What was Barth's best build year for quality? To make this apples vs apples, let's focus on things like cabinetry, fit and finish, insulation, carpet, vinyl trim etc. With all the different chassis/engine configurations and the many models, maybe we can discount all of those things. My vote would be for the mid 80s, probably 1985 since I am familiar with that year. The cabinetry on my Regal is outstanding. And the insulation is full fiberglass on walls and ceiling. The vinyl headliner is beautiful and the grass cloth wall covering top of the line. The carpet was very high quality. My 93 Breakaway, while very nice, doesn't have the quality of cabinetry that the Regal does. The wall coverings are nice but not as ritzy as the grass cloth. The insulation is bubble wrap which Barth said was just as good as fiberglass. The carpet is very high quality and the vinyl trim around the dash and windows is very nice.
Other thoughts?

I would have to agree. My Regal was built in 7/86 and the cabinets, carpet, headliner, and upholstery are as good as any Barth I've seen. Their current condition reflects on the original high quality. Full insulation (at least everywhere I've looked)

Considering the top end pricing for Barths, I was disappointed to learn the later ones weren't even insulated. By early 90's I think times were getting tougher and they may have been looking for corners to cut.

You asked for it. Likely mid 80s. After that everyone was trying to cut costs/enhance profits, not sure what year ownership changed but would guess that best year was just prior to that. Having a Breakaway as second or third choice will say that it is not a fair comparison as it was brought on the market as a more affordable (though not cheap) pusher. My first choice was the MCC but suspension maint. and the engine were against that, and the only one I looked at had the baggage compartment supports nearly gone from rust. Best choice would be a Gillig chassis, but the Breakaway came along as a great deal and even though grossly under powered at 10mpg it is the best pusher for the buck and relatively cheap to keep up if you do just that and not get carried away with projects. "If you can't be with the one you love- love the one you are with"

I agree Jim my 86 is much more quieter and warmer then my 88 ,and the head liner on the 86 still looks like new wile the 88 is drooping and the foam baking has disintegrated. The leather around the cockpit is nice on the 88 but I'm guessing that was a option?

I agree that our 86 Regal is of high Quality. The headliner still looks new. the wall covering is still in perfect shape, The cabinets with spring hinges look and function like new. Having looked at, and being in newer Barths I personally prefer our 86 over newer coach interiors. Wall covering is one of the issues I have seen problem with in newer coaches. With that said I will say that I like the Corrian counter tops over ours. I do like the look of the fiberglass brow on the 87's on coaches. Although well built our 76 does not have the nice Hardwood cabinetry and finishes of the 86. After being in several mid 80's (Jim & Tere, Steve VW, Homer, Rick and Marcia, TJ's) I give my vote to those years.

The quality of my 33'1988 Regal SE was better than the 30' Breakaway I just sold. I just liked the noise of the diesel behind me. Try as you may the 454 under my feet was annoying.........Carl

Our 84 30 SE has a lot of nice touches we have not seen on earlier or later models. However, the basic Barth body quality seems to be the same until quite some time later.

My favorite interior is a late MCC with the traditional Barth body.

Carl, I know what you mean. But the older I get, the quieter the 454 becomes

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But the older I get, the quieter the 454 becomes

Haha that's a good one, you mean there's a motor running under that hump!

My 1990 has real quality cabinetry great craftsmanship. However I was disappointed to see the bubblewrap insulation couldn't believe it, I really expected to see urethane foam or no less than fiberglass.

Foam has the disadvantage of trapping moisture on the inside of the skin.(metal building mfg's tell me the outer skin will rust from the inside) so if one is upgrading I would recommend fiberglass batts.

Had an older Volkswagen Beetle that had rusted-through from the inside-out behind the passenger windows due to foam insulation trapping moisture behind the steel skin.

Love our 1994 Breakaway. Quality all around is great although we are suffering the "veneer blues" with some of the interior cabinetry,(swelling wood and peeling edge strips). Love the "fit and finish" of the exterior and of course the 8.3 Cummins/Allison/Gillig combo. Had a Airstream owner stop by our camping spot the other day heaping praise on what a fine looking coach we have,(he being a fan of aluminum construction/quality as well!)

I don't know much and haven't seen the inside of any other Barths but I could not be happier with the quality of my '97 Regal
The cabinets are wonderful and made great.
I could up date the floor and getting up the guts to change out the interior lighting to LED but other than that could not be happier with the quality.
Oh, and the exterior is so well constructed compared to a bunch of other homes(SOB?) of the same time frame
Hank

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However I was disappointed to see the bubblewrap insulation couldn't believe it, I really expected to see urethane foam or no less than fiberglass.

Talked with the previous owner of my '93 Breakaway about insulation. When he installed the satellite antennae on the roof, he went through fiberglass. That's a good thing. I was doing some work on an exterior duplex receptacle on the side and discovered bubble wrap. Also, the space between the wood floor and the metal pan on mine has fiberglass.

if you found bubble insulation on the sides, I doubt that there is any in the ceiling. You can check it very quickly by take one of the florescent lights down and looking around that area!