Community Forums

rvethereyet · 10-25-2017, 10:06 AM

What are the major differences with these two buses?

BFlinn181 · 10-25-2017, 01:51 PM

Provost chassis are built for over-the-road motor coaches. Bluebird chassis were modified school bus chassis. Both are heavier built than most RVs, with steel frame and siding to be safer for passenger protection. New, a Provost is much more expensive a chassis and conversion.

A.R.F. · 10-27-2017, 01:05 PM

Both are built on heavy chassis. They my use the same engine.
Prevost sends there chassis to someone else to do the coach built ....Marathon
Blue Bird did all there coach build in house.
Prevost is still being made. Blue Bird got out of the coach businesses around 2009-10
Go to the Wonderlodge Owners Group.... WOG web site and there you will
find a lot of good information. For Prevost you can go to the Prevost Gurus
web site.
I really like my 1989 WB Wanderlodge.

George Schweikle · 10-27-2017, 06:29 PM

Just for fun, as I don't live in this income level:

Prevost (not Provost) is the brand of over the road buses made by the Prevost Car Company of Quebec (A subsidiary of Volvo?). https://www.prevostcar.com/

Bare bus "shells" are provided to "Approved Convertors" and you purchase completed products from them:
Emerald Luxury Coaches
Featherlite Coaches | Luxury Prevost Conversions & Motorhomes
http://www.marathoncoach.com/
Home - Millennium Luxury Coaches

Russ Potteng · 07-19-2018, 08:41 PM

Would be curious to hear some feedback if anybody has had the chance to drive both a Bluebird and Prevost, and how it would compare against a Newmar product with comfort Drive.

BFlinn181 · 07-19-2018, 09:08 PM

I've driven Provost and Bluebird buses, not RVs. The Provost is a better ride than Bluebird, although the Wanderlodge suspension is superior to the bus chassis I drove. BB stopped making Wanderlodge RVs in 2009. Provost sells shells to be made into RVs. Next to the Provost conversions, Newell is right up there in quality -- and price.

ImagineIF · 07-23-2018, 04:38 AM

If safety, ride and support are critical, buy a Prevost. It's not a box on frame rails. It's also the only chassis that I'm aware of that's actually been through crash testing. If not mistaken, the Wanderlodge is not the same as the Bluebird bus.

Join the Prevost Owners Group on Facebook.

Mr.Mark · 07-29-2018, 02:06 PM

When new, a Prevost Bus is driven with base paint from the factory in Canada to the USA conversion company with a temporary driver's seat. What is interesting about a Prevost conversion, is that they are custom painted completely on the exterior first before the conversion begins (at least from our converter).

Then, the conversion starts. The shells are originally ordered with 2, 3 or 4 slides from the Prevost factory although some of the slides might be HWH slide mechanisms. Ours are all Prevost slides which is what I wanted/ordered from Liberty. During the conversion, the passenger windshield is removed for larger items to be installed.

Our converter (Liberty Coach), is the oldest Prevost conversion company and technology leader starting in 1968. It is still owned and run by the same family in North Chicago, IL. The Liberty Coach showroom is in Stuart, FL., where the customers take delivery (or buy previously loved coaches)

I have never driven a coach with Comfort Drive so I can't make a comparison. I thought our previous '08 Monaco Dynasty drove quite well on the Roadmaster chassis and the Prevost is a dream to drive. Drives very straight and solid without much correction.

Since Prevost chassis's are used for the bus transportation market, if any additional hardware is needed for steering, I can pretty much tell you it would come from the factory that way. I'm sure a bus company would not want their driver's experiencing any fatigue. These buses are driven all day long at 75 mph without skipping a beat.

Prevost's are made for ease-of-maintenace. The serpentine belt can be changed in 10-15 minutes by releasing the air in the tension bellows. Take off the damaged one and then pop on a new belt.

Time is money in the bus/entertainment business so we as Prevost conversion owners get the benefit of the this easy serviceability.

Prevost coaches have real front and rear bumpers. Above the front bumper area to the bottom of the windshield are steel cross-members to strengthen the front-end. These things are built like a tank! The exteriors, depending which Prevost chassis (H3 or XL), is either made of all Kelvar composite panels or a combination of Kevlar composite and stainless steel panels.

Safe travels,
Mark

mike brez · 07-30-2018, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rvethereyet

What are the major differences with these two buses?

One is still in business and one is not.

Russ Potteng · 07-30-2018, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike brez

One is still in business and one is not.

I'm sure the OP understands that.

The question is how big of a drop off a Bluebird is from a Prevost. Little doubt that Prevost is on the top of the food chain with maybe a Newell a close 2nd.
That said, seems like the pricing on well taken care of Bluebirds offer a decent value.

Thank you Mr. Mark for your first hand experience and input.