Do you have any suggestions on Foretravel coaches for this newbie to seek or to avoid? I have read about various motorhome manufacturers having issues with fiberglass checking, troublesome engines, changes to chassis, lowering of quality under new ownership, etc.
After a delay due to severe car crash, wife & I are back in the hunt for a high-quality, well-maintained, previously-loved coach. FT is right there at the top of our list, along with Country Coach. We are seeking a 10-15 year old coach in which to start full-timing. Therefore, your wisdom and suggestions on what to look for - as well as what to avoid - will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Ken
Try this thread for a start: Year 2000 to 2005 U320 questions (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=28913.0;topicseen)
Here is another one to read: Lurking for awhile and have some questions (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=19950.0)
Pretty good discussion that Dan points to in reply #2. We really like our 2001 but our second choice if we had to would be a 2003. Newer than those gets tough. We know a couple very nice 2009-10 Phenixs that are attractive but the lack of windows that open, window awnings, dark colors, size and weight are drawbacks.
For FT, newer isn't always better. You need to figure out what your needs are, look at as many as you can, focus on details ... and years and models that fit will start to emerge. The time to learn and get smart is before you buy.
Best of luck with your hunt. A good result is well worth the effort.
Roger
Our personal preference is the 1997-2001 years, non slide U295 or U320, 36' Not saying the other years aren't good. Not saying slides aren't good.I wouldn't pass on a 40' either, if it was the right coach.
In my humble opinion, from previously working on FT's and listening to other owners, this generation are some of the best coaches built. Don't know the exact count of how many were built. Have heard from 1300 to 1500, I thought it was more like 2000-2500. Maybe someone more knowledgeable would know? If I remember right, when I was working for FT in the late 90's, early 2000, they were building 4 a month,
If I was looking again, I would buy a 98-2001, mostly because of features such as wanes coating on the walls, and a few other things.Price comes into play also.
I spent many hours studying photo's and features on the FOT sight. We are really happy with our 97 U295. Jury is still out on the Cat engine. It wasn't my 1st choice.
Chris
Country Coach, like Alpine and Beaver, all good coaches, but they are no longer in business: Something to consider. This forum, MOT, and RV Trader are good sources for YOUR coach. We spent over a year looking and learning, Still learning, but we're very happy with our coach! Good luck in the search. ^.^d
Chris,
Love the CAT, embrace the CAT, it will get you there...
John
We bought a 36 foot 1998 U270 with the C8.3 Cummins. Standard single furnace which is loud, but not complex. We prefer the simplicity of no slide and a coach designed to maximize interior storage. We will be full timing in the next 18 months. I think all coaches of this era require some kind of bulkhead repair. Have not towed a midsize toad yet, we might wish we had the bigger engine. Steep learning curve to understand all systems, controls, etc. Would be same for other coaches you are look at such as Beaver and Country Coach. Those were also on our short list.
Our decals aren't bad, but I'm dreading removing them and painting new stripes.
I've driven gas class As, Bs, and B+. Also towed bumper pulls coast to coast many times. Nothing drives like my U270. Amazing.
We bought our 2001 U270 36 ft no slide 10 years ago and have been full timing all that time in the coach. Still full timing and don't have any idea if or when we will come off the road, but our coach is paid for so we maintain , repair, and upgrade as needed/wanted to be safe and comfortable for us.
In 2017 we drove 12480 miles in the coach- that is why they call it "Fore Travel"
Find a well maintained coach, keep about $10,000 aside for upgrades, repairs, etc in the first year, then enjoy it.
Hope to cya down the road sometime................ ^.^d
Would not turn down a well maintained 96,found ours from original owners.
Make sure you consider your financial resources, your planned usage, whether it be full or part time, and your mechanical abilities.
Zero mechanical ability/knowledge means you will be TOTALLY dependent on others ($$$) for any & all problems.
These coaches are some of the finest in the world but some of the components do require service, repair, and replacement.
A couple years ago I saw a MH with the CAT logo on the rear and right below the logo it said " IT'S NOT A DOG".
Don't know about what to avoid, but the older gran villas that were not abused (1995 and before) are Great Ole Gals with a little tender loving care and you do not have to sell the farm to own one.
Face book has quite a few shown on the Foretravel Owners, Gran Villa Motor Homes and other classic RV Sites sites.
I agree that limiting yourself to "10-15" limits your options, especially if your goal is a camper and not a show bus. I found the pre-1995 models lacking with only a four speed transmission or a two stroke diesel, both less desirable to me personally. I also wanted mid entry, not the bus style.
The older ones are more affordable, the newer ones are either too tall, heavy, fancy or complicated for me. I think 1995-2001 is a real sweet spot with a few exceptions prior and after... however keep in mind ANY age unit not kept up with properly will be a huge massive pile of trouble, so knowing what you're getting into can be far more important than year, looks, options, etc.
With the GVs, no trouble spotting them for the "four toot salute", unlike the bus models. Were I be looking for a GV, it would be between '93 and '95.
