Improvement Ideas for 2007 Dealer Meetings

[DFord79]

As a fleet manager for 30 years and an Airstream wanna be owner I am very much interested in quality control and customer service. Customer service to most corporations just means get a pleasant voice on the phone or at the counter and make the customer feel good. Then do as little as possible to correct the customers complaint. I Know...I been there. Lips service make people feel like they are getting something done. I have crawled over, under, around and threw Airstreams over the last two years. I have ask for information about wireing and plumbing from dealers so I can learn how to fix problems on my own as I have always taken care of everything I have owned except for warrenty issues. I can't seem to get details about these issues from AS or dealers. When you run a fine tooth comb threw an Airstream and compare them to other manufactures they are middle of the road at best when it comes to fit finish and detail. The factory is living on a reputation that Airstreams last forever,,,they last forever because people spend large somes of money on them to make it happen. There are more NEW airstream owners spending time or repairs of NEW Airsteams then I can belive. One dealer I talked with quit selling AS because it was taking us all his shop time getting new AS reading for deliver to customers...and warrenty work was killing him. He sells only two other brands of RV and He told me even tho AS is only about 10 percent of total units sold they spent 75 percent of shop time on them. I want an AS bad....for the same reasons others here own them or want one. Does Airstream care....??? They seem to give lip service and go right on buiding the same sloppy detailed construction. Everyone I talking to on the road that owns and AS either has it for sales or tells me they are overpriced and I should look else where. HONESTYLY....I have given up on AS...I like the idea behind them I just can't spend that kind of money for anitquated design and sloppy details in a RV that leaks for than any other on the road. I have heard many on here say....THEY ALL LEAK. I have had a camper for 10 years....and it NEVER leaked a drop.

GMORRIS....Somehow AS needs to understand that corrosion is not normal in a new AS. And there are things mentioned here that would not break the bank in redisign but make AS a far superiour product as they claim to be but simply are not. They are being sold on reputation and smoke and mirrors. Sorry for the rant...but I have wanted an AS as a retirement vehicle for many years and find owners telling me to look else where I am sorely disappointed.

[Kevbo10]

in my 2005 Vintage CCD International the Kitchen Skylight Leaks... not a little, but buckets; and whoever said the mother ship doesn't use clear silcone is not looking with there glasses in place...

i'm the original owner of the unit, and i'll admit we've had no rain to speak off for the 18 months or so i've owned the rig here in southern california... well that changed this weekend.

i'm preparing for the ABQ Balloon Fiesta Rally and saturday morning after a rainstorm dumped about 2" of water, i had an equal amount on my 'dream stream floor...

reason: the kitchen skylight when installed at the factory, had the attachment screws "over driven". meaning that the screws cracked the poly plastic skylight at each and every point of attachment from over tightning of the fastners. i had two inch cracks eminating from each fastner.

if your an owner w/ this option, i'd check this condition str8 away. the factory was very carefull w/ caulking, but missed about a four inch section, and thus, water freely flowed through.

i removed the interior skylight shade, the interior trim pc, recaulked from below, and them went above to the roof, and caulked all the cracks and recaulked the fastners, until i can have the skylight removed and replaced after the rally.

see pictures below.

kevin

[lewster]

Originally Posted by Kevbo10

in my 2005 Vintage CCD International the Kitchen Skylight Leaks... not a little, but buckets; and whoever said the mother ship doesn't use clear silcone is not looking with there glasses in place...

i'm the original owner of the unit, and i'll admit we've had no rain to speak off for the 18 months or so i've owned the rig here in southern california... well that changed this weekend.

i'm preparing for the ABQ Balloon Fiesta Rally and saturday morning after a rainstorm dumped about 2" of water, i had an equal amount on my 'dream stream floor...

reason: the kitchen skylight when installed at the factory, had the attachment screws "over driven". meaning that the screws cracked the poly plastic skylight at each and every point of attachment from over tightning of the fastners. i had two inch cracks eminating from each fastner.

if your an owner w/ this option, i'd check this condition str8 away. the factory was very carefull w/ caulking, but missed about a four inch section, and thus, water freely flowed through.

i removed the interior skylight shade, the interior trim pc, recaulked from below, and them went above to the roof, and caulked all the cracks and recaulked the fastners, until i can have the skylight removed and replaced after the rally.

see pictures below.

kevin

mr. k,

Wht not AT the rally?

PS: I carry lots of sealant!

[craftsman]

Just returned from Colonial Airstream. My wife and I are looking to trade up to a 30" or 34'. I like the split bath in the 30' because it a much more open feeling than the 34' bath that's to one side. Airstream really needs to offer the split bath in the 34' They are now putting the flat screen TV on the wall behind the dinette. When I sat in the dinette the TV cut into my shoulder and you would have to lean forward to eat. Who thinks this stuff up??? The excuse was , the arm the TV mounted on over the credenza was pulling out of the aluminum wall. How about just reinforcing this area of the wall frame when the unit is built?? My biggest dislike about the 34' (and this is the unit I want to buy) is the stove top, next to the drapes the credenza or leather couch in the L-shape lounge.I guess they figure if you have enough money to buy the 34', your not really going to cook in it. NOT!