Well, I was thinking this past weekend about those who downsize. I have two coaches and used the Born Free this past weekend. I will say that I have had exactly 2 repairs on my Born Free since 2007 and it just is a very livable and simple coach. I use it for shorter trips. I was thinking today after spending too many coach bucks two weeks ago, should I just be happy with the smaller coach or even a new smaller coach. I am a 42 foot two slide and get about 7.6 MPG. It is not just the money that is getting my thinking going but how easy it is to get in and go and not tow a vehicle and while I will give up some comforts, will it do. I have covered over 360K miles and owned three Foretravels over 14 years. I could see it if I was being forced to do it due to age, vision or health but how about a voluntary change. I know many of you have come up from a smaller coach to a Foretravel and I also know of only a couple members who have two coaches like me. I was just talking to one the other day who took his 24 footer to Alaska instead of his FT. So, I would be interested in the comments you may have on this. I looked at new Foretravels, but they just don't hit the right buttons for me so that is not an option either. They are much too expensive and too glitzy and too many slides and no storage in them. I did get an email with an 2011 no slide but no room for a recliner in that coach. I am thinking out loud here but I think I will be making a change in the next couple years. The question is what the change will be. So, what say you all.
Well, John, since I've owned 2 LazyDaze Class C's and 2 Foretravels, I hear what you're saying.
We're selling our Foretravel right now, but I would not bet against a 3rd LD in our future.
The biggest problem with a 40ft FT is not being able to stop for a interesting historical site, etc.
Other than that, a 40ft no slide FT is a very comfortable place to live. We'll be moving to a very nice 1 bedroom apartment this Fall but we'll miss all the storage areas a FT offers.
BTW, you can see our FT at Bernd's shop on Main St in NAC. 40ft 1999 U320
Its quite a coach for $60K.
best, paul
We have a 36' Foretravel (although it's a smaller 36 footer) and a 21-foot Streamline travel trailer (out of the early 70s) and a couple of boats with bunks in them (including a 15' West Wight Potter that two adults can sleep in comfortably) and some tents. We use all of them now and then. We still like to tent (and expect a new car-camping tent to arrive tomorrow). The travel trailer tows effortlessly from either our SUV or pickup and is dead easy to hookup. The Potter gives kids and grandkids a taste of cruising but it's not so small that the DW and I can't take it into the San Juan Islands on occasion.
So I think we're already downsized. But nothing, so far, is better than 3 or 4 weeks in the FT in new places and poking around in the Jeep. Solar panels working and the satellite TV set up.
Craig
John,
This is a very interesting subject and have been wondering what others thought on this. When we got our first Foretravel we kept our GMC Royale and used it as our weekend rig. As time moved forward the Foretravel became the coach of choice. We live in Texas and travel mostly in the South and desert Southwest and have no problem getting to where we want to go but we always have our tow with us. With the thought of having to downsize at some point we have kept the GMC in storage up at the warehouse when that time comes. Now we have been having thoughts of when we downsize we may just need an all expense credit card for Holiday Inn Express.
Pamela & Mike
Yeah, these days when we talk about "roughing it" we mean Holiday Innn Express ;o)
best, paul
I guess I am thinking about this as my next MRI looms. I know it should be a good report but that nagging feeling is always in the back of your mind. I will try to use the Born Free more and see how it works. I might even take it on a long trip as well. It is also troubling me as many of my FT friends have hung up their keys for various reasons, and I wonder if there is an alternative for them to continue to travel.
Well, my recent bladder report was a good one, John.
I wish you a good report, too, John.
My uroligist recently pointed out that its been 9 years since my last radiation treatment. My guess is my prostate has been toast for a long time...
Time flies like the devil is chasing at this stage of the game ;o)
best, paul
John,
You are so fortunate to be able to have both coaches to make that comparison in real time and not just supposing and making assumptions. We've owned a Class C (Fleetwood Janboree 31'), a Class B (Winebago Rialta VW Chassis) and the Foretravel. As I get older and not quite as strong and quick as I used to be, the downsizing issue surfaces more and more. I would not hesitate to change to a class C again as these have very much the same features that a class A has. Maybe even a class B or B+ can do the job for us. Then again, Beth is partial to a small towable too as we really enjoy the rustic camping it affords.