Hi Mr. Real Coy,
We find our C8.3 engine in our 30,000 lb coach pulling a 5,600 lb Jeep all over the US & Canada for the last 20 years of full timing, to be zero problems on any mountain up or down. We are pleased to have a simpler engine that gives us no issues and one that we can tinker with. With more horsepower comes more issues, so we are pleased to not have a bigger engine. We look forward to the next 20 years.
Looking at 2003 and up, lot of good coaches to consider. Engines are 400 to 450 hp ISL [1250 ft/lbs torque] or 450 or 500 hp ISM [1450-1550 ft/lbs torque], or the ISX 525-650 hp [1850-2050 ft/lbs torque] engines. All pretty reliable with a few exceptions. Best to search forum for problems on each engine. Personally, do not think you can have too much horsepower, you can always back off on the throttle. I am running 500 hp pushing/pulling 42500 lbs, fine most of the time, but sometimes wish I had the ISX 650. As Dave M. used to say, "Do what makes you happy."
Our former 2002 - 36' was perty solid. 'cept for the train slide. Full body paint with git up and go. ;D
Depends on how much maintenance you want to do: Aquahot and slides do break down more than their simpler cousins. Our 34ft 1997 U270 has a relatively simple mechanical fuel injection. Has been problem-free in 10K miles. It has some nice factory amenities like central vacuum and ice maker.
Believe the OP is looking for a 10 to 15 year old coach. This precludes him from the Cummins 8.3, or Cat C-7 engines.
That's why we suggested an older coach.If your going to do alot of the work yourself the 20 plus year olds make sense.I love a
Cat engine too but Cat loves hi prices for their parts.
OP (me) is unlikely to do any maintenance that requires heavy lifting. Too old for that, unfortunately.
A good set of tools has been accumulated over the years, so a strong effort will be made to troubleshoot and repair lighter weight problems.
Since we do plan to go full-time, the newer (10-15 yrs old) units with 3-4 slides and the added space they offer hold great appeal.
Ken
Well worth the trip. Find one you like and post questions.
Luxury Pre-Owned Motorhome Dealer for Foretravel Newell Country Coach. (http://motorhomesoftexas.com/)
Foretravel Motorcoach - Custom Handcrafted Luxury Since 1967 (http://www.foretravel.com/)
approximately what is your coach budget and annual maintenance budget
broadly stated ( I am sure this will ignite a few "flames"
Low purchase cost, relatively low maintenance - 1993 - 1999 Non Slide unit - propane heaat and water heater
Medium purchase cost, relatively medium maintenance 2000 - 2003 Single or dual slide unit - 36' - 40', aqua hot for heat and water
Highest cost, highest maintenance - 2005 and up coaches with 3-4 slides, especially the IH45
red a lot of prior posts on the subject. generally, 1999-2002 was considered the highest point of Foretravel Quality, and there were also a lot of coaches produced in that era
after 2003, quality suffered a bit as did the overall number of units produced as Foretravel struggled financially in a very difficult business environment. 2007 (I think, but someone will correct me if I am wrong) has been noted as having some significant delamination issues and the early IH models were less reliable than the more recent versions as Foretravel worked through "teething" issues
This Forum and the fact that the factory is still in business and never went through bankruptcy reorganization (so is still operating and supporting all these year coaches) are significant plusses and money savers
Good luck on your search!
Tim Fiedler
Sure Start Soft Start (http://www.gen-pro.biz)
TCER Direct (http://www.tcerdirect.com) generator-gas-prod (http://www.generatorgasproducts.com) 630 240-9139
Gen-Pro
While the coaches with three or four slides may be very appealing, they have maintenance issues that go with the territory. My daughter in law, while attending college, worked in a law firm that specialized in RVs warranties. Slide out malfunctions were by far their most frequent cases.
Besides the complexity, they add weight and reduce the chassis rigidity. A big coach with lots of slides is also going to be a thirsty coach. You might look to see how useable the interior space is while underway. We overnight at rest stops and big box stores on the way to many destinations. Extending the slides may not be prudent at many of these stops.
Pierce
While at the ladies driving school in NAC the guys got a chance to drive a new Foretravel,you could barely get to the back while underway.
I'm completely pleased with my 2003 38' U295.
I find the single slide gives us as much interior room as we need. Don't care for a bedroom slide that costs you a window.
Only real slide related issue is that the air seal is now leaking. Have an appointment to have it replaced next month. Right now we are camping with the slide in, and find the living room is more cozy but still has plenty of room.
Good point, Heard about a coach where you could only get the bathroom door half open with the slides in.
There will probably be times you will not be able extend your slides when camping, so check it out in all configurations.
Might want to ask around about the 2002 model slides being a different type.
2003 and later are better. No train, no pins.
We have a '02 40' 320 with tag and single living room slide.
Also have the "walk thru" bath (no water closet)..
The only thing the slide (when retracted)blocks is the China Hutch.
All other features are fully usable.
2002 was the only year for the "train" system on the slide..Have only had a bad seal (due to vandalism) and a hyd fitting crack & leak.
2002 was the first year that the front and rear caps were smooth without an expansion gap and trim cover..So there were more than a few that had stress cracks front and rear that had to be repaired (ours is one..no issues since, other than a small stress crack at the fridge outside vent.)
