Thinking of joining the birders!

[g_man1146]

That's news to me! A fiberglass LX? Huh?????????

Rich D. '99LXi43' CT


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "brad barton"
<bbartonwx@...> wrote:
>
> Damien,
> I'm new to the group, but a longtime Blue Bird fan. I think the
coach you
> are looking at is a black and silver coach with modern decor..and
it's at a
> truck dealer. We were considering an LX but cooled off. A retired
dealer
> with whom we did business twice (for our first 84-35FC and a 1986
Newell
> Classic) nearly came unglued when I brought it up. He was a
longtime Blue
> Bird dealer in the 70s and 80s. I have since found out some things
about
> the LX. You're free to accept or reject all of this but I believe
it is
> true. Most of it came from a Blue Bird rep I spoke to just weeks
ago.
> Blue Bird has constantly searched for ways to a lower price point.
The
> WanderlodgeII was the first attempt..and pretty sad. Then as
Wanderlodges
> got more expensive, Blue Bird looked for a new approach. Their
engineers
> said it would take two years to come up with a less expensive 37-
40'
> chassis, so they bought Spartan chassis with Cummins M11 engines.
They were
> known as a Blue Bird Motor Coach..or a BMC. The only thing Blue
Bird on it
> was the dash and the label. The BMC is NOT a Wanderlodge. Not
bad, just
> cheap. By the time those chassis ran out, the engineers had a new
40'
> platform. They kept the fiberglass body, put new caps on front and
rear,
> kept the Cummins engine but used their own superior Blue Bird
chassis with
> Ridewell air suspension. Of all the "cheep" Birds, the LX is
probably the
> best. But it's still fiberglass outside, virtually no chrome,
ultraleather
> vinyl inside, smaller in tank capacity, lacking in design,
especially around
> the windows and roughly $150,000 in overall quality, fit and
finish. We bit
> the bullet and moved on to the LXi and we're very glad we did.
> LX owners asking 165K and up don't like to hear their coach is only
little
> more than "half" bird, but the truth hurts. NADA book prices on
the 2000 LX
> are very harsh..upper 90's to 110's. LX owners have every right to
feel
> bitter, but as a buyer, I asked several dealers (who had nothing to
gain
> from me) what they would offer. One said 95K, one said 110K and
the one
> whole actually knew the actual coach said 150K was a serious
stretch. Not
> only are LX owners unhappy, but WBPT and LXi owners are mad, too
because
> their own manufacturer made it harder for them to sell their high-
dollar
> coaches. And Blue Bird has done it again..most recently wiith the
M380
> which was a disaster (Blue Bird rep's word). I can't confirm it,
but I
> heard every one of them was recalled for various problems, mainly
electrical
> and wiring. They are not made any longer except by special order.
> All that being said, there's nothing wrong with a Cummins M-11 or
Allison
> 4060, or Ultraleather or fiberglass, for that matter. Just make
sure you
> understand it's not the steel-bodied full-fledged Wanderlodge most
of us
> think of. A poor man's Wanderlodge LX is probably still a lot
better than
> most coaches, new or used. If you want the best LX currently on
the market,
> look at this coach. It's garaged in Michigan and virtually
pristine. Nice
> people, too.
>
> http://www.rvtrader.com/rvdetail519280.htm
>
> BBarton in Dallas
>
>
> >From: "remiksjewelry"
> >Reply-To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> >To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Thinking of joining the birders!
> >Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2007 22:33:14 -0000
> >
> >Hello -
> >Thanks for having this group! We currently have a Safari Trek and
are
> >looking into upgrading to a Bluebird. We found one we like - it
is a
> >2000 LX Millenium edition. It is for sale in Maryland. Does any
know
> >anything about this particular coach? The price seems right, but
we
> >would have to travel quite a distance to see it for ourselves.
Also,
> >would love to know about the ride and handling of a bird.
> >Is the M11 450 cummings a reliable engine?
> >Any comments or advice will be greatly appreciated.
> >Thanks!
> >Damien
> >
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> With tax season right around the corner, make sure to follow these
few
> simple tips.
>
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Tax...reparation
Tips.aspx?icid=HMFebtagline
>