I have gathered the NADA values and asking prices for 62 Foretravel Unicoaches that have listed over the past few months to get some idea of what to expect in a couple of years when I'm ready to buy. I thought I might share the info for anyone interested.
I used a temporary subscription to NADA (free for 30 days, they don't ask for a credit card) that will provide the trade-in values (which they don't post on their non-subscriber website). First, they are clearly using formulas. The depreciation per year runs like clockwork across different models and once the early years' high depreciation has run its course, the depreciation is pretty consistent from year to year as well.
As a result of using a formula, as you would expect, the actual asking prices bear little resemblance to NADA prices, especially for older coaches.
I have data for 29 Foretravel Unicoaches, between 1996 and 2000. Of those 29, only 4 are asking less than double the NADA trade-in value. The other 25 range from a low of 204% to a high of 548% of the trade-in value, with a median about 281%, or almost 3 times the NADA trade-in value. The median in this set is a '99 U270 3600 with a trade-in value of $18,360 and an asking price of $51,500. The one with the highest % markup is a '97 U270 4000 with a trade value of $12,768 and an asking price of $69,999.
So much for book values! It has become clear to me that what gets repeated by many on this forum is really the ultimate truth - namely that value is in the eye of the beholder, not in a NADA guide. If that extreme example is a well-used, well-loved Foretravel, it represents a much better bargain at $70k (for an 18 year old coach) in my eyes than a new Class C or a used Tiffin, Newmar or some other make.
Anyone who is currently in the market should feel free to PM me and I can send you my spreadsheet. It lists the coaches' particulars, geographic locations, trade values, retail values, asking prices and links to their last known web URLs. I have gotten the value out of this exercise, and if I were looking now it would benefit me even more. It may as well benefit someone else who is interested. The model years run from 1996 through 2004, weighted toward the middle of that range.
Great offering - thank you for doing all that work!
Everyone - Please - keep this topic off discussions of NADA, which has been beat to death on the forum multiple times. The moderators WILL lock it otherwise.
We've all kicked prices around, ad nauseam. I looked for our coach all over the 'net , figuring I'd have to fly to (who knows where?) and pick her up. We lucked out and found the perfect coach close to us. We paid top coach bucks for her, but knowing of the POs, went for it. One never knows, blue book or not. Good luck. M
We drove from Los Angeles to Lexington S.C. with a Jeep and a tow bar to look at the 1999 U320 we bought after my searching on the net and talking to the owners. After negotiations we purchased it as is at NADA mid price and drove 2400 miles back to L.A. without the ride height working. I just raised it with the levelers to the 8" recommended height of the air bags. We were back home in 3 days without any issues. There are deals out there if you search.
There are several places on the Internet that attempt to show the value of older motorhomes. The one I like is Kelly Blue Book. One of the instructions in using their website is not to include add-ons that were already included in the basic price for the motorhome. Since Foretravel has a LOT of extras included in their MSRP, this does not leave much to add.
In dealing with the loan officer at my bank (actually a credit union), I was instructed to include any add-on that had a separate entry in their table. In doing this for my 2000 U295, their inclusion added substantially to the "retail value" and to the amount of money they were willing to loan.
I have heard this said before, but I actually experienced it when purchasing my Foretravel. I cannot speak for other pricing guides, nor how other lending institutions use them. In my case, their inclusion was allowed by my loan officer. Your results may differ.
Hope this information is helpful to other Foreforum members,
Trent
Cash talks. A would-be seller is always impressed with coach bucks.
I paid too much for mine. I know it, and I'm happy because it's exactly what I wanted and 2 years later still makes me smile. 8)
I'm happy, spent not quite a tenth of what she was worth brand new (list price) in 1997 and the old girl's getting "newer" all the time with each upgrade & coach buck spent....have probably have doubled the $ on what I spent originally but she's worth it...am very pleased....great info here, thanks for the effort Geezer, it'll surely come in handy for many future FT owners down the road! ^.^d