View Poll Results: Are we nuts to be buying this Bus?!

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7. You may not vote on this poll
  • Absolutely! What are you thinking!!!

    1 14.29%
  • Well.... yeah pretty much.

    3 42.86%
  • Naw, it might actually work out

    3 42.86%
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Thread: Hello and Hurrah! We're happy to be here and soon to be Prevost Owners :)

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Asheville
    Posts
    51

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    Dale, Clearwater here,

    We are being permitted and encouraged to check out and operate everything that can have hands laid upon them while there in person. We're just not being given excessive amounts of time / days to do so (like being offered to sleep in it a few nights in a row as other's have the lucky chance to do while buying from other private sellers we've read about on the forums)

    We're also welcomed to brig along whoever we want for visits to the bus. And we had tried to get the mechanic we've met who I mentioned in previous posts, it's just not worked out schedule wise thus far.


    Possibly I've confused what the term PDI ('Pre Delivery Inspection' right?) actually is?

    I had thought a PDI could only be conducted at a Certified Mechanic's shop / Prevost service center / Bus Seller's maintenance center. And that it included a thorough mechanical inspection doing things like opening up the brake chambers and inspecting, checking drive line linkages torque settings, getting fuel tank tested for contaminants (algae), having the whole frame inspected for weld cracks, and including being hooked up to a DDEC computer and getting a *download* performed which provided engine running hours, historical fault codes etc etc. Stuff that requires many hours of service techs hands on, with many specialized tools and equipment, lifts / pits and more...

    And not simply an on site walk-through and explanation of how everything works + a visual inspection of thing like belts, lights and faucets, furnace / ac units etc. Which, in reflection can also be a 'pre delivery inspection' of a type.

    Some time ago as we were getting familiar with POG I stumbled across the wealth of PDFs and assorted articles - one of which was the one written by Jon Wehrenberg7/18/2007 titled "Prevost Purchase Inspection". I thought it was quite thorough for all the things you 'flip on and off' and visually inspect, and have been using it as a sort of template of what to look for thus far. But I didn't think it counted as a real 'PDI'.

    Seems I was, in a way, wrong. And by using those letters might be causing some confusion.

    I know I still have a LOT to learn - such as when and when not to use the letters "PDI"

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Huntsville
    Posts
    3,135

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    A PDI can range anywhere from a dealer getting things working before they turn over the keys to a buyer to the compressive inspection you described. The one you described would have to be done at a service shop and would cost many hundreds of dollars. At a minimum, when we say an inspection we are talking about a knowledgeable person checking systems and components as much as possible without tearing into them. Many defects can be spotted by looking and flipping switches.
    Dale & Paulette

    "God Loves you and has a plan for your life!

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Asheville
    Posts
    51

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    Agreed.

    We test out as much as we can. At a point I start to worry we're being overbearing with all the questions and "can you make this run", but it's just part of it.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Asheville
    Posts
    51

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dale Farley View Post
    I don't think anyone will let you drive their bus for an inspection and selling "as is" is common practice. That's why a PDI is so important. You will have to take someone with you to inspect the bus. If the seller won't accommodate you for that, I would look elsewhere.
    Does anyone know of any inspectors willing to come down to SC to coordinate with us when we go see it? We reached out to the mechanic, but he's 3.5 hours away and hadn't ever done something like this before so not sure if he'll be able to make it or not. Plus he's only a specialist on the engine, none of the other bits really.

    The Prevost inspection place in Nashville is 8 hours away and like Clearwater has stated, the owner just wants these things gone. the longer they sit as we all know the less he can get for them and they're just too much of a burden with him out of the country now. He's been having us try to coordinate with his previous driver to try to come see it.

    We would LOVE to meet an inspector there, just don't know how to find someone.

    -cheney

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Golden Oak
    Posts
    230

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    Thanks for the kind words Clearwater!

    Having spent my share of time in various studios, I can only imagine the investment you'll be making inside the coach. Because of dedicated mods you'll be doing, it makes it even more important to have some sort of PDI. As Dale pretty much stated, an as/is purchase is...as/is. Surely it may be worth it to get someone of the caliber of Gil or Joe to meet you at the bus to put a trained set of eyes on the various components.

    For the resort videos, if all goes as planned I should have a unique one posted next month. While I don't want to give too much away, all I'll say is that Robin Leach would be proud!

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Kansas City, MO
    Posts
    497

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    I have just read above when this question seemed reasonable. You're naming some electronics that seem to indicate heavy electric usage. So what do you estimate your amp draw will be ? Lets just start out with a test drive on that number. You might be reading into my post and know where I'am headed.
    There are some really sharp members on POG with electric use knowledge way beyond my pay grade. I'am suggesting you should consider this topic as we all know how far 50 amps go on each leg.
    AL

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Asheville
    Posts
    51

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    Al,

    Our power needs will be, different to be sure. But not *wholly* out of the bounds of all sanity if we're planning it all out as well as we *think* we are

    To start, we'll be replacing the entire battery/inverter-charger setup that's in the bus with a new Victron (likely the Quatro 4000 24v... if not two of them in series) and LifePO4 battery bank set up. Check the photo I'm attaching for vuege idea of that. Thanks go you to 'PrevostChef', the Technomadia couple 'Cherie & Chris', Foliver over @ NewellGurus, 'RV Exodus' and handfull of others who've really paved the way for these high capacity high discharge (when needed) "Hybrid" systems over the past 10 years.

