Anyone out there want to trade buses?

[Ray Davis]

Joe, I sincerely hope you can keep yours. I had originally take my fire damage as a "way to get out", and wasn't planning on replacing. But, after only a few months, both my wife and I realized how much we enjoyed the bus (even though we couldn't use it all that much), especially the POG rallies, and getting together with POG friends.

I think about Dale (roadrunner), who sold his, and now has another coach, although he waited for the right deal to come along.

Obviously, these busses make absolutely zero practical sense, but they sure get under our skin.

I sincerely hope that we both have busses someday in the not too distant future, and the opportunity to meet at a POG rally, or some other place along the highway.

Ray

[Victor Dimera]

Gary, Thanks for the advice, but I don't know if a left coast salesman would be able to move an east coast bus.
You know I bought a Liberty because everyone said it would move fast when you were ready to move on.

Joe, Front tires were replaced at 36,000 when I bought the bus. Drives were replaced at 45,000 as a precaution before an 8000 mile trip. Tag was replaced at 53,000 cause they were worn out!

Vic, Not at all offended, price has been at $749,500 for a while now. I paid a flat million for it in Sept 06, put it on the market 18 months later asking 800K, thinking 750K.
As the second owner I figured 25% was enough to lose in less than 2 years.

Fly, you're just way smarter than me. I did do one thing right though, I didn't buy it till I could afford to pay for it.

Jim, You seem like the logical prospect out of the bunch to me. Isn't it time you bought a bus?

Is this your bus? http://www.rvonline.com/single-ad.as...SearchMethod=1
The price is showing 795K. If it is not your bus, then I am sorry for posting that you were asking 795K. Now that I or we know what you paid for it preowned, I will add this that with Featherlite offering brand new XLIIs for under a million and with recent closures of Royale and Legendary unloading brand new XLIIs also for under a million has come in to play in the secondary market. Now granted you have a Liberty but for a person to become the third owner of a bus may be tough for them to stomach the over $700K price tag. I echo fly's comments but its just me but I think the overall style or as I call it the "look" has come into play here. I continue to say this because when I first saw your bus(if this is indeed your bus I am talking about in the link) I noticed how pretty it was but the outside look was different than the new ones. It was just the first thing that caught my eye, and again I am just speaking from what I saw and am not saying that is what everyone else saw. I think from that $600K to 900K in the preowned market, the buyer is going to want as close to a new look as he or she can get. We all know that when cars change body styles that affects the cost of used ones with a now older look. I would think the same principle would apply in the RV or Bus world. Hopefully, there is someone here that is interested in trading. If so I think they would be getting a great bus. You might be on too something by prodding Jim to get a bus. I noticed he doesnt have one and maybe this would be something he is interested in. I think someone will come forward because it really is a nice bus and the one thing I like is the look of your stateroom. Really nice!

[jello_jeep]

We're rooting for you Joe! Hope you can keep your tin for sure!!

We may be forced to keep ours and by the grace of God just might be able to. Wish us luck. Sure would beat giving it away.

[MangoMike]

Jim, You seem like the logical prospect out of the bunch to me. Isn't it time you bought a bus?

Bill,

I saw him first.

Two Bus Club Mike

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I don't think there is a thing wrong with the coach, and had we not had this entire nation shift into panic mode by the perfect storm of a mortgage industry fiasco, runaway fuel prices and politicians that need to tell us how bad things are so they can be seen as having the answers, that coach would be gone at a fair price to Bill and the buyer.

But since we all accept there is nothing rational about buying a coach we should also accept that this industry has had its own perfect storm. Start with several converters going out of business and their remaining inventory dumped at prices that are well below actual cost, add another converter dumping its inventory thus further devaluing everything out there, add to that the cost of fuel which happens to be chump change compared to every other cost of ownership and we have buyers stuck with their coaches, or eating huge losses due to depreciation.

