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01-28-2008, 03:54

My experience is very similar as well. Rather interesting that
several of us who purchased last year had so similar results. I paid
$18,500 for my coach and I have added about $10,000 to that with
$3700 in wheels and tires. Of the rest most of it was improvements
with only perhaps another $1000 in routine service. I was told to
expect this and I am also expecting to add about another $5000 to the
total in the next year. I am particularly happy that the PO was
completely honest with me and I have found not one problem which I
was not made aware of. These things are not inexpensive but they are
not cheap. In other words the money seems to be well spent. I am
very pleased with the performance of the bus and if I had any
complaints it would be that the FC is a little noisy due to the front
engine. I am "working" on that and I feel that I can get it to a
level that will be more then tolerable for my use. So I have about
95% of what my heart desires and that my friends is a pretty good
buying experience. I on occasion get to thinking about up grading to
a newer PT but when I consider the increased costs it doesn't make
much sense for me. I have more then enough room and to add the extra
length weight and increased fuel costs just doesn't add up to move me
in that direction. So I am going to keep working along on the
ole '73 and enjoying the trip as well as the destinations.

John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC
>
> Bill,
> As you know I am new to my BB, it is my ownership of the last year
and it is up to what I want in a coach, as I have been looking for a
BB for a long time... As you know I have been accused of being tent
boy and among others... My BB came with a vast supply of parts that
the PO had left with the BB that I have been the benefactor of, which
I am very grateful for... The PO owner had changed the oil to
synthetic and trans oil also... I have been lucky to get a BB in such
good shape, as it was "his Baby" The only thing I had to change were
the tires and Batts.. other than that I have only done the basic
maintenance... The PO also left me with 5 gallons of Delvac 100
Synthetic oil which he was using in the CAT... Also he included about
15 filters for oil and fuel... Which I am grateful for...
Unfortunately, it was due to his death that I acquired this BB...
Which I am saddened by, but we have to move on... I am very happy
that I have not had to spend alot
> of money on upgrades, as the PO took care of it it all before I
took ownership of it...
>
> Sea Ya
> Larry
> NYC
> 84 35FCSB
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: pattypape
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 5:01:43 PM
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Price of a Bluebird
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> Ryan,
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> I agree somewhat, but you are just getting started.
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> Once we decided we have a keeper,
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> In addition to your costs, over about a 4 year period:
>
> we changed out, the frig, tires, batteries, inverter, charger,
>
> radiator rebuild, lots of hoses, fluids, filters, light bulbs,
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> fixtures, gages, wheel seals, wiring, cables, and a high number of
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> miscellaneous parts & hardware. There's more: TV, redue all the
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> maintenance, change some valves, switches, control knobs, tools etc.
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> That is all I can quickly think of , but there is probably more.
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> Once you are bonded, Ya want the Ole Bird to be near NEW.
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> Bill 88 FC Michigan
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>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@ yahoogroups. com, "Ryan Wright"
>
> wrote:
>
> >
>
> > On 1/23/08, Ryan Wright wrote:
>
> > >
>
> > > I haven't owned my coach a year yet, but I have a comprehensive
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> > > spreadsheet listing all costs involved. So if anyone wants
info,
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> I can
>
> > > get it, just let me know.
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> >
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> > I had enough off-list interest in this that I decided to post some
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> > statistics here:
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> >
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> > I bought my '86 PT-40 in April 2007. Since that time, the coach
has
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> > been driven 3,446 miles and the genset has been run 138 hours.
>
> > Expenses are as follows:
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> >
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> > Fuel: $2,800
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> >
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> > Preventative maintenance: $375 - This is for oil changes on both
the
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> > 8V92 and Yanmar genset, as well as new filters, including fuel
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> > filters, all around, and some extra oil & spare filters.
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> >
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> > Repairs: $2,850 - About $1,500 was for transmission service and
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> > another $600 to replace the alternator & belts. Most of the costs
on
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> > those repairs went to labor. The rest of the repairs were all
minor
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> > parts expenditures with no labor costs involved (I fixed it myself
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> > with the help of the list - thanks guys for giving me free repair
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> > advice and saving me thousands more on labor!). Note that I
bought a
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> > very clean, well cared for coach, so the "$10,000+ for initial
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> fixes"
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> > figure that some have thrown around has not applied to me.
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> >
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> > Misc: $6,200 - These are the various odds and ends we bought to
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> > "stock" the coach. It includes $1,200 in air fair to fly my
family
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> to
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> > Texas and things like pots & pans, dishes, kitchen supplies,
linens
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> &
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> > bedding, tools to stock the tool chest, etc. I wanted the coach to
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> > have it's own set of "everything" , like a second home, so we
didn't
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> > have to waste time "loading up" housing type supplies every time
we
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> > went somewhere. Most of these are frivolous expenses; about
$4,000
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> of
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> > it is in a computer/entertainm ent system.
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> >
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> > I expect to continue spending $2,000 - $5,000 a year on
maintenance
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> > and repairs, plus fuel & licensing costs, figuring most of the
labor
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> > will be my own with only the occasional outsourced job. I am
finicky
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> > about maintenance and will spend top dollar on parts to keep the
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> coach
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> > in perfect condition and repair even trivial cosmetic blemishes.
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> > Someone who is less finicky may be able to get away with spending
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> > less.
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> >
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> > Hope this helps those who were interested in understanding some
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> first
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> > year ownership costs. Of course these will be different for every
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> > person and every coach.
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> >
>
> > -Ryan
>
> > '86 PT-40 8V92
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