99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Topic: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles? (Read 2506 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #50 – August 28, 2011, 06:27:35 pm

Sounds like good advice! Any specific steering axle tire recomendations?
Thanks, Don

Quote from: Gary Bouland – August 28, 2011, 10:32:05 am

Don, My 95 U280 36' has a steer safe installed that was put on by the original owner. I don't know that it makes any difference in driving. I have driven a few other FT's without a steer safe and I can't see any benefit to it. IMHO, proper tire mounting and balancing ( by whatever method you choose ) and proper alignment are More beneficial than add on gadgets.
YMMV
Gary B
Mine has 155K miles on it

BTW I also have installed Centramatic Balancers, and again, I can't say that there is a difference that is great enough to show that they are the cause. Again, proper balance and mounting is the key.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #51 – August 28, 2011, 10:09:48 pm

Thanks! That helps, but I was hoping to find a way to test the ability to hold pressure before I have possession...
Don

Quote from: J. D. Stevens – August 27, 2011, 09:11:30 pm

Yes, there is a simple test. We perform it every time we park our coach at home.

1) Park the coach in a spot where it can be leveled. Set the parking brake.
2) Leave the engine running.
3) Turn on the leveling system by pressing the "On" button only once.
4) Use the arrow keys to level the coach. Ours has some bubble levels installed at the driver position. If yours doesn't have levels installed, you'll need to have a circular level or a couple of carpenter's levels.
5) Turn off the engine.
6) Turn off the leveling system.
7) Wait.

If the coach is still level after 24 hours, there are no leaks.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #52 – August 28, 2011, 10:18:11 pm

Thanks for the info... I sent Brad a private message. Hopefully he will have a chance to reply before we have to make a decision. Interesting you should mention CCC, as the proprietor told us that they had gotten it from CCC and that he was told by them that it was a good coach, otherwise it would have been auctioned. I am guessing that most of these older coaches (ones that are too old to be fincanced in the usual way) that are trades get wholesaled to these small dealers as a matter of course, and just the fact that they are wholesaled doesn't mean much as to the viability of a given coach. But what do I know???

Don

Quote from: Steve & Michelle – August 27, 2011, 12:40:22 pm

If it's not associated with California Coach Company, you might ping Brad Nerhus and see if they could do an inspection for you. They are well-versed in Foretravels.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #53 – August 28, 2011, 10:38:31 pm

Hi Tom,

I am having some difficulty in trying to arrange an inspection. I did get a call back from one mobile mechanic, and from what he said, he just basically runs through visual inspection checklist. Checks the oil, fluid levels, etc. He said he is going to forward me the checklist so I can evaluate it, but so far no follow through. Anyway, if that is all he does, I may as well just go through the checklist myself. There is a Cummins place in El Cajon near the RV dealer, maybe I can get the fluids analyzed there. Not sure how I would go about getting a couple of ounces of engine or generator oil out to take in for analysis though... When I asked whether or not they would do an engine and trans oil change before I take delivery, he said that it didn't need it because it had been done in April or thereabouts. The only service records I have seen are the stubs from the book that I assume comes with every new Foretravel. No invoices etc.

I am going to call Foretravel tomorrow and see if they can give me an indication of the service history from the Vin#... anybody have any contact names or extensions of the right people at Foretravel to talk to?

This is a nerve racking process! We have fallen in love with this coach, and because there are so few in our area (let alone in our price range), we have concerns that there is another discerning cash buyer who will be less reluctant to take a chance before we can do our due diligence.

Don

Quote from: Tim Fiedler – August 28, 2011, 01:51:22 pm

I would try to get an inspection as quickly as possible at your expense. If the big items check out, then you can make your decision.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #54 – August 28, 2011, 10:48:39 pm

Quote from: acousticart – August 27, 2011, 02:46:54 am

...
4. The original fridge works but will probably need replacing soon. Are there options for a nicer one considering the space constraints in the 36' U270? Approximate costs?
...

I quoted the question in a previous reply, but neglected to reply.

To the best of my knowledge, our refrigerator is original equipment. We keep it operating all the time, even while the coach is parked and not in use. I think the previous owner did as well. You may want to defer concerns over the refrigerator until it quits cooling properly. There are many excellent posts about the replacement of refrigerators.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #55 – August 28, 2011, 10:53:07 pm

Quote from: acousticart – August 28, 2011, 10:38:31 pm

I am going to call Foretravel tomorrow and see if they can give me an indication of the service history from the Vin#... anybody have any contact names or extensions of the right people at Foretravel to talk to?

One of the service advisors can probably help - Jeremy, x115 or Billy Jack. x250. Mondays are busy with folks checking in, but you have a bit of a breather since you're 2 hours behind. Service opens at 7:30 AM central time.

Even quicker for them to search if you happen to have the coach build number, but not a big deal if you don't. It's a 4 digit number that for a '99 probably begins with a 5. Look for F995xxx36etc. for that coach. The 5xxx is the build number.

