1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

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1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

March 10, 2019, 04:55:42 am

I was just browsing for fun this evening and randomly picking cities for fun to see what I could find. I was looking in the Texas area since all the west coast was a bust and this was just listed just a few hours before. The price was extremely low and I figured someone here might be interested but I would do a very thorough check at this price. It looks good in the photos other than normal wear and tear but the not mentioned items would be of concern. If it is in good condition as it states with the M11 motor and retarder trans it would be a fantastic deal for someone here to check out and grab if good.

1996 Foretravel 40 ft - rvs - by owner - vehicle automotive sale

Just a heads up on this as I did not see anyone post anything about it yet. Good luck to whomever gets it. I would be tempted but too far away and already got enough on my plate. For $25,000 it sounds to good to be true but you never know and relatively low mileage.

John

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #1 – March 10, 2019, 06:59:28 am

Only forum member coaches and items are looked in he classifieds. No discussion is done there so it was moved.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #2 – March 10, 2019, 07:03:37 am

John, Porter Texas isn't that far from BC, if you say it fast enough. With the work you do on your coach, this could be a real deal waiting to happen for you. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Larry

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #3 – March 10, 2019, 07:36:21 am

Here is an add with more pics. that show some more detail that you need to see before you make an offer. Be aware that this is listed by "POP'S", there reviews are ?? so go through CL with the owner.

1996 Foretravel Motorcoach U320, Class A - Diesel RV For Sale in Porter,...

Mike

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #4 – March 10, 2019, 09:01:53 am

The Aquahot has been replaced by a 20-gallon electric water heater. $10,000 for new Aquahot might drive even the most finicky owner into cutting a corner. Hopefully not many other corners got cut.
It seems like there was another '96 U320 For Sale recently on this forum for $20K with the same modification. Could this be the same unit? It's far from perfect, but the low price might appeal to someone who is willing to overlook a few sins.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #5 – March 10, 2019, 09:28:28 am

It could make a nice project unit for someone with the time and $$$$$$. Many questions, bulkheads, fuel lines, air bags, tires, brakes etc. It could easily double the initial investment. If the bones are good, it could be worth it. But Buyer Beware, a careful inspection would be first on my list. 96 was a great year for FT. I love my 96. That being said, last year saw 6+ CB, this year I expect another 3-4. A lot are preventative, some were needed from the start, a few things broke and had to be fixed, some were personal things I wanted done. It all falls back to "Do what makes you happy". and don't forget to enjoy the ride.

Larry

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #6 – March 10, 2019, 11:30:27 am

I am dubious. How many coaches were actually "the President of Foretravel's private coach"? If they removed the Aquahot, what are they using for heat, the hot water heater? That must be some creative plumbing. I dunno .....

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #7 – March 10, 2019, 11:30:54 am

If it's by Pop's run like the plague,he may say the coach is in Chicago and have a palm tree in the picture,descriptions are full of
misinformation.Why don't we try and check and see if this president of Foretravel even had a 96 coach.
Check out the rag under the generator fuel filter and those 2 rugs in the bathroom,they have more dirt and mildew then a
vacuum salesman's demo rug.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #8 – March 10, 2019, 11:42:01 am

No first hand knowledge of this coach, but there IS an RV park in Porter TX that looks like there is a Foretravel in it.

24226 Sorters Rd, Porter, TX 77365.

Google Maps

You could also contact the RV park and ask them if there is a 40' Foretravel there: http://www.sortersrvpark.com/

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #9 – March 10, 2019, 12:11:25 pm

Vin says 97? Tub was cm Fores favorite. Flipped Floorplan. Galley on curb side.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #10 – March 10, 2019, 12:30:35 pm

Aqua hot recovery tank is still there, the 20 gallon tank may have been installed to fill the tub quick enough to stay hot.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #11 – March 10, 2019, 12:32:43 pm

This is a real coach and is as described with replaced AH as mentioned. It is at the park on Sorters Rd. Owner getting out of motorhome ownership. If you wish, you may send me your contact info and I will forward to owner.

Hope this helps.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #12 – March 10, 2019, 12:47:53 pm

Hmmm.

Might have been a full timer home and stationary - probably Aquahot stopped working andf being in TX they are using heat strips, small heaters and hot water from this 20 GAL electrical unit.

Porter is near woodlands - I go through there with some regularity if someone wants me to look at this thing. I would run from it unless you are as handy as DON (AcousticArt) and have too much time and money on your hands.

Bargains are never bargains on the low ends of the price range. I have made that mistake too many times buying something "low priced" and by the time I fixed it up it was way over improved.

Take a look at the pictures of the wet bay. Yuck. no inspection will tell you what you need to know until you drop the basement cover and see what you really have for rust issues in the basement and bulkhead.

