Maintenance Costs Update

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Maintenance Costs Update

January 08, 2014, 12:14:03 pm

1997 Foretravel U270 WTBI 34' Maintenance Costs (B)
This is the file name I've uploaded to the Files section for your information. The file by the same name without the (B) is for costs from 5/1/2003 to 12/31/2009.

This file "1997 Foretravel U270 WTBI 34' Maintenance Costs (B)" is for costs from 1/1/2009 to 12/31/2013.

Does not include tires or upgrades in the maitenance costs.

From 2009 to 2013 the total miles driven were: 10,763.3 miles

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #1 – January 08, 2014, 01:28:18 pm

Peter & Beth,

Thank you for posting this. Interesting & useful info.

Hope all is well with you both.

Keith

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #2 – January 08, 2014, 05:30:01 pm

Unfortunately I have to include tires soon. Ouch. Remodels cost a boat load too but it makes it so much nicer to live in.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #3 – January 08, 2014, 06:03:52 pm

My original thoughts were that the drive train costs for the FT couldn't be much more than the costs for the Dodge diesel pickup (same engine, after all). So far, even though I keep nothing like the records you do, I've been pretty close to right about this. The Allison tranny (versus a manual in the pickup) adds a little more in fluid costs, though.

Seems like every year there is one big item.

I have to do some work on the rear furnace and the water heater this spring. And figure out the no-start issue.

Upgrades are, like you, another matter. Going to solar has cost about $2,000 so far including voltage monitoring devices, mounting brackets, etc. And the panels aren't even on the roof yet.

Craig

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #4 – January 08, 2014, 11:29:30 pm

Craig 2k is small potatoes, Ive spent 5k and love the results and well worth it too.
Hey, it's only money and you cannot take your millions with you
John H

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #5 – January 09, 2014, 09:48:14 am

Quote from: John Haygarth – January 08, 2014, 11:29:30 pm

Craig 2k is small potatoes, Ive spent 5k and love the results and well worth it too.
Hey, it's only money and you cannot take your millions with you
John H

Well, in my case there is more than one reason why I can't take my millions with me.

Craig

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #6 – January 09, 2014, 10:14:48 am

Peter,

Thanks for sharing.

I did this with our 88ORED was not planning to repeat it with the u280. After looking at your costs of about 10k, in 11k miles over 4 years - i am rethinking.

About $1 a mile, 2500 a year. As you increase use this cost will go down

I ran about 25 cents over 9 years and 50k miles

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #7 – January 09, 2014, 10:39:04 am

Well if you drive and use the coach for long trips, then the costs go up pretty quickly per year. I know I put on over 30k miles a year so that is two to three oil changes and lubes. Stuff wears out faster too. The final word is that it is worth it.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #8 – January 09, 2014, 10:53:50 am

During the past few years we have not taken long trips from Cincinnati to the far west or east. Mostly within a 500 mile circle. No doubt due to fuel costs which are not included in the maintenance. To optimize the maintenance cost per mile on an 8.3 Cummins of mid 90's vintage (20 qrts, oil), 6,000 miles annual would be best as that is the oil change interval. These costs also do not include the storage slip at the old lumber yard which runs about $1,200 annual. Overallcosts including camp sites, camping supplies, ice, fuel, insurance, etc., the costs run about $7,000 annual for a 6,000 mile year. Much higher per mile for a 2,000 mile year as the fixed costs are spread over fewer miles.

Being a former engineer and bean counter/financial type, doing this kind of stuff is just second nature, and I enjoy playing with the numbers. Sharing these with you is just a part of being a forum member.

All that said, I would enjoy the Foretravel ownership experience whether I did all this numbers stuff or not. So simply enjoy your rigs the best way you can.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #9 – January 09, 2014, 12:00:42 pm

Still cheaper than a vacation cabin with the added advantage of never being bored with the same location time after time. And if you like the same location then it's still cheaper to just buy a camping lot.

The SnB we live in now was our vacation cabin for a decade. It did have the advantage of being a place where family could stay. But that can also be a disadvantage.

Life is a trade-off. If your RV is just a vehicle then it's probably not worth the trouble. If your RV is a lifestyle then that changes the equation.

Craig

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #10 – January 09, 2014, 12:47:06 pm

Peter, Thank you for the spread sheets. I definitely helps a "Newbie" figure out the total costs of ownership.

Greg

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #11 – January 09, 2014, 01:02:23 pm

I think that depending on your skills/tools/a place to perform maintenance, these costs can be lowered. I only do minor electrical, mechanical repairs/ But even these can add up at about $100 per hour. I've probably saved a lot of money by performing these small jobs like C/O transfer switch, Brake light switch, batteries, small preventive maintenance items, replacing belts over the 10 years of ownership. Not to mention the TV upgrades, galley back splash, winterizing, etc.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #12 – January 09, 2014, 01:03:32 pm

My most expensive thing is fuel.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #13 – January 09, 2014, 01:10:46 pm

Peter, great info for "down the road".....right now she's still in the shop getting "the list" done after sitting for many years...soon she'll be safe, reliable, roadworthy & ready to go when I get back to FL. I'll only have 3 days to get settled in then won't see her again til mid-March, so it's slow going at the moment, but this is really valuable info for the future, thanks for being a "left brain" kind of guy!

Craig, you're right, it's ~so~ much more than just a 'first class' vehicle....it's a dream come true for some of us, & it spells freedom down the road apiece, & eventually likely a full time home.....once the S&B is gone, total freedom, & no price can be put on that. Life is too darned short, if I hear about one more friend younger than me keeling over....

