Pricey repairs

[Ralph L. Fullenwider]

Hello everyone:

Just back in to home base from Texas where I had an excellent stay with the
Craig's. Their hospitality would put the old south traditions to task in
keeping up. Many thanks for a wonderful time and camaraderie, not to
mention the great breakfast this morning.

Well, this has certainly turned out to be some thread on repairs.

First to Tom: You know full well that tires and batteries do not constitute
a "deal breaker," on any coach. Those two items, for replacement, are a
given going in. We gotta get you "knowed up" on reading between the lines,
and you should also know, by experience, that there had to be more than
just those two items.

Folks, the inspections I make generate a 20 page report on any given Coach.
And that report was made up by a group of Bird owners. Now then, in going
over, under, around and through a Wanderlodge or BMC, almost everything is
checked or looked at. BUT, more the point, as the inspection unfolds, one
starts keeping a running tally of what it is going to take, money wise, to
do any repairs on items found wanting. When you get to a point of decision
time, you have to add the cost of the calculated repair work to the cost
of the coach, THEN decide if it is worth the value of that coach or if it
puts the value of the coach "up side down."

Can it be repaired, of course it can. Question then becomes on how far your
willing to go to get a Coach "road worthy" then add the tires and batteries
to that cost as well. So when the "guesstimated" cost of repair work that
is going to "have" to be done reaches the several thousands, not including
the tires and batteries ( since that is a given in most cases) it becomes
time to walk away to look another day. It is of my humble opinion, that
when the Coach price is in excess of 100K, for instance, that you should
not have to put in thousands of dollars more, again before tires and
batteries, just to get a coach back to where it should have been at the age
the coach is. Some dings, paint scrapes, rock chips in the windshield and
so forth is "normal" wear and tear when looking at a used coach. A bent
bumper is not a deal breaker. A bad water heater is not a deal breaker.
Almost anyone item in a used coach is not a deal breaker, but put them all
together, add them up, then what do you have???

Scott, in Ruby, you have a darn good coach, yes she has had issues, some
not expected to be sure, and you have done it right, no question there. BUT
you also had a good solid coach to build upon and worth the repairs you
have done to her. She is now ready to "twist her any way you want to," for
years to come. My hat is off to you, and you certainly have bragging rites
for sure.

Sorry Guys and Gals, I have made this much longer that I intended to. Mike,
your right about Wallace in that I would not want to be at an arbitration
table across from him, he is formidable and very learned when it comes to
Bird's.

Safe travels,

Ralph and Charolette Fullenwider
Ralph's RV Solutions, Duncan, Oklahoma
http://home.swbell.net/rlf47/index.htm



At 01:29 AM 10/21/2005 +0000, you wrote:
>I think we all can agree if Wallace and Ralph think there are issues,
>then there are issues with that 91 versus the price. Wallace has
>owned his 85 about forever, so he isn't a babe in the woods, *and* you
>don't want to sit across the table negotiating with Wallace. It's an
>art form for him!!
>
>Mike Bulriss
>83 PT40 "Stagecoach" - For Sale
>91 PT40 "Txeas Minivan"
>San Antonio, TX - where Stephen ought to go this weekend!
>
>
>