Eagle vs MC9

[ilyafish]

I'm considering the switch.  And i know everyone has their own opinion.  I just want to hear it all :-)

[cody]

From my point of view, engines are the same, trannys are the same for both, you'll find 6v92, 8v92's and all the same options as with any other bus so from my point, I like the torslastic ride, absolutely smooth, no side to side roll like I've seen from air bags, slight porposing with some roads but still a very comfortable smooth ride. Bus will stay level day after day camping, no air bags to leak down lol.  The MCI crew will tell you that eagles rust away, I have very little rust on mine, I've seen far more rust on MCI's than on any of the eagles I've looked at, I also like the classic look of an eagle, when an eagle rolls into a town, people look and wonder what country star is inside, I've even been asked if anyone famous is in mine, I usually just whisper, "the swedish bikini team" and watch them crane their necks, eagles have the mystique of being the choice of famous people, with MCI, people think wow a bus conversion, somebody took an old greyhound and built a camper, it's a different mystique (thats the word for today lol).  Both make great buses, I've seen no scarcity of parts for either, either would make a nice conversion, it's all personal preference. The MCI crew will point out that they have some stainless steel but we have aluminum lol, and anyone that says SS won't corrode is misguided, I've seen plenty of it corrode, the key here is to find a bus that you like with the conbination engine and tranny that you want and check it over closely regardless of what brand it is.  I've seen where one MCI rusted so badly, the engine cradle broke in half, another factor to concider is that on MCI's the skin is structural, eagle can run down the road with all the skin off of it.

[John316]

eagle can run down the road with all the skin off of it.

So why the skin then? Why not just screen it in, to keep bugs out???

God bless,

John

[cody]

lol good question but I think dallas even has a video of one just tooling down the road, no skin lol, they have the truss style construction that makes that possible, the skin isn't structural, the screen house idea is interesting tho lol.

[Dreamscape]

I love our Eagle, because that's what we bought. If it had been a 4104, MCI other make it would be the same. I have always liked the looks of the Eagle, the ride is great. It was the choice of Entertainers in it's heyday.

Let's face it, all buses have issues, rust, mechanical the list goes on. It's really should boil down to what you like, how much money you have for the purchase, how much funds you have for maintenance and anything that comes up.

Some people that have Chevy's hate Ford's and vice versa. It is what turns you on and off.

They are money pits, ask any of us. But we wouldn't have it any other way.

The parts for Eagles are easy to get from a lot of sources, a lot of common parts that are on the shelf most anywhere.

Good Luck on what you choose, it's all about what you want anyway!

Check out my Photobucket site and you will see lots of pictures of Eagles, a few MCI's and Prevost, even a Flx in there.

BTW, we have owned our Eagle for almost 6 years and it's over 40 year old, first owned by The Dixie Echoes our of Florida.

Paul

[NJT 5573]

You are buying an older bus, so I would buy the one that was in the best shape if I didn't have an otherwise preference.

I have a biased preference, but I have owned 2 Eagles and no MCI's. If I remember right, both Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard ran/run MCI's...

After some of the questions I have read here about the 24 volt system on the MCI, that may lean me to the 12 volt Eagle, otherwise I think its all about what you want.

If you ever want to up date to a 4 stroke engine, the MCI would win hands down.

Cody's right about rolling into town in an Eagle, I have considered letting the kids sell my autograph, because people are always looking and asking about the band or thinking I'm rich... Must be the trophy wife...

[John316]

We have a mono design, and ours is a MCI . Only difference? Ours is a little newer than a nine . MCI just stole Eagles design, and then said that theirs was the best . I am not sure why it took MCI so long to come up with something that Eagle had for years .

I have heard that a good eagle rust prevention, is to park next to a MCI for as long as you can .

Really though, I think that it would mostly depend, as Cody said, on how the mechanical side of it was.

God bless,

John

[NJT5047]

MCI has one major design benefit over Eagles....the engine and transmission can be removed, serviced, inframed, etc, without entering the bus other than to start it up.   And it can be started from the engine room too.  How cool is that?   
You'll find out 'how cool is that' the first time you have to run the racks on a 2 stroke lodged in an Eagle.
Eagles are fine looking buses, but MCIs were built to be easily serviced and repaired should it become necessary.  Of course, MCIs rarely need repairs. 
Thinking about it, there's actually TWO major design benefits that favors MCI...if the exhaust manifold fractures, you won't burn the house down with an MCI exhaust design.  And you won't have to remove the bedroom to gain access in an MCI.   In any event, an MCI exhaust system can literally fall off the coach and other than noise...no harm...relatively speaking.
Eagles do have one notable good point (other than being good-looking), the airbags don't leak down! 
Apologies in advance to Eagle owners!   

My dos centavos, JR   

[cody]

Good points JR, but my iggle has the rear start too.

[paulcjhastings]

I wouldn't choose either, I would choose the Eagles younger cousin , right Bryce

[cody]

I'm thinking your thinking GM with the muffler under the floor thats carries the fire risk, my exhaust and muffler are down beside the engine.

[luvrbus]

JR, I run the rack on Eagles with out ever going to the bus and have done inframes and removed the engine and transmission without ever entering the bus.
Air compressors and engine mounted alternators have to be done from the inside.
The 01,05,10 and model 15 have large engine compartments the model 20 now that one is tight.
The exhaust system on 92 series engine are the same in both buses Eagle use a dual exhaust system on their 8v71 engines and MCI uses a single


good luck

[HighTechRedneck]

lol good question but I think dallas even has a video of one just tooling down the road, no skin lol, they have the truss style construction that makes that possible, the skin isn't structural, the screen house idea is interesting tho lol.

Not quite a video, but a perfect example of it.

[NJT5047]

Good points JR, but my iggle has the rear start too.

As I was saying...it's a dark and stormy night.  You're stranded in the middle of an interstate 87 in New York, thousands of miles from home--and you gotta change the air compressor...and alternator, on a hot engine....and SWMBO wants the BEDROOM! 
OK.  You and luvr have converted me.  I'm an Eagle lover now!    
While we're considering brand change, what about a Prevost?     
Almost all of the entertainers are riding in Prevosts these days (John Madden excepted) ...mostly XLs and few H45s...what about a Prevo$t XL40?   You can steal a factory conversion Prevost XL these days.  A nice Prevost 40' 2 stroke without slides, with careful shopping, can be found for well below $100K.   There are some super coaches on the market these days.  $125K will get into 4 strokes.   

More dos centavos, JR     

[cody]

I'd love a prevo, I've piled sawdust in many of them and I do like them, I can barely afford my iggle tho, my pockets are just not deep enough but I am adoptable by anyone with an extra prevo lol.