We started Airstreaming 2 yrs ago and enjoy it move than we ever imagined. We have a very nice 87 34' with twin beds. We have decided that we would prefer a queen bed and will probably look for a wide body with a queen bed. Are there any model years, or other advice we should be aware of as we begin our search? What is the concensus on a slide?
The slide is a gimmic. It will add $WEIGHT$ and hardly any real value. The classic (not classic model) floor plan is hard to improve on.
My 2000 34' Excella is as nice as any I have seen. I did not have to pay the premium for a classic, but the floorplan is identical. No major problems, just the usual MTX that needs to be done no matter what you own. In fact I would not go much newer. The build quality of mine vs. what I see new down at Oasis is clear. The older units were better made. 2000 is a Thor product but maybe the cost cutting had not come into full force yet.
There are more gadgets and electronics, but basic structural integrity has not changed. Go older as the prices are better and not much to be gained from the newer. True there are some camping fiends on this forum, but in general, most TTs are lightly used.
I was told by a friend that has a slide that you must be perfectly level to extend the slide and still has had problems with it rolling up the carpeting and tearing it because the opening is off and not because of regular adjustment requirements.
Having a newer model I agree entirely that the quality of the older units is much much better than the quality of the newer models. You can just "see" it when you go from unit to unit. Cutting production costs seems to be a very high mandate of Thor's in recent years. See the materials used and the fit and finish and corroison issues, you will see why this advice has been given. Cut backs and quality control have been big issues on the Quality Control threads, do a search and read them.
__________________ CJ The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.-Eleanor Roosevelt It is never too late to be who you might have been.-George Eliot
I have the slide, and I enjoy it very much. You need to see one to get an idea of the extra room it provides - you're considering a wide body for an extra 1/2 inch. Perfectly level, IMO, can't be achieved in any RV park, but it does need to be level side to side and front to rear. A lot of the newer units have corrosion problems - there's a very long thread on this issue. On the other hand, a lot of older units have clear coat problems. But there are units that don't have corrosion problems, and mine is one of them. My carpet hasn't been damaged by the slide, and the trailer has never had a leak. My trailer may be the exception to the rule, but I don't think so. The only problem I've had with the slide was self inflicted.
The added weight doesn't affect it's towability as long as you have the right TV. If you already have a 34', I presume you also have a 3/4 ton TV. You're set to tow any Airstream TT on the market. My mileage hasn't decreased since I bought the 34' from when I had my 31'.
Go to a dealer and check out a unit with a slide. What ever you decide on you'll enjoy it because it's an Airstream.
______Tom
__________________ Blog: www.travelpod.com/members/wbcci1529
'04 34' Classic S/O lounge, dome king, twin a/c, faux fireplace to keep the wife warm , equa-li-zer, prodigy, 4 birds, cat, dog - no kids allowed! '05 Excursion 4x4, 6.0 PSD, magnaflow, helwig anti-sway, air lift springs.
Have you considered modifying your 34 footer to a queen setup? Might cost less in terms of selling the current one and hunting for another good unit with a queen. If that's the only shortcoming of your unit now, and it's a unit that is in great shape, consider modifying it. If you don't want to do it yourself, contact Chris Burch at the factory...I think his email is cburch@airstream.com and see what he thinks it might cost for the factory to modify it.
Though I am not a slide person, I would repectfully disagree that they don't hold value better. JCanavera and I bought our Airstreams within 3-4 months apart. The slide has kept it's value better than my non-slide.
That said, it is true that it adds significant weight to the RV, but it does, when fully exteneded, make the interior look like a full size room. I was amazed at how much space JCanavera had when I first saw his unit. I too thought slides were just fads.
I am still not about to run out and buy a slide, but I would not be quick to discount them either, even if I never plan on getting one myself.
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Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 11/91
We had the same thoughts you did during the use of our 79 31' Excella with the twin gauchos (fore & aft).
Now have a gently experienced '00 with a rear queen and are very happy with it, plenty of room.
I've not ever been in a slide out AS so I couldn't comment on that.
Cost aside, swapping units will update everything else too, all appliances and decor and the wide body adds noticeable room, otherwise the Queen conversion seems to have merit, especally if you could find a salvage unit to pull parts from.
Thanks, Silver for the suggestion. I've emailed the guy at Airstream. I asked Steve at P and S and the dimensions he gave me for the bed vs the size of the bedroom in my unit, allowed almost no room to walk around. Plus my storage is on the sides and we would want the head of the bed to be at the rear, which would involved cutting a door at the rear to enter the storage under the bed. A friend just bought a 97 34' widebody, and there is ample room to walk around with the queen in his unit plus nice cabinets on the side and above.
