Looking for advice before the I act, for a change.

Gary LaBombard · January 09, 2011, 04:17:43 AM

David,
You are absolutely dead on, said in much less words than I.
Quincy, this is the best I believe anyone can offer you. The materials to rebuild a coach is out of the world and the time to do so, priceless.

Good Luck again,
Garylee

luvrbus · January 09, 2011, 05:42:50 AM

You need to watch for rust on all the buses except the GM then it is a corrosion problem I have seen a lot of MCI and Prevost go to scrap yard for rust along with Eagles not to much of a problem after the late 80's.
As Barn Owl stated Prevost is high on the converters list and it is a good bus but main reason for Prevost and the converters was money the converters did not pay for the Prevost shell till it was converted and sold the others wanted their money up front
.Fwiw Marathon will convert any type shell if other than a Prevost you pay up front for the shell

good luck

oldmansax · January 09, 2011, 02:02:37 PM

I would agree with most here about buying an already converted bus. There are hundreds for sale ring now at rock bottom prices (mine included) and you can pretty much write your own ticket.

I also agree that you can buy one already done, and use it while you decide what works for you an what doesn't. That's what I did & we used ours a lot, changing the things that didn't suit us until we had it just right.

Shop around! You'll be glad you did.

TOM

MARKMC7 · January 09, 2011, 02:57:24 PM

my preference was the prevost then the MCI, cost made the decision for me. i got MCI. still wish it were a prevost.

FWIW
Mark

Ericbsc · January 09, 2011, 03:21:37 PM

Saw this one for sale in Arcadia. 1992 Liberty conversion with 142k miles in exellent condition for 89k. Hard to build the reight kind for that price!!

Barn Owl · January 09, 2011, 04:05:50 PM

Wow! That is gorgeous! Still out of range for me though.

Seayfam · January 09, 2011, 04:06:42 PM

Mark
Prevost is a very nice bus, but wait till you get your mc7 done and painted.
Polish all the stainless and go for a drive down the road.
That classic will make people trip all over them selves.
That will put a big smile on your face

Gary

MARKMC7 · January 09, 2011, 08:37:01 PM

thanks Gary, I already saw peoples eyes widened when I stopped at a campground on the way back from buying it. there was people gathering around asking what year and saying they wish they were doing what i plan to do. so yes I look forward to her being done (well she will never be done) and seeing some of the fulltimers at that camp look at it then. I will go back just to see that look. you know the one.

Mark

luvrbus · January 09, 2011, 08:56:39 PM

Eric, that is a nice coach he will never get 89G's for it from a savvy buyer with a 8v92 engine I been looking at coaches 2 to 3 years younger with less miles and 60 series for a few 1000 less than he is asking but you never know what somebody is going to pay me I am cheap lol

good luck

Hal · January 09, 2011, 09:59:24 PM

Like others have stated, there is no way you will be able to build a bus for the prices out there right now. Almost everyone that has built a conversion has underestimated the money they will have in it when completed. You can have $20,000 in paint alone, $3500 in tires $2000 in batteries, gensets, appliances, etc,etc. And when you get it all done and go to insure it, you still have a home built, no name conversion that most insurance company's refuse to insure. Just the sad facts of the matter, not demeaning any homebuilt (I have one myself) but a used name brand will have a book value, be easier to insure, probably be able to get financing if you need it for buying or selling down the road. Its really a no brainer as far as the money is concerned, its just if your overwhelming desire to do it yourself overrides the financial realities of the purchase.
Hal

RJ · January 10, 2011, 03:02:11 AM

Eric -

Nice pic of the Liberty Prevost, but you forgot to include the toad! That's even better!

Clifford -

The Prevost Eric posted belongs to Ben Willmore, Photoshop Guru extrodinaire. He and his partner Karen Nace, a professional graphic designer and photographer, are technomads who live/work full-time in the coach.

Ben told me he looked for quite awhile before he found this Liberty, and it really is in excellent shape. Even tho they full-time, the coach still looks like it came off the showroom floor, inside and out. Granted, in today's market that doesn't mean much, but still. . .

Their biggest gripe about the coach is that it's an electrical energy hog. However, for someone who wants to join POG, it's perfect! (LOL??)

Quincy -

Are you getting the message about buying vs building??

FWIW & HTH. . .

Ericbsc · January 11, 2011, 01:09:32 PM

You are right. The bus had a trailer complete withn the polished siding!! ;)Bob and I talked for three days about a trading but just couldn't get together. I sure did like that one!!

oldmansax · January 11, 2011, 01:59:37 PM

Quote from: Seayfam on January 09, 2011, 04:06:42 PM
Mark
Prevost is a very nice bus, but wait till you get your mc7 done and painted.
Polish all the stainless and go for a drive down the road.
That classic will make people trip all over them selves.
That will put a big smile on your face

Gary

I have the same thing happen all the time with my MCI. The stainless just puts a smile on faces. I don't know how many times I am asked who's on board while I am fueling up. I gave up on trying to convince people it's mine. Now I just say, "I'm sorry but I'd get in a lot of trouble if I tell....... but it's somebody VERY important!"

TOM

Seayfam · January 11, 2011, 02:11:13 PM

You've got that right Tom
It's your family. So no lying
Gary