Who are active members of FMCA? Why are others passing on it?
I had a complaint in their forum about a vendor who was mounting me from astern about a bait and switch web order and they immediately nuked it because they were an advertiser!!!!
I told you why I belong to FMCA,I don't go to the FMCA rallies.to me they are overpriced and what they charge electrical hook up you could buy a cheap generator. A lot of bus owners do go to the FMCA rallies though.FMCA is where I first signed up with Coach-Net when it was $65.00 a year.You have other options like Good Sam's which I never joined because it is same owners as Camping World
I have been a member since 1985 and go to the Great Lakes Area rallies mainly for the comodery of people I have known for years. I know it is a bit pricey especially for a Canadian (40% premium on money) but the meeting old friends is worth it. I used to have Coach Net till I got kicked.out due to coach age. They since changed it but I use Good Sam's towing service for many.years. Another reason I belong is the FMCAssist program. We cruise as well so it works for us. I know it works as I know a person that used it from Germany to Canada at no cost to him.
For the dollar you cannot beat the medical assist from FMCA ,50 bucks is 3 good hamburgers now
I was under the impression that FMCA insurance covers chapter gatherings?
That's huge, if it still works that way, no insurance, even fewer rallys.
Otherwise, same here, belonging gets the medical/recovery.
The magazine content is an endless source of frustration.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Quote from: buswarrior on March 12, 2023, 05:28:47 AM
I was under the impression that FMCA insurance covers chapter gatherings?
That's huge, if it still works that way, no insurance, even fewer rallys.
Otherwise, same here, belonging gets the medical/recovery.
The magazine content is an endless source of frustration.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
FMCA Insurance only covers the officers of a chapter at a rally,when we did a rally in Breaux Bridge for the crawfish festival, I had to use my home owners policy for the camp ground only cost me a 100 bucks for week. In the years I have belonged to FMCA I have only found 1 FMCA campground and that was at the home office in Ohio, FMCA is totally different now with travel trailers allowed but they had to do that or fade away into the sunset.The tire program is ok you can buy Michelins or cheaper grade tires ,every now then you can read good articles in the magazine .I am sorta like Walter you pay $50.00 a year to belong to a club that cost you $10.00 a year lol I always thought that was backwards.
I have been a member for 20 years. I joined because I had to to be a member of Eagles Intenational. At the time I thought it was highway robbery. It turned out to be a good thing for us. The people we met and the friends we made are worth way more than the dues we paid. We have been to alot of FMCA and non FMCA rallies and have seen a alot of this great country. FMCA use to lobby for the rv industry not so much anymore. The international rallies were a place to go and be able to see many vendors and stock up on things needed for the bus. There were to or three vendors selling the same thing so you could find things at a good price. Not so much anymore. At these rallies there were good seminars that you could learn good information. I have been national director for a while and have seen them do some dumb things and some good things. FMCA is a little slow in keeping up with the times.
FMCA rallies are covered with insurance.I have never heard of it being tested. All in all the money I spent on dues for FMCA and Eagles International I can truly say it was money well spent. I have always said the bus changed my life for the good and Eagles International was a big part of it
Wayne
I dropped out of FMCA years ago, did not see the benefit. The magazine used to be a pretty good publication but now is cheapened up with travel trailer articles and granny recipes. I really liked Eagles International when I had my Eagle, and my Eagle friends. Then when I dropped FMCA they mandated I belong to it so I dropped Eagles Int. and all other bus club memberships. Because of the china virus NW Bus Nuts has not had a rally for at least 3 years, and the club has just about aged out and does not seem interested in attracting a younger membership so I guess that's out too. Overall, it looks like the bus conversion hobby is fading out to me. The younger set seems to be enthralled with converting cheap school buses.
FMCA has changed over the past years ,the best thing was when they changed from a for profit corporation to nonprofit corporation that may be backwards,now they cannot just set on the money that only benefited a few in office.There was always a joke if you drove cheap class A Fleetwood run for president and win you could upgrade to a Newell in 2 years.Charlie was a good president he brought back a lot of benefits other before him had done away with, lol and he never got a Newell,I don't keep up the FMCA much all I know if they drop the Medical Assist again like before I won't be member
The cost to join is not a big hurdle but was grinds me is you join FMCA just so you can get to FMCA rallies that apparently are not cheap. No doubt back in the 90's when bus conversions were a thing and before the internet where so much info is available with a few keystrokes, it was a great resource for sharing ideas and experiences.
