Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

I am contemplating a used higher end (mid 1990s) RV purchase and inquiring on
the benefits of the Wanderlodge over the Prevost. Is one more reliable and or
easy to maintain than the other? Cost of Ownership?

The Wanderlodge has different axel and engine configurations. Any thoughts on
this? I think I am more interested in the Detroit Deisel, but am open to
anyone's thoughts.

Are these relatively easy to maintain for someone with basic mechanical skills?

Thanks
Chris

I think the pros for the Wanderlodge are: The community (this forum
and others); simplicity (the mid-90's coach follows the same basic
design criteria as the earlier coaches (Ridewell suspension, etc);
consistency (Wanderlodge has been doing it since 1963); ease
of maintenance (HWH jacks makes tire changing easy, all English
hardware, shares most heavy duty items with the trucking industry
(Brakes, air dryers, etc.); and safety.

Pros for the Prevost are: 2 million mile "over-the-road" touring coach
chassis/suspension that's been continually evolved, world class.

Cons for the Wanderlodge: Old chassis/suspension design, choppy
ride and so-so handling.

Cons for the Prevost: Many different conversion companies with
varying level of expertise, some no longer in business. No real
community (most Prevost owners don't wrench their coaches).
A good bus, but not tough like a Wanderlodge. If I were driving to
El Salvadore I'd take a Wanderlodge (the c-channel backbone makes
pulling it out of the mud easy, the Ridewell suspension is bullet proof).

Similarities between Wanderlodge and Prevost: both uses Detroit Diesel
engines, both use Allison transmissions. The mid 90's Prevost use a stick
axle up front like the mid 90's Wanderlodge (No Independent Front
Suspension). Both are all steel constructed buses.

-----Original Message-----

From: cmccarty4301

Sent: May 17, 2009 8:36 AM

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Wanderlodge Question

I am contemplating a used higher end (mid 1990s) RV purchase and inquiring on the benefits of the Wanderlodge over the Prevost. Is one more reliable and or easy to maintain than the other? Cost of Ownership?



The Wanderlodge has different axel and engine configurations. Any thoughts on this? I think I am more interested in the Detroit Deisel, but am open to anyone's thoughts.



Are these relatively easy to maintain for someone with basic mechanical skills?



Thanks

Chris

Sorry, forgot to sign my post.

David Brady
'02 LXi, N C

-----Original Message-----

From: David Brady

Sent: May 17, 2009 10:20 AM

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Wanderlodge Question

I think the pros for the Wanderlodge are: The community (this forum
and others); simplicity (the mid-90's coach follows the same basic
design criteria as the earlier coaches (Ridewell suspension, etc);
consistency (Wanderlodge has been doing it since 1963); ease
of maintenance (HWH jacks makes tire changing easy, all English
hardware, shares most heavy duty items with the trucking industry
(Brakes, air dryers, etc.); and safety.

Pros for the Prevost are: 2 million mile "over-the-road" touring coach
chassis/suspension that's been continually evolved, world class.

Cons for the Wanderlodge: Old chassis/suspension design, choppy
ride and so-so handling.

Cons for the Prevost: Many different conversion companies with
varying level of expertise, some no longer in business. No real
community (most Prevost owners don't wrench their coaches).
A good bus, but not tough like a Wanderlodge. If I were driving to
El Salvadore I'd take a Wanderlodge (the c-channel backbone makes
pulling it out of the mud easy, the Ridewell suspension is bullet proof).

Similarities between Wanderlodge and Prevost: both uses Detroit Diesel
engines, both use Allison transmissions. The mid 90's Prevost use a stick
axle up front like the mid 90's Wanderlodge (No Independent Front
Suspension). Both are all steel constructed buses.

-----Original Message-----

From: cmccarty4301

Sent: May 17, 2009 8:36 AM

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Wanderlodge Question

I am contemplating a used higher end (mid 1990s) RV purchase and inquiring on the benefits of the Wanderlodge over the Prevost. Is one more reliable and or easy to maintain than the other? Cost of Ownership?



The Wanderlodge has different axel and engine configurations. Any thoughts on this? I think I am more interested in the Detroit Deisel, but am open to anyone's thoughts.



Are these relatively easy to maintain for someone with basic mechanical skills?



Thanks

Chris

Good synopsis David.

A few other points:
-same amenities and quality interiors
-same year Wanderlodge consistently less $$$ than same year Prevost
-in most high-end RV parks, my Wanderlodge is rarer than Prevosts in the park
and thus attracts more attention (hmmm, is that good or bad?)

Most telling comment - I know of at least two Wanderlodge owners that went to
Prevost and returned to Birds (Jay Darst is still around and can probably give
the best comparison between the two.)

FWIW,

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX

As a '95 WL owner, I can agree with these points. I'd add that most mid 90s 'birds are a little less expensive than the Prevost of the same year, depending on the Prevost conversion.

On Sun, May 17, 2009 at 2:36 PM, Pete Masterson wrote:
>
> Just don't _ever_ get under one without sturdy jack stands for support.
> While uncommon, a failure of the jacks or a sudden release of the air bags
> can be fatal.

... and has been fatal, to a member of this forum if I recall correctly.

