buyer beware

[Gregory OConnor]

BubblerBoy, maybe you could read back your post and list the
characteristics your purchase require. Take that and edit
the 'vintage buyers list'.

One thing I would suggest is to use the phone and not email. I think
some internet shoppers ask questions because they just want the
responce they lack in personal social settings. Also, Some buyers
are just lookers.

I kick tires at the LandRover dealership two, three times a year. But
always leave in my Vega

GregoryO'Connor
1975Hatchback 4 cyl
RomolandCa



--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bubblerboy64"
wrote:
>
> Dan, David and Mike, Thanks for your very sound advice and words
of
> encouragement. I will do exactly as you suggested Dan. And I
> appreciate the heads up to Miller Coach. My intention for this
coach
> is more short (200 to 300 round trips) then long across country
> runs. Obviously I would expect it to be capable. So my
> thoughts are I don't necessarily need the pushest coach. Frequently
I
> am by myself so it also need not be the largest.(I have looked at
> Class C and even B motor homes but they have no appeal to me at
> all). I would like it to be clean and attractive with out needing
to
> look new. I would not like it to show rust. There are several
> seventies FC available which might work for me. I will have to
learn
> more and follow through as Dan suggested until I find "my" BB. I
am
> getting a picture of what I think I want and at least a very
general
> idea as to price. I appreciate the help given and any to be given.
> If any of you have potential prospects or leads I am listening.
And
> while I have your collective ears another question. Why is it that
> none of these older FC coaches have functioning engine driven AC?
> With all else "good" about BB why would these AC's be bad pretty
> across the board? And wouldn't it be relatively easy to "rig up"
> modern automotive compressors and such to replace the originals?
> Again thanks much JEH
>
>
>
>
>
> >
> > JEH,
> > 2 years ago plus I sold a mechanically solid nicely upgraded
83FC35
> > tubo with very good tires and batteries for $30,000. I was a 2
bird
> > owner and needed to sell one. I did a lot of the work myself
and
> > had about $45,000 to $55,000 in it.
> >
> > The current owner has had little expense since and is still
> enjoying
> > it. The coaches are out there. Pics of the coach I sold when I
> > still owned it are here:
> > http://rides.webshots.com/album/154715312Axawnh
> > http://rides.webshots.com/album/192165894pfPFdO
> >
> > The moral, or lesson is that I sold a nice coach for 30K over 2
> years
> > ago. Do not give up, simply search long and hard for a coach
that
> > is "almost" complete. Spend the time to look. Take no one way
> > trips, buy no coach sight unseen. Spend several thousand dollars
> on
> > travel to find the "right one".
> >
> > These forums are the best place to find the right one, as owners
> here
> > tend to maintain and upgrade, plus other members have usually
seen
> > the coach.
> >
> > Dan
> > 94 BB BMC 37'
> >
> >
> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bubblerboy64"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Mike, That's the kind of information I need to hear. I was
> looking
> > at
> > > some older NA coaches and it seemed to me that $30k might do
it.
> > > Apparently not? I am just trying to gather together an idea of
> what
> > > is involved. I was thinking that perhaps paying $20 or about
that
> > and
> > > figuring another $10k might do it. I am not going to be able to
> > > invest $60K. I just would not get my moneys worth for what I
> would
> > > be using the coach for. I am not looking for a 10 out of 10.
But
> I
> > > was thinking that for $30K a guy could have a very presentable
BB
> > > which was solid. If you are telling me you bought the best
you've
> > > seen and still needed to spend another $45k doing the labor
> > yourself
> > > I pretty well better forget it. JEH
> > > >
> > > > I started out with a "fixer" for 15k. Rear bath FC.
> > > > I wuz lucky, it's the cleanest FC I've ever seen, and I have
> > > inspected a few. Bought it on the internet from on line pics.
> > Blown
> > > engine. Figured I fix it up a little and flip it. It turned
out
> > to
> > > be so nice, decided I never find a better one.
> > > > Now that I am putting the final touches on the charge air
> cooler
> > > install, not to mention the exterior restoration, the change
over
> > to
> > > 24.5s the unending chassis electrical issues I'm getting real
> close
> > > to $60k and not much of that is farmed out labor. I did all
the
> > > heavy mechanical work and most of the inside repairs, water
> system,
> > > lighting, vents, etc.
> > > > Depends on how you choose to spend the money, most of the
good
> > > deals are when somebody dies. It pays to be a buzzard.
> > > > Cold but true.
> > > > Mike Hohnstein
> > > > Germantown, WI
> > > > 83 FC 35rb
