Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Potential Purchase (Read 1928 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Potential Purchase

Reply #26 –
PatC, you are absolutely correct! When we were still trying to decide what class of coach we wanted, we learned that a 5'er that is really full-time capable is going to be quite heavy. Sales people will tell you anything, and unfortunately, quite a few people think that a 1-ton dually can handle anything. Not so! Stopping a 25,000 pound trailer (yes, some of them are that heavy) requires some pretty decent brakes. That's part of the reason we decided that a MH was the way for us to go. We didn't want to be running around sight-seeing in a medium- or heavy-duty truck.

Re: Potential Purchase

Reply #27 –
We had a trailer and while it was nice hooking up in rainstorms was not.  There is something about just stopping, cooking a meal and relaxing without even getting out of the coach that appeals to me somehow.  Also looking at some of those fivers they look very unstable in any kind of crosswind.  Even in very bad conditions our Foretravel drives beautifully.  I think that it will be hard if not impossible to find a trailer, other than Airstream perhaps, that comes even close to a Foretravel in quality.  Go with a Foretravel, inspect it closely and remember it's a big, heavy vehicle that requires proper maintenance to keep it in good condition and you won't go far wrong.

Keith
Keith, Joyce & Smokey the Australian Cattle Dog
1995 U320 SE Extreme 40' WTBI Build # 4780, with a Honda CR-V hopefully still following behind.
Motorcade # 17030
FMCA # F422159

Re: Potential Purchase

Reply #28 –
I have yet to see a 5th that has decent build quality. They don't even look as good as the cheapest low end class A motorhome. Passed a new one on I-80 with it's plastic fenders flapping in the wind. Why do they sit about 3 feet off the ground with their plumbing hanging down in view?

Adding up the price of a new diesel PU and the 5th wheel, it's easy to spend towards $100K. Even more with the larger tow rigs. Sure happy with ours at a fifth that cost.

Plus, who wants to take a PU or bigger 4 wheeling on back roads?

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Potential Purchase

Reply #29 –
Our kids have a pretty nice 5th wheel and a diesel pickup.  We just made a quick trip to Louisiana for a funeral, about 1400 miles round trip. They went with me in the coach. My son-in-law drove about half of the time. All they have talked about since then is getting a coach.  Of course I think there is only one brand to consider.
Rick & Rhonda
2003 U320 4220  Build #6199
Was
91 36' GV 300 Caterpillar, 92 40' U280 300 Cummins, 97 36' U295 300 Cummins, 2002
U320 450 Cummins
(Guess we're hooked)

The selected media item is not currently available.

Re: Potential Purchase

Reply #30 –
Take a look at the DRV offerings. Those 5'ers have 3.5" thick walls. Quality is great, but you pay for it. Had we gone with a 5'er, we would have been looking for a Mobile Suites or possibly and Elite Suites. Of course, we would have needed an F450 or F550 to safely tow it, and that would have been our running around vehicle. Also, no towable can be kept comfortable while traveling. All in all, a MH fit our needs better. Those who stay in one place for months at a time may well do better with a towable. I know of one couple that has a smaller vehicle for running around and the big truck for towing the 5'er. Others use a much larger truck and have a SmartCar on the truck for running around. Too much work for me.

Re: Potential Purchase

Reply #31 –
My friend in San carlos mexico had for many years a Teton 42' 5th wheel and as it was 25000lbs he had a Frieghtliner to pull it, I almost bought it 2 yrs ago for fun but decided otherwise. I loved that sport cab, and the 5 er was as big as a home with all 4 slides out. He sold and now has a C Coach magna. Nice unit
john h
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Potential Purchase

Reply #32 –
We also looked at a 5ers and ran into the same issues with tow vehicles, hooking/unhooking and the rest.  We felt a Volvo or Freightliner would have been the right choice but were also challenged with getting around town in the tractor.  We felt the Hitchhiker and Alpenlite were well built towables but we too decided on our 320.  I think we made the right choice for us. :)
Scott & Carol Seibert
2001 42' double slide U320 - Sold
Previous - 2002 36' U320

Re: Potential Purchase

Reply #33 –
Kevin,

I had questions similar to those you pose here before Barb and I purchased a Foretravel for our retirement years.  We were living in Alaska and had owned a Class C for about fourteen years at the time.  Finally, we had decided that we wanted a Class A, and later a diesel pusher, perhaps one with a slide. Next came the many visits to private owners and dealerships in Anchorage for the routine questions and test drives.  Thank goodness that I had remembered seeing a couple of Gran Villas of the  pre-slide Foretravel years or I might still be looking!  They looked so stately and so different from the typical bus look, whether they were in motion or parked.  And one happened to be parked in a nearby camp very near Elmendorf AFB, so the wife and I would frequently drive by it until we were sure we wanted to learn more about them.  Then came the phase of comparing Foretravels with other quality built coaches and, finally, we were down to considering just one other make and model, the Country Coach Magna.  We could have saved about ten thousand dollars had we purchased a 96 Magna, but with me being an old East Texas boy, with deep ties to 'doches, we found our coach near San Antonio...so we bought it and never looked back or had any regrets.  Good luck to you in your quest!

James
James McBroom
1994 U280 36'
 

Re: Potential Purchase

Reply #34 –
I think Craig makes a good point about how you are going to use the rig. A quality 5th wheel (we had two Excels) can't be beat for a "residential" type floor plan and is ideal if you are going to sit for several months (or an entire season) at a time. The newer 1 ton trucks have capacities that are very close to the Freightliner Sportchassis we had. But...if you are going to be on the go, a motorhome is hard to beat.

It also depends on who is going to drive the rig. We split the driving and I am blessed with a bride that is equally comfortable with either set-up. I know many others who will NOT pull a trailer and are OK with driving at motorhome and the tow car.
Jeff & Patricia
Rescue dog Molly
Previous Foretravel owner