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Topic: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why? (Read 1042 times) previous topic - next topic

Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Is this just a strange anomaly of the current market? Were those down production years for FT? A period of ownership transition? For the years '00-'03 and '07-'08 there are quite a few for sale? Any ideas?
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: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #1 –
FT was going thru the transition then.  The new owners made a few U models but were working to switch to the nimbus and Phenix.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #2 –
Quote from: BamaFan –
Is this just a strange anomaly of the current market? Were those down production years for FT? A period of ownership transition? For the years '00-'03 and '07-'08 there are quite a few for sale? Any ideas?

These were also years that Foretravel reports terrible losses in the tune of million of dollars. Therefore, with vendors refusing to offer credit, it surely would have destroyed the company if it was not for the current four owners who pumped millions of dollars into a sinking company. They knew a good product when they saw it and rescued the company from poor business practices that nearly led it to its demise.

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #3 –
What I heard was the bank called the loans as they had so many coaches without slides in inventory. 
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #5 –
Quote from: BamaFan –
Is this just a strange anomaly of the current market? Were those down production years for FT?

Extremely low, especially 2005.  Financial issues were greatly impacting the company in late 2003-2005 under the previous ownership (we would go to the factory for service, only to see written in our service book "no parts available" - even for simple things like a hydraulic filter change).  Factory stores were closed in the 2003-ish timeframe.  FT stopped taking consignments around this time as well (this is when we first started looking for our FT and we bought ours in May 2004).

2006 was the first year of production under the new ownership with the U-series simply rebranded as Nimbus (in 2007 the Nimbus was a different coach) and the Phenix introduced as a new model.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #6 –
The lawsuit was really over the right of way to the paint shop. The rest was just airing dirty laundry to force a quick settlement.

There was another article around the same time that detailed misuse allegations involving the Club that weren't pretty also. The lawsuit was settled within a month as I recall.
The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #7 –

Quote from: anny –
......................Here is a link to everything you might want to know on this subject matter........................

Foretravel sues former owners - Local News - The Daily Sentinel
All,
 I think that by far the vast majority of us are thankful for the Foretravel "Before Years" as well as for the "After Years".  For the long term owners and FT service participants, the "In-Between-Years" were a bit tumultuous, to say the least.
I think that we all agree that '04, '05 and '06 were the leanest years, in terms of FT production and service numbers, simply due to the company transition from the Fore family to the new owners.  And praises be that the transition has occurred successfully and we are blessed with a robust company, today.
As in any legal or political  contest, there are always at least "two sides to a story" and the representation that a single article in a single paper on a single day, is "a link to everything you might want to know on this subject matter" needs to be taken with a grain of salt.  The basic rule is US media is not well known for thorough, fair, objective, balanced reporting, and this article is no exception to that rule.
But why dwell on that? 
Those of us that went through those years certainly have no interest in reliving the experience. 

What's important is that FT coaches have always been consistent quality and core design value leaders in their competition peer group of manufacturers.  We anticipate that they will continue to be so for many years to come.

Neal
The selected media item is not currently available.
Neal (& Brenda) Pillsbury
'02 U320 SPEC, 4200, DGFE, Build #5984
'04 Gold Wing
'07 Featherlite 24'
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
MC #14494
Exeter, NH & LaBelle FL
Quality makes the Heart Soar long after Price is Forgotten

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Dave Head –
The lawsuit was really over the right of way to the paint shop. The rest was just airing dirty laundry to force a quick settlement.

Sounds like the company I use to work for.  Company owned some of the property and Company's officers owned other parcels and buildings, while previous majority owner owned another area of the property.  Even the company rolling stock and equipment was split up between various officers.  Way to many different fingers in the pie.  And in the above case, a lack of due diligence in the responsibility of the lawyers representing the parties involved, and possibility a lack of a complete title search.  One has to cross all the T's and dot the I's.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #9 –
Heresay is never a substitute for due diligence in business transactions especially when it applies to real estate.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #10 –
wow, reading that info makes me shudder even if only a part of it is true. I spent 35 yrs as a Realtor and if this had happened here in Canada (paperwork) then due dilligence was surely not done by purchasers and lawyers acting for them. Most of those "items" are basic stuff you have to know and can find out very easily.
John H
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #11 –
-What took me to purchase a Foretravel, was the honesty I felt coming from forum input.  That said, 1995-2001 units were constantly improving including addition of slides.....
-Unicoach models took the lead(flat bus fronts) and GV styles mostly deleted.
-2002, FT tried something externally on coaches, to do away with the vertical molding on front and rear end caps.  It did not work as expected........and the family tried to do the 'right' thing.. God bless them and others that think this way!
They however ended up loosing much of what they grew as a company and sold off.

This transition took a few years...but the staff, knowledge and base of the Foretravel company is to this day, rock solid.
did I miss anything?
Coach Build # 5862/40'/2001/U320/Motorcader 17136

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #12 –
Quote from: MemoryRoads –

This transition took a few years...but the staff, knowledge and base of the Foretravel company is to this day, rock solid.
did I miss anything?
The only thing I see missed is a reference to the WEALTH of helpful information that folks willingly share here...starting from Barry's wonderful collection of data and links.  I doubt that many other brands have such a resource available to them...coupled with the civility that normally prevails here.
The selected media item is not currently available.Brad & Christine Slaughter
Was:  1990 U280 36'
Was:  2002 U270 36' (With a bathroom door) Build #5981
Is:  2021 Leisure Travel Van Wonder 24RL
2015 Jeep JKU, 2003 S10 QC 4x4 or 2017 C-Max
Lake Havasu City, AZ (or Gillette, WY)

Re: Few '04 - '06 FTs for sale - why?

Reply #13 –
I was sitting in a board meeting of the motorcade in Columbus Indiana.  The gentleman presenting that day about the new owners and the issues they faced was there.  I said to him and the group that the person doing the due diligence should be fired. He said thank you and that he did it.  In his defense it is very hard for one person to do it on a company with as many idsues and different assets as FT. The law suit was that they bought the paint shop but did not own the land leading to it. That is pretty basic. It was settled and I too am glad for the new owners.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon