Shopping for a Prevost

[garyde]

I agree with what everyone has said in regard to the stainless panels. However, I have heard nothing about the failure rate. Was it 10%, 15% or25% of all theConvertor Coaches made from 2000 to 2006, 2007 or 2008? Does anyone know? Were all Convertors involved? I know Marathon had the problem, what about the other convertors. More Marathons or was it across the board with all convertors.
Originally, I had heard this issue was limited to only a few Coaches using a certain adhesive.
So, what is the stats? Which years were affected, and which convertors. What year did it stop being a problem.

Without some good background information, we are just spreading rumors and creating un warranted fear for all the XLII.
I for onehave not had this problem, and I keep a close eye on it. I've owned the coach for about 7 years.

Regarding Paint. The cost varies depending upon how much paint or graphics come down into the stainless panels.
My coach has very little paint on the panels.

[coreygrubb]

Nobody knows the extent of the problem except Prevost. It certainly not converter specific, as the problem lies with the Prevost shell. I do know that every XL11 that we have looked at has some sign of de-lam. Some will get worse and some probably will not.

[coreygrubb]

[QUOTE=jbchevy3;86114]OK, now you have brought up another question, the A/C, I was told by a friend of mine to find an H with over the road Bus air. Is that better than the roof airs, or cruise airs or what are thoughts on bus over the road air?

This subject has been addressed exstensively in previous threads. General rule of thumb is that a cruise-air coach w/o bus air is unacceptable in hot climates. Marathon and CC OTR air with ducted roofs is fine. Remember that Prevost bus air or converter OTR air only works going down the road. Some converters have a split cruise-air system that allows you to use 2 airs on invert while moving.

[n33d2camp]

Corey is correct, most have it from 2000 - 2009 some worse than others and its not if but when it will have to be done. The only cure is rivets and cover panels from prevost. If it's not bad you can just ignore it but down the line of ownership someone will have to step up.

[Seabyrd]

Welcome Jerry & Gayle, My 10 cents worth is: I would NOT consider an H without OTR... you will be miserable if you travel anywhere in the south in the summer. The roof airs in the older coaches are very noisy... cruisairs are very quiet and if tweaked they are super efficient... We had our RVAC (house air) system totally overhauled and it is also very quiet and efficient. All these components require proper care and servicing to get the most out of them. Roof air plus is they can be replaced easily and the new ones are much quieter so I have been told. I would make sure it had 4 of them if roof airs too... 3 won't keep you cool in Texas.... especially if you have slides. Good luck !!

[Alek&Lucia]

Corey,

You can use OTR (Prevost bus air) even when you park, but your engine must be running,

Alek

[QUOTE=coreygrubb;86119]

.....Remember that Prevost bus air or converter OTR air only works going down the road....

[coreygrubb]

[QUOTE=Alek&Lucia;86125]Corey,

You can use OTR (Prevost bus air) even when you park, but your engine must be running,

Alek
Of course. I did not feel the need to mention that you would not sit and idle the coach for any length of time to have AC

[Gil_J]

It seems that the XL-II panel failures are most prevalent with coaches that are subjected to long stays at the beach. It very well be the salt spray (just guessing). I know the one picture I saw showed what appeared to be corrosion on the frame member on the surface that mates with the side panel. It's impossible to tell is this was from the environment, poor application of the corrosion inhibitor, or an interaction between the adhesive and the corrosion inhibitor. I wonder it anyone has had rivets and cover installed as a precautionary measure?

Air conditioning systems generally run off of 110VAC or the coach's engine. Dash air runs off the engine and only has dash air outlets. Over the Road Air runs off the engine and is intended to cool the entire coach when going down the road. Prevost's is probably overkill given it's intended to cool an all windows coach with over 50 people inside. Country Coach developed their own OTR Air. Much smaller than Prevost's, does not take up a bay like the Prevost OTR air, and with the dash air running it will cool a coach. 110VAC air includes roof air, cruise air, and basement air. Roof airs tend to be a bit noisy and may or may not be ducted. I have 3 roof airs and seldom use more that 2 during the day and 1 at night. Roof airs should be capable of cooling a coach while driving if you don't have OTR air. FWIW, traditional plastic coaches don't have OTR air but rather depend on roof airs, so it's safe to assume they should work on our coaches as well. Cruise airs are split systems, so they are quieter. They do take up space in the bays and I've been told are not effective in hot climates when driving as an alternative to OTR Air. Basement air is really nothing more than what's traditionally installed outside of a mobile home. It's a self contained air conditioning system like a roof air, but larger. I'm not sure basement airs are being installed anymore. Roof airs are norm in the greater RV industry.

[coreygrubb]

Roof air is cetainly becoming the norm. Millenium builds nothing else, most Marathons 2004 and newer and now Liberty (gasp). Properly ducted roof air combined with OTR air has proved to us that it can comfortably handle triple digit temps on the road or parked. Owners with older coaches who think their roofs are too noisy, can fairly easily and relatively cheaply retrofit to the newer and quieter (quiet enough for Liberty) units. That will also let them go from 13,500 to 15,000 btu.

[jbchevy3]

Thanks for all the advice, sounds like OTR air is a plus for driving only. And roof airs are acceptable. I live in the southeast, and like to be cool.....

Jerry