2002 U320 at FOT

Topic: 2002 U320 at FOT (Read 1376 times) previous topic - next topic

2002 U320 at FOT

December 11, 2015, 03:31:42 pm

Does anyone know anything about the 2003 U320 at FOT with 148,000 miles and they are asking $135,000 for the coach? I looked at it today and there were cracks on the black on the outside on the passenger side of the coach. Would appreciate any information on this coach that any of you may have.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #1 – December 11, 2015, 03:34:17 pm

Quote from: ostendorff – December 11, 2015, 03:31:42 pm

Does anyone know anything about the 2003 U320 at FOT with 148,000 miles and they are asking $135,000 for the coach? I looked at it today and there were cracks on the black on the outside on the passenger side of the coach. Would appreciate any information on this coach that any of you may have.

Pics?

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #2 – December 11, 2015, 03:39:12 pm

If at MOT, lots of pictures: ALL Pre Owned motorhomes Inventory

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #3 – December 11, 2015, 03:44:03 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – December 11, 2015, 03:39:12 pm

If at MOT, lots of pictures: ALL Pre Owned motorhomes Inventory

Yes, & if you get half a chance, (they're not really open on weekends though) they'll let you crawl thru every one of the pre-owned FT's on the lot, all by yourself, you can take your time, make a list of questions, compare the different features, really get a feel for these beautiful machines. Do your homework, don't rush into anything...good luck!

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #4 – December 11, 2015, 03:55:22 pm

Quote from: Miz Dani – December 11, 2015, 03:44:03 pm

Yes, & if you get half a chance, (they're not really open on weekends though) they'll let you crawl thru every one of the pre-owned FT's on the lot, all by yourself, you can take your time, make a list of questions, compare the different features, really get a feel for these beautiful machines. Do your homework, don't rush into anything...good luck!

Our kind of place, we climbed over the fence on a Sunday to buy our Airstream. Nothing against the sales staff, but rooting around is the best way.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #5 – December 11, 2015, 03:59:50 pm

Topic says 2002, it is a 2003.
Foretravel Texas
Microcracking in the paint or gel coat is not uncommon especially where dark colors meet lighter colors. Get a second opinion on whether it is a problem or cosmetic from someone like Xtreme. They see this all the time. At 148K miles there will be a lot of age and engine hours related maintenance that should have been done or will need to be done. Look carefully. Offer accordingly. Get an independent inspection done.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #6 – December 11, 2015, 04:48:09 pm

I think that is old Diamond Shield on the front of that Bird, which can be removed with much effort. I believe the OP is talking about something quite different.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #7 – December 11, 2015, 05:27:25 pm

Quote from: bogeygolfer – December 11, 2015, 04:48:09 pm

I think that is old Diamond Shield on the front of that Bird, which can be removed with much effort. I believe the OP is talking about something quite different.

Correct. That was an extra-cost option (often regretted!).

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #8 – December 11, 2015, 05:38:23 pm

Ditto . . . VERY much regretted. Ours looks about as bad. If we weren't planning to have the headlight conversion done (as soon as we can), we would really feel bad about the front of the coach.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #9 – December 11, 2015, 05:52:15 pm

OP is asking about "... cracks on the black on the outside on the passenger side of the coach. ..." Looking at the FT pics it doesn't look like the front was the issue.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #10 – December 11, 2015, 05:53:26 pm

Yup, cracks in the 3M product used on the front is TOTALLY unrelated to crazing on the sidewalls.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #11 – December 11, 2015, 06:18:39 pm

Front of the coach seemed ok but the passenger side has them down the side. Paul Tinkle said it was not delamination.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #12 – December 11, 2015, 06:23:35 pm

Entire industry had micro cracking from the Dow gel coat/fiberglass mixture then .

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #13 – December 11, 2015, 06:37:30 pm

You need to get more information. It probably is not delamination but the resins they used at the time were subject to microcracking where they were painted with dark paint. Not just Foretravels but many other brands at that time. I'm no expert on this but talk to Xtreme in NAC.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #14 – December 11, 2015, 10:34:42 pm

For the VERY FIRST time this summer, we noticed just a very few cracks (or checking) on the side of the coach high near the roof line. Jeff nearly had a heart attack trying to figure out what it was! One day it was perfect ... the next day there they were!! They have not spread ... they just appeared. Our '02 is the cream, gold & red color scheme ... not the dark colors that are more prone to this.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #15 – December 12, 2015, 09:55:51 am

Is this micro cracking a problem beyond cosmetic? I visited with an owner who was having that problem addressed at Foretravel, the fix was very extensive, they did a beautiful job of it. Made me wonder.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #16 – December 12, 2015, 10:55:29 am

Rance at Xtreme was showing me this problem on several coaches including some that were not FT. It was a problem with the resins that were commonly used at the time. Sometimes it shows up as very small cracks almost like what you might see in the glaze on old pottery. Sometimes it was a small blister. He said that they could sand it all down and do the best they could to restore the surface, prime and paint as best they could and in some cases the problem would return. It is not the paint or painter's fault it is the resin and the temperatures under the darker colors. That is how I understood it. At some point it may be more than cosmetic, I don't know when that it is.

