Bob: Hope all is well.
The Prevost conversion was built primarily as a seated coach to be used on a daily basis, six or seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Second purpose is an entertainer coach with has to be reliable and make it from show to show WITHOUT fail or problems. Third is a high end motorhome. Prevost is very emphatic that the chassis and drive train is built for a million miles. Prevost Coach (now owned by Volvo) is located in Quebec Canada … so its "native land" is a harsh climate.
We take our coach to a guy who has six wheel ($10K to $12K each) lifts. In 30 seconds the entire coach is up off the ground five feet and everything underneath can be worked on; oil changes, trans fluid, differential, air bags, brake chambers, etc. I took the coach to a seated coach operator in Appleton WI two months ago for a check of the A/C system and they have both a pit (they built extra wide and six wheel lifts). We've put 36,000 miles on ours in 4.5 years, NO engine or trans work other than fluid changes, replacing a trans seal, and all new hoses on the engine, trans, and generator (which slides out for each maintenance).
We have a Series 60 Detroit Diesel back up by an Allison transmission. I'm told at some point between 100K and 200K miles, we will need to have the injectors and valves looked at and adjusted on the top of the engine. I've talked to American Fleet in Springfield MO and they said first they will try to go through the floor of the closet in the bedroom to pull the valve cover (inline 6) and do the work. If that doesn't work, they will pull the engine cradle (engine and transmission) which he said is very easy. Guys on the Prevost Community forum tell me they've had it done, watched it come out and go back in and they can't believe how quickly its done. I think its 1.5 to 2.0 hours both out and back in. Prevost designed the coach to have the cradle pulled quickly out for any maintenance. The seated coach operator in Appleton told me the same thing.
So getting at the engine for service is not big concern.
Ride is awesome. 45' of almost all usable space, bays underneath for fresh water (200 gallons), single holding tank (175 gallons) with gray water bypass, 208 gallon fuel tank that feeds the DD, generator, and Webasto diesel boiler, 120 volt 10 gallon water heater, 120 volt water pump, two Cruise Air heat pumps in center of coach, entertainment bay, 20Kw Kohler generator, electrical bay with two inverter/chargers and Allen Bradley industrial controls with PLCs to control everything, two open bays for storage, and two CA HP's behind the front bumper.
On the four lane highways I drive 62 to 64 mph, other roads right at the speed limit and I'm right at about 8.2mpg based on the DD computer. How does it pull the trailer? What trailer? Oh that's right! I'm pulling a 26' enclosed trailer with a 5' tongue that' loaded with a race car and in total weighs in at between 9,500# and 11,000#. Off the line, accelerating, probably going up a good hill … I notice it. Straight and level, even in windy conditions I barely know its back there unless I look in the mirrors. The DD has something like 475hp and 1800 ft-lbs of torque so it gets up and goes … but not like the 750hp/3400# race car. Coach weighs in at 48,000# with full fuel, water, and gear.
We spent 78 days on the road last winter. Wisc to TN to FL along Gulf Coast to NOLA to Galveston to Corpus Christi to Auston to San Antonio to NM to Phoenix to Indio to Malibu to Pismo Beach to Vegas to SLC to Wyoming and home. Worked out great. Functionally it works well for us.
Get in the area, let me know I'll take you for a ride.
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