    While it's tempting to build out the bank with Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide cells (ala Tesla packs made by panasonic) for the wildly massive high output surges that would be possible... I'm unwilling to risk fire in the case of accident. Although I guess if there was an accident so bad in the bus it was able to puncture Tesla battery packs pulled from Model S and Model 3's such that a fire could start, the batteries would be the LEAST of our troubles overall.. but, I digress. And so, I'm sticking to the generally less energy dense but proven safe Lithium Iron Phosphate chemistry. Now, as to wether we'll stick to Primsmatic cells or go for a full 18650 build remains to be seen.

    As far as capacity and draw in various situations: To start with we're shooting for a 1000AH 24V bank (800AH usable) with 1500Watts of Solar on the roof and of course via the Victron(s) full hybrid charging and in output from all three sources (PV/Shore/Generator).

    And since the studio can get a little hot after a few hours a Soft-Start for the roof AC in that room will happen early so we don't loose session when the compressor kicks on lol.

    Oh yes, as for our peak Amp Draw projection. Unless I'm completely off base on how I've been calculating things this past year the estimates go: Peak spikes of up to 80Amps / 5000Watts (which is where the idea of possibly using the two inline Victrons comes into play and *Hybrid mode* so that the battery bank barfs up that extra over what shore power can offer for the few seconds here or there it might be needed if two high current items spike at the same time.. wow run on sentence award for that one!) and standard baseline draw with the AC running and the studio in full swing on top of the random LED light, water pump ect for the 'house' at an estimated draw of 40amps @ 3500Watts. To attempt to prepare for power scarcity (compared to living in a home with 3-pole 200Amp service) we've been practicing rolling brownouts (you could say) by trying to cook all of our meals for the past 2 years on less than 15 amps and 1500Watts. Learning to live without the 'dead short' that is a hairdryer is on Cheney's to-do list still lol.

    This discussion can (and always does) stretch on and on and on. I've barely scratched the surface of things from what's planned for our particular build - but this info should at least point to some of the thought we've put forth in advance to try to get ahead of the obvious and somewhat unique power requirements we'll have
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by CLRH2O; 07-01-2018 at 03:20 AM.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Beverly Hills
    Posts
    4,652

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    Wow! You have a huge undertaking in upgrading the DC plant and wiring which will likely also require upgrading your main AC distribution. Both of which I just did on my coach, but not to the extend of adding solar and lithium batteries.

    I have followed the Technomadia posts in the past and they are pretty good. I personally like Victron products, but they are certainly not wide spread except in much larger yachts. No surprise there given many larger yachts come out of Europe and specifically the Netherlands. I would have went with the Multi 5000 but it was just too expensive to justify the added cost without added value in my installation. I went with the newer Magnum 4K Hybrid inverter/chargers. Like the Victron and the Trace 4K units I had before, it will plus up the incoming voltage for temporary sags in the incoming voltage. You could achieve the same voltage plus up results with a Hughes auto transformer in front of more available inverters. The menu options for the Victron units can be overwhelming for some.

    When you go down the path of upgrading your power system make sure that who ever is doing it understands what they are doing. It's not always about a large number of loyal followers. I followed a solar boondocking group for awhile where there was so much misinformation it wasn't worth following. You may want to consider Volta Systems if you are going to do a full electrical system replacement. Shy of a full system upgrade, Volta Systems will likely be cost prohibitive.


    Gil and Durlene
    2003 H-3 Hoffman Conversion

  9. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Location
    Asheville
    Posts
    51

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    You are absolutely right about the scope of the undertaking. And that's part of why we have been looking for a bus that was *more suited* for some Re-Do, and made the coming costs more palatable. Now, we definitely weren't shooting for something ruined and just a hunk of problems, but also not a gorgeous 2008 XLII with Marble floors and that Faucet you posted that looks like a fish ;D Our needs for the coach seem to be somewhat uncommon right off the bat so doing work to it is expected. We're steadying ourselves for as much of the coming wave of broken stuff as we can lol

    It's fitting that you mentioned the Yachts and Victron, Cheney's father is a Hampton Yachts broker! And one of the things that ultimately drew us to Prevost (and Newell to some degree) was the fact that we found more high end, more quality, and just more stuff that we recognized in these "Ultimate" class buses than the horrid state of affairs in the sticks & staples / glass coach models from the Newmar, Monaco, American, (any of the RevGroup drech now), Winnebago, Travel Supreme etc. Although we ourselves are not *monied* in the way someone who can buy a 500k, 800k, 1Mil, 2Mil Prevost is... we understand that quality & value often comes from these places of cost. As such, we have always worked with what we call the "Used Luxury" method. As an example, with cars we only buy used luxury vehicles (currently we own 3 Infiniti's and a Lexus) - but we buy them for pennies on the dollar and keep up with the maintenance that can be done with our own two hands. We replace our own CV axles, our own struts and brakes, and radiators, and steering racks, and value covers (the list goes on). As for the inside of the bus, the house part, Cheney's renovated two houses and the two of us together renovated another 1x1 apartment for a rental. So we're hoping that experience will translate into the work coming down the line for this 1991 Prevost as well.

    The attached pictures are not bus related, but Cheney suggested I include them as examples of how we turned our old 2003/2005 cheapo used Infiniti's into something just a *bit more* all while spending less than the price of a new Smart Fourtwo (I can not believe what they charge for those little hunks of plastic) each!


    *** About your own Electrical upgrade. Did you document it? We would absolutely LOVE to get a deep dive on your project. Information like that, as you know, is invaluable!
    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Kansas City, MO
    Posts
    497

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    Honestly...that was a little more then I expected.
    Many and probably most of us on this site buy our bus and use it often. We also depend on quality built systems and world class support on malfunctions.
    Good luck..... before or after the build maybe time might allow attending a POG rally with your new bus.
    AL

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