FMCA seems like an organization that is fading along with the bus conversion hobby. Maybe it would be worthwhile to put some feelers out on the bus boards and FB groups to convene an informal meetup in CA at a location with hookups or on BLM in Nevada for boondocking crowd. More would be inclinded in a campground but there is more considerations and costs. Throwing out a GPS location on BLM is hardly any effort or involved.
https://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca-carrizo-plain.htmlhttps://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/california/carrizo-plain-national-monument
https://www.bayarea.com/things-to-do/guide-carrizo-plain-national-monuments-wildflower-bloom/
It is located under BLM, probably places to camp not far. April is prime season.
You don't need to belong to FMCA to attend any FMCA chapter rally only for the FMCA International Rallies,the Calvary Stampede is the most expensive FMCA rally @1295.00 this year lol that is almost as much a Prevost Rally. The trend now are smaller groups gathering at cars,bikes ,music shows and riding a ATV in the desert, which I don't find enjoyment in riding a ATV and eating dust for hours.We have fun around here with 3,4 or 5 buses campfires.beer and friendship and Gary Hatt teaching you dog bad habits.To me a structured rally with timetables for a knitting glass :-\ and so on are not fun
One would think logically that you are better off keeping the money in your pocket and buy insurance separately. Years back people would join clubs and organzations just to get a magazine subscription. Now you can access information on the internet for nothing. Just like people who join AARP. You pay dues to save a few pennies on whatever. Then they take that money to send you more brochures.
Quote from: CrabbyMilton on March 13, 2023, 07:02:33 AM
One would think logically that you are better off keeping the money in your pocket and buy insurance separately. Years back people would join clubs and organzations just to get a magazine subscription. Now you can access information on the internet for nothing. Just like people who join AARP. You pay dues to save a few pennies on whatever. Then they take that money to send you more brochures.
You cannot buy Medical Flight insurance for $50.00 a year,you can save tons of money buying Michelin tires through FMCA.I cannot tell if the FMCA is decline or not they were down to just over 20,000 now they say 100,000 but the past president said it was in decline and was worried about the Medical Assist costing $800,000.00 a year,
The numbers are hard to keep up with people buying a new RV most dealers include 1 free year of FMCA and I don't believe many renew after the year is gone. FMCA is rated higher than Good Sams though,FMCA is not bad about sending all the junk mail like Good Sams,With GS's and AARP you need a king size mail box
We have tried most of them over the years. We got FMCA in the old days because you had to have it to get Coach.net. The one we like is Passport America. It saves a lot if you are staying at rv parks.
I heard of a couple FMCA chapters with busnuts and found the following in the west that seem related. I attached a couple documents from a couple of them but based on what I read, it is easy to understand why we true busnuts would not find being part of this worthwhile. I'll leave my snide remarks to myself but it's pretty clear we need to DIY an informal meetup.
WESTERN BUS NUTSRandall Ward
(916) 688-5901
randallw@frontiernet.net
WESTERN G.M. COACH
Robert Clark
(909) 573-6686
sweetoldbob123@hotmail.com
Contact: DENNIS R WILSON
Phone: 909 725-0372
dogtracks1120@gmail.com
SOUTHWESTERN BUS NUTS
Warren Moore
(909) 262-5056
mor2com@gmail.com
Contact: JACKIE BROOKS
Phone: 530-566-2663
Website
Email jsbrooks@saber.net
GMC 49ers
Contact: DOUG NORTON
Phone: 208 939-8702
Good grief Don what are you calling a true Bus Nut geez some of us built our buses from the ground up? Wayne is prime example he has built 2 and the last one I know he worked on for 15 years you don't get any more dedicated than that,may be you should rephase the words true bus nut before you piss a lot of people off 8)
Quote from: windtrader on March 13, 2023, 08:55:09 PM
I heard of a couple FMCA chapters with busnuts and found the following in the west that seem related. I attached a couple documents from a couple of them but based on what I read, it is easy to understand why we true busnuts would not find being part of this worthwhile. I'll leave my snide remarks to myself but it's pretty clear we need to DIY an informal meetup.
