Terry J. Sturgis asked: RE: a 1997 Prevost Vantare XL45.

Question I have is how many Vantare conversions were made and anyone know of any problems with the Vantare conversions.

We have had some numbers in other posts on this forum about production for the various converters. If I remember correctly, Vantare'/Featherlite had fairly large numbers. I suspect that this was due to the use of these conversions in NASCAR and NHRA.

131000 miles, needs drive tires and a good bath. Series 60, 500 HP. Interior needs a little TLC but is priced right, $155,000.

I have a 97' H3 Vantare/Featherlite. I have owned it for just under a year. It is my first coach/rv of any kind. It had 122k miles at purchase.

I went through every bay and cleaned and tightened and reattached stuff. I'll bet I have spent at least 1 full day of each week I travel inside the coach fixing, adjusting, cleaning, etc.

Two issues you need to know about.

1. Vantare'/Featherlite/Amadas, who ever they are at the moment, unless you have all the documentation for the conversion portion of the coach, you're not likely to get any help. They have changed engineering system quite often in the past few years and older coaches plans and docs are no longer on-line. The folks from Amadas who were at the Tom Johnson Rally said they were going to get these back into operation and make them available. I am not holding my breath.

2. Vantare' did not do the auxiliary air system for pocket doors, floor slides and bed lift, belt tensioners, gen air bags, etc. any better than any other converter.

Vantare' did a very nice job of upfitting the coach. I have been reading POG for just over a year. Most of the systems/features which people like about their coach, mine has it. Now, I suspect that is more a function of the original owner. He very much knew what he was doing as this was his third/fourth coach. Most of the Featherlite techs knew him and recognize his coaches.

Just as an IMHO statement, you should not be worried about a vantare. Sometimes, because of the nature of the POG membership, you might get the impression that one particular converter offers huge advantages over another. I don't think it does. I think that the conversion business is full of a lot of efforts to answer the same basic set of questions. I think that there are a lot of right answers. You need to find which set of answers meet your needs.

Thanks for your invaluable guidance. Terry[/quote]


Your welcome and I hope that helps a little. Feel free to PM/email me if you want particulars.

P.S. Jack14 knows some venture owners. I don't think they are POG members, but if I remember, they are mechanically competent and knowledgable