Quote from Foretravel vs Bus Thread
"Hello everyone....
If you don't mind I will throw my 2 cents in.
Leslie and I just bought a 1987 Foretravel Grandvilla.
We had looked at Newells and Prevost conversions before buying our Grandvilla.
First and formost the thing we found that unless you are paying cash for your R/V, any finance company that we talked to wanted the coach to show in the NADA RV price guide so they had a value.
We opted for the coach we bought for a number of reasons...
1. as of 2012 our coach no longer has to pass emissions in King County to license.
2. the folks we purchased from had just finished a complete interior and exterior renovation.
3. Foretravel has a super support team just an 1 800 phone call away.
4. we really loved the Prevost and others but point #3 was a real relief
I could go on and on....but as a mechanic, being able to have a set of wiring diagrams on board while I am traveling is a very very comforting thing.
Hope this is helpful....in a few short sentences it gives someone information that took us hours and hours to compile.
regards,
chris von ravensberg"
Welcome aboard Chris!!!
How about some photos. Its best to start a new thread if you wish to show us your new coach. Many of us love the Grand Villa and are interested in what can be done in upgrades.
1986 Grand Villa??? Chris?
Somehow I seem to be missing something!! :help:
C'mon.... give us a hint or a smigin of a clue.
He is referring to the Chris who posted on the Foretravel vs Bus conversion post I think.
Mark
you're right.... I bet.
Yes.... I'm with Kent and want to see some more pics of the 86.
Yep, I found it. Love to see his coach in a better resolution jpeg, and a better side view.
Sorry, I didn't want to hijack the overactive Foretravel vs Bus thread. I guess I should have been a little clearer what I was talking about. I have now put the quote in the original post.
One quick correction, Chris states he purchased an 87, not an 86! :D
I am pretty sure that the 87 GV that Chris bought is the same one Sue and I looked at about a month ago. We would have bought it too but Chris did it before we had financing squared away. If it's the same one (bought from a guy who had bought an old fishing camp on Lake Curlew north of Republic in WA) he had re-done the interior overhead, installed day/night window coverings, had them put tile in the galley area, and new (very comfy) leather seat upholstery. For the exterior he had an outfit in Oregon re-paint the coach in mostly blue. We didn't take any photos while we were up there. Beautiful coach and a nice guy.
His fishing camp is for sale too. He left a couple of the old 1950s cabins (but renovated) and built a nice (big) shop and a log home. Heck, I would have settled for one of the renovated cabins. :D
Sue had never actually been inside a GV before but I had been kicking around the idea (inside my head) of chucking it all (again!) and full-timing when she retired. My only choice, really, was a FT since I had seen them before and had been impressed. Her parents were motorhome people and she had grown up camping in Champions and early Winnebagos and Itascas but didn't know much about the (ahem!) better models. :D
Nice coach Chris (if it's the same one - and I think it is). You came to central WA to buy one and we went to Camano Island to buy one. :D
Then that is a fish jumping toward the back of the coach!!! That's what I thought I saw.
Yes...its the 87 Grandvilla from Randy and Jeri from Republic Washington.
Usually before I commit to buying anything...I have to look...Think...Look again...then decide. BUT....Leslie my wife was with me and it was love at first sight for her and the Grandvilla #2893.
We bought it for cash on the spot.
Randy and Jeri were nice enough to bring it to Seattle for us.
We have since put about 1000 miles on it and the worst thing I have had to do is replace a left rear wheel seal and had to replace the brushes and springs in the generator.....both pretty routine repairs.
BTW. The only point I was making about Foretravels vs. bus conversions was they are a little harder to finance and don't have the technical support (most times) that a factory built motorcoach has.
Sorry if I clouded the thread with my insites.
We are planning on driving it to Bend, Oregon for Thanksgiving , I am going to tow our Porsche Cayenne and check fuel milage.
The only upgrade I will do before Spring is to install an exhaust brake.
regards,
chris von ravensberg
Chris, don't forget the photos. Also wondering if it is a Foretravel or an Oshkosh chassis, what engine it has and I couldn't tell what length it is.
Again, Welcome!!!
Thank you for the kind words.
By all means I will post more photos.
Its an Oshkosh chassis, 3208T, Allison MT643, 36 foot.
All the work to the interior was done a while back but is fresh as new due to the fact it had been stored inside.
So first sunny day I'll snap some new photos and post.
chris
Very nice package! Sturdy as a rock.