Buying our first Foretravel

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Buying our first Foretravel

August 08, 2017, 02:10:43 pm

At the risk of opening up a can of worms I am looking for opinions

... I retired a little over 4 months ago (Deputy Sheriff K9 Officer), the house is in escrow and after literally 10 years of dreaming/planning, we are looking to buy a coach to go full time. It will be 2 adults and 3 dogs. We are trying to capture that illusive unicorn and buy our 3rd coach 1st. I scour the MOT and Foretravel websites constantly, and believe I have memorized large parts of beamalarm.com, lol!

I am drawn to the Unicoach style and see a lot of 97-99 and also 00-03 w/1 slide that would be within our reach.
There is a post in the classifieds section currently that mentions certain years being better than others. Yes, I know what they say about "opinions", but I would really like to hear some from Foretravel vets!
1. Do you really see a distinction in quality/reliability in various years?
2. Is there a significant difference between a 36' and a 40' in terms of maneuverability, accesses to camping sites, livability etc?
3. Purchasing from MOT or Foretravel in Texas vs a private party- I have NO idea what the markup at the dealer is because they are
nowhere near what NADA lists. I am assuming there is an intrinsic value NADA does not include.
4. ANYTHING you want tell me based on your knowledge and experience that you wish someone had told you!

I thank you in advance for any and all opinions!

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #1 – August 08, 2017, 06:13:30 pm

The first advice I can give you is don't try to buy a good Foretravel at NADA value. It doesn't exist. Use RV trader, MOT and FT to get prices. Craigslist sometimes yields one.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #2 – August 08, 2017, 06:21:50 pm

Be sure to check the classifieds here as well, nice one in MT that I'm aware of.
We have a 40' single slide , goes where ever I want... Liked the 36', but the 38' was really really really nice with more room & storage....... so bought a 40'. single slide, 2 full pass thru bays....happy wife happy life

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #3 – August 08, 2017, 06:31:20 pm

If you will not be working on the coach yourself buy one with all the fixes and upgrades,if you want to do the work yourself then
you can get one that needs some work,forget the "markup" just go by the price itself.If you don't have one by Jan.I suggest
you go to Quartzsite rv show and get to the Foretravel camping area,you will see every type known to man there.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #4 – August 08, 2017, 06:39:58 pm

1. No, they are built like boats and the quality is great. Better on average the older the coach is.

2. Yes, don't go to the coasts, and don't shortcut right turns. 4 extra feet.

3. MOT vs. Private Party..
Resident experts vs. Bad used car salesman.

4. Half your purchase budget. Find a deal.. then take your time to find your forever coach. In the mean time, learn what you like and what you want different.. if anything. And "CB" is short hand for "Coach Bucks".. approximately $1,000 not including local tax rates.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #5 – August 08, 2017, 07:12:04 pm

Don't forget to look @ Old Town Motorcoach as well..
Old Town Motorcoach

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #6 – August 08, 2017, 07:12:31 pm

Couple points to ponder:

- Longer is more of a pain getting in and out of places. You'll get it done, but it is more of a pain and you have to be very careful or it will cost you money for being stupid.

- I prefer to buy from a private party that is very proud of their rig and can/will show you how well they know it and personally took care of it. Let them show you maintenance records/receipts. A good place to find one like this is on this forum.

- When you find one you are interested in and you are very seriously considering buying it, ask is there is someone on the forum that is close to it that would look at it with you. Will probably only cost you lunch and acquiring a new friend.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #7 – August 08, 2017, 07:22:30 pm

Quote from: John44 – August 08, 2017, 06:31:20 pm

you go to Quartzsite rv show and get to the Foretravel camping area,you will see every type known to man there.

We are prolly going to "Q" next year. I know that, also, you will meet "every man known to type".

