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Topic: New purchase ? (Really used) (Read 2256 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #50 –
Quote from: Dave and Dolly Cobb –
We too have switched from a Grand Villa Unihome to the Unicoach.  Same 36' length, but we feel we gained 4' with the flat floor, and no nose.  We found a rare mid-door coach, and so the drive and passenger seats are almost in line with each other.  Great for chatting while traveling.  We also have much better views with the front windows coming down to closer to the floors.

All that is good, but then the flat front issues.  I miss the sloped windshield when the wind blows, and the way the rain and bugs deflect.  The sun shade is harder to install, as it falls off the vertical window, and laid on the sloped one.  We traveled some work zones last month and I cringed at having rock damage to the $ 1,200 per side windshields.

We like the mid door stairs, easy loading, and better nest for the passenger feet, slippers, dog bed, purse, computer and stuff.

Plus one on the mid door.  Add a 40' and the space inside probably almost equals a 45' with quad slides due to the slide rooms 18" loss per room. Definitely full timetable. 

The 2" narrower counters someone pointed out that are on the 97 do make the galley  less restrictive as we are two tall people when we try to pass each other. 
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #51 –
We had a Tiffin Phaeton and a Newmar Mountain Aire - both diesel pushers. Both were built on a raised rail Freightliner chassis with ZF i.f.s. on the Newmar and solid axle front end on the Phaeton. The Newmar is a much better built coach than the Tiffin: Much better insulation, superior slide systems, stronger roof, cabinets that rival a Foretravel. The Phaeton is a "vacation class" coach whereas a Mountain Aire or Foretravel are "full timer" rated. We loved our Newmar but it had a severe fiberglass thermal cracking problem that made it look like you had wiped it down with a rag that left lots if lint behind. Entirely an Owens Corning problem and it existed on a number of coaches (multiple brands) in the 2003-2005 time period so watch out for this one as the only remedy is to strip all the exterior fiberglass walls off, replace and repaint the entire coach - $40k job.

The big difference between the 2004 Mountain Aire we had and our 2001 U320 is the body and chassis construction system that really shows up after the coach has some age on it. Ours has 140k miles and not a single squeak - it also handles better due to the suspension design and the lower center of gravity. We thought about buying another Newmar but were hooked after driving a few Foretravels.
Jeff & Patricia
Rescue dog Molly
Previous Foretravel owner

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #52 –
Quote from: LI_Pets –
What about Tiffens, I thought they were worth consideration?

Your thoughts.

In fact through Newmars in that comparison I suppose

I have not examined Newmars but the newer Tiffins seem to have engine areas that are difficult to get access to. Especially with rear bathroom (that is, a bathroom aft of the bedroom). I looked all around the back of the three Tiffin RVs with rear baths and couldn't see how you'd get any access to the engine for maintenance. Maybe I completely missed it, but nothing looked easy to me.

This is an issue with diesel pushers in general anyway. Diesel mechanics are used to working on long-nosed trucks where the engines are completely accessible once the hood is removed. Faced with the chore of having to spend a few hours cramped up under the raised bed is one thing; spending a few hours under the rear bathroom may be something else entirely.

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #53 –
I walk away from any newer coach with a rear radiator. My service buddies cringe looking at them. Possible Heating issues to sell the floor plan definitely  means the sales department out voted the engineering staff. 

Bob
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #54 –
Our previous coach (2011 Phaeton bath and 1/2) had a rear radiator so access was a big issue. The rear radiator is a less expensive system so I'm sure that's why they are used on less expensive coaches.

The rear bath had a tile floor and you could lift a hatch using 2 suction cups (like tile or glass folks use) and engine access from the top was possible but the opening was not nearly as large as the Foretravel.

My Cummins guy almost kissed me when I brought the U320 in for a valve adjustment. :D
Jeff & Patricia
Rescue dog Molly
Previous Foretravel owner

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #55 –
Quote from: LI_Pets –
I may be having second thoughts on that slanted front, I read where an owner claimed better MPG.

Moreover, until we see both in person I'll reserved decision.

NASA has, not surprisingly, done a lot of research on which shapes have less drag. The Coefficient of Drag (Cd) varies both as speed increases and as frontal area increases but it's quite impressive how the shape of an object affects drag.

Shape Effects on Drag

Airtab.com has an interesting essay on vehicle shapes and drag and their "airtabs" are intriguing. Take a look at the configuration on the back of the motor home in the photo.