Peter, it is something we all will have to do sometime or other. I saw a number of FT owners who have downsized and still enjoy traveling a different way. I usually stay on state routes or interstates but to be able to get off the road on side roads is raising its head. I am thinking maybe on a ford F 450 four wheel drive but I want to stay smaller.
Paul, I am happy you had a good report. I know what a good one feels like and a bad one as well.
John,
We have spent enough time now in our Born Free on a diesel F550 4X4 chassis to know that it was the right choice for us when we downsized from the 36' U320. There are only 2 features that have taken some getting used to. I still miss the retarder but the tow/haul feature of the 6 speed transmission works well on most grades. The water situation makes true boondocking a bit more of a challenge. In this model, the fresh water tank only holds 35 gallons and we truly miss that 100 gallon tank but we knew when we ordered it that this would be an issue and can live with it. I have two 5 gallon water cans that I carry in the towed when we think water will not be available at our destination.
We still have the Lazy Daze....just in case. But the FT is fantastic to go and stay in, with the huge tanks & etc, but it does take more planning and care as to where you go.
Met Monti in South Dakota, that 4wd is sure an appealing rig for downsizing to !
Just to add to what I said before. The truth is more likely to be that I would miss the Foretravel most when taking a shower...among many other features already stated above. Oh, and the sleeping quarters.
40foot is way to big for anything...as I type from a campground on the blue ridge parkway. I met a nice couple today that has a roadtrek sprinter. They full time in it, and love it. They use it in small national park campgrounds. There's some places I can't get the 34', I can't ever imagine owning a 40footer, let alone a 45!
The truth is, the new sprinter chassis or a truck conversion are probably the way to go for the future. A diesel pusher doesn't have as much to offer these days. They are too big, bloated, heavy, and full of glitzy crap. Slides are nice if you want a house. Not so much if you want to drive 20,000+ a year and boondock in remote places.
102" wide is great when I'm sitting inside. It's not so fun when I'm driving single lane twisty roads. I can't imagine doing it if I were over 60.
John,
You can downsize to my 36 FT, I'll take your 42 FT, deal ^.^d
krush,
Good point, my experience was a Winny View on the Sprinter chassis, looked good etc. My issue was after the MCI Bus coach, there is no room to simply kick back and relax. Found sitting on dinette bench or couch simply did not provide a relaxing position, wound up with the 36', have the comfy easy chair that provides hours of no idea where the time went.
Still think how easy the driving, parking, zipping into a fast food or convenience store can be. Do miss that part.
Took the View on a 10 day round about, when returned home, it took 4 days to recover from the lack of sleep.
The Idea sounded great, I just could not live with the lack of the easy chair to relax/snooze/recover.
Best idea for the View, shopping trips, not spending a week or more in them, or plan on a motel every so often.
Seems I am not willing to live that miserable anymore.
Just my sperience, the Foretravel fits my need real good.
John,
Do you own the coach or does the coach own you? My downsize plans are in place and as when I sold our sticks and bricks house that I built and lived and raised my family in for 30+ years, I won't miss any part of the FT. Recently in a weak moment I did briefly consider Paul Smith's rig but my perceived complexity of the solar, unique refer set up, aquahot systems etc. and the associated maintenance problems costs have made me put that out of my thoughts.
Good luck with your decision,
We had a very nice Class B for many years, more than 700 nights in it. Our longest trip (when we were younger and with our Malamute) was almost 11 months. It worked well for us, we used the outside space a lot but the short days in the winters made the space we had seem smaller. Upsizing to our FT gave us a real bathroom and a bedroom that stays a bedroom. These same functionalities can be found in many smaller Class Cs. Our PO bought a 30' Class C. It cost more than what they sold us the FT for. It is likely easier to drive and maybe gets about 10% better fuel economy. We have looked at many Class Bs recently as some friends are interested. None are as well equipped as our old one and are very pricey.
So for us, today, the idea of downsizing seems more likely staying closer to home, shorter drive days. Maybe only one or two days. Up here in MN there are many great places to go in that time range. Someday we will just not want drive 2000 miles to get somewhere. We can do it now so we will. But we still rarely drive much over 300 miles in a day.
John, I hope your upcoming MRI results are good and your FT days are many more.
