I am in research mode and visited a 1994 36' U280 Foretravel that was for sale today. It was a 3 hour drive away and I thought I would take my family to see it.
The seller is asking $40,000 for a coach with 211,000 miles.
I have to see other models and manufacturers but I didn't walk away that impressed with this particular example.
What I didn't like was the lap belts on the front two seats. There were no seat belts on the couch or the recliner. My wife didn't like this.
The interior, although in generally good condition, shows the wear and tear of those >211,000 miles. You can tell because most of the knobs or buttons have their finish worn almost completely through.
The engine has oil grime on it, but I didn't see any obvious leaks. It looked appropriate for the number of miles it has seen.
There was an old bird's nest on the engine. This tells me that the coach hasn't been serviced in a long while. Not using an engine shortens its life span (seals/rubber dry and start to leak).
The owner wasn't aware of the hour meter on the generator. The number of hours is at the high end (1700+). He didn't perform maintenance at the required interval on the generator (every 100 hours). He may or may not have changed the oil enough, but I can't tell.
The two chairs up front need to be replaced and none of the furniture matches. The recliner, sofa, and the two front chairs are made from different materials and fabrics.
The microwave is new, but it is white, and no longer matches the stove or refrigerator (which is also new). The appliances were black originally.
All the tires need to be replaced within two years, which usually costs about $3000. They have a 2005 date code. Additionally, the front tires show dry rot, which is very dangerous since they are front tires.
Both rear wheel arches above the tires, especially the left one, have been damaged. Now sure how that happened (blown air bag?).
The bulkhead repair, which is costly, appears needs to be redone or at the minimum inspected.
The rear ladder is starting to detach from the motor coach.
The exhaust system has broken hangers.
There are many minor repairs that need to be done and it is understandable that the owner hasn't gotten to them. He is very impressive for his age of 86.
At the end of the day, I think the coach needs $10,000 to 20,000 in repairs and updates.
Pictures here:
Google+ (https://plus.google.com/u/0/110365695854600759114/posts/jQr16fGTk2P)
Cheers
Yes sounds like a little on the price and the 05 tires should be replace rather quickly I would think
Sounds like a $10,000 coach to me. Need to be good at DIY too.
Pierce
There probably were seatbelts on the couch, but buried underneath it. Pricetag indicates the seller needs to return to planet Earth...
One problem that we were told about prior to purchase, and we have seen ourselves, is that sometimes the generator turns off but the hour meter keeps going. In fact, that's the case on ours right now. Tomorrow morning I'll go out and poke at it again.
Ok, the couch should have seat belts? The owner didn't think it had them.
I am very good at DIY, but the price has to be in a range that it is worth my time, money and effort.
This coach needs to sit on the market for 6 months or more and maybe the owner will reevaluate what it is truly worth.
In the meantime, I have more Foretravels to inspect....
Been looking online for several days and most of the used rigs I've looked at (online are over priced.
What making me nervous with these older Foretravels is the amount to get them in shape weather the current owner say they are or not.
You can easily drop 10-30+ thousand into these.
Got me thinking and looking at other brands now.
Look at other brands but come back to Foretravel. As you are looking ask the owner if they mind you swinging on the overhead cabinets. We looked and now we are on our 4th Foretravel. We never have spent what we thought we might. We've not traded because the old one let us down. We kept wanting more features.
Have fun looking and be ready to spring on the one you know is right.
Keep looking...my new to me 89 FT has been a dream so far. In fact my mom and dad bought a '12 Newmar Bay Star for going back and forth to Florida and now pops but the Newmar up for sale and started looking for older FT. Sometimes quality comes at a price....The right one will come your way. Check out the classified adds here.
There have been quite a few really excellent Foretravels both purchased and sold by members of this forum since I have been a member. It generally pays to spend a little more for a coach in excellent condition rather than buying a "fixer upper" as the $10K to $20K amount you mentioned could be just the tip of the iceberg if you have to take it to a shop to have the work done. Other repairs may be beyond the scope of even the most accomplished DIYer and will require a shop to accomplish the repair. The coach you looked with 200K plus miles would not be worth over $20,000 no matter how much money you threw at it.
Why not just research all the Foretravel models from past posts using the search tool and once you narrow your search down a bit, let others know your desires, expectations and budget? As many members can tell you, once you find your dream coach, you will be glad you took the time. The big reason this forum exists and has so many members today revolves around everyone's appreciation and admiration of the best recreational vehicle on the road today.
Good luck,
Pierce
Lap belts only were the standard at least thru the 95 Models.
Gary B
When I was doing my floor I removed the couch. Found 2 sets of seat belts that had been cut off at the bolts! What moron would cut them? They could have just left them under the couch intact! :'(
see ya
ken
We installed seat belts on the bucket chair and two on the sofa in order to feel somewhat secure transporting family members. I could not figure out how to install shoulder belts that would actually withstand the stress of an accident so didn't bother.
I wouldn't let the disappointment of one seriously overpriced motor home dissuade me from continuing the search. But it's a good idea to look at SOBs to get an idea of what is available out there in your budget.
