ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - Printable Version +- Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum (http://www.wanderlodgegurus.com) +-- Forum: Yahoo Groups Archive (/forumdisplay.php?fid=61) +--- Forum: WanderlodgeForum (/forumdisplay.php?fid=63) +--- Thread: ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge (/showthread.php?tid=382) |
ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - braemaroh - 04-25-2005 08:34 could I get some feedback on the annual maintenance and repair costs for a bluebird about 15 years old? I looked at a 15 year old unit, very good condition, average miles. The annual bills were a shock. They averaged 3,000 to handle routine maintenance. Items needing repair ran four times what I would expect. $200 oil changes, $1,800 tuneups were common. Replacing AC units or inop refrigerator ran $1,500 to 2,000. Tires ran 1,800 for four, with two more to go! troubleshooting a rough running engine socked the owner for $2,000 and resulted in the replacement of two fuel filters. This ritual repeated itself the following year. If the motorhome was a gift, it looks like it would still cost $500 per month to keep it running. Isn't this a little high? After paying for it, and the additional $500 to keep it on the road, you still have not bought insurance, or paid for the wear and tear or the campsite for the night, or storage in the off season. How about extended warranties? The owner plunked down almost $4,000 for two years of warranty, and did not have a single claim. Are these warranties worth the price? Any accountants out there owning a vintage bird? I would love to hear from everyone! Frank ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - John Suter - 04-25-2005 08:58 Hi Frank, Welcome to the "hobby" of owning a coach; any coach. --- braemaroh > > The annual bills were a shock... you still > have not bought > insurance, or paid for the wear and tear or the > campsite for the > night, or storage in the off season. Young or old these things can be expensive toys! You learn quickly Frank - some of us still haven't figured it out and have owned some type of motor home continuously since 1966 (about dozen non-birds and 3 birds since 1986). > How about extended warranties? The owner plunked > down almost $4,000 > for two years of warranty, and did not have a single > claim. Are these > warranties worth the price? Only if you have a claim in excess of the cost, and you luck out and the claim is covered! > Any accountants out there owning a vintage bird? There are several lurking hereabout that spend freetime masquerading as Car Parking Attendants, specialists in Cleaning Pressing and Alterations, or Constant Pains (in the) A. > I would love to hear from everyone! > > Frank John Suter (Ph.D., CPA but keep it to yourself) Vintage Bird 2000LXi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - Bryan Altier - 04-25-2005 09:19 Frank, Don't get me wrong there are things that cost a good sum of money, however that is what this forum is about. There are a lot that can show us how to make these repairs and save a lot of money in the long run. I own a 88 WB40 and before that I had a 77 31FC. If you are looking to say that you can justify the initial cost and the cost of normal repairs and maintenance go get a room at the Holiday Inn. But you can justify the joy and fun that we all have going anywhere we want and staying as long as we desire. In other words don't let the money get in your eye and forget what it's all about. Bryan Altier Greenville, SC 88WB40 "Xanadu" ----- Original Message ----- From: braemaroh To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 4:34 PM Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge could I get some feedback on the annual maintenance and repair costs for a bluebird about 15 years old? I looked at a 15 year old unit, very good condition, average miles. The annual bills were a shock. They averaged 3,000 to handle routine maintenance. Items needing repair ran four times what I would expect. $200 oil changes, $1,800 tuneups were common. Replacing AC units or inop refrigerator ran $1,500 to 2,000. Tires ran 1,800 for four, with two more to go! troubleshooting a rough running engine socked the owner for $2,000 and resulted in the replacement of two fuel filters. This ritual repeated itself the following year. If the motorhome was a gift, it looks like it would still cost $500 per month to keep it running. Isn't this a little high? After paying for it, and the additional $500 to keep it on the road, you still have not bought insurance, or paid for the wear and tear or the campsite for the night, or storage in the off season. How about extended warranties? The owner plunked down almost $4,000 for two years of warranty, and did not have a single claim. Are these warranties worth the price? Any accountants out there owning a vintage bird? I would love to hear from everyone! Frank ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links a.. To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WanderlodgeForum/ b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: WanderlodgeForum-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - braemaroh - 04-25-2005 10:32 --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, John Suter wrote: > Hi