RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
Patience - patience
We are presently in Hugo Okla to visit my mother for weekend - then return Monday for the finalization - probably Tuesday.
Problem is - no sheets, no towels, no soap, no dishes, no nothing - as we simply didn't plan on thing this fast.
We are planning on driving about 4 hours Tuesday (Possibly Wed) afternoon up to Ft Smith and looking for a good overnight camping location ----- like I said, no nothing. I didn't even bring the camping books - woodalls and etc.
Then the next day will drive on up to Osceolla Iowa and the next day on home - hopefully Thursday.
Photos will come after that ----- so hang in there - but it looks a lot like the Executive in this post further back except it's White in color with Gray swirls.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
She is nearly as excited as she was when I bought her the house we live in. She absolutely "Loves" it. Already making plans for what she wants to decorate with and everything else.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
Found a small one man welding shop this evening - guy was open to me helping him lay out the size and design for the adapter.
Built it - not the most beautiful thing in the universe - but it will work.
Guess I will be towing the toad home with it's Blue Ox base plate and Roadmaster tow bar after all. When I make it home then I will ship the Roadmaster tow bar back to it's owner...
God Bless
Bill
RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
With that in mind then - the 01 he is looking at is well within the price range. The extra HP is certainly worth it and in his case well worth the extra money.
On another end - I am busy trying to locate a simple little part. A Blue Ox part number BX88151. It's an adaptor for Blue Ox base plate to the Roadmaster Sterling bar.
I came down to look and return home (1000 + Mile trip one way) and then come back in a week or two to pick it up. Turns out things worked far more quickly and now I have the Blue Ox base plate and they have the Roadmaster. Have been to two camper supply places in Shreveport and they don't have this particular part.
Does anyone know of this Blue Ox part number in or around the Shreveport area? BX88151
Otherwise it looks like we will probably just rent a U-haul dolly for the one way trip back home next week. Hate to do it that way but you do what you have to.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
Bill,
I'm guessing you have a new toy !
I'm happy for you and the family and can't wait to see the pictures.
The one I'm looking at is an 01 Executive 40ft with all the bells and whistles.
I'm a little bumed it has a 500 horse power plant and gets about 4 to 5 mpg.
Here it is let me know what you think.(http://www.mhsrv.com/inventory_item.asp?id=482233)
Hey - looked at her and the interior layout is virtually identical. Just a couple differences - location of washer dryer and small closet is different and bedroom sink is slightly different,
Price - well, it's substantually higher than we are paying - but negotiations may work well for you with something substantial to trade in.
I had to buy outright - and now have to sell the Tourmaster myself - since buying from private party.
Bet you do well on a trade though - those guys have a fairly sharp pencil.
You will love it - especially with all that power.... Ours has 370 hp.
Go for it.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
Good luck on her - sure looks nice from the outside.
Let us all know if you pull the "trigger" and then, of course, you must post a few pics.
One thing that impressed us was the increase in storage space inside.
Ours was a little limited in that area but the Dynasty has at least double the space in that area. The "hanging" closet space is twice as large as ours in that alone.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
Wow!
Newer than ours by a few years I think - but the side paint is fairly close.
Is this an "Executive" or "Dynasty"?
Have you driven it yet?
PM me the info - and floorplan. We fell in love with this one with the "Ash" wood interior and it has some options from the Executive. This one has the 370 hp version.
I believe you will say the same thing as I did ------ Love it
Let me know
God Bless
Bill
RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
Is this it 2001 Dynasty:W
Good luck and have a safe trip.
Cheers
No - isn't the correct one. The one we are buying is located in La and is south of Shreveport about 40 minutes.
It is the "Chancellor" model od Dynasty and has many executive upgrades. It's as close to being a "prestine" coach as any I have run into.
Probably will drive her home on Monday or Tuesday.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
Bill, Nice to see you are still here. I think you'll like the 01 Dynasty, we had an 01' Endeavor and liked it alot. Same basic coach.
Good luck whatever you do !!
Rick
Yup
Still here but sometimes I question myself on the "why".
Presently am staying at the Super 8 in Shreveport (yuk - absolutely the worst motel I have ever stayed at - deplorable).
Have meeting with the owners in morning and it's still a short drive from here yet. Sounds good, looks good on paper, but the truth will be sometime before noon today. I am prepared to walk away though - so we will see. Bothers the wife just a little that we drive over 1000 miles and possibly turn around and drive back home empty handed.
In the meantime - God Bless
Bill
RE: Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
Face it, Bill - you've got the 'next coach fever'. Give into it and get what works for you!
Yep he sure does!! big time!! Be watching the forum, for when he buys, he is gonna have a half price sale on his old one...but you will have to put an end on the throttle cable link. Go Bill, you will love that Dynasty with a tag. He is gonna be uptown!!!
(_)> (_)> (_)>
God Bless
Bill
Never thought I would do it - but leaving Sunday to
Inspect a potential new(er) motorhome for us.
