[Archived]

Dale,

Don’t be reluctant to identify the coach, that’s how to gain as much information as possible. The are over 2500 members here, so someone may be able to help you.

Welcome to PC, you found the right site…

[Archived]

Welcome Dale,

Somebody almost always has information or access to information about the Prevost for sale. Some of our members are always keeping up with the various sale sites.

[Peter]

Thanks for the welcome. I can’t seem to paste the link.

Dale

[Dale]

Dale,

The link is not important, just say which unit that are looking at along with the site that it’s on.

We can figure out how to find it. Just give us some info.

Good luck on your search.

Mark

[Dale]

Its an 1986 Prevost on Ebay, Graigslist in Eugene, OR to name a few sites. He started out asking $42 K and is down to $33.5 K. I’m just watching. I tried to call the guy and talk but he’s not the nicest chap I have ever spoke with.

It’s a bit rough but has a great interior, not much other info. I would have to buy it worth the money and there is so many unanswered questions. He bought it from an insurance company and is a dealer.

Dale

[Peter]

Stay away from it !!!!!

[Roger]

Can you fill me in ? It’s been for sale a long time thats for sure.

Great info Thanks

[Michael]

Dog, welcome to PC.

I hope you can get the coach for your needs, but I would offer some advice.

Even if you get an underloved coach for free, but by the time you put it in safe operating condition, and restore the house and its systems you are going to end up with far more invested than if you found the absolute best coach in your price range. Your price range is not only the cost of the coach initially, but the dollars spent on parts and materials to fix it. That ignores the value of your time. If you will not be doing the actual repairs yourself your investment will look like the national debt.

Tires and batteries can cost almost $10,000. Air bags, suspension system valves, brake chambers, relay valves etc can approach $5,000. If there are troubles with the engine and transmission add a bunch more Benjamins.

While an old coach can be cheap, a poorly maintained old coach is very expensive. Repairs on old coaches and the associated parts are just as expensive as on a brand new coach.

I’m not suggesting an older coach is not going to need repairs or some preventive maintenance, but if you can find one that is well cared for and has records to prove its service is current you not only get to enjoy your coach much sooner, you start with a solid foundation. I do almost 100% of my own work as do others on here and I can tell you the best starting point for any potential owner is a coach in excellent repair. You will have plenty of opportunity to provide your coach with TLC after you buy it. You do not have to start with one that is in dire need of TLC because that ain’t TLC, it is life support.

[Archived]

Some damage, yeks! he must have hit a low bridge. Must have popped his fillings out of his teeth. Looks pretty rough, I always worry about a posting on Craigs list without a photo of the engine compartment. I am not an expert by any means, rookie here but I would rely on the advise given by 99% of those on this site, they are very well connected and savy on the internals of a Prevost. Good luck I too am looking but I am taking my time and getting educated as much as I can and search daily for Coaches so I can all the possibilities and the cost/value. Michael Beroinja

[Dick]

Jon,

Thanks for the advise. I am looking for a coach that needs love and relise I need to know how the coach was maintained. That paticular coach I posted about, the seller bought it from an Insurance company. He claims he does not know any maintenance history about the coach. Fair enough. I was hoping someone from this site may know the previsous owner and I could speak with him. I wouldn’t buy a coach unless I could get details on maintenance. I also would not buy a coach unless I took it to be inspected by a Prevost mechanic.

As I mentioned eailer my friend who is helping me look at coaches has build several and owned a few more Prevosts. He is also a mechanic. We have agreed if I can’t get detailed maintenance records on a paticular coach we walk away. So that is what I am prepared to do. With that said if someone know’s something specific about this or any other coach I would be willing to listen.

I have read most everything on this site and a bunch of other material on buying a coach so although I have alot to learn I am aware of the major item that can cost dearly. I was given some advise from this thread to “Stay away from it ” Fair enough and thanks but I would like the information as to why you feel that way if you don’t mind sharing.

Thanks to all who posted here and I am in the market if anyone knows of a coach that may fit my needs.

Thanks, Dale

[Bernard]

if it is purchased from an insurance company it’s a good possibility of having a branded title. Salvage or total loss? Check with auto check or car fax before you do the secret handshake.

[Dick]

On that paticular coach I would find it hard to believe that the Insurance co. would write it off on the damage to the area above the windshields. The seller claims no sheet metal damage. There must be more to the story.

Dale

[Dick]

In helping you find a bus, it would be helpful to know your budget for both the initial purchase and the amt. to get into some reasonable shape. Geo.

[Bryan]

Often price reductions can mitigate “issues”. But as pointed out with Prevost coaches, some at “zero” aren’t worth putting any money into.

This is the way I look at this coach so far:

Strike 1: “I tried to call the guy and talk but he’s not the nicest chap I have ever spoke with … is a dealer.” I’d give the guy a second try. Maybe he had a really, really bad day. But if a dealer continues to be a not so nice chap, that is a big red flag.

Strike 2: “a bit rough … not much other info”. Maybe the dealer doesn’t know what he is selling, maybe he doesn’t understand what a Prevost is, doesn’t know what he needs to be able to tell a knowledgeable purchaser. But when someone isn’t willing to tell you much about the coach, there is probably a reason. There are a number of horror stories on the PC forum from prospective buyers who have talked to the seller a number of times, flown across the country to look at the coach, and then when they got to the coach it was completely mispresented. From what you’ve shared so far, this coach might another horror story in the making when you actually get to see it.

Strike 3: “He bought it from an insurance company.” I recently bought a different HHR to replace our previous one which was wrecked. The new one (to us) has a salvage title, but I wanted an HHR of a specific color, it was low mileage, etc. I would want to know lots of details why the insurance company had the coach and if the title was branded and how it is branded.

Strike 4: Being sold damaged. Lets say you have an estimate from a reputable repair shop to fix the coach for $20,000. I would discount the price at least $30,000 for more. Once the damaged areas and torn apart, you much plan on surprises.

I would wonder how long the coach has sat in this damaged condition. Any water infiltration damage? Mold and mildew?

Almost all pictures of coaches with wood interiors “look nice”, even great. BUT … when you get inside you realize that the coach has been rode hard and put up wet.

Tread lightly. Keep us informed. If you do go and look at the coach, don’t let our opinions dissuade you from asking more questions about it. We’re all looking forward to helping you spend your money! Good luck!

[Peter]

If that is a Country Coach conversion I do remember it from ebay and I would walk away.

That price is not far from the probable selling prices of undamaged 40 foot 8V92 powered conversions with recent history and in an undamaged condition.

Just to place this in some financial perspective I have known of recent sales of coaches of a similar vintage as low as $30,000 and as high as almost $100,000. I don’t think it is unreasonable to imagine most are in the $50,000 range. Those at the low and high end reflect the extremes in terms of condition, miles, service history, etc.

Of those I know specifically, all have had to have some work done on them to put the undercarriage in safe, reliable, and good condition. All are more than just a traveling machine. They are also a house which is a number of systems that all happen to work together so the coach is sefl contained and provides all the creature comforts expected of a Prevost. The work I have know to be completed on some of the coaches has involved both chassis and house repairs or updates. It does not take long to get into serious money which is why I urge you to find the best possible coach within your budget, while allowing plenty of money left for repairs the owner may not even know are required.

As Geo asked, if we have a hint of your budget range we can probably prov ide even more explicit information since the majority of us have watched the market for a long time and know not only price ranges, but what can typically be expected for repairs and repair costs.