If you are not sure ask someone for another point of view.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #17 – December 12, 2015, 04:26:50 pm

Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 – December 12, 2015, 10:55:29 am

Rance at Xtreme was showing me this problem on several coaches including some that were not FT. It was a problem with the resins that were commonly used at the time. Sometimes it shows up as very small cracks almost like what you might see in the glaze on old pottery. Sometimes it was a small blister. He said that they could sand it all down and do the best they could to restore the surface, prime and paint as best they could and in some cases the problem would return. It is not the paint or painter's fault it is the resin and the temperatures under the darker colors. That is how I understood it. At some point it may be more than cosmetic, I don't know when that it is.

If you are not sure ask someone for another point of view.

The resin if memory serves me re-liquefies at 140 degrees F. Repaint the dark light?

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #18 – December 13, 2015, 11:49:43 pm

There are older posts on what sounds like the same issue however it may not apply to this particular coach thread. So please originator of this thread, we may need to talk if you are tempted to use this to reject the coach you have seen. I may get a chance to look at it monday just out of curiosity.

Review: i had lengthy experience into this with a different ciach than i have now. I speculated temperature induced and still believe it a factor. The prinary cause however was said to be possible fiberglass issue for some coaches where different formulation was used in the year coach we had.

So to the originator of this thread, if you wish more detail, send me your phone number in a private message and i will call to explain that you not have to search, read a lot on this.

Xtreme examined the coach and found the impacts greater than i had seen. I offered to have them paint the coach and they recommended against that. Whether or not it would have ever led to delamination i do not know but some thought it unlikely.

Send pm if want to talk more details.

Mike

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #19 – December 16, 2015, 01:16:43 am

Bob, when I got to looking at this in more detail, I did some measurements. The white coach surface.....in direct sun....would be 99 degrees whereas the dark paint area was 167 degrees. I cannot say i know anything about resin change you wrote.

Seth, I looked today a the coach as you asked. I will give you a couple of ideas tomorrow. The literature on that coach says it has the 600 hp ISX. The web site says it the normal 450 ISM. Interesting floor plan of bath to bedroom, I like it and it a bit uncommon.

Interesting, in looking for this coach on the lot, there was/is a 2002 36 ft U320 listed at $110,000 and reduced to $75,000. Spent too much "just curious" time looking at it! At first I thought that what you meant because in the thread somehow a 2002 got mentioned.

And besides this, and serving church staff a lunch today, I was also looking at another coach at another lot for a couple I met a month ago. It is an older coach. In making these rounds, I found LOTS of coaches in town. I mean full, no room hardly to get my pickup in to park at one lot. Good.

One further news for the Piney Woods of East Texas, a couple of MOT mechanics told me the latest on when they will be across the highway for the new MOT shop. They say right after the first of the year, the electricity about completed. I hope they have an open house for the move, would be fun to see the new shop.

I had owed a shop $75 for work done a month ago to replace a diode for the AH but their computers had been taken out by a storm, could not process bill until recently. Paid the bill today....and that is the absolute cheapest thing I have ever had done. Someone joked the bill must be wrong. Really glad it got fixed back then for we had to run the AH quite a bit for recent two week trip,

Back to you tomorrow Seth.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #20 – December 16, 2015, 08:40:46 am

Quote from: Caflashbob – December 12, 2015, 04:26:50 pm

The resin if memory serves me re-liquefies at 140 degrees F. Repaint the dark light?

Bob is correct. Most epoxies wife soften at 140 but liquification would not create the craze cracking mentioned here. The problem is that many polymers (the liquid part of fiberglass and coatings) harden by a process called cross linking. Not get too tedious but what that means is that many polymers keep curing (hardening) from day one on. The older the polymer that harder and more rigid it gets therefore the more inclined to crack under stress. Heat will accelerate that process so the darker colors will show the craze cracking sooner. The problem occurs when the exterior coating (Paint) cures (shrinks) faster than the gel coat beneath it or the clear coat which is a different polymer shrinks faster than the pigmented paint beneath it. This creates a stress at the bond line and causes the coating to crack. It is usually a surface condition and is only cosmetic. It is possible that different finish coatings (paint and clear coat) become rigid sooner than other coatings due to their formulation so you may see craze cracking more on some year models than on others. Craze cracking is considered a natural phenomena by coatings manufacturers and not a warrantable defect. There is little that can be done other than to repaint. IMHO

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #21 – December 16, 2015, 10:42:53 am

Kent....thanks for more detail

I was reluctant to quote James, but when I looked at the issue I was seeing, James did not think repaint would get me where I needed to go. It would remain a question on the problem I saw/had. I fully disclosed this to the buyer, he was not concerned. I used to see the coach around, it not been changed.....the buyer wanted it for the towing capacity of 18k, and could repaint himself if decided to try that. just FYI

sorry so brief, in hurry

mike

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #22 – December 16, 2015, 10:49:33 am

I don't have these problems because of new paint & decals, but the Airstream had her clear-coat start to go. Checked with AS and they said, "$8,000 to square it away, or treat it like beauty/age marks and move on." I did.

Re: 2002 U320 at FOT

Reply #23 – December 16, 2015, 11:34:32 am

Our old 50's and 60's corvettes drove us crazy as after block sanding and painting them perfectly the panels continued to dry out and in two years the body had waves in it again. Arrrgh.

Several people showed me "original" old corvettes and I mentioned they were not unrestored originals as the body seams were not visible like the cars would have shown from the panels curing and moving

Affiliate Notice