....anyway, am doing the Snoopy "happy dance" right now!

Cheers, all.

Dani

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #14 – January 09, 2014, 01:41:19 pm

Quote from: Peter & Beth – January 09, 2014, 01:02:23 pm

I think that depending on your skills/tools/a place to perform maintenance, these costs can be lowered.,,,

Absolutely! This is one of the main reasons we are going to the "home base" model; so we can have a place with a big air compressor, jacks, and tools as well as a small apartment where we can get a change of pace. Not to mention 50-amp power, water and a place to dump tanks.

Plus this area (central WA state) is one of the best on the continent to spend the summer. And the grandkids are close.

Craig

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #15 – January 09, 2014, 03:04:20 pm

Quote from: Miz Dani – January 09, 2014, 01:10:46 pm

Peter, great info for "down the road".....right now she's still in the shop getting "the list" done after sitting for many years...soon she'll be safe, reliable, roadworthy & ready to go when I get back to FL. I'll only have 3 days to get settled in then won't see her again til mid-March, so it's slow going at the moment, but this is really valuable info for the future, thanks for being a "left brain" kind of guy!

Craig, you're right, it's ~so~ much more than just a 'first class' vehicle....it's a dream come true for some of us, & it spells freedom down the road apiece, & eventually likely a full time home.....once the S&B is gone, total freedom, & no price can be put on that. Life is too darned short, if I hear about one more friend younger than me keeling over.... ....anyway, am doing the Snoopy "happy dance" right now!

Cheers, all.

Dani

Indeed a coach that has not been run for a long time is like a human coming out of a coma. This is the primary reason for exercise both human and mechanicals like a motorhome. Once out of the "coma" even with the proper maintenance, you will encounter those items that just don't seem to work because of lack of use. You will need to test & run EVERYTHING before you go out for a trip the first time. Lest you find out one of those critical little items does not work. Like...the dump hose is missing? Where's the awning pole? Well, we're here to help.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #16 – January 09, 2014, 03:21:55 pm

"You pay for everyone of your pleasures and if you paid less it probably was not as much fun was it?"

My quote to prospective foretravel customers.

Bob

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #17 – January 09, 2014, 05:16:43 pm

Thanks for the insight Peter. Since we are planning on full time, once the house is sold, I was wondering what some of the full timer's numbers per mile came out to be. I anticipate running 15K-20K miles per year, not sitting in one spot for multiple months, and following our hearts, so to speak. If I could do it on $1.50 per mile, it would be substantially cheaper than what it costs for my SnB. So, am I off base or somewhere in the ballpark?

Larry

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #18 – January 09, 2014, 05:32:02 pm

Larry

The Cummins C8.3 or the small block 5.9 used on the U225's as well as the small Cat's are by far the lowest maintenance cost engines as well as the most efficient. Once you elevate to the M11's and newer engines the ball game changes by quite a bit. The U320 owners can give more guidance on the costs of those large engines.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #19 – January 09, 2014, 06:18:06 pm

Thanks Peter. I hope the others chime in. Right now we are concentrating on the 320's. I know they won't get the fuel mileage, but the need for speed has been a lifelong issue

Larry

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #20 – January 09, 2014, 07:21:19 pm

Would not enjoy a "little" engine, no matter what it MIGHT get for mileage, my ISM500 in the 320 Th Aqua Hot and the generator sucking fuel is not a panic. I also prefer when I push on the go pedal, I do not have to look at the tach to see if it is picking up speed, that would be real boring

I keep my coach up to snuff either in our shop or at FOT, MOT or Cummins.
There is no free lunch, no matter how much you complain.
My thoughts are, either you pay the rate or wind up in some strange town, state, freezing, roasting either way, very unhappy and ready to pay large repairs. So its your choice eh?
Enjoy
Dave M

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #21 – January 09, 2014, 07:26:45 pm

I had about the same engine costs in my 8.3 and my ISMs.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #22 – January 09, 2014, 08:14:19 pm

1997 U295 36' CAI mostly towing 4,080# Jeep Grand Cherokee
Cummins C8.3-325 with Banks Stinger
Most travel on cruise control at 65 mph in "normal" mode on terrain ranging from Gulf Coast to mountains of Wyoming and Montana
I have most maintenance and repair performed in Nacogdoches by professionals
From April, 2010, through December, 2013, (42 months) we traveled about 42,000 miles
Costs for fuel $21,000 - $0.50/mile - $500/month
Costs for maintenance, repairs, upgrades $30,000 - $0.72/mile - $720/month
Depreciation for time period is pretty much zero
Total cost per mile has been about $1.22/mile or about $1,220/month

Your results are likely to vary. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Numbers have not been audited and numbers are not guaranteed. You assume all risks. Blah, blah, blah.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #23 – January 09, 2014, 08:53:28 pm

Thought I would add our spread sheet for review. We have driven about 9,000 miles since March of '13 - we full time. Needless to say all of the expenditures were not "required" but they were for us. There are still Must Do, Should Do and Might Do lists that we will address as time goes on. Repair/maintenance/upgrades are inevitable. I figure - 1 buck per mile. That is as close as I get to analyzing the costs associated with our FT. So far so good.

Re: Maintenance Costs Update

Reply #24 – January 09, 2014, 09:41:07 pm

As my good friend, Dave Cobb (AKA Money Bags ( or is it "bags of money")) says

"I don't have a "budget", I have a motorhome !"

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