Time to say hello

[busmeup]

Hello POG

I have been lurking on your site for several months and I must say, you have the most active, informative & fun RV forum on the net.

We have been looking at (plastics) for a year. I stumbled on your site after seeing a Prevost entertainer at a Ski Lodge and doing a google search to check out this magnificent beast.

We were hooked immediately but are having a difficult time finding what we want and within budget. The number one item on our list has been a bath and half. As far as I know only the Vantare H3 has regularly offered this floor plan. We have seen a couple but they seem to be 2005 or newer.

This has brought us to Newell as they have the bath and half back to 2000. This puts it within budget. I have noticed that you do have some Newell owner members. I do not intend to start a Prevost vs Newell thread but just need some honest insight. On paper they seem to have very similar specs.

I know, I am (fresh meat), so have fun. I can take it but I will warn you that I can also dish it.

Thanks Much...... Randy & Lois

[rickdesilva]

Randy and Lois,
Welcome...........put your Kevlar jacket on. POG abuse is a sign of endearment.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Randy and Lois......

You are clearly going to be a fine fit with this group of misfits by starting out asking for a debate about the merits of a Newell over a Prevost.

That's kind of like asking the Mercedes folks what they thought of Chryslers.

Nothing anyone here or on the Newell site says is going to be valid unless they have considerable experience with both. Those are the folks that are qualified. Anything else we can say is opinion. For our opinions to even have a grain of accuracy you need to tell us what years you are looking at or what your budget is. You need to talk about stuff that is important to you beyond a bath and a half, such as slides.

I have always had the most success weeding out the best product for my needs by asking the owners of the two brands I had been considering the following question:

To Newell owners: If you are going to replace your coach, would you consider replacing it with a Prevost?

To Prevost owners: If you are going to replace your coach would you consider replacing it with a Newell.

Obviously you need a pretty large sampling, but if one is considered superior to the other it will show up in the answer to your questions.

If your bath and a half is an absolute must and is your primary consideration, focus on the Newell. I don't think there are enough Prevost conversions with the feature to give you choices. Also, there are so many things to consider with a Prevost conversion that are really important I think you are boxing yourself in.

[MangoMike]

Busmeup.

A great name that I won't find the need to change.

Welcome.

Jon says it all with his two questions. (No offense Tuga)

Mango Mike

[bonhall41]

Randy & Lois,
Welcome to the wonderful world of buses. We also considered a Newell when looking to move up the RV ladder because I wanted a bath and a half. We found that there really was no comparison and bought a 2005 Featherlite that was on consignment at their place in Sanford. I'm not sure when they first built that floorplan but I really like it. We're not even close to full-timers so I don't mind giving up the closet space. We're going on a "road trip" with my son, daughter-in-law and 3 1/2 year-old granddaughter in a couple weeks and I'm sure the extra half bath will come in handy. We originally planned to buy the used bus and then after a year or so have one built to our specifications but I like this one so much that I don't feel that's necessary. I'm sure anyone at Featherlite in Sanford would be glad to help you. If we can help you with any questions, just let us know. Good luck on your search and we hope to see you on the road in the near future.

Bonnie

[busmeup]

Jon,

We will be using our coach mostly full time. Lois is a RN and would like to spend the next few years, prior to retirement, working as a travel nurse. The bath and half is a must.

I hope this does not hurt any future bargaining but the high end of our budget is 400k. Slides are second on our list.

If anyone would like to answer Jon's well formed ownership questions, then do so. Tuga, can you join in?

I realize that the best answers would probably come while sitting out under an awning with a beverage in hand. I was hoping for chassis comparisons as I believe that I can judge fit and finish.

Again, Thanks for the welcomes. You can be assured that whether it is a Prevost or Newell we will seek your company.

Randy & Lois

[jelmore]

We met Tuga and the Newell not long ago. Every time I've looked in on a Newell, I've been surprised. With Tuga's, I was ready to jump ship. Newell does such innovative things. I think you can get a lot of Newell for $400k. And surely they're good machines.

[garyde]

Hi Randy and Lois. We travel with kids, dogs, and friends quite a lot and the one bath is fine . We have a sink w/ mirrors in the Bedroom, as well. Slides are big on our list because of kids and dogs. Nothing matches the Prevost ride. The other thing I notice about Prevost Conversions is how well the interior and exterior hold up over the years. Older Coaches look absolutely magnificent. They don't wear out like the plastic buses.
Because Prevost is engineered as a Commercial Bus , the owner benefits in having a machine which will go for thousands of miles with few problems. Any Coach will have maintenance issues but so far I haven't had many problems.

[adamdegraff]

Many Prevost Entertainer busses have 1.5 baths. I assume by bath and a half we are talking about a toilet and sink up front or mid-ship, and a full bath (toilet, sink, shower) elsewhere on the bus? If that is the case, why don't you just get a Prevost entertainer. There are many available out there... even with slides, that have 1.5 baths. There is a thread running right now on the difference between entertainers and motorhome shells.

This one is a little more than you wanted to spend, but it looks real nice. Has two slides, 1.5 bathrooms... and a lot more: http://www.staleycoach.com/48774.html

Or, you can buy that one and give it to me :-)

Good luck!

~Adam

[MangoMike]

We found the best way to have two bathrooms is simply to have two busses.

Mike