Should we improve old Hedy Newmar, or ?????

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Running Late

Running Late

Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2007
Posts
9
Location
Naples, FL
NEED COUNSEL. We're planning to sell FL home and go fulltime. Don?t comment on this.  :) Might keep and update 2000 Newmar Dutch Star 3865 (66k miles, $7,500 to update), or sell and buy more comfort. ?We? are two African grey parrots, a Havanese pooch and moi who is 77.

The main question for you is: Should we improve old Betty Newmar and live with her one slide, problems we know and a short queen, or, quadruple the slides, add new adventure to life and go full king? This isn't really a money issue, but we don't want to do anything stupid?like buy new. The $$$ differential between the two options is about $125,000. Am doing a cost/benefit, pro/con assessment now.

We look forward here to what your have to say.
 
Is there a pressing reason to go bigger now? You can always trade up later if the walls start closing in on those rainy days.
 
I think there is just one question here - how important is that comfort? Is it $125K worth? It'd be hard for us to tell you that.

Personally, since you only go around once, and if money is not the issue, I'd opt for comfort. Life's too short for ordinary.

Two cents worth has been deposited. Keep the change.

Kim
 
We faced this decision in 2009. We chose to trade our 40ft 2000 Windsor single slide for a 2009 Monaco Camelot - 42ft, 4 slide.
Love the space and added washer and dryer, but 4 slides do add to your maintenance. If you get a tag axle rig you also have two more tires to replace.


 
Updating is nearly always financially smarter than trading, but it sounds like you aren't all that fond of the short bed and limited space (slides). You might be able to lengthen the bed in an update, but adding slides is expensive.  I see a newer coach in your future. There are really nice 2003-2005 models around if you hunt for them. Should be plenty coming on the market as the snowbirds return to FL and swap their rigs.
 
I'm puzzled by the OP's statement that the difference between updating and trading is ~$125k.  A new Dutchstar has an MSRP of nearly $400k.  According to NADA the OP will probably be lucky to get $50k for his current MH.  Even assuming a new Dutchstar can be purchased for $300k, that's a difference of ~$250k as I do the math.  If the OP plans on buying a less expensive model, that's a different story but then the comparison of new vs old becomes different.  If you're not looking to buy a MH of comparable quality then it's difficult to make a direct comparison between new and old.  We know that our elderly Beaver is a quality coach with a large-block diesel.  I would hate to consider trading it for a new one based on an engine half the size or with particle board cabinets instead of my solid wood ones, etc. JMO.
 
Maybe he was thinking of dropping $125k on the remodeling?  But I can't imagine what would take that much. You can do a heck of a lot of remodeling for $25k-$30k. $50k if you want to include a new full body paint job.

And he was NOT talking about a new Dutch Star. He specifically excluded buying "new".
 
It sounds as if there's a specific "new to him" MH that he's considering buying which would account for the $125k above his projected remodeling cost.
 
docj said:
It sounds as if there's a specific "new to him" MH that he's considering buying which would account for the $125k above his projected remodeling cost.
Click to expand...
I did read the same as docj, remodel for $7500 or trade in and add between $120000 - $125000 (depends how you like to calculate the difference)

There is a risk involved, you know the current coach and its capabilities and maintenance status, a newer coach could have other issues you might have to fix. However adding some money to solve annoyances and add comfort could be a good solution.
 
Thanks all for your thoughtful comments. Comfort won out over improving Hedy Newmar. Am about to purchase a 2005 Country Coach Allure 470 as the full-time home for 2 African grey parrots, a 12# pooch and moi. We should be like four ball bearings in a tin can. Retired in mid-life and lived aboard a sailboat so am used to living tidy in small spaces.

Am drowning in the details of full timing...the residency, tax and legal issues, I mean. Chocking on paying FL sales tax on new coach when I won't live here any more, but fret over the complexities of creating an LLC to own the bus and lease it back to me, all the licenses, my will, etc. It's not like I can call my attorney to advise me this without knowing exactly what I'm doing. Want to end up in WA or OR in 3-4 years where there are civilized laws for death with dignity (am 77 and don't want prolonged suffering). Would greatly appreciate any comments on a practical strategy for making this transition.

Here's something else to kick around. As an architect, I  have sketched up a nifty-looking enclosed bus shelter cum workshop/studio cum car garage for a rural site in OR/WA...kind of a tiny house wrapper if you will. The coach will be behind sliding doors that would protect bus against high winds and storms (in a rustic NW look), with water and septic. Has anyone else pondered or seen such a thing?

Look forward to seeing your responses on these topics.

Fair winds and comfortable roads, Running Late
 
I am confused. You talk about two African Grey parrots but your photo shows you with two parrots that are clearly not African Greys unless you painted them. They look like two Amazons or small Macaws.
 
I was owned by an African Grey female named Winston for 23 years. She and I could actually hold conversations. Her grasp of the English language was amazing. I could understand her better than I could understand my wife. She used to play volleyball with my Old English Sheepdog and a balloon. I wish I could get another parrot but it would not play well with my three cats. Actually my three cats wouldn't play well with a bird. They sit and watch birds outside all day long. One of my cats starts to vibrate whenever a Sandhill Crane comes too close, which is just about every day.
 

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Running Late said:
Thanks all for your thoughtful comments. Comfort won out over improving Hedy Newmar. Am about to purchase a 2005 Country Coach Allure 470 as the full-time home for 2 African grey parrots, a 12# pooch and moi. We should be like four ball bearings in a tin can. Retired in mid-life and lived aboard a sailboat so am used to living tidy in small spaces.

Am drowning in the details of full timing...the residency, tax and legal issues, I mean. Chocking on paying FL sales tax on new coach when I won't live here any more, but fret over the complexities of creating an LLC to own the bus and lease it back to me, all the licenses, my will, etc. It's not like I can call my attorney to advise me this without knowing exactly what I'm doing. Want to end up in WA or OR in 3-4 years where there are civilized laws for death with dignity (am 77 and don't want prolonged suffering). Would greatly appreciate any comments on a practical strategy for making this transition.

Here's something else to kick around. As an architect, I  have sketched up a nifty-looking enclosed bus shelter cum workshop/studio cum car garage for a rural site in OR/WA...kind of a tiny house wrapper if you will. The coach will be behind sliding doors that would protect bus against high winds and storms (in a rustic NW look), with water and septic. Has anyone else pondered or seen such a thing?

Look forward to seeing your responses on these topics.

Fair winds and comfortable roads, Running Late
Click to expand...

Congrats on the new (to you) rig. IF you move your residence to WA or OR be sure to look and consider the taxes. In WA you will need PROOF that you already paid sales tax on your rig or that you've owned it a certain number of years. I believe it's 3 years you have to own it, or they'll make you pay the tax all over again. Depending on which county you settle in, as much as 9.8%.

If you decide on OR think about their income tax. Another bite out of your income. IMHO a place near the border between the two states is ideal, pay no income tax by living in WA and buy your taxable items in OR. Food is not sales taxed in WA, but liquor is heavily, real heavily taxed.

And whatever you do, plan on spending winters in the south. You'll be tired of the grey sky every day. Some think it's the rain, but I think it's the grey sky everyday that drags you down.

Ken
 
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