a "shade tree" mechanic who works on his own boats and restores cars for fun. I was also a hobby farmer for years and know my way around heavy equipment.

[VegasDogMan]

Vin Number is not unusual to be year earlier than date on converter invoice.

Coaches are built in Quebec, shipped to converter and finished sometime later.

For example, My Feb 97 Liberty has a Prevost Oct 96 build date. Coach is sold and registered as 97 even though VIN says '96

Need to decode a VIN? See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle...ication_number

[garyde]

Welcome. Buddy Gregg is a Prevost & Motorcoach Dealer in Texas & Tennessee. If you have real interest in this Coach, find a reliable 3rd Party mechanic or Prevost Service center and have it checked out. Do not rely solely on anything the individual or Dealer is telling you.
You can also call Marathon and get a History on the Coach that would give you some clue as to usage .

[doodlebug45]

Thanks guys! this is useful stuff. The VIN data was informative as I have the whole number and was able to check it out. I will follow up with both Marathon and Prevost to see what data they have on the unit. I can't seem to find an authorized Prevost shop in my area but we do have a very good Detroit/Allison shop that I will get in to for a checkup. I will try to find a bus shop that can look at the rest of the chassis. Perhaps a charter operation might do it. The dealer is having all the AC checked out by a reputable shop that I know. I am told the coach has OTR, Cruiseair and dash air. It has all been upgraded to 134 he says. He is also putting in 6 new 4D AGM (Lifeline) house batteries and the other batteries are also quite new. It bothers me a little that it has Toyo tires on the drive wheels and Michelins up front & tag.

[jack14r]

The N code which is the 8th digit from the end of the serial number tells us that the coach is a 1992 shell production date.On this forum go to miscellaneous items and then go to VIN # BREAKDOWN and Jon's post explains the years for the letters.The great thing about owning a Marathon is that they still support all their coaches and you can get help 24/7.They also have great parts people and service techs.Good luck with your search and welcome to this board.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Doodlebug....

Over the years the issue of VIN numbers, build dates, model year, etc. has created questions and concern among buyers and owners.

The converter decides the model year for the title on the coach. It is possible to have a shell with one model year and the title to have another. In the final analysis the actual year on the title or the shell vintage has less and less importance as the coach gets older. Depreciation is a serious concern in earlier years of a coaches life and very little concern as the caoch ages. On an older coach the value is all about the coach condition and maintenance history. On almost new coaches because of the enormous depreciation it is about the age.

For the vintage you are looking at concentrate on all the things that are really important, such as the coach's condition, maintenance, appearance, and the price. The price is only a reference point because I have seen much newer coaches I would not pay that much for, and I have seen older coaches that are a bargain at that price because of their condition.

Don't worry about the age.

[Will Garner]

Doodlebug,

Cummins dealer have a Coach Net Service and are listed on the Prevost web site as authorized for Chasis services. If you have a Cummins dealer locally you might try them for a chassis inspection. Tour bus operators in your area that do their own maintenance may also be a source for chassis inspection and advice on where to take the candidate coach for an under body inspection.

[BrianE]

Hugh,
Welcome to the nuthouse. Considering the age of the coach you are interested in I would take extra care with getting a good mechanical survey prior to purchase. While tech info, support, and some history are readily available from Prevost, D.D. and Marathon, the history of a particular coach should be a major consideration. Good maintenance records and contact with the previous owner are oftentimes not available when buying from a dealer. Be insistent for historical info, it will pay off. The 8V92 is a great engine as you probably know from your boating history. In a bus installation the engine is challenged by heat and if not operated sensibly can be a hidden time-bomb. It would be advisable to have it dyno checked if possible. If the bus is located anywhere in the northwest I would be happy to add a second set of eyes to your inspection. My contact info is listed on Dale's map in Quick Links Best of luck. Incidentally, some of our favorite trips have been in BC and our old '92 handles the terrain like a champ.

[doodlebug45]

Once again, thanks guys for the latest round of input. The info from Jack and Jon on the VIN question has been very helpful. Jon's comments were very helpful and allowed me to get my head out of my ---hands--- and start focussing on the more important issues. My usual style is to buy something and, if I like it, keep it for just short of forever so resale is hardly an issue. I practically gave my Bird away to a huge family who love it like crazy. The last time I saw it kids were swarming all over it and mom and dad were smiling like cheshire cats. Will's note about Cummins dealers and tour bus operators was useful and I plan to check that out tomorrow. Brian's comments were valuable. I have asked the dealer I am working with on the 93 Marathon if he has any problems with me taking the coach to the Detroit/Allison dealer for a checkup and he says no problem. Funny thing is that with all the boats I've had, I have never had one with a Detroit. Cummins, Hino, Volvo but never Detroit. I now seem to have all the major systems covered with the exception of the chassis/suspension. Thanks for the offer of another pair of eyes Brian but I think I'll be OK. Besides, my daughter emailed a few days ago from our ranch near Edmonton where the coach is located. The temperature was -51F and the wind chill was -62F!! I won't even go there when its that cold. My rough plan at the moment is to get everything checked out the best I can and if things look OK, I'll do the deal. The dealer has offered a 30 day warranty on the whole coach. I will likely run down to Marathon in Oregon for a checkup and continue on to the Prevost shop at Loma Linda. That way I will have the shakedown cruise and a complete checkout. I am also looking at alternatives and keeping an open mind. The cold weather here has been a real challenge but I'm hoping it warms up fairly soon. I hear our local groundhog says it will. There's still lots of room for this deal to go sour but we're moving forward. Sure wish I could get more of that historical data that Brian mentions. Every piece of info is useful and welcome so keep it coming if you've got it. Thanks to Jim for that note on searching for coaches. I will keep you all posted on the progress of this drama. I hope it doesn't become a comedy! Stay tuned!!

Hugh / D'Bug

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Hugh,

Don't let MPD get in the way of judgment. It is a big purchase and when you do the inspection before even taking it to Prevost or Marathon operate every switch, device and system. That way you not only learn the coach, but you know what works and what does not work.

Keep close track of how things operate because this is also your learning experience. There are a lot of switches, buttons, and controls and gauges. They all have a purpose. Somewhere on the POG site is information about the pre-purchase inspection as well as a wealth of information on the systems.

Personally I put a lot of value on appearances and if the coach looks unkept, has a lot of little issues such as seemingly minor cracks, nicks, dings and tears, and its running gear like the engine and generator are dirty or grease covered it tells a whole lot to me about how much care it has received.

This is a buyer's market and as a buyer you are in control.