Special request for a Bird wannabe

[Leroy Eckert]

Three years ago we were in your shoes. We began searching with our eyes wide
open, without any knowledge and a heavy dose of Cavet Emptor. We did what you
are doing, gathering data on coaches. We identified, looked at and eliminated
about 13 coaches Bluebird and Prevost before taking one last shot at it. We
found a Prevost in the Trader rag and a Bird on the net. You know, I can tell
ya it gets pricey running around looking at motorhomes.

We looked at the Prevost in Tampa and bought the Bird on the spot in Wilmington,
NC. In our case, we paid the asking price because the owner wasn't budging one
dollar. He did not accept my offer and he did not run me off. It was more than
I wanted to pay but time has proven I got what I paid for. The coach was well
cared for and the paper work in order. The owner was a knowledgable Bird owner,
had 2 prior to the one we bought, and is now a Prevost owner getting ready to
return to a Bird. He pointed out everything he knew and was honest about it.
We have remained friends and meet at the races at Talladega.

I wouldn't suggest anyone follow our path, just sharing our experience. If you
don't feel good about inspecting the Bird to Be someone out there who knows will
do it for you. Don't be afraid to make an offer, pick the price you are willing
to pay and see what happens. You never know, you might own a Bird. If it
doesn't work out, there is another one out there.

Personally, I would not sell my coach for $140,000.00 because I cannot replace
what I have for that kind of money.

Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40 "Smoke N Mirrors"
Niceville, FL









----- Original Message -----
From: Don Bradner
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 9:49 PM
Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Special request for a Bird wannabe


Guess I'll speak for myself on this one - thanks to Bruce for the intro.

I'm concentrating on the 90-94 years. I've been watching the market carefully
since around August 1, and I have a personal database built up from the various
sites showing 30 PT40s between 1988 and 1996. Since that point on a US swing we
visited Holland in Michigan, Snyder's in Virginia, Bleakley in Georgia, and
Motor Home Specialists in Texas, where we got to see a goodly number of Birds in
person.

Preference would be for mid-entry which would mean 1994 or later, unless they
did some custom prior to that. Since August 1, I'm only aware of one mid-entry
PT40 for sale, in Missouri. Listed at least since early July. On Friday, when I
became financially able to negotiate in earnest (a few months earlier than
expected, some things fell into place) I called the guy, and he sold it
Thursday.

The wife says "NO LAMINATE INTERIORS, WOOD ONLY" and that cuts the list
exactly in half. Budget removes 5 from my list - price too high to consider
making an insulting offer. $184K for a '94? $150K for a '90? I don't think so.

We are in California, so I give some preference to Birds in the west. There is
a '90 at Desert West in Phoenix that interests us, but I need some eyes-on with
it. I'm leaning towards using a professional inspection service, but I would
also love to get a PT40-savvy person to look at it. If there's someone who
combines both, I'd like to talk to them.

On 12/12/2006 at 3:26 AM Jay Darst wrote:

>Bruce,
>
>I have been contacted by several owners interested in moving PT40's.
>
>What years would he consider?
>
>Jay Darst
>85PT40
>Springfield, IL
>
>
>
>--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
> wrote:
>>
>> Don Bradner has been posting in this forum. He is looking for a Bird.
>I
>> dont know if anyone else is familiar with Don but he owns the
>Datastorm
>> users forum and has written a lot of specialized software for RV
>> satellite internet owners. Don posts on a lot of RV forums about
>> satellite internet and is extermely knowledgeable. He has helped
>> thousands of RV owners. I am posting all of the above as I would love
>> to see him get some help from PT40 owners in this forum. Don would be
>a
>> natural BB owner. Perhaps one of us knows of a good PT 40 that is for
>> sale.
>>
>> Bruce 1988 FC35
>>
>
>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Don Bradner
http://www.arcatapet.net





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