2007 model year quality.....

[SilverCabin]

We've really had nothing serious wrong yet, but the beltline corrosion brings it down to a B+. When JC fixes that in October, we'll give it an A, but then I'll have a Safari-Classic (they will be cleaning off the corrosion, re-sealing the panels, and installing the Classic trim to cover-up the repair).

Tarpon Springs, FL was a little warm for no AC. I would have rather been in Seattle. We packed up and left in a hurry the next day before it got too hot. I'll be watching my voltmeter a lot more closely now when the AC is running. Don't want this happening again.

Randy

[Streamer1]

We are actually sleeping in our trailer while we have renovations taking place on our house. I have noticed the water pump seems noisy. Are you supposed to hear it EACH time there is a demand for water? When we went to a KOA one weekend we were hooked up to the city water and I turned the water pump off and everything seemed to work fine. Don't know if that's SOP but it worked out (at least for that brief outing).

As I had said in an earlier post, one of the window opening devices is difficult to use. When the little flipper is closed (folded in towards the window) it is difficult to lock/secure the window. Have learned to turn flipper outwards rotate the window locking device to secure the window and then turn the flipper back in towards the window. We had a fairly heavy rain the other night and a little water dripped in via the skylight. It really was not much, but it should be "zero" water coming in. The trailer door seems to close properly depending on how much of a "list" the trailer has on it. Also, it is easier to push the door closed when you are on the outside than pull the door closed when you are inside. I can always close the top sliding lock from the inside when I close the door but cannot seem to close the lower lock at all. Well, one lock closed is better than no locks closed. When I eventually go back to the dealer will point this out.

[Wayne&Sam]

Yes, water pumps are noisy.

[5cats]

Originally Posted by Streamer1

We are actually sleeping in our trailer while we have renovations taking place on our house. I have noticed the water pump seems noisy. Are you supposed to hear it EACH time there is a demand for water? When we went to a KOA one weekend we were hooked up to the city water and I turned the water pump off and everything seemed to work fine. Don't know if that's SOP but it worked out (at least for that brief outing).

Hi Streamer1,
I had the same noisy problem, fixed using an accumulator tank and pipe insulation. I think it's one of the better ease-to-fix/benefit ratios. Pretty cheap, too.

When conserving power there's no doubt that using available water pressure is the way to go (no pump needed). I take some care to filter and pressure-control incoming water if I have to use it, but generally I prefer to use my own (soft) water to protect the plumbing and fixtures from who knows what's coming out the camp site spigot.

Cheers,
-jd.

[Streamer1]

Hey 5cats, is your link still good? When I click on it I keep getting the infamous "page not displayed" page.

[woodedareas]

Originally Posted by janetb

Michelle, spring is a great time to do the coast. Rhododendrons and azaleas in bloom everywhere and it's like driving through botanical gardens. And then theres that amazing ocean.
We noticed some fairly long rigs in most of the state park campsites, so I'm sure you could do most of them with a little planning.
In the meantime, be careful out--UP!--there!
Janet
PS Finally got a "Flush King." Oh boy! In keeping with this thread, that built-in flusher just doesn't compare. It's very weak and takes forever.

I noticed that we have the same year and model As that you have. Your mention of the "Flush King" interested me because I thought the flushing system that came with the AS was supposed to do the same thing.What does the "Flush King" actually do that the regular system doesn"t?

[janetb]

Hi Woodedareas,
After a few uses, our built-in flusher seemed to have dwindling pressure even with very strong pressure coming out of the city spigots. We weren't hearing the same original sound of a strong spray, and when I looked down the toilet, I could only see a few weak jets. We'll eventually have the dealer look at it, but in the meantime I'd heard about the Flush King (from Michelle) and seen it in operation, and decided to give it a try. You attach the city water to it, and it has it's own valve (check it out on the Camping World site) that allows you to empty and flush both tanks, as well as the dump hose, and it's an easy process. I disconnect it from the dump hose, etc. for storage. I really like the idea of flushing the gray tank as well as the black, although of course it doesn't take as much rinsing..

5cats, et al,
We boondock and use the H2O pump a lot, and those suggestions for using an accumulator tank and photos are great. Many thanks!
Janet

[millvalleyca]

Hi
We've had our trailer for about 5 months now and have camped out 4 times so far this summer. We haven't had any mechanical problems only cosmetic ones. Right after we took the Binki3 home about 5 of the halogen bulbs went out...no big thing just purchased a gross of spares and are set for a while.
Two of the cabinet door latches have broken. (contacted our dealer a month ago and still waiting for replacements) I'm going to order a bunch to keep on hand. Why they use plastic latches on a $60,000 trailer is the big question! All of the drawer fronts are falling off in the under the sink cabinet. The cushions on the dining table benches are falling apart. The snaps have pulled off and the stiching around the edges and corners are starting to tear. The latch that holds the awning in place broke in half. (the back awning)
The last item is I have a slow leak in one of my tires!!
We still love our Binki3!!!

