BB Coachworks at Ft Valley Closed

[iamflagman]

Originally Posted by hturner 12

More news on CCW Bluebird. I read an article yesterday (can't remember the name or site) that CCW Bluebird, CCW, and Bluebird have had wrongful death lawsuits file for the LXi overloading the steering. This could be another reason tha CCW Bluebird closed.

See the latest posts on Attention Update 450 LXi Recall

[Randy Dupree]

i guess driving 80MPH in the dark,in the rain and being 80 years old had nothing to do with crashing a bird and killing yourself?
and ,maybe it being in the mountains didnt matter either?

[isp2952]

Randy,
I know we have some lawyers on this forum and I don't want to offend them in particular, because they are not the cause of it, but that's what happens when you get lawyers involved. None of the things you mentioned make any difference! I work for personal injury attorneys, a lot, doing investigations, and it is amazing on what they seem to think "others are required to do" to keep us safe. What happened to some responsibility for our own actions?

[davidmbrady]

Just my .02 cents, but instead of a lawsuit, I'd take the $100K in legal fees and I'd fit a 20,000 lb front axle on that thing, stick or independent, whatever fits, and 365 tires. That oughta do it.

[Lee Davis]

At the risk of disagreeing with some of the sentiments here, it should be a combination of personal responsibility and products that are made to do the job they were designed to do. As an example, as a full timer I am driving what is probably the heaviest BMC 37 around, and I am definitely overloaded. This coach was produced with practically zero CCC. The rear axle with any cargo at all in this coach is overloaded, the front as produced has very little room for error, and the G- rated tires put on the coach as produced, inflated as suggested by Blue Bird, are over their rated capacity from the git-go.

Now as I understand it there have been no weight related accident problems with 94-95 BMC's (although I have heard about 3 BMC's that had front end blow-outs), but remember several of those 94-95 BMCs were fixed by Blue Bird and I do not know how many were not. Obviously they did not produce as many as they did Wanderlodges. And as far as I know I was the only full timer until Dan Weaver started recently, and that makes a definate difference in what one carries.

Although I have had no problems so far with the weight I carry I worry about this issue. As I said I don't think anyone else is carrying full time weight except perhaps now Dan Weaver with his 94 and I think his got the upgrade and he switched to H-rated tires (which I will do at the next change). I have installed tire pressure monitors and watch them like a hawk (although nothing much helps with blow-outs) and I have inflated my tires about 10 lbs higher than BB suggested. I typically only drive ar 55-60 MPH. That's about all the personal responsibility I can afford. Unfortunately, I don't have $10-15K to shell out right now to get the upgrade that BB did for others. And don't think I should have to.

Am I iriitated with BB. I am. They refused to do anything to upgrade mine, knowing they built them with a deficiency and that they had fixed others. Would I sue them if I have a serious accident that may have been cause by this deficiency? In a heartbeat, and I have never sued anyone in my life and would hate to do so. I hate lawyers.

By the way, I doubt that guy is coughing ujp $100K for his lawyer. With a case like this one, I'm sure it is a contingency situation. If this was in Tennessee, my home stae before going on the road, cases like this end up being shared responsibilities as TN looks at the negligence of both parties. In any case, I can't see how BB doesn't have some responsibility. Cutting corners often comes back to bite you. But hey...what do I know?

[Randy Dupree]

my reply was a knee jerk reaction.
and i should have kept my thoughts to myself.
Lee,your BMC was built when Merril Lynch owned wanderlodge,wanderlodge has had 3 owners since then,i would have asked them to fix the coach,but would have been very surprised if they even called me back.

[Lee Davis]

Randy, I understand the situation and actually Coachworks as I understand it is the first company who just bought the assets and no liability and as I recall them saying they were not told in due diligence about the big LXi problems so they were not responsible anyway. That's why BB pid for the fix. Coachworks said it was just an asset sale (manufacturing facility) and nothing else. (They couldn't even keep the logo) All the other later owners took the name, the liabilities etc. so the latest owner now of Blue Bird befor Coachworks is ultimately responsible. Macy actually tried to help which I appreciated, but ultimately he didn't have the clout he had on the LXi's, having NHTSA behind him.

In my discussions with BB they actually took awhile thinking the situation over (they were very aware of the problem and actually investigated what, at this point, would be involved in fixing the problem) and finally decided I think to just risk it and do nothing. Sort of a risk versus worst case scenario. So far they have made the right decison. Who knows if that will be right. As I said if I ultimately have a seriouws accident because someone didn't manufacture this BMC correctly and then fix the problem after realizing the probelm existed, I will look hard to go after someone.

I would hate to do that, because as I said, I don't remember any lawyers I have met who were not basically greedy b...., but I guees in some cases they are a necessay evil.

I have no gripe with Coachworks. I have a grip with BB who I realize is owned by some big holding company (Cerebus I think, whose reputation is tarnished in several other areas) , because they still have employees who remember this problem.

[Albert Rose]

Should the BB owners have legal representation in this matter ? At least to try and obtain a vendor list so that we have some chance to obtain unique parts to BB'S .


Albert Rose
04 M380
New Brunswick Canada.
tworoses5@aol.com

[Stephen]

just about all parts can be sourced
some you have to look a little harder this forum is an excellent start
what type of coach do you have

[White Hat Guy]

Lee, you wrote:

I don't remember any lawyers I have met who were not basically greedy b...., but I guees in some cases they are a necessay evil.

You've heard the story opf the lawyer who died and was buried with the following on his tombstone: "Here lies a lawyer and an honest man". Two of the town patriarchs commented: ****, I believe the church is burying two to a grave".

Tommy - a humble not paid very much public servant