Thinking of buying Grand Villa

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Thinking of buying Grand Villa

October 21, 2018, 12:46:28 pm

A friend of mine has a 1984 Grand villa U280 cat diesel Allison trans, absolutely immaculate inside . Needs some TLC on the outside. My big concerns are the windshield is broken, cost & availability? The coach was parked 20 years ago and hasn't moved! just over 100,000 miles , he is the original owner. He told me to make an offer just want's it gone. Any info you can offer would be appreciated.
I am pretty good wrenching on gas motors am little familiar with diesel own a chevy duramax and a diesel tractor but nothing this BIG! Any thoughts on price?
Thanks.....Jeff

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #1 – October 21, 2018, 12:58:50 pm

Jeff,

Welcome to the ForeForum.

Sorry, there is some incorrect info here. There was no U280 in 1984.

Do you have pictures and/or have you looked at the GVWR plate near the driver's area?

And, parked for 20 years-- likely this will become your new "full time hobby".

Here is a good source for Foretravels through the years: Foretravel Specifications, Floor Plans, Photos & Brochures by Year

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #2 – October 21, 2018, 01:09:51 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – October 21, 2018, 12:58:50 pm

Jeff,Welcome to the ForeForum. And, parked for 20 years-- likely this will become your new "full time hobby". Here is a good source for Foretravels through the years: Foretravel Specifications, Floor Plans, Photos & Brochures by Year

Brett beat me to it: this is a must for owners to bookmark.

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #3 – October 21, 2018, 01:34:41 pm

I will go pull a tape measure on it and look for more info. The guy that owns it is 88 years old and doesn,t remember alot of the details about the coach.

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #4 – October 21, 2018, 01:40:25 pm

This is the only pic I took

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #5 – October 21, 2018, 01:48:01 pm

Other than the GVWR plate, another good source for narrowing down what model it is is to determine what suspension it has:

8 outboard airbags
4 inboard air bags
leaf springs.

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #6 – October 21, 2018, 01:53:53 pm

1 air bag per wheel is an Oshkosh. If the side boxes open with the hinge near the ground=Oshkosh.
The nose/headlights, looks like my 88. Great chassis and not many issues designed in.. Where is it?

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #7 – October 21, 2018, 02:25:08 pm

Flagstaff az

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #8 – October 21, 2018, 04:14:26 pm

Quote from: Jjseff – October 21, 2018, 12:46:28 pm

A friend of mine has a 1984 Grand villa U280 cat diesel Allison trans, absolutely immaculate inside . Needs some TLC on the outside. My big concerns are the windshield is broken, cost & availability? The coach was parked 20 years ago and hasn't moved! just over 100,000 miles , he is the original owner. He told me to make an offer just want's it gone. Any info you can offer would be appreciated.
I am pretty good wrenching on gas motors am little familiar with diesel own a chevy duramax and a diesel tractor but nothing this BIG! Any thoughts on price?
Thanks.....Jeff

Grandvilas were available for model year 1986. We have one of the first GV's ... the striping appears to be 87 or 88.

The double stacked headlights are also similar to our 86. When the Unihome was created. Headlights changed.

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #9 – October 21, 2018, 04:39:23 pm

What year was the last U series Grand villa's made

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #10 – October 21, 2018, 06:20:25 pm

Quote from: Bill Chaplin – October 21, 2018, 04:39:23 pm

What year was the last U series Grand villa's made ?

I'm pretty sure the '95 is the last of our knd:here's ours:

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #11 – October 21, 2018, 06:43:16 pm

Quote from: Jjseff – October 21, 2018, 12:46:28 pm

A friend of mine has a 1984 Grand villa U280 cat diesel Allison trans, absolutely immaculate inside . Needs some TLC on the outside. My big concerns are the windshield is broken, cost & availability? The coach was parked 20 years ago and hasn't moved! just over 100,000 miles , he is the original owner. He told me to make an offer just want's it gone. Any info you can offer would be appreciated.
I am pretty good wrenching on gas motors am little familiar with diesel own a chevy duramax and a diesel tractor but nothing this BIG! Any thoughts on price?
Thanks.....Jeff

Would this Ebay Auction 1985 with $ 20,000 in upgrades be a much better deal, it appears LAST GV model year with double stacked headlights is 1988 with the decals shown on your pic.