Roger
To each his own.//// ;D Some like it hot and some like it cold. Personally, I like it just right for me. Which may not be right for you.
Your choice, so far the FOT seems to be the right choice but Country Coach is putting out a 2016 model which will be competition for Foretravel's "Realm". When are you really satisfied? Its all in what you get use to. ::)
We live full time in our 36 ft Foretravel and tow a Subaru Outback. Our coach is our home with a full bedroom, bathroom, new Splendide washer/dryer, etc. We use it as a base, then do our travels, sightseeing, visiting, etc in our Subaru. The Subaru goes a lot of places even a downsized coach will not and it does it @30 mpg. I love having the large tanks and comfort in the Foretravel and there is enough room so if Karen and I want to be in different rooms, we can.
Do what makes you happy and for the next 10-20 years ( hopefully) our Foretravel will be our moving home pulling our toad behind us.
Cya down the road
"I met a nice couple today that has a roadtrek sprinter. They full time in it, and love it. They use it in small national park campgrounds." People full-time in all sorts of rigs. Some even use a pop-up camper. The majority of full-timers, though, have larger coaches. Some of us have no home base in which to keep items that may not be needed for a few months. Those who have home bases can often use smaller coaches.
Eventually, though, all of us will get to the point where we want or need to slow down. As our needs change it makes sense to change coaches. Those of us with older coaches have to also face the fact that a mechanical issue may "kill" our coaches in that repairs may simply not make financial sense, so we are constantly evaluating our situation: "If we had to replace this coach today, what would best suit us now?" Compared to 10-15 years ago, anyone who needs to make a change has lots of choices available, so finding the right coach is simply a matter of wading through all of the offerings to find the right one.
We started out years ago with a 24' Class B on a Ford chassis. Very reliable and easy to maintain etc. Up-sized to a 27' B a few years later for a bit more room. Both were Coach Houses built in Nokomis Florida. Constructed like a boat. Never thought we would own anything else. Then on a whim we visited the Foretravel factory. 3 days later we left the Coach House on consignment and drove away in the Foretravel that David Wilson (Toyman) owns now. Wonderful coach.
We found we missed getting into back country camping and stopping at interesting places the FT couldn't go. Also Maine is a very expensive place to register any vehicle with the excise tax etc. and it's a long, long way to Nac for any FT specific issues.
So having just bought a new very comfortable pick-up truck that is set up for towing we sold the Foretravel and the CRV it towed and purchased a slightly used Arctic Fox 24' long 102" wide travel trailer thereby eliminating two vehicles. It is so easy to tow and maneuver around and is a true 4 season camper.
What we miss about the FT like John says is the comfort of the recliner and roominess of the bath/ bedroom. What we don't miss is the complexities of some of the systems and very heavy maintenance & registration costs. I will say however that if we ever do go back to a Class A motorhome another 36' Foretravel would be our first choice. It's all in what one wants and what works best for you, which for us seems to change frequently. :-\
DW
I'm "over 60" and I don't have any problem with our 102-inch width on one-lane-each-direction twisty roads. I don't have any problem with our 40-foot length in most cases, either. Sure, there are some places where our U320 is too big, but I've been in some places where anything larger than a standard-size van would also be too big.
The beautiful thing is that one size doesn't need to fit all, and the floor plan and storage space of our 40-foot U320 fits us perfectly. At some point we may need to downsize, or perhaps quit RVing altogether, but right now what we have is perfect for us.
There is absolutely no reason to claim that 40-foot is way too big for anything. That's simply not the case!
I must say that this topic have been so helpful and relevant to us. (I have seldom found a forum that promotes such interesting topics.) I am grateful to be able to visit this corner of the RV world. Thank you.
Rv salesman once told me that a rv is just a fancy way to get from one motel to the next. So,,, that did make sense if you just want a mobil place to cook or use bathroom or take a nap, maybe overnite occasionally. But then it's a new bed and food concerns every day. Don't want to go there just yet.
Suppose that would be a sprinter van kind of thing.
One of the major reasons for buying our 36' Grand Villa was for longer trips in which the coach is home. It was a nice RV or a cabin in the woods and the nice RV won out mostly because cabins around here tend to burn up in the summer....