Frank, > > Welcome to the "hobby" of owning a coach; any coach. > > --- braemaroh > > > > The annual bills were a shock... you still > > have not bought > > insurance, or paid for the wear and tear or the > > campsite for the > > night, or storage in the off season. > > Young or old these things can be expensive toys! > You learn quickly Frank - some of us still haven't > figured it out and have owned some type of motor home > continuously since 1966 (about dozen non-birds and 3 > birds since 1986). > > > How about extended warranties? The owner plunked > > down almost $4,000 > > for two years of warranty, and did not have a single > > claim. Are these > > warranties worth the price? > > Only if you have a claim in excess of the cost, and > you luck out and the claim is covered! > > > Any accountants out there owning a vintage bird? > > There are several lurking hereabout that spend > freetime masquerading as Car Parking Attendants, > specialists in Cleaning Pressing and Alterations, or > Constant Pains (in the) A. > > > I would love to hear from everyone! > > > > Frank > > > John Suter (Ph.D., CPA but keep it to yourself) > Vintage Bird 2000LXi > > John, Thanks for the response. Major question is, average annual upkeek and repairs of $6,000 seems high. I expected around 2-3,000 annually. Is that closer to a number I can expect? A $12,000 bill for one recent visit was a shocker. I got the impression that this unit was 'pampered' and more money went into it then I would expect. Frank, (CPA also) > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - George Lowry - 04-25-2005 11:01 Hi Frank, You didn't specify where this was but it sounds a bit outrageous even for the Republic of Kalifornia where I have had complete oil and filter change plus lube for $110 at a regular truck stop. In the US, things run considerably cheaper. "Tune-ups" shouldn't be needed very often. Those were Detroit two stroke diesels in that vintage of bird and should not need a "tune-up" for 100,000 or more miles. And the price sounds like about twice what I have seen. Price for tires sounds about right though some here pay more. I think that the owner was going to a place that had NO knowledge of the Detroit engine if it took them $2,000 to figure out that the fuel filters needed replacing. Fuel filter replacement is a common for the Detroits. I usually carried a spare set but they only cost around $10 - 20. I have an idea that the owner did not use the coach very much AND failed to treat the diesel fuel with an Algaecide. This is a very common mistake with new diesel owners and some NEVER learn. There is always some water in a fuel tank, sitting at the bottom. Algae will tend to grow at the junction of the water and the diesel and that algae will clog the filters. Those clogged filters will result in a rough running engine and finally in a "NOT running" engine. I learned this by experience about 15 years ago. One of the reasons I carry the spare filters. Any time the coach is going to be sitting for two weeks or longer, I recommend treating the fuel. As long as you are traveling and putting fresh fuel into it, you will probably not have problems. I use Howe's diesel treatment available at most truck stops. We have a '95 bird and when purchased we found a lot of maintenance items including new exhaust, tires, and other items which ran us about $6,000 to get it into shape. I did add some things like a reusable air filter. After that, an filter and oil change once a year is all we have had to spend. Perhaps this gives a better perspective... George Lowry '95 WBDA 4203 & GM 4106 (for sale) Spearfish, SD braemaroh wrote: > > could I get some feedback on the annual maintenance and repair costs > for a bluebird about 15 years old? > > I looked at a 15 year old unit, very good condition, average miles. > The annual bills were a shock. They averaged 3,000 to handle routine > maintenance. Items needing repair ran four times what I would expect. > $200 oil changes, $1,800 tuneups were common. Replacing AC units or > inop refrigerator ran $1,500 to 2,000. Tires ran 1,800 for four, with > two more to go! troubleshooting a rough running engine socked the > owner for $2,000 and resulted in the replacement of two fuel filters. > This ritual repeated itself the following year. If the motorhome was a > gift, it looks like it would still cost $500 per month to keep it > running. Isn't this a little high? After paying for it, and the > additional $500 to keep it on the road, you still have not bought > insurance, or paid for the wear and tear or the campsite for the > night, or storage in the off season. > > How about extended warranties? The owner plunked down almost $4,000 > for two years of warranty, and did not have a single claim. Are these > warranties worth the price? > > Any accountants out there owning a vintage bird? > > I would love to hear from everyone! > > Frank > > ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - Jeff Miller - 04-25-2005 11:15 Six tires and '90, sounds like an SP. The maintenance sounds a little high, but there are high and low years during coach ownership. All tires age together, the correct Michelins will run around $500/ea., the refrigerator might need replacing by now so it is around $1400 plus installation (or more), a tune-up could