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Looking for advice
Hello everyone. Over the last few months I have been looking into MH’s to buy as we wish to travel across the US for periods of three to six months at a time. We are from the UK. To cut a long story short, I have gotten the Prevost ‘bug’ after a suggestion from an owner not to discount them from my calculations. Anyway, looking at used values and my buying timescale, (1-2 years) it looks like the current 2006/7 models will fall into my budget. I’m erring toward the XLII mainly because of its ‘timeless’ looks but an H is not out of the question either. Anyway, my question is what should I be looking out for that could catch me out at a later date? Obviously tires, batteries and a full service record are top of the list, but what other ongoing maintenance costs should I expect? I will also be towing which could be anything from a Jeep 4-down to a loaded stacker. I know fuel consumption generally is likely to be 5-6mpg with towing the Jeep-only not likely to make a difference. Does anyone though have stacker towing experience, both in terms of fuel and also capability-wise? I won’t be in a hurry to get anywhere but it would still be good to know towing 15k+ will be feasible. Finally, I think attending a Prevost rally of some sort will be ideal so any suggestions on that front would also be welcome.
Thank-you in advance for your assistance.
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10 Replies
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UKG,
The principles for your future purchase still apply. First, set a budget. Then determine how you intend to use the coach. If your use is for a lot of driving with minimal long term parking think about Prevost over the road heat and air and maybe even a non slide coach. If your intent is to remain in one spot long term such as a month in an RV resort at a time then maybe slides become very important and OTR less important.
If dry camping is more probable than going from RV park to RV park, look for a coach with a lot of battery capacity and large holding tanks. If more than 2 of you will be traveling maybe look at coaches with bunks, possibly an entertainer conversion.
In the meantime ask questions on the forum. Look at the articles, go to all the ads for coaches for sale, and ask questions. Did I mention you might want to ask questions? The point being you will be very prepared when the time comes to buy a coach. It is reasonable to assume if you have a presence on the forum and people get to know you from your posts and questions that when you are ready to buy you may already have another member working with you to sell his or her coach so they can buy their next coach.
With the time you have allowed you will be very much aware of what type of coach will be ideal for you, what type floor plan or features are important, and the price range of coaches that meet your needs. Welcome aboard. You cam to the right place.
As to rallies or shows, I would recommend you start the process of learning where you can get a vast array of opinions and ideas. The problem with a show is the seller is always going to steer you towards what he has for sale. Here on the forum you can get a wide cross section of opinions so you can form your own ideas of needs. Then go to a rally or show because then you will get a sense of scale and the photos you have looked at will now be viewed by you with greater understanding of how the actual floor plan or layout is.
I am an advocate of towing 4 down. A trailer allows you to bring along a lot of extras such as motorcycles, golf cart, extra tools, clothes, and bags of money, but the stacker is not convenient at some RV resorts. Some don’t allow them on site. Again, here is where you can ask opinions. The more weight you tow, the more fuel you use. But for some the value of having the extra room a stacker provides more than offests the loss of fuel economy or performance.
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Ditto what Jon said and I might add walk in as many coaches as you can between now and when you purchase. Pictures and great descriptions are super but there is nothing like seeing it for yourself.
As far as towing 4 wheels down vs towing a stacker? I do both. I have pulled a stacker all over the country the last 2 1/2 years and have racked up nearly 30,000 miles pulling it. I have towed 4 wheels down for 6 1/2 years have racked up about 65,000 miles like that.
I have towed both set ups in mountains, curves, extreme city traffic, wide open roads, in heat, cold and most kinds of questionable weather. I am not a risk taker or speed demon. I take my time and try to get where I am going in one piece.
My opinion? I would never tow the stacker again if I could get by with it. What I do for a living seems to require it right now but I dream of the day when I can tow 4 wheels down all the time again. I have done everything I can to make towing the stacker as easy on the bus and on me as I can. But the length, the weight, the height and the logistics add up to a real chore for me.
That is my experience and my opinion. Does everyone feel that way? Nope. I am very glad that not everyone feels as I do about it because some day soon I will want to sell this baby (24′ Featherlite Stacker).
Hey, come to think of it, would you like to buy a stacker now?
Davy
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When I’m racing I tow a trailer (19K), otherwise 4 down. I wouldn’t trailer unless I absolutely had to.
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Great observations. Here`s my dimes worth- I tow 4 down occasiioanly, but that toad gets extrmely nasty with diesel crap, road debree,etc. Not to mentiion rock dings from drive & tag even with the low rear bumper and mud flaps. The 24 ft featerlite is easy to hookup, pull vehicle in & go.Inside it`s protected & clean. My detroit 60 gets @ 8-9mpg w/o trailer & @ 6-7mpg w/ trailer.
Shopping for a toad my cause you to purcahse something you`d otherwise not buy also. Then you`ll need to add the braking system , towbar and intrude into your bus air system which is another source for leaks.
Having the trailer can be cumbersome in some campgrouds , but most have a parking area for them. In tennessee you`re illegal if over 65 ft in length which can result in $240 citation. Never heard of anyone pulled however.
Just my experience this far.
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Shucks, pulling my crew cab pickup truck I’m 64 feet 14 inches so I’m just under the 65 foot limit.
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OK Steve, what’s the secret? 8/9 MPG with an H, we need to know.:)
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I want to know that secret to 8-9 mpg ?? Never heard of that?
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I’ve said it before and I will restate my opinion of how to calculate mileage.
Our coaches are so heavily affected by variables such as headwinds, driving speed (which is really a variation of headwinds) hills, weight of toad, outside temperature, and consistent refueling that the only accurate way to determine true mileage is to use a very large block of miles and a relatively large number of fill-ups.
Since I have recorded every gallon of fuel added to every one of my coaches since I bought the first one in 1990, and kept a log of miles I know for a fact any calculations for mileage based on one or two tanks of fuel, or if using the Pro-Driver a few hundred miles is not going to reflect the real mileage of a coach.
Since I drive on highways at a consistent 61-62 MPH, I can compare lifetime mileages from my three coaches. My 2 stroke 87 coach got 5.6 MPG. My 97 with the 12.7 Series 60 ran a consistent 7.9 to 8 MPG until the fuel started to change, first with the reduction of sulphur, and than greater amounts of ethanol. When I sold the coach the last couiple of years I experienced 7.5 MPG. My current coach was at 5.9 MPG and with the addition of “ugly fix” it has increased by .4 MPG to 6.3 MPG.
The mileage calculations for the current coach are based on 10,000 mile (approximately) blocks of data. However I have seen the Pro-Driver display almost 7 MPG for a few hundred miles before it gets to its historical average, and conversely I have seen it struggle to get to 5 MPG for short periods as well.
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Well, first my calculations are based on complete fill up calculation & comparing to on board computer, second driving @ 60-65 mph ( which is hard to do on those down slopes), third I run @ 115 lbs in my 315`s (which is one reason i`ve not swapped to 365`s which has more rubber on the road for more resistance) and last most of my calculations are based on drives from knoxville- atlanta – florida which is mostly flat. Keep in mind mine is 2001 D-60 before all the emission crap! I think Jon nailed it -to many variables in all the years of production & the way we drive.
I`d like to know what the 2009-2013 guys are getting with the new volvo`s and lighter buses.
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Thanks Steve… My H is an 02, probably lighter than yours, and we run 62 – 65 on cruise and usually in the southeast as well. My best has been 7.1 with or without the Jeep, doesn’t seem to matter. I would be thrilled to get your mileage, maybe I should have bought a Vantare.:)
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