Thoughts on conversion resale prices

[kd5kfl]

What ChristyHicks said.

There is a learning curve. Even if you are an accomplished carpenter and plumber and electrician, et cetera, what works in a house may not work on a house that drives down New Mexico roads.

You have to see it as a hobby. A hobby with more practical uses than other vehicular hobbies, like hot rods. Check out the collector car Auto Trader sometime. Chock full of "$60,000 invested, asking $32,000". Not the sort of ROI that excites money managers.

[Reddog]

True, ROI may not be the best, but the project keeps me off the streets at night.
Doug Engel, Gunnison, CO

[tekebird]

most of the time a 10,000.00 shell is like a 500.00 car.

[buddydawg]

most of the time a 10,000.00 shell is like a 500.00 car.

Then what does that make my $2000 shell? A $100 car? Ouch.....

[FloridaCliff]

Buddydawg,

Don't feel bad.....

Try and tell the difference between a $500.00 car and $100.00 car from 100'   

See what I mean

Cliff

[dwbruner]

You have to see it as a hobby. A hobby with more practical uses than other vehicular hobbies, like hot rods.

Wonderfully stated!   I found myself stressing out about the huge amount of work & multiple tasks to do on my conversion, but once I started viewing it as a hobby is has been a lot more fun & less stressful (except when the credit card bill shows up with all those bus parts!!  ).  I now realize I can only work so fast based on available time & money.  I also find myself more productive & less stressed doing 1-2 tasks at a time instead of biting off more than I can chew.

It will be awesome to use my bus someday like I envision, but until then the friendships, rallies, bus boards, emails, etc are an excellent benefit along this journey!

Darrin

[busnut104]

After reading all the post I fell that I have to add my two cents. As most of you probably know I have my conversion for sale on this boards classified.  I feel that I have done a good job, and now have a very nice conversion. This has been a hobbie for me, I love to build things which I have done most of my life, I have went over everything possible and made all repairs, From a new eng. and rebuilt transmission and on  and on, I have worked on this for 9 years, and I think this is the problem. My life and family are much different now  9 years later,  My wife and I set down and faced the facts that we will never use it. I have thousands of hours which was work but I enjoyed, There was some real challenges but that was part of the fun. I have had friends stop by and ask why I was doing this and I said that it was my hobbie and they would say the it looked to much like work to them. I also know that it is not a investment so don't even start if you have that on your mind, My asking price is probably about half what I have invested. I do agree that you should use you bus as you work on it, which I did not, The big advantage to buying one all ready converted is you will save a lot of money, ( if you by the right one ) and instead of converting it you can be enjoying it. I'm talking from experience, always a busnut. 

[bobofthenorth]

I have a large boat under construction.  That is my hobby and I have been working on it for 12+ years - I've owned 3 other boats while the Bartender was in construction because we also like using a boat.  I think that's the issue for a lot of guys who start a bus and then lose interest before they ever get to actually use it.  I would be the same if I was waiting to use my boat.  In the interim while I am building it we have had lots of fun on the water.  If/when it is finished we will have fun with it too but I have been able to enjoy the construction phase because there was no pressure to "get it done" so that we could use it.