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Build quality gas vs DP

Snowman9000
Explorer
Explorer
I looked at a 2001 Foretravel DP. It was the U270, their lower line at the time. Loved it. Is there any gasser that has high end build quality like that? I'm assuming not.
Currently RV-less but not done yet.
50 REPLIES 50

RFCN2
Explorer
Explorer
snowman9000 - The only gas coach I know of that is in the same league as a Foretravel (which is a very high build quality rig) in the time frame of the year 2001 is Born Free. These are smaller coaches than the Foretravel, but very well built with beautiful wood inside. They have an admirable safety record as do Foretravel. Plus the RVCG rates them as high as foretravel.

If you are OK with a diesel motor in front I would say that the Dynamax coaches from that same year range are also very high quality if a bit lower than Foretravel.

And finally Wanderlodge built some gas coaches early on that were very high quality although quite old today.

So basically the answer is - Born Free.

There is one guy that posts on this forum that has both a Foretravel and a Born Free.
RFCN2
Country Coach
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

-Gramps-
Explorer
Explorer
Kayteg1 wrote:
timmac wrote:
-Gramps- wrote:
Rexhall Rear Gas Coach for sale


Nice motorhome but that gas 8.1 is about at max rate just with the motorhome, only leaves room for a smart car for towing..


Funny , I read whole add and when it says "rear engine pusher" whole add has no word "gas" used in coach description - even in generator description.
Looks like the seller is ashamed.
Actually the "enjoy the quiet ride of a diesel" sound like attempt to mislead potential buyers.


The ad on the right side plainly states: Type: Gas. There is one mistake, it not a Freightliner Gas Pusher (no such thing) it is a Workhorse UFO R-26 Chassis same as the one I have. I looked hard at this coach the year I purchased mine...Rexhall offered to fly me to CA to test drive it..one way ticket of course...they figured I would be driving the coach home. They could have be right about that if I had taken them up on their offer.

My coach is much quieter than any diesel coach inside and especially out. And it uses only nine quarts of oil!

Heck of a lot of coach for 79,900.
___________________________________________
Fulltimer in 08 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 38PLT Workhorse UFO GAS Pusher Chassis
06 Saturn Vue toad, SMI Breaking sys,Blue Ox tow bar.
My Random Views Blog

-Gramps-
Explorer
Explorer
timmac wrote:
-Gramps- wrote:
Rexhall Rear Gas Coach for sale


Nice motorhome but that gas 8.1 is about at max rate just with the motorhome, only leaves room for a smart car for towing..


I tow a Saturn View, its a bit larger than a Smart Car.
___________________________________________
Fulltimer in 08 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 38PLT Workhorse UFO GAS Pusher Chassis
06 Saturn Vue toad, SMI Breaking sys,Blue Ox tow bar.
My Random Views Blog

RayChez
Explorer
Explorer
Kayteg1 wrote:
timmac wrote:
-Gramps- wrote:
Rexhall Rear Gas Coach for sale


Nice motorhome but that gas 8.1 is about at max rate just with the motorhome, only leaves room for a smart car for towing..


Funny , I read whole add and when it says "rear engine pusher" whole add has no word "gas" used in coach description - even in generator description.
Looks like the seller is ashamed.
Actually the "enjoy the quiet ride of a diesel" sound like attempt to mislead potential buyers.



I have never seen a rear gasoline motor home personally, but I am sure that it would be just as quiet as a diesel as long as it is in the rear. It might even be quieter then a diesel. The only difference that I can see is that gasoline engines do not have the torque of a diesel engine. Other then that for the price of $89K, I would say it would interest me if I was looking for a gasoline motor home. The engineering these days on gasoline engines is amazing. They are so much better then from years back.
2002 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser
330 HP Caterpillar 3126-E
3000 Allison Transmission
Neway Freightliner chassis
2017 Buick Envision

Kayteg1
Explorer II
Explorer II
timmac wrote:
-Gramps- wrote:
Rexhall Rear Gas Coach for sale


Nice motorhome but that gas 8.1 is about at max rate just with the motorhome, only leaves room for a smart car for towing..


Funny , I read whole add and when it says "rear engine pusher" whole add has no word "gas" used in coach description - even in generator description.
Looks like the seller is ashamed.
Actually the "enjoy the quiet ride of a diesel" sound like attempt to mislead potential buyers.

Smitty77
Explorer
Explorer
-Gramps- wrote:
Rexhall Rear Gas Coach for sale


Hey Gramps (AKA Mr. UFO:)!) - Neat that you posted that unit. I had send a link to it to my BIL about three or four weeks ago, when it was still at the $89K asking price. And also it would be the 37' vs 39' Rexhall UFO that we would have gone with.

On power, I felt the 37" Rexhall UFO had plenty of power to weight ratio. And, the 8.1 also has mod's that can be made and 'safely' still pull more power. The Allison is capable of a bi more torque and HP, as long as it is driven responsibly.

