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Don’t know much about the sides delaminatng on the new ones but were you wearing the Foretravels out with miles. You might look at some of the older models with solid/riveted panels. I think Bob on here said they riveted up to 1998 I believe.They are heavier. It would scare me to death thinking you might see the sides coming loose on the newer ones.

I bought a 91 XL Mirage early last year that had 56,000 miles on it and had been garaged it’s whole life for $57,000. Of course I spent a bit on getting things up and running (sat dish, fridge and fixtures) because it hadn’t been on the road in about 8 years. The bus drivetrain and engine have been perfect from day one. Mine looked like it had just rolled off the assembly line. Good Luck on the search.

glen

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John,

Welcome to PC. Nice to talk to you again. To answer your own questions I would suggest you do the following:

Establish your wants and needs. In other words figure out what you are looking for. What is your budget? Do you want slides? Do you want over the road air? What type of floor plan do you want such as 2 sofas or a sofa and a chair? Table or booth? open or private toilet? Cross bed or north south? Washer Dryer combo or stack?

Once you establish answers for the above cruise around the internet and see what coaches seem to fit your needs and what the price range is for those. Depending on your specs you may limit your options to a specifc converter.

What you will not lack by opening your search for information will be answers. Everyone on here has an opinion. You already know what to expect from an RV so it is doubtful you will struggle much with your list. What you may have a problem with is fitting your wants and needs into reality. Your Foretravel was purpose built as a motorhome so it has some neat features you might not get in a Prevost. But a Prevost conversion will be at a quality level not matched for durability by the Foretravel. As you look at Prevost coaches you will see the difference. Drive a Prevost and you will see almost nobody that owns a Prevost will ever go back to a motorhome.

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Welcome, John. There is also a Private Forum you may be interested in joining. Look above for the button. We are still working on how to best handle those who wish to join, so be patient with us.

I bought my ’04 Liberty last year and worried about the same thing. Now, before Jon has a chance to say it, there are more important things to worry about with the coach than delamination. I can’t speak to it specifically, but it can be tested for, or so they tell me.

We bought ours from Liberty in Stuart. It got a thorough going over, replacement of all wear items, and was like new when we picked it up. They tell me that they tested it for delamination with some pressure test. I do know that it cost me more than buying it from an individual, but the peace of mind was well worth it. As I got a STUPENDOUSLY GIANT bill from another converter just today (details on the Private Forum) I can say that I trust Liberty all the more now.

I never had a Foretravel or Newell, though I looked at them before I bought the bus. Their quality wasn’t up to snuff, and the commercial, stable, feel of the bus is fantastic. Even if this one isn’t THE bus for you, I would recommend that you keep looking at them.

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Hi guys and thanks for the responses. I have a listing of what I want. It is why it took so long. I was worried about the XLII issues but in life you take some risks and that it cold be an issue is not unknown to me. I really like my FT but the things that are important to me are the OTR AC or Bus Air and no slides in a newer coach. I do not want to go with new enough to deal with the particulate filter though and I like the looks of no rivets. So, that puts me in the middle 2000s. I also want a transmission retarder as well. I do not want a slide right now. I have two in my current coach but I am going to be traveling a lot more miles than sitting still again. I have grand babies to visit. 🙂

I know what we like too in interior and we have been looking pretty hard since last year to find one we like and will meet our needs floorplan wise. Jon, you said that my FT is a MH built instead of bus built. What are the biggestest differences that I need to be aware of. I have not seen a major negative withit being a bus vs MH buit machine other than drivetrain and running gear being bigger and one other thing, I can put chains on a bus and I can not put them on my motorhome. That is a big issue too. I have been caught in bad weather before and usually wait it out but every so often that is not possible, since you come over the mountain into a winter storm that was not predicted. The joys of mountain living.

I will sign up for the private forum, thanks for the heads up on that.

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John,

The coach you described is likely going to be a Liberty because of OTR and retarder. You will find it difficult to get OTR on other conversions, but that is not to say there aren’t any out there. That sharpens your focus for sure and makes your search of the market and for information much easier. Give the folks that advertise on this site a call and you will quickly learn what is out there.

As to the difference between a motorhome and an RV there are just two things that will convince you. First, look at a Prevost. Look not only at the exterior and interior, but get beneath one. Do the same with an RV. Look at how everything is built for millions of miles of commercial service. Compare the weights of two similar sized vehicles, the RV and the Prevost conversion.

The second thing is to just drive one. Get it out on the road and run it up to highway speeds. If that doesn’t convince you I would be surprised.

[Jim]

John,

I went through many fiberglass coaches over the years, Foretravel
included. I’m on my 4th bus, all rivets and would never go back to
fiberglass. You have to spend some time with a Prevost and a
knowledgeable person to really understand the differences. There is
no comparison out their to Prevost other than Newell. If you ever
visit a Prevost service facility, you’ll understand.

Like Jon said, you really have to drive one in order to see/feel
the difference. They’re built to run a million or more miles, heavy
truck components and the handling and ride will blow you away
compared to fiberglass. All RV’s take a beating in the depreciation
and value these days, but you’ll be far better off in a bus than any
fiberglass out there.

Thanks for becoming a member and we’re here to help you with your
Prevost questions.