[5cats]

Originally Posted by Streamer1

Hey 5cats, is your link still good? When I click on it I keep getting the infamous "page not displayed" page.

hmmm....still works for me, but the full URL is http://www.airforums.com/forums/f443...tml#post384610

Cheers,
-jd.

On edit: I see the URL got auto-wrapped by the bulletin board software. The full URL is:
"http://www.airforums.com/forums/f443/why-no-accumulator-32191.html#post384610"

[5cats]

Originally Posted by janetb

5cats, et al,
We boondock and use the H2O pump a lot, and those suggestions for using an accumulator tank and photos are great. Many thanks!
Janet

Turns out the 20 has ultra-easy access to the water pump -- just under the pots-n-pans drawer below the oven -- which, more than anything else is what made it such an easy mod. yay!

Cheers,
-jd.

[woodedareas]

Hi Janet
I am convinced so I just ordered one and will give it a try. I also noticed that the system that came with our AS was not that effective so the "Flush King" should hopefully be better.

[SilverCabin]

So far I have had good results with the built-in No Fuss Flush system. We'll be traveling for over 30 days soon, so I'll report back if my opinion changes.

Randy

[woodedareas]

Originally Posted by SilverCabin

So far I have had good results with the built-in No Fuss Flush system. We'll be traveling for over 30 days soon, so I'll report back if my opinion changes.

Randy

Just received my Flush King to day and will give it a try tommorrow. I will report back with the results.
Allen

[Phantom]

Hi Everyone...

We got our brand new 19' Bambi Safari about a month ago, form Woodland Travel Center in Grand Rapids, MI. We are pretty happy with the trailer thus far. Took it out for a 2-night shake down weekend to the MI dunes near South Haven. We look forward to full-timing for half the year after I retire (within 3 years).

Overall, we love it, but I have seen a few things that are disappointments in such a high-dollar trailer. Cant' believe it didn't come with a spare! Water heater by-pass is under the mattress! Now that's a real mess to get to. Low-point drains are also under there, but can be accessed from the rear storage, (luckily, I'm just barely still thin and flexible enought to reach them from the rear). Step must be up to crank the front R. stabilizer!

Trailer is currently back in for Warranty repairs!
We had a substantial leak in the toilet water valve. It obviously was not tested in dealer prep! Little locking tab on the outside stove vent flapper broke of during walk-through demo. Whole exterior vent had to be ordered... that took a month! Can't believe that crappy vent is plastic! Am having a Fan-Tastic Vent Fan installed in the front vent over the dinette. Having a spare installed. Having an electric tongue jack installed. I hate the outside water heater metal cover. Doesn't fit right and looks like crap compared to the fridge access doors. Why not have the same recessed doors?

Things that have me a bit concerned for the future... after reading many threads on here.... are: Frame corrosion over time (there's already a tiny bit of rust on the rear bumper). Maintaining the finish. Need for a better converter? 2 or 3 stage? Need for quieter water pump and holding tank?
Am thinking about solar panels and / or generator(s) as we like to boondock mostly. or stay in national forest campgrounds when possible. In the past 5 years of pop-up camping we never once hooked up to anything!

We are towing with a '97 Toyota 4 Runner V6, Reese weight distribution hitch and sway bar. So far, I am happy with the feel while towing. No problems thus far, but not much freeway, mountain or bad weather towing yet.

We look forward to years of joy and meeting you folks down the road, in some remote camp.

Pete

[Dawgfan]

Our 2007 International 25' FB is back to the dealer for warranty work. The AC went out this past weekend. It would run, but not cool properly. When we left the campground Monday morning the inside temp was 5 deg. less than the outside 85 deg. The dealer said they had replaced several on these AC units.

I had a list of things; leaking water line behind toilet, lights that never worked, broken light fixture push button, trailer hookup cord to tow vehicle insulation jacket pulled loose from plug (delivered that way, they hooked up to my truck), AC cable insulation jacket pulled loose from plug, and leaking rivet above one of the vista view windows when it rained.

I fixed myself; the dvd to TV cable plug not connected to the back of the dvd player, water heater burner not aligned properly producing intermittent flame, bathroom towel bar loose, and Equalizer hitch L bracket not install properly by dealer.

