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Old 11-17-2015, 04:43 PM   #2281
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A Prospective AS Buyer Weighing In

I've spent a good deal of time reading about various AS experiences on these wonderful forums. I am contemplating selling my 2014 Roadtrek RS Adventurous and buying a new 27 FB FC. But 163 pages of discussions describing corrosion problems has certainly made me stop and think!

I'm starting to believe that quality issues plague the RV industry in general, not just AS. I have had more than my share of problems with the Roadtrek. In the 15 months that I've owned it, it has spent 2 months in the shop. Either Mercedes or the Roadtrek dealer. Nothing major like corrosion, but nagging things that take a lot of time to resolve.

One thing I think I've learned from my $120k plus Roadtrek experiment is that nothing is perfect and if one wants to pursue an RV path, one has to expect hiccups. The question becomes what threshold of pain should you expect to endure?

I think a good dealer is important. I really missed the boat on this with my Roadtrek. My local dealer is really bad. I could go on ad nauseum about this, but will spare you the gory details. Nevertheless, I've learned my lesson.

So...If I do decide to buy an AS, a dealer with good support within a couple of hundred miles will be important to me. Does this exist? Not sure, I'm still researching. Depending on JC is not an option and unreasonable in my opinion.

In the meantime, I have a new TV waiting for a date. We'll have to see if my new TV spends the rest of its life a lonely TV. . I hope not!

Thank you everybody for the great donation of information, you folks are a great bunch!!

Tom
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Old 11-18-2015, 09:25 AM   #2282
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Tom, you sum up the problems many of us have faced. Be glad you don't live in Colorado where there is only one dealer and not a good one. There have been dealers recommended in Texas, but since I don't live there, I don't remember the names. We ended up going to JC for warranty service. It was a 1,400 mile trip, but the service was superior and we incorporated that into a road trip. Seems crazy and it is, but we weren't going to sell the Airstream after a year because the dealer was terrible.

We like the Airstream for superior towing and cool looks. A lot of stuff—materials, workmanship, are low quality. But so are most RV's, some a lot worse, and few are better.

Look into buying a used one—someone has taken the depreciation hit and fixed most or all of the problems.

We haven't had much corrosion, so make sure you live in a desert like we do.

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Old 11-18-2015, 09:44 AM   #2283
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Tom,

Filiform, although a real PITA, is only a cosmetic annoyance and can be dealt with.

Most folks here only accept ugly if they love it, a beautiful person with a zit on their nose is still a beautiful person.....an AS with filiform is still an AS.

Bob
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Old 11-18-2015, 10:16 AM   #2284
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Bob,

I should pay you for your wisdom. You've saved me $100s in psychiatric bills.
I need to let go of it too.
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Old 11-18-2015, 03:05 PM   #2285
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I have had my new 2015 Bambi 16 ft. for 12 months now and have made 11 camping trips. No corrosion and have enjoyed it more than words can express. I wash and clean after each trip. I am a perfectionist at most things that I do, however, I know most are not. But have to except good enough sometime. If I were to sell my16 foot it would be to buy a larger airstream.

Happy camping and don't get hung up on the little things. Life is truly too short.


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Old 11-18-2015, 03:27 PM   #2286
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Thanks

Many thanks to Gene, Bob and Ron for good words of wisdom!

Funny thing. When I showed my wife my post and subsequent responses, she said "we will buy an AS, I like it and your dogs like it. The damn sailboat you had is 10x more of a PIA than any AS will be!"

What can I say - happy wife, happy life! And then there are our two dogs...I think you know the pecking order in my house!

Tom
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Old 11-18-2015, 04:36 PM   #2287
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Tom, in this thread are simple steps on using corrosion preventative products to keep it from happening, and procedures for treating or repairing filiform corrosion if it does happen. A good knowledge base from actual user experience.

Our first Airstream had some corrosion when we bought it and we learned some lessons. With our new Airstream, now four years old and traveled in most states throughout the country, we set up a regular corrosion inspection and treatment schedule and have no traces of corrosion on or under our Airstream.

