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Maintenance budget

July 04, 2012, 08:21:43 pm

How much should we budget for maintenance on a Foretravel? Assume that we have a mid-90's coach, U280 or bigger, in average condition. This will include everything related to the coach, both drive and house systems. It should also include the money that is set aside for those big expenses that show up every few years (new tires, new batteries, new a/c, etc.).

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Re: Maintenance budget

Reply #1 – July 04, 2012, 08:41:55 pm

Best thing I read was on the Blue Bird forum.  They suggested $10K for the first year, and then $5K each year after.  I have not spent that much the first year even with some surprise extras.

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Re: Maintenance budget

Reply #2 – July 04, 2012, 08:50:36 pm

There's no free lunch...If you perform most of the PM and oil, filters and other fluids, your budget will be lower.  Diesel pushers are inherently more expensive to maintain than gasers, tag alongs, fifth wheels...you get the point.

Start by laying aside $600 a year for tires.  Another $600 for fluids and filters.  Of course, the condition of the coach will determine the amount you spend the first year.  For the first year if you purchase a coach in good condition, you'll likely spend less than if you purchase a less than well maintained coach.

I perform the brain dead items of PM as well as the remodels and updates on the coach.  Others perform the oil changes and other more involved safety and PM items.  My average for the 9 years so far is approx. $3,500 yearly.  Then again, Forrest is in 100% great condition from the day I purchased it from Foretravel with a 6 month/6,000 mile warranty in 2003.  Foretravel performed a significant number of repairs in the 6 months of my ownership...about $4,000 in Dash A/C, genset radiator repairs and other adjustments, fiberglass spider-webbing, dash electronics and speedo/tach replacements.  Probably more stuff that I don't remember.

Your experience WILL vary.

Peter.

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Re: Maintenance budget

Reply #3 – July 04, 2012, 09:21:55 pm

Thanks Dave and Peter. I have seen those numbers for 'Birds, and wondered if Foretravels were as expensive to keep up. Doesn't sound like it. When we're full-timing I probably won't be able to do some of the maintenance/repairs that I would do if I were at home (oil changes come to mind), and some things might be done at friend's homes, but I suspect that any major (messy) stuff will have to be done by others. This is part of the reason I asked the question about tools earlier. I want to have the tools I need but I don't want to carry an entire shop full, most of which I won't be able to use.

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Re: Maintenance budget

Reply #4 – July 04, 2012, 09:39:08 pm

I think it depends on what shape the coach is in when you get it, what year/model it is, and how much of your own work you do.  If you buy one with a if year old refrigerator and air conditioners, never replaced, count on some major expenses here.  Hopefully, before you buy you will have fluid analysis done on engine and tranny and a competent mechanical inspection.  If it's a higher hp, electronic engine, your chances of having to pay for black boxes and sensors goes up compared to a mechanical type diesel but your chances of major expenses for a thoroughly checked out and previous well maintained (with documentation) drivetrain are pretty minimal.  These are heavy duty engines living an easy life in motorhome service.

I've seen coaches posted for sale with an astounding amount of upgrades, fanatical service and preventative maintenance history by extremely knowledgeable owners.  If you're not going to be prepared to do your own work, or pay the bucks to have it done, buy one of these coaches.  They cost a bit more but you're getting the work pre done for a fraction of the cost and aggro.

Things like tires and batteries are a known quantity, easy to check.  Older 'Birds are more of an enthusiast coach, heavy, complex compared to Ft.

Chuck

 

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Re: Maintenance budget

Reply #5 – July 06, 2012, 11:13:31 pm

Your question is REALLY hard to answer due to all the variables.
Has the coach been run in snow/salt?
Has the coach been used on Padre Island?
Has the coach been used infrequently?
Does the coach live in the northeast or in the southwest?
Personally, I would never purchase a coach in AVERAGE condition as you can do better.
I would also prefer to buy a coach from someone who either used it constantly in business or was an RV fulltimer.
In both cases, THEY REALLY do not want a breakdown and are always attuned to how their coach is performing.
Occasional users are not really in touch with their coaches.
In my opinion if a high end coach if constantly being used and maintained, it will literally last forever as they are initially built to last.
We do our continual maintenance and then deal with things that we see slowly failing as they occur or as we can afford to resolve them.  All in all, based on the amount of use, the Foretravel (240K)has been the most economical thing we have ever owned besides our old Suzuki Samurai.
Of course the little two door Vitara isn't doing too bad either at 90K+ miles. I suppose eventually, we will have to put tires on it.
Regards,

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Re: Maintenance budget

Reply #6 – July 07, 2012, 06:40:25 am

Remember depreciation and upgrades.  I figure the cost of owning my Foretravel for 6 years at $168,000, of which $45,000 is depreciation and $70,000 is upgrades!  Oh yeah, then there's fuel.

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Re: Maintenance budget

Reply #7 – July 07, 2012, 10:38:04 am

Thanks for all the good advice. Our plan is to buy the best coach we can afford, keeping some back for repairs and upgrades that we feel are necessary for our needs and wants. Depreciation isn't going to be much of an issue, since we plan to drive the coach for several years, and by then it won't be worth a whole lot. If one of the kids wants it we'll probably let them have it for cheap, and if not, well, we'll just have to see who wants it and what they are willing to give for it. Any upgrades that we feel are absolutely necessary for our happiness will be done fairly quickly after purchase, so that the coach is ready to go when I retire. After that, well, if something dies we'll replace it (or not) with whatever seems to be the best at that time. Those purchases will come out of the maintenance budget.

From talking to several people, it sounds like if we set aside about $400/month we ought to be at least in the ballpark. It sounds like $100-150/month for the small stuff and the rest for annual service and one-time purchases like tires and batteries. Again, if the coach we're looking at needs tires and batteries at the time we buy it I expect to pay less for it than if it has new tires and batteries. Since those things can be huge expenses, we're setting aside plenty of money to take care of them at the time of purchase. Obviously, if that has already been done then we can use some of that set-aside money to pay the higher price for the coach.

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