BCM Community
Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: belfert on May 26, 2006, 03:40:43 PM
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Peninsula is 6 to 8 weeks out on production right now. Does anyone else make custom windows for RVs likes Peninsula does?
Brian Elfert
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CRL in L.A. makes RV windows to your spec but I have never seen any of thier insulated glass units. 1-800-421-6144 is thier number. I just talked to them and they don't make dual glaze rv windows. Ther turn around time is 3 weeks. That means 4 weeks, they are a week late on everything I special order from them. They are inexpensive but I think you would be happier with Peninsula.
I hope your still not sitting there with a broken window, you can have one made for less than $10 per square foot. Tell me what city you are in or near and I will tell you where to go. If any of my wholesalers have a plant near you, you can pick it up and pay them my cost.
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Unfortunately, CRL only sells through glass shops. Probably a bit too much hassle.
My friend and I are going to go over the floor plan and schedule this weekend. 6 to 8 weeks may not end up being too long for the windows. Our goal is to have generator and air conditioners at minimum in a month so we can go to Amarillo, TX over July 4th. If all we have is basically an air conditioned sleeping and gathering space by then, we may just stay in a hotel instead for probably less money.
Brian Elfert
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I am a glass shop. If you want, you can order from them with my ok. See the edited previous post.
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I got my widows from Storm-Tite in Winnipeg. Their website is: http://storm-tite.com/.
They made them to my dimensions. I had them do four windows to fit the Eagle openings and two windows for the door/driver's opening.
They were double pane and tinted. I have been pleased with the quality.
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I hope your still not sitting there with a broken window, you can have one made for less than $10 per square foot. Tell me what city you are in or near and I will tell you where to go. If any of my wholesalers have a plant near you, you can pick it up and pay them my cost.
Yes, my window is still broken. Four reasons why not fixed yet:
1. Nice hole for getting stuff out of bus.
2. I have decided to cover windows so may not need to repair.
3. I am seriously considering Peninsula or other windows to replace the ones I don't cover.
4. Lack of time. I will have time while bus is in shop for a week as soon as MCI ever ships my brake parts.
I am in the Minneapolis, Minnesota metro area.
Brian Elfert
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They were double pane and tinted. I have been pleased with the quality.
I am curious on the approximate windows sizes ad how much they charged you?
I better get back out to the bus now that I've cooled off a bit.
Brian Elfert
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I thought your bus was in use now, I see that you are converting. I didn't mean to be as sarcastic as it looks in print.
I would likie to hear more about the storm-tites
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The previous owner installed Storm-Tite windows in my '85 Eagle. They are double-pane, tinted slider windows and seem to work well with no leaks :). I do need new screens :(, but that is due to the previous owner accidentally destroying them while they were off for cleaning.
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I installed Storm Tite's also. Good quality. Only a couple issues I'd do differently.
First, I would not install a plain, non-slider over 3 foot long. The 4 footers I put in have a problem in that the two panes of glass can actually touch each other in the center. There must be a tint film or something inside that has become spotted from this and is now visible and impossible to clean or clear. I don't see this problem on the sliders, only the fixed, non-sliders.
Second, their inner ring screws go into a channel that is kind of hokey and is very easy to strip. Solid aluminum instead of channel would have been better. I've had to up-size some of the screws.
Third, they only make one radius for corners - 3". If your old windows are not that radius, you'll have to do something to work around it. If you are skinning the windows and cutting new holes, it doesn't matter.
Fourth, the drip channel is not sealed very well, and I've had problems with leaking on a couple windows. One I've fixed. On the other one, the fix didn't seem to take so I'll be trying it again.
Other than that, I'm pleased with them. Note that if you elect to go get them, as I did (and another friend), you'll find out that the US Customs will report you to your state of residence, and in a couple years, they'll send you a bill for the sales taxes you didn't pay, plus interest and penalties! Wonderful thing, our Government. You can't buy the product in the state, but by golly they'll collect taxes from you if you go elsewhere to purchase them! And their 2 year delay assures them they'll get even more of your money.
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Thats a long way out for production for Penninsula. when i ordered mine, i showed up and let them measure, then went back 3 days later and they had all 16 windows made. (two up, times 8 windows). They must be working on a big order of some kind. did they say if it will always be that long?
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Thats a long way out for production for Penninsula. when i ordered mine, i showed up and let them measure, then went back 3 days later and they had all 16 windows made. (two up, times 8 windows). They must be working on a big order of some kind. did they say if it will always be that long?
Maybe that's because you were parked on thier doorstep. I got mine 3 years ago and they took 6 weeks. You probably got "while you wait" service. If I drove ther to have windows installed at thier facility, I'd expect that sort of service.
