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Old 02-11-2015, 08:31 PM   #1
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New Class A DP or used Marathon Prevost Bus

I've been looking at new Class A's for a while with a Tiffin 42LH at the top of the list. Lately though I've been looking at some Marathon dual slide on a Prevost bus chassis in the early 2000 time frame.

The build quality on the Marathons even with there age seems so much better than the Tiffins. Everything is so easy to get at especially the engine bay.

The price between them is very close but you're getting a coach that cost near $1.5 million new and build on a chassis that was designed to go 1.5 to 2 million miles.

The Marathons may need new TVs and other updates but that's about it. All in all it looks like a lot of coach for the money.

Has anyone else been in this position and which way did you go? Any advice would be appreciated.

One other point, I've read about parks now allowing coaches over 10 years old but I can't imagine being denied entry with a 12 year or so Prevost Bus that from the outside looks basically the same as the ones.
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Old 02-11-2015, 08:42 PM   #2
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Forget the Tiffin and buy the Marathon. There is no comparison between the two.
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Old 02-11-2015, 08:49 PM   #3
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Well, we were looking at new Dutch Stars and then I found a couple 2007 London Aire's in Fl (we live in WA state), but they sold the one I liked before I could get the wife on board about it. Right now a dealer has a new Dutch Star on their lot they want us to look at, but I found a really nice 2009 CC Magna that we are buying instead. The Magna was just short of ¾ million new and we got it for less than posted on the dealers website. The Magna was just so much better equipped even though it needs new tires and maybe batteries as they're OEM. The Magna's original owner bought a Prevost instead.
I don't see anything wrong with buying an older, higher end coach, especially if it's a diesel. You can always upgrade the electronics as you go and the engine and trans are good for many, many miles.
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Old 02-12-2015, 06:18 AM   #4
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I've looked at them, too. They will last forever, if you keep them maintained. I particularly like the Royale conversions. Unlike most, they are not overdone. Many, however, are too glitzy. Which means paying for gold plated fixtures I don't enjoy. Entry level is considered $300-400k. Some use Bus Air, which can be difficult to keep working if you can't find a knowledgeable Tech. Some use Cruise Air, too. They do not have a NADA value, that I could find, which means a bank will have a hard time establishing a loan value. If you are financing. I also consider them underpowered. Without slides they are cramped feeling, like living in a hallway. In short, I found them over valued. Don't get me wrong, they are fine vehicles. Affordable, but just not for the wife and I.

They have to meet roll over standards no other MH can meet. Marathon will treat you like royalty. They can and will refurbish your Bus to as new standards. They have an unmistakeable profile and look. You will make a statement wherever you go.

You should also look at Newell, they are a glass bus. They are all custom ordered as well. You can find the occasional undervalued one. I would consider Country Coach, Monaco, American Coach. It takes air leveling to make my cut, although if that is not in your list, there are Entegra and Newmar at entry and mid level. All the top tier MH's offer air leveling as standard.
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Old 02-12-2015, 06:35 AM   #5
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No comparison between anything made by Tiffin and anything done on a Prevost chassis, in terms of build quality and construction/durability. I have heard that the maintenance can be pretty expensive due to some of their unique bus-type systems.

Agree with the advice to expand your search to other used high end coaches like Country Coach, the upper level Monaco's, Foretravel, American Eagle and Heritage.
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Old 02-12-2015, 06:50 AM   #6
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Forget the Tiffin and buy the Marathon. There is no comparison between the two.
What He said!! Just take a test drive and you'll be hooked.
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Old 02-12-2015, 07:00 AM   #7
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On the 10 year old coach issue, I'm sure if you pull into one of these "snob-zoning" CGs with a 12 year old Marathon, they will let you in.
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Old 02-12-2015, 10:49 AM   #8
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If you have the finances to maintain the prevost, I would go with it. Keeping up a prevost is expensive. You will have more things fail simply because there are more things to fail. It is like comparing a six cylinder, straight shift chevy to a fully loaded caddy. Don't worry about the ten year rule. Camp ground owners will welcome you if you keep it in good condition. They all look alike anyway.
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Old 02-12-2015, 02:00 PM   #9
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If we didn't have a Wanderlodge, we would have a Prevost
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Old 02-12-2015, 04:44 PM   #10
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When booking a site just tell them the coach is 8 yrs old. No one can tell the year on a Prevost. I have been lying about the length of our Motorhomes for years, usually to get into state an national parks but even to get the more secluded back in at RV parks.


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Old 02-12-2015, 04:48 PM   #11
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what year do you guys think my coach is?
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Old 02-12-2015, 04:52 PM   #12
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what year do you guys think my coach is?
97?...

Actually does look much newer...very nice!
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Old 02-12-2015, 04:57 PM   #13
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97?...

Actually does look much newer...very nice!
My "Cheater Alarm" went off........you looked at Ernie's profile
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Old 02-12-2015, 05:23 PM   #14
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Same thoughts I have had with the last two coaches. Each time I sold my previous coach with the intention of buying a 6-7 year old Liberty or Marathon. Both times I chickened out and went with the new Entegra Cornerstone with the new "everything" rather than a 7-8 year old Prevost. Much of the above posts are right on. Myself, I'm beginning to have Prevost fever symptoms again. Quality is unsurpassed with a Prevost conversion, you can not compare any plastic coach to that of a Prevost, no exceptions. I have been researching Prevost conversions for 5+ years, there is a lot you need to know before you make that switch. A lot that you need to look out for when buying any coach that has a few years on it, especially a coach designed for a normal life of millions of miles. Search the internet, there are several Prevost owner groups that I know that you can learn from and ask questions to other Prevost owners. You will find them to be extremely helpful and more than willing to help you with answers to any questions that you may have. Know before you buy... There are fantastic buys out there on pre-owned Prevosts, but you don't want to buy one and end up with monumental expenses. Examples: TV's are not just switched out with a new one, in order for it to work with the Crestron system, the system must be re-programed and you can not do it yourself and is not cheap by my standards. Some of the converters use a water pump that will set you back around a thousand dollars if it should go bad. The air system on a Prevost is much more complicated than a regular pusher, a very complicate system of valves are used. I am not trying to discourage you from the Marathon, just want to help you know what you are doing before making a possible mistake. Learn as much as you can about the Prevost conversions and what to be on the lookout for. Remember I admit after two new Entegra Cornerstones have not ruled out a pre-owned Prevost as my next coach. My 2 cents...
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