[lwood]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Hi Everyone...

We got our brand new 19' Bambi Safari about a month ago, form Woodland Travel Center in Grand Rapids, MI. We are pretty happy with the trailer thus far. Took it out for a 2-night shake down weekend to the MI dunes near South Haven. We look forward to full-timing for half the year after I retire (within 3 years).

Overall, we love it, but I have seen a few things that are disappointments in such a high-dollar trailer. Cant' believe it didn't come with a spare! Water heater by-pass is under the mattress! Now that's a real mess to get to. Low-point drains are also under there, but can be accessed from the rear storage, (luckily, I'm just barely still thin and flexible enought to reach them from the rear). Step must be up to crank the front R. stabilizer!

Trailer is currently back in for Warranty repairs!
We had a substantial leak in the toilet water valve. It obviously was not tested in dealer prep! Little locking tab on the outside stove vent flapper broke of during walk-through demo. Whole exterior vent had to be ordered... that took a month! Can't believe that crappy vent is plastic! Am having a Fan-Tastic Vent Fan installed in the front vent over the dinette. Having a spare installed. Having an electric tongue jack installed. I hate the outside water heater metal cover. Doesn't fit right and looks like crap compared to the fridge access doors. Why not have the same recessed doors?

Things that have me a bit concerned for the future... after reading many threads on here.... are: Frame corrosion over time (there's already a tiny bit of rust on the rear bumper). Maintaining the finish. Need for a better converter? 2 or 3 stage? Need for quieter water pump and holding tank?
Am thinking about solar panels and / or generator(s) as we like to boondock mostly. or stay in national forest campgrounds when possible. In the past 5 years of pop-up camping we never once hooked up to anything!

We are towing with a '97 Toyota 4 Runner V6, Reese weight distribution hitch and sway bar. So far, I am happy with the feel while towing. No problems thus far, but not much freeway, mountain or bad weather towing yet.

We look forward to years of joy and meeting you folks down the road, in some remote camp.

Pete

Please do keep us posted on the new Airstream. I do not currently own a trailer. I do want an Airstream but the QC problems are holding me back. Is anyone at Airstream listening?

[SilverCabin]

Originally Posted by lwood

Please do keep us posted on the new Airstream. I do not currently own a trailer. I do want an Airstream but the QC problems are holding me back. Is anyone at Airstream listening?

lwood,

Don't let what has been posted here hold you back. I would buy another one again in a minute. You won't find a better made trailer in any of the white boxes on wheels.

We all tend to get carried away with our own issues, when really they are small issues. I'm sure you would get this same opinion from everyone here, and the thousands of Airstream owners that haven't discovered this forum yet.

Randy

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by SilverCabin

lwood,

Don't let what has been posted here hold you back. I would buy another one again in a minute. You won't find a better made trailer in any of the white boxes on wheels.

We all tend to get carried away with our own issues, when really they are small issues. I'm sure you would get this same opinion from everyone here, and the thousands of Airstream owners that haven't discovered this forum yet.

Randy

Randy, with all due respect, one issue isn't all that small. The exterior corrosion issue. That is a major, major thing. Do I still like Airstreams? Sure, but I wouldn't be too quick to discount the corroision issue. It has the potential of really lowering the value of the trailer and it basically looks terrible. Some folks have reported this happening on units about 6 months old. Mine is 3 years old and the issue continues to evolve and there appears to be little way to stop it that is not expensive....slow it down maybe. For the amount of money we are talking about with new Airstreams, I share lwood's concerns and reservations. You can buy a lot of SOBs for the price of one Airstream. One thing I've said in the past is that perhaps folks consider pre-owned or finding one that hasn't been titled and is a great closeout deal. Might soften the blow of paying full price (minus typical horse trading) knowing that the issue could happen. I know it doesn't happen to all of them, so it is a gamble, but it's an expensive gamble, one that can depreciate the unit significantly depending on how pronounced the issue is.....

Reader's Digest version of all this is that although the QC has been better than when I first sampled in 2003, it still has a long way to go, most interactions with the company are great and the folks I've delt with there have also been wonderful to work with....but ask some of the higher ups about the corrosion issue and the silence can be deafening, particularly if you are out of warranty.

[SilverCabin]

Silvertwinkie,

For the most part, you and I are in "violent agreement" on the corrosion and quality issues, but my point is that the intensity of our posts and threads on some issues are counterproductive to what should be our collective goal of encouraging Airstream ownership.

