Been a barth-dreamer for a long time -- I see there is a Barth 34footer listed on ebay with very little additional info listed .. Has anyone bought an RV sight unseen or tested. Does the unit listed appear to be a decent deal?/ any and all input welcome...

here is the listing if anyone is interested ...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1852077582

First of all welcome to the Barthmobile website. Happy to have you, and believe me we were all Barth dreamers at one time and most still are.

As far as the coach on Ebay. I hate to say it but they have some problems there. It looks like a great coach, however, their reserve is $30K. This is overpriced by about $8K. I worry because in her post she says it sold new for $186.000. Maybe $86. I have the price lists for 1993 34ft Regency diesels that list for $213. So a gas 454 goes for only $20K less. Not likely. My 1985 28foot Regal sold new for $60K.

I think it is a very nice looking coach however. I would wait until the auction is over, then visit and check out the coach. She is a very motivated seller. She said they don't use it at all. If it is in good shape and every thing works, and you could get it for $25 I would do that.

If you are serious and the bidding starts getting close to the $25K area I would bid enought to be the highest bidder but under the reserve. I bet she will call the last highest bidder and offer it to them for that.
The NADA Book is $23K-$30K roughly and the Barth should be worth a lot more. However, sad to say, Barths are just not holding their price. So try to keep the emotion out of it. These late 80's regals have sold as low as the teens on the website here.

By the way, she calls this a 34footer. I may be wrong but I think it is officially a 33footer. On these coachs, (same with mine) they didn't measure the bumper in the thing and that adds another foot.

Best of luck, let us know how it turns out.

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Shortcuts Always Take Longer

Thanks for the input - I also found this same unit listed on rvtrader.com for 32k. Seems somewhat high. I will be getting one as soon as I find my unit....... Thanks again ....

A Barth Regal Data Sheet I have (dated 11/01/91) shows a suggested retail price of $112,250.00 for a 33' Regal. Adding up all the options on the sheet still would not total $186,000.00.

Can you imagine anyone paying that much for it in the '80's.

Just think a 2003 Newmar Mountain Aire on the new Workhorse chassis with the 8.1 L GM engine with two slideouts Corian and Leather goes for $138K list so that means you can buy if for around $105K.

I did talk to a guy in New Orleans once who bought a 1998 25ft Regal, totally maxed out for around $150K and he used it exclusively for transporting his family to their vacation home in Florida. Obviously a gentleman with serous expendible income. He sold it on this website for around $50K.

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Shortcuts Always Take Longer



[This message has been edited by davebowers (edited August 22, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by davebowers (edited August 22, 2002).]

I'm still working with the owner of the the '88 33/34 foot barth. I am planning og going to look at it this next week - does any one have a list things that I should look for or check out. Are there any outstanding issues with this unit I should be aware of. Pro's or cons Thanks for the assistance..

Have a mechanic do a general checkout including a compression check and get the engine smog checked. Put in new ignition wires and vacuum hoses. Put a can of Trans X in the tranny. Replace the fuel filter in the right frame rail and at the carb inlet. Be sure the tag brake fluid is OK, (there is a separate master cylinder) and lube the tag axle bearings, as it is essentially a trailer axle. Make sure the tag air bags hold air and the air compressor works. Carry a tire pump or electric compressor just in case. Many have leaks at the panel.
Your main issue is to get it home without trouble. It is an old coach, and you will be spending more money and time on it. But it will be worth it, as a Barth will not self-destruct like so many others.
I would buy it in a heartbeat for 25k if I needed a longer coach. Our 30 is just right for us.

I see where you won the bid for $24,201. The unit looks good from the pictures. Be sure and take a look at the comments from Dave above... (Past experience) and it paid off.
Congrats

Al

Sorry, I meant the comments from bill. Although Dave did the same for me when I bought mine. Good Luck

$25K? What a deal on a great looking coach. Man I see another obsession building here. I love the paint job. Just carry a few business card for chiropractors. Because there are going to be a ton of twisted neck straining to look at it.

I bought my 91 Regency trough ebay, and although the price I've paid is 60% of NADA value, the value is over 100K
Generally being active on ebay, I can say that people lie as a rule. On the side of professional crooks, they are honest people, that "don't see" the problems just because they've been living with them. One time I won a Mercedes with "70K miles on new engine" and after some hesitations seller faxed me invoice on extensive engine repairs 100K miles ago in unauthorized shop. Took me quite some arguments to get my deposit back, and that was a HONEST GUY
My advise is to ask if the description is accurate, and anything wrong, that you discover - if you still want the item is a subject to discount. And make sure you know what you are doing. On big items pay small deposit, or use escrow and remember, that coming to buy with cash in hand makes negotiations much easer. The ebay insurance is a bull.... My son bought BMW, what was fraud on 2 point, and insurance company refused to take the claim. They talk to the seller, so she refunded the price, leaving my son with $1000 los on shipping charges.

Just an additional note on the unit I've been looking at. First, the asking price is 30k - can't get him to budge - but I drove down and looked at it and drove it today...
IT really is a good looking coach. best part is everything works. Couch needs re-covering bit thats all I could find wrong. But the maroon dash - that will take some getting use to. It has air bags in the front shocks & each has their own compressor, pretty neat, I guess. Is that a std item? Wish me luck

Every Barth is a bit different, but I'd bet that it has one compressor behind the left headlight and a valve and gauge for each airbag on the tag axle. The front air bags are usually not connected to the pump, but are aired from valves mounted somewhere near the front wheel well.

there are two pressure guages and control units on the front dash controlling the bags - they may in fact control the rear bags