It's probably just me but I can't stand visitors to this site that speculate and make negative remarks about a coach that is posted here for sale. It is visitors like these that not only give "Barth" a questionable reputation, but possibly discourage potential buyers from experiencing the beauty of a Barth and it's fine craftsmanship. Speaking for myself I plan to post my Barth on this site some day. It seems to me that if you havn't picked up the phone to ask questions or even test driven one of these fine coaches,you should refrain from making negative remarks and opinions and keep them to yourself.....please.

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Larry and Heidi from CA

Negative & nasty comments should not be tolerated but a lively discussion should be encouraged.

Anyone asking about ride quality, power plant or body damage to something that is clearly visible should be able to ask. We as a community should be able to spot the negative people from the people who try to get to the heart of something.

Anybody looking at this site to buy a Barth should be able to ask. I didn't know until a very recent exchange that Barth didn't rivet every rib or so and at some point went to a larger spacing. If I was now looking at two identical coaches and one had more hold for the body panels this might sway me to look at the "older" rig.

The only way to know would be to ask. I like the look of most of these Custom Coaches but if someone thinks that the body on a coach could be damaged and another thinks the body is normal then we should be able to allow that type of discussion.

I really don't think I have ever read anything on this site that was nasty to another Coach owner trying to sell his RV. I like the fact that Bill H went and looked at it. I myself would love to find a real 38'+ Diesel w/ airbrakes in this area to look at but know that will not happen.

If there was a larger Barth out west with a decent floorplan and a diesel and there was this type of exchange I would fly out there and look.

The reason for some of my recent questions with "who has the newest Barth" and "roof height" was a discussion with the wife. I want to get her more involved in this RV'ing thing but know that she has a certain standard of living and the old "Mobile Medical Lab" thing isn't what she is looking for.

It's great for me and the guys but try telling her to enjoy something like "that" is like trying to sell snow to an Eskimo. I would like to buy something more in line to her expectations and getting the info/dirt on any unit would be a plus.

I hope I'm not who your talking about and if so I hope this explains my actions.

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1991 Barth Regal
460 EFI C6 Transmission
33' Oshkosh/John Deere Chassis

http://www.TruckRoadService.com/

"Without Trucks,

America Stops"

Hi Bill, I wasn't making reference to anybody that owns a Barth and frequents the Barthmobile site. I was directing my opinion toward visitor(s) that breeze in and out and publically make their negative comments before seeing or talking to the owner selling a coach on this site. It depreciates the sellers coach without having hard facts or evidence......just unfounded speculation. Now if El Segundo Bill wants to report back with all the observations he's found about a particular coach he's visited, thats different. He's been there. He's checked it out in person. Did I mention I'm a sensitive guy?

I absolutely agree with you Larry. I have been very open with non Barth owners registering and asking questions about Barths etc. If they decide to buy one, and a large percentage do then everybodies happy, however, I think it is not appropriate for a non Barth owning visitor to critize our coaches.

I have received many emails, one just last night, from a very thoughful "owner" who had seen a coach for sale and asked if it would be appropriate to publish his thoughts. I said sure, and I know this owner will share those thoughts in a respectful and helpful way.

By the way, in the 5 years this site has been up I think there has been only 3 times when people have got out of line and I think twice it was me....This is one great community of Barth folks, plus our kids are smart and good looking too.

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quote:

Originally posted by hilarlee:
Did I mention I'm a sensitive guy?

I noticed one of your post that you started it said "be nice" I thought that was odd. I think it was the same coach or maybe not. I just thought the "be nice" start was odd. Was there something you were trying to say about that coach that I didn't get?

BTW if anybody has a line on a 36', 38, 40 widebody with a decent floorplan let me know. The bigger the better and more beds a must. I know I won't get it for cheap but I must educate myself on the different floorplans if I have any hope in getting the wife involved.

She went with me this past summer on a 150 mile round trip with the kids (water park) for 2 days and kind of liked it but wanted something with more to it.

The word here is EDUCATE so the more info $ the better. Warts and all, thanks guys.

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1991 Barth Regal
460 EFI C6 Transmission
33' Oshkosh/John Deere Chassis

http://www.TruckRoadService.com/

"Without Trucks,

America Stops"

Well, I'm something of a Barth dilettante - not owning one, but having learned more about my SOB by repairing it, than I ever wanted to - my next RV will have solid built quality based on thoughtful design. There are few coaches that qualify, and the Barth is one.

But I offer a few observations, being by recent experience, something of a quasi-expert in looking at used Class As:

1. Finding fault in a particular Barth may be classified as nit-picking, but since they're well-constructed, faults generally seem to be rare and minor - hence "nit-picking".

2. Owners of any brand of coach-for-sale run a spectrum of accuracy of description. Two years ago, I made a 350 mile round trip to look at a coach described as "like-new, ready for the road". The generator was frozen. While the main engine smoked a lot, I can't say if it were from all cylinders, because it ran on only 6 or 7. Tires were throw-aways. A stray cat had gotten trapped inside and shredded the dash and most of the upholstery (which actually enhanced the interior appearance, destroying as much dirt as fabric....).

OTOH, Jerry Aull's (stringmann) posted description and emails to me, on his '92 Breakaway, understated its condition, and I think a buyer could take it, as-is, on a long trip in confidence.

3. For me at least, the many kilobucks I expect to spend on a coach in the near future is a major investment, and the "baring of the Barth Soul" on this forum makes me favor that marque over many others. Regardless of the piddling things that go wrong, underneath that is a durable, long-lived design. Like Bill says, "Warts and all..."

Not being a Barth owner, but expecting to be, I appreciate the candor on this forum, even though at times it may be thought to be harsh. Trust me (although I don't know why anyone would), compared to other brands, the Barth line can stand very critical scrutiny.

