Questions from a Wannabee

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Questions from a Wannabee

November 21, 2011, 03:43:33 pm

Hi, there boys and girls. I'm a RV outsider who would love to become one of the gang in a few years when I retire. My wife and I want to become full-timers and enjoy all the wonders of our beloved country. I've learned a boatload of stuff from reading this forum and have decided that a Foretravel DP is our first choice although Entegra and Newmar motorhomes are still in the running. There are some questions we hope the community can help us with. We want something that is comfortable that can be kept warm on a February night in Wyoming (I like to ski) and cool on a August day in the Mohave Desert. Is that a viable idea? And, if so, which brands and models would best fit the bill? Also, does having a DP over 38 feet severely limit where one can go and camp? Any and all advice will be appreciated. Thank you.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #1 – November 21, 2011, 04:24:17 pm

There's a book in there somewhere when trying to answer your query.

I'll start with an admonition. If you've never owned an RV of any kind or even tent camped. I suggest you try it before you decide that fulltiming is for you.

And, remember that mobility of your home is a premium when living and traveling this great land. Other fulltimers can attest, but if you're not handy and technically inclined, the repair expenses of a motorhome can be high, so budget accordingly lest you become very disenchanted with the whole proposition.

Otherwise, motorhoming is likely the best way to see the country and sample all the differing cultures and scenery from region to region.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #2 – November 21, 2011, 05:02:36 pm

Oh, of course, We'll rent a RV for short trips before we buy. Can't say I'm thrilled by the quality of the rentals I've seen, but it should give us some idea of what we want and need. I am a professional steering wheel holder by trade so I know a little of what to expect. Thanks for your reply.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #3 – November 21, 2011, 05:07:30 pm

We have spent the last 9 months or so in our 2003 U295 (gas air heat) 36'. We have experienced temps from -7 degrees F to about 107 degrees F. I would not recommend either! I think a comfortable temperature range would be from the teens to the low 90s. Out of the range bad things start to happen... frozen pipes for example. Also the refrigerators in many coaches just cannot cope with temps much over the mid 90s. Air conditioners (we have two) can usually cool about 15-20 degrees below ambient. This was our experience. Others may differ.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #4 – November 21, 2011, 05:36:26 pm

Quote from: Ivan Snickleweed – November 21, 2011, 05:02:36 pm

We'll rent a RV for short trips before we buy. Can't say I'm thrilled by the quality of the rentals I've seen, but it should give us some idea of what we want and need. I am a professional steering wheel holder by trade so I know a little of what to expect.

Well, when you make the jump from one of those rentals to a Foretravel, you will be truly amazed. It is said in the industry that the Foretravel is one of the best handling and riding rigs on the market, and it has one of the safest chassis out there!!! Considering your a professional steering wheel holder, if you can imagine jumping from a old White Road Boss II steel leaf spring suspension to one of the best class 8 air ride suspensions on the market, well that is about what you will be looking at.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #5 – November 21, 2011, 05:37:28 pm

Find out if you and your partner can actually enjoy living together 24/7/365 in a small space. We've seen a few relationships come to an end because the stress of living in such close proximity is more than they could stand. This is especially true if one of you had a job where the other was left in charge for long periods of time.

I was a merchant marine officer and gone for months at a time so when my wife and I took our 2-1/2 year old daughter off for a 5-year cruise on our 32-foot sailboat this was a consideration. To practice we took the boat up along the west coast of Vancouver Island for a couple of months. It was good enough so that the next year we left and came back with two kids.

But we watched several marriages - some of which had lasted for 30 years - fall apart under the stress of living together all the time. Motorhomes are not as confining as sailboats are, but still.....

Craig

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #6 – November 21, 2011, 05:39:42 pm

We use our 280 year round. For instance last summer we were in temps as high as 110 in KS, front air failed and we survived with only rear AC for a week while waiting for new AC, unpleasant but survived ( even with two dogs ). We have also been in Denver and E CO in temps as low as 10 with no problems. Just button up, put 40 watt bulbs in water bays and face into the wind. With two furnaces we were comfortable.
I( don't know how long you could go in really extreme temps buts its doable.
Gary B

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #7 – November 21, 2011, 07:21:12 pm

I was just in 9 degrees every night for three nights. The aquahot worked like a charm. Had an ice storm too. Well freezing rain driven by a 26 mph wind in NW Iowa near Min and SD. You will be fine down to zero but it will be a bit of work below zero. As to high temps, I have three AC units and have been all over the south and south west and never had a problem holding 70 degrees inside well over 100 outside too. As to size I have had 34 36 and now 42. Might go 40 next but not smaller as I want a tag.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #8 – November 22, 2011, 09:46:33 am

If you plan to deal with temperature extremes, you will want to do some planning for the extremes. If you get stuck in subfreezing temperatures, bad things can happen to people and equipment.

