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In our coach search, we have looked at 5 coaches, run a Carfax on all 5. Three were clean, two had accidents in their history. The first victim had succumbed to three bay doors being replaced. (You know Prevost now is remove and replace whole door, even for cosmetic damage). The next victim, has severe under carriage damage per Carfax per running off the road in 2011. So we continue search. Recommendation we can make to anyone coach shopping. With the numerous weather related disasters, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and flooding to hail, it maybe a wise choice having a carfax run on a prospective bus to purchase. At least the carfax will show you where the coach lived. We are seeing “floaters and sinkers” at car auction these days. So one could assume some coaches have suffered thru the same or similar events that would affect their value or live ability.

[Brady]

If I want something I try my hardest to satisfy my desire. Assuming I want something bad enough I will have the will power to find a way to get it.

But I also try to be reasonable. Over the years I have found a number of things that I just knew I had to have, but in the long run I couldn’t make it happen. It is at that point that I accept the fact I cannot have everything.

A Prevost conversion is an item that is clearly a ridiculous purchase. It is like a bicycle for a fish. I don’t need one. Certainly can’t justify one, but despite the fact I cannot show any practical reason for owning one, I still have one.

Now it will likely require a damn good reason before I would consider not having one. As of now the only acceptable reason for not owning a Prevost conversion is death (mine). So I will continue to own a Prevost. It is all about the lifestyle and the friends we have made over the years, the memories, and the sheer enjoyment of seeing the country from one.

[Archived]

My bus, like Harry/Dee’s, my coach is a 91/92 and we love it as well. My suggestion is read the recent threads on the cost of insurance. I was feeling sorry for myself that my rates went up and then I read comments about the staggering amounts people are paying for stated-value policies on late-model coaches. You should factor that into your economic model.

[Doug]

Hi Jim, I’ve been reading how insurance rates have gone up because of the premiums they’ve had to pay out with the hurricanes and all. My agreed value policy has stayed the same for two years. I’m curious to see what my policy will look like that comes up in May.

Jon, it’s almost like you’re saying our Prevost is a luxury item? But oh boy, driving down the highway seeing America is a wonderful thing. And not being blown off the road while doing so is another perk. Watching some videos of plastic coaches burning resonates as well.

Hey Liam, The cost of ownership can be an attention getter… I do give that a thought now and again. Then I sit behind the wheel and that smile comes to my face again. And it’s as Jon said “It is all about the lifestyle and the friends we have made over the years, the memories, and the sheer enjoyment of seeing the country from one.” That truly makes the entire package fit together. Because if you go by what it cost to run, fix and maintenance it becomes another matter.

Harry

[Jim/Chris]

I am late to this discussion, but my 2cents.

I sold a 2009 Monaco Executive 4 slide outs,last year to get out before it turned

10 years old, and lost even more$. and bought my 2000 Marathon XL non slide

I don’t agree with some of the depreciation rates forecast for the 2000.

Looking at Prevost for 4 years and I don’t see older coaches for half what I have in mine. so glad I pulled the trigger now;)

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Harry

From previous experience our agreed value was good for three years from the purchase price. After that period we needed an appraisal. With Progressive we are now good to go from our recent appraisal for 10 ten years. How not so sure. But Miller Ins ssidcee were good for ten years.

[William]

I hope everyone realizes all of us are in serious trouble relative to our insurance and any potential buyers need to be well aware getting insurance may be a problem, or if it is available its cost is going to be breathtaking.

When I got my new premium notice it had gone up more than 50%. So I started making a lot of phone calls and there was no good news. I have an agreed value policy and will not have an policy without agreed value.

I found very few companies will insure a bus above $500,000. Those that would might not do agreed value or their premiums were even more ridiculous than the premium notice I got.

Some who would insure for $500,000 would not do agreed value or worse, had no clue what a bus conversion motor home was.

All the ones that are well known for selling home and car insurance balked at the agreed value policies or they refused to insure the bus but would gladly cover everything else. I am really concerned that a lot of owners are insuring with companies that will only do ACV or who really do not understand what it really costs to repair a bus. What concerns me is if it is an ACV policy the insurance company decides what your coach is worth, and if the repair costs to redo some paint and replace a few bay doors approaches what they think the value is, they tell you the coach is totalled, write you a check and they own your bus. Of course what they consider its value is not going to be anywhere you think it is worth. Keep a lawyer on speed dial. Get your bus appraised annually and make sure you have a solid gold source of information to support what you think is its real value.

Then pray you don’t have damage whose repair costs you have to justify. Those companies that I spoke to that did not begin to understand what a bus conversion motor home is are going to have a mental image of an RV and likely will expect to pay what it costs to have a side swipe repaired at Camping World on a plastic RV. It is a mess and nothing makes sense except to say drive carefully and pray you never have to find out how good your insurance is.

[Mark]

Hi Jim, My policy is also through Progressive and Miller insurance. I didn’t know there’s a specific number of years where the rate stays the same? Is it stated somewhere on my policy and/or unique to Progressive?

Harry