I wanted a nice chair to sit in and read or nap or relax where the cat could snuggle up next to me. I suspect this is not the reason most RV owners give for buying their motor home. But I was tired of cramming pillows into the dinette or sitting on what is actually a long single bed with no armrests. Or tiny "arm chairs". This was my major reason. The DW wanted a bed that she did not have to crawl up onto to make. (Or have me crawl over her in the middle of the night.) The Foretravel fits that bill exactly.
Plus it's got a great view for driving or just watching the scenery and will tow a car, a boat or a glider (in a trailer).
I kept the 21' travel trailer because it's perfect for a day trip kayaking or fishing or mountain biking with enough room to make lunch, use the potty, or take a nap. We've spent up to a week living in it and it was ok... but not great. It has a shower but I don't fit into it very well. I hate to sell it because it would cost as much as the Foretravel did (or more) just to replace it (and get some flimsy replica of a 1970s travel trailer).
So the FT is what i want now because I have the chargers for my Kindle, my tablet, and my smartphone in there and unless the DW has decided (again) that she needs them more in her SUV I know where they are. It is my cabin in the woods... and I get to change woods.
I know that if I didn't have the FT I'd miss it. But what I'd miss more is the ability to just get out and go somewhere. And if I could only do that in a 21' travel trailer it probably wouldn't kill me.
Craig
We went from a 26' Jayco to our 40' U320. Loved the trailer, love the U320 even more. I have stuffed the coach is some tight spaces and find it a delight to drive. Just so long as you think "bus" and not "car" it's fine.
As a salesman told me once "Tailer's are for people who stop for a while, Class A is for those who keep moving"
Horses for courses I suppose. neither is right nor wrong just fit for it's purpose.
Keith
Glad to know we aren't the only ones who kept our prior trailer! I just couldn't turn loose of ours, as it has been so reliable and we've made so many good memories in it. Plus, it really wasn't worth a lot of money, so we figured we'd keep it for when the kids are old enough to tow. Turns out, that time is now. Here's our campsite photo at Garner State Park back in June - FT in the "fore"ground, our old trailer (KZ Sportsman 2405) in the background. Worked out great - we all had our own places. I've threatened to tow it with the FT as a "guest house" - but haven't worked up the courage yet.
And BTW - that's the shortest length site at Garner (I think the site was about 30')- the 36' coach fit, with the rear hanging over the parking stop.
The last camper we had before we bought our FT was a Coleman Popup. We have fond memories of traveling with our kids and knew we'd come back to this lifestyle at some point.
My wife wanted an Airstream. We (I 😄) bought a 40 foot FT. She is getting use to the idea. I am already in love with the coach and appreciate the size. 36 feet would have been ideal but I wanted the best value I could find and felt this one was it.
We are 57ish and are just getting started but I can definitely see the advantages of downsizing to a 36 foot FT in 10 years or so. Like others have mentioned my 'must have item's' include a permanent queen sized bedroom and a recliner.
OK, less than 2 years with my 36 footer, ~almost~ wanting to upgrade in size, (lusting after a stackable W/D & a tad more closet space!) ...anyway, being fairly new, and relatively (ahem) young, ready to roll into my 80's and beyond if at all possible! Maybe way down the road, will consider that Leisure Travel sprinter van I was comparison shopping on, but for now, love the quality, space, luxury, all the amenities, everything about this gorgeous critter! Always did love flying first class.... :))
Good question.
During the past 18 years, among others, we've had a Country Coach 38', Pleasureway Sprinter 21', Born Free 27' and now a 40' Nimbus with four slides. The Nimbus is perfect for us. Not too big. Not too small. We just wish we'd had the $ back then for a Foretravel. Love it for all the reasons you do.
However, if we had to downsize for some reason, like the Nimbus and our bank both got hit by a meteor, we'd have another Born Free in a flash. Amazing comfort and quality. Never had a single problem. Factory support? Who needs it? It was perfect.
So. What are the odds of a meteor strike? That's really the question.
I too have had really zero issue with the Born Free. I love it and have taken it on a couple trips to see how much we like it. It is simple to drive and to park and to pack and unpack...
I consider my FT my mobile cabin, I just move it to where ever I want to go. I can see where a smaller on might be useful for some locations and some narrow roads but I am not ready to give up the comforts of my mobile cabin!
This topic seems to be generating the same responses over and over.