WESTERN BUS NUTSRandall Ward
(916) 688-5901
randallw@frontiernet.net
WESTERN G.M. COACH
Robert Clark
(909) 573-6686
sweetoldbob123@hotmail.com
Contact: DENNIS R WILSON
Phone: 909 725-0372
dogtracks1120@gmail.com
SOUTHWESTERN BUS NUTS
Warren Moore
(909) 262-5056
mor2com@gmail.com
Contact: JACKIE BROOKS
Phone: 530-566-2663
Website
Email jsbrooks@saber.net
GMC 49ers
Contact: DOUG NORTON
Phone: 208 939-8702
Gee wiz there's a whole lot of information there! We've never been to anything that big! Kind of overwhelming reading through all of it and at the opposite end of the scale compared to a small diy get together. Interesting content and thanks for sharing that.
That is for the FMCA International rallies those groups have small chapter rallies 1 to 4 times a year from a few up to 20 or 30 and anyone can attend a chapter rally without belonging to FMCA .I don't find the FMCA National rallies much to my liking but have been too few to hang out with friends.Some people love a big crowd not me.I don't think the Flxiable bus people even have a FMCA chapter they just gather, and they are a great bunch to hang with
Great Lakes Converted Coaches plugs away, here in the Great Basin...
Happy coaching!
Buswarrior
Quote from: luvrbus on March 14, 2023, 04:34:55 AM
may be you should rephase the words true bus nut before you piss a lot of people off 8)
Just to clarify, No need to piss anyone here as my definition of true busnut is anyone who is running anything originally built as a bus, whether it is a factory conversion, school bus, revenue OTR or private, church bus, charter, etc. Everyone in the boards we frequent earns the TRUE busnut badge. :)
Something like a Newell would not be defined as a true bus, even though it is built much like one and far closer to a bus conversion than a run of the mill S&S.
Maybe you got a bit pricked as Country Coach is more like Newell for some but they do conversions on bus chassis too so they are busnuts. Clifford still a busnut due to all the other bus parts and stuff he has. lol
The reason for the post was to show how much of FMCA is filled with just about anything running on four wheels, even the old GMC motorhomes to RV owners belonging to Thousand Trails. LOL
BW -
QuoteMost of us own rolling homes made from buses that had a previous life carrying passengers, such as long-distance carriers or city transits. Some of us own bus conversions based on shells made for motorhome use. We represent many different manufacturers, and some of us own coaches made from very rare buses. They range in length from short to long, but most are 35 or 40 feet.
Bullseye for true busnut.
I didn't get pissed at you,Newell and Country Coach were built on bus chassis for years before making their own chassis. If they made a bus with big HWH slides like the Country Coach I would have bought another bus
Quote from: windtrader on March 13, 2023, 08:55:09 PM
WESTERN G.M. COACH
Don -This chapter, of which I've been a member for over 20 years, has disbanded, and is no longer associated with FMCA. They're now mainly just a Facebook group (Bus Conversions Road Travelers), holding 2-3 rallies a year.
I think there are a lot of coach owners who are aging out of the hobby, being replaced by the skoolie crowd. Even Gary at Bus Conversions Magazine has had to incorporate the skoolie movement or it would have died.
Then there's the cost of fuel. . . 'nuff said about that, it's effect is obvious.
The internet has changed a lot of things: Google, Bing, and Duck Duck Go will answer almost any questions you have nowadays with just a few keystrokes.
The circle of life goes on, and it seems to be like a roll of toilet paper - the older we get, the faster the roll spins!
FWIW & HTH. . . ;)
Western GM Coach left FMCA and disbanded several years ago..>>>Dan
Life does go on lol,FMCA Chapters at one point were for a certain brand name,some still are,the chapters have to follow FMCA rules and it was a pain in the @$# for me finding enough people to run and hold a position FMCA required.For years the Eagle International and GMC clubs you had to own the brand to be a member that had to change with both clubs there wasn't enough brand owners,At one time we were close to 200 members in the Eagles International I have no idea how many they have now.The only Eagles I saw at Quartzsite this year was Art and Cindy and Bob and Sandy that were members of EI when I was a member there could have been more some where in the desert I didn't see,yep life goes own
Quote from: Utahclaimjumper on March 16, 2023, 06:46:27 AM
Western GM Coach left FMCA and disbanded several years ago..>>>Dan
Doesn't seem long ago I was at their last rally when they were spending the last of their money to keep from giving it to FMCA.That is one thing I don't like about FMCA they own the assets of a Chapter ,The GM was a nice group to hang out with,lot of Eagle owners hung with the GM group
True,,, altho the "new" group that is trying to reform is having the same problem of the old group,, aging out.. Most are in their 80s and dropping at an alarming rate..>>>Dan ( Past president) This club at one time numbered 250...>>>
Different group and a different time. My FIL (90 and still alive but in a wheelchair now) is #4125 and his running buddy Stanly brought their 4106 and Buffalo to see me and Rita in Alaska 25 years ago. Bused all the way from Jersey. Twice! FIL and mom in assisted living lately, but in emptying out their house stumbled on lots of pictures of the old days of FMCA meets. Mostly buses. Early on you had to be able to walk from the front to the back. Most meets were in a farmers field.