Craig
Craig's idea is a good one. PPL has a large inventory of consignment coaches that seems to turn over fairly quickly. A few weeks of monitoring it will definitely give you an idea of what's available in your price range. Used RVs, Motorhomes for Sale, and Consigned sales - PPL Motor Homes (http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/)
Of course, Luxury Pre-Owned Motorhome Dealer for Foretravel Newell Country Coach. (http://motorhomesoftexas.com/) is also an excellent site to monitor. While most of their inventory is Foretravels, they do have other high-end coaches.
Just a note, I changed the link to the photos in the first post. For some reason, not all the photos were automatically backed up to Google+, so I re-shared them and there are now more of them.
I totally agree with this. The owner didn't really know everything that was wrong with his coach. I do have specialty for finding faults with vehicles though.
To me, this is a lesson that I need to visit each coach to make sure it is what they are advertising it as. I don't know how people can buy these older coaches off of ebay sight unseen.
Ok, that is good news. I don't mind replacing or installing seat belts if there is already a location for it.
To all: I will continue to look.
In general terms, I like some of the luxury features I saw in the Foretravel like the double curtains (shade and light blocking), safe, and well made cabinets. The drawers did not use dovetail joints and I am not a fan of dark wood. It makes the interior darker. Corian just doesn't do it for me as well. The interior just screams dated with the gold fixtures. I think new fixtures, new carpeting and counter tops will go a long way.
These are also very large (wide and tall) vehicles. I am still getting used to that. Not that I couldn't drive one because I drove a 40' passenger bus in college, but these might too big for where I camp (state and federal parks in the Northeast). Right now I tow a 30' ultralight that is 8' wide but it is low but I can usually use it at any camp site.
My wife and I might visit the U240 in New Jersey this weekend, assuming it doesn't meet reserve on EBay (It is listed). Supposedly that is a very nice example of a older Foretravel.
Thanks for the links.
If you can't live with the dark wood and Corian you will have to go to another brand or for a later model Foretravel like a U270 or some U295's. We love the Vintage look. Most people who visit our coach are enamored by the coziness of the older Foretravels interiors.
I was going to say, "hey wait a minute, it's 19 years old" and "some of the that stuff is normal", but then I saw the pics. You need to read up on "bulkhead rust jacking". It is probably one of the most important items you need to inspect for. And you really have to watch out for it on any coach here in the north!!! And looking at the pics of the bulkhead area that you posted, I would be concerned!!! If ignored, it has the ability to ruin a good coach! But if regularly checked and maintained, it is no problem. Bulkhead Separation (http://www.beamalarm.com/Documents/bulkhead_separation.html)
And Corian may not do it for you, but it is so much better than the plastic you will find in other coaches of that age. I have a 1994 U224, and it is the standard I hold other new coaches to when at a RV show. It may not have dovetail joints, but at least it is real wood and not pressed wood that sob use.
Don't worry about the price. Decide what your budget is and work from there.
I shopped and researched for well over a year, and looked and drove at least a dozen other rigs before finding Moby. Patience, you'll find the right rig sooner or later.
PatC,
I knew about bulkhead repairs but didn't know about "bulkhead rust jacking." When I was looking at it, I knew it needed to be repaired again. It appears water, from the water tank above, is causing this.
I looked at the 1998 U270 on MoT site. I wish I could have that interior inside a U280, with mid-entry... :D It has corian, but a nicer color. A fellow can dream...
My thoughts, exactly. Good job of checking a lot of the important things!! Keep looking! There are a few nice coaches that just popped up on the Forum. We found our first coach and went from Philadelphia to Mesa, AZ to check it out. Don't be afraid to do that! You just need to open the sofa to fish out the seat belts (assuming they are still there) and any interior items that you really don't want to live with can be addressed over time. Our '93 was rather dark inside due to the last owner's choices of fabrics and flooring ... and we remedied that after a bit.
Yes, there are a few owners of these fine machines that do not take care of them. Run from this one, especially at this price. THere are nice ones out there. $45,000 will get you into a bus style 36' U-270 1995 - 1999
1700 hours not that many really IF proper maintenance preformed on Generator, which I would bet it was not.
Karl,
If you are looking for a U280 why don't you talk to Gary Bouland? The time has come (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=18600.0)
The pilot seat in our 40ft 1999 U320 has a lap belt.
On a quiet Sunday morn I was stopped by an Indiana cop because I did not have my shoulder belt connected.
He could not believe my lap belt was stock.
best, paul
A psychologist long ago mentioned that the walnut interior coach she was looking(foretravel)at must have been built in a sun belt state. More hours of daylight. Duh. Good one.
Alot of more Northern made coaches started out with lighter wood interiors and wall paper versus walnut paneling.
Took me a while to notice my wall paper.
Bob
Interesting..perhaps that is why I like lighter interiors. I need the brightness to make up for long dark winters! :D
Interiors are very nice in those years but I am a fan of the retro MH, rather than the bus shape. But, you are correct, $45,000 would make more sense in buying 1995 to 1999, and not a heavily used 1994 U280, as this one was.
I sure like my 96 but if I saw a GV (sloped front) that was in comparable condition for less, then I would certainly consider that one too. There are some advantages to the older one besides the cost (taking food to galley area). From what you say about that one, I probably would feel the same (and walk away). I feel certain that it could be repaired but at what cost (time and money).