Read the article in my February 2008 Family Motor Coaching where they review a Featherlite Vantare H3-45 Conversion with the "gucci" interior. I can hardly believe how heavy that rig is! The wet weight is listed as 53,200 lbs! My bus right now weighs around 30,000 lbs and when empty (pre-conversion) it weighed 26,000 lbs. So, this 45' Prevost conversion is the equivalent of two of my busses empty combined! No wonder they need a 14liter 515hp S60 to push it around. Wonder what kind of mileage it would get if it were to weigh in at a more "featherlite" weight?
With full water and full fuel, the coach weighed 35,720 pounds at a certified scale, which means it had a remaining cargo carrying capacity of 1,280 pounds.
WET WEIGHT AS TESTEDfront axle — 17,500 poundsrear and tag axles — 35,720 poundstotal — 53,220 pounds(weighed with full fresh water, fuel tanks)
My 40ft conversion with full water, provisions, my wife and I on board added 3,000lb. Even a 45 ft'r maybe 3,500lb. Then what about the cost. The 45 ft Prevost bus conversion shell is about $400,000. That motorhome is just over $1.7 million! How can you install $1.3 million into a 45 ft space? If I had 1.7 million to play with, I certainly would not spend it on a motorhome. Instead, I'd buy a limo, hire a limo driver, and stay at all the best 5 star hotels- and that on just the interest on 1.7 million. But-- to each their own. Good Luck, TomC
Weighing at a truck stop on a trip wouldn't help due to all the stuff we put in the bays for a trip.