I would like to know if the Barth is like the "Boston whaler" of motor homes. It seems that asking prices are three to four times the price that NADA values indicate. Overpaying presents lending difficulties, and worries about resale. This may be the wrong place to get unbiased opinions....but I'm putting it out there anyway

Since you joined, this topic has been discussed. Did you search?
Of course it is the wrong place to seek objectivity.

Lending difficulties? Few lenders at going to finance ANY 20-40 year old RV based on the collateral. For all practical purposes, it is a personal loan. Credit unions are the most lenient in this regard.

Worries about resale? Very, very few vehicles represent an investment. Ironically, I think most of those (not including Jay Leno) who can afford expen$$$ive collectors cars deal in them as if they are pork bellies -- not enjoying them by using them.
Do you USE and enjoy your RV? Nearly every Barth has probably depreciated about as much as it ever will. Even if were to drop a couple thou$and in market value, what is that in relationship to the original price?
Do you worry about the resale value of your shotgun or skis or golf clubs or any such thing? They are RECREATIONAL equipment. Barth motor homes (and trailers) are RECREATIONAL vehicles. They are an EXPENSE, an ongoing expense, as a means to an end -- the end being recreation. That recreation might include quality time with family and/or significant other, which is PRICELESS.

RV'ing in general, Barth or not, is an expense hobby but is also more of a lifestyle that's hard to put a price on. You can do it in a $1000 pop-up trailer, or in a $200,000 Class A motorcoach... and for the most part, you still have the same awesome experience of traveling and exploring either way. It's a very unique kind of recreation in that way.

NADA is a good guideline for used RV prices, but it often does not represent any kind of collector value... which Barth's can have to certain sellers and certain buyers. As with any sale, offer what you can afford and what you think the coach is really worth.

Sellers that have extremely high prices on their used rigs sometimes are oblivious to the realities of RV industry values, which makes me concerned about other items (tire age, engine/tranny care, roof maintenance, etc.) that may have been ignored because the seller thinks the rig is with $XXXX just because it's a big RV.

I'm more of the mindset that you should buy an RV (especially if buying an older one) in cash, and to keep. If you get into loans and resale concerns, you are guaranteed to lose money and probably be upside-down on the debt eventually. Selling your rig later and getting good money out of it should be considered a bonus, not an expectation.

There are several reasons for the disparity. Barths are rarely sold by dealers, so the transaction doesn't get entered into NADA. Not all RV dealers are NADA members, either.

Because they have all-aluminum superstructures, they aren't susceptible to the deterioration that many RVs are.

Another reason is that the annual sales volume is very low compared to other brands.

The Barths listed in these forums have generally been priced realistically, although an occasional unit will be priced over-optimistically.

While it may not be a 100% accurate thought, I have found that the NADA values are at least close to market value in the newer Barths. In the older ones, mid 80s and back, they are not. And there is a simple reason. Condition is everything in an older motor home. You can have a very nice '85(like Old Blue) or you can have one that needs $20000 of work to make it usable. The difference in market price would reflect that reality. Newer ones, maybe '93 to 96 don't usually have as many of the condition problems and are easier to sell and probably more of them are sold through dealers.

Smiles per mile. That's the key. It's kind of like a Jeep club. Each Jeep is unique and worth different amounts. Options, condition and how it fits with your travel style mean everything.

I have worked on many things in my life. I have never seen a coach this well built. And I use to work at a motorhome auction house in Oregon. Brashers NW Auto Auctions. I wouldn't sell mine for less than 60k. That's what it's worth to me.

Cheers
Meric

The Barth is obviously a special breed of MH. Considering the dollars spent maintaining, or bringing one up to operational snuff... "condition of condition" is probably the best explanation of NADA value disparity. I have never owned a class A...sold my toy hauler a while back. The older Beaver's, Country Coaches, and Barth's are the MFG's I keep looking at in my patient search. So far, I have not found a class A from the late 80's, early 90's in bristol condition (but I haven't left FL). Thank you for your insights, I appreciate it.

You should be able to score a class A Barth for 20k or less. Just take your time. Throw the book out and try and find what fits your needs for the least dollars.

Try using Search Tempest and there is a Onecraigs page that searches all of Craigslist. Once you get one you will not want to sell it and will see the value per dollar.

Cheers
Meric

As a matter of fact, 20K is my number, but not if I have to throw BIG $$ in it right away. I would hope to find one that had been cared for and updated the right way. A former fastidious type owner would be a bonus!

quote:

Originally posted by captgeb:
As a matter of fact, 20K is my number, but not if I have to throw BIG $$ in it right away. I would hope to find one that had been cared for and updated the right way. A former fastidious type owner would be a bonus!

If you have not yet PM to Jim and Tere, your certainly should.* A considerable amount of improvement has been done to his Breakaway since he got it. As a former 92 Breakaway owner, I can assure you that they are very road worthy. The 5.9 Cummins has very few problems.

* Click on their names at left, invite to private topic

When looking relax and take your time, look at as many as you can to get the feel for which model you prefer. Then the right price is; "how much it is worth to you" book price only influences resale value. And always remember that usually you get a better deal buying the best quality.

Thanks for the plug 'Mogan David'.