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #8 – August 08, 2017, 07:31:21 pm

Don't wait when you find it to buy, if it's the one. Most good ones don't come to Market, and go quick. I like the 36', same reason other's do. Easy to maneuver, but wouldn't kick a 40' out of bed for eating chips!.
I can't verify this, may be wrong. I think there may be about 2500-3000 96-01 (bus style non slide) As a retired FT tech, some of the best coaches built. Earlier generation slides are nice, but can be problematic!
When I looked, I learned that 'C' in the stk # means consignment, so you are basically buying private party, through a dealer/salesman's mark up.
Good luck, hope we will be welcoming you to the family. They are fine folks, and the coaches are, bar none.
Chris

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #9 – August 08, 2017, 07:41:49 pm

Fully agree with Chris on not waiting when you find the right one. A "good one" priced right can easily be gone in a week.

Another point to ponder is on price. There are relatively few Foretravels out there. I would rather overpay for a cherry, than underpay for one that has not been taken care of. You'll be happier in the long run.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #10 – August 08, 2017, 09:23:06 pm

Forget NADA book. It's what YOU will pay, within reason. Banks use that to loan little to be safe, dealers use it to low ball on trade in's. Doesn't count for RV's and Boats private party.
Agree with Kurt, I messed around a week and missed a good coach. Second one was out on test drive when I called, and sold. On the other hand I wouldn't be anxious.
Chris

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #11 – August 08, 2017, 10:34:56 pm

Thank you for your service, Deputy. You will find several people here with similar career backgrounds.

Do your research before getting ready to buy anything. Whenever you read something here talk it over with your human partner. Ask each other how that bit of information applies to how YOU want to live. We checked out the specs on Barry Beam's site and quickly figured out which models would fit us and which ones wouldn't.

NADA, as has been discussed here frequently, is useful for vehicles that have large production numbers. For vehicles with with low production numbers they just use a depreciation scale. Newell and Prevost, two high-end coaches, aren't even listed. Look at the classifieds here to see what are some realistic numbers for Foretravels. You can, of course, always offer what YOU are willing to pay. The seller may or may not accept your offer, but may well counter. You won't know until you ask.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #12 – August 09, 2017, 12:02:40 am

I agree with gracerace about the 06-01 unihomes.

As a old Foretravel manager and rv'er the absolute solidness of the structure is amazing.

The ftx's were very good but the leveling jacks could get noises out of body shell. Little driving.

The grand villas twist a bit more.

The unihomes 2k more weight is mostly in the front structure and overhead.

No squeeks or rattles anywhere.

Big box. Reliable systems. Luxury camping.

Slides add the non long box feeling.

We spent 20 days and everyone was a pleasure.

We ran the rear air to feed the front in our 97 as the ducted air allowed the front air to be moved back 6'?

The rear air is moved to the bath area. Out of the bedroom..

Using the front air and gen if ncessary makes a nice sleep as it's very quiet.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #13 – August 09, 2017, 12:52:29 am

Chris and I are on a roll agreeing with each other. His point about not being anxious should be taken to heart. The last two Foretravels we bought we waited over a year for each of them and passed up many coaches along the way. I look pretty much every day and am always ready to buy when the right one comes along. When looking at a coach or talking to the owner, I look at coach problems like icebergs. You are only going to see a small portion of all the things currently wrong or that will soon go wrong. Its just the nature of the game. Things will always break on these things. Try to find one with the minimal amount of things currently wrong. Have your money ready so you don't get beat on the right one.

You said you were going to full time right away. Unless you have a couple months to renovate, I think you are going to want to buy one that is pretty close to the way you want it how it sits. You are not going to want to mess with changing out floors, furniture etc. if you are trying to live in it.

In the vintage you're looking at, I think a big question you and your spouse need to answer is "open" or "private" toilet? Most people feel strongly one way or the other. Think about how you'll use your coach and what impact it will have. Booth or table chairs? Will it make a difference?

Slides are nice, but they are heavy and will break at some point and need repair. The bladder seal is an expensive repair. If money is tight, you should get a considerably better price on a comparable non-slide. Engine size is a personal matter. They will all get you there and I don't think any of them in the years you are looking at would be considered under powered. The bigger the engine, the heavier the coach will be. I have always wanted the "biggest engine" but many times I'm pleasantly surprised how well others keep up with lighter coaches and smaller engines. You can do a horsepower and/or torque to weight calculation and compare models. Shorter/lighter models with smaller engines usually fare well. Heavier and longer coaches typically ride more smoothly though and don't move around as much when you are parked and walking around in them. I wouldn't worry too much about fuel mileage. Unless you put TONS of miles on a year, others costs like depreciation, insurance, registration, maintenance, etc. will overshadow your fuel bill.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #14 – August 09, 2017, 01:06:53 am

If you get floorplan savvy which is hard for a non owner then IF you found the floorplan you think you like then pay based on the condition. So if you find a 60k correct for you perfect condition coach that's nice. If it needs $10-$20k of work then pay that much less. Duh.

I would not mind paying for a worn systems coach as then I get to put new parts in for sure

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #15 – August 09, 2017, 01:32:36 am

Quote from: John44 – August 08, 2017, 06:31:20 pm

If you will not be working on the coach yourself buy one with all the fixes and upgrades.

There is no perfect coach, even new. Expect to spend a few weeks if not more, to test and repair glitches and to get to become familiar with all of the vital systems idiosyncrasies. Especially electrical diagnosis and treatment. Stranded at the side of the road isn't cheap.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #16 – August 09, 2017, 01:34:56 am

We bought our first coach, a 96 U320, that ran good but had system problems. We had never owned an RV, we used it as a learner coach. It took a lot of work, but we ended up with a very reliable coach. We put over 15,000 miles and learned what we did and didn't like about the coach. When one came up for sale, we negotiated a fair price, installed 8 new tires, and have put 33,000 miles on it in less than 3 years. We sold our first coach for what we spent on it so it was a net win. The Foretravel is a solid coach that will let you get away with doing that.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #17 – August 09, 2017, 09:05:36 am

Quote from: gracerace – August 08, 2017, 07:31:21 pm

Don't wait when you find it to buy, if it's the one. Most good ones don't come to Market, and go quick.

As another point, there have been a number of coaches sold via this forum which were never listed anywhere - current owners considering selling noticed someone asking about a similar coach for sale and contacted the potential buyer or the buyer sent a polite inquiry to a member "if you ever want to sell", and the deal was struck.

John S' and our former coaches are 2 examples.

Also, if you have a good idea of what you want, let MOT, Old Town, and FOT sales know. A number of coaches that pass through those entities never make the website because each (I believe) keeps a list of buyers and wants.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #18 – August 09, 2017, 09:26:15 am

Find the floor plan that you want and as you are going into full time living I would think you have to find a good one as making large changes while trying to live around the mess can be very trying, and could cool your liking for any motorhome.
We cut our teeth with the original GV and the learning curve was steep. Now here I am many years down the road, and five years into the U320 and still learning!! Learn as much as you can before you buy and then get as much knowledge as you can from the seller. Dealers are like car salesmen and may not know too much other than how to extract your money!! That does not apply to those good folks in NAC.
Speedbird 1.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #19 – August 09, 2017, 10:02:13 am

Quote from: Michelle – August 09, 2017, 09:05:36 am

As another point, there have been a number of coaches sold via this forum which were never listed anywhere - current owners considering selling noticed someone asking about a similar coach for sale and contacted the potential buyer or the buyer sent a polite inquiry to a member "if you ever want to sell", and the deal was struck.

John S' and our former coaches are 2 examples.

Also, if you have a good idea of what you want, let MOT, Old Town, and FOT sales know. A number of coaches that pass through those entities never make the website because each (I believe) keeps a list of buyers and wants.

