How much would you pay? by sgtgump

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

How much would you pay?

POSTED BY: SGTGUMP
UPDATED: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 05:05
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Monday, January 10, 2005 5:30 PM

So the question is: In today’s market, how much would the space ship Serenity cost? I know that if I was going to buy a boat today that could haul cargo and about a dozen people that was in pretty good shape (mechanically speaking), and most people would turn their noses up at, that would run me about $100,000 on the cheap side. We know that Mal bought it after the war, but where did he get the money to buy it? Maybe he financed it.

So, in Dollars, Pounds or Euro, how much do you think Serenity would cost?

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Monday, January 10, 2005 5:42 PM

EMBERS

well he got one that was a junker
with an engine that didn't work...
so surely that would lower the price?
I mean it looked like the kind of 'lot'
that would sell for parts

of course I'm sure it had value even as scrap metal

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Monday, January 10, 2005 7:16 PM

TIGER

Interesting question!

I often wondered how Mal paid for his ship and I imagined him selling his ranch after the war to get the funds. I had hoped we'd learn more about Mal's past and Serenity in particular in the series. Now I can only hope we get the story in one of the movies.

I figure if we have any comparison today to a private vessel like Serenity, we should look at ocean going boats. If you consider the prices of used boats, from low-end yachts to sea-worthy houseboats, I'd bet you're looking at a price range of $200,000 to $500,000 depending on the state of disrepair.

Imagine someone today who owns a ranch out west and wants to pull up stakes and move on. They could probably get plenty enough dough for such a purchase.

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Monday, January 10, 2005 7:47 PM

HARDWARE

On ships for sale a small ferry capable of holding 25 cars and 200 passengers is going for $250,000. I would say this is a ballpark, since a ferry would equate to a short range cargo hauler. Serenity doesn't seem to have short legs since she stays out in the black for weeks. Serenity is smaller and that seems to equal out for the ferry's larger capacity.

Another thing, I don't think the Firefly's were considered passenger ships. I think the supercargo accomodations were meant for passengers accompanying cargo, rather than paying passengers.

The more I get to know people the more I like my dogs.

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Monday, January 10, 2005 10:06 PM

MACBAKER

To put it in perspective, after WWII, many cargo planes, like the excellent C-47 (The Douglas DC-3), were sold to the public at serious discount prices. Many cargo companies got their start buying and using these cheap and efficient work horses. After the war, the armed forces needed only a fraction of the surviving planes in inventory, and many aircraft were sold for fractions of their original cost.

Given the description of the Firefly class transport, it sounds a lot like a futuristic C-47/DC-3. Basic, reliable, easy to maintain, and as my father who flew C-47s in Korea......built to fly!!! He once said a C-47 was ugly on the ground, but in the air, it was a beautiful sight. Serenity looks awkward (IMHO) when it's landed, but flying, she's hot!!!!

I'd given some thought to movin' off the edge -- not an ideal location -- thinkin' a place in the middle.

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Tuesday, January 11, 2005 3:34 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

I had always thought that Mal went home to Shadow after the war and found that it wasn't home anymore. The ranch hadn't changed, Mal had, and he could no longer be just a rancher. His loss of faith, his longing for independence, and his desire to be as far from the oppressive arm of the Alliance as he could get drove him to sell the ranch and buy a ship.

Serenity may not have been much, but she was what he could afford. There is also that look on Mal's face when he first sees Serenity that speaks volumes without saying a word. It was love at first sight.

Judging from the way Serenity was off on her own away from the other ships the man was selling, I think it is safe to assume she was either not space worthy, her engine was down, or she was set aside for scrap. We hear the Alliance officer say in Serenity that he did not think any of the old Firefly class ships were still operating, indicating she is an older class and that few if any remain flying. This may have made Serenity significantly less costly for Mal.

__________________________________________

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Meet Up:
http://firefly.meetup.com/9/boards/

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Tuesday, January 11, 2005 12:05 PM

MISGUIDED BY VOICES

Quote:
Originally posted by BrownCoat1:
I had always thought that Mal went home to Shadow after the war and found that it wasn't home anymore. The ranch hadn't changed, Mal had, and he could no longer be just a rancher. His loss of faith, his longing for independence, and his desire to be as far from the oppressive arm of the Alliance as he could get drove him to sell the ranch and buy a ship.

I have to say I'd assumed that given Mal was captured and on the losing side of the war, that there was a real possibility that any land he owned might have been taken - which leaves an interesting story as to how he might get enough for a vessel, or at least the down payment - its not clear in the episodes we saw that Serenity is bought outright by Mal (or indeed that he owns it fully 6 years down the line).

"I threw up on your bed"

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Tuesday, January 11, 2005 12:25 PM

EARLYWASLATE

Seems to me there has to be more than a few 'still flyin.' Most people recognize them, and if there were only a few, the Alliance would have been all over our BDH pretty quickly. They seem to be fairly cheap and easy to maintain too. THat and those handy nooks and cranies for 'special' cargo.

"Does that seem right to you?"

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Tuesday, January 11, 2005 12:55 PM

NIKNAK

I'm guessing he paid for it with the proceeds of crime - that is their main occupation.

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Tuesday, January 11, 2005 1:23 PM

ZEEK

Very good points. I never really thought about it. Mal really would have to have had a decent bankroll to start his journey on Serenity. Buying the ship, fixing it up, hiring a mechanic and pilot, etc. Couldn't have been cheap.

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Tuesday, January 11, 2005 1:34 PM

INEVITABLEBETRAYAL

Quote:
Originally posted by BrownCoat1:
I had always thought that Mal went home to Shadow after the war and found that it wasn't home anymore. The ranch hadn't changed, Mal had, and he could no longer be just a rancher.

I guess this seems to be the popular theory. But here's my notion:

IN the military, you can opt in for the Serviceman's Group Life Insurance (SGLI), which insures you for 250,000 if you die. If the Alliance had some wealthy backers (which they must have), they could have added the promise of taking care of your loved ones if you perished to their bag of recruiting tricks.

So let's say that the guys in Mal's original squad (usually a group of 10 or so) all had one other member listed as a beneficiary. Then, as guys got killed, the survivors would change their policies around to benefit the remaining members.

So I always thought that if Mal was one of the last surviving members of his original squad, he'd be sitting on quite the chunk of change, especially if it were something the Alliance couldn't touch after the war.

That's my idea, anyhow.

_______________________________________________
I wish I had a magical wish-granting plank.

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Wednesday, January 12, 2005 5:05 AM

WILDHEAVENFARM

I have always wondered how a defeated footsoldier could buy a spaceship outright. (I'm just assuming Mal's not carrying a mortgage on her, since its never mentioned and I don't think Mal would get one anyway.) Some day I will actually finished the fic in which I answer that question.

Mary
Always a beast, never a burden.

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