Thinking of joining the birders!

[Henry Jay Hannigan]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Ralph L. Fullenwider"
wrote:
>RALPH:
I've had a few BIRDS.....This 1990SP36 is probably the BEST BIRD
they ever made.....Mid door..all the trimmings etc. I call it my
M380 without the problems....except I would like it to go over the
mountains a little faster!
If Bluebird would make some 2008 SP38's with a mid-door and a 450hp
diesel engine they would sell a TON of them!!!
That's my two cents from VEGAS and I am confident that my comments
will get something started!!!
LOL
Hank Hannigan
1990SP36 in Vegas just "lovin it!"
>
>
> Interesting analogy with some truths but fiberglass bodies? no.
>
> Truth, the Wanderlodge II was a striped down model that what once
was OE
> became options. things like HWH jacks and many others.
>
> Starting in '88 with the advent of wide body, the front and rear
caps were
> fiberglass but the side and roof were steel.
>
> The BMC, true is not a Wanderlodge, however the sides and roof are
steel,
> though I think, not sure, that the compartment doors were fiber
glass.
>
> The LX, fiberglass caps that started in '88 but sides and roof are
steel,
> as are the LXI.
>
> The M 380 was not fiberglass but a composite aluminium, 2 sheets
of
> aluminium with a composite center. The main problem with the 380
was the
> skin would grow and shrink with heat and cold, thus the sides
would
> wrinkle. Yes there were a few problems with the electrical but the
lay out
> of the panel was done right for a change. The main problem with
the
> electrical we the marriage between the slide and HWH jack system
via the
> micro p[rocesser. If the Coach was not level, the microprocessor
would not
> allow the slide to move, so the computer had to be reset, jacks
retracted
> and start the system again. There was also a problem of the slide
locks
> pulling, going down the road, this was usually caused by a mis
adjusted
> micro switch.
>
> The LX 450 got away form most of that and went to stainless steel
and
> introduced multiplexing of systems with a beefed up microprocessor.
>
> The myth of the LX model being fiberglass came from the mid year
change in,
> what? 2002 or 2003 where the skin was taken to the composite used
on the M
> 380 and was the test bed for the 380.
>
> There was nothing cheap about all of this, the R&D alone had to
cost a
> bundle because of the change, it is just too bad that the skin
problems on
> the 380 were not better thought out.
>
> Also with the 380 the signature of the Wanderlodge took it's major
hit, the
> "goat rails" were missing, and to my thinking, this was and is the
largest
> mistake BB could have made. Now they look like the Monaco's and
various
> other Manufacturers Coaches.
>
> No, the LX and LXI models are good stable units, though a bit too
glitzy
> inside for my taste. I don't go camping to clean mirrors on the
ceilings.
>
>
> Just my 2 cents
>
> Safe travels,
>
> Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
> 84FC35
> Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma
>
> > --- 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
> > > > >
>