Here's my response in case anyone is interested.....At one time Prevost was the standard by which I measured every other business. Prevost was that good. Di and I had never had service and customer support the equal of that which was provided by Prevost and Liberty. However things changed with Prevost. It wasn't an instant change, but over time more and more Prevost owners reported on this forum and P-Stuff how they were overcharged or experienced poor quality work. A few examples were a customer who was quoted about $7000 for slide repairs, and ended up with a bill for $14,000. Another customer who needed a hub seal replacement went back 3 or 4 times before it was made right, and part of the repair was an axle replacement due to the original being damaged by the technician. For a while a number of owners who experienced the leans got the soapy water treatment. They paid for hours and hours of a technician's time while he spent time spraying the underside of the coach to find out why the coach leaned. More than one owner was quoted more than $4000 dollars for air bag replacement when we know air bags cost about $1200 or less and the labor is about 10 hours. My point is that Prevost still possesses the greatest expertise when our coaches need service, but every owner needs to be very aware that expertise has at times been sproradic and the best approach is to get quotes, know and understand the coach, and regardless of who does the work, to follow Ken Z's practice of documenting everything so if there is a problem with the bill you have the data.Originally Posted by Neal&Carla
As a Liberty owner I will continue to bust the balls of owners of every other conversion. That's just the way it is. Having said that however I recognize that my coach as produced by Liberty has features that might not equal those of some other conversions. I think my former Liberty had a Cruise Air installation that was not equal to my current bus. They shut down when I tried to use them on a heat soaked highway. On my current bus I think that problem is gone. I really like the way Marathon does their plumbing bay. I wish my coach had a water manifold insteasd of shut off valves hidden inside or behind cabinetry. Country Coach has in our opinion some of the nicest interiors and floor plans in the industry. There was a CC at the first Kerrville rally that we really liked because it was so well done and laid out so well. We both think Liberty is more over the top with their decor, but we have gotten to like ours because it is different than how we live and who we are. But what's the sense of having an ornate interior if we cannot pick on people who drive coaches with equally well done interiors. But I DO have issues with CC. When Ray Davis first joined POG and had his new-to-him CC (which was a great looking coach) they treated him like dirt and pushed him off when he needed service. If I recall he got an appointment for repairs six months down the road. That was inexcusable. If he had a coach that did not have proprietary systems he could have shrugged it off and gone anywhere.
So now let's fast forward to what my thinking is regarding a new coach (which is not going to happen unless I pass a couple of very big hurdles). I think Prevost has the slides right. Until Prevost developed the current slide design there were many infancy problems with slides. With each generation they got better and much more reliable. That is not to say they are perfect because to get to this point a Prevost slide coach has had to have structural changes that affect the utility of the bays and they still have seals that have a rather short service life. But we aren't getting any younger and if we intend to upgrade to a new coach it isn't going to be a no slide coach because that is what we have now (and really, really like). OTR is mentioned. Cruise Airs are mentioned. Apples and oranges. OTR is an AC and heating system used while the coach is being driven. There is nothing out there that is as good. That is not subject to debate. Prevost makes a 109,000 BTU (current capacity) system that will keep the coach occupants comfortable in any conditions on this planet. Cruise Airs and roof airs are a different story and in my mind are intended for keeping the coach comfortable while the coach is parked. They each have their advantages and right now, with the new bay layout available on the X3-45 roof airs are likely the AC of choice for too many reasons to go into here.
The new Prevost buses are amazing. The multiplex system is so logical, offers so much benefits such as reducing wiring and devices such as relays and circuit breakers by as much as 30%. The multiplex is a powerful diagnostic tool and with the message center there is not much a driver has to guess at. The system provides information our older coaches require computers or diagnostic equipment to access. But it goes further. The new coaches have adaptive braking, stability control, and a Volvo engine that brings back some of the mileage lost with the EGR engines. Are they exactly what I want? No. I cannot get a solid front axle or long range fuel, but the benefits in other areas makes the overall coach a huge step up from what I am driving right now.
As to working on Chris and Jim's bus that was their call and they had already scheduled service at Nashville by the time they visited. We got together to visit and enjoy each other's company. I would have gladly jumped into the problem if they asked, but they did not. Also I don't have a new seal kit for the compressor, I don't have R-12, and we just never discussed a repair because they got here late Friday and during the weekend I would have had no access to parts or supplies anyway. I like working on buses, but I hope that is not always why folks come to visit.
If you want to go into greater detail on any of this, let me know. Keep in mind however we are all entitled to opinions and as one who has not been shy about offering opinions I do not feel bad when asked to defend mine. Or change my opinions.
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