Found a really nice (nearly prestine) 01 Dynasty for sale about 2 day trip from us. Made deposit, contingent, and will inspect it on Tuesday.
The wife noted that since retirement we likely will have very frequent visitors (grandkids) with us. Room was a premium then. The Tourmaster was just great for the 2 of us - but with 2 or 3 additional ones it wasn't so good.
So - biting the bullet and going for a slightly larger (by 1 foot longer) tag axle with 2 slides.
Not positive yet on all this - but will know for sure by Tuesday.
When, and if, we do acquire the Dynasty we will take photos and change out the ones we have posted.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Diesel Soot Removal???
Similar issue on ours.
We used "resolve" spray on - very-very soft brush (like some use to brush their chrome wheels). It worked nicely - I scrubbed our entire ceiling that way and it's like new now.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Upside down! Just wonder how many of us are!
Upside down????
Lots of input on the definition.
What "I" consider as being upside down is this:
Buy something for $50,000 and then after a period of time need or desire to sell it. Unit in question is worth $30,000 at that time.
You owe $40,000 on the unit.
However, when you bought the "something" you had $50,000 cash sitting in your savings account.
Question becomes ---- you sell the unit then for $30,000 ------- do you have enough assets to make up the difference in what you owe at the time of sale????
Guess I don't really feel someone is "upside down" on anything when one's liquid assets are sufficient that the unit can be sold and the total owed balance paid for upon sale.
Personal losses --- now that it a whole different issue.
On our present coach we owe "nothing" at all to anyone. Title is in our safe. However, what we paid for the coach and then what we paid to repair and improve the coach over the past 3 or 4 years is something different. Present average retail on our coach is low $40's and the total money put into her is close to double that.
Actually should we sell our coach for $40,000 we will show a loss of close to $40,000 and that is for 4 years. Cost of ownership - $10,000 a year plus insurance, fuel, oil and etc.
Is $10,000 a year an acceptable loss on enjoying yourself and family enjoyment for those 4 years? I think so.
Compare that to a new coach - buy for $250,000 and drive it home and enjoy the view of a brand new coach sitting in your driveway now worth substantially less than $200,000 - is this acceptable? Depends upon way too many things for one to judge by the casual. However one that does this has just lost more $$$ in a few hours of depreciation - than I have in 4 years...
God Bless
BillUpside-down is when you owe more on your coach than it will garner in a sale. I have a hard time believing that your 15 year old coach will bring $42,000 anywhere today. I believe you would get a true trade-in nearer to $10,000 tops. You won't know the true number until you bring it into the deal after getting the best deal on your next coach.
There is no comparing your 15 year old paid for coach with a new $250,000+- coach driven off the lot at any price. Depreciation is generally 50% inside of two years. I bought a 9-month old pristine, loaded, used coach for -25% off what the new owner paid just 9-months before I bought it from him. I would never buy a new anything......too much of a hit putting you in-the-hole right off the bat. It is far better to buy used, regardless of how gently used it is. RVs are a dime-a-dozen, all RVs, none escape the depreciation game, even your 15 year old coach.
Bill, I would suggest you try testing the water by placing a few free ads around the Internet to see how fast someone will give you $42,000 for your coach, I believe you will get a wake-up call on it's true value to the next buyer.
Good Luck!:)
Skid row
I'm certainly not that foolish, as to expect to garner $42 k for my coach. I am fully aware of the price I paid for it - the money I put into it - and depreciation on it from the git-go.
What I was posting is a direct printout from NADA - that's all.
Nearly anyone knows that his/her coach is only worth whatever someone "else" is willing to pay you for it - period.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Upside down! Just wonder how many of us are!
Upside down????
Lots of input on the definition.
What "I" consider as being upside down is this:
Buy something for $50,000 and then after a period of time need or desire to sell it. Unit in question is worth $30,000 at that time.
You owe $40,000 on the unit.
However, when you bought the "something" you had $50,000 cash sitting in your savings account.
Question becomes ---- you sell the unit then for $30,000 ------- do you have enough assets to make up the difference in what you owe at the time of sale????
Guess I don't really feel someone is "upside down" on anything when one's liquid assets are sufficient that the unit can be sold and the total owed balance paid for upon sale.
Personal losses --- now that it a whole different issue.
On our present coach we owe "nothing" at all to anyone. Title is in our safe. However, what we paid for the coach and then what we paid to repair and improve the coach over the past 3 or 4 years is something different. Present average retail on our coach is low $40's and the total money put into her is close to double that.
Actually should we sell our coach for $40,000 we will show a loss of close to $40,000 and that is for 4 years. Cost of ownership - $10,000 a year plus insurance, fuel, oil and etc.
Is $10,000 a year an acceptable loss on enjoying yourself and family enjoyment for those 4 years? I think so.
Compare that to a new coach - buy for $250,000 and drive it home and enjoy the view of a brand new coach sitting in your driveway now worth substantially less than $200,000 - is this acceptable? Depends upon way too many things for one to judge by the casual. However one that does this has just lost more $$$ in a few hours of depreciation - than I have in 4 years......
