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Old 02-16-2019, 06:11 PM   #1
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Airstream – Living on it’s past?

A couple of things I must state right off the top.

1) I’m relatively new to the Airstream community. We bought our airstream used at in December 2018, it is a 2016 Flying Cloud..
2) I also have a Lance 2017 model 1985, that I will be selling after I get it home and cleaned up.

That said, I believe I’m in a position to offer my opinion on a few topics relative to both.
1) The Airstream, while quite unique has not entirely kept up with the others that are starting to lead the industry. (Artic Fox/Lance) These units are certified four season. (Fact – not my opinion)
2) The Airstream does not carry this certification. (Fact – not my opinion)
3) The Airstream uses a number of the same suppliers as Lance /Artic Fox, (Again, Fact, not my opinion)
4) The Lance has a ladder, either standard or optional capable of carrying bicycles using a very inexpensive rack. (Fact)
5) The Airstream has one supplier of bicycle racks. (I think this is fact, I’m not positive) This one supplier has found it okay to overcharge for its corner on the market. (My opinion)
6) I bought my Airstream used and my Lance new. Both have/ continue to have problems that I consider minor. I am relatively handy and fix most problems myself. I consider this fact since I’ve never taken either to a dealer to have work performed.

So here goes with my opinion:

The Airstream has a few simple (My opinion) things Airstream could do to improve live ability and improve its market share.
1) Make a rear ladder standard so the roof could be accessed safely.
2) Make the ladder strong enough to support a couple of bicycles or better yet, make the frame strong enough to allow it to support a standard Reese mounted bike rack.
3) Start usin blown in foam insulation instead of insulation that can carry twice its weight in water.
4) I’m not going to suggest Airstream lower prices because I do not know what their production costs are. Plus, my selfish side does not want my current Airstream to drastically decrease in value.
What are your thoughts/opinions?
Jerry
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Old 02-16-2019, 06:30 PM   #2
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Please, please do not put a ladder on my Airstream. Seriously?
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Old 02-16-2019, 06:46 PM   #3
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I'd trade a roof full of those flexible solar panels for a ladder any time. Lance might be the ugliest 4-season trailer out there (Fact and Opinion). Put the bikes in the trailer on front fork pedestals.
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Old 02-16-2019, 07:03 PM   #4
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Fact! Maybe an Airstream wasn't for you.

There's a reason Airstreams don't have ladders........the roof isn't strong enough between the ribs to support a human without seriously denting it. Can you imagine how many threads on this forum would start with the line "So, I climbed the ladder and put a huge dent in my end cap panel; I'm suing Airstream!"

Cheers
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Old 02-16-2019, 07:22 PM   #5
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I, and most others that own Airstreams, don't camp in the winter unless it is in a warm climate. No need for 4 season insulation for me. So, no need for a certificate!! There are only so many suppliers of RV product, so as always there will be lots of crossover of things like stoves etc. If you know anything about Airstreams, you will know that they are not meant to have much of anything on the roof. Their construction is like an aircraft, and is not designed for roof use. No need for a ladder if nothing should be put up there!! Since there is only one "Airstream" and hundreds of other box brands, there is likely not a lot of suppliers that are going to invest in developement of bicycle racks for a single customer. You should look into the construction of the Airstream vs the box trailers to determine why Airstream uses what it does for insulation etc. Box trailers don't use the shell as part of the overall structure system like an Airstream does. Box trailers build on the frame and the frame holds the box. I will take my Airstream every day over a "box", and will be very pleased at the way it holds it's value over a shook to bits box that is worth nothing after 20 years. JMHO after owning several trailers including a "box", and 4 Airstreams.
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Old 02-16-2019, 07:39 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Totlh View Post
A couple of things I must state right off the top.

1) I’m relatively new to the Airstream community. We bought our airstream used at in December 2018, it is a 2016 Flying Cloud..
2) I also have a Lance 2017 model 1985, that I will be selling after I get it home and cleaned up.

