| Author | Message | ||
| Ace (24.28.41.194) Rating: N/A |
Ok guys, the days are now down to where I can count them on one hand. That is, days left before we leave to pick up the NEW bus. We are leaving on Thursday evening for Friday pick-up IF all goes well, which I am anticipating it will. Then, I guess it's the maiden voyage heading south in a bus I have NEVER driven and only saw for about an hour before the work was done. Keep in mind this bus is EMPTY as in NADA inside. Gee I hope the weather is fair up there. Some of those roads are uh, small, not to mention some of the bridges I saw were LOW! Oh well, I guess I am just getting a case of the jitters or it could be exciters... or maybe even a little of both! Looking at the bright side, I can say that I will have a good co-pilot, make that "map reader"! God I'm glad she's asleep!  Should be REAL interesting this time next week so like I said, wish us luck! We may need it! Oh yea almost forgot... any advice or tips? | ||
| Peter Broadribb (Madbrit) (67.136.103.187)
Rating: N/A |
Good luck and enjoy the trip. Advice, nah, just have fun.......... Peter. | ||
| H3Jim (68.105.103.139) Rating: N/A |
Ace, Not knowing your background, I don't want to offend by offering advice too basic (such as I would need). However, based on my own too fast driving habits in a car or truck, and limited skills with a bus, I would say relax and when in doubt, just go slower and enjoy the ride and the scenery. Virginia is really pretty. Look out the rear mirrors and put the rear tire (duals) where you want them - going forward or backward. Of course going forward its better to spend more time looking at the road. I know you will greatly enjoy that coach, its a beaut!! I had, have to keep a sharp eye on the passenger side rear wheels for those right turns, and just take two lanes to do it. Congrats, you will get many years of enjoyment from that one. That upright, flat footed sitting position allows more hours of comfortable driving than a car does, and the smoothness of the ride doesn't hurt either! Enjoy and let us know your experiences. | ||
| Robert Wood (Bobwoodsocal) (4.63.41.14)
Rating: N/A |
enjoy your trip Ace! Bob | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong) (66.229.97.200)
Rating: N/A |
Ace - 1) Enjoy the journey! 2) Take your time - allow even more than you think you need, so you can #1 above. 3) Familiarize youself with all the controls, switches, etc, B4 you leave the lot - remember Greg P's saga about driving all the way from NJ sitting with the air-ride seat at the bottom of it's travel 'cause he didn't know how to adjust it? 4) Terrorize McDonald's by pulling into one of their restraunts at 8:30 am on Saturday morning, then just ordering coffee for you and the lovely $usan. . . 5) Enjoy fueling at the Flying J, just remember to pull up to a pump that has the numbers on the door side of the coach - and forget the RV island, you can use the REAL pumps!! 6) Since you've got experience driving your Eagle, most will easily roll over to the H. Remember that everything you do with the steering wheel affects the placement of the REAR axle, which is really what you're concerned with in city driving. Don't be afraid to intimidate the auto jockeys, even the SUVs, when making your turns. Stop, and let them figure out how to get away from you, not the other way around. And remember to smile as you watch them squirm to figure out what to do!! Above all, remember #1 Congrats, RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| Ian Giffin (Admin) (64.228.55.127)
Rating: N/A |
Hi Ace, Your Eagle kinda bucked up and down at the front end while driving along and had very little lean while cornering. Your Prevost will give you more of a floating sensation while driving along. You may not even like it, initially. The bus will tilt from side to side as well. It really doesn't do it that much, but it'll seem extreme at the beginning. As well, when you turn a corner at the speeds you're used to in the Eagle, the Prevost will surprise you by giving you the feeling it's going to tip over. It won't of course, but it's a feeling that takes a few turns to get used to. If the Prevost you are getting has the motorhome option from the factory, expect both the floating and the tilting from side to side to be even more pronounced. Patience, Ace. You WILL love it in time. Have a great run! I am SO jealous :-) Regards, Ian www.busnut.com | ||
| Ace (24.28.41.194) Rating: N/A |
Yea I know about the leaning and the bucking difference. I wasn't worried so much about that. I'm more worried about getting out of them thar hills in Va. with a bus I never have driven and getting back to some kind of civilization in case something DOES go wrong! Now I am faced with another problem of getting there. Oh I can get there with a rental car but the nearest car return is in Greensboro NC at an airport. Never took a bus to an airport before but if it's anything like the one at home there isn't many places you can go with one. Thought about hitching up the car and dragging it home but never did that before and without a B/U camera and a strange bus, that might not be such a good idea.. Thought about just having Susan follow behind but she didn't go for that one. Thought about flying there but "I" didn't go for that one! That's whay I have a bus (or two)! Also Thought about taking a bus there but you never know how them commercial drivers are! LOL Susan will be working out the details today... hopefully! | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong) (66.229.97.200)