FIL is a life member (when you could still get that) and still gets the magazine. Once a month Rita and I sit in bed and I read her all the recalls on the new stuff. Helps us feel better about our old bus and the few things that have gone wrong.
We were 4125D (for daughter) with out Allegro bus, but let it lapse when we sold it. The magazine is as others have said. Not much in there for an old bus owner. When I was a member I sent a letter asking them to look at the Classified section a bit. They didn't listen. There are still about 8 pages for "Motorhomes for Sale" that is 95 percent "I will by your RV" guys. Last four issues I looked at Prevosts for sale. None, but 6 to 8 entries of "We will pick up your Prevost and sell it for you". I suggested to the editor in a letter that they do one page of people that want to do that. So few advertise any vehicle in FMCA they could save some trees. No response to my letter.
We've pondered joining SE Busnuts. Mostly buses and they do most things within a day drive of us. Thought about the Annual FMCA meet in Ga since only 3 hours from home, but expeeeensive. Also not a gadget guy as far as vendors. Also don't need RV basics, how to drive my RV etc. since this is our 4th vehicle. Ladies luncheon and ice cream social did not push us over the top. Just couldn't find a good reason to go.
To each their own, but not joining to get cheap tires every 7 years and we have good insurance.
Rita's parents had a great time with their small group in the NE and even did a few meets up in Maine with the guys that started the whole thing. They did different things since there was not a TV in the belly bay and every child over the age of 5 did not have a cell phone.
A different time. Not saying it was better. Just different.
Each generation grows up with different expectations.
Me? I'm keepin' the old bus....
Ted,the FMCA number will always belong to Rita and her dad if she decides start back in FMCA 5 years from now she will have the same numbers.The D and S numbers are neat they show you carrying on were the family has left off .Sonja has her Dad's 4 numbers cast FMCA plate not the plastic stuff FMCA has now
You mean I could still use my number from a couple decades ago? Huh. Never expected that one.
Jim
The FMCA number is "Permanent" Jim. They even say that in the magazine now. I think they are up to 8 digits now? I put Rita's dads metal plate on the back of our bus. He loved it. He said ours is the last bus he will ride in. True, because sadly about 6 months ago was that last time we can get him up the stairs without it hurting him. Couldn't let him drive it because he has leg spasms now.
I have our plastic 4125D in our windshield. Probably shouldn't since we bailed on FMCA, but it helped us a bit when we were full time for a year. Her dad had many happy gatherings with guys from all over the NE. He started 3 chapters, including one in Florida when they moved there, but he won't even look at the magazine anymore. The last few issues had 5th wheels on the cover. He just scoffed and threw it out.
"And they call it family MOTORCOACH Magazine! That trailer is not a COACH!!".
It gets him riled up so I just keep it when it comes now to read all the recalls on new stuff with Rita. lol
Pictures below are of his 4106 with the plate on front and other guys at a meet. Notice parked in the grass! Fun to get him telling stories from those days. His face lights up, he stares across the room and I can see him imagining himself at the meet he is telling me about. Still pretty sharp of brain and memory for 90 1/2 years old...
The Flxible is Bud Stones. One of the single digit guys. His destination sign said "The Rolling Stones.". Pretty funny.
Like I said before. A time gone by. But I think I got as close as I will get last year the the Nappanee Rally. Flxibles, Scenicruisers, Silversides, old GM's. Amazing watching them roll into the place. Two stoke diesels making that magic sound. Pretty cool.
Well, this about confirms the end of the road for FMCA as it relates to we busnuts. I'll dig around FB for some of the current busnuts that are gathering from time to time. Thanks for all the comments and perspective.
Quote from: windtrader on March 20, 2023, 09:37:40 PM
Well, this about confirms the end of the road for FMCA as it relates to we busnuts. I'll dig around FB for some of the current busnuts that are gathering from time to time. Thanks for all the comments and perspective.