We bought our coach via referral, it never went to market. I didn't personally get any satisfaction from the factory. I had my name on a list, talked to them weekly for a few months. The exact coach came in, but they sold it before I got a chance to see or hear about it. Their response was "we will find you another one" I was a cash buyer, ready to fly down and pick a coach up "as is" if it was the right one.
We bought our coach a month later. Almost a year later they have never contacted me, yet I have seen a few coaches on their site since then, that would have been players. I am very disappointed with them.
I am not posting this to bad mouth them, just don't want someone to sit on their hands waiting on them like we did.
Chris

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #20 – August 09, 2017, 11:00:30 am

So many great suggestions and sage advice. I thank all of you for taking the time to respond!
We were planning on doing a fair amount of "remodeling"- remove all carpet (3 big dogs!), composting toilet, 800-1000 watts of solar and lithium batteries, whatever updating was needed etc. It was suggested that it is hard to live in the unit while doing all that, and that advice is being pondered seriously.
It is rare to find a FT for sale here on the west coast, travelling to TX adds some difficulty to the search as I don't want to make a lot of time consuming and costly trips just to look. It is a big bonus that y'all occasionally post your coaches for sale and seem to know all about each other's rigs.
There will be quite the learning curve for us as we are complete newbies and I'm just glad I can learn from other's mistakes on this forum (all the while making more of my own!) It seems like there is a good group of very helpful people in the Foretravel community

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #21 – August 09, 2017, 12:10:55 pm

Quote from: USRoadDogs link=msg=282864 date=1502290830 It seems like there is a good group of very helpful people in the Foretravel community ^.^d [/quote

All of us are nutcases, you came to the right spot.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #22 – August 09, 2017, 12:21:33 pm

Is there a proper way to research a particular coach? I see Motorcade member #s on photos, is it OK to ask the forum for info?
For instance, there is a 99 U295 on Craigslist (CL scares me to be honest) listed for $42K in Riverside County CA. Photos show the # on the coach, I can't read the license plate and can't tell what state it is registered in.
Has the standard, "I'm selling my dad's Foretravel, no room to store it" story. Has anyone had any luck with CL purchases?

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #23 – August 09, 2017, 12:35:19 pm

Craigslist coaches are no better/no worse than most other sources, like consignment lots.

You will find some dogs and some nice ones.

And, yes some on Craigslist are scams. There has been a U300 for $6000 for sale all over the country with the same single picture. But the scams are not that difficult to flush out.

Find out where the coach is located. Put your eye balls on it or if a Foreforum member is near, have them do that for you. That, along with a copy of the title that the seller writes VOID across should give you enough information to proceed.

And, then get a good PDI so you have a better idea of what you are getting into.

Re: Buying our first Foretravel

Reply #24 – August 09, 2017, 01:59:51 pm

I'm not your normal Foretravel owner, buyer, live aboard. I have owned boats for many years and some of the problems, concepts, etc. transfer. I looked for a Foretravel for years and was beginning to think that I enjoyed the search more than actually getting one. Kinda like the anticipation a kid has prior to Christmas. My budget was/is much less than most, and my interest is for somewhat rough camping not touring the highways and destinations. I manage campgrounds at music festivals and need an upgrade from a tent, but travel from NY to Fla. and generally not at my leisure. So, with boat experience, I wanted a starter Coach. A learner. I found lots, few I could afford, even less that were on the East coast, and even less that were not junk or some kind of scam. I found one on Ebay, looked like a very bad long shot, but with sleigh bells and snow flakes and jolly old fat man visions I persisted and called the owner. She was real....sincere....honest....we communicated. I told her my story, she told me hers. She had posted a price, I countered, she countered, LOWER. I bought it sight unseen, a thousand miles away. I didn't have time to go get it for a few months. When I did, there were a few problem issues, nothing serious, it's just thirty years old. She knew her coach and had described it accurately. A long story, a little shorter, I analyzed the seller and bought her integrity, actually, over the phone. I manage people in the best and worst scenarios at music festivals and have developed that ability a little. It also helps that I enjoy working on the coach, as long as it's not a major event. My next coach will likely be from someone on this forum. Wantabe should be Got-one

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