-
New coach purchase questions
doing a lot of looking at coaches online for sale, reading the forum multiple times per day trying to keep up with all the content. Today a 2003 Marthon #0833 gets listed. It has a layout that we like, 2 slides, color pallet we like, in our budget. Little early to our planed purchase but who knows.
my concerns are the Delam issue, what is the best way to handle that when purchasing a used coach and ensure that you are not purchasing a potentialroblem. Will The dealer and Prevost do a per sale definition of like what I read about on the forum of current owners having their coaches addressed.
This coach also has combo W/D which I think is a potential concern, it is my understanding that separate W/D is a much better configuration.
what is the potential for a coach to have aftermarket slides, Non Prevost, and how much of a concern should that be.
I sent Marathon a note to get more info and my Delam concern question.
-
36 Replies
-
You came the rite place the guys here can guide you straight on the XLII . Do you ever come to the Frog Follies in SW IN with your Street Rod? Welcome! Bob
-
I haven’t traveled much yet with the street rod’s, but that is part of the Prevost plan, I have a 23 T and then I picked up a 27 Ford in Hebron Kentucky. Once we pull the trigger on the Prevost, one of the things we want to do is the NSRA circuit. This forum is great place to get great information on a complex topic.
-
Paul,
I assume you’ve been keeping up with the delam thread we have going, lots of information and even more in PUP. The only real way to determine if it has a delam problem is an inspection at Prevost. Regardless what you hear, that is the only way to know for sure.
The combo washer/dryers in my opinion are junk. I had one in every bus I’ve owned, both vented and non-vented. We now have the stacked Bosch in the Liberty and they are fantastic.
-
they are junk for sure. We replaced it with a vented washer/dryer combo and like it.
the key is not to overload it by assuming they work the same as the one in your stick built house!
We load half of that volume and all has been well for us. The convenience of having a washer/dryer on board the bus is worth a lot. Especially, since you can run it while you drive from A to B.
Of course, a stacked washer dryer is even better. Probably, much better. But we did not want to lose the storage space.
Cheers and a Happy 4th of July to all of you!
Ronald
-
Pre 49 late August 4200 last year. Have stacked vented in our home done unit. No joy with the combo units. XLII are my dream look. If your going to pull big trailer ck out hitch capacity. Bob
-
“my concerns are the Delam issue, what is the best way
to handle that when purchasing a used coach and ensure that you are not
purchasing a potentialroblem.”Buy an H!
-
I would not buy a XLII without the latest Prevost repair, not their first, without a sales contract contingent on a Prevost inspection and Prevost agreement for the repair and paint or consideration for the repairs. This coach may be out of window for Prevost paid repair and or paint.
Regardless of what others say, mainly XLII owners, the value of an XLII is being affected by this problem regardless of the state of repair. I would make any offer reflective of this.
-
Let’s recognize a few facts about the delam issue so it can be put in perspective.
Some coaches have had problems. Some newer coaches, some older coaches. So far if the cause of the problem is known nobody has explained it. It is very easy to identify a coach with the problem. Press on the panels, espcially at the edges and if the panels are loose they will flex. Tap on the panels and there is a distinct difference in the sound between an area that has a good bond and one in which the panel bond has broken.
So a buyer and seller can agree as part of the purchase the best way to address the problem. As of this writing we have quite a few owners who have identified a problem and Prevost has stepped up to the plate and provided a permanent resolution. So if a coach has not been repaired, but does have the problem bring it to Prevost and they will indicate the amount of their participation financially in the repairs. So far I know of only one coach they would not provide any support for the needed repairs. It was an older XLII and I do not know its history. But I also know of several in which Prevost paid for 100% of the repairs. They were newer coaches and had the original owner. The majority of the repairs were shared expenses with Prevost paying for all of the panel resealing, riveting and drip rail installation. The owners had to pay for the paint work.
