I've searched all over the forum with no luck and have seen others ask for a consolidated resource for models/chassis produced per year, units count per year, known issues per model year, etc., so I decided to put one together.
This should be a big help for people researching the Foretravel brand, especially the older coaches. I know it would have saved me *many* hours.
This compiled data set on Foretravel events, models, changes, known issues, depreciation curve, etc. is sourced from around the forum, the beamalarm site, Google searches, etc.
As you will see, there is a lot of opportunity to add to this data set, especially in the areas of model year changes and known issues.
Please post missing information on this thread or point me to threads/posts with relevant info and I will update the data set.
The Foretravel data set is here: http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/foretravel-data.htm
Use the tabs at the lower left of the pages to select the topic.
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackneys.com%2Fforetravel%2Ftab-select.jpg&hash=f6c64bd474578422322fd153ae38c1fa" rel="cached" data-hash="f6c64bd474578422322fd153ae38c1fa" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/tab-select.jpg)
Thanks,
Doug
I added:
- A chart and an example table for the depreciation curve
- A chart for the number of units produced per year
- Data, ratios and a chart for the maximum MSRP to U.S. household income ratio
[/list]
It's interesting to note that Foretravel has gone from a maximum base MSRP (no options) of 1.7 times the 95th percentile household income in 1978 to 6.3x in 2014.
The 95th percentile matches their stated target market (their ideal customer).
Relative to U.S. median household income they've gone from 4.8x to 24.2x in the same period.
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackneys.com%2Fforetravel%2Fchart-depreciation-curve.JPG&hash=e8a761504922ff873aeebf68df5d9075" rel="cached" data-hash="e8a761504922ff873aeebf68df5d9075" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/chart-depreciation-curve.JPG)
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackneys.com%2Fforetravel%2Fchart-units-produced.JPG&hash=3f47c10224c0618de9988fc23014e823" rel="cached" data-hash="3f47c10224c0618de9988fc23014e823" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/chart-units-produced.JPG)
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackneys.com%2Fforetravel%2Fchart-hsd-income-msrp-ratio.JPG&hash=d8342571a901b35bf78b71afb041c7ae" rel="cached" data-hash="d8342571a901b35bf78b71afb041c7ae" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/chart-hsd-income-msrp-ratio.JPG)
this is very interesting.
Based on your data I need to start looking for a 2010 FT to buy since the depreciation starts leveling out after 6 years of age.
turbojack,
That data came from this forum post:
Coach financing chatter (split from 1996 Foretravel U270 For Sale) (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=19997.msg143753#msg143753)
YMMV
Doug
I've seen multiple posts that assert that the new owners got things straightened out by 2010.
Meaning that the major quality issues that plagued the current regime's early coaches was sorted out by 2009/2010.
I am not qualified to comment on those assertions but there are knowledgeable people here who can do so.
I added coach numbers and calculated units produced per year.
A big thanks to Jim McNeese for sharing his original data set with me for this.
I supplemented that data with coach numbers and build dates I found on the forum and collected during our coach research.
If you have any build date, coach number and model year information or photos of the data plates for coaches, especially 2005 to 2016, please post or PM me.
Would also welcome model year changes and known issues.
Thanks!
The data and charts are here: http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/foretravel-data.htm
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackneys.com%2Fforetravel%2Ftabs-coach-numbers.jpg&hash=d33d5a895292980011a12e0f036271f9" rel="cached" data-hash="d33d5a895292980011a12e0f036271f9" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/tabs-coach-numbers.jpg)
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackneys.com%2Fforetravel%2Fforetravel-data_files%2Fimage008.png&hash=0b860ef22ee92b0e92aaee93473a0ac1" rel="cached" data-hash="0b860ef22ee92b0e92aaee93473a0ac1" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/foretravel-data_files/image008.png)
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackneys.com%2Fforetravel%2Fforetravel-data_files%2Fimage016.png&hash=4ac6fdac91332a572d014edcfbfd0f85" rel="cached" data-hash="4ac6fdac91332a572d014edcfbfd0f85" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/foretravel-data_files/image016.png)
The bottom graph shows it best, the problems of low production and amortizing all the overhead across so few units. The thing left out I think are the command coaches and the Realm.
Data plate for 2005 U320
Very much agreed.
It is a different business model.
That is probably true.
I have never seen a data plate for either so I don't know if they have their own, dedicated sequence.
I am hoping to stop by the Realm dealer and if I do I will shoot some data plates.
I think they said at the GV a couple years ago they had orders for 15 coaches. That would be a sizable change in the numbers
Here is my plate. Elliot
Of course It surely just a coincidence but I left Foretravel's employment in August 1989. As did several other managers that worked together with me.
Went back for a while in 93
I did warn them. Haha.
What area were you the manager over? Why didn't they lay sheet vinyl down before they installed the interior walls and cabinets like the do with mobile homes?
I added:
- Additional coach number, build date and model data
- US median home price per year
- Foretravel unit MSRP by year and model
- MSRP to US median home value ratio
Note: You may need to flush your browser cache to see the new version.
On Chrome that is:
1. Select the menu icon in the upper right corner of the browser window
2. Settings
3. History
4. select "Clear Browsing Data" button
5. select the "Cached images and files" box
(https://www.foreforums.com/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hackneys.com%2Fforetravel%2Ftabs-msrp.jpg&hash=5ada89105f2ed76020d05b5f683cbf78" rel="cached" data-hash="5ada89105f2ed76020d05b5f683cbf78" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.hackneys.com/foretravel/tabs-msrp.jpg)
California store.
Our painting was our sales office itself.
The deck paint and glued down AstroTurf was on the outdoor asphalt lot. $1,500 worth of materials alone
I waited until it rained a bit and many times I went out in a shirt and tie and brushed the paint clean and pressure washed it personally.
How bad did I want results? Was fun
Nancy,
Please add your year/make/model to your profile so we know what Foretravel you own - it helps us when we answer coach related questions
And if you add your build date and full model info, we can build out the data set of coaches in a semi-automatic way. :)
I added information to my signature.
Data I have seen (current through approximately the first 2 months of this year) indicates 1 Realm sold/registered in 2014, 8 in 2015.
Did they say if those orders included command shells and Realm (MHSRV) orders?
No they indicated that MHSRV placed orders for the 15 but he did not say how many years but I think that number was enough to pay for the R&D to build a new coach. I heard a couple years ago that they had orders for 30 command coaches on the short Freightliner frame. I have no idea how many they have done but if it is thirty then that is great but it is just walls and floors and the insides are done by the converter who ordered the shells made. It helps reduce overhead though.