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Thread: Suffering From Prevost Fever!

  1. #21
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Hot Springs, Arkansas
    Posts
    10

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    Ok guys, I have some more questions....

    Is the problem with delamination unique to XLII coaches, or do H3-45 coaches have the same issues after about the year 2000?

    Would anybody be overly concerned about a well maintained 1999-2002 H3 coach with HWH slides?

    What about Liberty slides? What year did they start using slides, and were they Prevost, slides, or others (HWH, Valid)?

    We are leaning toward a Liberty conversion, but we are a lot closer to the Marathon center in Texas (about 4 hours), and the Prevost shop in Nashville is only 6 hours the other direction. Perhaps we should be leaning toward a Marathon conversion instead, just because of proximity? We are 1100 miles from the Liberty shop in Florida, and 800 miles from the one in Illinois.

    I don't want to start a thread about slides vs no slides, as I have read plenty of those. However, at 50 years old, we tend to take shorter trips, and spend 3-7 days in one place before getting back home and to work. In light of that, perhaps we should bite the bullet and spend more money now on a coach with slides, instead of buying one without slides (in my mind, better for driving, not as good when we are parked and roughing it for several days).

    As usual, I appreciate all replies, both here on the forum, and in private emails.

    Sam

  2. #22
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Hot Springs, Arkansas
    Posts
    10

    Default

    I forgot to ask about this bus: http://ultimatervs.wordpress.com/201...-two-slides-2/

    Is anybody familiar with it? The wife really likes this one, inside and out.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Port St. Lucie, FL
    Posts
    1,745

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    I'm not sure when Liberty started offering slides, but to the best of my knowledge, they have only used Prevost slides.

    Also, for my 2 cents worth, it is more important that you be happy with your bus, without the feeling that you "settled", than close proximity to factory service.

    It's a lot of money to spend to be saying to yourself "I wish I had..." later down the road as you live with your choice.

    Just food for thought....

  4. #24
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Murphy Texas
    Posts
    63

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    My suggestion (for what its worth) is to concentrate more on things you *don't* want .. I know this seems counter intuitive at first but it worked for us. We made out list and as we visited each coach if something "made the list" we walked away. When we finally got down to a couple of coaches that "fit" then it was a simple decision of which options we wanted to live with or without.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Santa Barbara
    Posts
    3,177

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    I have not been back to Liberty since I purchased it in 2006. Most issues related to conversions are not as complex as long as you can talk with someone which is where Liberty shines.
    Its best to have a good Prevost mechanic or Detroit Diesel and Allison transmission dealer close .
    I have not seen any issues on the H3 siding.
    Gary & Lise Deinhard, 2003 Elegant Lady Liberty, Dbl slide

  6. #26
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Hot Springs, Arkansas
    Posts
    10

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    Thanks again for the replies. We think that we will stick with looking at Liberty conversions for now, unless something else absolutely "wows" our socks off, and we can't live without it!

    We are trying to set up a trip to shop for a bus. We will leave later this week. We are hoping to find every Liberty conversion in the 1997-2003 era between Little Rock, AR and Knoxville, TN, along the I-40 route. If we don't find "The Bus", we will head on down into southern Florida, along I-75 south, out of Chattanooga, as several have suggested. We will be in our Navigator, pulling our toad. That way, if needed, we can trade up to a Prevost and head back north and west. Any suggestions of buses to look at, and dealers that might take trades would be great. If we buy a coach with slides, it will probably be an H3, since we are scared to death about a possible major expense with delamination on an XLII (whether we should be overly concerned or not, we are!)

    We have already been in contact with Lon Neuville, at Florida Luxury Coaches, so no need to suggest anything there...his coaches are already on our radar!

    Sam & Kim

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Santa Barbara
    Posts
    3,177

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    Regarding trade ins. Many of the Dealers will accept trade ins. The problem is they won't give you any better than wholesale value. You would be leaving a lot of $$ on the table. Some people can't wait and will purchase their Prevost and wait and sale their other coach privately or thru consignment. That's the 'Two Bus Club'. which several members have been a member including myself.
    Gary & Lise Deinhard, 2003 Elegant Lady Liberty, Dbl slide

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Bradenton
    Posts
    317

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    Quote Originally Posted by garyde View Post
    Regarding trade ins. Many of the Dealers will accept trade ins. The problem is they won't give you any better than wholesale value. You would be leaving a lot of $$ on the table. Some people can't wait and will purchase their Prevost and wait and sale their other coach privately or thru consignment. That's the 'Two Bus Club'. which several members have been a member including myself.
    first and foremost, find the coach you really want. know what your current coach is realistically worth retail and if you become a member of the dreaded two coach club it might not be for long. it happened to us, but with a happy ending. we found the coach we really wanted and had to act, resisted trade in and came out six weeks later and $45,000 better.
    Corey Grubb & George Prentice
    1999 H3-45 Vantare
    Will & Grace-fierce felines
    Cedar Hammock, FL.

    The road goes on forever
    and the party never ends

  9. #29
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Beverly Hills
    Posts
    4,652

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    I just ended my time as a two coach owner and have been a two boat owner too many times. Luckily I've never been a two owner too long. In every case I believe the secret to my success is the have a well maintained product priced low enough a serious buyer is motivated to look at what I'm offering. The 08 Beaver Contessa 42 I just sold went for $130K. Its wholesale price that a dealer was willing to buy it for was in the low 90s and low retail was $160K. So, I could have competed with all other similar coaches and possibly sell it sometime or do what I did. BTW, don't forget to factor the cost and risk of continued ownership when setting your bittom dollar. As for marketing, I used eBay. FWIW, the buyer is buying now for his retirement in a year. Clearly the photos (which are critical), description and pricing was enough for him to fly from Nebraska to Florida to look at the coach. I had two other prospective buyers that called too late.

    I agree, find the coach you want, negotiate the deal. Then, see if they have interest in your trade.

    Best of luck,


    Gil and Durlene
    2003 H-3 Hoffman Conversion

  10. #30
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Hot Springs, Arkansas
    Posts
    10

    Default

    We have had several tire kickers on our Navigator, but no offers yet. We have been told by several in the industry that it is priced right to sell quickly...we will see! My biggest concern is having to pay sales tax on the full amount that we pay for a Prevost, if the Navigator doesn't sell quickly. Arkansas residents only have 45 days from date of purchase to claim any money from a sold vehicle against a new purchase. That adds up to several thousand dollars of extra "hidden" cost, real quickly!

    I have another question:

    What are the pros and cons of the 12 volt and 24 volt conversion systems in the Liberty conversions? I see that the Lady Classics are 12 volt, and the Lady Elegants are 24 volt. Why?

    Sam

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