Aerodynamic truck-trailer-RV add-on for fuel saving- stability-safety

It seems to me that the shape of the Grand Villa "Unihome" design lends itself to reducing drag; especially when the coach is coupled with a smaller engine and lighter weight.

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #56 –
great feed back

Especially Jeff & Patricia having owned both, other told me they put Tiffin above Newmar in quality.

So it's interesting to see your opinion from ownership

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #57 –
notice how much the front of the Grand Villa more closely resembles the Shuttles than does the later model Foretravel and SOB's.
1993 U300, 6v92
build 4366
USAF retired, Flight Engineer, C124, C130
 ATP, A & E.  & ex AI

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #58 –
And also notice how the latest new fuel saving RV's on the covers of the magazines look like the Grand Villas and the mid 70's GMC motorhomes.

The difference in the bug spatter on my two coaches is amazing, sloped vs. flat nose.
Dave Cobb
Buckhorn Lake Resort The Club, #6202, Kerrville TX
check the map.  I do rent it out when I am traveling!
2001, U320, 36' #5887, in Kerrville, FT Club #17006, (7/23 to present)
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Summit, white
EX: 98 U295, 36' #5219, (mid door), (4/13-10/23)
EX: 93 U225, 36' (4/11 to 4/13)

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #59 –
Quote from: LI_Pets –
great feed back

Especially Jeff & Patricia having owned both, other told me they put Tiffin above Newmar in quality.

So it's interesting to see your opinion from ownership

Before we bought our '94 Foretravel GV U280 in early 2004, I found myself looking at many different makes and models like you seem to be doing now.  I looked at and test drove more different makes and models than you could shake a stick at in a month of Sundays... ;) , not quite, but close!  One thing that did not require much of my time, though, was my perception that neither the Newmar models and Tiffin models that I had been involved with had anywhere near the build quality that made the Foretravels famous - top quality is a very big deal for me.  That was about twelve years back that I had figured that out.  That said, I did very much like the Newmars and Tiffins that I tested in a great many respects, and one big factor aside from certain features like a slide and the driver's side door that was offered, was the vast amount of money that I could save, plus I'd be getting a unit five or six years newer as well!  In the final analysis, we went with Foretravel...and I have never regretted it one moment.  By the way, the subject U280 got an average of 10.8+ mpg, and I knew that such mileage was typical of like units once I had researched this issue.

I wish you the best in tackling the present process that you are in, and hope that the coach you get will give you everything you'd like, and much more, be it Foretravel or not!

James
James McBroom
1994 U280 36'

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #60 –
About Tiffins, from a former Tiffin owner....

LI_Pets, I have seen a number of FTs and have driven two recently as we are shopping also. IMHO, the difference in quality of chassis construction and components, appliances, systems, etc. is astounding. For your $75k, you will be looking a year or two older in FTs than in Tiffins and Newmars, but much better quality.

If you want to know about Tiffins first hand, email me.
Royce & Denise, MC #17410
'01 U320 4220 ISM450 Build #5895 SOLD
Toad: '10 Honda CR-V

Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world. - Gustave Flaubert

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #61 –
Quote from: BamaFan –
About Tiffins, from a former Tiffin owner....

LI_Pets, I have seen a number of FTs and have driven two recently as we are shopping also. IMHO, the difference in quality of chassis construction and components, appliances, systems, etc. is astounding. For your $75k, you will be looking a year or two older in FTs than in Tiffins and Newmars, but much better quality.

If you want to know about Tiffins first hand, email me.
I don't know about current late model year standards, but I can say that my old '94 Tiffin Allegro compared to my current '94 FT U225 are like night and day.    When we go to a RV show, I love to compare my coach's fit and finish with the new, on display, motorhomes.  But I think salesmen hate me when I do that.  They usually ask me what I own and then roll their eyes.  Lots of them here in the upstate NYS area don't even know what a Foretravel is, and those that do are more than willing to comment on Foretravel's build quality.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: New purchase ? (Really used)

Reply #62 –
Quote from: philtravel –
Another consideration may be in 1999 the counter tops went to 36" from 34" in the kitchen.

I found this interesting, and assumed it meant a 2" change in height (since 36" is the usual standard kitchen counter height in a house and 34" would be a shade low).  But then I read this in the thread today...

Quote from: Caflashbob –
The 2" narrower counters someone pointed out that are on the 97 do make the galley  less restrictive as we are two tall people when we try to pass each other.

So the change was in counter depth and not height?  (Counters are usually around 24" deep though, so...?)

I have noticed that the leg of the "L" is deeper on U295's than on U270's, but was thinking that was a model thing and not a year change.

The detail nut in me is curious.