Current Status of Holiday Rambler

I am in disbelief at a $1000.00/ day depreciation. $365,000/year is a little steep except for z$2M Provost conversion.

Mr.Mark wrote:


I know, depreciation is not our friend. I'm told that our new coach will depreciate $1,000 a day for the first few years then level off. Oh the fun!

They do not put trailer hitches on a hearse, can't take it with you, enjoy life.

MM.

I looked at the HR line on Friday past at the Pomona Show. Nice looking coaches. Show prices ranged from 100K to 500K. Fit and finished looked the same just different chassis.

dshinnick wrote:
I am sooo glad there are folks who buy new....so I can buy used!

We bought a 2005 HR Ambassador in 2009. New, it cost around $230k. We got it for $93k. Let's see...$137k depreciation divided by 4 = $34k per year or $2,800 PER MONTH.:0)

The list price was 230k, the original purchaser probably paid around 175k for it.

Mr.Mark wrote:

dshinnick wrote:
I am sooo glad there are folks who buy new....so I can buy used!

We bought a 2005 HR Ambassador in 2009. New, it cost around $230k. We got it for $93k. Let's see...$137k depreciation divided by 4 = $34k per year or $2,800 PER MONTH.

And it was in beautiful condition. Still is, after full-timing in it for 4 years. And the $130k or more that I saved is still snuggled in my investment portfolio.

Yup! I am truly thrilled that somebody bought this coach new, so I could buy it used. :0)

I know, depreciation is not our friend. I'm told that our new coach will depreciate $1,000 a day for the first few years then level off. Oh the fun!

They do not put trailer hitches on a hearse, can't take it with you, enjoy life.

MM.

I could not agree more. We have taken several trips to Europe and South America. Our last trip down to Machu Pichhu in Peru was a three week adventure that cost us a little over $7000. It was the adventure of a lifetime and guess what, the whole trip depreciated down to ZERO. Every cent that we spent is gone and we will never get it back. As foolish as we are tho.....we will do it again. Once it dawns on you that the RV is your path to adventure and one of a kind memories, you forget about depreciation and start enjoying the ride. At that point, the RV will become more fun and less some kind of an investment to be worried about.

dshinnick wrote:
I am sooo glad there are folks who buy new....so I can buy used!

We bought a 2005 HR Ambassador in 2009. New, it cost around $230k. We got it for $93k. Let's see...$137k depreciation divided by 4 = $34k per year or $2,800 PER MONTH.

And it was in beautiful condition. Still is, after full-timing in it for 4 years. And the $130k or more that I saved is still snuggled in my investment portfolio.

Yup! I am truly thrilled that somebody bought this coach new, so I could buy it used. :0)

I know, depreciation is not our friend. I'm told that our new coach will depreciate $1,000 a day for the first few years then level off. Oh the fun!

They do not put trailer hitches on a hearse, can't take it with you, enjoy life.

MM.

I am sooo glad there are folks who buy new....so I can buy used!

We bought a 2005 HR Ambassador in 2009. New, it cost around $230k. We got it for $93k. Let's see...$137k depreciation divided by 4 = $34k per year or $2,800 PER MONTH.

And it was in beautiful condition. Still is, after full-timing in it for 4 years. And the $130k or more that I saved is still snuggled in my investment portfolio.

Yup! I am truly thrilled that somebody bought this coach new, so I could buy it used. :0)

Thunder Mountain wrote:
Please, please don't buy new whatever you buy. That is unless you just have money you want to throw away in depreciation.

So your saying buying used doesn't depreciate. Used or new these are not bought as an investment. They both are going to depreciate, the new maybe more, but there are some advantages to buying new. Some of us just prefer new to used.

Holiday Rambler ceased to exist as a corporation in 1996. Holiday Rambler became a brand name of Monaco Coach Corporation, which filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 2009, and the assets (including brand names like H-R) were acquired by Navistar International. Navistar sold these assets to Allied Specialty Vehicles in 2013.

Considering the broad holdings of Allied Specialty Vehicle, I would expect that the Holiday Rambler brand is probably in a more secure place than it has been since 2005, when Monaco Coach started expanded beyond their financial and management resources.

Allied Specialty Vehicles was formed in 2010, a holding company acquiring the assets of a number of companies producing emergency vehicles, small buses, and RVs that got into trouble during the economic decline after 2007. Most of the acquisitions have been recent, from 2013 as markets in these categories have started to pick up.

Would I buy a RV, ambulance, or bus from these guys? Probably, as they are letting the experienced people run each of the businesses. Would I invest in them? Probably not, I am too conservative, liking extractive industries where the stock price represents some fraction of their licenses for in-ground assets, rather than companies that depend on sales or growth for value.

Thunder Mountain, you have just described my consigned coach. (2008 Monaco Dynasty). But, that Sleep Number mattress was nothing but a big fat headache and replaced twice under warranty. It found it's way to a dumpster near St. Louis a few years ago and we bought a new Beauty Rest king pillow-top mattress..... never a Sleep Number in my house again, ever!

We bought a new King RV mattress for the motorhome for the new buyer. Never slept on.

Although I understand your concern of depreciation, I always buy new....cars, motorhomes, appliances, everything! We like new! If somebody didn't buy new, then the obvious would not be available used. :p

Safe travels,
MM.

Please, please don't buy new whatever you buy. That is unless you just have money you want to throw away in depreciation.

I highly suggest that you look at some units from 2007-09. They will probably have flat screen TVs, updated electronics, larger overheads to install DVD players and satellite receivers. They may have updated satellite dishes installed by the previous owner. If you buy smart and do your pre delivery inspection correctly, you'll probably find a unit that has had all the bugs worked out and some nice owner upgrades like a sleep number bed and washer.

Look for a unit that has an average of 3-5K miles per year on it and has some hours on the generator. That shows that the previous owner has actually used the unit which means they had to fixed the thing that continually come unscrewed, unglued or just fall apart when you bounce your home down the road.

Also, look for a unit that has all the maintenance records available. For instance, I know that the first owner of my MH blew the turbo on the Cummins at 700 miles on his maiden voyage! Whoever, buy my MH will have records of all periodic maintenance and a Word document with everything I've fixed, replaced, added or modified along with receipts. If you buy from a dealer, insist that you be put in contact with the previous owner.