I feel everyone here has a Foretravel because they don't want any other rig instead, maybe as a second rig, but not instead. If they wanted something smaller by choice, they wouldn't be here on this forum. If circumstances forced downsizing, they would prefer to have different circumstances and keep the Foretravel.
That said, I am probably not alone in hoping to keep Foretraveling as long as possible. If the time comes when my choices are to downsize or to hang up my motorhome keys, i will reluctantly downsize. A Born Free class C or a Sprinter based class B+ might do the job, but I would miss EVERYTHING about my Foretravel coach.
About 20 years ago my father in law downsized from a 31' high-end coach (Revcon) to a small, cheap POS SOB motorhome. He was happy to be still RVing for a short time, but he should have quit sooner. The smaller rig only bought him a few more months of RVing, and he left a lot of that RV attached to guardrails along Highway 1 in California.
Before I reach that point, I plan to move to the passenger seat and let my much younger wife take over the driving.
OK, got it, keep FT and trade for younger wife? Economics might not be as favorable though...
Very unfavorable Tim. I have been thinking about this as I have seen a number of FT friends hang up the keys over the past few years. It maybe that I have been around for a while too.
I don't have any problem getting the 40' anywhere I need to go, but we full time so staying in the boondocks for very long don't cut it. As far as traveling and doing the motel thing not fer me. We left our coach in NH, and are heading to Colorado in the towed for 3 weeks. Only been 3 days, I'll take the coach next time!!
This subject gives me pause since this weekend I'll be swapping my trouble free but not as comfortable born free for a 99 270. What attracted me is the homelike comfort of the Foretravel as opposed to the jackknife soda I vowed never to be stuck with again.We're looking forward to having a place for everything and a separate bedroom.Maybe someday soon we'll be able take extended trips If someday we want to continue down the road in something smaller and simpler one of these looks intriguing.
Models (http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/pages/models)
I have to admit my 99 270 was probably my favorite coach.
I drove a couple hundred miles along the blue ridge parkway this past week and camped in my 34'. No tow, just dirtbike on a carrier. It's tight in many places. A 36' may fit in some of the campgrounds, but a 40 would be pretty impossible to get around the trees and tight turns with the longer wheel base.
But, this mission isn't really that great for a FT. However, the campgrounds have no hookups, and A/C was not needed. The FT tankage and systems worked great. After 4 days I still had plenty of battery power left with no generator running (I don't watch TV).
krush, if you get anywhere near us (at the mini-rally in Hendersonville Thurs. & Fri. Aug.6-7) give us a holler, PM me or someone else on the thread about it. Or just park over at Cracker Barrel (exit 53 off I-26) & come on by!
Lakewood RV Resort - Recreational Vehicle Site And Apartment Rentals -... (http://www.lakewoodrvresort.com)
Don't underestimate the importance of this feature! If you and your partner don't have
exactly the same sleeping patterns, having the separate bedroom is invaluable. My wife and I couldn't be any more different in the sleep department - I'm "early to bed, early to rise" and she is totally opposite. When traveling in the coach, I (and the dog) get up early and we shut the bedroom and bathroom doors, allowing her to snooze in peace. Try doing this in a class B or any RV where the couch is also the bed.
The Born Free has the over the cab bed that you can curtin off but I understand what you are saying.
Well, we had a Lazy Daze mid bath Class C.
So your wife could sleep over the cab and you and the dog sleep in the super king bed in the rear.
The super king was made by pulling to couches together.
best, paul
Well, I stopped in at Born Free and saw the 29 foot coach on the F550 four wheel drive chassis. I was very impressed with the livability and the how they put it together and the setup. They have a 2000 watt Pure sign wave outback inverter and they have decent tanks too. I can get it in 50 amp and with 2 ac units. It is a definite possibility some time in the future. Sadly, FT is not making a coach I will want to buy as my next coach. They have very little storage and are heavy tall and glitzy and not like my current one. I also think it is time to try a different approach and go different places. I have covered the entire country now other then Alaska in my coach and now I want to go a bit more off the beaten path. So, one day or other I will put my coach up for sale and make the move to a smaller coach. I know the build quality will be the same and it will be simpler to run and the repairs will be minor and it will bet 12 to 13 mpg too.
The question is when should i do it? I do not think it will be this year but probably next year.