HOW MUCH DID IT COST

[boxcarOkie]

My time is worth more than the money...

Brian

Very astute Brian, "you hit it right on the head" that was what the post was about.

Thanks,

BCO

[boxcarOkie]

 Every night we dont sleep in a scuzy motel, I figure we saved $100. In 10 nights thats $1000 we could burn in fuel, or food, or not spend at all. In a few years a modest rig could almost pay for itself. Then there is the peace of mind, the ability to take a few more things along and live a bit more comfortable, they really can become your home. Whats that worth?

 And if you spend all summer building your Bus the way YOU want, and can then roll down the road satisfied with your work, and the new found freedom, security, and reliabity you have, whats that worth?

 I dont have a problem so much with with people asking what something cost, as much as their intent. If they seem really interested, and want to know because its something that interests them, thats fine. But if its that sneering question, boy, what difference does it make how you answer? As the wife is fond of saying "a couple bucks".

We more or less look at it the same way Art ... Thanks for your reply

BCO

[boxcarOkie]

   I tell them it cost me about 3 days a week for 7 years. The conversation has never gone beyond that...Cable

Nice, good response.

BCO

[boxcarOkie]

Here is aparting of the ways..... and the main thing that makes "me" nutz with this hobby. I actually PURPOSELY went shopping for an unconverted bus because of 1) cheaper initial cost 2) just so I could work and learn and research WITH my (at the time) 16 year old son. Being a single mom I needed to play dad to him the best I could by teaching him guy type things, but of course that meant that no longer could I be a princess and instead had to learn things myself. The more I have learned in the last couple of years, the more I have learned that I need to learn lol it is a vicious circle! BUT I refuse to let my family be "burdened" by a shell and instead I have been determined to use it and have fun with it..... which we do! It is tent camping to the extreme lol.

Even with us, people who know nothing about buses (99.99% of the people out there) either think we are super rich to have our "own bus"    or they think we are super crazy  But always, people are very surprised when they learn how little $$$ we have into this so far. But as all of you know, the real expenses are only begining for us!

Time invested? Next fall I am going to college with my son and taking a welding class so I can have a door and a wheelchair lift exactly like I want and where I want in the coach. No doubt this coach will still be a work in progress when the big depot in the sky calls me home, but my son is growing up with this coach and I think he will keep it and enjoy his family in it one day and best of all will that he will know it inside and out! One day he may be the teacher on these old 2 stroke bus conversions.

All in all money is not an object but fun and memories and learning is, time is all anyone has and how we each choose to spend that time is what defines us as human beings the most.

Every day is a new day when it comes to owning one of these.

Thanks for your reply

BCO

[boxcarOkie]

When I get asked I just tell them Priceless. It was my Dad's pride and he had a heart-attack working on it.
Can't put a number on that , wished he stilled owned it !

They usually walk away.

Thanks Ed

I try to "size them up" before I show them anything, you can usually tell within the first five minutes of a conversation if they are going to be an _________ or not.  The best policy is to accept the compliment, thank them, and then do your best to move on.

My Dad died about 15 years ago, and I still miss the guy, he never got to see this (he saw my old schoolie and the blue bird) but this one (Daddy's Hobby) would have really rowed his boat.  I wish that he was still with us.

Thanks for chiming in ...

BCO

[boxcarOkie]

Great post!

I usually say "$786, 412. 03 ..... so far"

Another annoying question is "Who's in there?"  I used to say "It's mine" but nobody believed that so now I just say, "I'm sorry, I can't tell you. I'd get in a lot of trouble. But they are VERY important!"

TOM

That is a good reply, or you could say "Hooters Cheerleading Squad" and make them wonder, eh?

BCO

[boxcarOkie]

I usually just say "sleeping in my own bed every night  PRICELESS"  Jack

We share the same thoughts Jack.  When we get home from a trip, the bride will look at me and say, "My house, my bed, my food and my stuff" whereas, I (the male of the species with opposing thumbs) could stay on the road for months at a time.

Thanks for your reply,

BCO

[boxcarOkie]

The funny part is that the guys that spend the big bucks for the sticks and staples will tell you how much they spent!!!! As far as my total I still am under what a down payment on their rig would be. If I sold my house, business and everything I no longer needed and went the full time route I could have one of those high dollar rigs. Just not my choice. Actually what everyone asks me is what year is it..... 1972!!