The other part of prevention is environment, they are metal travel trailers, not automobiles. We don't tow it through northern winter salted roads or park by the ocean. Those environments will eventually lead to some degree of corrosion which is still treatable, prevention products will help.
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Old 12-06-2015, 03:49 PM   #2288
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Haven't looked at my favorite mega thread for a few weeks.
Listen to the wife Tom--buy it, she's right. My 32 foot offshore fishing boat with two turbocharged diesels and multiple electronics once sold, paid for the Airstream. If everything in the trailer went bad all at once, it would just be a normal maintenance day with the boat. And, use it also. We take the 2012 30FC to camping just on the back side of the dunes at the beach off Corpus Christi at least once a year. That exposure to the salt has caused me some problems, but nothing I can't fix and with proper annual maintenance, I have been able to keep filiform away except in a couple of small cases. Point is, buy it, use it and take care of it the best you can. The AS experience is worth every bit of time you spend messing with the upkeep.
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Old 12-07-2015, 01:34 PM   #2289
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We saw this printed sign prominently displayed in the sales area at Airstream dealer Skyriver RV in Buellton, California recently.

May be paraphrasing slightly......."Filiform is a natural occurrence on aluminum and will not affect the integrity of your Airstream".

The last two new Airstreams that we purchased from Skyriver had Filiform corrosion, especially the first one, a 2013 Bambi 19 that they had on display at their dealership in Pismo Beach.

Skyriver seems to be in a CYA mode. I wonder how may other Airstream dealers are doing the same.
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Old 12-07-2015, 01:54 PM   #2290
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Originally Posted by Howard L. View Post
If everything in the trailer went bad all at once, it would just be a normal maintenance day with the boat.
Perfect.
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Old 12-07-2015, 02:52 PM   #2291
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As both a boat and Airstream owner, this debate sounds like the boat owners who say "I have never rubbed the paint off of the skeg". That would lead me to conclude that you have used your boat infrequently, if at all. Buy it, use it, take reasonable care of it, enjoy life.


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Old 12-07-2015, 03:01 PM   #2292
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Originally Posted by interstateflyer View Post
We saw this printed sign prominently displayed in the sales area at Airstream dealer Skyriver RV in Buellton, California recently.

May be paraphrasing slightly......."Filiform is a natural occurrence on aluminum and will not affect the integrity of your Airstream".

The last two new Airstreams that we purchased from Skyriver had Filiform corrosion, especially the first one, a 2013 Bambi 19 that they had on display at their dealership in Pismo Beach.

Skyriver seems to be in a CYA mode. I wonder how may other Airstream dealers are doing the same.
And yet you still bought two from them?
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Old 12-07-2015, 03:25 PM   #2293
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Filiform corrosion has little to do with amount of use, but rather the corrosive environment it's exposed to, preventive products that we as owners can apply, and repairs done to limit its spread when we find it.

As just mentioned, a fellow bought two new Airstreams that already had filiform. Our first new Airstream had some (we wised up since then).

The value of this thread is how to prevent it from happening and repair it when it (inevitably) does. Routine, often simple maintenance that can keep your Airstream looking near new for a lifetime of use and enjoyment.
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Old 12-07-2015, 03:43 PM   #2294
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Doug makes a really good point. Seems the solution is to spray Boeshield T-9 or its equivalent on every cut edge, and probably all the rivets, as soon as the trailer is delivered. No small trick, but perhaps worth it. Corrosion X is easier to apply, but won't be as enduring.
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Old 12-08-2015, 06:57 AM   #2295
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The paraphrase by interstateflyer of the dealer's posting:

May be paraphrasing slightly......."Filiform is a natural occurrence on aluminum and will not affect the integrity of your Airstream".


is essentially correct for regular atmospheric corrosion. But for filiform corrosion it might be better to say

Filiform is a natural occurrence on organic coated aluminum resulting from uncoated man-made production cuts and accidental defects in coating that will not affect the integrity of your Airstream, but can't say the same of resell value
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Old 12-08-2015, 12:15 PM   #2296
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And yet you still bought two from them?
It was not immediately noticeable on the 19. We applied Corrosion X and used an Airstream supplied clear coat pen on the "squiggles" so they wouldn't expand and spread.

The 23D (purchased at their inland branch) had many fewer "squiggles" and we dealt with it in the same way.

I closely inspect and repair "squiggles" if necessary at every washing. It's a fact of life on the California coast.

