Price of a Bluebird

[Don Bradner]

I am not about to argue that this isn't an expensive hobby, nor that people
shouldn't think about it when deciding to buy a Bird or other RV. Just
separating out the different topic of all of the RVs that sit, as most do, and
why that might be.

With the exception of my post-army days crossing Europe with nothing but a
backpack, I have generally found it expensive to travel. Setting out as we do
every fall for 3 months around the US is going to cost a lot no matter how you
do it. I would argue, however, that RV travel of that sort is much more
economical than air/hotel or car/hotel. Note that the distinction is not cost
per mile, it is cost per day. Our longest trip so far is 95 days, and was around
9000 miles (two years ago). We averaged $17 per night for parking, which
included both free nights and expensive ($40-$50) nights. Meal cost was only
slightly higher than if we had stayed at home. At today's fuel prices and the
Bird's 5mpg that would have been about $7200 for fuel and lodging. $75 per day;
you would have trouble averaging that just for hotels!

Once you factor in the vehicle cost you will of course lose ground. Anyone who
pays for an RV to get less expensive travel is crazy; the benefits range from
sleeping in your own bed to drinking your own brand of coffee, but total savings
are not an expected benefit.

So I'm in basic agreement that those who cannot afford to do a lot of traveling
can probably expect to see their expensive RV sitting around, and might want to
reconsider.

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Posting today by satellite from Yuma, AZ

On 1/19/2008 at 10:52 AM brad barton wrote:

>Don,
>I'll admit I didn't do a scientific survey, just imho. But for someone
>considering a first coach..and an older Bird to boot, I thought a
>realistic view of the ongoing costs of storage, maintenance and repairs
>might save disappointment later. Brad Barton 00LXiDFWbbartonwx@...
>
>
>To: WanderlodgeForum@...: bluethunder@...:
>Sat, 19 Jan 2008 08:09:01 -0700Subject: RE: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Price
>of a Bluebird
>
>
>
>
>I suspect that is not true.I'm in my 5th winter in Arizona, visiting with
>the same travelers that I saw back when diesel was $1.29 a gallon. I will
>admit to having spoken with only a few of the "always in storage" folks
>around the country - they aren't found where I am, which is on the road
>with others - but those I have spoken to have the same universal answer
>for why their coach always sits in their driveway or in storage: Time, and
>the lack thereof. People who own those stored coaches are predominately
>still in the workforce, and getting at most a few weeks a year for
>vacation. The more a coach sits the harder it is to pull it out and get it
>ready for a weekend or other short trip. Eventually inertia sets in and it
>never moves.Don Bradner90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"Posting today by satellite
>from Yuma, AZOn 1/19/2008 at 8:41 AM brad barton wrote:>The reason most
>coaches spend more time idle than on the road is the cost>of operating and
>maintaining the coach.