Orphan Coaches

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1. Vantare - Featherlite Vantare' H345

• quality of conversion - each converter has put their "touch" on the process. They all do things to differentiate themselves. Some things work out well and others end up being changed in later years. I am satisfied with most things on my coach. I believe that the things I am not satisfied with are the result of deffered maintenance by previous owners and age of the coach.
• complication of systems - It takes time to understand what is there. It takes additional time to be able to understand what is there and to be able to dissect it into individual systems. Once you are to that point, things seem to get a bit easier. My opinion, they all do exactly the same thing but there are always a lot of right answers.
• service folks still around who know systems - if there is a resource out there, someone on POG will be able to point you in the direction you need to go.
• parts availability in future - My opinion is that the parts-for-systems issue is independent of the converters. The converters are just systems integrators. They get their systems from other manufacturers. The only thing that might be an issue is converter specific components availability. For most everything I have worked on, I have not purchased a single part from Featherlite/Vantare'.

The thing to make sure is that you get as much converter documentation as possible and, as is well stressed on POG, maintenance records.


I hope that helps a little. I'm sure you will get good answers shortly.