Reading the Vehicle Identification Number

Michelle

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #56 – August 28, 2011, 11:17:04 pm

Don,
Give me a call in AM, let's discuss. Will California Coach do a pre buy? Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #57 – August 28, 2011, 11:37:20 pm

Will do! I am going to call CC in the morning and ask them... If they sold the coach to this dealer, would that constitute a conflict of interest for them? Or at least an awkward situation!

One other thing comes to mind... I noticed some oil under the engine when I went back on Saturday morning. It was parked where I left it. Not a large puddle, but it does raise a flag. I watched for about a minute through the compartment that is just forward of the rear wheels on the driver's side and saw one drip after about a minute of idling. Cause for concern? How common are oil leaks on this engine. It appeared to be dripping off the bottom of the oil pan. What scares me is a rear main seal seeping... My experience with old cars comes back to haunt me!

Talk to you tomorrow...
Don

Quote from: Tim Fiedler – August 28, 2011, 11:17:04 pm

Don,
Give me a call in AM, let's discuss. Will California Coach do a pre buy? Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #58 – August 28, 2011, 11:41:34 pm

Great info! I have a pic of the Vin plate, and from what you say about the build number, I can tell it is "5402".
Don

Quote from: Steve & Michelle – August 28, 2011, 10:53:07 pm

Even quicker for them to search if you happen to have the coach build number, but not a big deal if you don't. It's a 4 digit number that for a '99 probably begins with a 5. Look for F995xxx36etc. for that coach. The 5xxx is the build number.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #59 – August 28, 2011, 11:42:27 pm

None of mine leaked a drop, but any cummins shop can read the computers of the allison and cummings and look at the leak. Easily scheduled and short money.

No conflict of interest if it went at auction. Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #60 – August 28, 2011, 11:56:40 pm

I am confident if you talk to Brad Nerhus he can recommend someone to do an ispection. His brother Tom is very good and very thorough. Brad is at California Coach, if you need Tom's number you can shoot me an email.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #61 – August 29, 2011, 09:54:18 am

Don't let the dealer push. We bought our Coach at California Coach. We first looked at it in December and did not actually buy until May. There are just not that many people running around with extra cash to buy these coaches and there are not many in California. One thing we did do is fly down to Nac and check out the inventory at MOT and Foretravel. Everyone was very nice and we got a good look at the different models. 36' vs. 40', slide vs. no slide and what to expect on condition and mileage depending on age. It was well worth the trip for us. We had never owned a coach of any kind and we did research for about a year before we pulled the trigger. Foretravel has been a great unit for us and we have put about 10,000 miles on it this past year. Bottum line don't get in a hurry if this one sells there is always another deal out there. Be patient and make the dealer allow you do all the inspections you want.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #62 – August 29, 2011, 11:02:37 am

Just noticed the rig you are interested in on ebay at: Foretravel u270 Diesel Pusher Motorhome Class A | eBay

Looks nice. After my rant about dealers, the other side of the coin is that it is not a new motorhome and there will be things wrong and things that will go wrong. After looking at several Foretravels, I just talked to the owner on the other side of the US, got some hi res images and bought ours over the phone. Flew back and drove it home. Was great on the trip and ever since. The 270 you are looking at is only 10% of what it cost new. I work on ours myself so when thing go wrong, no big deal. Naturally, you want to get a coach with the least possible things to go wrong but there are many things an inspection may not catch and even if they do, don't expect the dealer to fix them. The more dependent you are on a shop doing the maintenance, the more cautious you have to be. A fine line between "buy in haste, repent in leisure" and playing the fish for too long and he gets off the hook. Scott says it well in the post above. Not that many people with cash to spend. Difficult to make a call when you don't have the experience. May be good to fly another Foretravel owner in to catch problems or potential problems that only an experienced owner would see.

Good luck.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #63 – August 29, 2011, 01:45:54 pm

Thanks to Tim, Scott, Barry, and everyone else who was so helpful. I was able to talk to the one and only original owners of this coach, and now I feel confident that the necessary service has been done all along the way, and that this is as good and solid a coach as we can get for this kind of money. Since I am pretty handy with mechanical, home renovation, and even electrical and elctronic systems, I think I will be able to meet the inevitable challenges we face as we move forward with our plans to become wandering nomads... fortunately, I have several months worth of preparation to get my house ready to sell, so I will have time to go through all of the systems and fix the little things and make sure the big things are in good working order. You folks have been so incredibly helpful so far, I and I look forward to being able to return the favor one day. Of course, this is probably just the beginning of our questions! I am looking forward to meeting other Foretravel enthusiasts and exchanging information and tips whenever possible. Of course, I will be making good ues of Barry's incredible website. It is truly a resource beyond anything I have seen of a similar nature.

Once again, thanks to all who contributed. It certainly has helped to feel that we are making a good choice!