be due depending on mileage, will include valve adjustment and possibly "running the rack" which on the tightly packed Cat 3208 in that rig is a lot of labor, ... the fuel filter replacement item would have sent me through the roof for $25 worth of filters and the 10minutes it would take a blind one-armed man to replace. The list implies to me that the owner(s) knew little or nothing about its care and maintenance and would take it in when it broke, pay what it cost. It will need a thorough once-over to determine what the first-year ownership will cost, I'll guess my normal $10,000 on this one, could be substantially more or possibly even less. Normal maintenance I'd expect for a rig such as this in good condition would be closer to $3,000 including tires and normal maintenance with an occasional problem. If you touch nothing yourself and trust all of your work/maintenance to shops you meet on the way, $6,000 is likely low and a mechanically-inclined individual who isn't afraid to dig in and troubleshoot should spend less. - Jeff Miller http://www.wanderlodge.net http://www.millercoachworks.com --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "braemaroh" wrote: > > could I get some feedback on the annual maintenance and repair costs > for a bluebird about 15 years old? > > I looked at a 15 year old unit, very good condition, average miles. > The annual bills were a shock. They averaged 3,000 to handle routine > maintenance. Items needing repair ran four times what I would expect. > $200 oil changes, $1,800 tuneups were common. Replacing AC units or > inop refrigerator ran $1,500 to 2,000. Tires ran 1,800 for four, with > two more to go! troubleshooting a rough running engine socked the > owner for $2,000 and resulted in the replacement of two fuel filters. > This ritual repeated itself the following year. If the motorhome was a > gift, it looks like it would still cost $500 per month to keep it > running. Isn't this a little high? After paying for it, and the > additional $500 to keep it on the road, you still have not bought > insurance, or paid for the wear and tear or the campsite for the > night, or storage in the off season. > > How about extended warranties? The owner plunked down almost $4,000 > for two years of warranty, and did not have a single claim. Are these > warranties worth the price? > > Any accountants out there owning a vintage bird? > > I would love to hear from everyone! > > Frank ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - Mike Hohnstein - 04-25-2005 13:57 Seriously, just buy a new gas type C and it will all be good. Not every one is handy with tools or has the mental stamina to deal with the extremely frustrating situations an old motor vehicle can subject one to. A vintage Wanderlodge WILL cause one to question:" why did I buy this thing?" If you ain't ready, don't get started. Extended warrantees have proved to be a bad business model for the provider and the customer. Stay away. Mike Hohnstein Germantown, WI 83FC35 ----- Original Message ----- From: braemaroh To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 3:34 PM Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge could I get some feedback on the annual maintenance and repair costs for a bluebird about 15 years old? I looked at a 15 year old unit, very good condition, average miles. The annual bills were a shock. They averaged 3,000 to handle routine maintenance. Items needing repair ran four times what I would expect. $200 oil changes, $1,800 tuneups were common. Replacing AC units or inop refrigerator ran $1,500 to 2,000. Tires ran 1,800 for four, with two more to go! troubleshooting a rough running engine socked the owner for $2,000 and resulted in the replacement of two fuel filters. This ritual repeated itself the following year. If the motorhome was a gift, it looks like it would still cost $500 per month to keep it running. Isn't this a little high? After paying for it, and the additional $500 to keep it on the road, you still have not bought insurance, or paid for the wear and tear or the campsite for the night, or storage in the off season. How about extended warranties? The owner plunked down almost $4,000 for two years of warranty, and did not have a single claim. Are these warranties worth the price? Any accountants out there owning a vintage bird? I would love to hear from everyone! Frank ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links a.. To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WanderlodgeForum/ b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: WanderlodgeForum-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - Jack & Donna Smith - 04-25-2005 15:37 Hey Mike: Enough of that about a Class 'C'! After checking the price for new tires and the gas mileage of the 391, I hear enough about a Class C from my Wife:-( She likes the Cl C Toyota we had before the Bird.. She comments that she could drive it, and I could even change the tires, and it got 12mpg!!! If you dont mind, I'll just delete your post... Jack Smith --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Hohnstein" <MHOHNSTEIN@w...