FORETRAVEL 29-LOADED-XTRA CLEAN-INSPECTED-SERVICED-CARFAX CERTIFIED-NO...

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #12 – October 21, 2018, 06:56:41 pm

Quote from: Subsilked – October 21, 2018, 06:43:16 pm

Would this Ebay Auction 1985 with $ 20,000 in upgrades be a much better deal, it appears LAST GV model year with double stacked headlights is 1988 with the decals shown on your pic.

FORETRAVEL 29-LOADED-XTRA CLEAN-INSPECTED-SERVICED-CARFAX CERTIFIED-NO...

Sorry, an old gas coach would NOT be on my short list-- at any price, much less at $20,000. Roughly 1/2 the MPG of diesel coaches and less usable power.

1985 was NOT a good time for gasoline engines in our country.

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #13 – October 21, 2018, 07:16:37 pm

As Brett says, gas engines are not the first choice and at the very bottom of the market today. They usually have heating problems, get terrible fuel mileage and don't last that long. They were built for light duty cars and PUs, not heavy motorhomes. The exception is the Ford Triton 6.8 liter V10 installed in some motorhomes today. Yes, for most, the fuel mileage is 1/2 or worse. For a RV to go from home to the local campground is the only reason to buy one and then it would have to be not just inexpensive but downright giveaway cheap. Almost $1/mile in fuel cost.

Pierce

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #14 – October 21, 2018, 07:27:15 pm

The Cat/Allison is the best all around powertrain for the old buses. Maybe even better then the later Cummins or DD.
8-10MPG and plenty of torque. Well worth dumping the needed cash into and expect a reasonable return on investment.
IMHO.

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #15 – October 21, 2018, 08:15:18 pm

Quote from: Protech Racing – October 21, 2018, 07:27:15 pm

The Cat/Allison is the best all around powertrain for the old buses. Maybe even better then the later Cummins or DD.
8-10MPG and plenty of torque. Well worth dumping the needed cash into and expect a reasonable return on investment.
IMHO.

Mike... our 86 GV with a 454 Chevy is only 18,650 GVWR, ( we don't travel with full water tanks)... when we purchased in San Diego in June of this year , our drive home was 1300 miles to Boulder, CO... CA regular gas was expensive but we only spent $ 550.00 for 183 gallons ( 7.25 MPG) in gas for the long trip. A lot of elevation climbs to Albuquerque and over the Raton Pass into CO. We think its good for the age and the gas engine. .

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #16 – October 21, 2018, 10:25:58 pm

Yes it is about as good as it will get.
My Dad had a P30 based coach with full Banks package. It did about the same .
My Cat powered bus weighs about 23k plus trailer. Having serviced and driven both, I looked for the Pusher and wont go back to a large chassis front gas. Maybe an old Round light Chevy C with a nice 350. Or Olds 455 power.
Your bus is a nice piece and should be a nice ride for a long time .

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #17 – October 22, 2018, 12:19:36 pm

Thanks for all the info. He is at the point that he just wants it gone so might be a deal I just can't pass up....

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #18 – October 22, 2018, 12:28:34 pm

Jeff,

Be aware, that even for FREE, it may not be a good "buy".

Really better to look at what you will have in it fixed up and road ready.

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #19 – October 22, 2018, 12:50:47 pm

Some friends bought a boat for 'a good deal'. A year later they claimed the seller should have paid THEM to sail it away!

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #20 – October 23, 2018, 12:33:06 pm

Quote from: mike leary – October 22, 2018, 12:50:47 pm

Some friends bought a boat for 'a good deal'. A year later they claimed the seller should have paid THEM to sail it away!

15 minutes left in this ebay auction for a renovated 1983 FTX.....high bid is now $ 11,000.

FORETRAVEL 29-LOADED-XTRA CLEAN-INSPECTED-SERVICED-CARFAX CERTIFIED-NO...

Re: Thinking of buying Grand Villa

Reply #21 – October 23, 2018, 01:51:59 pm

Looks like it sold for $11,000 - seems like a pretty good deal to me. Around here, you'd pay more than that for a clapped-out pickup truck.

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