Things you should either ask for before or do after the sale

June 23, 2010, 06:51:56 am

Well, I am going to list out some things done before the sale and after if the seller will not do them.

I will post it in a day or so.

Re: Things you should either ask for before or do after the sale

Reply #1 – June 27, 2010, 02:19:16 pm

Ok here is a short run down of things to consider prior to buying a FT. I did not cover the issues of other brands gas vs diesel or 5th wheel etc as we are a FT board.

Things to do prior to buying that new Coach you want.

BUDGET
The first thing is budget. It is going to cost more than you think.. If you have never owned one then you will be in for a surprise. I have driven over 200,000 miles and fuel is a big cost as well as insurance and storage.
The other thing you will have to consider is the dingy you will tow. Do you have a vehicle that can be towed or will you need to make adjustments too it or buy a trailer or caddy to pull it with. You will also need all the fun stuff for camping like: mats and chair and grills and chairs and the other assorted things we cannot seem to do without. The issue is space and size and what will fit. You will need some simple tools as well.

Now that we have budget covered we will go to the heart of the matter.

WANTS and NEEDS

Sure, we all want the latest and fanciest unit out there but will it match. If you love the small old state parks back to nature on the east coast you will need a short unit if you are going to stay in parks with hookups you can go bigger.

Do you want to have slideouts.

Slides are a mixed blessing. I have owned coaches with them and with them and without them and it is a personal decision. I think my next coach with be without. What features do you need to be accessible to you with the slides retracted. Do you want to be able to sleep with the slides in or eat at the table. They always show a coach with them out so ask to bring them in and watch how they come in and if there is hesitation or noises.

Will you spend more time driving it or will you be spending more time sitting in one location. A snowbirds needs will be different than those who are still working and have to make time and get to and from and will use the coach as much on the road as sitting still.

What type of bed is the next thing. Will Queen sized be ok or would you like a King sized.

How long will you be using the coach at a stretch? Are you a weekend or a long trip person. Do you need to pack al lot of stuff to take with you for instances crafts or hobbies. This is the requirements you will need to figure out for storage both inside the coach and underneath.

Do you want a dinette or do you want a table and chairs.

Do you want a private toilet or is a walk through ok with you.

Will you fit in the shower and do you have any special needs. I know in my 99 my head was in the bubble.

Is the fuel tank size important to you. How long do you want to travel between fillups. I know I drove up to upstate NY from VA and back on one tank and saved 30 cents a gallon when I filled up. I took over a hundred gallons.

Do you want an aquahot or will a propane furnace serve you .

Are you concerned about the emission requirements. The new coaches have much tougher requirements run hotter and you have to add an additive that you will get at the Cummins locations to a tank every so many miles. The next generation back had a super duper emission device that also needed service every so often and had to be heated up to a certain temp too. That meant that raw fuel was introduced if that heat was not able to be produced running the engine. Unless we are hammering up a hill in the middle of the summer we will not tax our coaches enough to meet that temp requirement.

How important is soundproofing to you especially at night. The older Ft had single pane windows and the newer ones had double and are much more sound insulated especially in the bedroom.

Do you want an outside entertainment center.

Now we get to the actual coach.

You need to check the tires and the date code and you want to look at them for dry rot and uneven wear.

You will want to walk around the coach and look for dings and damage.

You will want to make sure the batteries are new or are not worn out and may even request to load test them.

You will want to test drive the unit and check that all the dash lights work and the air pressure works and do a leak down test. You will want to listen as you drive for other sounds and things you can not figure out. You might even consider driving a few coaches. I know I did and can tell you without a doubt that helped me make up my mind on FT. I have owned three FT and there are differences in the ride and stability between the coaches. The longer ones with a tag axle are much less susceptible to cross winds and the wind push from passing trucks and busses. Not that the 34 foot unit was a poor handler but it did feel the air dam and the wind a bit more than my 42 foot with the tag axle. Wheel base has something to do with it too but the tag adds a tremendous amount of directional stability.

You will want to drive the coach on the city streets and at highway speeds and see if you can drive it or at least see it in the evening with the lights on. I for one will say that the low placement of FT lights is an issue and the remodel that Xtreme did to move them up makes a world of difference. You may never drive at night but if you are buy it from the dealer you can get them to throw that in and it will help update the look of the coach and the function as well.

Next look at the decals if it has them. FT is not stocking them any longer and if they need replacing you have a couple options. One you can get some ordered up by a third party or have the decal design painted on or have a full paint job or go with the full white coach look. I have seen all of those options and the all work for the individual.

You will want to see the repair records if you can see them and you will want to look and that it has had the regular maintenance done.

Then you will want to ask for a weighing of the coach. It might cost you a few dollars but you should know how much you weigh. Then with this weight you can see you tire rating and inflation requirements.

It is a process to find a coach and the first one may not be the right fit. There are a number of great coaches out there right now looking for a new owner. So come on it the water is fine.

Re: Things you should either ask for before or do after the sale

Reply #2 – June 27, 2010, 04:25:14 pm

John, excellent post. It will get a lot of reads as well as amplification from others' personal experiences. Of particular interest for everyone is the budget and personal selection criteria for coach length, amenities, options and storage requirements.

As I am a bit (if not a lot) anal about budgets and such, I came into coach ownership with eyes wide open. Having owned a Fleetwood Jamboree class C and a Winnebago Rialta prior to the Foretravel, each coach has served its purpose well for the time of ownership.

I did a lot of research and test drove several DP's before upgrading to this type motorhome. Blue Birds, Monacos, Country Coach, Safari, etc. All these coaches met the amenities, space, length, options, so on and so forth. However, none drove like the Foretravels. My current 34 footer is certainly more sure footed with stock suspension than all the others.

As I'm not retired enough to take off for months at a time, I enjoy camping on weekends in state and county parks that will accomodate a smaller length coach. We've even camped in US Forest Service campgrounds all over (BTW, many of these properties have sites that accomodate very large coaches as well). But the DW likes remote campsites which necessitates backing into some pretty scary sites lined with trees with low hanging branches, etc...you know the drill.

But, the most important budget item I can share with the group is often one overlooked by most folks. If money is no object, you need not read further as this is the penultimate important point I have to add.

DEPRECIATION:

A stick home (until recently) is an appreciating asset. A motorhome (or any RV) is a fast depreciating asset. In planning for high end coach ownership, this item deserves close scrutiny to determine if you have the stomach for it. It will certainly affect your net worth for future planning purposes, say you plan on selling the unit at a specified time and use the proceeds to buy some other retirement property, for example.

MAINTENANCE:

Always budget twice the amount you think could be the worst case scenario, and you will not get unpleasant surprises. Some in the group are skilled and handy with the needed repairs, and others have to reply on paid professionals to do most of the coach & chassis maintenance & repairs. So obviously, budgeting for this item will vary significantly from owner to owner.

Please continue to add to this thread based on your experiences. I know I certainly appreciate the accumulated wisdom contained within the forum.

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