Usually I have found that the folks who are so quick to tell you how much money they have ... in fact, don't usually have any.  Farmers have an expression for it, they say, "The boy is all hat and no cattle."

Thanks for your reply,

BCO

[boxcarOkie]

BCO:   ...great tale as always... you always manage to get my mind thinking.....

Pam in Wyoming

Thank you that means a lot to me, I spell everything right? (Hahahahahahaha)  Here is one that will get you going.  "What is the longest word you can type with your left hand?"


Stewardesses.

Later,

BCO

[thejumpsuitman]

The funny part is that the guys that spend the big bucks for the sticks and staples will tell you how much they spent!!!! As far as my total I still am under what a down payment on their rig would be. If I sold my house, business and everything I no longer needed and went the full time route I could have one of those high dollar rigs. Just not my choice. Actually what everyone asks me is what year is it..... 1972!!

Usually I have found that the folks who are so quick to tell you how much money they have ... in fact, don't usually have any.  Farmers have an expression for it, they say, "The boy is all hat and no cattle."

Thanks for your reply,

BCO

I would take that a step further.  When somebody you just met tells you something positive about their own character, you can bet that what he/she said is one thing that is NOT true about them, and usually they are the opposite.

[boxcarOkie]

Alot of great answers. I will try some of them out. The other thing that really bothers me is when they come up as soon as they see you, and want to know can they look inside. Had a trucker the other day do that. We were parked at a  walmart about to go in and work and a semi pulled up and the guy got out with his wife, and right off the bat says, Can my wife look inside? She aint never seen inside one of those. Well, hubby was the one outside, and he is always the good guy, and says sure, while I am sitting inside not quite ready for the world, lol. I told him next time to tell them that the wife has a bad case of the flu.What else ya gonna say? Dont like to lie, but,  Maybe I am too touchy about that, but, I am mostly a private person, and really dont enjoy my bus being on the home tours schedule, unless of course, we are at a rally.

I wrote one about that too.  Mike has it right now, it is called Mama Cave Bear, I don't know if they are going to run it or not.  If they don't, I will put it up for you in the future.  Goes along the same lines as your comment.

BCO

[JackConrad]

We share the same thoughts Jack.  When we get home from a trip, the bride will look at me and say, "My house, my bed, my food and my stuff" whereas, I (the male of the species with opposing thumbs) could stay on the road for months at a time.
Thanks for your reply,
BCO

Yeah, last year we spent 8 months on the road. When we started heading home, my wife said she was ready to go home. Me, I could have just continued traveling. Looks like this year, we may shorten our trip to 7 months (getting a little later start).  Jack

[JackConrad]

That is a good reply, or you could say "Hooters Cheerleading Squad" and make them wonder, eh?
BCO

A friend used to say he had the Swedish Bikini Team on board.  Another friend, who had "On The Road Again" on the front of his bus, stopped for fuel at a small station.  The attendant asked if he would get Willie's autograph for him.  He walked in his bus, wrote Willie Nelson on a piece of paper and walked back out and gave it to the attendant. To this day, I am sure the attedant thinks he has Willie's autograph.  Maybe he will show up on Pawn Stars someday.  Jack

[boxcarOkie]

That is a good reply, or you could say "Hooters Cheerleading Squad" and make them wonder, eh?
BCO

A friend used to say he had the Swedish Bikini Team on board.  Another friend, who had "On The Road Again" on the front of his bus, stopped for fuel at a small station.  The attendant asked if he would get Willie's autograph for him.  He walked in his bus, wrote Willie Nelson on a piece of paper and walked back out and gave it to the attendant. To this day, I am sure the attedant thinks he has Willie's autograph.  Maybe he will show up on Pawn Stars someday.  Jack

Now THAT was funny Jack!  I spewed coffee all over my room on that one.  It has to be true, I refuse to believe it is anything less than that.  I want to believe it.  I heard recently that Willie had died.  When I made inquires into how it happened my friend looked at me, very seriously, and said ... "He was playing On The Road Again" and the rest of it is history.

BCO

[Ed Hackenbruch]

I figure that if somebody wants to know the price of something, they want to know if they can afford one. I have no problem telling someone what it cost me.