The smaller diesel units like the Isuzu based Trek are actually commanding higher prices than in the past. Diesel is up to $4.69 in this neck of the woods. Goldman analysts are predicting a $150 - $200 price per barrel in the next 6 - 24 months. Motorhome?? I may be parking my SUV in the next few months at this rate, for good.

I've debated buying a diesel and either using SVO or making biodiesel to cut the full costs down. Check out www.greasecar.com.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/rvs/690155306.html
Not ebay but I bet this doesn't move at the price either. A lot of caveats.

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/rvs/690017258.html Think the windshield fell out?

The Bluebird seems actually to be salvable at that price - I've never seen one lower. It probably is a Cat 3208 puller of around 35'. But I agree, it's still going to sit at that price...

The Allegro, however, exceeds the price these commanded five years ago.

quote:

The smaller diesel units like the Isuzu based Trek are actually commanding higher prices than in the past.

What's strange is that diesels' specific fuel consumption (Gal./HP-Hr.) is pretty level. I talked to a man who was interested in a Barth who had an Isuzu 135 HP 28' Trek (he came up here to look at mine), and his mileage had been around 12 mpg., and speed up mountains was entered into a calender, not a clock.

At 5+ bucks a gallon I don't think 10, 12 or even 15 MPG is gonna make all that much difference in the end. We'll have to see what happens in Iran too and what the next pres does, if anything about this mess. I noticed today that prices at the pumps have been jacked up another 10 cents in anticipation of the upcoming holiday weekend. When demand drops, we'll have to see if any of this is real or if supplies are cut to keep prices high.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
What's strange is that diesels' specific fuel consumption (Gal./HP-Hr.) is pretty level.

I remember an old formula for a gas automobile's around-town fuel consumption. It was a number around 52,000 divided by the fully laden weight of the vehicle. In the 70's gas crises, I did all sorts of jiggery-pokery to get better mileage, and could never beat that formula in town. Out on the highway, I made big time improvements, but in town the laws of physics were against me. It takes so much energy to accelerate so much weight. Period.

Anyone remember the Mobilgas economy run every year in the 50s?

I have been checking Ebay also and only 5 or 10% of the RV's have sold. Most of the bids have ended at 50 to 60% of the buy it now price. The ones that have been sold seem to have gone for 75-80% of the NADA.

I talked to my Credit Union and they will not consider any price over the avg NADA. I have seen a number of units asking 20% higher than NADA due to "my unit is better than... or NADA does not know what it is talking about"

I think also sellers look at the NADA and the list of options that can be checked off on the list. The consider all the standard items as "options", so if the unit comes with 2 roof airs and a refrigerator they check the boxes as options. When the options mean things added in addition to the standard MSRP.

There are some barths listed high, some beavers are lower, and the prevosts and Newells seem to be falling into real consideration, even with the Fuel price situation.

I want the quality but not the length.

quote:

I want the quality but not the length.

That's exactly why we wound up with a Barth. They seem to be the only company that built the same quality into a 28, 30, etc. as bluebird and prevost did in the larger coaches.
Nick

Same here - plus the fact that the smallest SOB diesel pusher is 32' - I'd alsd have had to whack down several large oaks to ease the turns.

As Tom mentioned, most of the coaches on eBay are languishing; from what I've seen just in the past day, the market has shrunk even below Tom's estimate of 5-10% selling just a few hours ago.

I can't believe no one bid on this '04 Bluebird!

BTW, Alfa RV has closed; National RV's in bankruptcy; Country Coach is laying off 20% of its workforce.

ABTW, is it just me, or does it look like Newell stole Barth plans?!

Rusty, when you say Alfa is closed, do you mean that they are out of business, as in everyone sent home and the doors closed?

Closed for good, here.

I don't get it. I've been browsing eBay's motorhome listings, and what I find puzzling is the number of listings that don't:

- Show a floor plan
- Have more than four or five photos for a coach the seller probably hopes to get (good luck!) $100K+ for
- Disclose the engine manufacturer, model and ratings
- Talk about fuel, FW, grey, and black capacities
- Understand that the NADA figures to which they refer are months old, and are OBE
- "Get it" that folks who can write a check for a $400K motorhome didn't get that affluent by being stupid - MAYBE they'd consider writing one for $180K
- See that NOTHING is selling for more than severely depressed prices, even the Class B+s
- Sell with a reserve, period

I'm sure I've missed some, but in the past day, NO coach with a reserve has sold, except for three where the seller lowered the reserve to meet the bids. The only coaches selling are those with no reserve, and they're generally repo-liquidations.

Even a '92 V6 Toyota with claimed mpg of 14-16 had to lower his reserve to converge with the bids.

It also looks like a few (very few!) purveyors of '08 and '09 RVs are wising up, and are selling at what has to be close to real invoice. A good time to buy (even an SOB) and a BAD time to sell. Dealers, with a very few exceptions, haven't accepted reality yet.

Nevertheless, the more I see what's out there, the more I like my Breakaway...

Speaking of reality check, I just got my Campers World magazine with the listings for all their coaches. They think anything with 6 tires and a bed is worth 60 grand! They're nuts!