Everything else being equal, which coach would be preferable; a 97 43 or 98 LXI? I know, probably a tough question.
Thanks
You can't go wrong with either. They're virtually the same - some folks even refer to the 97 as an LXi. The 97 has the same dropped engine frame rail chassis as the LXi. The mechanicals are identical. The real difference is slides. To satisfy the market demand for slides BB needed a different body/frame construction. They found it in their LTC40 touring bus. Both buses are great. It comes down to availability, price, condition, and taste preferences.
(11-04-2013 15:59)davidbrady Wrote: [ -> ]You can't go wrong with either. They're virtually the same - some folks even refer to the 97 as an LXi. The 97 has the same dropped engine frame rail chassis as the LXi. The mechanicals are identical. The real difference is slides. To satisfy the market demand for slides BB needed a different body/frame construction. They found it in their LTC40 touring bus. Both buses are great. It comes down to availability, price, condition, and taste preferences.
As much as I like our LXI, there is just something I love about the look of the WBs. There are pictures in the gallery of some true beauties. The '97 would have been the last and most refined year as well and they had the Detroit 60 Series.
As David says, I don't think you'd go wrong with either.
We've had both a '95 and a '00. Love them both. I'd be happy with either. The question is one like slides or no slides, or brand of tire, or paint scheme. Everyone has an opinion; like bellybuttons, everybody has one.
I think the 97 was the last year the body was riveted together. Folks on the line at BB said it was the strongest coach BB ever made. FWIW.
The LXi hides its rivets - they're there. I could go into detail but I'll spare the readership. :-)
A fact that I can add is that the LTC40 (the body/chassis that the LXi is built on) has been third party tested by Penn State's Altoona bus testing center (STURAA). They performed their 500,000 mile 12 year test and the LTC40 experienced no Class 1 (physical safety) or Class 2 (road call) failures. This is a test that would shred your normal run-of-the-mill motorhome. I'll post the test results in a moment.
Since the OP started his question with "Everything else being equal" then it's do you want the last of the WB's or the first of the LXi's? There's really only styling differences if layout, no slides, and colors are equal.
"if everything else being equal" is your use case, then I'd go for the one that is most esthetically pleasing to you and your spouse, the most useful interior layout to you, and the best price!
If you want a slide, make sure the interior is "usable" with the slide in as you will need it at some point.
Here's a link to the Penn State Altoona Research and Bus Test Center (STURAA). It's enlightening to see how some of the buses fared at the STURAA testing grounds.
I've attached the 500K mile, 12 Year, test reports for a 2000 Blue Bird LTC40, a 2000 MCI Renaissance, and 2012 Prevost X3-45. Compare the number of Class 1, 2, 3, and 4 failures, the obstacle avoidance speeds, the acceleration speeds, the static structural stiffness tests, and the failures that occurred during the endurance test.