Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 15, 2025 ...

Here's a SWITCH ... Selling our Foretravel, so we can go FUll TIME .....

March 12, 2015, 04:17:31 pm

 Hi All ....

Just wanted everyone on this Forum to be aware that we have listed our 97 U295 40' for sale in the "Classifieds". All the info can be seen in our ad. Please let anyone you may know who is looking for a nice coach.

We have truly loved having our U295. As with life, changes come about, directions change, and all we can do is adapt to them all and continue on!

As DW and I are missionaries serving throughout these United States, we feel now is the time to go full time RVing which will offer so much more time and opportunities with our ministry.

Though our U295 has served us so well up to now, we would travel and then have to come back to our home. Now that we will be living 24/7 in a RV, we have chosen to sell our home, and purchase a 40' 5th Wheel with several slides for the much needed room inside to meet our needs. (Sure wish Foretravel made 5th Wheels) 

Not only will we miss our U295 ... we will surely miss our Foretravel Forum and all those that make this Forum what it is!

Best Wishes to ALL .... See Ya somewhere down the road! 

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Re: Here's a SWITCH ... Selling our Foretravel, so we can go FUll TIME .....

Reply #1 – March 12, 2015, 05:14:30 pm

Which fifth wheel brand have you found that does have anywhere near Foretravel quality?

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Reply #2 – March 12, 2015, 05:19:30 pm

Keep the FT, 5th wheel is a pain, everything you want is either up or down stairs.

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Reply #3 – March 12, 2015, 07:08:48 pm

Good luck and best wishes with your new endeavor.  If you are going to be staying in one place for a length of time and need a lot of space, you probably are better off with a 5th wheel. 

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Reply #4 – March 13, 2015, 12:20:46 am

That is a switch. 180 degrees for why I have a foretravel. Staying in one place or moving about, 24-7 , for all the reasons, 50 plus to "love your foretravel"  Obviously your plan is thought out. It were me I think I would tow a trailer or have a custom heavy duty "awning room". There is something to be said for a solid house, especially when it is your house.

Good luck and smooth transitions.

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Reply #5 – March 13, 2015, 09:56:47 am

I'm sure that  Foretravel could and would build you a 5th wheel, then the problem would be to get a heavy duty truck to match the comfort and quality of the FT. Good luck with you switch, didn't work for us....and we were only switching from a Sprinter class B.

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Reply #6 – March 13, 2015, 10:25:22 am

               Everyone has heard -----Different strokes for different folks ----- well,  this is one of them .              Brad Metzger

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Reply #7 – March 13, 2015, 11:40:48 am

This is not the first time I have seen this.  If you are sitting for a while and not moving as often, the a 5th wheel is the ticket.  Much more room and I have seen them with five slide outs. Heck they even make trailers with two stories of living space but you need a medium duty truck or bigger to pull these beasts. No way I would try it with my 3500 one ton.

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Reply #8 – March 13, 2015, 11:46:44 am

One of the first Foretravels we looked at was being sold by a couple who decided to buy a 5th wheel instead.  They were stationary for months at a time, and the 5th just gave them more useable living space.  Certainly understandable.

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Reply #9 – March 13, 2015, 12:42:09 pm

The modern 5th wheel trailers by NuWa (Hitchhiker, etc.) are certainly nothing like they were in the 90s when we had an Alpenlite. I've lived in condos that were smaller than a 4-slide 36' 5er! The downside to a 5th wheel for us is the ability of our FT to tow a Jeep or a fishing boat or even a travel trailer (for the kids and grandkids). But they certainly offer a lot of "mod cons" for staying in one place for 5 months at a time.

There's no "right" way to do it. The right tool for the right job at the right time.

Good luck.

Craig

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Reply #10 – March 13, 2015, 01:04:36 pm

Strange to say but there is one Forertravel 5th wheel in existence.  A member on here converted a coach that had a generator fire into one.

