Coach fails the 2 minute brake test

[birdshill123]

Glang:  I read your post  and I hope you do not mind a response to your frustrations with Marathon. WE rv'rs have always looked for Mfrs. to help us with tech support, free goodies and warranties when they have expired. At one time  the assistance was quite common. But things have changed. Most of the big companies have been sold and the new owners are only interested in that bottom line. Monaco had great tech support. You could call them and one of the phone tech would often solve your problem without even looking at a computer screen. Ask for wiring diagrams and they would send you a CD with all the diagrams for your coach.  Before Fleetwood went under they too had great tech support. Both Monaco and Fleetwood are owned by Rev. I doubt that a new Rev owner can get that type of support. I doubt any of the mfrs. offer detailed support.  Most of the suppliers also had good tech support. But companies like Lippert bought up many of those suppliers. If support is offered it is scant. That being said do any of us own a complex item that costs big bucks where the mfr. offers tech support? If you bought a new house would the contractor offer any tech support. The motorhomes of yesteryears  were simple. They had a small 30 amp 110 volt system and a few 12 volt fuses. Most did not have inverters . Only convertors. Very little electronics. They were fairly ease to fix. Your Marathon has 110 and 220 circuits. Probably 2 big inverters. A complicated battery charging system. 110 volt water pumps. Newer units have tablet screens that control most of the coach. Lots of wiring. I think you were in the maritimes when you had problems. Do you really expect Marathon to have a service center in a part of Canada with a sparce population. But there are companies that service OTR busses. THere are also truck repair shops that can handle electrical problems. Marathon is probably the best  bus convertor. Same with Liberty. If you had a good road service they would tow your bus to a facility. Did you call one of the large dealers for converted busses to see if they could help? The only bad comments I have ever read about Marathon is that they are expensive.

[glang11082]

Birdshill

Not sure what your point is as to my Marathon problem . I am in the Maritimes and did not expect Marathon to have a service center close to me. I also do not need Prevost chassis repairs  as I can do  it in my own shop as I have for years. Electrical I also do myself  as I spent 33 years troubleshooting Passenger Elevator hard to find control issues. When my wife got sick and Florida wintering was not possible anymore  I wrote a letter to the president of Marathon explaining that I needed schematics for my coach and why. I never got a reply but later I called a contact I had there and he said I would get a reply letter for  sure  but he also told me no way would I get drawings, company policy. I'm still waiting for the letter. The Marathon is sold sad to say as they are a great conversion and we loved it , but life goes on doesn't it.

 

Edited February 3, 2021 by glang11082
selling

[dl_racing427]

22 hours ago, glang11082 said:

To clarify Prevost Canada will supply lots of chassis electrical drawing and fantastic support. It was Marathon ,  the converter that would not provide schematics for the House part. To be fair to Marathon they do have a tech support hot line that is helpful but in my case that wasn't sufficient to solve some problems I encountered and visiting their nearest service center was not an option (4400 miles return trip ) .

Thanks for the clarification.  Sorry I jumped to an improper conclusion. 😱

[Bill C]

My 2 cents:

I visited the Marathon factory in Eugene and watched how they build their coaches, including how they built the wiring harness. They built it from an engineered schematic. I'm sure the schematic is saved in an electronic version for each coach to be shared among Marathon builders. It would be so easy for them to email it to the current owners if they wanted to. Why they don't want to, I'm not sure, but I suspect it has something to do with money, and how they can make more if a Marathon service center fixes it instead of the owner.

WRT Monaco, and their buyers, including REV. I have been dealing with the Monaco tech support for many years and have watched the transition from company to company, including REV. At one time Monaco had all the electrical diagrams, schematics, part numbers etc. but as Monaco changed hands they told me that "the schematics were not turned over to them from the previous company”. I suspect this is a convenient excuse to not have to worry about looking up this information and providing time consuming tech support, which costs them money. Very poor customer service, but luckily when I first purchased my 2001 Monaco Dynasty, I sucked them dry of all the possible information, schematics, diagrams, etc. as I could, just in case the new owners said "we no longer have that information".

 

Just saying.....

 

Bill

 

[glang11082]

12 hours ago, Corkman said:

My 2 cents:

I visited the Marathon factory in Eugene and watched how they build their coaches, including how they built the wiring harness. They built it from an engineered schematic. I'm sure the schematic is saved in an electronic version for each coach to be shared among Marathon builders. It would be so easy for them to email it to the current owners if they wanted to. Why they don't want to, I'm not sure, but I suspect it has something to do with money, and how they can make more if a Marathon service center fixes it instead of the owner.

WRT Monaco, and their buyers, including REV. I have been dealing with the Monaco tech support for many years and have watched the transition from company to company, including REV. At one time Monaco had all the electrical diagrams, schematics, part numbers etc. but as Monaco changed hands they told me that "the schematics were not turned over to them from the previous company”. I suspect this is a convenient excuse to not have to worry about looking up this information and providing time consuming tech support, which costs them money. Very poor customer service, but luckily when I first purchased my 2001 Monaco Dynasty, I sucked them dry of all the possible information, schematics, diagrams, etc. as I could, just in case the new owners said "we no longer have that information".

 

Just saying.....

 

Bill

 

Bill

A mechanic at the service dept in San Antonio Florida told me they had to have a service work order number in order to access electrical schematics for any coach. He was changing the dash house display computer in my coach and so I asked if I could get a copy of the schematics for my coach. He said sorry but no that's not possible .  A proprietary item is usually so the company controls R&D plus  the presale service work, a money maker for them but not good for the customer.

 

 

 

 

[granvillebarker]

I’m glad I saw this thread, I would never consider a Marathon conversion now.

 

[dl_racing427]

2 hours ago, granvillebarker said:

I’m glad I saw this thread, I would never consider a Marathon conversion now.

 

Ditto! 

This information should be published for every potential purchaser to consider! 🤬

[Dave Pumphrey]

They probably think their clientele are not DIY types...

Sure be nice if OP would give us an update...

[WayneC]

I guess I am to blame for this whole conversation, I should have put it in the correct category . Why I was asking and thought the conversation would have went more towards, "Do I really need another coach" "wants vs needs" came I really afford a top of the line rig! Well a 350K coach would cost Approx. 500k Cnd, the insurance would be approximately $ 900.00 on every 100k, buying something 20 years old for that kind of money and having to do a possible updates,  new learning curve, How long will I be able to drive 

Many questions in regards to buying another rig.

I really appreciated the comments Gary and everyone else made.

Wayne 1999 Monaco Signature Caesar