That said, I believe I’m in a position to offer my opinion on a few topics relative to both.
1) The Airstream, while quite unique has not entirely kept up with the others that are starting to lead the industry. (Artic Fox/Lance) These units are certified four season. (Fact – not my opinion)
2) The Airstream does not carry this certification. (Fact – not my opinion)
3) The Airstream uses a number of the same suppliers as Lance /Artic Fox, (Again, Fact, not my opinion)
4) The Lance has a ladder, either standard or optional capable of carrying bicycles using a very inexpensive rack. (Fact)
5) The Airstream has one supplier of bicycle racks. (I think this is fact, I’m not positive) This one supplier has found it okay to overcharge for its corner on the market. (My opinion)
6) I bought my Airstream used and my Lance new. Both have/ continue to have problems that I consider minor. I am relatively handy and fix most problems myself. I consider this fact since I’ve never taken either to a dealer to have work performed.

So here goes with my opinion:

The Airstream has a few simple (My opinion) things Airstream could do to improve live ability and improve its market share.
1) Make a rear ladder standard so the roof could be accessed safely.
2) Make the ladder strong enough to support a couple of bicycles or better yet, make the frame strong enough to allow it to support a standard Reese mounted bike rack.
3) Start usin blown in foam insulation instead of insulation that can carry twice its weight in water.
4) I’m not going to suggest Airstream lower prices because I do not know what their production costs are. Plus, my selfish side does not want my current Airstream to drastically decrease in value.
What are your thoughts/opinions?
Jerry
You know what they say about opinions.
1) NEVER put ANYTHING on the roof of an Airstream--EVER. Since you will not be placing anything on the roof, there is no need for a ladder. Period.
2) See #1. No ladder= don't put bicycles on it. Airstreams are not meant to have heavy-duty frames. The strength is in the body shell.

3) Airstreams are meant to flex while moving, and the inner and outer shell move independently of each other. Foam insulation will get ground to powder in short order.
4) Everyone keeps demanding more and more "stuff" included with their RVs. That "stuff" costs money. If you want it to cost less, stop demanding more and more expensive "stuff" to be built into them.


And those are my thoughts/opinions.
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Old 02-16-2019, 07:51 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by overlander63 View Post
You know what they say about opinions.
1) NEVER put ANYTHING on the roof of an Airstream--EVER. Since you will not be placing anything on the roof, there is no need for a ladder. Period.
2) See #1. No ladder= don't put bicycles on it. Airstreams are not meant to have heavy-duty frames. The strength is in the body shell.

3) Airstreams are meant to flex while moving, and the inner and outer shell move independently of each other. Foam insulation will get ground to powder in short order.
4) Everyone keeps demanding more and more "stuff" included with their RVs. That "stuff" costs money. If you want it to cost less, stop demanding more and more expensive "stuff" to be built into them.


And those are my thoughts/opinions.
I had to laugh about the ladder since I have the Interstate. One of the first things I commented on when shopping was "how am I supposed to check the stuff on the roof without a ladder?" Their comment..."you aren't supposed to be on the roof. Only people who know exactly what they are doing should be on the roof!" I couldn't argue with that but what if I really did know what I was doing? Comments like that only make me more driven to know what I'm doing and I'll be watching them to see if they know what they are doing!
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Old 02-16-2019, 08:58 PM   #8
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I think we can all agree, Airstreams need a more effective insulation solution.... They're hot, they're cold, requiring lots of energy to heat and cool. There are more effective solutions over fiberglass and whatever the new stuff is. Besides that, Airstream has lots of naturally forming water between the skins. It is absorbed and stored in the current insulation.
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Old 02-16-2019, 10:39 PM   #9
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Fact - Lance Trailer’s are made from styrofoam and are glued together. Yikes!

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Old 02-16-2019, 11:09 PM   #10
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No roof ladder, please, and no bike rack either. Insulation? Surely you jest. The whole point is to get down the road to places where such is not required. The price for that pleasure is the responsibility of keeping the water out and the fun in. Yes, living on it's past, present and future. It's all about living with the smiles that shinys generate at every opportunity.

