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need help with pdi verification
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It’s really difficult to determine what may fail on any older coach. Low mileage can be a concern, but it may not be as bad as the fears raised by some. Jon is right, price is a major driver. However, even at the right price none of us want to be stranded on the side of the road. My focus would be on those items that can leave you stranded. With an old low mileage coach, the concern is drying out of seals and rubber components. Tires that haven’t rolled frequently would be the first without question replacement on my list. As for the other rubber components, it would be good to know how the coach was stored. If it was in a climately controlled facility, then it may not be too bad.
You mentioned an oil leak. Was it at a seal? If so, no surprise and a possible indicator of similar failures soon to come. A great question would be how long does it take for dry seals and other rubber compoinets take to show failure. I don’t have the answer but would bet in the first 10,000 miles all failures related to non-use would surface. That would suggest to me that the first 10,000 miles are the ones I need to worry about.
Focusing on the price for value equation just look at having suspect item replaced at purchase. Those would include tires, norgren valves, brake chambers, and all air bags to include the ones on the engine and generator. Depending on when they were replaced chassis and house batteries may also need replacement. All of these items could need replacing on any 97 coach of any mileage, so I wouldn’t necessarily say a higher mileage coach would save you a dime in these areas. Unless you have maintenance records, assume all fluids need to be changed. This too has nothing to do with the age of the coach.
Make sure you love the coach first, regardless of which one it is.
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Jim,
I also tried the Article with no problem using both Chrome, Firefox and Ipad. Can you try with one of those browser’s or from a different computer?
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Not a problem with the browsers… Check your PDF reader, Nitro v8 & Corel Fusion won’t read it but it’s OK in Adobe.
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Well, we decided against the 13,000 mile coach. Seems like it was going to take longer than I expected just to fix the oil leak and run down a leak in the air system. Additionally, Just could not get by the length of time it was not used although no one actually had hard figures on that. While looking it over, found carpenter ants in the wet bay so that did not help the go for it side.
We are now focusing on the other possibility which is a 96 country coach. The only thing negative that I have heard about that year and converter, is that there is a large bank of relays, fuses and circuit boards in a panel in the front bay that seem to be a concern to some. Has anyone had or know of someone who has had issues in this area?
Seems as though every converter had something that was proprietory in nature or near that. At some point, I guess I got to bite the bullet and just go for it but I wanted to through out there the question of what folks thought about the Country Coach. Oh yeah, it also has a gas stove and fridge.I thought that was a bit unusual for a Prevost. Anyone have any thoughts on that?
Thanks for letting me ramble. It’s a big investment and don’t want to pass up good advise before making a deal and don’t want to make the deal without getting good advise.
Regards,
Moe
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Moe,
I won’t make any comment about the CC ECM and associated components, the CC boy’s would be sticking pins in my Voo Doo doll.
Some of the early conversions from CC and others had propane and if you like cooking with propane, you’ll like it, but you will hate that stinking gas fridge. Most of the plastic coaches have propane systems and are not total electric like the buses. I’ve had my share of the gas/electric fridges over the years and they’re junk.
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So what converter or converters do most folks recommend to someone new to Prevost. It sounds like that is where its all at. I know a lot are out of business but there are a lot of coachs on the road. Need to hear from folks that won’t suggest a coach based on their ownership but rather what they know of the overall Prevost converter market. I know its hard to separate yourself from what you are fond of and I appreciate that.
Any and all input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Moe
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Try Liberty, Marathon, and others that are still in business, one day you may need help with the system.
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country Coach was simply ahead of their time. The CC electrical bay, ECC, is no different than the Crestron, intelitect, multiplex, and other common control systems. The CC system is far less complex and much more robust. Yes, CC doesn’t exist anymore. The spare boards, schematics, and other proprietary information dudn’t get shredder like when the new Monaco bought the old Monaco.
