Don't panic, the surge in MoHo sales is because of the upswing in fuel prices. Once the price of gas levels off, and people become acclimated to it, the number of motor homes offered will drop off.
I figured it must be because of the gas prices, but found it funny that it was FIVE 345s and only one other, a 28'? Argosy (not counting fiberglass AS RVs--I think there were two or three of them).
Susan
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"Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?"
1984 310 Limited Motor Home "The Rockin' A"
1974 31' Excella (soon-to-be carhauler)
1974 20' Argosy Motor Home
It has a reserve of $7995 and looks like it is in so-so condition. I would be a little scared by the reserve, but at the same time, I'd be disinclined to bid on this one: eBay Motors: 1985 Airstream 345 Motorhome - Classic Headturner (item 190123534081 end time Jun-22-07 07:26:00 PDT) with its $30K starting bid and cosmetically challenged curbside rear corner. Seems they are all way over priced for the apparent market right now. Of course I know no one here would take less for their beloved baby, but then again, none of them are on e-bay right now are they?
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2006 30' Safari - "Changes in Latitudes"
2008 F-250 Lariat Power Stroke Diesel Crew Cab SWB
Family of Disney Fanatics
WBCCI# 4821
Trade in value on an 86 345 is somewhere around 11,400 with the high retail at 21,900. I've been watching E-Bay for months before I bought and the coaches that are over 18,000 go off without a bid. There seem to be some deals such as one last week that went for $12,200 that was listed as very clean and very well maintained....I can't understand asking $35,000 to 40,000 for a 22 year old coach....even a Wanderlodge!
Pete
Seem a bit high in $$$ to me, but Terry is right, lots of folks dumping or not buyin' MoHos due to gas.
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Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
With fuel prices what they are, even with them coming down right now, I can't imagine anyone paying more than $15K for even the best of those unless they really have an appreciation for one like one of the forum members here would have and a forum member would realize that now is the time to get a bargain.
Fuel prices are just too much of an unknown right now. The oil companies are refusing to build new refineries so fuel prices are sure to stay up for the next few years. Or at least that is what the "experts" are saying right now.
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2006 30' Safari - "Changes in Latitudes"
2008 F-250 Lariat Power Stroke Diesel Crew Cab SWB
Family of Disney Fanatics
WBCCI# 4821
Those prices (with the exception of the fixer upper for < $12K) are way too high. While there is a bit of a premium for classics (over same year HRs or Coachmens for example) 30K for a damaged coach and 40K for anything is nuts. I suspect these folks are no using the motorhomes much anymore and are just testing the market.
Funny thing about gas prices and market perception. We're taking our 1986 345 from Louisville to NH for 2.5 weeks this summer. It's about 2100 miles round trip for us. It'll cost about $850 in fuel and we'll tow our car. We have five people and two dogs staying at my wife's family beach house (free camping).
If we flew and rented a cottage it would be break down as follows:
Airfare for five (Southwest from SDF to MHT) --> $1908
Minivan rental for two weeks $979
Cottage Rental for two weeks --> $2400
Dog Kennel for two weeks --> $400
Total --> $5687
Savings by taking the motorhome -- > $4873 (85%)
Seems like even $4 a gallon, as painful as that sounds, would still favor taking the motorhome. We do this trip just about every year and after flying and renting the first time we easily justified the motorhome four years ago. It still seems to make sense even with the 100% increase in fuel prices since then.
Any additional local camping trips we make (within an hour or two) are just gravy. We kind of think of it as our mobile beach cottage.
I agree, Steven! We jumped on our 310 a few months ago due to the depressed pricing and we see it the same way you do. It always costs us less to take the RV on a trip over about 3 days length than it does to drive/fly and stay in a hotel. Plus we have our familiar surroundings, creature comforts and a superior degree of coolness in our shiny metal lodge!
The other benefit is having a fully mobile home in the driveway in case of emergency!
Susan
__________________
"Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how popular it remains?"
1984 310 Limited Motor Home "The Rockin' A"
1974 31' Excella (soon-to-be carhauler)
1974 20' Argosy Motor Home
Last edited by Alumatube; 06-25-2007 at 10:56 AM..
There is a 345 on there right now that seems like a steal....
__________________
Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 1991
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