So with the exception of coaches that are newer coaches, those that are more than 10 years old, the cost of the repairs, and thus the impact on purchase price appears to have been averaging $8000.
I don’t want to suggest that expense should be ignored, but as a purchaser of an XLII, and knowing and speaking to many other owners of XLII coaches that has little or no greater impact on the decision to purchase an XLII than the age of the tires or batteries. It is just one element to consider when negotiating the purchase price.
My only advice to buyers is to include a skin inspection at Prevost as part of the pre-purchase process and if needed schedule the repairs. Prevost will advise their level of financial participation so the delam issue will not ever be a surprise or unknown cost. If a buyer chooses to purchase a coach that has not been repaired or tested (and proven OK) shame on the buyer.
-
the value of an XLII is being affected by this
problem regardless of the state of repair. I would make any offer
reflective of this.I completely disagree with Gil’s comment above. The finshed product does and will add value to an XLII. Just keep your eye on the XLII’s that have the rivet process and paint completed and compare the price to one that has not. Take a look at what’s selling, not XL’s, but XLII’s and H’s.
Anyone looking for an XLII, like we have said, do your homework, get it pre-inspected for delam and if the delam is already done, BUY it.
-
Regarding the non-Prevost slides, it seems that Marathon is still using Valid slides to some extent. I saw a 2011 that had them instead of Prevost slides. I am not sure why, but I was told it is because the Valid ones are cheaper. I also know that Marathon has some of their coaches painted by a local vendor instead of Prevost. While this may not be a problem, I would check it out to see how it is holding up.
By all means, check with Marathon on the delamination issue to see what they have done, or are willing to do about it. Just know that Prevost makes the final determination on participation, and it will need to be inspected.
-
A 2003 marathon would have Prevost slides. Some of the newer (2009+?) coaches use Valid. I don’t believe the reason is related to cost. As far as I know Marathon has always painted their own coaches. It is done at the factory. Have a look at their facebook page for shots of the paint booths.
Bob
-
On a good note Prevost Mira Loma checked ours out a few months back and we don’t have a delam issue. They went around the bus with a tool that looks like a nail puller and pryed at the edges and I thought they would create an issue with the force he was using to try and pull up the corners. We will be back to have it checked again before the 10 year time frame is up.
We were at Coburg a month ago and saw Marathon painting buses also right in front of me management was asking people to work on Saturday. That would be the first Saturday they would work since 2008.
Later
bv
-
Take a look at what’s selling, not XL’s, but XLII’s and H’s.
I get your point, Tom, but Some XLs must be selling. Didn’t you just sell one and Jon sold one a few months before? I have no intention of selling mine any time soon but I would not want the casual reader to think the XLs have little or no value, even if it may be true. LOl
DKO
-
I think he meant don’t look at XL sales because the rivets make delam an non issue on those.
But XLII and H3 coaches are bonded construction and those are the sales to look at.
Trust me, I speak to a lot of people and sales of all models are doing very well right now compared to just a few years ago. And that includes XLII coaches because in the overall scheme of things the delam issue has very little financial impact since Prevost has always stepped up to the plate with only a very, very few exceptions.
-
I recently sold my XL, and there turned out to be a number of interested buyers out there.
My concern with the XL2 delam issue would be coaches hat have already had a Prevost “fix” that is not of the current rivet installation. I personally know of an owner of an ’06 or so Marathon that went through 2 attempts to “fix” the problem before the third and final rivet fix. The first two were thought to be permanent when they were performed. He was the original owner and still participated financially in the final rivet repair.
Are there any thoughts as to what will happen if a bus has had an earlier “fix” that may pass an inspection today but fails at some future date? I would not personally consider any XL2 for purchase that has not had the most current rivet style repair. All of the previous attempts were considered a “permanent” repair….when they were done.
Hopefully Prevost will stand behind those shells that have had the “adhesive fix” in the past if and when they fail at some future date, as some apparently have.
Log in to reply.