Travel safe and enjoy the adventure. Pat
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Old 02-16-2019, 11:52 PM   #11
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Why did you buy the Airstream if it lacks the features you want? It sounds like your Lance fulfills your needs fully.

Tim

PS After 17 years of ownership, we still love our Airstream. No Lance for us.
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Old 02-17-2019, 04:32 AM   #12
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Fair enough.

We really like the Airstream. I have been on the roof, walked where I was supposed to. No dents. I did it for two reasons, one was to scrub the mold off and inspect the roof sealant The second was to lube a fan motor on an AC unit that was squeaking as it coasted down.

Thanks everyone for your opinion.
Safe travels.
Jerry
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Old 02-17-2019, 04:35 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Totlh View Post
A couple of things I must state right off the top.

1) I’m relatively new to the Airstream community. We bought our airstream used at in December 2018, it is a 2016 Flying Cloud..
2) I also have a Lance 2017 model 1985, that I will be selling after I get it home and cleaned up.

That said, I believe I’m in a position to offer my opinion on a few topics relative to both.
1) The Airstream, while quite unique has not entirely kept up with the others that are starting to lead the industry. (Artic Fox/Lance) These units are certified four season. (Fact – not my opinion)
2) The Airstream does not carry this certification. (Fact – not my opinion)
3) The Airstream uses a number of the same suppliers as Lance /Artic Fox, (Again, Fact, not my opinion)
4) The Lance has a ladder, either standard or optional capable of carrying bicycles using a very inexpensive rack. (Fact)
5) The Airstream has one supplier of bicycle racks. (I think this is fact, I’m not positive) This one supplier has found it okay to overcharge for its corner on the market. (My opinion)
6) I bought my Airstream used and my Lance new. Both have/ continue to have problems that I consider minor. I am relatively handy and fix most problems myself. I consider this fact since I’ve never taken either to a dealer to have work performed.

So here goes with my opinion:

The Airstream has a few simple (My opinion) things Airstream could do to improve live ability and improve its market share.
1) Make a rear ladder standard so the roof could be accessed safely.
2) Make the ladder strong enough to support a couple of bicycles or better yet, make the frame strong enough to allow it to support a standard Reese mounted bike rack.
3) Start usin blown in foam insulation instead of insulation that can carry twice its weight in water.
4) I’m not going to suggest Airstream lower prices because I do not know what their production costs are. Plus, my selfish side does not want my current Airstream to drastically decrease in value.
What are your thoughts/opinions?
Jerry
Airstreams owners sure have changed in the last twenty years! More than the trailers have.
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Old 02-17-2019, 04:58 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by xrvr View Post
Airstreams owners sure have changed in the last twenty years! More than the trailers have.
Exactly! THis one statement pretty much sums up my point. However, it is not just the owners. The industry is changing.

I found it interesting that when similar posts were made on the Lance forum, the response was about the same. Except, the responses favored the Lance.

I beleive both have their good points and areas where they could improve.

Different brands/features for different people.

I have a long list of reasons why I switched to an Airstream. However the point I was trying to make is that there are areas where Airstream could improve. You may not like my suggestions. I'm okay with that. However, please keep an open mind. I bet, if you thought about it for a bit, you too could come up with areas where Airstream could improve their product.

Much of this Forum is about fixing, troubleshooting, modifying and just making each Airstream fit its owner a bit better.

Thanks for reading.
Jerry
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Old 02-17-2019, 06:50 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Totlh View Post
Exactly! THis one statement pretty much sums up my point. However, it is not just the owners. The industry is changing.

I found it interesting that when similar posts were made on the Lance forum, the response was about the same. Except, the responses favored the Lance.

I beleive both have their good points and areas where they could improve.

Different brands/features for different people.

I have a long list of reasons why I switched to an Airstream. However the point I was trying to make is that there are areas where Airstream could improve. You may not like my suggestions. I'm okay with that. However, please keep an open mind. I bet, if you thought about it for a bit, you too could come up with areas where Airstream could improve their product.

