[whatsnewell]

Someone got a great deal.....wow!

[kb0zke]

Since Steve and Suzy started this thread last week I've had several interesting leads sent my way. Thanks to all who are looking out for us.

Until our mpg sells, we can't buy anything else, but that doesn't mean that we can't look and ask questions. For those of you who don't know what an mpg is, here's the link: http://heartlandrvs.com/index.php?p=35&c...=showfplan

We're wanting a wide-body Classic, probably a 40' but that isn't all that critical. Slightly shorter might work, too. Interior requirements are minimum 6'2" head clearance (that takes care of the tallest family member so far), and a center island queen bed. We prefer the walk-through bath floorplan (two doors close the bathroom off from the bedroom and the kitchen) which means that there is plenty of space in the bathroom when it is in use and a wider hallway otherwise. If it was just up to me, I wouldn't even carry a television set, but Jo Ann likes it, so there needs to be one in the living room. I'd prefer it to be located somewhere else than above the driver's head, but I understand that that was a common location for them, so I guess I'll just have to live with it.

We're budgeting about $10,000 for repairs and upgrades, so if a coach has new tires and batteries, for example, we could afford to pay more for that coach than one that would need them. We're figuring on having $30-40,000 in the coach by the time we hit the road (including purchase price and repairs/upgrades).

[John Hufham]

Have a 1990 newell for sale. 55000.00. good shape runs and looks good. had quite a bit of upgrades done at newell several years ago.

if interested i will send pixs.

[kb0zke]

Thanks, John, but that's a bit out of our price.

[kb0zke]

A few weeks ago Steve shared a link to an '89 WB that is in our price range. Ron mentioned that he had once owned that coach, and still had some pictures. Today he sent me quite a few pictures of the coach as it was when it was in his care. Thanks, Ron!

We have a party that is very interested in buying our mpg, so perhaps in a month (or less) we might actually be ready to seriously look at specific coaches with an eye to buying one of them. When that day comes be prepared for some specific questions. Several of you have kindly answered my questions, and others on other forums have done likewise, so I think that I have a pretty good idea of what, in general, I'm getting myself into. Since we're looking at coaches that are 20-30 years old, I don't expect that I'll be able to talk to every owner of each coach, but if someone knows a particular coach I'd appreciate hearing from you. Private messages or emails are probably better than publicly discussing a coach.

I suspect that some of you have owned other brands prior to your Newell, so if Tom will permit it, should a 'Bird or Foretravel (the other two brands we're seriously considering) be of serious interest, I'd like to share that specific coach here on the chance that a previous owner might be here. Lest anyone wonder, at this point a Newell Classic WB is at the top of our list, but I also realize that there aren't all that many out there, and not all of those are for sale, especially in our fairly low price range.

Thanks in advance for all of the good advice that you are going to share with me. I look forward to meeting more of you over the next couple of years (retirement is June 2015).

[rheavn]

David,
Just a heads up on the '86 Newell in Colorado, they have dropped the price to $28,000. I guess it didn't sell earlier.

[kb0zke]

Interesting. Last time it said it sold for $25,000. I wonder if the buyer backed out because of something that wasn't right, or whether the finances weren't there. I suppose that there could have been a reserve that wasn't met, too.

I suspect that we will miss out on this one due to timing, but the price sure looks good. Having a coach that was originally owned by a famous person would be a good conversation point. The ad says 81-90 gallons of water. The 89 on RVT says 160 gallons. That's more in line with a 'Bird of the same age and size.

[kb0zke]

Well, this time it sold for $23,000. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1986-Newe...c909#v4-35

Wonder what's going on. When Steve mentioned it Saturday the auction said it had 6 days left. Today it is sold, and for less than the last time. I'm thinking that, much as it would be nice to own a coach that was originally owned by a famous person, I'm not going to be interested in this one if it comes back up again. Something just doesn't seem right.

[whatsnewell]

This coach was for sale before we bought our 1982 back in March of 2008, and has been pretty much up for sale seemingly continuously since then. Something weird is going on. The first time I saw a picture of this one it was in a snow setting at a ski resort, or something.

[kb0zke]

We are officially looking for our full-time coach! We just got home a few minutes ago from signing the title at Happy Trails, where the mpg was on consignment. The check will be mailed Monday, so this weekend Jo Ann and I will work on a short list of coaches for sale that might suit us, and start talking to the sellers. We understand that many people spend a year or more on this stage, so we will still have to learn patience, but we are that much closer.