Thanks, Silver for the suggestion. I've emailed the guy at Airstream. I asked Steve at P and S and the dimensions he gave me for the bed vs the size of the bedroom in my unit, allowed almost no room to walk around. Plus my storage is on the sides and we would want the head of the bed to be at the rear, which would involved cutting a door at the rear to enter the storage under the bed. A friend just bought a 97 34' widebody, and there is ample room to walk around with the queen in his unit plus nice cabinets on the side and above.
Great point...I had forgotten yours was not a widebody.
__________________
Computers manufactured by companies such as IBM, Compaq and millions of others are by far the most popular with about 70 million machines in use worldwide. Macintosh fans note that cockroaches are far more numerous than humans and that numbers alone do not denote a higher life form. -NY Times 11/91
We had the same thoughts you did during the use of our 79 31' Excella with the twin gauchos (fore & aft).
Now have a gently experienced '00 with a rear queen and are very happy with it, plenty of room.
I've not ever been in a slide out AS so I couldn't comment on that.
Cost aside, swapping units will update everything else too, all appliances and decor and the wide body adds noticeable room, otherwise the Queen conversion seems to have merit, especally if you could find a salvage unit to pull parts from.
I agree with your assesment and I'm in the process of trading for a 98 34' that has been owned and very well maintained by someone in our area. Out of Doors Mart is going through the entire unit to ensure everything is in good order. In addtion to the queen bed, more space and some other upgrades, it also has solar which is something I would have added had I kept my 87. I'm not interested in a generator. When I consider the things I wanted to do to continue upgrading the 87, I am able to trade without a great deal more money that I had planned to spend on upgrades. As a bonus, this unit comes with a Hensley hitch.
I'm interested to know what you think of towing with the Hensley. We have almost the same set up - 98 34' and an 06 Dogde 2500. Our 98 was in great shape, we just had to attend to the brakes, tires, and the bathroom fan. I'd like to add solar one day. Congrats on the trade
I agree with your assessment and I'm in the process of trading for a 98 34' that has been owned and very well maintained by someone in our area. Out of Doors Mart is going through the entire unit to ensure everything is in good order. In addition to the queen bed, more space and some other upgrades, it also has solar which is something I would have added had I kept my 87. I'm not interested in a generator. When I consider the things I wanted to do to continue upgrading the 87, I am able to trade without a great deal more money that I had planned to spend on upgrades. As a bonus, this unit comes with a Hensley hitch.
Congrats on your find. I wish ours had solar panels. (and a Hensley)
If I may, there are a few things you might want to double check when you bring your triple home. Check the caulking around the skylights and plumbing vents, the unit is ten years old and while there is usually a lot of caulk applied to the joints, on ours there were lots of cracks and you could slip a putty knife under it (the caulk) also check the area around the screws securing the skylights to the curb mounting, on ours the plastic skylights cracked and deteriorated from ultraviolet exposure. They are a fairly quick fix to replace and it really brightened up the interior. The reason is, of course, to remove the possibility of water infiltrating around the old caulking and cracks. Use a good urethane (not silicone) caulk like the ultraviolet resistant Sikaflex or equivalent.
I'm not sure of the differences on the Limited other than the trim and awning fabric colors (our awning is a red burgandy) the tankless water heater was not standard on ours.
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'00 34' Classic Limited (LOVSHAC)
'06 2500HD, 4x4 LBZ chip D/A CC LB
AIR #12881
Congrats on your find. I wish ours had solar panels. (and a Hensley)
If I may, there are a few things you might want to double check when you bring your triple home. Check the caulking around the skylights and plumbing vents, the unit is ten years old and while there is usually a lot of caulk applied to the joints, on ours there were lots of cracks and you could slip a putty knife under it (the caulk) also check the area around the screws securing the skylights to the curb mounting, on ours the plastic skylights cracked and deteriorated from ultraviolet exposure. They are a fairly quick fix to replace and it really brightened up the interior. The reason is, of course, to remove the possibility of water infiltrating around the old caulking and cracks. Use a good urethane (not silicone) caulk like the ultraviolet resistant Sikaflex or equivalent.
I'm not sure of the differences on the Limited other than the trim and awning fabric colors (our awning is a red burgandy) the tankless water heater was not standard on ours.
My '83 34" Excella had the "queen" bed mounted sidewinder with the head against the streetside wall. There is just enough room for me to ease my way around to the back if I am barefoot (size 12½). Since the "queen" is not any longer than a full and I am single, I replaced it with a good home full size mattress and box spring set.
__________________ Vaughan
A sixth sense (I lack the other five) tells me that I am in serious difficulties.Oscar Levant
We are considering trading our 87 34' Excella for a 98 34 Excella Classic. What are the differences or upgrades from the Classic to the Limited. My wife noticed for instance, that the cabinet doors were not as nice and solid as our 87 or a friend's 97 Limited. I noticed also that he has electric jacks. What are the other basic differences?
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