[Greg]

You have to spend some time with a Prevost and a

knowledgeable person to really understand the differences.

I was going to comment on how I disagree with Tom until I mentally underlined the word “really” in this quotation. Still, I don’t think it takes much to at least significantly understand the differences between them (am I splitting hairs?).

Like Jon says, the drive will convince you, but by the time I had driven one I had been in many. It’s easy to see the quality of construction by the sheer mass of the components, the OTR, and the copper pipes. Of course, when we saw our Liberty, we stopped looking…..

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Yea, I looked at Marathon’s in Coburg, But when I drove the Liberty, you could feel the balance of the bus, Liberty goes to great lenghts not to overload axels can not say that about all convertors. And OTR is bad to the bone. You only go around once might as well do it right my two cents! Gary

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I have owned top of the line mh’s and then drove a bus… went back and drove 3 new high end mh and there is no comparison. The ride, the quietness, turning radius of the bus is far superior. I have since had an Xl-11 with delamination issues, Prevost stepped up and took care of the problem. Then an H3-45 great coach a little different, floor height, then back to the shiny sides and single level floor with glued on sides with a X3-45. (last 2 were libertys…. great coaches, service and people) a bus of any year is the best value if you like to DRIVE also the safest. Good luck!!

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I like the looks of the H3 too but we travel the east coast a lot and there is a bridge or two that I want to be able to get under. I think there is a few inch or so difference so the XLII is a bit shorter and that is also important. Not a huge issue most places. I drive the skyline drive all the time and they have a 12′ 8 inch tunnel but it is not the whole tunnel but a piece of rock hanging down on the southbound side. I can always swing to avoid it but sometimes it is dark out and you might forget…. ha. I drove a bus when I was first looking. I had owned my first Foretravel only a couple years. I did not buy one then but its ride has always called me. I think the FT rides great but it is more a tight BMW ride and I prefer the Mercedes ride. I love my retarder and that is a big issue. I know how to drive one and it is second nature to use as well. I am sure a bit heavier bus will be a bit more to haul around up the hills but I know that the commercial guys get up them with me. In fact I will go so far as to say the only motorhome on the road that really ever passes me is the Prevost conversions. I have talked to a few drivers too on the radio as we run up and down I 81 late at night. Most are driving entertainer coaches and that is one of the reasons I went to POG after listening to 30K miles a month and how they float as they described them.

I do have another question though. IT is the upgrade front tires I have beeen reading about. What year is that standard and what is the new size should I look to have to upgrade myself?

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Hey John…

Listen to everything Jon has to say… and others too…they tell it like it is… no BS… nothing compares to Prevost including the Newell… gotta compare apples to apples …. you won’t be happy until your rear is seated in a “real bus” neither will Linda.

Ask lots of questions…. they have all the answers for you and then some !!

Liberty is a great conversion… just be sure about the no slides… you don’t have to put them out all the time and the value and appeal of the coach is a huge difference when you come to sell it…also if you take your grands on a trip which knowing you and Linda you will then the slides will be like a gift from heaven with little ones around. Just think about it.

Good seeing you in our neck of the woods… keep on looking for the perfect bus… it’s out there !!!

Diane

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John, There is plenty of info on thiis site and on POG about the de-lamination issue of the 2000 and newer XL shells. Jon evidently satisfied himself, as he recently bought one. As we cannot afford a 5yr old or newer one, I am not convinced. Therefore we looked for a 2000(’99 shell), no slides with a side aisle. It is the perfect travel bus, as we also travel more than park. Everyone is right on as to the comparison between a high end MH and a bus, there is none. Had them, then went to a Featherlite Vogue (very similar to a Foretravel in construction) and it was a huge step up. Then got a Prevost, and it was night and day all over again. It is going to be difficult finding a non-slide coach later than 2002. We have already resigned ourselves to having a later model H series with slides wether we want them or not. As to your question about tire size, non-slide 3:15, slide 3:65, Good luck on your search.

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Well, the Bus with no slides sold that we were looking at before I got back to see it. I am babysitting the grandbabies and had to stay. I doubt there will be another late model without slides that will come up as well. I might have to look at slides too. Diane has a good point. We fit the pack and play and the jumper and the rest of the stuff for the twins because we have a slide now. Slide coaches opens up lots more issues too. What and whos slide is in there etc. Oh well, I will find the right one and until then I will run the wheels on the Foretravel.

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Keep in mind there are viable options to OTR Air. Country Coach, for example, put in a second dash air like system with cooling coils mid coach and in the bedroom. This system works well, even in Florida heat. You don’t lose a bay with system and don’t need the big horsepower required by the Prevost OTR Air. Other converters allow you to run the roof airs from the inverters. This is also viable if the alternator is large enough for the load.

Keep in mind that a motorhome conversion has 40% less glass than a passenger bus, there’s 50 or so less 98.6 degree heaters (people) in a motorhome, and a motorhome insulation may be better than a passenger bus. All of these factors reduce the need for the massively capable of the Prevost OTR Air.

[Bob]

I’m sure you realize many times there’s less room/access on the interior of a slide coach than a non-slide when the slides are in at a truck stop or while driving.

I would NEVER EVER buy a cruise air equipped coach to drive in hot climates without OTR. You MAY be ok with roof airs.