Breakdown

wny_pat wrote:
And now to tell the OP our latest story. MTPockets1 said "If it's not repairable leave it there." We very recently considered that!!! We broke down in Valentine Tx, and Coach-Net towed 125 miles to Cummins Coach Care in El Paso, Tx. My tow would have cost over $1200 had I had to pay the bill. We spent the night hooked up at Coach Care's RV parking area and they got us in the shop the next day. It was determined that our diesel had dropped a valve, doing catastrophic damage to #3 cylinder. Our options were to find a used engine or get a Cummins re-manufactured long block for our 1994 Foretravel Unihome U225. I knew we were looking at a very large bill no matter what route we went. My very first thought was to abandon the coach there with the signed title. Who is going to buy a 1994 DP with a DOA engine and how are we going to handle it when we are over 2000 miles from home??? Rather than jumping into this, we decided to sleep on it. The next day we came to our senses and decided to go with the Cummins long block. A "long block" is a whole engine, minus the turbo, exhaust manifold, air compressor and other items, which are transferred from the old engine. The long block carries a Cummins warranty. I have read that many of todays Cummins re-manufactured 5.9 long blocks are actually brand new engines. Well one was ordered and we moved into La Quinta Inn and Suites with our two traveling cats to wait it out.

A week later and with the long block was no where in site...!! Seems it got held up in adverse snowy weather somewhere along the way and was still several hundred miles away. We had seen all the El Paso sites and visited all their many excellent restaurants, including Cattlemans Steakhouse and Carlsbad Caverns, and were very tired of motel living. So we decided to make the 2000+ mile trip home and wait it out there. We loaded the cats and our clothes into the toad and made the 4 day trip home. Anyway the story is not over yet. The engine is in and almost buttoned up, and we are ready to make the return trip to pick up our Foretravel.

Now I know that some will question putting a new diesel engine in a 1994 Foretravel. Well, I know the condition of the coach is still solid and has excellent bones, having been built by Foretravel. Has brand new tires and many new parts, like a new air dryer. Basically, we have it the way we like it!!! And it is paid for! So question all you want, cause we are going to continue enjoying it for many more years.

Now we are looking forward to making the return trip to El Paso to pick up our 1994 Foretravel with a brand new re-manufactured, warrantied, Cummins 6BT 5.9 mechanical diesel engine. My only regret it that the new engine did not increase the book value of the coach. But it would have had no value if we had walked away from it. Also, I have to thank Coach-Net, Duran Towing, El Paso division of Rocky Mountain Cummins Coach Care, La Quinta Inn and Suites, and Foretravel Motorcoach for all putting up with us and making our trip more pleasant!!! Yes, I can be difficult at times and they deserve that.

That is how we dealt with what the OP is worried about. "When life gives you Lemons, make Lemonade" - those are not my words, but we try to live by them. It makes life more fun, even if the saving account is much lighter!