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Topic: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale (Read 4760 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #40 –
I would much rather purchase a vehicle from the owner rather than from a dealer. That's because I perform an inspection on the owner as well as the vehicle. If I am well impressed by the owner, then I feel much better about purchasing the vehicle. If I'm suspicious of the owner, then I'm especially suspicious of the vehicle.

In this case there appear to be a number of questions about the vehicle, and at least some questions about the dealer. Unless it's possible to communicate with whomever last owned the vehicle, then I would be quite wary of purchasing it. If the dealer himself has owned it for a long time, then I would be very suspicious of why he let it just sit there instead of pricing it to move relatively quickly.

With as many questions as there seem to be about this coach, I'm inclined to think I would pass on it.

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #41 –
Good points David. I 'm going to look @ it just to learn what to look for

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #42 –
Thanks George...missed your post earlier - I'm going to take a look @ the TN RV coach tomorrow to enhance my FT education - not looking for a "fixer upper" - don't have the expertise or patience

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #43 –
Wow I just stumbled on this thread. I called tn rv last Thursday often seeing if listed on rvt. I talked to a sales guy there by the name of Lonnie. Wasn't very knowledgeable with this coach said it was at the body shop. I asked why and he told me there was a small crack in the rear bumper getting repaired. He asked if someone more knowledgeable with the coach could call me back. I said sure.
 Ten min. Latter my phone rings and it's a fella Rodger and tells me he is the owner of tn. rv. He tells me how great the coach is in and out and that his partner used the coach for some time. Can't remember if he said it was purchased or traded in by a local minister. When I questioned him on why it was at the body shop he told me that the rear caps were cracked and were getting them repaired. Rodger told me he worked at foretravel for years. He was very knowledgeable with how Foretravels were built knew what years they tried different build ideas. Like these over lapping caps in 02.

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #44 –
Hi Mike,
  Yes, Roger Sellers is the owner, part owner, of Tenn RV. He knows the Foretravel story well. He is a great guy, and quite the salesman. I'm sure many will chime in on the 2002 era cap issues. They all had the problem. It was a very time consuming, and expensive, repair. The Foretravel company stood behind these coaches, and it cost them quite a large amount. If done properly they have no problems. Most should have had the repairs by now. But you need to make sure. They are Foretravels, hard to find any better.
Raymond

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #45 –
Quote from: Mike Brez –
He was very knowledgeable with how Foretravels were built knew what years they tried different build ideas. Like these over lapping caps in 02.
I've not heard it called "overlapping" caps before.  The explanation given to me, by a person in Nacogdoches who said that he was working at FT at the time, was that they decided to try some new DOW formula material on the endcaps to make them smooth, without seams.  His story went that there were a lot of naysayers at both DOW and Foretravel, telling the folks in charge that this particular stuff would not work...but the decision was made to do it anyway.  The rest is history, for all of us with 2002s.  Foretravel's responses over the years varied as to what they did as a cure and who paid for it.  I was told that in some cases, they dug out the material and put some plates in to brace things, leaving a smooth surface.  In my case, I let them put trim strips over the problem areas after they cleaned them up.  There has been no further issue or cracking on my coach (about 9 years now), and I am content with the way it looks...even though the sides are not "smooth" between the sides and endcaps.

Foretravel did pay for my conversion to having the strips placed over the area, AFTER a lengthy "negotiation" with some phone and email exchanges.  But then I have a friend who was charged 50% of the cost of fixing his 2002.  It was all ugly business, especially for the new (at the time) owners who got this issue sprung on them when they purchased Foretravel...with the good (loyal base for a great coach) and the bad (the 2002 endcaps that were just revealing themselves to be problems).  I am surprised that any 2002 coach would be still out there in an "unrepaired" state. 

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #46 –
Is this the crack in the white? Roger told me he has a 24,000 square foot paint and body shop and the crack goes through all the colors. Told me it was going to be a $6,000.00 repair.

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #47 –
In person, it is easy to see as a sort of "zipper" effect.  The vertical cracks are actually a series of cracks that are more horizontal than vertical.  Sort of like ////////// only vertically oriented.  The repair by Foretravel was more along the lines of $1500 for mine and my friend's.    Like I said, there has been no issue with mine since the repair which was 1/2007.  It was labeled as a "cosmetic issue" at the time, and I have no reason to doubt that.  It isn't a scary issue...just one that needs to be dealt with. 

I would certainly buy my coach again, altho I was quite concerned about the cracking when I first discovered it.  I can't seem to find a "before" picture, but this is the "after" picture taken at Foretravel.

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #48 –
Thanks for the pic Brad. I would have no problem with the way yours looks.

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #49 –
Ck to make sure there is not a hydraulic oil leak on the big slide appears to a be an oil stain in the joey bed.
The aqua hot is an extra for the 295.  If this coach has good batteries, tires and cap repair and all works and the price is right it may make someone happy.  Love my 295 DAN
 

Re: Feedback on 2002 Unicoach listed for sale

Reply #50 –
Quote from: Mike Brez –
Is this the crack in the white?

When ours needed repair, the crack was only in the black stripe, not the light/medium silver of our coach.  FT repaired it in 2009 (no added trim molding, a smooth seam) for close to what Brad stated his cost and it hasn't reoccurred.

That said, there appears to be some discoloration visible in the photo you posted around what I'm guessing is the "small crack in the bumper" the salesman told you about.  Depending on how long that crack has been there (could be a while if there is now discoloration), you will want to have someone who knows what they are doing (and has no vested interest in selling the coach) check for water penetration/damage and delamination.  That could easily run up the cost of repair and you would want it done right, not covered over.