Price of a Bluebird

[Howard O. Truitt]

Ernie and Leroy,

Will a floating floor work OK in a bird.

3/4 inch thick engineered overall, 1/4 inch top layer aluminum oxide finish.

Howard T., Sowega, 86 PT40

----- Original Message -----

From: "erniecarpet@aol.com"

To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"

Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 6:53 PM

Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Price of a Bluebird

Leroy-- I wonder if any of them need flooring?

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Weatherford, Tx

I could use some work

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[brad barton]

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 00LXiDFW
bbartonwx@...

---

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
From: bluethunder@...
Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2008 08:09:01 -0700
Subject: 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 Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Posting today by satellite from Yuma, AZ

On 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.

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[Leroy Eckert]

I don't know. I am sitting around also. Can saving money be classified as making money? If so, the last week or so I have re-upholstered the bus headboard, dining room chairs, living room chair, and am about 3/4 done with the hide a bed sofa. At least I did not have to pay someone to do it. I am looking for some leather to do the captains chairs.
Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors
Dahlonega, GA
Royale Conversion

erniecarpet@... wrote:

Leroy-- I wonder if any of them need
flooring?

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Weatherford, Tx

I could use some work

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[erniecarpet@...]

In a message dated 1/19/2008 10:21:52 A.M. Central Standard Time, truitt44@... writes:

Will a floating floor work OK in a bird.

Yes.

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Weatherford, Tx

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[erniecarpet@...]

In a message dated 1/19/2008 11:49:34 A.M. Central Standard Time, jwasnewski@... writes:

In my opinion, yes. I prefer to glue it down

Yes, can be installed both ways. Glued down eliminates the hollow sound when you walk on it.

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Weatherford, Tx

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[Leroy Eckert]

Well, I think most Birds sit around because the owners lack time.
A personal case in point. We purchased our Bird to full time. The idea was to sell all the assets, put money in the bank and haul a#$.
Funny thing happened. If you stick around long enough something is bound to change and it did. We have custody of my three step-grandchildren 1,6,and 9. So we changed the way we use the Bird. For the most part we get one or two long trips a year. The rest are 150 or so miles and we use weekends to do it. The primary cost is fuel.
I do most of the maintenance. In most cases the maintenance has been something others did not perform(deferred maintenance)or perhaps it could be called lazyness??
All of that said, it did not help matters that the wife was laid off on Jan 2.
If we can do it, anyone that really wants to pursue the RV lifestyle can.
Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors
Dahlonega, GA
Royale Conversion
Snowing, Snowing

Joe
wrote:

I watched the Barrett-Jackson tonight and also wondered the same thing.

Then I wonder what it really takes to own a BB.

I've been looking at my budget and seems I can't afford
much...certainly would consider a used BB for less than 50K, and if
there was one for 30K that would be a no brainer. I don't need a lot of
flash, prefer things to be simple and functional.

But the real question becomes what about upkeep/maintenance? How much
budget do folks really need that own and use their motorhomes.
I'm
on the opposite side of town from the auction, and there are
multiple storage areas here filled with RVs that just sit, month after
month. Is it because people can't afford them, or the maintenance, or
with the economy going down the tubes quick, is it just they can't sell
them?

Joe3
--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "Leroy A. Eckert"
...> wrote:
>
> I am sitting here watching Barrett-Jackson's auction where folks are
> throwing $100,000 dollar bills at restored iron. Where do they get
> that kind of disposable income? And folks grip about the price of a BB
> that has living quarters, toilet, running water and a warm place to
> sleep. lol
> Bluebirds are a value at almost any price.
> Leroy Eckert
> 1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors
> Dahlonega,GA
> Royale
Conversion
>

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[Leroy Eckert]

In my opinion, yes. I prefer to glue it down. I mostly do hard surface flooring, but can do wood and carpet, so Ernie may have a different opinion.
Leroy Eckert
1990 WB-40 Smoke N Mirrors
Dahlonega, GA
Royale conversion

"Howard O. Truitt" wrote:

Ernie and Leroy,

Will a floating floor work OK in a bird.

3/4 inch thick engineered overall, 1/4 inch top layer aluminum oxide finish.

Howard T., Sowega, 86 PT40

----- Original Message -----

From: "erniecarpet@aol.com"

To: "WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com"

Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 6:53 PM

Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] Price of a Bluebird

Leroy-- I wonder if any of them need flooring?

