2007 H3 Vantari

Biltmore Financial which was owned by J.V. Huffman of Clermont,NC was operating a Ponzi scheme and he got caught,the auction was today and continues until all is sold.They auctioned a 2007 Vantari H3 with 18,000 miles (shell is an 06)this morning for $500,000+10% bidders fee for a total of $550,000.The coach was very nice,needed a bath,1 flat screen (small one in the front over the passenger had been stolen)was missing but all in all it was very nice and it had been garage kept.The next item was a 2000 Featherlite stacker trailer which matched the bus,it brought about $25,000.The condition of the trailer was only OK.I don't know if we have hit the bottom yet but if I had to bet I would bet that the bottom is still in the future.I also heard that the 2005 Liberty for $499,000 has sold to Novia Scotia.

I think it would be great to have some statistics on New and Used Prevost Sales for 2008 and the first half of 2009. If I had a guess, I would think sales are picking up and we will see major reductions this year.

Yesterday a friend of mine was driving the 07 Vantari through Illinois with a Montana tag on it and a state trooper stopped them because if the vehicle is registered in an LLC in Montana and in IL it is a commercial vehicle and must have the correct inspection sticker,fuel permits,driver must have a CDL,etc.the fine was $1000 for the owner and $20 for the driver.They paid a small amount for a permit to get them out of the state.Has anyone else heard about any other state doing this?State revenue is down and we are a big target from their perspective.

Sounds like some people will start detouring the great state of Illinois. Is this a new way of "Profiling"? Wonder what the original reason for being stopped was? If this in fact what Illinois wants, will they do it just random or will they set up road blocks...sheesh, what next?

I think that you will see many more states taking the position that if a bus is owned by a "company", rather than an "individual", that commercial vehicle regulation will apply. Especially if there is the potential for added revenue.

And, it may be a tough policy to contest if the bus is, in fact, a "business" asset.

I doubt that we will see enforcement based solely to this specific issue, however.

I am clearly not an attorney, but I don't think that having something in an LLC makes it a commercial venture.

Maybe LA-HODAG or someone else that is an attorney will give an opinion on this.

Jack where specifically was this incident in Ill, do you know??



JIM

I believe the Montana plates sets you up as an automatic target!! Be careful when going through Calif. make sure if you are towing and you have Montana plates on the bus make sure you also have them for your tow!!!! They will get you!!!!

To me this is bureaucratic extorsion.

You will be cited and illegal or not it is up to you to defend yourself at YOUR EXPENSE.


The LLC does not make it commercial nor would a C corp if the vehicle is not used for "the hauling of goods or people for hire", imho.

I have been advised by my attorney to purchase a travel permit for $20.00 upon entering the state of Ill. :p:rolleyes::D

JIM

I was in Illinios last Thursday & Friday. We were in Valpraiso, Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington then up to Chicago and then home on I-80/I-90. I'm sporting Ohio plates on the bus and toad. We never even saw any traffic cops in IL but they were stopping speeders on the Indiana toll road. As per Jon's suggestion: at 62.5 mph you're just under their radar.

Another BIG caution is work zones. A friend of ours was ticketed and the fines were double because it was a work zone. Cited for 7 or 8 MPH above work zone speed limit.

This is perhaps one of the easiest tickets to get, as most car drivers either ignore the lowered limit or don't lower enough, and they try to ride your tail (or even pass you) if you're doing the work zone limit.

No one wants a moving violation, especially far from home.