Hope it is alright to post this here. I thought folks may find it interesting. This is one of the reasons I bought a Barth!!! (video after commercial)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21...vp/32468163#32468163

I would have to agree. Not sure I would be so proud of that video.

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Jelsing:
I would have to agree. Not sure I would be so proud of that video.

I would have to agree. It didn't appear to be real craftsmen at work.

2011 Jayflight 36' with slide out = $25,643

2011 Airstream Anniv. 34' (no slide) = $100,149

2011 Airstream Bambi 16' (no slide) = $49,133

When you consider the price doubles when financed, it might be that for most trailer purchasers, the Jayco is a better value (as hard as that is to believe).

Notice that most Barth and Airstream owners/buyers are seasoned users who have tried many forms of camping and now are "stepping up" to an investment grade RV. I'll bet the majority of Jaycos are sold to first timers in that size category.

Another major factor that drives decision making is the ease of financing a new unit versus anything used. When I was in the retail Recreational business it was darn near impossible to finance a 5 year old vehicle, yet the manufacturers had all sorts of deals on new financing. Basically, the unschooled don't have a chance!

WHY I ALSO BOUGHT A BARTH.....

I've been in the insurance industry for 25 years. I also have little children. I was looking at motorhome accidents trying to figure out the safest motorhomes available. I came across a picture of a nice,late model, typical fiberglass, class A pusher diesel. You would think they would be tough and safe. The passenger side looked fine. The driver side FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK was cleanly and completely removed just like the top of a sardine can....no cabinets,not anything...almost like it was a factory display vehicle made for an RV show. The driver had hit a bridge abutment and it took out the entire side of the coach....needless to say, I decided right there I had to have an all metal, riveted unit.

I picked 3 brands...Revcon, Airstream and Barth. Revcon is nice but mechanically complex. Airstream is nice but short on storage. The Barth was the best combination of simplicity and abundant storage. (I prefer a gas-coach as we travel more sporadically and for the ease of working on. If we traveled distances, I'd go for a diesel).

So far, I've been pleased with the quality of my Barth...I've learned a lot from you all about the "stick coaches". That video kind of scares you...with other coaches, you're driving that same travel trailer with an engine attached.....

Has anyone ever seen a Barth that was involved in a serious accident? It stands to reason it would hold up better than a stick and staple RV, but if the hit is above the frame rails, I'm not sure how much resistance the aluminum would truly provide.

Does the Insurance Industry provide a safety rating chart?

If I had to rank from a pure safety standpoint, my list would go:

#1 Commercial bus chassis (Prevost, MCI, VanHool)
#2 Toter home on commercial truck chassis
#3 Fifth Wheel Towed by modern 1 Ton truck
#4 Barth/Airstream/equiv.
#5 Pop-up
#6 Towed trailer under 20'
#7 Class C or B motorhome
#8 Stick and staple motorhome

Of course, how something fairs in an accident has much to do with they type of accident. The head-on with a TT scenario is much different than the ran it off the shoulder scenario, etc. First-most for me is how can I increase the odds I don't get in the accident in the first place! Same applies to my motorcycles.

The amazing thing to me is that Jayco obviously produced this video as a promotional piece...assuming it was a "positive." If it were my company, I don't think I'd want to show this to my customers! As has already been mentioned, seeing this just reinforces what you already know; that they are slammed together, and certainly not by craftsmen! Another case of getting what you pay for...

One time, in one of my futile attempts to get parts or information at the Fleetwood plant here, I was able to join a tour.

Same thing. I couldn't believe they would let potential customers see how they were built. The workers were paid by how fast they could throw the stuff together. Having owned three of their products, it explained a lot.


Shift change looked like an INS raid.

quote:

Originally posted by vince900ss:
The amazing thing to me is that Jayco obviously produced this video as a promotional piece...assuming it was a "positive." If it were my company, I don't think I'd want to show this to my customers! As has already been mentioned, seeing this just reinforces what you already know; that they are slammed together, and certainly not by craftsmen! Another case of getting what you pay for...

I agree completely, not much of a promo video .. yet the gentleman seemed quite proud of the fact that it only took 6 hours, start to finish. I'm a little surprised that it took that long..

My Barth was purchased from the original owners. It was thier 2nd Barth. The first was a 1979 and the second was my 89. The reason they bought a Barth is the fact they toured the plant and saw first hand how they were built.

I had to laugh when, in the video he bragged about being able to build a unit in 6 hours, start to finish.

So it only took 6 hours from start to finish but how many people worked on it? What is the number of man hours involved? Also keep in mind that your fine car or truck was made by the same process, how long did it take to put it together? I doubt that there were any fine craftsman involved in that either.

My former coach was a 1976 21' Cortez with the Oldsmobile 455 cu. inch front wheel drive.

People in the Cortez Club that I spoke with at get togethers say there had never been a fatality in a Cortez, even with one going over Big Sur - Cortez owing to their all-steel body with roll bar cage construction (like race cars),and over 150,000 welds.

Rust was a problem - so I too have set my sights on a Barth as a long-life coach that will go the distance.

Having the resource Barmobile.com with helpful and competent owners makes the prospect of owning a Barth all the more desireable.

rb

Many of the people working on the Jayco appeared to be Amish or Mennonite. Before making a criticisms of the work done by the workers, note that the nature of the work is dictated by the economics of the situation. They might indeed be craftsman, but they are paid to use nail guns and glue guns.

In my neck of the woods, people buy a Jayco and leave it someplace near a lake. I've read that things like the Jayco are gaining in sales due to foreclosures. It is a significantly different usage and market niche than what the Barth product was going after, and still different in terms of the niche market that used Barth rigs are in today.

I cringe when I see criticisms of the "hands on" guy, for circumstances outside of his control.

best regards,
Matt

quote:

Originally posted by rb:


Having the resource Barmobile.com with helpful and competent owners makes the prospect of owning a Barth all the more desirable.

rb

Sometimes we focus more on the Bar than the Mobile and our competence is compromised.

If someone wants to see how a stick n staple diesel pusher fares running into the back of a tractor trailer sitting on the shoulder there are pictures on the Louisville KY news. It happened around midnite June 15/16 2010 on I-65 north MM20 on the Indiana side. It was sickening, it pulverized the MH, one fatality, one serious. But in all honesty no vehicle can take such an impact. If you see people and vehicles on the shoulder SWITCH your lane - please give 'em the room.
like Corey says plan to avoid an accident. I sure do not want to become a crash test dummy. As for the busses: the busnuts always praising a how you can roll a bus in an accident. Do you really want to see what happens when your TV,Coffeemaker, dogs, kids etc are loose? - just saying - Doris
Keep the shiny side up

Link added by Rusty Here's a video