RIV and Blue Bird "Brand"

[John Suter]

How 'bout our just saying, "there are numerous
reasons" you don't find any more M-380's being
manufactured, and the M-450's vanished after they were
announced with great 'fanfare and hoopla,' and
suddenly LXi's returned to the production line (Even
if at much higher list prices).

John




--- Henry Jay Hannigan wrote:

> ---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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