2002 was the 1st year of the factory full length duct work for the coach A/C.
I feel that this coach will outlast me...
Our 2001 U320 has OEM original factory ducted AC in the ceiling all the way to the front. Not added on.
Hmm I wonder if that was a mid year change?
We looked at an '01 that didn't go all the way forward. (Al & Sue McMurray's 36' 270)
There were several changes that year that didn't include all models (U320s got them first). There were also changes to the interior trim and other things on the U320s that changed during the year. I have seen coaches less than a dozen build numbers from mine with different window trim, exterior paint detail, switch locations etc. What is in my coach and specific others I have actually seen is about the only thing I can say absolutely. For everything else I say "some coaches".
My 98, U320 is fully ducted to the front. It also has 3 A/C installed.
Hot weather coach with 3 AC
Two years ago David Flanagan extended my AC ducts all the way forward. Cost =$1 coach buck
Dave did our extensions as well and it made a big difference. Had two led lights added on each extension which have proved to be very useful in our 270. The extensions are a detail to appreciate in the overall picture but support comments above that there is a great deal of variation in years and models. Put together a spreadsheet of what you want/need and don't like and that should help before you hit analysis paralysis. Assign costs to correct yearly issue variations. Every year has strengths and weaknesses so the question is what your mechanical skills or pocketbook can support to get the goodies you need.
Most of this learning curve about which years and models have what starts with spec sheets but grows with actually seeing as many coaches as possible and talking to owners. There are a great many things that can be changed with not too much money and time but a few things (usually floor plan related) that are hard or impractical to change. Kitchen arrangement, slide/no slide/more than one slide, drawers, storage space, slide mechanisms and much more all are part of the mix to consider. Best choices come from being well informed.
03's were directly over driver, passenger seats. Makes a big difference if you want to supplement OTR ac with roof ac's.
My two cents I went to the rv show two weeks ago in Houston at the NRG stadium and those new coaches sure are nice ( no FT at show ) but those are just not made as well as my 1985 ored , lots of plastic and particle board doors hard to open and then rattle when opened walls very thin and not mention price made me once again Love my FT....
Yup.. same as our '02 320t.....luvit as our dash air has never worked...It's right in line after...toilet/furnace/leveling/awing repairs.
So exactly what happens when you retract soaking wet slides?
"So exactly what happens when you retract soaking wet slides?" Exactly.....You have soaking wet slides now inside. Yes, roof air removes moisture, but....... Single pane glass (windshield) will get very moist. I've always recommended carrying a towel to wipe them down, if you cannot outside, then inside when you get them in. Our bodies put off a couple quarts of water each day, a couple, a gallon. That is why it is so important to ventilate the interior to prevent mold.
I sent PM to saddlesore with a good AC repair place near his area a couple days ago, replying his hands have been full with temperatures below 20 in Oregon and an innop Aquahot, and other more important to the season issues. AC just is not a priorty until other pressing issues resolved
I don't see any way to wipe down soaking wet slides once retracted, but I don't see it as s problem either.
On my Foretravel, the topper plus squeegee on top prevent most of the soaking wetness.
And having flangeless slides makes it easier for water to escape while retracting.
Anyone have a part number for the sqeegee on the slides? Bedroom is missing on mine and the living room could use replaced soon
Replaced the 7pin plug on the back with new plate.. broke the last 2 so redid it all with a new stronger plate. Next is the exhaust and turbo.. then the remote maxx fan
David, call FT or MOT for this sweeper gasket. They might have it at Xtreme as well. It is more than $10 a foot so get what you need. My old one was pretty rotten. pulled it out and put the new one in. If you stretch it a bit the round edge will slip in easier and the you can push it back to the original length.
If it is really wet out lean the coach to the slide side a little to let water run off. Leave the slide awning out until you have moved the slide in. On my 2001 i can wipe off most of the front and some of the rear end of the slide when it is in.
The 99-01 slide mechanism is different from later years. There is much less of it inside the coach when it is in. If you are looking this is significant.
I sometimes squeegee the sides of the slides before I pull them if they are wet. I use my windshield scrubber (squeegee side).
Dan, i squeege the top too if have been parked a long time...can be dirty water on top. I use short ladder to get up and use one of those extension arm squeegees that are made for windshields with the rubber wiper blade on one side and foam on the other. I am surprised sometimes how much dirty water I would have pulled in on the slide top. I do this with awning up, not pulled down To the side of the slide.
May be better way and maybe the squeegee mounted on the coach would be sufficient without my extra help.
I do the same as Dan and Mike.I also use a good paste wax on top, bottom and sides every couple of months. Don't know if it helps, but makes me feel better.
And to replace that top "wiper" is a snap.. got a length of it from FOT (something like $15).
Pulled off the old one (in pieces no less) grabbed the Windex greased it up a bit and pushed it into the groove as I stretched it a bit..
Took all of 15 minutes..(mostly moving the ladder)
Mine has that white stuff stuck inside the round part( where it rotted). was wondering what it was and now I know.