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Thread: Looking for XL

  1. #11
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    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.

  2. #12
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    Aug 2006
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    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)
    Tuga & Karen Gaidry

    2012 Honda Pilot

  3. #13
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    Sep 2008
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    Sealy, Texas (50 miles west of Houston on I-10)
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    My experience shows that awnings never need to be retracted unless it is 3:00 am, in the rain, intense lightning and high winds while in your underwear, so I always put my awnings in before I go to bed. You get more sleep that way.


    Pete & EJ Petree
    2001 Prevost Featherlite Vantare
    2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 4x4
    Sealy, Texas

  4. #14
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    Jan 2007
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    Brooksville, Fl. & Franklin, N.C.
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    Those of us who have been there have a big Grin on our faces.

    99 Country Coach 45XL
    Jeep Liberty

  5. #15
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    My mechanical Zip Dee awnings with the triangular arms was ripped from our first coach and the attachment for the arms was pulled right out of the side of the coach. The arm in the front got jammed between the roof and the outside air horn, and went up and in between the outside and inside air horns on the passenger side.

    Sunny skies, no wind, no clouds, and than an instant gust of wind. Four guys walking by got hold of the awning when it came down the first time, and it lifted them.

    My point is any awning, any time can get caught and due to their size, if the wind gusts are strong enough something is going to get damaged. The automatic awnings can be retracted a lot faster than I can retract my mechanical ZipDees.

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Coloradobus View Post
    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

  7. #17
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    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.

  8. #18
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    Feb 2006
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    Mr. Keller: See- I told you Pete was in his underwear.
    Roger that!
    2008 Liberty DS XL2
    2023 Denali Ultimate
    My 6th Prevost

  9. #19
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    Sep 2008
    Location
    Sealy, Texas (50 miles west of Houston on I-10)
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    Can someone help me with this "Organic Feel" interior? I may have one and don't know it. Is it more expensive or less?


    Pete & EJ Petree
    2001 Prevost Featherlite Vantare
    2008 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 4x4
    Sealy, Texas

  10. #20
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    This is the last forum I ever expected to hear the words "organ" and "feel" in the same sentence.

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