Well it's actually a year older than our current one. We picked up our 36' U295 today and drove it home almost 300 miles. Now I truly know what everyone here has been preaching. I am simply ecstatic. I wish I had bought one years ago. Not that we didn't love our truck camper or current Lazy Daze and the advantages that those types of campers have. I just can't get over the quiet smooth comfortable ride. Shortly after I entered I-85 my wife, following me, called on the CB and said "Whoa! where are you going?". I looked in the mirror, could barely see her and backed off the pedal. I couldn't help but smile.
Gone are the days of parking in a single stall with the truck camper and taking up just two stalls with the C. Now I will have to pick my fuel stops with a little more care and maybe even fuel at the truck lanes. I can't park it in the driveway. At least not in the driveway of our current S&B. Maintenance will be more complex and more expensive. I might have to pay someone else to perform it. I think it's a small price to pay in order to own a Foretravel
Thank you guys for answering all the questions that you never even knew I asked. I searched and read and trusted the accumulated knowledge and then made my own decision to buy the coach I wanted.
Regards
Ed
Congratulations on your new to you coach. Love the headlight and taillight mods to make them look so much newer. Happy camping!!
well done and congratulations....
:-)
Congratulations! We are also former Lazy Daze owners - it was our first RV, bought a 1999 in 2000 and then our FT in 2004.
Thanks everyone,
The PO just told us yesterday that they purchased a 2005 RB three weeks ago. Now we start the process of becoming
former LD owners. It would make a very interesting toad though. :D
Ed and Michele,
Welcome to the Forum, and congratulations on your new coach. You are going to enjoy both! Don't worry too much about the maintenance - since you already owned a camper and a Class C, you have a valuable knowledge base to work from. Some of the stuff on your new coach is bigger, and weighs more, but it all works pretty much the same. You would take pity on people like us, who had ZERO RV knowledge before jumping into a 40' Foretravel. Talk about a steep learning curve!
Take your time, enjoy getting acquainted with your new coach, and ask (here) when you can't figure it out. This group LOVES to help new owners (spend their money)!
Congratulations on your new Coach.
It looks very nice and especially like the headlight upgrade.
Safe Travels
Hi Ed,
Lucky you! Nice looking coach. Enjoy, and stay safe.
Raymond
Hi Ed, and welcome to the group.
Was that coach on RV Trader where the owner was from Concord NC by chance?
Had a friend looking at it , if it was the same one. Great looking coach!
Ed, I would try to use the truck lanes to fuel. May seem a bit daunting with those truly big rigs there, but you may find in a car lane that you are the truly big rig and with toad a little hard to get out. Plus the fueling pumps are fast in the truck lanes. Have used both, but in the car lanes be careful to scope it out before pull in, may be hard to leave?
Mike
You shoukd use truck stops and the truck lanes. Get an RV card form flying j and the lives fuel card fro the Prevost group and you will be set.
Yepper. We purchased it from Josh (Pedalman) a forum member. He told me he has met a few of you in some town called Nac..... something or other. Has anyone here ever heard of it? :giggle: Also told me he had about thirty calls after I had already given him a deposit.
He gave me a great PDI. Walked through the entire coach, opened every compartment. Took several hours.
Ed,
Welcome you and Michele. Got to know Josh(pedalman)last year in NAC and also toured your coach. Spent a few days at Camp Foretravel before we came back to Gulfport and he was headed I believe to Quarzite to work. Great guy and a great coach.
You're in good hands here.
Enjoy! b^.^d
Jerry aka Murph
Nice FT, enjoy.
Very nice coach. Congrats
Congratulations and Welcome Aboard!
Congratulations! We purchased ours in Jan this year and truly love it! Welcome :D
Wise choice// ;D You will love the travel in the new coach. This forum can answer any question about your coach and help with the details of being on the road. I learn where to stop and things to do and what to see. Then, there are the maintenance questions which You can learn about all the things to fix or where to fix or how to fix or just how to prevent the fix. DAN
Thanks everyone for the warm welcome
My first fill was at a Pilot truck lane. As I approached the station I couldn't see a RV pump and getting to the car lanes would not be easy. So I took a deep breath, passed the entrance and entered the truck lanes. I'm in luck. 7 or 8 pumps and all empty except one. I choose a lane, line up the fuel tank. This is easy, I can do this.
I swipe my credit card then Flying J Rewards and....... HUH!! Truck or Refer Diesel? DEF? Ship Number? Is this stuff Bio? What did I get myself into? What if I put in the wrong fuel and get stuck on I-85 with clogged filters. Where is a Flying J RV lane now.
I press cancel and start over. (R.I.F). Ok, I know what a tractor is. I don't need DEF. Skip over Ship Number. Put the nozzle in and pull the trigger. By now Michele is heading inside and asks if I want anything. No thank you I say and... CLICK the pump says $150.00 (my card limit). This can't be right. It's only been thirty seconds. Plus I've never had the pump shut off when fueling my 55 gallon gas tank. I repeat the process. Man, these pumps are fast.
