[Kevin]

hi Brett

Sounds like a cop out to me. I could scan a stack of paper in with my phone in minutes and email immediately. I would insist. Ten minutes for them versus two days and $1000 for you…

[June]

Lets put the horse before the cart. Locating the coach that fits your needs would be the first thing. I think finding the coach that you both like is #1. H or XLII ….40 or 45…. Price range….Interior…..Exterior.

You can assume that the seller is telling the truth about the condition, service records, maintenance , attention to little items. I had my questions for each bus via phone following pictures. I had a list of items which I followed 1,2,3 on site, asked questions, made notes.

On our last coach airplane ride to CA. car rental look at 2 coaches. Both rejected after inspection. Second adventure was car trip MI. IN. TN with 4 coaches inspected. 3ad trip fly to Coburg OR Marathon factory…bingo. Our current bus and without slides.

The experience with our purchase on a Marathon factory owned bus was beyond all expectations before and after the sale.

Spent some money ? you bet. Worth the actual in person inspection ? you bet.

Make sure you buy a reliable BS meter.

[Bill]

Brett,

I
keep meticulous records, but most records you’re likely to get are
not going to be complete by any means. The best method whether you
have records or not is an inspection or PDI, especially for the
chassis. The DDEC can also be checked for the engine history and
mileage.

Records
are great, but your likely to find a handful of repairs and oil
changes. There are lots of folks out there like myself that does keep
accurate records, so maybe you”ll get lucky.

I
agree with Karl, if they want to sell the bus and are being
accurate, copies are not a big deal these days.

[Kevin]

I would ask (other than standard) when was coolant changed last/no matter the miles. Have air bags been changed–usally a 10 year life span. Tire date codes-again life span. Has cac been changed/around that age there was a problem. Actual year of mfg-not conversion. Get last letter in serial number. Many 60 series in motor coach service get low miles because of cooling system neglect. I have seen them let go under 100,000 miles.Many coaches are known to members here. would not share $$$$ price etc as you could be scooped on good coach. Also records of Norgren valves beeing replaced at that age. Again miles are less of a concern on a lot of items ;age is a factor on anything rubber or parts of the air system. Just my opinion. Most of the items I mentioned run a few thousand to a possible $40,000 engine. Bob

[Archived]

Yea not real concerned about milage, but I know that at XXX years old there should probably be XXX things to look at, concern over, or change out.I am not opposed to flying/driving to a coach that I am very interested in, but before that and epsnding tons of money I would like to get the feel good over with and be assured at least in my mind that I have a better than 50% chance of it being a good coach when I get there. My current coach I bought in Dallas site unseen and I lived in NC. Granted no money changed hands before actual inspect, I had a good enough seller relationship that I felt comfortable aking the trip. But I don’t know much on Prevost to ask alot of questions or throw the BS flag if needed.

[Archived]

Brett,

To answer your question, if the owner feels that there are too many records to scan and email (which there could be), then I would ask for records on major items that would normally be identified to “zero” out a coach as well as major repairs/replacements of any chassis/house item.

If this is for a 10-15 year old coach and they haven’t replace tires, batteries, air components, etc.. then chances are the coach hasn’t been “meticulously” maintained over it’s life. If batteries, tires are at the end of their life and air bags, shocks, etc. have ever been replaced and no norgren valve maintenance has been done then changing oil/filters isn’t going to matter in terms of what it’s going to cost you to get the coach to what you want it at. That is unless you can negotiate a better price taking all those items into account.

As a side note, when I was looking, the owner of a very well maintained coach scanned and sent me copies of all his service records. Very extensive. So it can be done, question is how willing is the owner and how motivated is he in selling the coach.

[Dick]

If the seller represents the records as being complete, detailed, and extensive just ask for the service or replacement date on the important stuff. The seller can sit at his desk and read the dates off to you.

Here are the things I look for in the record………..

Routine scheduled 2 year coolant changes. $ year transynd changes, dale of air bags, Norgrens, brake chambers, tires and batteries.

Oil service interval, generator service interval, air system maintenance, and lube history.

Either before or after getting that information I would make it clear I would be inspecting the records when the coach was inspected prior to purchase. I would insist service records are to be part of the coach purchase.