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Thats a long way out for production for Penninsula. when i ordered mine, i showed up and let them measure, then went back 3 days later and they had all 16 windows made. (two up, times 8 windows). They must be working on a big order of some kind. did they say if it will always be that long?
They said the wait varies depending on number of orders. Sometimes it can be only a week during slow times. They have 1,600 windows on order right now.
I hope to make my window decision by the end of the week. I am going to get a price for Hehr windows since I may be able to reuse some existing windows. Hehr made the windows in the bus originally and should be able to supply replacement glass.
If not Hehr, I will go with Peninsula since nobody can beat their price yet.
Brian Elfert
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Second, their inner ring screws go into a channel that is kind of hokey and is very easy to strip. Solid aluminum instead of channel would have been better. I've had to up-size some of the screws.
This seems to be pretty standard on windows so they don't have to drill holes for each screws. My Hehr windows are the same way.
Other than that, I'm pleased with them. Note that if you elect to go get them, as I did (and another friend), you'll find out that the US Customs will report you to your state of residence, and in a couple years, they'll send you a bill for the sales taxes you didn't pay, plus interest and penalties! Wonderful thing, our Government. You can't buy the product in the state, but by golly they'll collect taxes from you if you go elsewhere to purchase them! And their 2 year delay assures them they'll get even more of your money.
Buying anything out of state or mail order/online does not relieve the buyer of the obligation to pay taxes on the purchase. You are supposed to pay use tax if you did not pay sales tax at the time of purchase, but nobody ever does.
Storm-Tite quoted me about $100 per window more than Peninsula, so I think I'll stick with Peninsula if Hehr can't help me out.
Brian Elfert
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Buying anything out of state or mail order/online does not relieve the buyer of the obligation to pay taxes on the purchase. You are supposed to pay use tax if you did not pay sales tax at the time of purchase, but nobody ever does.
I understand what the law says. I just believe it's unfair. Technically, you're supposed to report any item purchased out of state, and pay the difference of sales tax to your state of residence. Hogwash!
If I could have purchased my windows in the state, I'd have paid the sales tax. But I had to leave the state, and in this case, the country, to purchase a product I needed that was not available locally. Just because I live in a state shouldn't mean I have to pay the outrageous sales tax on a product you can't even purchase in that state.
That's why I do as much shopping online as I can.
Storm-Tite quoted me about $100 per window more than Peninsula, so I think I'll stick with Peninsula if Hehr can't help me out.
There's a reason for the price difference. Not all windows are created equal. Penninsula makes a good product, but it does not have the same insulation properties as the Storm-Tite window. However, for the way you intend to use your coach, Penninsula and Hehr will work well for you.
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Highly recommend Peninsuala. Last year I went to Rickreall, Or in July '05 for the get together mainly to talk to Peninsula glass since they were going to be there. My AMGeneral bus has a tapered window edge that is not conducive to custom windows. They had one model that would work and would have to mount the windows from the outside only (no vanity ring on the interior) and only single pane. After Rickreall, went directly to their office in Vancouver, Wa and spent the night in their parking lot (even have elec hook up). They measured the windows and I selected the tint-although they only had two gray tints-one was on the light side and the other was almost a limo tint. I choose the lighter tint-but wished they had one in between. Then went home. Came back in October (live in L.A.) by myself since my wife didn't want to do the drive in two days. Again spent the night and at 9 in the morning, drove the bus inside the building. They took out the old raddely transit windows (I had already removed the rain gutter above), installed 6-74"wide by 32" tall, 2-24"wide by 32" tall, and the driver's window that had to be modified on the spot because of the contour of the side wall and that I had the slider on the front of that window. All windows are single slide with removeable screens. Also, we measured and cut a groove into the rain gutter for the windows that now protrude a bit out the side. This all took 8 hours in one day and I was on my way. Cost-right at $4,000.00. Man what a difference in the noise level inside the bus. I almost fell asleep on the way home! Also, the bus is almost air tight. When both roof vents are closed and all windows are closed, when you close the outside door and you're inside, your ears pop. So I have the bathroom vent propped open all the time by about 2 inches. Very pleased with the new windows. They look great and work well (although not as heavily built as the original windows, but then again transits are built like tanks) and my wife and I simple love the largeness of the windows. I haven't seen a bus yet with bigger windows and more of them yet. Only thing I would have done differently now is I should have just skinned over the entire side of the bus and then recut the window openings. Then I could have used conventional windows with the vanity ring, and had double pane windows. Although, my single pane windows keep out most of the noise and seal very well. Good Luck, TomC