None of us has immunity from the insanity because sellers can't lower prices fast enough, and buyers who think they are paying a fair price today, are seeing their new pride and joy worth a hell of a lot less tomorrow. All of a sudden nobody wants to make a move.

The good news is that all of this will go away. The buses will never be worth more than they are today, but when things go back to some semblance of sanity, at least they will not be depreciating as fast as they have been.

If I absolutely had to sell today, I would swallow hard and get the best deal I could. Because if I did not, tomorrow my bus for sale is worth less, and in the meantime I am paying for insurance, continuing to eat the depreciation, and losing the earning value of the invested capital. If I couldn't bring myself to sell at today's prices I would hope somebody would slap me because they are never going back up even if this mess sorts itself out. It will get worse because I predict a few more converters are going to dump inventory and disappear before this market recovers.

[Kevin Erion]

Sitting in our bus, just had one of our best days at the water park and by far some ribs that Jdub could dream about. The girls are happy, full of stories and I read about the price of my bus going down.
Todays memories.....PRICELESS!

[Sid Tuls]

Kevin, I agree with you been in the bus the last two weeks put on 2800 miles and now camp out in San Diego @ Mission Bay it doesn't get any better!!!! Hey did you ever get that water spot remover "HOT SAUCE" ?








Sid & Judy Tuls
2007 Thompson XL11 D/S
Visalia,Ca now in San Diego

[dreadnought]

Gary, Thanks again

Vic, My apologies sir! That listing should have expired, and I thought it did, months ago. I thought you were on Prevost-Stuff or RV Trader.

Kevin, Ray, you're absolutely right. We loaded up and spent a week in Quebec and the Adirondacks a couple of weeks ago. The bus performed flawlessly and we had a great time. It's like traveling in your own cocoon.

[flyu2there]

Wow, that depreciation really sucks. Add that to the current fuel and economy and it's a double whammy.

It's interesting, just yesterday I was speaking with a Marathon salesman. He indicated that coaches over the 1M mark were still selling well (lucky for them). He also indicated coaches under the 500k mark were really slow, and people were much more cautious about a purchase. He didn't happen to mention that area between 500k and 1M.

Ray

Ray,

I rest my case

[flyu2there]

The good news is that all of this will go away. The buses will never be worth more than they are today, but when things go back to some semblance of sanity, at least they will not be depreciating as fast as they have been.

If I absolutely had to sell today, I would swallow hard and get the best deal I could. Because if I did not, tomorrow my bus for sale is worth less, and in the meantime I am paying for insurance, continuing to eat the depreciation, and losing the earning value of the invested capital. If I couldn't bring myself to sell at today's prices I would hope somebody would slap me because they are never going back up even if this mess sorts itself out. It will get worse because I predict a few more converters are going to dump inventory and disappear before this market recovers.

Jon,

I have to disagree with you on this point. The prices today are at an artificial low, it's simple supply side economics. There are more sellers than there are buyers, so those who really need to get out, for whatever reason, contribute to the panic and lower their price. Then you have the convertors who are tanking or who have already failed, their inventory is sold to make overdue payrolls, notes, legal fee's...whatever, at a price that will move the product. No matter, at the end of the day the prices are pushed to artifical lows. In a strange way, it is related to the home mortgage boondoggle.

This economy will recover, more people will have extra disposable income and the bargain basement prices will disappear. I think it prudent to watch the "Baby Boomers" as they are now entering or fast approaching retirement and they are the ones that will be buying the busses, boats and airplanes as they enter their golden years. Reflect if you will on airplanes. To cite an example, a 1966 Cessa 150 originally sold for less than 7000.00 (I won't address inflation) and today 43 years later, in reasonable condition, will bring 25k.....that after thousands of hours of use! During the original "fuel crisis" of 1973 and the "interest rate crisis" of the early 80's you couldn't give that airplane away, those who may have sat on their investment have done well; those who sold in panic.......