I press Yes for a receipt, no paper. Head inside, ask the smiling young lady for the last two receipts on pump 21. She asks me for my Ship Number. Ship number?? I'm getting confused again (saying pump 21 has always worked in the past) She asks "did I pay inside or outside"? What? She asks for my credit card. I hesitantly hand her the card, she swipes the card. (inside my head I'm yelling 'Don't charge me twice!!) She hands me two receipts for $150.00 smiles and says 'Next"
How'd I do?
Careful//some states have additional truck fuel tax and is collected at the truck lanes only, so use the car lanes for fuel. At "Loves" truck stops I have seen a higher price on the truck lanes than car lanes. Asked the clerk why and got no answer. Try Walmart for better pricing if you can. You will figure out how to get in and out and the driving technique to do so. Learn as you go-- that's the way the rest of us did it.
Good tips Dan, thank you.
I'm still trying to determine if my Chase Freedom Visa will give me the same 5% off for diesel as it does for gas. I was reading the fine print and it states the discount is not available at "Truck Stops" yet I have always received it for gas at Flying J's. I may just have to fuel at the FJ's RV lanes. Huge savings with both Rewards and the 5% discount at the end of the month.
Regards
Ed
I only put the rewards card into the pump at FlyinJ and Pilot for pump start, then the pump will go until your tank is full, then pull forward , go inside and pay for your fuel.
So far so good ... never purchased diesel at a Truck stop / gas stations ... I can not stand them.
Anyway all our 3 vehicles are diesel so we are use to purchasing diesel from any small station that have diesel and 90% of the time they are cheaper, also wall-mart is good too. I need to start making my own diesel ... ... maybe we can from a bio diesel Foretravel owners co-op ^.^d
I avoid truck stops as much as possible as I find their prices tend to be higher than other stations in the area.
I have used one Loves with RV lanes, where you get the cash price with a credit card as opposed to their truck lanes that charge the higher credit card price no matter what.
I tried another Loves that had no RV lanes, and found I could not pay at the pump. I had to go inside and guess how much to put on the card. The good news is that if you guess too high, the overage gets put back someday.
A few Costco stores in San Bernardino County are now carrying diesel at excellent prices, but they tend to be great fun to get into and out of with a 38' coach and towed. I haven't tried yet, but may soon.
I always use Google Maps satellite view to try and gauge how easy or hard an unfamiliar station might be to get into and out of, and plan ahead my approach and departure.
When in Arizona, I found the best prices at super market stations, where it is illegal to fuel vehicles weighing as much as mine.
I use Walmart or Valero stations here in Texas--- I try to avoid truck stops, they are always a hassle, and the fuel prices are always high. Filled up yesterday at Valero for $3.27 a gallon.
Planning a trip to Phoenix in March next year to the Good Sam's National Rally so what is this law that you can not fuel at some gas stations in Az??
Great time for me to remind everyone that the Prevost Community folks have opened their Fuel Discount program to Foretravel owners.
You'll save 10 cents/gallon off the CASH price at Loves ^.^d and at minimum get the cash price at truck stops that participate in the EFS network.
Plus it's pull in, swipe card, type in a couple of numbers, pump, pull out. No going into the store. No handing over your credit card to the person in the store.
See the links below.
Fuel Discount Program. (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=19243.0)
Prevost Community Fuel Discount Program & Michelin Tire Advantage Program (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=19306.0)
Dan, I was told at a station in PHX a few years ago that there is a State Law that any vehicle over (I think) 24.000lbs is not allowed at the regular forecourt pumps.
Others may correct this weight.
JohnH
"Great time for me to remind everyone that the Prevost Community folks have opened their Fuel Discount program to Foretravel owners. "
We are VERY happy with the Prevost Fuel Program. Makes it less of a decision to just pass up the smaller-and-hard-to-navigate-but cheaper locations and just stick to the Loves or the bigger truck plazas. First time using the card was a tad confusing ... but now it is a cinch. We get our emailed receipt in minutes of the transaction, too!
"I was told at a station in PHX a few years ago that there is a State Law that any vehicle over (I think) 24.000lbs is not allowed at the regular forecourt pumps."
We live in Tucson and use different local stations to top off when storing the coach or finding a really good price. Never had an issue with weight restrictions. Well, no one has said anything, anyway....
Always easier to say sorry than get permission...
FlyingJ / Pilot have a free Frequent Fueler card that gives you at truck pumps, lower cash price when using a credit card, and you get Pump-Start where you don't have to go inside first. And I think there is an additional few cents off the cash price from using the RV Frequent Fueler card. Good Sam member card also does the same thing
We only fuel up at Flying J or other truck stop if no Flying J / Pilot nearby.
We never worry about tight turns into or out of pump island with other cars around.
We fill faster with large nozzle pump.
AND we can never make a mistake (that others have made) by accidently putting gasoline into our diesel fuel tank as there is no gasoline being dispensed in the truck lane.
