@Gil - I hope that you and other POGers did not take offense to the use of the word "orphaned" in the context of coaches which have survived the death of their "parent" converters. I have seen that term used frequently throughout these forums and endeavored to use similar vernacular.
Gil brings up good points. If you search for any length of time on this forum you will find that he is one of the many members here that is very mechanically inclined and capable of self-performing a great deal of work on his coach. I include myself in that same category. Once an owner learns his/her coach and assuming he/she has the aptitude/ability to maintain, upgrade, or otherwise turn a wrench on his/her coach the importance of the factory being in business today is less important. Keep in mind that there are plenty of owners who rely heavily on the factory or other authorized service facility to take care of even basic items like changing bulbs. Only you can decide in which category you belong. You should also plan to buy a set of tools to leave in the bus to take care of all the little items that need to be adjusted while enjoying the use of your coach. Like a permanent home, these require regular maintenance and upkeep.
I have only seen one coach (a Vision being sold over in CA) which has propane on board. Unless you really feel the need to utilize a gas cooktop in lieu of an electric cooktop I would steer clear of propane. I have seen what a propane explosion looks like and it isn't pretty. However, it is a staple for most RVs and the risk of a problem is statistically insignificant. I wouldn't want to lose the bin space or have to deal with filling propane. If you are a gourmet chef who needs propane I would suggest you could probably have it added to almost any coach you like because finding one with it included would be like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.
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Last edited by Matt_in_AZ; 08-15-2016 at 03:29 PM.
Matthew & Elizabeth Valentine
1997 Marathon Coach #450 XLV
Glendale, Arizona