Rating: N/A |
Hey Ace - Don't worry about taking your bus to the airport, it's done all the time by the charter and tour guys. Plus, most airports have "circulator" routes, where you can loop back around, if necessary. So play tour driver and drive like you're on your way to drop of your passengers for a flight. If you have to wait for a few minutes, turn on your four-ways and sit with the front door open. You're waiting for your "escort" to return to the coach, right? Oh, might also check w/ the rental car company - it's possible their return lot is just off the main airport property, which would make it even easier - just follow their shuttle bus!! But most of all, you and Susan have FUN!! RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| Mark R. Obtinario (Cowlitzcoach) (204.245.250.48)
Rating: N/A |
I don't know what the rules are where you are going to be driving. Or for that matter, what sorts of roads you will be driving--hills, mountains, flat land, whatever. Here on the left coast, the law requires you to have chains on board when driving on certain roads. When the sign says chains required you do not want to be caught driving without chains. The fine is in excess of $500 now. As it has been said before, enjoy the trip. That is what the experience is all about. Familiarizing yourself with the controls before you move the bus is a very good idea. Adjusting the seat and mirrors to you is also a good thing to do before you move the bus. And making sure you have been shown where all of the vital fluids are checked or where they are introduced to the vehicle is good idea as well (somtimes the access doors to the fill ports are not obvious). Good luck and happy trails. Mark O. | ||
| Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy) (24.196.191.70)
Rating: N/A |
Ace, two possibilities. When I bought my bus the owner picked me up at the airport so I did not have to worry about a rental car. Otherwise, I would have taken a taxi from the airport. Richard | ||
| CoryD (66.155.188.122) Rating: N/A |
Ooh ACE and Sue Love the look of those PreVosts. I'd never get rid of my RTSII but I can enjoy, with you, the great styling, good looks of the PreVost. Be safe and enjoy. And when we meet, I'd love a tour "Imagine Your Dreams" cdcdcd | ||
| Ace (24.28.41.194) Rating: N/A |
Ok we feel we have it all figured out! Most rental car companies don't offer a one way rental with drop off without costing an additional $600.00 above the rental feel and extra milage. I guess they heard somewhere we NOW own a prevost! Well trust me, they won't get my rental money! Anyway, we thought we would like to take some tools, fuel cans, mattresses, blankets, sleeping bags, coolers, clothes, etc. for the trip home in the bus and we surely couldn't fit all of this in a rental car. Our thought was to rent a small U-haul. Low and behold, it actually worked out to our benefit. Not only is it cheaper to rent the U-haul than a car, we can carry everything we want to take with us, and the good news is, we can drop it off only 2 miles from where we purchased the new bus and on Saturday TOO! Plus they gave us a 20% discount for booking early! Man you gotta love them U-hauls! Everything is a green light... for now! | ||
| Ace (24.28.41.194) Rating: N/A |
5:30 pm THursday..,. Our journey begins! Ace | ||
| Ace (24.28.41.194) Rating: N/A |
8:30 pm Sunday.... We're home, FINALLY! Stranded once after sleeping at a very small truck stop but come 8am we were on our way. Woke up at 5:30 am to a COLD rain pattering on the roof only to find that we didn't cut the batteries off. Guess what? You win! Bus won't start! Called Carolina Fleet road service and a young man brought out 4 new batteries, installed them, and away we went! Stopped at a TA truck stop just north of Savannah because I kept hearing a belt squalling at 65-70 mph. Guess what? Right again! They didn't have the belts. Gooped the belts up with dressing and away we went... only running 55mph now because anythign higher would squeel the belts. VERY annoying! Anyway, I found that if I ran under 1800 rpms all was quiet. Squalled a bit while shifting but I had to do what I had to do! 1800 rpm's was running around 60mph which seemed like a crawl but we made it home ok! Slow but sure! I would like tro say that the Prevost H3 is a very smooth and comfortable coach except I need to learn the shifting of the auto trans. Very harsh at low speeds but boy does it have power and it's coupled to a 8V92. Motor is very quiet but very powerful. I bet this coach would run 80 easy. My friend Bill was right when he said it got to be boring driving it because once you get on the open road, at ANY speed, you set the cruise and just hold on! What a difference! It was fun blinking lights back and forth with all the trucks and getting looks from all the cars that passed! We're home and now the FUN begins! Ace | ||
| H3Jim (68.105.103.139) Rating: N/A |
Congrats, now the real fun begins | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong) (66.229.97.200)
Rating: N/A |
Congrats, Ace, glad you and $usan had a great trip, minus those two minor anoyances. (Hmmm. . . Do I hear the sound of you calling Luke to order a spare set of belts for your coach?? LOL) You will be giving tours at Jack's little party next New Years, won't you?? 8^) Seriously, I'm glad you're happy with your new toy, and I'm sure you and your lovely bride are going to get many years of enjoyment out of it. Again, congratulations to you both. RJ PD4016-2784 Fresno CA |