Just too easy to reach for gasoline pump handle from all the times we put gasoline into our cars.
Ed,
One of the nice things about your new to you coach is that the large fuel tank allows you much leeway in where you get fuel. You might even be able to avoid buying in a state with high fuel tax. The first few years I bought mostly at Flying J, but now since the truck stops seem to be higher than a few years ago, I have mostly been buying at Walmart. They sell enough fuel so that it is fresh. In order to get the discount it is necessary to get a Walmart credit card, to avoid the hassle of going in the store and buying a shopping card to pay for the fuel. The Walmart card won't get you a discount at a Sam's club unless you are a member. You may have to ask the attendant or give them your card so that the pump doesn't shut off at $100. The pumping is a little slower, but I'm not usually in a big hurry. A few years ago someone had a screwdriver rammed into his dash A/C condenser after going through the truck pumps. Some truckers get irritated by RV's, so I avoid the truck pumps. Walmart sells a road atlas that has a list of all the stores and if diesel is available. Good luck with your new purchase and do whatever makes you happy.
Thanks Jerry
Just a few comments about discount cards in general.
Navigating around the many discount / cash back / rewards cards can be a full time job. Just today I opened my Good Sam renewal. In it it claims that "DELUXE Members" can save 5 cents off gas & 7 cents off diesel at Flying J "when you use your RV PLUS CHARGE CARD- Coming Soon". Misleading information as you must apply for and use the CHARGE Card in conjunction with your Good Sam card. Merely have a Good Sam card does not give you the claimed discount. My own current fav card is my Chase Freedom Visa which gives me 5% cash back at ANY gas station. But wait, discount is not available at large chains (Walmart?) or at Truck Stops. Still researching if it applies to diesel or only to gas.
And while the Chase Freedom does not have any annual fee, the categories rotate quarterly, so for 2014, this quarter, and the first quarter included gas stations, with a limit of $1500 per quarter.
I couldn't find anything on any gas station restrictions on either of these:
Outside of the Chase Freedom gas station category quarters, I use my TrueEarnings® Card from Costco and American Express (no annual fee, aside from the Costco membership.) The consumer version of the Costco TrueEarnings card offers 3% cash back on gasoline. Costco limits the higher returns on gasoline to the first $4,000 each year for the consumer card. Other benefits included 2% cash back on travel and at restaurants, along with 1% cash back everywhere else.
I don't have this one, but many on this site do, PenFed's Platinum Cash Rewards card offers 3% cash back on all gasoline purchases (5% for those who have another qualifying PenFed product:
Active checking account with direct deposit ($250 min.)
Money Market Certificate or IRA Certificate
Mortgage
Installment loan
Equity Loan or Equity Line of Credit
Thrifty Credit Service
Personal Line of Credit
Money Market Savings Accounts
This card has no annual fee. To apply for this card, you must be a member of the credit union, which is open to current and former members of the military, many government contractors, their relatives, and household members. Even if you do not qualify on this basis, you can do so by making a one-time, $15 donation to a military charity. Visa® USA determines which transactions are classified as gas purchases paid at the pump and supermarket purchases based on Merchant Category Codes. Military commissaries are supermarkets. Fuel purchases for airplanes and boats receive 1 point per dollar spent.
I signed up for that and I have used it. It's great!
Ed,
Sorry to be late to the parade. We bought our 2000 U295 exactly one week before yours. Unfortunately our drive home (first ever in an RV) was 1200 miles. That was a pretty steep learning curve.
Our Foretravels are quite similar; ours also has red and gold trim. Not only that, but we were probably stable mates; yours is build 5600 and mine is 5603. John H also has a 2000 U295, but his build is 5674. Maybe we should start a Special Interest Group (SIG) for 2000 U295's. :))
Trent
As I read this I must say the same as Jerry W. I use to stop only at Flying j but now its Walmart all the way . Fresh fuel and lots of savings over Flying J. Get Walmart credit card and save 15 cents per gallon in Texas right now. New program at times but always a savings over Flying J price.
Dan, 15?
Ours is .10
Is it a new program?
Thank you Trent.
Belated congratulations to you. First RV, 1200 miles, whew!
Yes, you may recall our co-pilot seats have the same bent lever to rotate the seat. We may need a SIG just for these types of little nuances. ;)
I think it may be regional. A new Walmart and Walmart Express (much smaller version) opened recently here and true to form they undercut all the gas prices of the surrounding stations forcing them to lower their prices. Most stations matched the credit card price but none matched the 10 cents a gallon you can save with a WM Credit or Gift card. That was months ago. It did drive one competitor out of the gas selling business.
Now I notice it is only 3 cents a gallon cheaper at the WM Express with a WM card. The larger WM still has a sign promoting fifteen cents a gallon off gas.
I know I'm talking about gas but with a 1000 mile cruising range on my FT, I'm not buying much diesel right now. ^.^d b^.^d :dance: