36' vs 40'

Topic: 36' vs 40' (Read 2499 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #25 – January 30, 2017, 02:01:16 pm

Even though ours' is a 36', it's amazing how tiny the Grand Villas look compared to the Bus models.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #26 – January 30, 2017, 02:30:07 pm

I've had a 36 Unihome and a 40 Unicoach.
36 footer was easier to wheel around, the 40 was a more mature ride.
Space shrinks quick underneath with slideout and aquahot from what I've seen... Not a problem with either of mine.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #27 – January 30, 2017, 02:42:55 pm

Seems like no matter how long a coach is, you're going to fill it up.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #28 – January 30, 2017, 03:17:20 pm

Quote from: craneman – January 30, 2017, 10:39:43 am

When we go online and search for sites at campgrounds, which for us are dry, no power campgrounds, we have used the 36' length search function and never had a problem with our 40'. Where we go they never get a tape measure and check us. Either the front or the rear depending, as we camp together with my brothers 40' Monaco, will hang out over the inside of the space and be inline with the outside.

I have seen where there were lines on the ground in front of the campground office. If you're close, they don't bother you. What is bad is if you claim a shorter rig and then have a lot of difficulty maneuvering into a spot. The bottom line is that campground owners don't want any empty sites if they can help it.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #29 – January 30, 2017, 03:48:10 pm

I took the Goldilocks solution. I positively love my 38' single slide no-tag U295.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #30 – January 30, 2017, 04:54:11 pm

Quote from: mike leary – January 30, 2017, 02:01:16 pm

Even though ours' is a 36', it's amazing how tiny the Grand Villas look compared to the Bus models.

But if it's a U280 or U300, it has the taller compartments and is about the same height as the bus style. The tall GVs have a higher driver's position than any other including big rigs (about 2 inches). 102" on the later GVs makes a visible difference too.

Pierce

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #31 – January 30, 2017, 05:06:53 pm

36 is just fine for two people. Sold 36 and got 40. Takes a lot of ground to turn the 40 around . Love 40 best due to floor design.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #32 – January 30, 2017, 05:11:10 pm

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – January 30, 2017, 04:54:11 pm

But if it's a U280 or U300, it has the taller compartments and is about the same height as the bus style. The tall GVs have a higher driver's position than any other including big rigs (about 2 inches). 102" on the later GVs makes a visible difference too.

Pierce

I love looking down on the "big rigs".

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #33 – January 30, 2017, 05:14:45 pm

What is more fun than looking down at them is to have enough horses

to pass them going up hill!

Carter-

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #34 – January 30, 2017, 05:48:20 pm

Oh, we do that 2 .. the Kitty Cat loves it.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #35 – January 30, 2017, 05:50:30 pm

That picture of the two coaches is misleading as the grand villa is at the back end of the other coach!

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #36 – January 30, 2017, 06:01:09 pm

Quote from: Texas Guy – January 30, 2017, 05:14:45 pm

What is more fun than looking down at them is to have enough horses
to pass them going up hill!
Carter-

Yes, absolutely love that. But to be fair, I have to pick on a loaded big rig and then it's no contest. Unloaded, it's 12 to 16 liters against our 9 liters and then they make me feel bad. I would love to have the 8V-92TA with it's 12 liters like in Prevosts and Wanderlodges, but without their weight. Plenty of room for it but then I couldn't cool it without a lot of work. Need that 6 speed too.

Pierce

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #37 – January 30, 2017, 07:29:52 pm

Quote from: rbark – January 30, 2017, 05:50:30 pm

That picture of the two coaches is misleading as the grand villa is at the back end of the other coach!

When we first went to look our coach, it was in a high-end storage facility, full of Bus Style coaches; it looked like a "Jr. Coach" compared to the rest. We love her!

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #38 – January 30, 2017, 07:43:44 pm

I like Mike's comment above. Here's a shot of our little coach next to the Big Boys. We plan to put more air in the tires and sit up straighter. A smaller dog could make us appear more...well, stately?

For long trips, we love the length for the luxury of getting out each other's space once in a while. The bath is wonderful and pretty spa-like in our 40'. We drove a 34' SOB for 100K miles and feel like our non-slide Foretravel coach has a lot more real-estate (footage) without too much hassle getting in and out of spots. Stupid Big Turning Radius though, right?

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #39 – January 30, 2017, 10:54:24 pm

The reality is that these are huge coaches no matter which one you choose. Everywhere you go people are gonna comment on how huge it is and they won't have any idea whether it's a 36 or a 40 footer. Many campgrounds won't even accept a coach this large, which is my main regret, and I have a 36 footer.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #40 – February 06, 2017, 01:21:13 pm

Thanks for posting this thread. Very interesting for a FGV wannaown....has same issues and thoughts regarding which length to go after.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #41 – February 06, 2017, 01:23:23 pm

Thanks for posting this thread. Very interesting. I too am a FGV wannaown....I have the same issues and concerns regarding which length to go after.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #42 – February 06, 2017, 01:38:07 pm

And then there are the two different widths. Our GV is a 92" wide model and not the 102" wide coach.
Quickest way to tell is the space between the front grills. Narrow is a 92" and wide is a 102"
Nice thing about the wider versions is that your tires run in the same wear pattern as most large vehicles on the highway today.
The 92" width like our coach mandates that the alignment must be correct and the front steering components, including tires, must be "up to snuff" or you end up fighting the drafts created by semis passing in either direction and the wear pattern on the roads.
Our coach was a nightmare to drive when we first got it until we had the front aligned at FOT. After that the DW was even willing to drive it.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #43 – February 06, 2017, 01:56:15 pm

Why 92" not the old legal 96"?

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #44 – February 06, 2017, 02:15:48 pm

Oops, guess I'm thinking wrong?

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #45 – February 06, 2017, 02:24:12 pm

We've been on the road for a little over two years now, so others have much more experience than we do. We prefer COE campgrounds or State parks, but we've been in commercial parks, too. One once have I had to back up and maneuver to get around a bend. I probably could have done it without if I had asked Jo Ann to get out of the Jeep and check that I wasn't getting too close to danger, but it didn't take much effort on my part to do it myself.

Height can be as much of an issue as length or width. Our U300 isn't nearly as tall as an IH45. I suspect that those coaches might suffer some damage if they tried to go into some of the places I've taken our GV.

FWIW, as soon as someone buys our Foretravel we're going to a 34' Airstream TT, preferably one without a slide (yes, from 2000-2008 they did make some with a single slide). The top of the a/c on the Airstream is closer to the ground than the top of the windshield on our coach.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #46 – February 09, 2017, 11:02:08 pm

They didn't actually widen the chassis in 1992 when they widened the body. The body overhangs past the wheels. They probably did widen the chassis on later models but I'm just speculating based on the fact that I'd widen the chassis as soon as practical if I were the manufacturer. It looks pretty stupid with a wide body overhanging past the chassis but whatever. Also when you look at a 1992 or newer coach with the wider body notice that they wasted the extra 6 inches in the hallway instead of making the bathroom wider, so it's very difficult to justify the huge difference in cost, which brings me to my next point. The real clincher is that the 1992 and newer models with wider bodies cost twice as much as the 1991 and older models, or at least they did back when I was shopping around for my coach. Also pay attention to whether or not the coach has a side radiator with hydraulic fans or a rear radiator with a belt driven fan. Before you purchase a side radiator model search this forum for keyword "hydraulic" and read the stories. Before you buy a rear radiator model read my story about the fiberglass fan and immediately replace the fiberglass fan with a nylon fan. If you replace the fiberglass fan with a nylon fan you'll be fine but definitely don't drive it with the fiberglass fan. Apparently Foretravel made a few 1992 models with the wider body that still had the rear radiator, because I camped next to one of them at Capitol Reef national park last year. Sorry to go off topic and talk about width when you asked about length. There's no clear cut choice on length because each has their advantages and disadvantages. On the coach width the choice is really easy, at least for me. I seldom read anything on this forum drawing attention accurately to the differences between the wide body coaches and older coaches. Most people jump to the conclusion that newer, bigger, fancier, more complicated and more expensive is always better but I invite you to look carefully and examine this with common sense. You could save a lot of money and frustration.

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #47 – February 09, 2017, 11:15:54 pm

RRadio you are correct about the chassis widths under the coach.

My long term foretravel dealer chassis guru mechanic mentioned to me in passing that until the 97's were built the steering box was still at the 96" width. Steering wheel is offset to the right versus the 97 and up coaches.

I have not measured them personally so the info is his.

Nor am I saying there is any drive difference.

I used to point out wide body competitive coaches on narrow chassis long ago.

The marvelous WTBI finally gets full use of the 102" body. No hall way to speak of

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #48 – February 09, 2017, 11:19:58 pm

I never see any mention of this here on the forum. Is the price still double for the 1992 and newer compared to the 1991 and older?

Re: 36' vs 40'

Reply #49 – February 10, 2017, 12:40:09 am

Quote from: RRadio – February 09, 2017, 11:19:58 pm

I never see any mention of this here on the forum. Is the price still double for the 1992 and newer compared to the 1991 and older?

I think the big jump now is for a slide. Same year same length almost double at NADA

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