RIV and Blue Bird "Brand"

[Henry Jay Hannigan]

---JAMES: RE: Engineering problems on m-380's
Probably the best people to answer ur questions would be the BB
people at Ft. Valley..ask them about the 1. BRAKES..2.
SKIN..3.Wieght ratios..to name a few.........the defense for liable
and slander is...TRUTH..
Regards,
Hank Hannigan
90SP36







In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, James ONeil wrote:
>
> Hank,
> I am new to the rv¹s, although have done considerable research,
etc. I was
> considering the m380, because I liked the size and it was a BB.
That being
> said when looking at I had the feeling that it was a monaco with a
higher
> price tag.
> Could you enlighten me on its engineering failures.
> Thanks,
> Jim O¹Neil
>
>
> On 11/2/05 12:38 PM, "Henry Jay Hannigan" wrote:
>
> > --- My 2 cents worth about Bluebird........I love my 90SP36..no
tag
> > etc. BB got it right when they made the M380..almost same as my
> > 90SP36 (check the specs) I think they would have sold a TON of
the
> > M380"s IF the ENGINEERS would have got it right!!!
> > Regretably the ENGINEERS for whatever reason..bad grades in
> > engineering school, cost cutting measures, WHATEVER, DID NOT
get it
> > right.
> > The M380 could have revolutionized BB, instead, the M380 hurt BB.
> > I still love my 90SP36 and have encouraged the BB President ceo
etc.
> > to make a 2007 version of my beautiful 90SP36.....make it 38 feet
> > long, NO tag, MID door...AND get some excellent ENGINEERS to
design
> > it and sell it for $595,000...TO me, this action would put BB
back
> > on top!!
> > That's my 2 cents worth......What do others think??
> > sincerely,
> > Hank Hannigan
> > Beautiful 90SP36
> > Still in Hawaii(two more weeks)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "mbulriss" <mbulriss@y...>
> > wrote:
> >> >
> >> > Tom,
> >> >
> >> > I believe that you raise some excellent points. My personal
> > opinion
> >> > is that with the rounds of ownership changes in the past
years, BB
> > has
> >> > lost whatever semblance of lifestyle marketing that they had
in the
> >> > past. Corporate cost cutting has been the main focus of the
new
> >> > ownership groups. Additionally, the common ownership of
Prevost
> > and
> >> > Bluebird probably generated some indirect pressure from that
parent
> >> > company over having two high end products addressing the same
> >> > relatively small market space (in potential number of units,
not
> >> > dollar volume).
> >> >
> >> > As a result, for the past few years they have had little to no
> >> > direction in lifestyle marketing, product and market
segmentation,
> > or
> >> > overall corporate direction with regard to the Wanderlodge
> > division.
> >> > Cutting staff, cutting advertising in the FMCA magazine to
zero
> > for a
> >> > while (when they used to command the marketing coveted inside
front
> >> > cover each month), and selling the marketing symbol of the
donut
> > wagon
> >> > (stated reason too expensive) that used to hit many of the RV
> >> > rally/shows (and always got additional free press exposure in
rally
> >> > coverage), are all symbolic of the loss of
direction/dedication to
> > the
> >> > market.
> >> >
> >> > In the past eight years that I have owned a Bird, they have
never
> > had
> >> > a strong and dedicated nationwide dealer network. Holland,
> > Bleakley
> >> > and Parliament are the exceptions to that and the three
shining
> > stars
> >> > of their dealer network, carrying real inventory, but very
> > regionally
> >> > spaced. The other "dealers" are mostly what you see at
Shorewood,
> >> > IMO. Even when Buddy Gregg was a dealer, I never saw more
than 4-
> > 5 BB
> >> > in total on his Dallas lot (new and used). Since Buddy quit,
we
> > have
> >> > had three "dealers" in Texas come and go. The first two after
> > Buddy
> >> > never even had any inventory as far as I know, and the
> > newest "dealer"
> >> > is historically a consignment lot and has one new LXi listed
on its
> >> > website (unknown if it actually exists on-site or is on
order) and
> > one
> >> > 1990 on consignment. I stopped at a then-listed "dealer" near
> > Albany,
> >> > NY (Alpine?) on a trip a few years back in time and they had
no BB
> >> > inventory, and no sales person that knew anything about them.
> >> >
> >> > The less than stellar dealer network was not important a few
years
> >> > back when BB actually had some marketing effort, was the
brand to
> > be
> >> > aspired to, was selling everything they made and there was
less
> >> > competition in their market space. In the last few years
while
> > they
> >> > have been floundering, the market for higher end coaches has
grown
> >> > tremendously due to baby boomers, and numerous other players
have
> >> > entered the market space. We have to hope that BB regains
some
> > sense
> >> > of marketing and starts developing a real market segmentation
and
> >> > product plan. In the meantime we have these wonderful
coaches they
> >> > have produced that will outlive most of us on this forum.
These
> >> > forums can also serve to fill the gap in the lifestyle
marketing by
> >> > creating camaraderie, a knowledge and support base, and on-
going
> >> > demand for the products. All of this is helpful to the
company as
> >> > the management team tries to re-invigorate the brand. Maybe
> > someone
> >> > there will realize this someday.
> >> >
> >> > Mike Bulriss
> >> > 83 PT40 "Stagecoach" - For Sale
> >> > 91 PT40 "Texas Minivan"
> >> > San Antonio, TX
> >> >
> >> > P.S. I would also be suspicious of a '91 PT 40 traded in on
an
> >> > Allegro Bus! But in the meantime, if someone offered me
$139K
> > for my
> >> > '91, it would be gone.....
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Tom"

