12-15-2022, 05:09 PM
Is this Newell a good choice?
1995 Newell 450 | Bob Hurley RV
I have owned a 35' MCI bus conversion and a 40' TMC bus conversion.
Now I am thinking about getting a Newell, which advertised on the back cover of Bus Conversion Magazine for years, putting the Newell name in my head.
I have two young children, a wife and a Border Collie dog. I want to show my family the country and when the time comes, homeschool the kids during our travels.
I like this particular Newell because it has two sofa beds up front for our children to sleep in.
I also like that it has zero slides because I understand slides are expensive to maintain.
This ad leaves out a lot, but I presume it has a Series 60 engine. I would only consider a 4-stroke engine.
The paint on this coach looks a bit old, but it's presentable as is.
Why does the roof height change on these older Newell's? What's going on up there?
I ask because I'd like to put several thousand watts of solar panels up there and add a mini-split in a bay so I can cool the unit from solar alone. I have read Newell's have exceptional insulation, but I don't know if that applies only to newer models.
I see newer and nicer Newells at MOT in Texas, but they all have multiple slides, and none sleep a couple of kids plus the parents.
May I please hear your thoughts?
Trip lengths would be in the one week to three-month range, but not full time, as I have a home base in California.
I have only a Class C license.
Any thoughts on how to get the non-commercial class B license that California requires to drive this 45' coach?
My best answer so far is to pay $2,500 to a local commercial bus driving school to get a Commercial Class B with Passenger Endorsement. They provide the bus and trainer and let me take the DMV test using their bus. This will take about 10 days at 1-2 hours per day they say since I have experience driving bus conversions already.
Once I get the Commerical Class B with Passenger Endorsement license, they say to take it to the DMV and downgrade it to a non-commercial Class B license. They said the Commercial version also allows me to drive a 45' housecar, but presumably it's cheaper to keep a non-commercial license?
I don't mind paying $2,500, but it is a lot of money when there likely won't be much difference for me compared to driving a 40' coach.
The coach above is 1,500 miles away, so I need the proper license to drive it home. Maybe there isn't enough time to even go through driver school before someone buys this coach, but there is always another one around the corner.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area if that helps answer the question.
Thank you!
Kevin
1995 Newell 450 | Bob Hurley RV
I have owned a 35' MCI bus conversion and a 40' TMC bus conversion.
Now I am thinking about getting a Newell, which advertised on the back cover of Bus Conversion Magazine for years, putting the Newell name in my head.
I have two young children, a wife and a Border Collie dog. I want to show my family the country and when the time comes, homeschool the kids during our travels.
I like this particular Newell because it has two sofa beds up front for our children to sleep in.
I also like that it has zero slides because I understand slides are expensive to maintain.
This ad leaves out a lot, but I presume it has a Series 60 engine. I would only consider a 4-stroke engine.
The paint on this coach looks a bit old, but it's presentable as is.
Why does the roof height change on these older Newell's? What's going on up there?
I ask because I'd like to put several thousand watts of solar panels up there and add a mini-split in a bay so I can cool the unit from solar alone. I have read Newell's have exceptional insulation, but I don't know if that applies only to newer models.
I see newer and nicer Newells at MOT in Texas, but they all have multiple slides, and none sleep a couple of kids plus the parents.
May I please hear your thoughts?
Trip lengths would be in the one week to three-month range, but not full time, as I have a home base in California.
I have only a Class C license.
Any thoughts on how to get the non-commercial class B license that California requires to drive this 45' coach?
My best answer so far is to pay $2,500 to a local commercial bus driving school to get a Commercial Class B with Passenger Endorsement. They provide the bus and trainer and let me take the DMV test using their bus. This will take about 10 days at 1-2 hours per day they say since I have experience driving bus conversions already.
Once I get the Commerical Class B with Passenger Endorsement license, they say to take it to the DMV and downgrade it to a non-commercial Class B license. They said the Commercial version also allows me to drive a 45' housecar, but presumably it's cheaper to keep a non-commercial license?
I don't mind paying $2,500, but it is a lot of money when there likely won't be much difference for me compared to driving a 40' coach.
The coach above is 1,500 miles away, so I need the proper license to drive it home. Maybe there isn't enough time to even go through driver school before someone buys this coach, but there is always another one around the corner.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area if that helps answer the question.
Thank you!
Kevin