Looking for XL

[Coloradobus]

As Jon said above, we have "churned" the market. We learned that Marathons with the large hall closet were designed specifically for bunks to be put in easly. all ducting, wiring etc was placed as such not to interfere with bunkbed installation.
Have you seen Marathon coach 815, which has bunks. it does have 167,000 miles on it. Marathon coach 829 has the large closet and is agressively being advertised as bunnk ready.these are on Marathons' site. then there is 1020 Stay away from Marathon Coach 673 which has bunks, wood flooring, patio girard, slab granite everywhere. It is an absolutely spectacular coach in every way right down to what the DANG thing WEIGHS. Last month, we went to Beaumont, picked it apart, and they even let us weigh after warning us it was overweight. With 24% water out of 207 gallons, 1/3 tank fuel out of 235, not much else. Coach weighed in at 52,880. the front axle which was carrying a single HWH slideroom with sinking floor,and an under belly outside kitchen weighed in at 18,380lbs with 315X80X22.5 Energy Michelins that carry a max of 9,090lbs. If it came down to us buying it, Marathon would have bowed out let us deal with owner directly since they wouldn't sell as it sits. They would have removed at a minimum the outside pull out kitchen estimated to weigh 1500lb.
Also, coach 777 weighs alot. We have started to look at newer Evntertainer coach with 3 bunks where we could remove 2 use the space for storage.
One thing, you may think Girards are great, but wind a gust of wind strikes, they retract only so fast, and can't get in fast enough and not get blown over the coach. At best an Air-Electric or manual one is best, since when deployed tha framing stance is a triangle shape that holds up better in the wind gust. They aren't perfect, but IMHO a bit more robust.
Not being extreme slideroom fans, we have also learned a double slide maybe lighter on the front axle just because the bedroom slide weight counters some of the weight of the front slide off the front axle.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Just a comment........there seems to be a concern or maybe a fear about mileage on our coaches. In my opinion it doesn't matter if a coach has 167,000 miles on it if it was maintained. It may be a better coach than one that has 67,000 miles on it and it sat in one spot a lot of the time.

When the mileage crosses 500,000 or more then it starts to become an issue, but I see trucks that have passed the 1,000,000 mark and are still in everyday use.

[phorner]

During our recent service visit to Prevost in Jacksonville, we noticed that they had several used buses for sale that looked to be in great shape. Mileage ranged from 300K to more than 500k.

No one at Prevost considered them to be "high" mileage coaches. If you didn't check the odometer, you would never have guessed that these coaches had traveled as many miles. Jon is right on the money. It is all about the way they were taken care of and maintained.

[truk4u]

That's the big difference between commercial buyers and private buyers. I bought many trucks back in the day with 500K on the clock and never batted an eye. With a private bus, the buyer gets a deal if the miles are deemed to be high, a wimpy 200K, and when he sells, he has the same problem in reverse.

I'll take Jon's high mileage Liberty any day!

[Coloradobus]

OK, I just mentioned the mileage of Coach 815,since it has been used as an Entertainer coach and is owned by the same outfit that Kevin bought his 704 from.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jim,

Not a criticism of your mentioning the mileage, but a comment that I think too much emphasis is on the mileage of our coaches. I would be way more concerned about lack of maintenance.

[merle&louise]

I respectfully disagree with what Jim said about Girard awnings. I have had a Girard awning on my coach for 5 years and have not had one minute's trouble. When we first used the awning we were in Wichita Falls, TX. Wichita Falls is known for its constant high winds.

I extended the awning > went inside to get something and when I came out the awning had retracted from high winds. I have heard stories about the wind flipping awnings over the top of the coach; if the wind blows that hard it will break the cast aluminum claw that holds the Zip Dee type awnings (this happened to me in Colorado on my '87 Newell w/Zip Dee awning).

My point is this: high winds will damage any awning. Girard is the best awning made IMO. Girard has a remote control that fits in your pocket. This remote makes it really easy to extend/retract your awning. There's no locking/unlocking the roll up mechanism to contend with and no support bars to hit your head on when walking by.

I know that many on this site have had trouble with Zip Dee electric/air automatic awnings and personally I would never have one, but Girard is in a class by itself IMO. If you want a trouble free easy to use patio awning, Girard is the best game in town.

Just my .04 (inflation)

[gershwin]

As Jon said above, we have "churned" the market. We learned that Marathons with the large hall closet were designed specifically for bunks to be put in easly. all ducting, wiring etc was placed as such not to interfere with bunkbed installation.
Have you seen Marathon coach 815, which has bunks. it does have 167,000 miles on it. Marathon coach 829 has the large closet and is agressively being advertised as bunnk ready.these are on Marathons' site. then there is 1020 Stay away from Marathon Coach 673 which has bunks, wood flooring, patio girard, slab granite everywhere. It is an absolutely spectacular coach in every way right down to what the DANG thing WEIGHS. Last month, we went to Beaumont, picked it apart, and they even let us weigh after warning us it was overweight. With 24% water out of 207 gallons, 1/3 tank fuel out of 235, not much else. Coach weighed in at 52,880. the front axle which was carrying a single HWH slideroom with sinking floor,and an under belly outside kitchen weighed in at 18,380lbs with 315X80X22.5 Energy Michelins that carry a max of 9,090lbs. If it came down to us buying it, Marathon would have bowed out let us deal with owner directly since they wouldn't sell as it sits. They would have removed at a minimum the outside pull out kitchen estimated to weigh 1500lb.
Also, coach 777 weighs alot. We have started to look at newer Evntertainer coach with 3 bunks where we could remove 2 use the space for storage.
One thing, you may think Girards are great, but wind a gust of wind strikes, they retract only so fast, and can't get in fast enough and not get blown over the coach. At best an Air-Electric or manual one is best, since when deployed tha framing stance is a triangle shape that holds up better in the wind gust. They aren't perfect, but IMHO a bit more robust.
Not being extreme slideroom fans, we have also learned a double slide maybe lighter on the front axle just because the bedroom slide weight counters some of the weight of the front slide off the front axle.

I don't see coach #829 on Marathon's site???

Yes I am familiar w/ #815 - they turned down good offer - nuf said on that one

Really they've been pushing #746 and heard last night from a broker that it may have some history but haven't even run a car-fax as the interior color scheme is too cold and dull and exterior paint is kinda blah. Wife wants a more "organic feel" to the coach.

Not familiar w/ Colorado Bus - PM me or linky?

ps - on the Girard - we'll be rolling and not sitting much so no problems w/ wind. I think the style cleans a coach - an aesthetic thing and I don't want any arms coming loose down the road

[Jon Wehrenberg]

It isn't the arms that will come loose. If the wind gets into the awning roll it will unwind the awning when driving. In my case the awning was out for the shade and we were parked.

I don't think that will happen with the newer awnings.

[rfoster]

Mr. Keller: See- I told you Pete was in his underwear.