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: bubblerboy64
> > > > To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> > > > Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 1:48 PM
> > > > Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: buyer beware
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > And again my position as a buyer. My first preference would
> be
> > a
> > > > completely "ready to go" older FC rear bath coach needing
> > > nothing. At
> > > > a price which is "fair". And I have seen some likely
> prospects.
> > > > Coaches which have had leather interior and repaints which
> have
> > > > pushed the asking prices into the range of the pushers. See
> > > that's
> > > > the problem. I've fooled around with antique car
restorations
> > and
> > > > this is so similar. A restored vehicle is not likely to
sell
> > for
> > > the
> > > > cost of the restoration. I feel some sympathy for the
seller
> > when
> > > > you know what he has invested to get it right but as a
buyer
> > > paying
> > > > for his restoration just doesn't work either. So what's a
> nice
> > > coach
> > > > like I am looking for really worth? Well, it's worth
exactly
> > the
> > > > price negotiated between the seller and the buyer and there
> is
> > > the
> > > > rub. There are a couple real nice newerFC buses on the Bill
> > Board
> > > > right now with prices from 50 to 60K. So are they in
> > competition
> > > with
> > > > the pushers (?) I can't say. And what does that tell you
> about
> > > the
> > > > older FC's. One fellow has a 1975 listed for 30K. I e-
mailed
> > him
> > > > see what he comes back with. From what I have been able to
> > figure
> > > to
> > > > this point his bus would have to be a ready to go coach
plus
> > > some.
> > > > But on the other hand as a buyer I could see that a guy
could
> > > easily
> > > > spend $15k and then in a short time spend an additional
$15K
> to
> > > get
> > > > it right. Price is certainly not cost. Not to belabor a
> point.
> > If
> > > > you have something worth the money do the work required to
> > prove
> > > it.
> > > > I could see spending $30 for a really nicely restored older
> > coach
> > > but
> > > > it would have to be exactly what I want with the proof
there
> > of.
> > > So
> > > > I guess what I am saying is that I personally am not
looking
> > for
> > > a
> > > > fixer upper. I can do some repairs but frankly its not my
> idea
> > of
> > > > fun. Certainly others would feel differently. JEH
> > > >
> > > > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > On 5/4/07, davidkerryedwards wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Hence, the market for older Wanderlodge's with some
> needed
> > > > repairs will
> > > > > > probably always be a little more healthy than for
> > refurbished
> > > > coaches.
> > > > >
> > > > > Kerry,
> > > > >
> > > > > I agree to an extent. Personally, I think most people
would
> > > rather
> > > > > have a refurbished coach - I know I looked for one that
was
> > > > advertised
> > > > > as not having any problems. The disconnect between buyer
> and
> > > seller
> > > > > comes in price: Most buyers aren't willing to pay a
premium
> > for
> > > this
> > > > > work.
> > > > >
> > > > > In my search, I found that people were tending to
> > sell "average"
> > > > > coaches in a certain price range - what I
> considered "market
> > > price".
> > > > > Then there were the occasional "refurbished" coaches
where
> > folks
> > > > > wanted twenty grand above "market price". I wasn't going
to
> > pay
> > > > that.
> > > > > In fact, I wasn't going to pay "market price" for a coach
> > with
> > > a lot
> > > > > of problems, either.
> > > > >
> > > > > As a buyer, here's how it worked for me: A good coach
with
> > > nothing
> > > > > wrong commands full market value, perhaps slightly more.
In
> > my
> > > > range I
> > > > > identified mid eighties PT-40s and the market value I
came
> to
> > > was
> > > > > about $50,000. Now, I wasn't going to pay full market
value
> > for
> > > a
> > > > > coach with a lot of issues. Something that needed major
> work
> > I
> > > might
> > > > > have paid $35k for, but sellers still thought they could
> get
> > > $50k.
> > > > On
> > > > > the flip side, many "perfect" coaches, folks were wanting
> > $80k.
> > > > >
> > > > > When all was said and done I did find a very good coach
> with
> > > almost
> > > > no
> > > > > problems (few things here and there, but they all have
> those)
> > > right
> > > > > near what I considered to be fair market value. This
tells
> me
> > > that
> > > > > those wanting $80k for their similar coaches are high, as
> are
> > > those
> > > > > wanting $50k for something that needs $20k worth of work
to
> > > make it
> > > > > half as nice as mine.
> > > > >
> > > > > So, there's my two cents worth.
> > > > >
> > > > > -Ryan
> > > > > '86 PT-40 8V92
> > > > > Tri-Cities, WA
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > > >
> > >
> >
>