[Mark]

If you are looking for a 40 footer, this is the one you want.

https://prevostcommunity.com/coach-details.asp?ID=3528

[Archived]

Send your money and buy the one above….You will not find a better 40′ anywhere….

[Archived]

Gordon,

Why are you seeking a 40 footer? Your choices go up significantly if you consider 45 footers also. I know from experience the number of places a 40 foot coach can go that I cannot go with my 45 is very few.

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Hey Gordon I purchased a 40 footer from the US into Alberta 4 years ago all I can say is Prevost is the only way to go. Yes you are going to run into the lack of people to service your unit so if you can do most of the work yourself would be good. This site is very helpful and lots of good info and input here. Any questions shoot me a email Jeff.

[Archived]

Not highjacking the thread but Jeff is your 1993 got a 2 stroke in it? What model (year) Prevost?

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Yes it’s a silver 8V92 1993 Marathon XL 40 Le Mirage runs great no major problems with it 240,000 miles

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I know where a nice 45 99 X for sale Call me if interred ju

[Fred F.]

Thanks everyone for the response

John and Jeff

Dons coach looks great but is outside of my budget, I am looking for a mid to late 90,s the USD to CAD exchange rate is pretty bad right now

Jon

I appreciate your comments re the 40 vs 45 footer and i fully agree, my prefereance for a 40 foot is based on storeage, my current barn will accept a 40 easily as it has to share with other equipment, also there are only myself and my wife so a 40 foot is ample space, we tend not to stay in one place for long,just touring around, we will also be towing a jeep so the reduced length is a plus, but i have not as yet ruled out a 45 footer !

Jeff

Thanks for the offer of contact, i will e-mail you in a few days i would appreciate getting your advice re the importation experience, i have established Detroit and Allison support in Alberta should i find myself unable to sort out major issues, leaving me with the rest of the coach to worry about parts and service in Canada !so im sure you will be able to point me in the right direction

Thank You

Gordon

[Fred F.]

Gordon, I built the perfect bus garage for a 40 footer, including having a pit beneath the bus.

You don’t say the inside length of your building, but with my 45 foot coach in there I cannot fully open the engine rear doors. I can open them enough to be able to do all the work I have needed to do so far. My outside garage length is 50 feet.

But despite the inconvenience of having lost 5 feet of space around the bus by going to a 45 there is no way I would go back to a 40 footer. The difference in liveability is huge. It may seem OK to you now, but after 15 years with a 40 foot coach the move to a non-slide 45 foot coach was a significant change in the room to live. We no longer had to put up with the crappy combo washer / dryer. We got dual vanities, a pantry and significantly more closet space.

I think you might find if you open your view to a 45 you will have a considerable number of coaches available to the point where you will not have to take something you really don’t want just because it is a 40 footer.

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Jon

Thats good advice and i do appreciate it, my barn is 54 feet long, i am considering adding an extension to one outside wall, approx 15 feet wide by 54 long, this would be just for the coach, i was going to ask you about a pit and if maintenance can be done without one, i appreciate it will be more difficult but is it possibe ?My ground is rock / gravel to excavate a pit will be difficult, not only to dig but to prevent the sides falling in, it will have a concrete floor, I will give the coach length further thought as your advice has already been in my head for months, lots to consider, i would appreciate any thoughts / advice you can offer re carrying out my own maintenance in the shop as above and the options / limitations

Gordon

[Archived]

Gordon,

I agree the 2003 mentioned above is a great buy. If you are looking for a lower price coach, Lonestarace has this coach, a 1996 he is asking $160,000 for. He is pretty much a maintenance nut as well from my impression. He is located here in San Antonio, TX.

https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/rvd/d/1996-prevost-xl-40-liberty/6681353328.html

[Archived]

Gordon, at 54 feet you have significant space to do any work you might want to do except sliding the engine cradle back. As I said I have been able to do all the work I have needed to do in my engine area even though my doors are not fully open. That includes replacing the charge air cooler and all associated flexible couplings and removal of the turbo, I replaced a 50DN alternator, and have replaced a fan clutch on the previous 45 footer.

As to the pit it is by far the best part of the garage and how it contributes to making maintenance and repairs very easy. I have used ramps, and I have watched work done on coaches with a wheel lift, but in my opinion the pit is the best of all options.

[Chas]

Gordon:

I second what is being said about the 40 vs 45 feet discussion. We started our Prevost for a 40′ coach because (1) we live on a narrow town road, with narrow shoulders, with a narrow driveway perpendicular to the road, and an awkward location to snake the coach into its parking spot AND (2) I race and pull a 26′ enclosed trailer with a 5′ tongue and was concerned about maneuvering this massive rig around the race tracks and backing everything into their parking spots at home.

Early in our search we were in a 40′ Liberty and a 45′ Liberty within hours of each other. The additional room as Jon has mentioned (two lavatory sinks, stacked W/D, etc.) plus the additional room in the bays got us to realize the benefits of the 45′ coach … NOT to take anything away from the functionality of the 40′ coach. I also learned that a coach with an independent front suspension has a much tighter turning radius making it a easier to maneuver.

We bought a 45′ Liberty with IFS. I can now back the coach and 31′ (total length) trailer from the town road, onto and down the driveway, and into the trailer’s parking space usually in one move. Of course we have to be careful were we go and how tight of spaces we try to get into, but you’re going to have to do that with either a 40 or 45 coach.

The reason I’m writing all of this is not to denigrate 40′ coaches (they are in fact great coaches and owned by some of the finest people we know), the reason is to help you broaden your search to help you find the coach that fits your needs the best. Good luck with your search.

[Jay]

As a follow up to my earlier post, this is by way of an update and a request for Further information.

In my first post here I requested info regarding a 40 foot coach, and AC units etc, time has moved on and after viewing 5 coaches I have purchased a 1995 Marathon 45, # 326, previously owned by Chris and Myrna Crawford , maybe some of you are familiar with the coach ?

I received good advice here from several members who responded to my requests, the main issue I took on board was the advice to consider a 45 foot and that is what I have eventually gone with, the advice is now very clear and the additional space is appreciated.

The other issue I have read a great deal about and researched when looking for a coach was the AC systems, this coach has OTR and I have to say I do really like it, along with 3 cruise airs, the webasto system, 110 volt heaters in Salon and bathroom and in floor heat I feel I am well looked after for either heat or cold.

The coach was being sold by a family friend of Chris and Myrna in Oregon near to Eugene, we spent 4 days in and around the coach, and then 4 days driving back to Canada, it ran without fault, (Thanks to Jon and his check lists) I visited marathon where the coach had update work completed in recent years, spoke to maintenance guys there who all vouched for the coach.

Again reading info available on this site I started looking for a coach with a budget in mind, this coach fitted the budget, available maintenance history is sketchy due to the circumstances surrounding the sale due to the passing of Chris the previous owner, some documentation is not readily available but is being followed up and yet may turn up. Major items replaced in the last 2 years include all tires, all batteries, all air bags, equalizer, TV,s, Water heaters,

The coach does have some items that need attention, and were identified during inspection mainly electrical issues with washer / dryer, and I cannot get the front of the coach to air down, all other functions work normally, so all in all very happy with the coach.

Today I have begun winterising in preparation for an Alberta winter we regulary see temps down to -35 Celcius, coach will for this year be in a unheated barn, plugged into 30 amp shore power, so far I have drained fresh water tank, drained and flushed black / grey tank, drained both water heaters, removed one water pump,drained all low points as available and hooked the remaining water pump up to cold and hot supply lines and have antifreeze into all Hot / Cold taps toilet and shower, not yet flushed with antifreeze are washer and dishwasher.

So far I have pumped in approx. 3 us gallons, on this site I have read of owners using up to 13 gallons to winterize, what am I MISSING ??

Would appreciate any advice re winterising this unit. And would like to Thank all who have helped me in the purchase of # 326

Thanks

Gordon

[Per]

Gordon,

It is kind of scary to imagine a coach exposed to the winter temps you describe and with only 30 amp available. That means winterizing has to be done perfectly because any water that might be undrained can damage the coach.

The folks that can give you the best details are those that have the same vintage and model. In your case the devil is going to be in the details. In my coach there are all kinds of potential spots to trap untreated water, ranging from the water pumps, icemaker and icemaker water lines, sink traps, low points in the water system, the RO and water treatment system, washer, dishwasher, drains for all appliances, etc.

But if the coach has an unknown history and your mention of some of the Level Low system having a glitch suggests strongly the entire coach pneumatic system should be checked for the presence of water. Based on posts, phone calls and emails it is my opinion there are a lot of owners unaware of the importance of maintaining a dry pneumatic system until they have problems. I know of some that have had air bags half full of water and system valves filled with water which will end up with serious and expensive damage if water is not purged.

Unless I could be assured of continuous reliable power I would shut the entire coach electrical systems down because we have a lot of phantom loads. Those loads can deplete house batteries and a dead battery will freeze. I would monitor battery charge and recharge as needed using inverters or in the case of the chassis use a 3 stage charger.

A 30 amp power source will not support the current draw of heaters and allow other use of power such as inverters or chargers so it is important to decide priorities. A 30 amp service can be counted on for reliable 24 amp loads, but beyond that limits are being approached.

Congratulations on your new to you coach.