Marius
Forum Replies Created
-
It has to be special circumstances that are not widely known for only a single battery of a set to be replaced.
Tom who can get into more detail goes so far as to want brand new batteries to even have the same date code and I have never seen anything written by experts to suggest if a battery has a premature failure and the others are quite new that it is OK to just replace one.
-
Not driving at night was a given with the original headlights. But then I upgraded the lights to LED bulbs with new reflectors and now I can actually see down the road just not behind me at night.
For years my cunning plan was to crawl back into our master closet, dig out that rear view camera and spray paint the LEDs black. Three or four coats should do it. One of these days…
Gerald
-
H.J.: Some observations and comments.
First where is home base for you?
Where do you get the coach worked on? After we first started shopping for a Prevost I was concerned about where to take it for service. Knowing a Prevost had a Detroit Diesel engine, I discovered that Instate Power Systems (a Detroit Diesel/Allison Transmission authorized repair shop) had a shop in Butler, Wisconsin about 30 minutes away from our house. I called them, asked for the service manager, explained we were about to buy a DD powered Prevost, and wondered if they had experience with them. The service manager told me they worked on Prevost and MCI seated coaches all the time, once in a while a motorhome conversion, and periodically an entertainer coach. Without me asking, he mentioned that they would be limited on what they could do on the converter installed stuff on the coach … but “the shell” was something they had a pretty good handle on. Again without me asking he offered that they should be able to “service” the on-board generator as well.
To date … after almost three years of Prevost ownership I have yet to visit them.
Fortunately we discovered Jeff Rowe at ETLC outside of Knoxville, TN. We’ve made three trips in Florida in January so Jeff isn’t too far out of our way. My plan is to once a year have the coach in Jeff’s shop for service.
If I need something in an emergency or for some reason Jeff is in the wrong direction or too far away … my plan is to (1) take the coach to an authorized DD/Allison shop (probably with a reference from this Forum) or (2) take the coach to a seated coach company operating Prevosts. From what I’m told, most of the large operators have experienced mechanics on staff and take in outside work.
After four or more years of reading the posts on this Forum, I’ve read of Prevost owners who have had emergencies on the road and have had experiences ranging from exceptional to terrible with whereever they got the coach to or whoever came to them on the road. So that is a risk. I recall one Prevost owner taking his coach to a dumpy looking place in the middle of nowhere and was very apprehensive … but the guy who owned the place was a very good coach mechanic and got him on his way quickly and cheaply. Its a risk and if something happens on the road I plan on relying on the Forum for advice, counsel, and many shoulders to cry on.
Preventative maintainance. It took me a while to completely comprehend something that Jeff Rowe said to me a number of times: “Its something that could ruin a trip.” We had a 1999 Amana refrigerator that started to have problems. Maybe I could have fixed it, but how long is a 15 year old refrigerator gonna last? Until I’m a thousand miles from home traveling between two important events with $400 of food in the thing? Before you try to stretch something … think how it would impact a trip if it failed? If I have three or four Cruise-Airs and I’m in Florida in the winter or Canada/Alaska in the summer time and one is having a problem … I might not be so excited to immediately address it. But a failed refrigerator, microwave, water pump, and probably a water heater failing could really screw things up if you don’t discover it at East Tennessee Luxury RV Resort near Vonore, TN.
Your budget. You should be able to find a nice coach for $130,000 and based on what you’ve indicated should still have some left in reserve for “zero out”. We did pretty much the same thing three years ago; granted I think the market has improved for Prevosts of late 90’s vintage. Just keep in mind what a number of Forum members have said … “You oftentimes get what you pay for.” Some of the coaches you think are “high priced” at a dealer likely have some of the “zero out” work already done and the cost of that imbedded in the price and/or have a little room in those prices for a trade or horse trading.
What’s the difference is you buy a coach for $130K from a private with aged out tires and batteries as well as limited maintenance records and plan on spending $25K for tires, batteries, and a good starter zero out OR you find a similar coach for $155K to $160K that has documented new tires, new batteries, fresh fluids, all new belts and hoses, new brake cans, new air bags, etc.
Good luck with your search!
-
Dressings chemically pull the oils out of the rubber causing premature aging. Tires like airstreams never came from their factories glistening. They’re a matte finish surface. Two things we never do. One, let a vendor smear goo on our tires. Besides pulling oils out of rubber compounds, it gets slinged around by centrifical force driving. Never let anyone on your roof with a power sprayer. They have a tendency to blow off your caulking exposing areas to rainwater leaks.
-
8 Lifeline 8DL’ s purchased from me to your door will be about 49500 depending on zip code and no tax.
590.12…..
-
Yosemite Pines on the west side of the park is nice. They have room for you. About a 45 minute car ride to Yosemite valley.
-
Don, thanks for the info. After my previous post about the parts dept guy saying I would need six 630104 airbags and that they would not be on sale till May, I called later in the day and got a different parts guy who gave me the correct info (mirroring what you have advised) and also that they would go on sale April 1st. This morning Linda called and ordered four 630104 bags (regular price $194, sale price $138) and two 630259 bags (regular price $173, sale price $123).
-
Poor Mary…Poor Mary? At least she has slides. Geo.
-
I’m not as computer proficient as guys like Tim, but it doesn’t matter how any of us maintain logs or service records.The important thing is that we have the ability to review when maintenance or repairs were done and perhaps plan when they need to be done next.
But do not stop with just tracking oil changes. I am in the middle of replacing a Headhunter toilet and find they changed just about everything, including how it is wired. I have rewired the coach as necessary (not a big deal, just time consuming) but I am adding drawings to my log books so if I want to I can revert back to the old style timer in case the new timer fails. Future owners will be able to read where to find the old wires, and how to disconnect the new wiring and retro fit the old timer. I have done that will all sorts of modifications such as adding a second thermostat to the HW tank. Future owners will be able to find the source of power and wiring so they aren’t scratching their heads trying to figure out what I did and why.
-
No.
-
I reported yesterday that when I siphoned 100 gallons from Tom’s coach, I replaced it so his fuel gauge would look the same. I used the macerator to refill his tank.
I don’t see the holding tank contents as being any different than DEF, except it is cheaper.
-
Gerald,
The Node Relays have a fuse inside for each button function. You have to find the Node Relay and remove the cover to replace the fuse.
They like this…
-
I would be surprised if all tank drains including this one were not accessed from beneath the coach. If this accessory tank cannot be accessed from below then it sounds like a candidate for a lanyard operated drain valve.
I always have the ultrasonic leak detector with me on the coach as well as a cheap stethoscope which is also very effective.
-
Happy belated birthday Jeff!You have a great team and facility.
Chris
-
Happy Birthday Jeff!
I’m sure there was plenty of cake and ice cream to go around!
Mark