Community Forums

bamaboy473 · 09-10-2014, 08:07 PM

For the past 15 years, we'd stop at Buddy Gregg in Knoxville just to ooh and aah at the Country Coaches that were there. We weren't ready or able to take too much time from the business, so a nice (AKA $$) motorhome wasn't prudent for us.

While we still don't have unlimited time on our hands, we stepped into the pond with our Mandalay...and as luck would have it, it's perfect for us, right now.

Looking ahead, I'd like to consider a 40-42' DP from Mandalay, CC, Travel Supreme, and maybe Foretravel. 400HP is more than enough for our east coast cruising, and don't need larger for just the two of us.

Please rate them as you wish, with any comments being appreciated from a conversational perspective.

kjackson · 09-10-2014, 09:51 PM

From my limited research before buying our Travel Supreme I'd say:

Fore Travel
Country Coach
Travel Supreme

BUT I think bang for the buck Travel Supreme is the top choice.

Of course that is my (humble) opinion.

2 Stroker · 09-10-2014, 10:19 PM

I don' think you could go wrong on any 1 of the 3

We like our CC
2 stroker

Southpark · 09-11-2014, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjackson

From my limited research before buying our Travel Supreme I'd say:

Fore Travel
Country Coach
Travel Supreme

BUT I think bang for the buck Travel Supreme is the top choice.

Of course that is my (humble) opinion.

I put the order the same, but say a nice, used, high-line Country Coach is the bang for the buck leader. Also just my humble opinion :-)

mike brez · 09-11-2014, 05:37 AM

I don't know when you would buy but Country Coach built it's last coach in 2010.
So if you were to buy in three to five years your looking at a 8-10 year old coach. Foretravel on the other hand is still building and going strong. You would be able to get anything from new on down.
I just purchased my CC a few weeks ago it's 17 years old put almost 2k miles on it and there is not a rattle or squeek. My order would be

Foretravel
Country Coach
Newmar

Coma · 09-11-2014, 09:29 AM

I have quit chasing brands. Instead I chase amenities. Tag axle, Aqua-Hot and Air Leveling cuts the field pretty quick. I prefer outboard airbags because that is what real busses use, Prevost etc. I find the house stuff to be similar across most brands, unless you're into Gaggenau. Drivetrain is also similar, hence similar reliability and upkeep.

The brands most overvalued, IMHO, not talking conversions.

Foretravel
Country Coach
Travelsupreme

Having a manufacturer still in business is over rated. Unless you are still in warranty. It allows you to buy parts at ~ %300 mark up. I find tech assistance available at the vendor level. Example, fuel gauge went on the fritz. I called Centroid, the manufacturer of the sender, and they pointed me to trouble shooting the system. Short story was I had a sender for $90 in ten days vice the Monaco part for more than $250.

I also like nice cabinetry, but it takes a stiff chassis to keep it nice. I conduct my search like this. Pick a chassis, Foretravel, Dynomax, Roadmaster in no particular order. Check amenities, find floor plan. Check prices against low retail and wholesale.

Good luck with search!

Southpark · 09-11-2014, 10:24 AM

Keep in mind I was only responding to the ones you listed. I have mentioned in repeated posts elsewhere that I too would focus on chassis first when purchasing a plastic coach and would look at Foretravel's TravelRide, CC's Dynomax, or the Roadmaster S-Series.

DD788Snipe · 09-11-2014, 12:03 PM

Foretravel
Newmar
Tiffin
Country Coach

I put County Coach last not because they aren't a great coach, they are, it's just because they're nolonger producing any rigs.

I really partial to Newmar because I own one too. Customer service is awesome BTW.

Craig & Carolyn Roberts
Apple Valley CA
2006 Newmar Kountry Star KSDP-3910
Spartan MM Chassis 8.9 ltr ISL Cummins
2002 Saturn SL2

plasma800 · 09-11-2014, 12:07 PM

I personally LOVE the Country Intrigue, 06, 07, 08! Travel Supreme though is a great machine.

What I like about Country Coach is the cult around it. Country Coach is still in business, and the cult like following means parts and info for years to come.

I imagine there is the same following around travel supreme, but I have yet to find it.

Fore-travel.... seems to almost never be mentioned much. Nice looking units, but...

plasma800 · 09-11-2014, 12:08 PM

2008 Intrigue 45′ | Premier RV

Gorgeous. This company is right across the street from CC proper.

plasma800 · 09-11-2014, 12:10 PM

OH one more thing I love about the Intrigues is the open bath concept (which Tiffin copied wholesale in the 08 09 43QRP Allegro Bus. ((which I also love in their model)) )

Solid machine, great wood work and detail, support, parts, great chassis / engine combos, power, nice paint, storage galore, tag axle - what more could a good ole boy want?

plasma800 · 09-11-2014, 12:12 PM

ONE more addition, the intrigue was made from 38' (with tag) to 45'. The link is just one example. In 06 (maybe 07) I think was when they moved to side opening baggage doors.

Southpark · 09-11-2014, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plasma800

Fore-travel.... seems to almost never be mentioned much. Nice looking units, but...

How often do you see Newell mentioned here? Or ten year old or newer Prevosts? Would you give them a "but...." as well?

The fact is Foretravel, especially those built on their custom TravelRide chassis, are expensive and they don't make many. That's why you don't hear from as many owners here as you would Tiffen, for example.

Moreover, many people come to forums when something is wrong and they're having trouble getting it fixed right. Or are trying to save money fixing it themselves.

Now put those paragraphs together and think about it for a minute.

I think Foretravels on the TravelRide are about the best made plastic coach out there. And they appear to sell all they make. I strongly feel that if you test drive one and cannot hear and feel the difference between a similarly sized and wheeled coach built with an aluminum house frame you're not paying attention. Everyone is free to disagree, mind you. But my guess is not that many have test driven a TravelRide tag axle coach.

Finally, don't take this as a personal attack. I too have been guilty of familiarity bias. For years I bought vacuums recommended by a popular consumer magazine. Yet they were always loud, didn't do well with my dogs' hair, and broke after a little over a year. After years of this I happened into a little sew-vac store leaving a restaurant. Sat through a bunch of demos and got a quote for some vacuum brand I had never even heard of. Went home and looked online. Turns out there was a cult around this vacuum. How could this be -- I had no idea who they were? And the quote I got was a great deal. So I bought my first Simplicity vacuum. It's been cheaper in the long run than buying multiple cheap ones. And it's quiet. But quite honestly, if someone on a web forum had mentioned one ten years ago I would have warned people not to trust some mystery brand no one has heard of.

Peralko · 09-11-2014, 01:27 PM

My rating would be :

Country Coach
Foretravel
Newmar

One advantage with Foretravel is you can get a fairly new coach with less than four slides, majority of Country Coaches after 2005 have four slides. On the other side, very hard to find Foretravels with heated floors except very recent models, whereas Country Coaches in the Allure and above usually had it from 2006 on. Of course there are a lot more Country Coaches around than Foretravels, and there are a lot of ex-Country Coach employees with expertise scattered around the country. Parts should not be a problem with either.
Travel Supreme is just not in the same league.