We have traveled in subfreezing temperatures in two different coaches. The experience was not satisfactory in our first coach. As a result of that experience, we bought the Foretravel. The experience in the Foretravel was good enough that we plan to return to Missouri and Montana for Christmas/New Years if we can get a few things repaired in time.

If you travel in cold weather, you will want to have some redundant systems. Our coach has two furnaces, plus heat strips in the air conditioning units. You choose the heat strips OR the furnaces. We also carry several electric heaters. We are using one right now because one furnace is not running properly.

Cold weather will require a heated water hose if temperatures remain below freezing for several days. You also need to be sure you are using winter blend fuels, keep your fuel filters free of water, and know how to get your rig started in the cold. You will also want some kind of communication system if you might be isolated by conditions or choice.

As others have said, ease into the RV experience. Rent some units. You might consider buying a cheap coach and getting some experience. Marilyn and I bought our first coach on a whim. We enjoyed it for eight months, found some deficiencies for our purposes, sold it for what we paid for it, and bought the Foretravel. It has been great. Expect some challenges. You are combining a house with a vehicle. You can get the good and bad of both in a single package.

Best wishes to find what is right for YOU.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #9 – November 22, 2011, 10:30:20 am

dual pane windows make a huge difference and were generally available on 97 and up models. Retrofit is about $4K.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #10 – November 22, 2011, 11:38:48 am

I recently did a day trip in single digit weather, after having set for several months, so maybe had an unusual amount of moisture in the coach. I had a major problem with the windshield and front side windows fogging/icing over. I ended up setting a fan on the dash to keep enough of the windshield clear so I could drive. One of the members here (George Scholz) had installed two fans permanently which I would guess were for this problem. The defroster by itself would only keep the bottom foot clear.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #11 – November 23, 2011, 12:53:53 am

Thanks for the advice, boys and girls. You've convinced me even more that Foretravel is the way to go. The quality of motorhomes seems to be outstanding. Still I wonder about size. We don't plan to go off-roading with our new toy, but we would like visit small towns in the east and such. Is a forty to forty five footer with a toad going to be too unweildy on the smaller roads. I've had to take my eighteen wheeler through some tiny burgs and sometimes it was torture in a Turkish prison for me. Also, are the campgrounds and RV parks going to be able to accommadate a big rig like that? Anybody got any experience with that? Thanks again.

P.S.
I keep seeing some people refer to their unit as a SOB. What does that mean besides the usual definition?

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #12 – November 23, 2011, 12:56:45 am

Quote from: Ivan Snickleweed – November 23, 2011, 12:53:53 am

P.S.
I keep seeing some people refer to their unit as a SOB. What does that mean besides the usual definition?

SOB stands for "Some Other Brand"; any other brand that isn't Foretravel. A catch-all phrase for anything that isn't a FT.

Craig

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #13 – November 23, 2011, 09:54:48 am

Last year we went from a 36 footer to a 40 footer and so far have found very little difference in where it will comfortably go. We lived in Eastern PA for a while and I don't think there was any roads that the 40' could not navigate, other than the little low height tunnels and covered bridges. We can't fit in our favorite camp site at Lake Murray but there are plenty of other good ones available. We really appreciate the extra storage room in the 40' more than any limits the 40' imposes. IMHO

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #14 – November 23, 2011, 10:54:19 am

40 feet adds space for that washer/dryer that takes away closet space in a 36' rig. Nice if you are on the road a lot. 36' is lighter and fits better into campground/national park spaces here in the west. 40 feet does not eliminate camping spots, just cuts a few out. A lot of campground managers have allowed us 29' max spaces where we were over in the back. Off road is definitely easier the shorter you are. Lot of trade offs but all sizes are good. Don't think size matters that much at most RV parks.

This is from someone happiest in a 26 footer. I don't complain when I step into that huge shower though or turn on the big screen.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #15 – November 23, 2011, 11:23:05 am

Quote from: Ivan Snickleweed – November 23, 2011, 12:53:53 am

we would like visit small towns in the east and such. Is a forty to forty five footer with a toad going to be too unweildy on the smaller roads.

Also, are the campgrounds and RV parks going to be able to accommadate a big rig like that? Anybody got any experience with that?