Original refrigerator, and who knows dates on batteries and tires.

The lowest cost way to buy a foretravel is to buy one that has been lovingly maintained and upgraded. Dave Metzgers (RIP) coach was a case in point. He maintained everything, upgraded his working Aquahot, new fuel lines, batteries, tires, and most all desirable upgrades. Yes, it likely sold at a premium vs. similar coaches - but the new owner got all of Dave's love, maintenance and upgrades for pennies on the dollar.

Example. Lets say there is a $90K (Market value) Foretravel U-320 coach (if an average coach). But the owner has upgraded in the last two years the interior with a fresh remodel, Floors, upholstery, MCD shades, residential refrig, new HD TV's ($40K), added new batteries and solar ($20K), added new tires ($4K), had the Aquahot rebuilt, the slide bladder replaced, the fuel lines replaced, the bulkheads inspected and repaired as needed, the airbags replaced, the HWH system gone through ($18K), and added a Powercheif drivers seat ($3-4K), had roof painted, headlights installed, rear LED's installed and Full Body Paint ($35K). And the owner has 12 years of meticulous maintenance records with almost all work done by someone in Nacogdoches. $211K+ Invested tpo purchase coach and upgrade. Even if you overpay the $90K retail by $35 or $40K on the already upgraded coach, you would be money ahead (a lot) vs buying a "bargain" coach.

So for the Market average hypothetical $90K coach, are you getting a bargain at $70K but needing all this done? Or is the upgraded coach a "bargain" at $125-135K with all this work done.

If you aren't doing the work yourself, $20K on a $70K U-320 can go in one or two bad visits to MOT or Xtreme, or FOT.

I've learned my lesson on airplanes (they can make coaches look almost free.....), unless you are like JohnH or Don) pay extra for that very nice already upgraded, well equipped and well maintained coach and you will always come out ahead in the long run.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #13 – March 10, 2019, 01:33:01 pm

Tim, I actually know what Dave got out of his coach when the owner of MOT bought it from him in the end after many items had to be replaced in coach at Daves cost. He was very upset at the time and decided that due to his bad health then he just "dumped it".
I had given him a number I would pay for it if he ever wanted to sell it, and the sale price was a shock to me as it was below my offer. Sadly Dave had forgotten about my offer due to again health issues and he was ever so sorry when talking to me later.
We met him while at Brads home and he was a Gentleman for sure. Really got along well and we had a few years emailing etc. Miss him for sure and helped me out with issues.
Now, this coach would have been one that fits my plans but as you mention if one looks at all the peripheral items in pictures this coach has had a rough life and I too figure that there has to be frame issues due to unkempt bay floors and general dirt etc in all areas.
Pictures are bad so many more things would show up. I also get the idea that the owner could not afford to fix Aqua hot so maybe other things are not up to some semblance of repair as well. Furniture sure looks bad and on and on it goes.
I would buy it sight unseen normally but am passing on this one.
JohnH

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #14 – March 10, 2019, 01:52:51 pm

"Bargains are never bargains on the low ends of the price range. I have made that mistake too many times buying something "low priced" and by the time I fixed it up it was way over improved".

Yup

Chris

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #15 – March 10, 2019, 02:45:57 pm

Yes gracerace, often I told people "this rv if free would not be a good deal". Fun maybe yes, a good deal, probably not.

Sometimes they would come back with, "but the owner says it has a new motor, replaced at your store"! I would check and sometimes find that it was replaced, 15 years ago.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #16 – March 10, 2019, 03:04:52 pm

Well, it was good for some discussion if nothing else and the extra photos brought out a lot of problems that are probably to big to overcome easily. I did question the water tank heat in my mind as being strange but I did not check into it further as I'm far from being interested. Your discussions on this coach might save some unsuspecting purchaser a lot of grief later. I agree that for the most part it is better to buy someone's coach that has been taken care of. It is probably why there were not a lot of photos included showing the bay areas and too none of the front and rear bulkheads which as someone pointed out would be of a major concern on any coach as well as the damage to the Aquahot system with the water tank addition. I was worried more about the recent flooding in Texas as a point being that close to the water but I could not say one way or the other if that may be a valid point as I don't know that area of Texas at all.

Thanks for everyone's input as it was a great read and surprising how much and how fast it generated worth while comments.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #17 – March 10, 2019, 03:13:39 pm

While all the negatives speculated on here could be accurate, I am a little concerned that much of it is just that-- speculation until someone knowledgeable puts eyeballs on it.