The corrosion that I have found on the rear endcap beltline of my less than a year old trailer (pictures posted previously) is certainly the most significant quality/warranty issue I have. My others items are nits by comparison and I would probably fix them myself, but since we are going to JC in October, I'm letting them do that.

I agree the corrosion shouldn't be there on a trailer of this age, and I'm not happy that it is. Sure, Airstream has offered to repair it by cleaning it off, resealing, and installing the classic trim, but will it crawl out from under the trim in the future--probably. Will I see it in another unrelated spot sometime down the road--most likely. Will it affect the resale value of my trailer in the future--who knows, there may be other, bigger issues that affect the price.

Yes, we all paid a lot for our units, and could have bought maybe two SOBs for the same price. I purchased mine new, so I have first hand experience with the price differential. Unless your purchasing a Rolls Royce though, can you really expect perfection on any manufactured item today? I think not. You have to be prepared to address some items after delivery. Quality control will never be able to catch everything. Look at what's happening with Mattel toys today.

Yes, I would hope that the Airstream Corporation would address any problem that is reported. By your last count, I recall there were 20 - 30 owners reporting corrosion problems. What percentage is that of all the trailers on the road in those same model years? I think it’s a small number. Because it affects you, me, and our friends here on the forum personally, it’s a big issue for us, but it's probably a small issue for Airstream Corporation, and it will eventually bubble to the top as they address items of higher priority.

What I have observed from my 10-month association with this forum is that we are tremendously supportive, and welcoming of anyone who owns any Airstream product. We are a wealth of information and help for anyone on any issue that’s related to operating, maintaining, and traveling with their trailers, motor homes, and tow vehicles. And, we have friendly, neighborly chats about other topics like how hot is it where you are, or the latest joke we heard. All that is what is great about being a member here. I am very glad that I found the forum for all those reasons, and look forward to meeting you and more of our active members one day.

We tend however, to blow things out of proportion when something goes even a little bit wrong, and I think that's detrimental to promoting Airstream ownership, and for some of us, encouraging WBCCI membership. Examples of this in my opinion are the corrosion issues thread, the model year quality threads, the thread that started out as KOAs Stink and was later renamed, the thread that exploded when the NEU had its issues getting into the International, and some of other WBCCI threads to name a few. I'm just as responsible as anyone else because I posted to most of those threads too.

I just had a look at the Portal and there are nearly four times as many guests on the forum as there are members right now. You can see that at almost any time of the day. We want to draw people into the Airstream owners club, not push them away. When I see a post like lwood's post #116 above, I get worried. lwood joined the forum over a year ago and never posted until a few days ago (1 post), but what about the others lurking out there right now? Maybe they are contemplating purchasing an Airstream, or joining the WBCCI. What opinion will they have after reading some of our overly negative information?

Let's help people become proud, happy, and active Airstream owners and encourage active membership in the WBCCI (if that be your pleasure) to make it what we want it to be. I'm not saying we need to look at everything through rose colored glasses, but the cup is half full more often than it is half empty.

FWIW,

Randy

[jcanavera]

Well this specific thread is about quality control and there are very few resources out there to share both the good and bad about our units. Twink loves his trailer but when you pay the prices that Airstream demands for their product you expect more. That's human nature.

When you have a problem, its very easy for the manufacturer to deal with you on a one person basis. Unfortunately you as the consumer have no idea whether you are an isolated incident or whether there are others like you. In groups, you have strength and while we do air the dirty laundry on our trailers, it's also a barometer to those interested as to what the potential issues are. Can it scare people away? Well if I'm dropping 70K on a new Classic I'm going to be a lot more careful about what I buy and if that hurts Airstream, so be it. They have to sell a quality product and if by reading these posts I have steered you away from purchasing, that's your decision to make.

I don't expect perfection but things like the corrosion issue are big things since it can materially affect the value and my satisfaction level of how I spent my $$. The worst thing we can do is stand aside with our hands in our pockets and let manufacturers get away with quality issues that they either deny or refuse to acknowledge. The amount of information that Airstream gets here at no cost to them, saves them countless $$$ on after the sale research. This is probably the best resource they have, short of warranty claims as to how their products are holding up. My attitude to the folks out there is to let them know what's not right. Also let them know what is. And if you feel this is the place to do that, then come on in.....just remember to do it nicely!

We cheer Airstreams here, but this is not a company owned site. To expect nothing but positive is naive at the least, and we hope that company personnel use what is passed on here to go after these kinds of problems and to make the product better. It's up ultimately to the reader to make their decision and it's up to the manufacturer to make the decisions that affect quality and their public image, that all go into the mix as to whether we buy or not.

Jack