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #64 – August 29, 2011, 09:01:25 pm

To bring closerure to this thread, I am happy to say that it is a done deal! We have signed on the dotted line, left a deposit and sealed the deal. It will take a week or so to take possesion as we have to wait for a wire transfer for the rest of the money. I have taken the manuals home and will be feeding my obsession to learn every little thing I can about this beauty (I wanted to nickname it "The Beast", but that was vetoed...) Thanks again to all who gave me the sage advice, and thanks in advance for all the future answers to our inevitable questions!

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Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #65 – August 29, 2011, 09:30:47 pm

WOW...Congratulations and welcome to the Foretravel family. By asking all the questions and the great replies you received I am sure this topic will be read with great interest by anyone looking to purchase a Foretravel in the future...

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #66 – August 29, 2011, 09:45:00 pm

I can give you your first project - fix that tv setup. Several posts that cover different ways to do that.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #67 – August 29, 2011, 10:11:33 pm

How about 'Bert', as in Bert and Ernie?

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #68 – August 29, 2011, 10:50:23 pm

Thanks! It is nice to think that this thread will help somebody else in a similar position. By talking to the original owner (who traded up to an 05' U295), I got a good feeling about the past history of it. The fact that he also had no financial interest in the coach didn't hurt either! I would encourage anyone who is buying from a broker or dealer to see if they can have conversation with previous owners... It may take going through the documentation in the coach to try and sleuth out the owners from paperwork inadvertently left behind, but unless it was a repo or other hard luck situation, I suspect most former owners would be happy to talk about the history of the coach. It sure made us feel much more security in our decision making process. Of course an independent inspection would also be of value, but unless you know a trusted source for that, it isn't so easy to arrange.

Don

Quote from: Jeff Savournin – August 29, 2011, 09:30:47 pm

WOW...Congratulations and welcome to the Foretravel family. By asking all the questions and the great replies you received I am sure this topic will be read with great interest by anyone looking to purchase a Foretravel in the future...

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #69 – August 29, 2011, 10:52:27 pm

Amen! Right after ripping out the bathroom carpet....
Don

Quote from: Gayland Baasch – August 29, 2011, 09:45:00 pm

I can give you your first project - fix that tv setup. Several posts that cover different ways to do that.

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #70 – August 29, 2011, 10:56:09 pm

Not bad... but Thinking maybe "Frodo"...we will have see. She will tell us:)
Don

Quote from: Dave Head – August 29, 2011, 10:11:33 pm

How about 'Bert', as in Bert and Ernie?

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #71 – August 30, 2011, 06:35:58 am

Don congratulations on the new coach. We too are newbie's at this. We are headed out full timing at the end of October this year in our new to us 1989 U280 36' that we just got in the last 4 weeks. I have been going through everything trying to get it all figured out. What an amazing coach they are. I have not been disappointed by anything from the systems to the fit and finish of her. Every day I find something else very unique that just amazes me. For a 1989 this coach out does lots of the newer brands still today.
Good luck on the naming of your coach as we are still trying to figure ours out too. We have been leaning toward "The Mystery Machine" because it is a mystery to where we are headed next. Anywhere and everywhere. Lot's to see in this awesome United States we live in.

Again congratulations! Hope to meet you two down the road!

Dave & Cris

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #72 – August 30, 2011, 08:53:41 am

Hi Don,
Welcome. You have made a great choice. These first few months may try your patience. Hang in there, it will be fine. We will be here to help. This group will make your Foretravel experience better. Enjoy, and be safe.

Raymond & Babette

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #73 – August 30, 2011, 10:45:07 am

Thanks! It will be several months before we are fulltiming, but that gives us time to make the tweaks which will make our own. Fortunately, Tys has experience fulltiming in a 29' class C a few years back. This 36' class A should be a cinch by comparison!

Don

Quote from: Gravy1159 – August 30, 2011, 06:35:58 am

Don congratulations on the new coach. We too are newbie's at this. We are headed out full timing at the end of October this year in our new to us 1989 U280 36' that we just got in the last 4 weeks. I have been going through everything trying to get it all figured out. What an amazing coach they are. I have not been disappointed by anything from the systems to the fit and finish of her. Every day I find something else very unique that just amazes me. For a 1989 this coach out does lots of the newer brands still today.
Good luck on the naming of your coach as we are still trying to figure ours out too. We have been leaning toward "The Mystery Machine" because it is a mystery to where we are headed next. Anywhere and everywhere. Lot's to see in this awesome United States we live in.

Again congratulations! Hope to meet you two down the road!

Dave & Cris

Re: 99' U270 with 140K... too many miles?

Reply #74 – August 30, 2011, 10:53:43 am

We are very happy with our choice! I am sure patience will be tested, but results will be well worth it. And this group has already proven to be a fantastic resource, one of the many reasons we were sold on Foretravels!
Don

Quote from: Raymond Jordan – August 30, 2011, 08:53:41 am

Hi Don,
Welcome. You have made a great choice. These first few months may try your patience. Hang in there, it will be fine. We will be here to help. This group will make your Foretravel experience better. Enjoy, and be safe.

Raymond & Babette

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