Ernie Ekberg
83PT40
Weatherford, Tx

I could use some work

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[Pete Masterson]

Just like the tens of thousands of boats in backyards, there are lots of RVs that sit and sit getting little use. The reasons, no doubt, are as many as the parked RVs, but commonly, many are used for a couple of weeks vacation each year (some RVs aren't designed to actually be used much anyway). Other RVs may have been gotten -- used frequently at first -- then slowly forgotten as time passed. Or the owners may have moved past the point where frequent RV (or any RV) use is impractical. (e.g. our elderly down-the-street neighbors have had several RVs over the years, most recently a modest size Class A Winnebago. It's now parked at their daughter's family farm, behind a shed, as they've reached an age and health condition where travel is no longer practical. Obviously, it might be reasonable for them to sell their RV -- but due to inertia or whatever, it's sitting out and rotting in the sun...) And, I have no doubt that some RVs sit because the owners can't sell them at the price they _think_ they're worth.

As for the expense of ownership -- yes, RVs are somewhat like a boat. (A boat being described as a whole in the water where you pour money.) Maintenance and operational expenses are significant -- as are campground fees. RVs may be competitive with other means of travel -- or not -- depending on the comparisons you make. Obviously, if you're barely able to cover your current expenses, adding an RV (of any kind) is not going to make life more affordable. And filling a 300 gallon BB tank can be a financial burden even to the most well healed. 

If you can do a modest amount of the maintenance yourself, and if the investment tied up in a _depreciating_ asset isn't going to wipe you out, and if you can afford to travel for pleasure (by any means) then a Wanderlodge may fit your budget and lifestyle. However, to be realistic, some level of moderate affluence is probably necessary to afford any RV, not just a Wanderlodge.

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Jan 18, 2008, at 11:30 PM, Joe wrote:

<snip>

I've been looking at my budget and seems I can't afford 

much...certainly would consider a used BB for less than 50K, and if 

there was one for 30K that would be a no brainer. I don't need a lot of 

flash, prefer things to be simple and functional. 

But the real question becomes what about upkeep/maintenance? How much 

budget do folks really need that own and use their motorhomes.

I'm on the opposite side of town from the auction, and there are 

multiple storage areas here filled with RVs that just sit, month after 

month. Is it because people can't afford them, or the maintenance, or 

with the economy going down the tubes quick, is it just they can't sell 

them?

<snip>

[Pete Masterson]

Several 'birds I know of have floating flooring without problems. I installed a bamboo floor -- it was individual boards which I glued to an underlayment that's glued to the sub-floor. (The underlayment has sound-deadening properties and creates a uniform base for the flooring.)

In retrospect, I'd rather I'd used one of the floating systems. The glue was -very- messy and difficult to deal with. (It tended to get on everything (hands, knees, shoes, etc.), then accidental transfer to the top surface of the boards, requiring prompt wiping with a solvent to avoid having glue showing. Aside from the headaches of installation (by this amateur), the finished job looks great.

Keep in mind, it works best if you remove as much of the furniture as possible to do the job. For installation ease, I left the original carpet around the sides of the stair well along with the original rubber steps.

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Jan 19, 2008, at 8:17 AM, Howard O. Truitt wrote:

Ernie and Leroy,

Will a floating floor work OK in a bird.

3/4 inch thick engineered overall, 1/4 inch top layer aluminum oxide finish.

Howard T., Sowega, 86 PT40

 

 

[Pete Masterson]

While I admire Ben Franklin, there's no way to save yourself into prosperity. Poor farmers in third world countries are often extremely frugal -- survival requires it -- but "saving" can't get them out of proverty.

As a high-school girl friend once told me when a date was broken due to family commitments, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." My reply was "Out of sight, out of mind."

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Jan 19, 2008, at 9:50 AM, "jvredden@aol.com" wrote:

To address your question regarding the relationship between saving and earning I refer to Ben Franlklin...

 

"A penny saved is a penny earned".  You may agree or disagree with Ben however, few have had as big an impact on this nations wonderful history than Ben Franklin.

 

I still do not share the values with some of the youth of today that feel a penny dropped is not worth picking up.

 

Sooooo....Ernie, congratulations on all the money you saved or earned!

 

john redden

91 PT