For full disclosure, my wife and I did visit the Rexhall factory specifically to look over the UFO's. While the attention to construction detail and material choices were nowhere close to say our Country Coach, or a Foretravel, they were actually higher attention to detail then I observed in a few other Motorhome Manufacturer's tours. Another plus for the Rexhall, almost all Rexhall's, is they build a steel safety cage. We saw a 39' Roseair DP in the back of the factory. The owners had dodged a dear in New Mexico and went off into the trees hitting the passenger side into a pine. A few bruises, but the DW survived. It was flatbed hauled back tot he factory for repairs. The staff went out and hooked up power to the RV, and tried to open the slides. Both of the T-Rex super slides were operable. That speaks volumes about the combo of frame (Spartan) and house caged construction, that it survived an impact into a tree at pretty good speed, and still had the structural integrity to open the slide. One other item hat is neat to Rexhall's, is the one piece fiberglass roof tops, with now typical mold of the front and rear cap as ongoing maintenance leak proofing points. Bill Rex was a creative engineer, with many RV firsts.

Off my soap box now:)!

Best to all,
Smitty

Snowman9000
Explorer
Explorer
It's good to know that Dolphins are well built. It expands the pool for those looking to buy well built used gassers.
Currently RV-less but not done yet.

2gypsies1
Explorer II
Explorer II
Snowman9000 wrote:
That's interesting about the Dolphin. When I see them in CGs, they look beat. That's just been my impression, I'm not trying to offend anyone. I will look more closely from now on.


Friends have a Dolphin and it's in excellent condition inside and out. It sparkles. It all depends on the owner's care. Some owners never wax their RVs so yes, they will look beat. Also, the ones you see now are older as they haven't been manufactured in years.
Full-Timed for 16 Years
.... Back in S&B Again
Traveled 8 yr in a 40' 2004 Newmar Dutch Star Motorhome
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

timmac
Explorer
Explorer
-Gramps- wrote:
Rexhall Rear Gas Coach for sale


Nice motorhome but that gas 8.1 is about at max rate just with the motorhome, only leaves room for a smart car for towing..

-Gramps-
Explorer
Explorer
Rexhall Rear Gas Coach for sale
___________________________________________
Fulltimer in 08 Holiday Rambler Vacationer 38PLT Workhorse UFO GAS Pusher Chassis
06 Saturn Vue toad, SMI Breaking sys,Blue Ox tow bar.
My Random Views Blog

LOG
Explorer
Explorer
We had a 2007 Winnebago 26P (27ft) gas motorhome. We traded for a 2004 Foretravel U270 36'. I would upgrade to a Prevost if I could afford one. We travelled in the Winnebago for almost three years and over 20,000 miles. We Had no problems with the Winnebago whatsoever. I would not hesitate to purchase another one. The build quality was just fine. The Foretravel had some features we wanted that the Winnebago did not offer.
LOG
2005 Chinook Glacier

Smitty77
Explorer
Explorer
Snowman9000 wrote:
That's interesting about the Dolphin. When I see them in CGs, they look beat. That's just been my impression, I'm not trying to offend anyone. I will look more closely from now on.



No worries on my taking any offense:)! And Dolphin's came in different trim levels based upon the model years. Around 2005, you could get full body painted, with leather interior upgrades, a more modern interior design, and etc., etc. I feel that having the full body paint, and of course if well maintained, can make a difference on how a rig looks. These were I believe on the W24 Chassis, and that big 8.1. Can't recall if they had the Allison 5spd or came with the 6spd. But even the 5spd can be updated to 6spd. 34' were common, but they also had some up to 37'.

And another comment on the UFO rear engined 8.1. May have just been the coach I walked in, but when I walked the Lattitude at an RV sure, the floor was already scraped from he slide. Was not a great time for Winnebago, IMO, as I could visibly see gaps in the cabinet, and the materials choose just did not seem to be of good quality. (That is why I did not mention them. The Holiday Rambler one are few an far apart, and the Rexhall that looked like a space ship even more rare. Rexhall had a 37' and 39'. The 39" with the T-Rex super slides on each side, were big enough inside to square dance in. The 37' had more livable then many 42-43' coaches....

No horse in this race, just wanted to point out some of the Class A's we had considered when thinking we'd buy a 'holdover' coach until we retired.

Smitty

Snowman9000
Explorer
Explorer
That's interesting about the Dolphin. When I see them in CGs, they look beat. That's just been my impression, I'm not trying to offend anyone. I will look more closely from now on.
Currently RV-less but not done yet.

RayChez
Explorer
Explorer
There is no comparison between a gasoline motorhome and a diesel pusher. Then you mentioned comparing to a Foretravel? Even though the U-270 is the lower end of the Foretravel they are still much better then any Newmar, Tiffin or winnabago motorhomes. Actually the best gasoline motorhome used to be the Dolphin, but I am not even sure if they still manufacture them. But no comparison to a diesel pusher.
2002 Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser
330 HP Caterpillar 3126-E
3000 Allison Transmission
Neway Freightliner chassis
2017 Buick Envision

bsinmich
Explorer
Explorer
wallynm wrote:
Build quality like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think gas MOUNTAIN AIR from Newmar in that era were high quality.


I had an '03 Mountain Aire gasser and quality was tops.
1999 Damon Challenger 310 Ford