Just noticed this new listing in Jacksonville near me for anyone interested and looking.
1997 FORETRAVEL U270 *325HP*40K MILES*8K GEN 419 HOURS* 1F97D5363VN054535 - (http://showroom.auction123.com/florida_rvs/inventory/8673/1997/FORETRAVEL/1F97D5363VN054535.html)
Mark
Nice looking coach at a great price!
see ya
ken
Woww 26.9K
Lots of good left for that much money.
Good price. Add two TV conversions, buff& wax, decals or painted stripes, donno about tires, dash A/C. But assume it needs $10k, it is still a great coach for starter.
Our first coach was a '96 U270 very similar to this one. What a great first coach,simple ,reliable and a great value. At .10 to .12 cents on the dollar this looks like a great buy.
Questions: would anyone here buy this coach sight unseen? Is there anyone in the area who can check this out (for the going rate) or who knows someone that can be hired to check this coach out? I have to get on an airplane Saturday back to the rock. :'( Also, would there be a company/individual I can hire to drive it down this way or is there some place it could be stored 'along the way' til January? (between Jax & St. Pete.)
I am planning on looking at this coach sometime soon. Maybe Monday. I can tell you what I can find out about it. I am not interested in buying it but this place is close by and I like to look at the Foretravels they get in. I have seen them sell 5 of them now counting this one. The first Foretravel I ever stepped foot in was at this place. I will let you know what I can find out. Call Walter the owner and see what he can tell you about it. I have talked with him a few times while there. I don't have any connection with this business.
Mark
Mark, thanks for that, I'll call him in the morning, already have the $ lined up, so if it's still available, would love to know what u think. I think this is the dealer with the '02 U295 that just went bye-bye in the last day or 2.
I have learned in the past that when a deal comes up for real estate, airplanes, cars, etc. you have to secure it immediately until the first possible moment you can get there or it will be gone. No need to buy it without seeing it but would pay a forum member in the area to inspect it if you can't make it right away. A dealer should hold it for 24 hours until you can make it but only if they give you a email response. After that, a deposit should hold it it until the money can be wired.
The auto for sale section only came out on Wednesday and Saturday for the Frankfurter Rundschau. We would pay an inside employee $50 to let us have the auto section the night before it came out. Early bird gets the worm most of the time (or as they say, "the morning hour has gold in it's mouth")
Pierce
Pierce, yes I know about jumping on bargains, and good stuff getting away....and if I get one more PM from someone who tells me they've bought a FT sight unseen....will call the dealer 1st thing in the morning, bank's already onboard.....lots of questions to ask....need to see if they can store it then figure out how to get it back down this way in January (St. Pete.) as I have to get back to Hawaii Saturday. I'll have to run over to Lazydays & take a crash course :o in driving big rigs!
Anymore opinions/input/suggestions/ideas? I'm all ears....
Since you asked: Call the dealer and give them a $500 on your cc over the phone. Ask them to hold it until Monday for Mark to looks at it and drives it for you .... once Mark gives you thumbs up buy it or lose the $500. For 26K U270 with 40K mil that's what I would do with what I know now very easily. This one is the cheapest FT out there (in its class); if so much went wrong and you spent 15K, it is still worth it. Try to get it for at least 1K off since you are kind of buying it sight unseen or pay full and ask them to make some arrangements for you to store etc.
Good luck.
Don't say "crash course." :)) Do a forum search for a check list that includes insurance, title check, moving permit, etc. The dealer will know of a close monthly storage facility.
Do some empty parking lot driving and when heading home, limit your hours starting in the morning. Don't drive at night or bad weather until you have some experience. Don't back up if at all possible. Fuel in the morning when you are not tired and only at a fueling station with Ez in and out. Don't be pressured by other drivers. Have a GPS that gives you a two mile warning for freeway off ramps, route changes. TomTom is good that way. Know exactly how high the coach is and watch for obstructions in service stations, trees, underpasses.
If you drive with the left rear dual not more than a foot from the lane stripe, it will give you clearance in heavy city traffic or narrow lane construction zones. Just make sure your mirrors are adjusted so you can see the tire.
Don't cut corners as you can easily run over or hit something. Super important if 40 feet long.
Drive under the posted speed limit, especially on boulevards with traffic lights. Hard to accurately judge speed until you get hours behind the wheel. Stop with plenty of distance from the car ahead.
Get into the habit of chocking your tires each time you stop.
I taught dozens of new firemen making the transition from cars to big fire trucks. No one had an accident and sure you won't either.
Pierce
...well am breathless, been on the phone with the dealer already tonight & we'll give it a go (check it out) in person tomorrow, make a deposit, pay the rest, if it all looks/feels good, on Monday...talk about stepping out in faith....
Thanks all, for the valuable input, am kind of excited, it's still available, they are sending me a Carfax report in the morning since they bought it at auction, all the manuals are there but no maintenance records...just the report.
We'll see how she goes....dealer says they can work out something for storage with a local facility, til I get back in Januaary....now for that driving course, Pierce, I will take copious notes & see how things feel on down the road....may still try to sweet talk someone into getting it to St. Pete. for me. Hmmm...then, where does it live? Oh well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it....
Now it's on Ebay and I don't know what to do as there's an offer now on it, creeping up to the asking price.
I am not an Ebay kind of gal...now what? This one could get away tonight....
Miz Dani,
Check out Dick Reed's RV Driving School. Instructors in Gainsville and Pensacola FL.
Current School Locations (http://www.rvschool.com/rvschool/Current_School_Locations.html)
It is a great way to learn safe driving. They go over everything. You will leave much more confident and much more aware of what goes on when driving a bigger rig. All that will be left is lots of practice.
Susan and I started out our FT days with this course in Palmdale, CA.
Roger
The link to the Foretravel in question no longer leads to ad for a RV.
Craig
Dani bought it. I will give it a thorough looking over in the morning. Congratulations Dani :D
Mark
Congratulations Dani, by the time I saw your pm you had already bought it. So happy for you. Ron
Yeh, I'm still in a daze, but exhausted and elated.....very happy....Mark, can't wait to hear the report tomorrow...guess I am an Ebay kinda gal after all. :))
Thanks everyone, for the support & input, all very valuable, & I appreciate it. Will think about the logistics tomorrow.
Make sure not a salvage title
Have owned several vehicles with salvage titles. Can be salvage from a flood to just a theft recovery. Not necessarily a deal breaker. Never have had any trouble insuring them either. Our RAV4 has a salvage title from a front bumper replacement. It's the underwater stuff that can be trouble. An engine wiring fire or fridge could also be a reason. Also, might have come from an auction as a repo. All things to look closely at.
Pierce
Possible it was a bank repo. Few people I know got very lucky ... from the pictures the way it looks, you are going to be very lucky too, keeping fingers crossed for you, all will be great. Enjoy.
Roger, thanks for the driving school info. Lazydays is just 40 miles away & I may do a quick course over there, but individual is best so will look into those.
Tim, I'm pretty sure the title said "clear", did not say salvage, they drove it home 300 miles from auction, said it performed nicely, no major issues, "nothing wrong with it", so we'll see what happpens....but it's mine & so far I'm not feeling any buyer's remorse, just elated & ready for whatever challenges are to come.
I do have some big projects between now & being able to use it a lot but you can bet every spare minute will be spent doing whatever it takes to get this coach into perfect shape & enjoying it while I can.
Thanks all, for the input, now back to packing! (and some more sleep)
Good Morning Miz Dani;
We also purchased our 1998 U270 36' from MOT sight unseen. We picked it up in Jan 2013 had 106,000 miles on it, now has 118,000. The only problem we had was 200 miles out of MOT the altenantor went. Nothing major since.
You will love the way it handles, the DW says I have withdrawals if I can't drive it.
If we didn't already have this one I think we would have been in compatition with you on this one it looks great.
Be sure to join the MOTORCADE club lots of thing to do, and your first year is free. Great people in the club and on this forum.
We live in central Maine and the DW goes in next week for a shoulder replacement so the coach is in winter mode, in the yard no place very close that can handle the height. Look out come March, we will be back on the road. Hope maybe someqay to see you.
Good luck on a fantastic find.
Norm
Miz Dani,
Like I've said before, 1990's Foretravels are the best the old owners ever built. You will enjoy owning this coach (same year & model as mine but only 2 feet longer). If it has sat for a long time, it may suffer a bit of coach "tendinitis". But these type issues can be worked out in time.
The U270 is so trouble free, I doubt there will ever be any remorse on purchasing it.
Happy Fore-travels and enjoy!
Glad it seems to be working out. Ours is 4 numbers in the build from yours. Quality is very good.
The 95 and ups have max guard 29 gel coat as far as I know which seems to last extremely well.
Mine was carefully and lightly buffed out by Richard bark the previous owner and I very shiny.
He removed the old decals over the mid body and we will finish removing the lowers coming up.
We call our white whale "moby" and marvel at the low temperature fluctuations in having a white fiberglass shell.
Not as pretty as paint but less maintenance and gen run time and can take minor branches scraping it without much cringing.
Some one here said it. "Like a yacht".
Hope the inspection goes ok. Only show stopper for me would be delaminated sides and severe rust underneath. Maybe major engine or trans issues also.
Everything else can be replaced and updated.
I always replace all the batteries in any used Rv.
Bob
Very nice find....I to own a U270 and for five years now the couch has never let us down, Always fires up and rolls down the road...CONGRATS ON YOUR FIND
Picked up Dani's coach for her last Tuesday and delivered it to Paul Yazbeck in Leesburg for PDI and resulting repair work. Here are a few pictures.
Mark
Well she sure is pretty to me, even though she needs a few tweaks here & there & a bit of cosmetics!
Mark & Tanya (Super Stars!) had already done two pretty thorough PDI's & now the old girl is gonna get a complete going-over at Paul's.
From there she'll go down to her next stop down at Polk City for new tires, polish, waxing, new paint/decals, etc. Then when I get back to FL in March we can start on her insides, replace carpeting with wood flooring & a few window treatments & minor touches. She'll be all prettied up for her trip to the cabin in Montana in May.
I am just so in love! :D
Thank you all, for your words of wisdom & encouragement, the gentle nudges, and the final "shove" over the cliff! (I think I just took a deep breath & leaped!) What a great bunch.....can hardly wait for the rest of the adventure.
How exciting for you and wish you all the best with your new toy! I think you got an incredible deal.
Congrats on your "new coach" lookg great.
Miz Dani'
Congratulations on the new purchase! We too had a trouble free U270, 36 footer, '96. No real trouble- just wanted a 40 footer with 2 slide-out; so now our 320 '02 unit.
Re. storing for the season in the St. Petersburg area- try asking Parliament Coach. So far I think they are still "storing" coaches for owners.
Ed
Congrats. You will love it.
Parliament does have inside storage, my be full. Not sure re outside storage
Hi Dani,
Congratulations on your new coach you will enjoy the exceptional ride and quality of these Foretravel motorhomes! Plus you are in wonderful hands if you need help or questions answered from the experienced owner team members populating this forum!
Hope to meet you down the road!
Hey Tony:
Your old friend from Rosedale says Merry Christmas.
And for the Miz Dani you are going to love that coach. I made the mistake of buying a SOB first. Can't wait to get back on the road.
Enjoy.
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome, & even with a few "issues" to be adressed, I'm still very happy to finally own the best coach on the planet....been 25+ years since I had (SOB), it's about time! She'll probably be my starter coach, but I had to take the leap no matter what, so here we go.
Appreciate the Parliament info, I drive by every time I go to Clearwater....for now, I've got a nice secure covered RV port not far from me for the winter, then she goes to MT for the summer, may do the same RV port for next winter. Have gotten tons of great ideas/suggestions/help from so many of you already, including all kinds of maintenance/cosmetics issues, what a great bunch this is!
Have also gone thru all 16 pages of the renovations thread for ideas on flooring, exterior work, etc. but the "first class" people here have been the best help yet, am so grateful.
Hope to see you all in Florida or on the road somewhere in 2014! (starting with the Tampa Super Show!)
Dani
Based on my experience, don't be afraid to have coach serviced at Parliament
Hi Tim,
I too still feel Parliament knows what they are doing in gen. But whether it was just that one mechanic who was new to me or plain carelessness or ignorance- I had the wrong grease applied to my brakes as I was being shown around by Richard Simmons. Drives home the point again of hanging around while they work on your coach! This expensive error was picked up by Paul Yasbeck who is the one now servicing my coach. Luckily it was done only two months ago. But it was a big job to clean out the wrong grease and replace it with the clay-based grease. And as if that was not bad enough, they forgot to put back the cover on the inlet where the engine oil is poured in. So after driving back home from Clearwater to Lake Wales (about an hour), the engine oil that was spewing out against the back of the engine cover while on the road, was noted to be dripping on to my garage floor after backing in.
Ed