And if it is a "project", as with any project, the buyers skill set will have a lot to do with whether it is a bargain or money pit. Said another way, if you don't own a screwdriver and pay someone else to do everything, nothing that needs much work would be a bargain. But, if you are handy, there ARE bargains out there.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #18 – March 10, 2019, 04:14:10 pm

Just a final comment: I researched and searched for ours for a year. Had settled on what fit our budget and what we liked: a '93/'94/'95 U-240. The prices were all over the place! But having two previous coaches and knowing how fast the CBs could change hands, I looked for one that was the most expensive, if it could be proven that she was worth it. I was e-mailed paperwork (since '96) and plenty of pics. That convinced us we'd found the right coach; we pretty much much bought her sight unseen. We paid $12,000.00 more than the average coaches I saw listed. Was that a smart move? Damn right! In four years, a rear furnace is all I've had to do. BTW, the frosting and cherry on the cake (that I did not know at the time of purchase), was, it was previously owned by none other than our esteemed moderator, Brett Wolfe!

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #19 – March 10, 2019, 04:36:17 pm

If in fact the Porter coach was owned by this "President",it was a few owners back.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #20 – March 11, 2019, 12:13:27 am

Quote from: wolfe10 – March 10, 2019, 03:13:39 pm

While all the negatives speculated on here could be accurate, I am a little concerned that much of it is just that-- speculation until someone knowledgeable puts eyeballs on it.

And if it is a "project", as with any project, the buyers skill set will have a lot to do with whether it is a bargain or money pit. Said another way, if you don't own a screwdriver and pay someone else to do everything, nothing that needs much work would be a bargain. But, if you are handy, there ARE bargains out there.

I bought a 89 GV $15K ORED, drove it 1400 miles home. $1k for new belts, fluids, filters, hoses and misc drivetrain, air brake stuff and chassis electrical. $1k for applicances and a new roof A/C unit that died after I got home. $3k for new tires and air spring. $200 for smart battery isolator and charger. Estimated $6k for hybrid inverter, 1400 watts solar on the roof, and one roof A/C that I can run without the Genny traveling, or on a 20 amp power supply.. $3k estmate for floor coverings, headliner, drape cleaning, and sofa recover. So total bucks for a state of the art 36' personalized land yacht is probably less than a truck/trailer combo. Ultimate bonus is when my irarable bowel syndrome gives me a two minute warning.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #21 – March 11, 2019, 12:38:09 am

Our GV is the first coach that we've ever owned and have learned a lot about a "good deal". Although I believe that term is very subjective like a lot of things. We got it for 17k cash with 6 new tires put on the day before we picked it up along with 2 new start batteries and house batteries plus paperwork showing a $22k engine rebuild a few months back. The interior is beautiful, but the exterior wasn't perfect. We knew it needed a new refrigerator and that it had been hit in the rear end, wiping out the panel behind the rear wheel neither of which was a big deal to us. We also knew that there was a spot on the roof that had been patched but didn't know that it was that big of a deal. However, We didn't know about the corrosion above the rear wheels that is quite substantial. So we put in a new refrigerator, replaced the red top start batteries with a Caterpillar 8D, replaced the alternator that I burnt up by hooking said battery up backwards and some other stuff. Then we spent 10k at MoT having all kinds of stuff repaired. So now we're up to 30ish invested. They look at the roof and the corrosion and say it's bad but not that bad and no real cause for concern. Then we have the guy from extreme paint and body come look at it for a second opinion and he says it's a lost cause. That the roof is 6-8 grand to fix and the corrosion is going to be in the neighborhood of 35+ grand to fix. And that's not counting the rear panel because our sails were too out of wind to even ask about it. So was it a good deal? Well it's mechanically sound and clean and is our home that we owe nothing on and get to travel the country with. In that regard I believe it was. But was it a good investment? Well now that I know about the rust and the cost to repair it, I could never sell it without full disclosure to any potential buyer meaning we'll never get any of that money back. So we learned that not only is our opinion of a "good deal" subjective depending on how you choose to look at something but also that the opinions of professionals is also equally subjective.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #22 – March 11, 2019, 12:48:48 am

How bad is the corrosion,tell us about it.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #23 – March 11, 2019, 01:07:27 am

It's hard to tell since it's behind the wall and under the floor. It's part of the monocoque frame and because it's so difficult to get to the guy from extreme referred us to a guy named Bernd* (I think) because his shop isn't setup for that kind of thing. The angle iron above the rear wheels and the square tubing that runs under the floor is completely gone in that area. Keith at MoT said that even with that area being so badly corroded it wouldn't affect the structural rigidity of the coach because they were built so well but again it's a you say 'tomato' I say 'tomato' type of deal.

Re: 1996 - U320 For Sale on Craigslist in Porter, Texas!

Reply #24 – March 11, 2019, 08:50:22 am

I would research every article on this forum on that repair and read it and determine if you could do any of the work yourself,if
you can get to the rusted parts they can be treated or replaced.Another idea is to drive the coach to where Brett Wolf is and have
him look at it.

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