Hello All,

I'm new here, although I've been visiting as a guest for about a year. I've been comtemplating the purchase of my first coach for about a year now and I'm very close to pulling the trigger on one. The question is which one.

I've narrowed it down to a Bluebird FC or a Barth Regency. I'm mildly considering a converted GM 4106, but they all seem so 'homespun' that I'm a little afraid of them. I'm handy, but I'm no mechanic.

From what I can tell here and at vintagebirds.com I'll need to spend 25 to 30k for a decent early to mid eighties Regency or a front engine Wanderlodge. Am I about right on the Regency or am I all wet. I've seen some in the teens to low twenties, but I suspect that price is telling me something about the coach.

I'm interested in an '88 Regency on ebay (think it's the same one Danny Z mentions). But I don't think I can get down to see it before the auction closes. Anyone have any experience buying on ebay with an inspection contigency? Also anyone know anything about this Barth?

I have tons of questions so I hope you will all be patient with me.

I'm pretty sure I'll end up with a Barth. Just the aluminum v. steel issue is about enough to sell me.

Alright, there you have it. Bring on the advice! Thanks in advance.

treysdad

Welcome, you're among folks who aren't afraid to answer questions. I posted another 34 this morning in Sightings. It's a 93 that might go in your price range. Hopefully someone here will know something about it.

If you are truly interested in an eBay unit but just can't make it before auction closing, contact the seller directly and see if anything can be worked out. E-mail is good but a phone conversation is even better - something about actually hearing a person's voice. A person willing to work with you will at least be open to the idea; if they give you the run-around or want you to buy sight unseen, then RUN. It's not someone you'd want to deal with and probably not a unit you want to buy.

I bought my SOB essentially through eBay, made a deal with the seller over the phone and he ended the auction early. Our deal basically allowed me an "out" (minus the $500 deposit I sent via Paypal) if the coach was completely not as described when we met. That wasn't the case, and I drove away with it. Broke down the next day due to bad house batteries, and that cost belonged to me. So buying used from an individual will likely get you a great deal, but won't allow you to return it in a few days if something goes wrong. As long as you realize (and expect) up front that most used RV's will require updates or repairs eventually, then you won't be surprised when it happens.

quote:

Bring on the advice! Thanks in advance.

Wow, first post and a donation too. Thank you for your support. I hope you find the Barth you're looking for.

My advice... You might want to ask if a fellow Barthmobile member lives close to the Barth you're thinking of purchasing.

treysdad,
My wife and I live in Appling, Ga and bought a 93 Regency on Ebay in Arizona. We had never seen the coach but had talked to the dealer in some detail. We paid 25,000 which I thought was a price that allowed me to spend up to another 10,000 to 12,000 without being hurt too bad. We flew to Arizona and the coach was pretty much what we expected. It had to be painted but we had already priced the paint job in when making our decision. We drove the coach home, 2200 miles, and had to replace a chassis battery and the CAT starter in Alabama. I guess that is something the seller couldn't have known. Over all I would do it again. BTW, we had also narrowed our search to a Bluebird or Barth. We have only had the coach 6 months but are completely happy with our decision.

Don't rule out the Breakaway, IMHO, they are built just as well as the Regency, they just don't have some of the bells and whistles. They are on a spring chassis instead of air. The newer models have more, a lot more, basement storage. And remember on a 20 year old coach bells and whistles have to be maintained too.

The data tag on the 88 on Ebay is 8712-0088-36RDG-A1. Coach build date 10/87. 88th Regency built. Gillig chassis.

Best of luck and welcome to a great site.
Nick

Lots of great advice already. Please keep it coming. If you've contacted me privately, I'll get back to you soon. Been working nights-got to catch up on my ZZZZZZZZZs. Thanks.

treysdad

Can anyone tell me when the Regency went to the larger basement storage? And do we know that the MCC chassis use ended in 1986? Thanks.

The basement storage size is a very interesting issue. I looked at three Breakaways (28' 30', and 32') before buying the one I have. All were pre-'94, and all had about 1/4 the storage that my '94 28' has. Mine is the prototype for the new design for the 28', and I know of only four others built to the design. In fact, my Breakaway has more basement storage than 32' Regencies of the pre-'94 era. The only post '94 Breakaway I've seen (in photos) was a '96 34', which looked like any other motorhome.

Deb and Ed Richardson's '82 35' MCC Regency has a lot of storage, but the Gillig chassis coaches don't seem to.

I really like the all-leaf-spring Spartan chassis of my Breakaway; despite its stubby wheelbase and absurd rear overhang, it handles very well, tracks like its on rails, and its maneuverability allows me to go pretty much anywhere. And there are no airbags to maintain.

Rusty, do you know approximately how many cubic ft of storage you have? I am sure yours don't go all the way across under the frame, right?

They don't go through under the frame. The center compartments are approx. 46" wide (left), 44" wide (right). Both are 24" deep. There's a full-width 8" passthrough at the top, over the frame.

On the left, there's a 29" wide 15" deep compartment at the very front, a compartment 22" wide and 24" deep just behind the rear axle, and a final compartment at the very back, 27" wide and 12" deep. The electrical cable and waste tanks/valving have their own compartments left and right, but there's little storage in those.

Battery and propane hatches are both on the right, behind the rear axle.

IMHO, the drawback to this design is the use of the GM 6.5L TD instead of the 5.9L Cummins. Replacement of the engine has equalized the shortcoming somewhat (at a cost of around $12.5K), but even at 230HP, the AMG engine hasn't the torque of the Cummins, but it does spin faster due to the gearing so gets the power to the rubber.

Here are some photos; first, the left front and large mid compartments:

The two left rear compartments (between them is the electrical cable compartment, above which is the grille for the A/C condenser):

And the right side basement; to its left is the access door to the black water drain valve, in which I store only the fuel additives.

The right side door isn't as tall as the left, but there's full access to the passthrough.