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Back from Nac

August 22, 2010, 03:36:25 pm

Since so many of you jumped right in via the forum, PMs or emails and provided very useful info for our first visit to FOT & MOT (see thread:  1st visit to NAC - questions from a newbie), I thought it would only be appropriate to provide some feedback on our visit.

We spent one day between the 2 dealers.  A pass thru was made at Encore RV but there were no coaches on the lot that interested us.  We looked at 8 coaches at FOT/MOT in detail and the sales people that you folks recommended lived up to expectations.  Each one spent as much time as we needed explaining the coaches and answering all our questions.

I drove a 36' and 38' – 1st time for me driving any motorhome.  To be honest, I was more nervous pulling a trailer the 1st time 8 years ago than driving one of these.  I know that I have no experience evaluating how each coach performed compared to any SOB but suffice it to say that both were a pleasure to drive and I can easily see myself spending quality time behind the wheel.

After our visit it was apparent to us that Foretravel made custom coaches each year that may be different from the specs that can be found online – all 8 coaches were different in floor plan/amenities/basement layouts.  The 8 were 2001-2004 and 36-38'.   

So we have decided like many of you already predicted that a Foretravel is for us.  Specifically, we prefer the 36' 2-slide in the 2002-2004 year range. 
Couple of reasons:
1-   The size, floor plan and performance seemed just right.  The 36' coach I drove was very responsive and we will be spending most of our time in COE and state parks.  I know that many of you have said that these types of campgrounds can accommodate bigger rigs but a slightly smaller coach will give us more campground options.
2-   The 38' coach I test drove seemed bigger and less responsive.  Don't flame me – I know I don't know enough and did not drive enough to actually quantify the difference – but I know what I felt and I liked driving the 36' more.
3-   We will not be full-timing.  We may spend about 5 months a year traveling in any of the four seasons for about 4-6 weeks at a time, so we feel we don't need the extra interior or exterior space of a larger coach.  Ultimately for us the point of this is to see the country, not the interior of a motorhome.

Retarders ROCK! That was the most impressive piece of equipment/engineering I can imagine for a motorhome.  I could not see driving one of these for any length of time without one.

Finally, I am not an engineer or designer or have any significant mechanical aptitude but the quality of these 7+ year old coaches is by far superior to any 2 year old SOB that we were previously considering.  We were impressed and beyond that we are now on the hunt for that special coach that meets our needs.

Thanks everyone,

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Re: Back from Nac

Reply #1 – August 22, 2010, 04:23:27 pm

Mark,

We purchased our first RV, a 1993, 36' Foretravel Grand Villa in 2007 and have never regretted that move. Many times other campers have stopped by our motorhome to say they were former Foretravel owners that wish they had never left Foretravel. Many moved to less expensive new motorhomes and they invariably said an old Foretravel is better than their new ones. Plus you won't find a better bunch to answer your questions on any other Brand Forum.

Good luck on your quest. Stay with Foretravel. 

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Re: Back from Nac

Reply #2 – August 22, 2010, 04:40:40 pm

Mark,

How thoughtful of you to take the time to let us hear about your first trip to Nac.  I really appreciated reading about your experiences with Foretravel.  They are really remarkable coaches.  We, too, spend a lot of time in US Army Corp of Engineer campgrounds.  They are under appreciated and under rated.  Perhaps we will meet you and your wife one day "out there."

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