Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 14, 2025 ...

How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

February 12, 2014, 12:05:40 am

How many miles can one reasonably expect a Foretravel coach to last?  The engines and transmissions can go a million miles with proper care, but what about the coach itself? 

Thanks!

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Re: How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

Reply #1 – February 12, 2014, 12:17:17 am

Hard question.  If you love your Foretravel, when you get one, then it will generally last as long as you want to keep it.  All you need to do is replace worn furnishings,  and other things of all nature.  You will have far less to replace than on many other brands.

I see lots of Model A's around here, because folks love them and keep them roadworthy.  Same with Foretravels.  I've seen pretty 1979 models and I've seen trashed 1990 models.  As you have stated, the power train will last longer than most of us would ever have a coach...even if we passed it down to the next couple of generations.

Expect it to last as long as you want to keep it.  There is no expiration date on them.  My 2 cents.

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Reply #2 – February 12, 2014, 06:35:08 am

I figure that you should get well over 500k miles with proper care.  I have seen a 471,000 coach a few years ago that was a 99 and lots of 270k early 90s that looked great. I have 150k and I talked to a tech at FT who bought a late 90s coach that had 190,000 plus on it when he bought it. I did my studing on this subjuct and figure the transmission is actually the weak link and the same transmissions are on Busses. It can fail first if you do not pay attention to the heat and if you do pay attention all will be fine. 

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Re: How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

Reply #3 – February 12, 2014, 06:54:51 am

Some more useless info  concerning Allison Transmissions, I came to Foretravel via the MCI bus, which gave me much info thru Greyhound, Greyhound only rebuilds the automatic after the 3rd engine, this of course was when they ran the 8V-71 DDC engines.
So I figure the Allison the longer lasting part.  Now with the newer 4 cycle engines that last longer, and being away from those shops, who knows, surely not me.

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Re: How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

Reply #4 – February 12, 2014, 09:51:12 am

I really think the correct answer is "almost unlimited." Consider that the major components are the same as used in motorcoaches and semis, and that it's not uncommon for those to travel nearly a million miles without major-component replacement. If a Foretravel is properly maintained, and if normal-wear components are replaced as needed, then it could last through a few generations of a family.

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Re: How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

Reply #5 – February 12, 2014, 10:36:54 am

Dave,

No hands on experience myself but I have read the 50 series Detroits only last about 60% of what a 2 cycle 92 series Detroit does plus are known for vibration.

Coming up on half a million both engine and trans on our 300SD. Lot of it petal to metal with trailer plus no intercooler. Still starts instantly into the low teens with 5 second glow max. Never gets colder than that here.

RV diesels will outlive several owners and still be happy unless overheated or engine oil never changed (that happens a lot). Always an exception but few and far between.

Pierce

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Re: How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

Reply #6 – February 12, 2014, 11:19:13 am

Heat is always the issue and retarder heat is important too.  That is the real issue with lifespan, the fluid getting cooked with heavy retarder usage.  So put in synthetic and watch your temps and change your fluid. 

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Reply #7 – February 12, 2014, 12:15:16 pm

The winter storms now on the TV everyday along with trucks spraying salt water or chemicals on the road are probably the leading cause of a short Foretravel lifespan. The spray thrown up by driving on these roads works it's way into every corner of the undercarriage and unless carefully washed off each time the coach is driven, the damage will be extensive. Corrosion, aside from cosmetic appearance, makes removal and replacement of components not only more likely but also more difficult.  The frequency of repair will be much higher especially for electrical components than a fair weather only coach and the resale value of the coach will not only be far less but not many savvy buyers will be interested at any price. Few severe bulkhead problems on a clean underbelly.

Pierce

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Reply #8 – February 12, 2014, 01:04:47 pm

Pierce, Total agree on the MB auto's, had two, 240D & 300Turbo Diesel.
As for longevity, nothing is idiot proof, not even an Allison trany.
With normal wear & tear, they out live 3 DDC engines per Greyhound,  per Greyhound, their drivers lean toward the idiot side mechanically. 
Dave M

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Reply #9 – February 12, 2014, 02:42:28 pm

Coach should outlast most owners then some.  As Pierce wrote it's the salt that will get into components but it wont kill the coach.  I don't think Foretravel knows much about de-icing chemicals here in the north but I think that's about to change.

Keith

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Reply #10 – February 12, 2014, 02:53:23 pm

  Thank all for your replies!

I'm looking at possibly traveling 50-60K miles per year for a couple of years then tapering down to about half that after two-three years.  Since I have champagne tastes and a beer budget I'm beginning to looking at used motorhomes.  I think I can handle the maintenance issues far easier than the drastic depreciation that comes with a new motorhome.   

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Re: How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

Reply #11 – February 12, 2014, 08:33:05 pm

I have an 89 GV. 300 cat on an Oshkosh chassis, I do work on mine,

Thats the bit that did surprise me, From crawling around, under, over and every where else,

I do know my coach now, Even tho I have had it less than a year,

Not only the Chassis, But the Foretravel Custom Built Shed on top of it,

Will be still trundling down the highway, Quite safely, long after I am dead and buried,

My 25 year old Coach is at a point where it will stay the same for years to come,

Just normal wear and tear, and things that go bump in the night, Its man made, It will eventually break, some where,

My Chassis and Engine Combo, originally came to Australia as Garbage Trucks with compactors on the back of them,

A bit of maintenance, Change the oils and fluids regularly, It will run forever,

Donate it to your great grand kids,, By then it will be worth more than it was new, Hahahaha,

Foretravel is a Quality Item, It was built to last, and it does it very well,

Where you can watch most others disintegrate before your very eyes, Its cheap and nasty, so there isnt much you can do with it, The Gilt and Glitz, does wear off quickly, Then it just looks Yuk,

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Re: How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

Reply #12 – February 13, 2014, 12:52:04 am

I'd say the fit and finish of my 1994 Foretravel U225 is still close to new.  It is the standard to which I compare new motorhomes with when I go to a RV show.  Not very many of the brand new ones come close to the fit and finish of a old Foretravel.  Those salesmen don't like me making that comparison in front of their customers, cause the customers are asking what a Foretravel is.

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Re: How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

Reply #13 – February 13, 2014, 08:52:43 am

At one point Barry was tracking the data plate # of older coaches on the road through members on the forum.

While not necessarily accurate since not everyone belongs, it would be interesting to know how many 80's, 90's vintage and type there are.

mileage could be added for another comparison.

Someone said 50 year coach, others said 500K miles, still others have "indefinate", my take is none of these factors will be the determing factor - new laws that restrict one thing or another, new technologies.

I for one, look forward to a hydrogen engine for our coach.

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Re: How Many Miles To Expect From a Foretravel?

Reply #14 – February 13, 2014, 10:12:15 am

Our '89 only has 140k on it so who knows how long it's gonna last, but I fully expect to hand it down to my boy a long time from now.

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Reply #15 – February 13, 2014, 10:17:33 am

Ours was a $20K investment that has already paid for itself. Will give it to the kids or use it for a guest house if I can't drive it any longer.

Pierce

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