Trust but verify………(Alfred E. Neuman)

[Archived]

Jon said: “The seller can sit at his desk and read the dates off to you.”

Or create a spreadsheet itemizing all the things that were done in chronological order. If you don’t but the coach, the next prospective buyer would probably value having that information.

It would probably take a seller less time to create that spreadsheet (if they really have the records) than to take four pictures of each of the eight tires on the coach that I seem to see on some coaches for sale.

[Archived]

I think that almost every coach I looked at before purchasing, and there were many, was represented as being “meticulously maintained.”

I found one that was “well maintained,” and bought it. I walked away from several that were “barely maintained.”

Synonyms for “meticulously maintained”:

1. “Excellent condition!”

2. “Needs nothing!”

3. “Showroom condition!”

4. “No disappointments”

[Archived]

When I started looking for a Prevost, a friend of my brother in law gave what I consider good advice. “You’re always going to want bigger so start with a 45′ with 2 slides. Get yourself in as many coaches as possible and find a layout you like.” I didn’t understand what he meant until I started taking trips and getting inside coaches.

From New Orleans, I flew to Tampa hitting 4 Prevost dealers including Parliament (in 2008) and Marathon; flew to Ft. Lauderdale and drove up to Liberty; flew to Nashville 3 times stopping in Atlanta one time to inspect a coach between connections. From Buffalo, flew back to Tampa 2 more times to look at more coaches; flew to northern Alabama to buy my dream coach (then she talked him into not selling); negotiated a sale price over the phone based on a personal inspection, then flew to Oregon and finally bought my Marathon. If you’re serious about a major expense like a Prevost, a few thousand dollars in flights is minimal compared to what’$ coming. And worth every penny.

Once I found the coach with the right layout, something I would be serious about, then I asked for the service records. When not available, I discounted the final sale price to pay for zeroing out the major items based on Jon’s article…that turned out to be another $35,000 off our original negotiated price.

I also have 36 links in my browser’s Favorite bar where Prevost’s are for sale. I looked at them religiously to get a feel for the coaches. But nothing can replace getting inside a coach and talking with the owner or sales person who will give you so much insight.

[Roger]

I want to clarify and add to Colt’s list.

Serviced by Prevost………I understand that to mean a tech at Prevost helped the seller put air in a tire when he was mooching off Prevost for free electric on his way through Nashville.

Serviced by the converter……….See above. Usually that also means as a courtesy the converter repaired a tear in the driver’s seat because the seller sat there with a screw driver in his back pocket.

Tires are 90%………….They are 13 years old, are carrying 12 ounces of tire dressing that is so thick you cannot read the date codes, but since the bus was only driven to Prevost for service all of the tread remains.

No issues…………..That means if you ask hard questions the answer the seller is going to provide is “I don’t know” meaning I prefer not to lie directly to your face so pleading ignorance isn’t a lie, is it????????

Serviced annually…………Unless the mileage driven annually is less than 6200 miles then that means the seller ignored the Prevost service intervals and expected his once a year oil change qualifies as well maintained.

[Archived]

Jon: If you could talk slower and add “Like new” to your pitch I would hire you and pay you little more than Unsocial insecurity pays.

[Archived]

I change my brake chambers every five years , coolant every two years , tran oil every two years along with the rear end , A coach that is used all the time would be a better buy than one that sat around and drove once a year , it’s very hard to find a coach in top shape that needs nothing keep looking , oil changes are the least of your worry , tires are easy , batteries easy , the rest not so much , I replace all air bags at 10 and norgrens , but there is more to it than just those things , I keep top notch records , but better than records is if somebody knows the coach is the best , When I sold my last coach Dave asked Jon about it he said no need to have coach inspected just if he liked the coach color or the inside and Jon was right My coach was in top shape and Dave has enjoyed the coach with no trouble for three years now. That’s the best way to buy a coach somebody hear knows the coach. Dave has done a few things to the bus but not much , maybe he will chime in hear

[AL]

One of the buses I looked at with the owner showing me around stated he did most of the maintance himself. I looked at his hands. …interesting

We were standing near his tool box on the slide out tray. And when you open a tool box and see nothing but new tools.

red flag…BS alarm

[Archived]

That’s A very good point AL new tools not much work done