Keith

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Reply #11 – March 13, 2015, 07:46:29 pm

jayncat, you are in a similar position to us. When we bought our Foretravel, our plan was to do some volunteer work (campground host, gate guard, etc.) some of the time and travel the rest of the time. The travel part would not be driving every day, but certainly a few travel days each month. Now, I'm working with Laborers For Christ, which is a group of retired people who help Lutheran congregations with their building projects. We normally stay on-site, and projects normally run a couple of months to several months. We've been here in Stillwater since January. Others have been here longer.

We've thought about whether a 5'er would be a better choice. We would gain some space inside, at the cost of basement space. We wouldn't have to worry about driving the coach to get propane. We would have that large truck as our daily driver, and on travel days we'd have the extra hassle of putting Missy in her cat carrier and buckling it into place in the back seat of the truck. We'd also have the hassle of the setup and take-down that we don't have with the Foretravel.

At this point we've decided to stick with what we have. We may trade the Jeep for something a bit more fuel-efficient, but that's the only change at this point.

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Reply #12 – March 13, 2015, 10:40:18 pm

I want to share our experience for your consideration.  We have been full timing for 7 + years in our 36 ft U270.  We have worked in Maine from July- Oct.  Stayed in Mobile, AL for 10 months working.  Stayed 2 months working for Amazon.  We tow a Subaru Outback that is our daily driver when we are not traveling in our Foretravel.  Love getting 30 mpg with the Subbie and it is very easy to move around ( it is a manual tranny as it is AWD).  I love the way our Foretravel handles, feels, safety, etc. 

While we don't have as much room as you do in your 40 ft Foretravel or certainly less than a 5th wheel, we feel we have the best of both worlds.  A great motorhome for travel and living in and a  nice car for daily driving ( easy to hook up to tow as opposed to 5th wheel).  We don't have to drive a big truck to the grocery store, find a place to park, etc.......

We have no plans to come off the road for 10-15 years and they will all be in our Foretravel (the good lord willing).

Not trying to change your mind, just share my experience and let you decide what works for you and makes you happy.

Good luck with whatever you do.

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Reply #13 – March 13, 2015, 11:36:34 pm

We have about the same story. Full timing for 12 years so far. We have a 1999 40ft U320. Had a 1997 36ft U295. And 2 different 27ft Lazy Daze. The U320 is far and away the best of the 4.
Good luck on your search.

best, paul

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Reply #14 – March 14, 2015, 09:02:22 am

As others have already said, there is no right way are wrong way; whatever works for you!

We lived full time in our old MCI MC7 conversion and traveled in the ministry. Room was always a problem but between the tools I want to carry and the "things" my wife wants to carry we would have needed a 100 footer!     

We moved up to a 40' Bluebird Wanderlodge and tow an '86 Chevy Blazer (full size, 20 MPG, tows with no modifications, what's not to like?).

We like the larger motor homes because most of the places we minister are dry camping only and there are no campgrounds anywhere close. Sometimes we may get a standard 15 amp  receptacle to plug in to but that's usually the exception. Also, fresh and waste water capacity, bigger generator, and safety are big pluses for us.

The ability to stop about anywhere and rest without getting out of the vehicle adds to the safety factor for us.

Hopefully we will never break down; but, if we do, I like having a second vehicle to leave the area, get parts, continue to our destination, or travel to a better cell signal!

We are looking to trade up to a Foretravel for better fuel mileage but have to sell our Bluebird first.

We wish jayncat the best of success in selling theirs and buying the new ministry vehicles.

TOM

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Reply #15 – March 14, 2015, 10:02:12 am

For what it is worth. The DW & I looked inside a Durango Gold 5er Model 380FL. We really liked the layout. Two slides "upstairs in front", couch on each slide, two recliners facing front, large screen TV facing rear with a fireplace beneath the TV. A real living room feel to it.
Coming in the door you enter the kitchen/dining area. The dining table is on a slide on the driver's side, with most of the kitchen "stuff" on the pass side. Bedroom & bath are in the back, with one slide out each side. Bath between the kitchen & bedroom.  Also a TV in the bedroom.

I can't attest to the length or the quality.
 
What really impressed us was the layout. Mostly the room for 8 bodies up front. The two couches also opened into beds. Lots of sleeping room!

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