> wrote: > Seriously, just buy a new gas type C and it will all be good. > Not every one is handy with tools or has the mental stamina to deal with the extremely frustrating situations an old motor vehicle can subject one to. A vintage Wanderlodge WILL cause one to question:" why did I buy this thing?" If you ain't ready, don't get started. > Extended warrantees have proved to be a bad business model for the provider and the customer. Stay away. > Mike Hohnstein > Germantown, WI > 83FC35 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: braemaroh > To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 3:34 PM > Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge > > > > could I get some feedback on the annual maintenance and repair costs > for a bluebird about 15 years old? > > I looked at a 15 year old unit, very good condition, average miles. > The annual bills were a shock. They averaged 3,000 to handle routine > maintenance. Items needing repair ran four times what I would expect. > $200 oil changes, $1,800 tuneups were common. Replacing AC units or > inop refrigerator ran $1,500 to 2,000. Tires ran 1,800 for four, with > two more to go! troubleshooting a rough running engine socked the > owner for $2,000 and resulted in the replacement of two fuel filters. > This ritual repeated itself the following year. If the motorhome was a > gift, it looks like it would still cost $500 per month to keep it > running. Isn't this a little high? After paying for it, and the > additional $500 to keep it on the road, you still have not bought > insurance, or paid for the wear and tear or the campsite for the > night, or storage in the off season. > > How about extended warranties? The owner plunked down almost $4,000 > for two years of warranty, and did not have a single claim. Are these > warranties worth the price? > > Any accountants out there owning a vintage bird? > > I would love to hear from everyone! > > Frank > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Yahoo! Groups Links > > a.. To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WanderlodgeForum/ > > b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > WanderlodgeForum-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge - Mike Hohnstein - 04-25-2005 15:46 Yeah right, you might as well get into the act too. You had to be there. So what up with the 75 NA for 11 grand? ----- Original Message ----- From: Jack & Donna Smith To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 10:37 PM Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge Hey Mike: Enough of that about a Class 'C'! After checking the price for new tires and the gas mileage of the 391, I hear enough about a Class C from my Wife:-( She likes the Cl C Toyota we had before the Bird.. She comments that she could drive it, and I could even change the tires, and it got 12mpg!!! If you dont mind, I'll just delete your post... Jack Smith --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Hohnstein" <MHOHNSTEIN@w...> wrote: > Seriously, just buy a new gas type C and it will all be good. > Not every one is handy with tools or has the mental stamina to deal with the extremely frustrating situations an old motor vehicle can subject one to. A vintage Wanderlodge WILL cause one to question:" why did I buy this thing?" If you ain't ready, don't get started. > Extended warrantees have proved to be a bad business model for the provider and the customer. Stay away. > Mike Hohnstein > Germantown, WI > 83FC35 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: braemaroh > To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 3:34 PM > Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] ownership costs - 1989 to 1991 vintage Bluebird Wanderlodge > > > > could I get some feedback on the annual maintenance and repair costs > for a bluebird about 15 years old? > > I looked at a 15 year old unit, very good condition, average miles. > The annual bills were a shock. They averaged 3,000 to handle routine > maintenance. Items needing repair ran four times what I would expect. > $200 oil changes, $1,800 tuneups were common. Replacing AC units or > inop refrigerator ran $1,500 to 2,000. Tires ran 1,800 for four, with > two more to go! troubleshooting a rough running engine socked the > owner for $2,000 and resulted in the replacement of two fuel filters. > This ritual repeated itself the following year. If the motorhome was a > gift, it looks like it would still cost $500 per month to keep it > running. Isn't this a little high? After paying for it, and the > additional $500 to keep it on the road, you still have not bought > insurance, or paid for the wear and tear or the campsite for the > night, or storage in the off season. > > How about extended warranties? The owner plunked down almost $4,000 > for two years of warranty, and did not have a single claim. Are these > warranties worth the price? > > Any accountants out there owning a vintage bird? > > I would love to hear from everyone! > > Frank > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Yahoo! Groups Links > > a.. To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WanderlodgeForum/ > > b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > WanderlodgeForum-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links a.. To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WanderlodgeForum/ b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: WanderlodgeForum-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] |