It's all relevant!!
If you can afford to do it - it's basically your money (one way or another you will have to pay for it). Just make that decision and go enjoy your life.
God Bless
Bill
RE: My turn to wine about mpg (follow up observation)
Yes, this is a wine about my MPG. I did my first real mileage test with the new engine and fully calibrated MPFI. Even changed my gearing so my engine would turn 500 RPM less at cruise. Kept it under 70 mph, and tried to aim for 65 mph most of the time. This is about 5 mph slower than I normally travel. My mileage was 7.6 which is around .8 mpg less than with the old 454. I really tried to do everything right, bought an engine with a higher compression ratio, added multi-port fuel injection, lowered my gearing and some how I came out with less mileage. Doesn't really make any sense, but sure is frustrating, especially for the money and time spent. Ironically during my test runs, I used the old gear ratio and had my foot into it, cruised at much higher speed, and really didn't get any worse mileage. Grrr, not sure what else to do other than to wine about it. Yes, there is gobs of available power, but that really was supposed to enable the lower gearing, which it did, but there is no advantage.
I have been following your efforts to rebuild your coach for some time. I find it very interesting and at one time may have joined you in doing simething similar. However, old age takes it's toll and has.
I doubt that your fuel mileage will get much better - although it likely will after the engine becomes broken in better - it shouldn's take but 2 or 3 thousand to start seeing an incrimental increase though.
Maybe you should start doing some "drag" racing agains a few of these local teens - you just might smoke a few.
Just enjoy your coach - it's so good to watch someone work as hard and smart as you.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Upside down! Just wonder how many of us are!
Interesting "banter" going on here - and it surely makes some sit back and take stock of their individual position - and values.
One is charged with "wise" management of their assets and this is a "biblical" origin.
As has been stated here - management and preservation of your assets balanced with the obligations is likely the most prudent method.
I am choosing to finance my next coach instead of paying for it outright. While I have the assets to do so - I feel that paying for the use of someone else's money while retaining and managing mine may be the best choice.
The next coach will be one in which I will be paying interest (which is tax deductable and have found myself, in retirement, of needing to increase my deductables). Plus I am now able to use the coach for a business expense also.
Presently my current coach is one that is paid for along with nearly everything I own. Prefer it that way really and once again this is "biblical". Weighing the responsibility issues though and one can easily justify the financing as a "prudent and responsible" method of money management.
Keep the thoughts coming - generates lots of various input and some may prove invaluable to other members.
God Bless
Bill
RE: Fulltime for life?
Interesting to read these threads - so many question the wisedom of selling everything they own and going on the road for years or life.
What does it matter - like one poster said "what does it matter where I die"?
We are like sheep in our society - must have a house, must have a car, must have a job, must have a lawn, lawn mower, trimmer, spray the weeks, keep up with the jones - on and on and on.
We as a people have been beaten to death with the message that "We owe" it to the children and grandchildren to do certain things. Like raise our kids - pay for them (as young adults) to go through college, buy then computers, cars, stereo systems, I-Pods, cell phones and - there is no end to it.
True - times of old meant that the family grew up on a farm or ranch and had the same homestead for a hundred years - transfered as the old timers died and on to the kids who kept on farming, etc. In those days the kids would come home on holidays and a family was just that ---- A FAMILY.
Today - if you have kids and grandkids - just how often do you actually hear from them? Once or twice a year and then only if they want something or money.....
Last year (for the very first time ever for us) - we let our children know that for thanksgiving we were leaving and going to buy our dinner somewhere. IF - they wanted to join us we were going to be at XXXXXXX.
The reason for that was for the previous 2 years we set up for a large turkey and trimmings dinner - notified everyone that it was being served "hot" at 1 pm. Two years in a row guess who showed up (between us we have 8 kids all married with families). Answer to the question was (NONE). Sadly none even called to say they could not come and left us feel that they would before that day.
No - we are going to cut the little apron strings and go live our life and enjoy what we worked for so many years to attain. We are currently in the slow but deliberate process of selling off our possesions and eventually will sell our home. Travel will be the focus and we plan on circulating to each and every one of our kids throughout the year.
At the point that one (or both) of us become unable to travel that way - we will select an area of the country (and it won't be in the North where it gets 40 below in winter time, nor in South where it gets 115 in summer time). Then locate a condo or town house - where there is no garden to weed, no lawn to mow, no weeds to pull and etc.
We already have our plot for final resting - and have already selected our caskets and the funeral home for services.
Our society, and true it is the greatest in the world, is slowly but surely moving to socialism - one of the purest yet seen. If you doubt that just try and re-enter your flooded home and find how fast you end up in jail. Just try and not pay your property taxes and see how fast you loose the home.
No - the footloose RV'ing lifestyle is one of the very "last" areas of life in our country where one still has some semblence of freedom.
Of course - this is all in MHO
God Bless
Bill