Much of this Forum is about fixing, troubleshooting, modifying and just making each Airstream fit its owner a bit better.

Thanks for reading.
Jerry
I disagree that the industry is changing. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part the makers are churning out junk as fast as they can cobble them together and they have no trouble selling all they can make. No incentive to be innovative, for the most part.

I agree that all of us could wish Airstream had done this or that differently. It would be impossible for AS to build something that fits everyone perfectly, and they are not perfect. I have made several mods, as you surely will. But, I am very glad they didn't hang a ladder on my 23FB; that would be HIDEOUS! Not to mention the structural and cosmetic issues.

If you must have a bike rack, look into Arvika that puts it up front. It seems to me, that would be better than the rear mounted variety for various reasons. There's already "stuff" on the front, but the back end is too nice to spoil the aesthetics with bits and bobs.

Clint
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Old 02-17-2019, 06:57 AM   #16
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Not to be argumentative, but why did you purchase an Airstream?




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Old 02-17-2019, 07:32 AM   #17
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Was just told yesterday by a salesman at Timonium RV show that "airstreams were ahead of their time in the '50's"

Presumably he thought nowadays they were a bit behind the curve.

Other groupthink we heard was 'no slides'. Gotta have that slide, it 'open's her up.' You know the gig, BIGGER IS BETTER.

I wish our Airstream was better insulated, for sure, however, I ain't campin' in Maine in January, no matter what the RV.

I like the Lance, a lot, but own an Airstream
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Old 02-17-2019, 07:33 AM   #18
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Lance 1985

Quote:
Originally Posted by Totlh View Post
Fair enough.

We really like the Airstream. I have been on the roof, walked where I was supposed to. No dents. I did it for two reasons, one was to scrub the mold off and inspect the roof sealant The second was to lube a fan motor on an AC unit that was squeaking as it coasted down.

Thanks everyone for your opinion.
Safe travels.
Jerry
First, welcome to the Airstream world. We love our 2017 AS Int. Serenity 23D. However, In our 2 year search for a travel trailer we looked very hard at the Lance 1985. We were impressed with fit, finish, room with the slide, ect. We went ahead with purchase of new AS due to resale. We figured if we did not like the idea of traveling around with a trailer we could sell our AS and recover most (not all) of our purchase price. With the Lance we looked at resale on late model units and there was substantial depreciation. We really liked the Lance and had we not purchased the AS we would probably have a Lance 1985.


My good friend has a 2019 Lance 1985 on order with a late March delivery date. He ordered it just the way he wanted and realizes that he will take a hit if he sells in a couple of years. His reasoning was he just could not swallow the price of admission for a new 23' or 25' AS. He is comfortable with that decision. Everybody has there likes and dislikes. The whole idea is to get out there and enjoy life in whatever you chose to travel in. Happy travels.
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Old 02-17-2019, 07:39 AM   #19
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Other groupthink we heard was 'no slides'. Gotta have that slide, it 'open's her up.' You know the gig, BIGGER IS BETTER.
Airstream tried slides, and were not successful. The design of the trailer is not conducive to slides, and to redesign the Airstream to allow it to have slides would make it no longer an Airstream. At least, not an Airstream like we currently see. And we all know how building an Airstream that does not look like an Airstream turned out in the past, and continues today.
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Old 02-17-2019, 07:57 AM   #20
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"Airstreams owners sure have changed in the last twenty years! More than the trailers have."


And to think, I'm happy using my old 1956 Safari FK and 1966 Overlander with the original water heaters (manual light only) and refrigerator (same), throwing the bikes inside the trailer or in the back of the truck.

I guess now days, new trailer owners would install an "atomic-a** washer" in the trailer if they made one. It's the difference between "camping" and those that want to drag their house down the road.

Just more crap to fix, pack-up, deal with or to be stolen.

Travel light my friend,

Enjoy,
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