99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Topic: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at. (Read 3247 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #25 – December 28, 2018, 03:26:23 pm

Quote from: Jeff & Sandy – December 28, 2018, 03:04:22 pm

If you buy a well sorted coach you probably will not have to spend much time other than normal maintenance. These coaches are for the most part bullet proof if they have been maintained correctly. Most of our spending (other than tires) has been cosmetic.... making the coach our own. The best thing you can do is learn as much as you can about these great coaches before you start shopping. The forum is a great place for that. I would not have bought a FT without this forum's wisdom and ready assistance from generous folks that are much smarter than I am.

Plus 2 on that one. I searched and read everything I could from this forum before I found the EXACT coach I was looking for, right layout, right equipment. I didn't buy until I knew everything about the coach I have. ALL THE BOOKS came with mine, and really helped in knowing what I would have to do to it to make it a country traveler.

2 1/2 years and 35K miles later, still really happy!

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #26 – December 28, 2018, 04:06:27 pm

Neal Thank you very much for your response.
I too Think of lazydays as the mcdonalds of dealerships. They are just one place that had one
foretravel. I for one would not trade with a dealer
Unless it was too good to be true. And even then
i would tend to question why they were giving me
such a good deal, My wife and i will probably
take our exsting tt and diesel truck out to wyoming
this summer. And I will continue to shop for
the foretravel i want. And attempt to sell my rig
in the fall ..I havnt even traded a car in for 20 yrs. As the stealerships give you a third of what they are worth. I am finding this forum invaluable ..Thank you all for your insight.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #27 – December 28, 2018, 07:56:45 pm

You have to have a sense of humor to buy and own a coach.

After puchase and use can cost up to a dollar a mile for a few years.

Then after things settle down you can get many, many more miles without lots of spending.

The only way out is to fix everything then drive the money out of the coach.

Long term 100k miles use can be 30 cents a mile averaged over that long of time

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #28 – December 28, 2018, 09:59:56 pm

If you really enjoy a non commuter vehicle and the experiences, never ever try to justify the costs per mile. Smiles per miles is what counts!

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #29 – December 29, 2018, 08:05:03 am

Quote

If you really enjoy a non commuter vehicle and the experiences, never ever try to justify the costs per mile. Smiles per miles is what counts

Thanks for the glass is half full response.

As I am thinking . What would be a good
amount of miles for a coach of say ( just to
make the math easy) 20 yr, 100k miles
would be only 5k a year avg, Would that
tell me it has sat alot?? or well run??
This one at mot seems to be in nicer shape
for less money.
2000 Foretravel U320 40 Priced at $ 74500

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #30 – December 29, 2018, 12:17:00 pm

Just looked at it,reduced to 59.9,get Brett to look at it,to answer your question,in my opinion,too many variables.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #31 – December 29, 2018, 03:52:29 pm

Quote

Just looked at it,reduced to 59.9,get Brett to look at it,to answer your question,in my opinion,too many variables.

could you expound a bit. What variables did you mean?

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #32 – December 29, 2018, 04:29:39 pm

NEVER assume the pictures that MOT has on an add to be current. When I went to look at the coach that I eventually bought the online pics of it were not current. Apparently they had sold it to a previous owner some time back and used the "file" pics of it. Being an uneducated buyer I didn't snap to this till it was mine. Plus stupidity on my behalf I didn't have it inspected by someone like Brett relying on the integrity of the salesman telling me it probably wasn't needed because it was getting a through PMI inspection. It has been a good coach so far with a few minor issues but I should have gotten an inspection.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #33 – December 29, 2018, 04:52:59 pm

Quote from: varmonter – December 29, 2018, 08:05:03 am

What would be a good amount of miles for a coach of say ( just to make the math easy) 20 yr, 100k miles would be only 5k a year avg, Would that tell me it has sat a lot?? or well run??

I don't think you can safely assume any "average mile per year" number on a motorhome, especially if it has had multiple owners. It could have been driven 100,000 miles in the first 10 years, and then sat in one spot for the next decade. If you are lucky enough to get a complete, comprehensive maintenance file with the coach, it might give you a better understanding of how the total mileage was accumulated. Looking through the receipts file for expenditures will also provide clues about how much the coach was used, and how much time it sat immobile.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #34 – December 29, 2018, 08:05:35 pm

Vermonter,

Most coaches for sale at MOT are sold without being listed on their website.

As mentioned before I think it would benefit you to call MOT and make an appointment. See as many coaches as you can to figure out what you like.....floorplan, price range, year range and model. Once you've done that it will be easier for you to find a coach that fits your needs. If MOT has this info from you they can keep an eye out for for you and can contact you when one pops up. When it does, see if Brett Wolfe can meet you there to do the inspection.

When my coach popped up at MOT I called right away and gave them a $500 deposit via credit card to buy the coach pending the inspection. This was 10 minutes after it posted. I had already spoken to Brett in advance to check his availability. I flew down the next week and bought the coach. Brett's assistance was invaluable, especially since it was my first motorhome.

When the right coach for you is found you do have to act quickly. Desirable, well sorted coaches sell very quickly.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #35 – December 30, 2018, 08:48:44 am

Jeff and sandy
Thanks much. This seems to me to make alot
of sense. texas and vermont are not close and
running down there to just kick tires is not
going to happen. It would be nice to be able
to do that just to get a better sense for what i
want in a coach. But alas the web will have to
suffice for now.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #36 – December 30, 2018, 09:26:12 am

The coach could have alot of miles but well taken care of,the headlight difference could have been an accident or just a crack
from a rock,the decals fading are a small minus,you will enjoy a trip the same with new decals.Would look at the coach again
and maybe try and do a facetime with one of us,not sure exactly how far the coach is from Millington TN,but we will be there
in a few days soon could possibly check out the coach.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #37 – December 30, 2018, 11:04:42 am

I would consider calling the Dealership and ask to speak with James Holder in service. He is an avid Foretravel supporter and owner.

I would ask three questions of James:

Coach has been there a long time - how familiar are you with that coach, or have you already done any inspections for the dealership or other individuals?
What are the strengths of the coach?
As a buyer, what should I know and what areas would be of concern regarding use or maintenance going forward of the coach (Start with what the heck is going on with the aquahot???).

James H. may or may not be a fount of information, but he is both knowledgeable and honest. He may not be comfortable telling you a lot of negative things, but you will be able to read between the lines - he will not tell you it is a good coach if it is not.

FWIW - used 1999 -2003 Foretravels (per Jason Haskins at MOT) are the hottest selling coaches at MOT, almost none last 90 days in inventory , and probably half never even get pictures out on the web before they are sold.

For this coach to be at this dealership for this long suggests that the price is wrong, or the systems/bulkhead condition is "rough" or more than likely some of both. If you were very handy like Don (AcousticArt) or John H from CA and wanted a project $35K might be a price at which buying this coach ended up being a good buy. But from a distance the circumstances surrounding the coach would argue against a neophyte purchaser, with average DIY skills making out financially in the long run at anywhere near current asking price.

James Holder may disagree, in which case I would defer to his on-site input vs. mine from thousands of miles away.

A trip to Nacogdoches for a couple of days at your convenience would be worth the time and $$ investment for a great education. Houston is warm this time of year and based on your schedule flights in Jan will likely be on sale. From IAH (Bush) it is a bit over a two hour drive in a rental car, low cost rooms are plentiful in the area.

Good luck, and hope you find the perfect coach! You are looking at the right brand, in years where both quantity and quality were high- no need to settle for a coach with a lot of question marks. Paying more up front for the right well maintained and regularly used coach is almost ALWAYS less (way less) expensive in the long run.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #38 – December 30, 2018, 12:20:44 pm

Tim makes excellent points. We have enjoyed looking at coaches and the subtle differences in them. Often we just walked through the door and it either wasn't right for no explainable reason or it was worth pursuing. It can't be overemphasized how important it is to have someone who really knows these coaches look it over for you. Figure out what can easily be upgraded and what you will have to live with.

That said, I also agree with Tim that a little getaway to Nach would be in order. It's a great little east Texas town and very hospitable. The thing about going there is getting a chance to see more Foretravels and compare to other brands than anywhere else in the country. If possible meet someone from the forum there and just go kick a few tires. Sit in each coach for a while and get a feel for it. The price of a trip will be miniscule compared to what a coach will cost you. Look at it as a mini vacation. (We made a last minute trip from central Oklahoma to Nach years ago to look at a coach and after looking at the weather decided to go on the Goldwing since the rain should run out about 20 miles down the road. We road about six hours in pouring rain and never trusted the radar weather again.)

If you decide to buy your "last coach" first, just remember that there are a few of us who have done that. As a matter of fact we bought our "last coach" at least four times.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #39 – December 30, 2018, 12:31:01 pm

I liked this from the Johnstons, and yes I've had others do the same.

"If you decide to buy your "last coach" first, just remember that there are a few of us who have done that. As a matter of fact we bought our "last coach" at least four times."

And....yes, this is.... my last post!!

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #40 – December 30, 2018, 05:56:31 pm

You folks are great Thank you much for your
great insight into this experience.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #41 – December 30, 2018, 09:35:49 pm

i'm looking for my 6th.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #42 – December 30, 2018, 10:00:48 pm

Quote from: John44 – December 30, 2018, 09:26:12 am

not sure exactly how far the coach is from Millington TN,but we will be there
in a few days soon could possibly check out the coach.

About 393 miles.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #43 – December 31, 2018, 08:09:48 am

Quote

from: John44 - 23 hours ago
not sure exactly how far the coach is from Millington TN,but we will be there
in a few days soon could possibly check out the coach.

Quote

about 393 miles.

Thats a ways but thanks for the offer.
After reading this forum i would be concerned
about the bulkheads in this coach. there seems to
be some signs of rust in some of the pics they sent.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #44 – December 31, 2018, 11:48:07 am

Could you please post some pics showing your "feelings" about the bulkheads . I looked at the one you posted and had a thought of that possibility due to the dirty looks of that bay.
JohnH

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #45 – December 31, 2018, 04:10:16 pm

here are the photos they sent of the bulkheads
1. pass front
2 driver front
3. driver rear
4 pass rear
there appears to be a rolock completely missing on the driver rear as well as some separation.
But i'm sure someone here knows more about
what im looking at. It appears no repair has ever
been done.? Im wondering if they were to do a torque test on the rear how many would just
turn or break off?? In pic 3 i see some bolts with washers through the white undercarriage . is this normal or some attempt at repair??

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #46 – December 31, 2018, 04:42:20 pm

My electric cord reel is bolted through the white stuff just like you see the bolts in your pic.. factory probably..

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #47 – December 31, 2018, 05:07:06 pm

Thanks David
I sort of thought any bulkhead repair would go
the other way . The direction of the rolock bolts.

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #48 – December 31, 2018, 07:44:58 pm

This was their reply with the pictures.

Quote

1) pass side front
2) driver side front
3) driver side rear
4) pass side rear
I see no separation from what I can see it all looks good ...

Pic 3 is what worries me. perhaps im wrong
but there appears to be some separation there???

Re: 99 u320 in knoxville im looking at.

Reply #49 – December 31, 2018, 08:33:13 pm

No thanks... run

Affiliate Notice