Could A Pre-Owned Prevost Liberty Coach Be My First Motorhome?
I don’t know if attempting to find the ideal motorhome for my needs is a mission or if it’s become an obsession. But I can say that at times, it’s nothing short of overwhelming. At this point, while there’s one more model I want to check out, it’s rapidly approaching the time to fish or cut bait.
Having spent a lifetime reviewing products, I use an analytical approach when making major purchasing decisions. However, when it comes to shopping for my first motorhome, it seems the equation is much more complex that I would have ever imagined and I don’t think my computer could handle all the rows and columns to create a spreadsheet with all the variables. Yes, maybe I’m overthinking this and quite possibly, I should just take the plunge. But let’s face it, these things aren’t cheap!
It seems the dilemma that I’m facing coincides with Glen Gerber’s Death Spiral series posted on his RVDailyReport.com website and it appears the industry is broken. Gerber’s series truly struck a chord as his findings have mirrored my shopping and research experiences to date. But, I’m not giving up yet.
As stated in my previous post, the RV/motorhome industry is on fire these days. The perfect storm of low fuel prices combined with affordable interest rates and a somewhat stable economy has driven many new buyers to motorhome dealerships and sales are at record levels. However, there’s a problem and it can be traced to manufacturing and supplier quality control. The most basic explanation I can offer is it seems more times than not new motorhome products are leaving the factory with defects and have placed an undue strain on the dealers that service these units. This makes obtaining service a frustrating experience for the end user as most dealerships are reporting long waits for service.
However, from what I’m learning, it seems I may need to have a skilled mechanic on speed dial to walk me through various procedures to feel comfortable traveling by motorhome.
Simply stated, my search for a luxurious, recreational vehicle that incorporates a variety of creature comforts is more difficult that I imagined. Basically, all I’m looking for is a well designed motorhome/motor coach that will allow my future travel adventures to begin when I turn the key and remain reliable until it’s time for scheduled maintenance. However, from what I’m learning, it seems I may need to have a skilled mechanic on speed dial to walk me through various procedures to feel comfortable traveling by motorhome.
Because I’ve spent more time with my hands on a keyboard than I have turning a wrench, I’m questioning if I have the skills necessary to keep a motorhome up and running. While I’ve spent my life either working within or following the tech industry, I’ve become accustomed to dealing with products that are more complex, but are for the most part, more reliable than its predecessor. That doesn’t seem to be the case with the RV industry. Possibly my expectations were that motorhome manufacturers had developed new methods of manufacturing that would make them as reliable as automobiles or modern houses. Evidently, that is not the case.
But, I’m stubborn and quitting is simply not in my vocabulary. So, while I’ll put my dreams of owning a mainstream motorhome brand on the back burner, possibly it’s time to shift from a motorhome to a motor coach. Yes, there is a difference. So, at the moment, a Prevost conversion is on my radar.
Just a few weeks ago I contacted the Admin of the Prevost Community forum and asked if he knew of a specific pre-owned Prevost model that could act as a reliable starter coach for me. He quickly responded with an astounding “yes,” and within a few days I was on my way to Vonore, TN to meet Jeff Rowe of East Tennessee Luxury Coach to check out a pre-owned 2006 Liberty Coach Prevost conversion. Here’s the video:
So, the question is, did I buy it?
The honest answer is…almost.
I spent a few hours getting acquainted with this specific coach and while it lacked having the latest in electronic features, it appeared to be a sturdy, well maintained coach. I have no doubt it could have been a very good “starter” coach for me, but like any major decision, it’s always a good idea to sleep on it a night or two and that’s what I did. Around the time I was submitting the VIN to my insurance agent for a price quote, I was notified that while it was on the market for quite a few months, it found a new owner.
My search continues.
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