bus conversion /motorhome market

[christopher]

i was wondering what the trends are these days with fuel being high? are people downsizing, not traveling as much, buying small gas motorhomes, investing in permenent real estate, aging population doing the bus coversion thing?
Your Thought?
thanx
christopher

[TomC]

One of the main reasons I bought my bus was I knew I would work on it as I could afford to (it took 6 years to get "completed"-although am always doing something to it) hence it was always "paid" for.  I also knew I would be getting 5-6mpg.  Even with the higher fuel prices, I would never trade my bus for some El Cheapo gas motorhome.  From driving truck for 21 years over the road nation wide, I've seen what a sticks and staples motorhome does in a crash-basically come apart-no matter if it is a front engine gas or rear engine Diesel. The only manufactured motorhome I would consider would be a Blue Bird (once again based on their bus design) or a Newell that is extremely heavily built.
I figured with the 5-6mpg is still cheaper than paying payments on something that might get close to 10mpg.  If and when the fuel gets towards $5/gal, I'll be paying close to $1/mile to drive it-which I'll continue to do. 
If you're on a tight budget, a big commercial bus conversion may not be for you.  When something breaks, it is expensive to fix, tires are expensive, and just the fuel to run it is expensive.  I personally like this way of traveling (and luckily so does my wife), so it is staying with me.  Good Luck, TomC

[JackConrad]

     We have always done many short trips and an occasional long trip since purchasing our first bus back in the mid 80s. We can drive 2-3 hours from home to a Bluegrass Festival or Bus Rally, spend an enjoyable weekend and then a 2-3 hour drive home. We have not spent much on fuel and have had a great time.  Since we took our bus to Bussin' 2007 on 12/25/06, this is our first weekend home. We have been someplace in the bus every weekend and still have over 1/2 tank of fuel.  You do not have to drive long distances to enjoy your bus.
    As for long trips, when you add the cost of fuel for your car or airline tickets, motel rooms, and restaurants, it is probably about the same.  Sleeping in your own bed ever night   PRICELESS!  JMO, YMMV  Jack

[HighTechRedneck]

Like TomC, I chose to do a bus conversion so that I could do it a little at a time and do the work myself.  I enjoy doing things myself and learning.  And as with many of my possessions, I enjoy them a lot more if I built them than if I merely bought them.

That said, and perhaps more relevant to your point:  The boomer generation has shown a tendency to buy big expensive toys and to travel extensively.  A good sized portion are retiring with very healthy investments so money will be less of an issue.  Notice how often the Travel Channel, Discovery Channel and a few other related ones are running programs about bus conversions, large DP stick and staples, houseboats, yachts, etc.  Movies based on RV'ing.  An increasing number of web sites for the full timing RV crowd.  Look at the growth of this forum.

I would say that the bus conversion market (professional and DIY) is going thrive for the next 20 years irregardless of fuel prices.  The only thing I can imagine stifling it would be an oil crisis/war that brought back rationing and I am doubtful that will happen.

[Tin Lizzy]

Pesonaly I don't think the cost of fuel to run a bus conversion will be any different than it cost me to operate the chevy 454 towing a big trailer that I used to do.
I never cared about those costs as I always compared it the same way as others in posts above. Hotels, all meals out, rental cars, different bed to sleep in.........yuck!
Always more enjoyable sleeping in my own bed. Over the years I have had every style of RV from tents to big fifth wheel and class A Motorhomes and it blew me away when I started researching bus conversions. You really can feel the difference comparing a stick and staple to a bus conversion.
I am hoping that my bus will be ready enough to use by next summer(2008)
Harry

[JerryH]

Yeah, despite the spike in fuel costs ... I wouldn't get rib of or change my opinion about owning a bus, rather than a sticks & staples RV.

That said ... if I had some some extra discretionary scratch ... I buy a Sprinter (diesel) longbed van and convert it.  As a family we still love to drive.  I'd have a smaller conversion unit for trips and things not requiring a 40-foot bus.

Jerry H.

[H3Jim]

While the cost of fuel does hurt, it has not curtailed my driving in any way.  I am very happy to have the bus and I would not trade it or give it up for anything.

[scanzel]

From what I have seen at some of the local Rv supercenters here in New England the baby boomers that made out in the stoch market of the 80's are buying the 2 to 3 hundred thousand dollar sticks and staples. I talked to one sales person and he stated it was the over 50 crowd doing most of it. The younger 30 to 50 crowd were looking at trailers or buying the $159,000.00 range rv's. I went the bus buying route because my mortgage is almost paid off and I didn't want to finance another loan, plus the additional property taxes. My town taxes as an 1989 camper at about $400 a year, just think what a $400,000.00 rv would be plus insurance, taxes etc. My conversion is a 5 year project because both of us still work full time. This gives me money to spend plus we still us it for short trips. As for cost wether it is a bus or sticks/staples, cost can still be high. A friend with a Bounder hit the edge of a tree while backing into a camp spot at night and it cost him $7,000 for repairs. If fuel is always going to make a person unhappy then they should just buy a tent or a popup pull behind. Even popup's are not cheap, saw one at a show for $25,000! My 89 Prevost only cost me $30,000 and already had a rebuilt 8V92 in it. Bus converters are a unique group always looking for a challenge or a better way to do it. But to each his own. Thank You. Steve C.

[John Z]

Got back from a 3,500 mile trip in the '04 a few weeks ago, and while talking about how great it was, we both agreed it is really nice not to have to lug all your luggage into a hotel for 6 or 7 hours and then have to pack every thing back into a suitcase where it will sit until the next night. So nice to "move" into the bus and just put your stuff away for the enitre trip, right where you know it will be! I averaged 9.96 mpg with the original 671 and 4 speed so i was actually surprised, was not expecting that good. I am already planning a longer bus trip this June. Absolutely love it!!!