As for which converter to favor, let the floorplan, features, and aestetics weigh heavily on your choice. All converters did some really smart things and most, if not all, did some things that defy reason.
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I have had my 99 CC for 7 years and over a 100,000 miles. No problem with the ECC and the mother board or daughter boards. There is a guy from Oregon that also has a shop in Dallas that knows everything there is to know about that systyem.
He has helped me a couple of times, once with the OTR A/C board. Just a bad solder joint. He even has the screens to manufacture the boards.
Also Myles Cirio has purchased a lot of the CC parts when they had the bankrupcy auction.
CC with the digital dashes can be a problem such as mine. The computer system that runs dash and the navigation system (if it was so equiped) ran on Microsoft Windows 3.1. Completely out of date and non serviceable.
The fix for me was the SilverLeaf glass dash. Looked just like the CC digital dash but completely up to date and all self contained. $10,0000.
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Charles is right when it comes to the glass dash originally installed. Many are still doing well and there are replacement parts. In fact I have an entire system less the digital conversion board. I too replaced my glass dash rather than repair what I had. The new dash is so much better than what was there in that it provides much more data and is a purpose built device; no external computer and instant on. The new glass dash is very similiar to what you would find on many new cars. The new dash replacement is a 4-6 hour job that can be done at your location or at Silver Leaf in Oregon.
I don’t when CC began installing these systems, but think 95 may have Prevost gauges.
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There is no correct answer, Moe. Only you can determine what you need in a coach based on your budget, your needs in termos of how you intend to use the coach, your willingness to compromise and how you feel when you set foot in the coach. The issue can be further confused by whether you trade often or if this is going to be a “keeper”.
People will advise you based on what they own, and what they have heard from others.
The thing you need to sort out is the importance to you things like support, cost, appearance, layout, service history, etc are. As you seek your eventual purchase keep in mind these coaches all require maintenance and the older the coach usually the greater the maintenance. Allow for that in your budgeting. It is always more cost effective to get a great coach, well maintained with everything working, than it is to get a less expensive coach that needs work. Every selller has used the term “it’s and easy repair” so when you hear that ask if is it so easy why wasn’t it done?
All coaches can be supported in one way or another, either by the original converter, or by dealers or people that now possess the knowledge and parts. You need to decide your comfort level in who you will look to for future service. Camping World or the local RV dealer should never be in your list of service providers. You have to recognize that unless you are comfortable learning your coach and then managing the care and maintenance you need to take it to people with Prevost conversion expertise.
Your coach is out there. You just have to keep looking.
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The dash in my coach had already been replaced when I purchased it and the Silverleaf is nice. I spent some interesting time recently looking for a power window opening problem and went over my ECC thinking it might be involved. While intimidating to look at , sorta sci- fi movie like, it seems user friendly combined with the CC schematics to at least locate a problem. I subscribe to a theory I think I first read from Jon that when you walk in YOUR coach you will know it’s the one. While I wish old CC was still thriving, new CC techs were very helpful in trying to resolve my problem long distance. Good luck with your hunt.
Charles would you mind posting any contact information available for the person with the Dallas shop (or anywhere else) who has CC expertise? I’m just north of Dallas and would like to have the resource if needed. Thanks.
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Looking at a coach at Parliament in Clearwater that Ken Robertson is showing us. Met Rick May while there and they both seem very knowledgeable and helpful. Rick says the dash is analog which is incouraging. He did the PDI when on a trip with it so I would hope all items would be identified that need attention. Perhaps we will get to common ground tomorrow. Anyone have any thoughts?
Moe
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Moe, Rick is one of the go to guys in this stuff. Honest and super knowledgeable in addition to being just a super person. He and Ben C. are two of the few people we let service our coach. BTW which coach are you looking at?
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It’s the 1996 Country Coach. Seems to be in pretty nice shape and they talk good abougt it. From what I see and hear about Ken and Rick, I am feeling a lot more comfortable than I did with Lazydays.
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