[Art]

NO, you will not get a 1000 mile test run! You look it over, have a professional look it over and then make a decision. You will then give the seller all of your money and you are on your own.

If you are near a Prevost service center you might be able to pay to have the coach checked out (the seller would not pay) and at least have some confidence that the chassis is good. If the converter is out of business you might have problems getting issues addressed down the line and not being in the top 5 means you may have issues even getting help here or from other users when trying to address issue.

Let us know more about the coach. No one will steal it out from under you but might be able to give you some additional helpful information.

I have owned a 1988 and currently own a 1998, so yes, folks do buy used Prevost and most are pretty damn happy with what they own.

[James]

Hello, see below:

I am a first time buyer of a Prevost. Have one in mind that is slightly used and not built by the major 5 converters.

-Who Converted the Bus? What year, Engine etc.

Wondering how most people buy used Prevosts out there?

-If you are looking at an older one you will need to pay cash as Banks won’t finance them.

Is it common to test the prevost for a few thousand miles and have the ability to return it in case something doesn’t work out?

-No, never. The process is Just like buying any other automobile.

Do most use an escrow service for these things to transfer ownership?

-My Bus was for sale thru Pop’s RV which is now Popsells. The process was just like buying a house, they handled the entire transaction.

Just trying to figure out how to buy one without getting screwed and realizing after I buy it that there’s something wrong with it that I couldn’t find during the inspection process.

-There is always something that will pop up even after the sale. Bus owners need to be tough minded and either have a lot of money or a lot of tools and the courage to jump in and learn. The second was my approach.

Any advice is appreciated!

[Matt]

Any buyer, of any Prevost is responsible for verifying the coach condition.

In my opinion paying someone to do an inspection on the conversion portion is not only a waste of money it is a lost opportunity for you, the buyer to have the seller demonstrate how every system works by operating them. Since new buyers are unaware of the complexity the simplest way is to make sure every switch, knob and control is operated and that you understand what they do, and see it happen.

As to the chassis and engine, make the sale contingent upon a full Prevost inspection. It will cost money, but that is the best money ever spent. It is especially true if the coach has delamination issues.

Anything less than doing the above is akin to expecting to be a winner in Las Vegas.

[Bill]

It’s a newer one and it’s not even in the US. It’s a new company and it’s their first or one of their first conversions. It’s expensive. There’s alot of inconsistencies and mistakes that were made. I’d still want it but probably at a much reduced price and that’s even if they can backup certain info. We did do an inspection both professional and personal and we found issues and inconsistencies.

1. Would there be a problem registering the Prevost in the US if it’s from out of the US? Will it pass homologation and any other requirements?

2. Whom can service it if I do not get a service contract/conversion warranty with this new company? Certainly someone can take on the servicing for a fee?

I’ll be sure to post it here soon. Thank you all for the help.

[Art]

Walk away. You have no idea about how bad it can get if the converter goes belly up, or how difficult it will be to maintain it even if he still exists.

[Art]

Thanks Jon that’s what I have been leaning towards. But thought maybe there’s other options out there for servicing someone else’s conversion work.

[Art]

There are options for servicing unsupported conversions. As an example East Tennessee Luxury Coach, Jeff Rowe, is unafraid of any service work.

But keep in mind you pay for the learning curve, and if you really are unlucky your problem is with something programmed and you do not have the source codes. You are f**ked. I am aware of only a few conversions whose codes are available from the converter. That means you either pay for a workaround, or you get some really smart computer whiz to get access to the code and copy it.

Stick with a conversion made in quantities by well established converters. The number of wanna-be converters no longer in business will fill a Manhattan phone book. The very early coaches with zero proprietary programming are little risk when it comes to getting service. Today’s coaches are excessively complex and have a lot of programming to make things work.

[Mike, 92 Country Coach]

If this is a Teschner coach, they are amazing builds but since the company is out of business as well as being full of off-shore components I would would be VERY wary of buying. There is a Teschner out there (Olivia) that I would love to own but hate to try to maintain. She a beauty inside and out but I don’t have that kind of money or patience.