[Tim]

Kurt, when I began my coach search I also was specifically looking for a forty footer. My search lasted about a year. I further complicated my search with a preference for XLII ‘s and a nonslide unit. I was EXTREMELY lucky. Even after reading every post available I realize now I was without the knowledge necessary and didn’t take the steps I should have to properly evaluate the coach. I like you started looking for a nice Foretravel because I had previously owned one and had a good experience. Like you my wife was drawn to Prevost. We test drove an XL and the windows were all it took for Becky to be sold . For me even that poorly cared for unit showed me there was no comparison between Prevost and a fiberglass coach. My coach lived in Nevada and spent much of it’s time in Las Vegas. It was equipped with 8 solar panels that match the long rectangular panel in the excellent picture Les posted . My roof needed to be resealed and I made the decision not to reinstall them after the roof was completed. They worked well and had controls mounted in the rear closet to control the power but were not relevant to my use of the coach and the mounts were a source of potential leaks. I have never regretted my decision but I’m not shy to run the generator. Like most things Prevost the importance of features are very personal. It sounds like you have a good handle on what features are important to you and they sound very obtainable. Long story short Prevost is the way to go and all your features can be found. FYI my 40’ is also a CC and another example of a lucky choice which has proven to be a good one.

[Tim]

Welcome Kurt, we already like your wife, she’s on the right track.:) There are 40 footers out there, be sure to visit our Coach for Sale section. Don’t discount non IFS coaches, they’re rock solid with less maintenance and the only difference is turn radius.

Geo – 97 was the change over years for IFS, I had 3 97’s and none had IFS. As I recall, it was late in 97 for the change.

[Tim]

You did a good job on the map, thanks for the input.

[Tim]

G&P,

Where is it listed? Would like to see some pics and the converter/specs on the coach.

And, I’m not opposed to the option Jon suggests: “The final option is to find a not so good coach which may sit on the market for a little longer, and negotiate a price that will reflect what is needed to refresh it.”

[Tim]

A good truckers Atlas makes a good primary means of selecting routes. Get a large print version because there is better detail.

Truck routes are highlighted and there will be a section of bridge and height limits.

There aren’t many places we cannot go, with the majority tending to be in New England. While it seems to be a neat idea to head for the small local roads to better enjoy the experience, it has become our opinion a bus is just not built for narrow curvy roads that we cannot navigate as easily as the average car so we stick to the big roads with the bus and take the toad for local driving.

[Tim]

And you thought you were eating BBQ Pork at the seminar.:)

[Tim]

If you stick to main routes you will not encounter low clearances or bridge weight limits. All interstates have ample clearances.

The vast majority of low clearances or bridge weight limits are going to be found in the New England states but on main roads even there you will be OK.

If you are really concerned a truckers Atlas will have truck routes highlighted, along with listings of weight and height limits.

[Tim]

Hello Prevost Community,

Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is Tim Wells and Im also with Carlisle Auctions Air and Coach Concours. First, I would like to thank all of you personally for all of your excitement, interest, and questions. I would also like to thank Jon and Tom as well for all of their support. I know they have been bombarded by questions. I have done my best today to put a one-sheet together to try and answer all of your questions. Please bare with us as we are still in the final stages to nail down some very big and exciting news for the event. As these final deals are put together, myself and Bill will be sure to keep everyone in the loop! I reiterate everything that Bill has posted about contacting us directly. We are avaiable 24/7! Actually calls after midnight will be handled by Tom and Jon directly(very kind of them to offer this) and I will be publishing their cell phone numbers shortly! ( Of course Im joking)

Again, Thank You everyone for your time and interest and I hope this sheet will help clear up a few things. If not, please feel free to ask away.

Tim

CLICK TO VIEW FULL SIZE

[Tim]

Dale,

Please don’t call another member an ass. I reread this thread along with another one you started. The brakes were clearly mentioned, with a new brake chamber needed on one incident, a hole in the hose on another, and a need for a shop to change linings or shoes.

If others responding to this thread have brakes on their mind it appears reasonable.

For the benefit of new owners who are not aware of why some who have posted to this thread I am going to examine two of the issues you posted about. The first was what you stated was an emergency brake not releasing as it should. Air is introduced to the brake chamber to compress the spring inside the chamber and release the brake. The air is applied to a diaphragm that likely had a hole or a tear in it. By your own post you drove with that condition.

First, if you were losing air to that extent you could not have ever passed a DOT pre-trip brake test in which the allowable leak rate for an emergency brake is 3 PSI per miniute. If you were unable to develop the pressure to fully release the brake the leak rate is significantly greater than the allowed rate and the bus should be pulled from service. Yet in your post you indicated you drove it. As a professional the higher standard Tom mentions applies to you. And you should set the example for the new owners who have not yet had the opportunity to learn this information.

Then in your second issue you mention when you applied your service brakes you heard air escaping. Again, the DOT pre-trip brake test is very clear in that the same leak rate of 3 PSI or less applies to service brakes and a failure to meet that standard requires the bus to be pulled from service. But you said you drove it. Again as a professional you are sending a signal to new owners that it is OK to drive with serious defects.

In both instances a few minutes under the coach would have eliminated the air leaks. The brake with the defective diaphragm could have been caged and the air line to that emergency brake could have been capped or plugged. You would have lost the use of one emergency brake, but the service brakes would not have been compromised.

In the second instance the service brake line could have been plugged or capped and again you would not have lost pressure when you applied the brakes. Admittedly both actions would have to be viewed as emergency repairs until you could get to service, but by doing either repair you would not have risked an unintended application of emergency brakes and possible loss of control of the coach.

Issues with the conversion portion of the coach did not appear to get those posting as excited as the prospect of more serious safety issues as a result of dangerous and unaddressed brake problems.

I am sorry if it apears some are ganging up on you but you are a professional and should set the example for all of us non-commercial drivers. I think in the context of that those that posted (almost all of which do have commercial trucking backgrounds) are expressing legitimate concern. All I ask is that we dial down the heat level on this thread because it is very instructive, especially to new owners of coaches that might have similar problems.