> > wrote:
> >>> > >
> >>> > > One of the selling points of MH ownership is the
> > lifestyle...kind of
> >>> > > like when Harley sells motorcycles. The "brand" rallies
are an
> >>> > > important part of that and if BB is to remain a quality
> > brand...the
> >>> > > rally must be an anticipated event and well attended.
> >>> > >
> >>> > > You read frequently about the "brand" rallies for Country
Coach,
> >>> > > American Coach, Newell, Foretravel, Newmar, Tiffin,
Winnebago
> > and
> >>> > > others. Many owners pride themselves on not missing any
annual
> >>> > > rallies. If the BB loyalists sit on the sidelines (or
accross
> > the
> >>> > > street) it is likely that the rally will atrophy and die.
I
> > don't
> >>> > > think that is good for any Blue Bird owner or enthusiast!
> >>> > >
> >>> > > I believe I read earlier that BB understands that the
changes to
> > RIV
> >>> > > may have been too much...too soon? If this is true I would
> > think it
> >>> > > would make sense to be supportive in helping define an RIV
that
> > would
> >>> > > again be exciting and well attended. If, on the other
hand, BB
> > is non-
> >>> > > reflective and non-supportive regarding the rally format
and
> >>> > > costs...well...that probably tells you where they sit
relative
> > to the
> >>> > > BB "brand" future plans.
> >>> > >
> >>> > > Just the musings from a wanbee...not meant to
offend...Thank
> > You...Tom
> >>> > > Rootness in Northern Minnesota
> >>> > >
> >>> > > P.S. Just visited the Minnesota BB dealer in Anoka...shows
> > another BB
> >>> > > issue. They have two BBs...both '04 (?) demo models used
by the
> > two
> >>> > > owners. I don't think they sold a BB in the last 18
> > months...not
> >>> > > really trying. Maybe they have the brand so the owners can
have
> > demos.
> >>> > >
> >>> > > Primarily a Tiffin and other brand dealer. BTW they did
just
> > take in
> >>> > > a '91 PT 40 on trade on an Allegro Bus. The '91 is quite
messy
> > and my
> >>> > > guess is they don't know how to sell it and will end up
> > wholesaleing in
> >>> > > 90 days. Asking $139K which IMHO is quite high for a bit
> > dicey '91.
> >>> > > If someone is interested you might want to call them.
Shorewood
> > RV in
> >>> > > Anoka, MN. TMR
> >>> > >
> >> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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