FMCA will be around for awhile,the whole bus conversion deal is in the tank,people are not converting buses like in the past,they just buy one someone converted years ago. Not a day goes by you don't see buses for sale with seats removed and other parts that people threw up their hands and walked away. Buses are to expensive to keep going and the younger crowd weigh the options and go a different route .I get asked daily to inspect a 2 stroke engine.I tell them how to do it their self and tell the buyer ,a 2 stroke can run for days,weeks or years and one day you start it and wham there it goes up in smoke.Buses are hard on engines and they are not cheap anymore to rebuild yea the DIY bus conversion is in decline along with FMCA
OTOH I think you could say conversions of later S-60 equipped buses have picked up a bit. Used to be nobody was doing those. Now several are and nobody is really doing the 2 stroke buses, at least not much.
Jim
Quote from: Jim Blackwood on March 21, 2023, 07:24:43 AM
OTOH I think you could say conversions of later S-60 equipped buses have picked up a bit. Used to be nobody was doing those. Now several are and nobody is really doing the 2 stroke buses, at least not much.
Jim
Series 60 are hard to find in 40 ft buses and people don't want a 45 ft bus where the series 60 is most common.A bus takes a toll on the series 60 too,about 7 to 800,000 miles is all they last where a truck can run 1 to 1.5 million miles with a series 60
Yet we currently have about half a dozen active conversions using the S60 in the projects forum. I think most of those are 45 ft buses.
Jim
Quote from: Jim Blackwood on March 21, 2023, 11:18:33 AM
Yet we currently have about half a dozen active conversions using the S60 in the projects forum. I think most of those are 45 ft buses.
Jim
I think we are closer to 3 I know of 2 that sold their buses and went a different route .I like my 45 ft but it does limit you in some areas
I just glanced at my FIL's FMCA magazine. Blinding flash of the obvious, the name is now "Family RVing" with FMCA letters on the bottom of the page. Times change.
Quote from: Tedsoldbus on March 21, 2023, 01:01:45 PM
I just glanced at my FIL's FMCA magazine. Blinding flash of the obvious, the name is now "Family RVing" with FMCA letters on the bottom of the page. Times change.
Yep March has a pickup and towable travel trailer on the cover at the Georgia Veterans State Park nice park Ted
As Gary has pointed out, it takes mucho denaro to publish a hard copy magazine. Probably not enough of us still driving old buses, and even with the skoolie crowd, still wouldn't generate enough money to make it worth firing up the presses. I don't feel hijacked about the whole thing like my FIL. Just a new generation. I am glad they are getting out and camping.
I am going to hang around FMCA to see if I make the Final Trip list in the magazine :^
I have the moral dilemma of liking to still flip through the magazine which comes for free since FIL is a life member, or letting FMCA know when he passes. That is the right thing to do, and that will end the magazine. FIL quit looking at the Final Trip page when his last FMCA buddy passed away about 3 years ago. Not too many 4 digit people still around I suppose, and even fewer that were in his chapter.
But I am lucky that my wife knows more about old buses than I ever will. Going to meets since she was 6 years old and did so until she left for college. She is still friends with many of the "kids" she knew from FMCA meets. Three of them were her bridesmaids and we arrived at the church in a bus! So like it or not, I got dipped in it from the start. About to have our 30th anniversary, and we took our bus to Florida twice this year, and going to Nappanee in September.
With 4125 on our rear bumper.
So I guess we are more nostalgic about it than answering Don's original question, but I know it has made my life richer just knowing some of the people my wife knew as a result of the early days.
Pictures of FIL driving from Jersey to our place in Alaska. He is on the ALCAN. Took them up river to catch salmon. He also brought a buddy from Jersey and this is their buses in our driveway.
Good memories.
I can relate to your FIL not reading the final trip page,it is depressing when people you knew for 40 or 50 years names pop up there,I like the recall section man these new RV's have a lot of recalls
Really cool photos Ted & thanks for sharing such great stuff of yesteryear. So when you met your soulmate you kinda got catapulted into bus life, now how cool is that?
8) :^
Shotgun wedding.
FIL told me "Learn the FMCA Song and Secret Handshake, or yous don't get my dawter, AND yous has to take us fishing in Alaska. And if she ever calls me crying a cause a yous, I know a guy....".
Funny, but not. They live in the neighborhood where they filmed the Soprano's. DT knows what I am talking about.
Yep. I guess that was pretty much it.