buying a Bluebird

[Tom Warner]

It appears that some potential BB buyers think its the
responsibility of the owner of a motorhome to point out all of the
defects on it, when its actually YOU that are responsible for
educating yourself to spot the ones the problems that are important
and those that are not. Then the decision is yours which ones you can
live with. I do believe that the owner has the responsibility to be
truthful in describing any problems he is aware of as well as
truthfully replying to any questions the potential buyer asks, but
even then you may not be getting what you think you are getting.
Consider that the owner of the motorhome may be as uninformed as to
the BB condition as you may be in understanding how to find the
problems. Realize that once you plunk the cash down and sign the
papers the coach is yours and even if the owner lied about things
when describing the condition of the coach it will be very expensive
to sue to get the money back. . So whats the solution?

1. Belong to a forum like this and ask questions BEFORE you buy as
well as after if something goes wrong and needs fixing. No question
is stupid unless you dont ask it. Unasked questions before the sale
may be very expensive to fix after. Wasnt it Ben Franklin that said
"make a decision in haste and repent at your leisure"?

2. Use the Vintagebirds checklist when you go over the motorhome and
ask the owner to go over it with you also. You may even consider to
have him go over it before you travel there to see the coach and then
send you the results of the checklist.

3. Understand that every motorhome has a few problems some of which
are important to the owner and some that are not. Its up to you to
ask the questions that will identify them.

4. Be truthful and start with a realistic budget to buy and maintain
the coach. Dont start looking at $100,000 Bluebirds if your budget
will only cover an $50,000 one.

5. Make an honest assessment of how much of the maintenance and
repairs on the BB you can accomplish yourself and what improvements
you have to hire out.

6. Know how much tires, a transmission service and oil change costs
if you are unable or unwilling to do it yourself and the coach you
are going to buy needs them. It can get expensive fast!

7. If you are married (or not) talk over what you will use the coach
for and how often. If you are only going to take the kids on a trip
once a year and use if on weekends for short trips a FC model may
just be the ticket. Full timers may be only comfortable with a 45'
BB, although I personally know some that live very nicely in a FC33.
Different strokes for different folks.

8. In my opinion the FC model is easier to work on, costs less, is
cheaper to maintain including replacement engines and transmissions,
and has less depreciation then either a SP or PT models. I have both
a 1982 FC35 and a 1985 PT40. It is far easier to change the
alternator on the FC, change the belts or work on the injection pump
etc (unless you are a very little, little,person). The FC models are
also not as large and heavy as either the SP or PT models. In other
words the FC models can go places that that the others cannot. So
spend some time and plan carefully what you intend to do with the
coach and then you can make an informed decision and pick the coach
that meets your requirements.

9. Financing. Financing for almost any year coach is available. If
your local bank will not finance it, then there are many places that
will. The better your credit record the easier it will be.

Good luck and ask lots of questions

Tom Warner
Vernon Center,NY
1982 FC35(for sale soon)
1985 PT40