I regularly point out filiform "squiggles" to fellow Airstreamers on their new trailers. Most are unaware.

BTW. I traded the 19 back into the same dealer and they didn't even glance at the 100+ little "squiggle" repairs.

Bottom line.....don't freak out. Just keep up with repairs and enjoy your Airstream.
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Old 12-08-2015, 12:39 PM   #2297
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I am beginning to think my theory has some merit. The FaN has never lived indoors and is parked in one of the wettest climates imaginable. I have not noticed any filiform - except for a little bit around the tail-light housing. I'll just get those housings chromed someday.....way down the line.

My theory: It is the dry airborne particulates that are allowed to settle for any length of time that cause filiform. Here on the wet coast, it is washed off before any damage occurs. BTW, I did not even Walbenize last year, so did a really close inspection in September. Still looks fine to me. I counted my blessings (or thanked the rain Gods as the case may be) finally did that Walbernization, and guess what? It's raining today - heavy. We may not see the sun until April or May.

The dealership also checked the seals a few weeks ago and got an A+ report on that too. Maybe a wet vs. dry climate is better for those seals too?
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Old 12-09-2015, 08:49 AM   #2298
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I continue to work my filiform battle plan at 4 month intervals. Since we've only had it 9 months so far, it's too soon to tell. We did have issues with marker lights which I was able to fix and add Classic Casting rings and seal them up hiding filiform beneath. If we could only view filiform as a beautiful thing, like patina on copper, no one would ever worry about it again !
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Old 12-10-2015, 05:41 AM   #2299
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Originally Posted by Bob662 View Post
Doug makes a really good point. Seems the solution is to spray Boeshield T-9 or its equivalent on every cut edge, and probably all the rivets, as soon as the trailer is delivered. No small trick, but perhaps worth it. Corrosion X is easier to apply, but won't be as enduring.
Treating the new trailer is the ticket Bob. I wonder about spraying Bioshield on the skin though. I've only used that on the wheel rims/underbelly and it works well there. Not sure of the waxie stuff on the skin though--maybe someone who has sprayed the skin with T-9 could comment. I do know the clearcoat felt pen or an small artist brush using any clearcoat or Nyalic, will seal the raw edges. Hoping corrosion X will soak in behind the rivets is probably best you can do there.
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Old 12-22-2015, 05:10 PM   #2300
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I removed a couple of dime size filiform spots yesterday and then covered the area with silver paint followed by a reseal with Nyalic. This time I took some photos for anyone interested in a work guide to use for the removal of corrosion spots and then painting the area to bring the Alcoa baked-on look back. Once again the paint used is: Spray can, Rust-Oleum METALLIC, Brilliant Metal Finish, (7271 Silver Metallic bar code) available at Home Depot. A top coat of Nyalic spray finishes the job.

I remove the Corrosion with a small buffing wheel for a Dremel tool. Then lightly sand with 600 black paper a area away from the spots. Sand the Alcoa clear coat just ever so lightly so as to give the paint a grit to attach to. Using poster board or a like stiff paper, cut areas out that are slightly lager than the area to be covered. Shim behind the poster board to cause the paper to stand off the surface 1/8 to 1/4 inch. This will allow your paint spray to feather out under the openings for a soft edge. Spray with the Silver Metallic. Once dry remove the poster board and once again very lightly sand the overspray to gain a smooth surface. Clean the surface and spray the Nyalic or Clear coat of your choice.

This process works quite good on an edge where taping off adjacent areas is easy. This is where most filiform outbreaks form--on a top or underneath panel edge. To use this process in the middle of a panel is a bit more work but turns out OK also.

The result will look much better than the filiform if it is of any size (I would not mess with small stuff). In certain light, the repair will completely disappear. In other reflective lighting, it shows. I see where my repairs are, but I have yet to have anyone else see or comment on the areas. So to me it is worth the work. If you have not shot spray cans before, practice first. In general, shoot a light pepper coat and let it get tacky. Then spray a little more--let it get tacky again. Finally you will be able to spray a light final coat that will look wet and shine--thats where you stop while you are ahead. The Nyalic is very thin and will run easily if you don't use the "tack coat" method.

Good Luck
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