Driving experience of XLII vs. XL?

[adamdegraff]

My two cents... as a musician, and a person very sensitive to sound, especially monotonous road noise:

I think the XL is plenty quite. In fact, when I was in the "looking" phase, I noticed no difference between the road noise. I have not driven an H. Only XL and XLII.

As for the length... I don't see why somebody would prefer a 40' over a 45'. I wouldn't NOT purchase a 40' if I really like the bus, but if give a choice, I'd go with the 45' every time.

And hey, I like the way the rivets look. These busses have enough issues without panels randomly coming unglued and falling off :-). But really, rivets just look cooler. I don't think anybody would disagree with that

~Adam

[truk4u]

Dude,

I've owned two 40's and a 45 and it's all about personal preference. I prefer the 40' for various reasons and I would not try to convince a new owner that anything other than a 45' is absurd. Adam's comment about why anyone would want a 40' is just that, a personal preference.

Think about how you will use the bus and make a decision based on those needs and your pocket book.

Good luck and keep the posts and questions coming..

[traveling.dude]

Thanks for all of your comments. While I've driven an XLII ('01) and an XL ('99), and I noticed very little performance difference between the two coaches, I value your opinions because test drives are often limited by time and roads that are not always diverse.

For example, when I bought my CC Alure glass coach, the test drive was smooth and uneventful. After a 7,000 mile trip to Alaska, my knuckles were white, and I started thinking about buying a bus.

In any case, thanks for your comments. It's very helpful during my "looking phase" to get some objective feedback.

Cheers,

Dude

[Kevin Erion]

I had a 99 XLV 45 Marathon and now a 01 XLII 45 Marathon, both non-slide. I feel the ride is the same, noise is so close that it's not a point to be concerned about. In my opinion the single BIG difference is the size of the side windows and that the sides do not slop inward as much near the roof in an XLII. With these 2 differences the XLII gives you the feel that it is MUCH larger on the inside with a much better view.

Anyway after that I will say that Jon is correct on the cost to own, the XL will be less. I will pay a little more for the interior and the fact that my 01 looks just like a 08 to most people, plus I kinda like the smooth look, but still with the classic stainless.

[Ray Davis]

Having just moved from a 40 ft (XL2) to a 45 XL2, I can tell you that extra 5 feet definitely makes it a bit rougher in tight spots. It's early in my 45 foot experience, however at this point, I will say I really liked the 40 ft, and felt a little more confident in tight spots.

The extra room in the bedroom and storage though is a big win on the 45.

I do think that Steve was correct in the 45 seems to pitch a little bit more. I hit one road I thought I was going to bounce off the pavement it got oscillating so bad.

Ray