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Topic: Nimbus or U320, what is the better bride for a long time wedding? (Read 1270 times) previous topic - next topic

Nimbus or U320, what is the better bride for a long time wedding?

Hello Folks,
It's been a while since I visited the forum last but ok, I am still trying to sell my old one and the financial people told me if I cannot sell it then I have to wait up next 2012 summer. So, I am operationally blocked down from a certainly point of view.

I beg the pardon of the Moderator but I am not sure whether FT tech talk is the correct forum to speak about this topic.

Up to today, I have looked at Unicoach as the only type of MH suitabole for my needs and for a nuber of reasons one of which is the budget (as usual for many uf us).

However, I started to look at the Nimbus which was designed and put on the mkt in 2006 for the first time, if I am correct. Well, I saw values of this one onto the NADA and seems to be not very far from little bit older U320, obviously much modern but said that, I would like to know what the forum thinks about considering to buy a 2006 36 footer Numbus other than a let's say 2004/ U295 (I could not find anything about the U320 36' slide.

In other words, what are the prons and cons in comparison between these 2 coacehs. It would be nice if this could be taken as a base for a free brainstorming.

Oh, thanks Barry for the info I found on your web site but I was unable to find a brochure of the Nimbus, 2006 edition. Will you help me in solving this, will you?

Thanks to you all.

Steve

Re: Nimbus or U320, what is the better bride for a long time wedding?

Reply #1 –
Quote from: inter_65 –
Oh, thanks Barry for the info I found on your web site but I was unable to find a brochure of the Nimbus, 2006 edition. Will you help me in solving this, will you?

Thanks to you all.

Steve

Hi Steve,
I found it & emailed it to you.
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Nimbus or U320, what is the better bride for a long time wedding?

Reply #2 –
Quote from: inter_65 –
I would like to know what the forum thinks about considering to buy a 2006 36 footer Numbus other than a let's say 2004/ U295 (I could not find anything about the U320 36' slide.

In other words, what are the prons and cons in comparison between these 2 coacehs. It would be nice if this could be taken as a base for a free brainstorming.

I seem to recall the intro Nimbus was overly "decontented".  Transmission retarder was optional, not standard as would be in a U295.  Hydronic heating will be Hydro Hot, not Aqua Hot as well.  I think there was some discussion when this coach first came out - might want to check the Yahoo Archive board for that.

http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?board=2.0

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Nimbus or U320, what is the better bride for a long time wedding?

Reply #3 –
Without knowing your intended lifestyle requirements in the future I would be unable to offer much meaningful commentary. Most of us probably had a list of requirements that we tried resolve prior to purchasing. That lists differs greatly from person to person and terrain to terrain. What fits for some may not fit at all for you. A good example might be an "all electric" coach. If you plan to stay in RV condo villages or maybe National Parks and U.S. Forest Service campgrounds you may wish to have entirely different rigs. As has been said, "It all depends".

Regards,
Jon Twork
JON TWORK KB8RSA
Full Time RVer (10+ Years) & Dedicated Boondocker
Retired, Unemployed, Homeless Transients
1996 Foretravel U270-36 w/24' Timberwolf Trailer
I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my remaining obligations.
Welcome to WeRV2 (Under Construction)
Find Jon: Via Satellite Tracker Datastorm Users
The Second Amendment is in place in case they ignore the others.

Re: Nimbus or U320, what is the better bride for a long time wedding?

Reply #4 –
Quote from: inter_65 –
I would like to know what the forum thinks about considering to buy a 2006 36 footer Numbus other than a let's say 2004/ U295 (I could not find anything about the U320 36' slide.

In other words, what are the prons and cons in comparison between these 2 coacehs.

I had a 2000 36' U320.  I traded it for a new 2007 36' Nimbus.  There hardly is a day goes by that I don't wish I had kept the 320 and spent the money on refurb and update.  The 06 Nimbus (the first one) was really deprived of many of the things that make a Foretravel a Foretravel.  The 07 (mine) is better but still does not have the carpentry & wood quality of the 320.  I believe some of the components were chosen with more of an eye to cost than to quality.  Much better attention to detail in the assembly process of the 320.

Probably a major decision factor is whether you feel you need 3 slides or a single slide (the 00 & 01 320's) or 2 slides (02-05 320's) would serve your lifestyle/space purposes.  It is nice to have the 3 slides in my Nimbus, but we were satisfied with only 1 slide in the 2000 U20.

Another factor in the 36 footers is that the Nimbus has the Cummins ISL400 while all the 320's had the ISM 450hp.  Performance difference is not significant but is noticeable.  Fuel mileage (for me) was about 3 MPG better on the ISM.  A lot more problems (several major) with this Nimbus;  Total ownership repair (as opposed to routine maintenance) cost has been quite high.  I have been stranded in remote areas on 3 separate occasions.

This is just one person's opinion.  I hope it is of some help to you.

Regards,
John Lang
John Lang
Crossville, TN
07 Nimbus

Re: Nimbus or U320, what is the better bride for a long time wedding?

Reply #5 –
After reading John Lang's first-hand experience with his Nimbus I will say that I have spoken to a few people in Nac whose opinion I value highly.  They all said that the 1995 through 2003 models were among the best that Foretravel ever made but with some cost cutting measures being seen in and after 2002.

I've said it before, were we to win a lottery prize, we would get our coach redone from stem to stern.  While that was being done, we'd take a cruise and wave at Brett Wolfe.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.
 

Re: Nimbus or U320, what is the better bride for a long time wedding?

Reply #6 –
I feel the same way about our 1999 40ft U320. It was top of the line in its day, and, as far as I'm concerned, it still is.

Unless we were going to give dancing lessons I would not have a slide-out.

We had a beautiful Xtreme full body paint 1997 36ft U295 and our U320 far exceeds our U295 so much more than we would have ever thought 4 ft would make. The other features our U320 has over our U295 are just icing on the cake. How did we EVER get along without Aquahot?

We have a 399 sq ft Park Model in El Centro, CA. Our 8.5x40=340 sq ft U320 runs rings around our Park Model in terms of convenience, comfort and features. Here's how:

Jenkins Etcetera!SOLD!_1999_foretravel_U320.htm
As always, YMMV (but it does appear $/gal will soon be $4 or more)


best, paul


Quote
After reading John Lang's first-hand experience with his Nimbus I will say that I have spoken to a few people in Nac whose opinion I value highly. They all said that the 1995 through 2003 models were among the best that Foretravel ever made but with some cost cutting measures being seen in and after 2002.
1999 U320 40' 1200 watts on roof. 12cf AC/DC Cold plate fridge/freezer. VMS 240 CL Honda Element