Chris, the bird is as easy to maintain as anything else. I'm a
decently average backyard mechanic and maintain most of my own coach
systems. If you can do basic repairs around the home and know how to
use a voltmeter (basic electrical know-how), that accounts for most of
your maintenance.

Mechanically, it's a big bus, plenty of room to work on things. I am
not a big rig mechanic and don't fully understand that part of my
coach yet - this is my first diesel - but I'm learning. I've done some
basic repairs to my generator (see
http://www.ryanwright.com/wanderlodge/sliprings/) and it was
relatively easy. I change my own oil, filters, etc, but I'd be lost if
I had to deal with something like a non-starting engine. Some day I'll
unfortunately have the privilege of learning that, I'm sure.

-Ryan
'86 PT-40 8V92

Ryan,

If you haven't already done so, please upload this to the forum. Thanks.

Curt Sprenger

1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"

Anaheim Hills, CA
Read all about Southwest Bluebirds and Friends (SWBB) at http://www.SOUTHWEST-BLUEBIRDS.ORG ...Then Join us.

"Host of the Annual Bluebird Quartzsite Rally"

For lots of info on Prevost, join POG (http://www.prevostownersgroup.com). Cost
$100/year but they are very helpful,knowledgeable,and mechanically inclined.
They also have a great prepurchase inspection list of things to inspect. I was
looking a the same types of coaches last year at this time. Had a 2000 Itasca
Horizon - 36' with 2 slides which had served me well, but was ready for
something different. Looked at Bluebirds, Prevosts, and Newells. The 1999-2000
Bluebird LXi's with slides were very apppealing. Hated to give up slides. The
Prevosts rarely have slides. 1998 Prevosts and newer have independent front
suspension (IFS) - very nice, can turn in their own radius. After 2000 the
stainless on Prevosts is laminated(glued on), not rivited. There has been some
delamination issues. So far Prevost has covered the repair which can run up to
$30K, so I would prefer rivits. Marathon, Liberty, and Parliament are all good
converters, still in business and offering execellent customer support. At
http://www.parliamentcoach.com, they have a nice 1999 Marathon Prevost for $189,000.00.
Looked at it last year, it was $100K more. Nice woodwork (I'm not a big fan of
laminate), but no slides. It's been for sale for a couple years, so it would
probably need some going over and all rubber replaced - hoses, suspension bags,
etc. as recommended by POG every 10 years, but then would be good for years.
Another good place to look is http://www.mrolivers.com . Never did find quite the
right metal coach, so ended up buying a 2008 Beaver Contessa last fall. Yea
it's plastic, but it has beautiful cherry woodwork, king bed, new rubber,
electronics and lots of room with the slides out. Fortunately I got all the
Monaco related warranty issues resolved before they filed for bankruptcy. If I
bought one now, I would spend a lot of time at the dealer making sure everything
worked before buying and consider an extended warranty.

Dave Campbell
SOB
Fla.-Wis.





--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "cmccarty4301"
wrote:
>
> I am contemplating a used higher end (mid 1990s) RV purchase and inquiring on
the benefits of the Wanderlodge over the Prevost. Is one more reliable and or
easy to maintain than the other? Cost of Ownership?
>
> The Wanderlodge has different axel and engine configurations. Any thoughts on
this? I think I am more interested in the Detroit Deisel, but am open to
anyone's thoughts.
>
> Are these relatively easy to maintain for someone with basic mechanical
skills?
>
> Thanks
> Chris
>

Howdy, Chris.
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "cmccarty4301" wrote:
>
> I am contemplating a used higher end (mid 1990s) RV purchase and inquiring on the benefits of the Wanderlodge over the Prevost. Is one more reliable and or easy to maintain than the other? Cost of Ownership?
>
> The Wanderlodge has different axel and engine configurations. Any thoughts on this? I think I am more interested in the Detroit Deisel, but am open to anyone's thoughts.
>
> Are these relatively easy to maintain for someone with basic mechanical skills?
>
> Thanks
> Chris
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't speak to the mechanics of maintenance on my 1993 Bird but I can tell you that I feel very SAFE in my coach. That was a very important factor in saying OK to the purchase of our Bluebird. We are fulltimers. Our first rig was a 1995 Safari Serengeti, ordered from the factory. It too was a metal-sided coach but at half of the weight of our present Wanderlodge. Now when we were looking for a 1991 Wanderlodge, I couldn't find one that was what I wanted. We then looked at Prevost conversions at Liberty in Florida. In order to meet our financial budget, I had to look at Prevosts that were in the 1986 year range. I was leary about that.

Prevost conversions are very customized. I would have to do so much redecorating to make the coach into our home. Too many $$$$$.

I also talked to a lot of wives that own BBs. The significant point of that is that every one of those women that I talked to said , "I know that my family is safe in our Bluebird." That impressed me a lot.
Long reply short, we bought our 1993 Wanderlodge in 2004. We are very comfortable in it. The help and support that we get from the BB user groups is terrific. Good luck in your decision.

Regards,
Jack and Liz Pearce
Fulltiming in a 1993 Wanderlodge WB40
D'Hanis, TX - Winter
Buena Vista, CO - Summer