Steve and I visit Maine and Vermont almost every summer. You do have to be aware of what the truck routes are and where the local low clearances are, more so in that region than other parts of the country, it seems.

You can generally find commercial far northeast campgrounds that will handle a 40' coach and shorter (most state parks up there won't). 45' gets more challenging, height gets more challenging (tree cover). Most of the campgrounds were built years ago and designed for travel trailers, so off the tourist path you're unlikely to find 50 amp. If you stick close to the more popular areas you shouldn't have any problem. Of course as long as you're not an all-electric coach, it's pretty easy to do a summer in Maine on 30 amp - you're more likely to need the AquaHot for heat in May, June, and September than the air conditioning in July or August.

Michelle

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #16 – November 23, 2011, 11:31:34 am

36' is also far easier to level. Driving my 36 was just like driving a big truck. The 40 footer is a whole different animal with turns and maneuvering. The longer wheelbase gives a smoother ride.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #17 – November 23, 2011, 12:20:35 pm

At the other end of the spectrum, our 34 footer is great for camping in public parks. It will go anywhere...almost...and with the 325 Cummins, it's a pocket rocket...welll...in a manner of speaking.

You still need to be mindfull of bridge/tunnel clearance when traveling in the NE states.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #18 – November 23, 2011, 02:37:23 pm

Ten years ago when I was where you are (shopping) I used the rating at RV.org to help me pick a coach. Back then they had a rating of temperature ranges that they felt the RV was good for.

I live in Idaho (no longer fulltiming) and we use a dehumidifier on winter trips to help keep moisture down. Winter moisture is a problem in all RVs. What can happen is condensation on interior wall parts with resulting stains and rust on nearby metal if you don't keep it in check. Most people leave a vent cracked open all the time to let moisture escape but heat is going to escape as well - just the cost of being in cold weather. Pipes and tanks freezing is more obvious but interior moisture condensation is something that most people don't think of.

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #19 – November 23, 2011, 02:49:57 pm

Quote from: Dave Head – November 23, 2011, 11:31:34 am

36' is also far easier to level. Driving my 36 was just like driving a big truck. The 40 footer is a whole different animal with turns and maneuvering. The longer wheelbase gives a smoother ride.

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – November 23, 2011, 10:54:19 am

40 feet adds space for that washer/dryer that takes away closet space in a 36' rig. Nice if you are on the road a lot. 36' is lighter and fits better into campground/national park spaces here in the west. 40 feet does not eliminate camping spots, just cuts a few out. A lot of campground managers have allowed us 29' max spaces where we were over in the back. Off road is definitely easier the shorter you are. Lot of trade offs but all sizes are good. Don't think size matters that much at most RV parks.

We are "accidentally" full-timing in our 36' 2003, having sold our home in NM last January and currently building a winter home in Tucson - where we plan to spend 6 months on the road and 6 months in AZ. I can honestly say, after 10 months on the road, we have not once wished for a larger coach (and we also have a miniature schnauzer). We also have a Splendide washer/dryer, and wouldn't think of being without it. Of course, one needs to be very organized with the storage bays (ie, clear plastic bins) and the inside storage. Everyone's needs and comfort levels differ... and we simply found that a 36' is best for us.

Good luck with your search!

Re: Questions from a Wannabee

Reply #20 – December 13, 2011, 01:01:36 am

Late reply as I was away on business. We have owned a 2000 40' U-320 with a single slide for 14 months, live in the desert of southern NM, and in the past 12 months have experienced temperature extremes of -21 and +112 without any problems. I had driven a couple of Executives extensively back in the '70s when I was racing sports cars, and some tractor/trailer (semis) when in college, so was quite comfortable "leaping" into a big class A (I also drove an English two deck bus in and around Santa Fe, NM for a brief period, but thats another story). I also tired out several other brands of coaches when I started looking for my reitrement coach, and with that experience, a visit and tour through the Foretravel factory, and the recommendation of friends that had driven Foretravels and SOBs, chosing a Foretravel was a no-brainer. I debated about slide/no-slide, and what year to buy (new was not a financial option), and decided that if we finally opted to go full time, the slide would be highly desirable, and from some of the horror stories I heard about some 2001-2003 or so coaches, opted for what we bought. I ditto the comment about it can cost a small fortune to maintain one unless you can do a lot of the small routine maintenance/repairs, but so far do not regret my selection. We've now traveled enough to believe we could transition to full time, or close to it, but haven't convinced my wife to give up her multiple-cats/dogs and antiques, but that could change.

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