Barths may have warts, but many other makes of motorhomes have tumors....

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:

Barths may have warts, but many other makes of motorhomes have tumors....

I love it!

Hey Bill (as in New York) --have you thought about the coach in Shelby, NC? I live 45 minutes from him and have talked to him on the phone. One is a 32' and the other 35 or 36. Both pushers. If you want me to, I'll run over and take a look for you.
Jim

quote:

Originally posted by humbojb:
Hey Bill (as in New York) --have you thought about the coach in Shelby, NC? I live 45 minutes from him and have talked to him on the phone. One is a 32' and the other 35 or 36. Both pushers. If you want me to, I'll run over and take a look for you.
Jim

Thank you, but right now I'm trying to do homework and layouts. I have no intentions of buying in the next month or so unless it's something that jumps out and grabs me.

I want just a little more info and leads first. This time of the year is when I get overworked. Everyone says they do roadservice but when it gets cold no one but us goes out.


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1991 Barth Regal
460 EFI C6 Transmission
33' Oshkosh/John Deere Chassis

http://www.TruckRoadService.com/

"Without Trucks,

America Stops"

[This message has been edited by Bill (edited January 13, 2006).]

I was just doing a little homework and thought I would post a note for some feedback.

32' or longer Diesel 1990 or newer with a widebody design. Side entrance instead of front. I still might consider a front entrance if that gets me more beds. I would "like to" stay away from the 8.2L Detroit and 5.9L Cummins engines but still might consider them.

Looking to find out about max sleeping capacity and max beds. "3 beds sleeps 4" tells me more then just "sleeps 4".

I need 2 seperate beds for the kids (cooties) and a large (kind/queen) bed for me and the wife. Would like 4 beds but I don't know if they made them like that.

I have checked out the For Sale forum and only used the search word "widebody". A lot of the links are gone (sold) and the other ones don't really do the interior justice.

Info and thoughts anyone? Remember, I have only seen 2 other Barths and one was the twin to my "Mobile Medical Lab". And yes, I expect to pay over $500.00

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1991 Barth Regal
460 EFI C6 Transmission
33' Oshkosh/John Deere Chassis

http://www.TruckRoadService.com/

"Without Trucks,

America Stops"

[This message has been edited by Bill (edited January 13, 2006).]

The gentleman in Shelby has two coaches, a 35' Monarch and a 32' Regency. They are in FMC magazine for 70 and 50 respectively. Top bid on ebay for the Monarch was 47 and the reserve was not met. The Monarch has one queen and a sleeper sofa, so depending on the length of the sofa, maybe sleeps four. That's the thing I've found about a lot of these coaches--they seem to be built for two people plus a couple more for a weekend. Seems a shame, all that space, and only two can stay in them comfortably for a very long time. Now, I've seen a lot of SOB's with better arrangements but I'd rather have a Barth.

I sense that Barhs were marketed to a moneyed class that tends to be older folks whose children are grown up and gone, hence the scarcity of "bunkhouse" models. I don't recall any floorplans in 28' and larger that didn't have the typical sofa up front, with center or rear twins, or a rear queen.

Short of a DIY plan a la the underway conversion recently advertised here, I can't think how one might modify an existing plan to accommodate kids on separate berths, short of giving the kids rear twins, & relegating Mom & Pop to the couch up front, or perhaps converting the couch to a lower bunk with a back that swings up to form an upper to make separate beds for two kids.

[This message has been edited by olroy (edited January 13, 2006).]

quote:

Originally posted by Bill:

I would "like to" stay away from the 8.2L Detroit and 5.9L Cummins engines but still might consider them.

Bill would you expand on why your would like to stay away from the 5.9 Cummins?

Also, a front entrance does not save all that much space. In a typical front entrance coach, the passenger seat is set back 15 inches farther than the driver's seat to allow for the stairwell. A side entrance requires about 24 inches, so a front entrance saves 9 inches of wall space. However, there is usually one less chair on the pass side, so it is a trade-off. In our own case, my wife doesn't want a lot of traffic through the parlor, and likes a side door for passing food and drink, as we barbecue and sit outside a lot.

As far as floor plans, you just gotta look at a lot of coaches and see what suits you.
Perhaps a coach with a sleeper couch and a dinette that makes into a bed would suit. Add a gaucho bed and you could sleep six.

We have a sleeper sofa on the driver's side, and a fold-down table and two swivel chairs on the pass side. The chairs can be lifted off their tubular pedestals and a narrow bed board put in place will sleep one more. On a previous motor home, I laid a bed board across the driver and passenger seat to make one more bed. I had teen-agers stacked like cordwood when my kids were home. The place looked like a troop ship.

Down in Homestead this past November I met and visited with Tim and saw first hand how to sleep 27 in a Barth! HEE HEE! Actually, they did have about 6 or 8 spread around in there. The drop dinette and fold down couch will get you seperate sleepers for the kids, but you have to go over 30 feet to get it. Some lucky Barther around here has a drop down over the front seats, something rarely seen in a Barth. I'd trade off the headroom for that setup in a second!

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Dan & Suzy Z
'81 Euro 28

A long time ago I had a Cortez MH. The sleeping arrangement was two sofas converting into bunk beds when the sofa backs were lifted up and hung with straps to the ceiling(similar to Olroy's post).Do you have space on the passenger side for another sofa(eliminating a chair(s)? You would actually gain seating space with the extra sofa. If you also convert the original sofa you can end up with a "six sleeper". I don't think the cost would be exorbitant and might even enhance your resale value........c

"THE TOY" 88 33' Regal SE Coach #3448