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alvinator · 08-17-2004, 05:44 PM

We just picked up our new 2005 28 Classic; it is a gorgeous unit with the new Vista View Windows. It was $49,500 out the door. This is our second Airstream trailer, we had a 1998 28 Excella which we were dumb enough to sell to get a Motorhome which we did not like.

My wife is tickled pink now that she has her 28 back!

Gigawatt · 06-17-2005, 01:31 PM

A month ago, I bought a 1970's Overlander for $3000.... it looks really nice inside and outside.... so it doesn't need much work.... the couch in the living room is missing, and so is the fold out kitchen table missing... and it doesn't have a fridge... but everything else is in pretty good shape....

Gig

TomW · 06-17-2005, 05:23 PM

You can read about my purchase here.

I heard later from one of my cousins that my uncle rejected many offers from others before I ever made my presentation. Susie wanted the Overlander, but neither her or her husband have the skills to put it back in the campground.

I ended up feeling kind of special about getting my Airstream before I ever knew about this forum or the great people who contribute to it.

Okay, everyone can break out the Kleenexes now

Tom

PKelley · 06-17-2005, 05:55 PM

I bought my little 1964, 3000 lb. Globetrotter 5 yrs. ago. I paid $2000.00. It was all original. As of 6 wks ago I'm beginning to fix/restore all, including floor, floor beneath the toilet, power system, lights, dents, plumbing, upholstering.... need I go on. I'm having fun. I love this little gem! Happy trails!

safari57 · 06-24-2005, 09:49 PM

Bought our '51 Airstream Flying Cloud last year for $5,000 Canadian. Re-modeled/rebuilt much of the interior, installed a bathroom, grey and black tanks and waste plumbing system, 50amp converter, mag wheels, hidden A/C and Micro and just took it out for a 7 day camping trip. It worked perfect, there's not one thing we'd change or do differently from how we've built it out, and it sure got a TON of attention. We pulled it with our '57 Pontiac stationwagon and the two look like they were made for each other. Total into the Airstream with me doing all the work is $6,600 and some change, and I sold my SOB for $6,900 so I'm stull bucks up and have the neatest trailer we can imagine owning. Life is good!
Barry

rfield54 · 06-25-2005, 01:32 PM

What about those of us who own more than one Airstream? May we vote in the poll for each one? The price variation between my trailers is pretty extreme . . . Or should we just do an average?

TomW · 06-25-2005, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfield54

...May we vote in the poll for each one? ...do an average?

You won't be able to.

One vote per member. I say this because I have already voted on my one Airstream, and the poll now tells me I have already voted.

Voting an average value of your American Classics would not help the end value of the poll.

You have two options as I see it:

1) Pick your most memorable price & post it.
2) Become "Sybil", and join the forums under multiple names (rfield54B, rfield54c), and vote every case.

Tom

aztlanco · 06-25-2005, 03:41 PM

I bought my trailer gutted-out, but it had a fairly nice body and I thought it was possible to restore it, along with the fact that it was impossible for me to buy a new one. I traded an enclosed utility trailer (that i had paid $600.00 for it) and a $200.00 donation to a church, so my initial investment was for a total of $800.00.
Two and a half years later, $4200.00 additional money spent and countless hours working on it and it's still not finished, but what fun it has been and what an education too, thanks again to all you nice folks on the forums who have helped me with answers and even parts. Thanks,
Ernie
'58 Traveler, 18ft.

Anon · 07-04-2005, 06:21 PM

I paid $1,500 for my 1977 Minuet last June. I have had to replace nearly everything in it but that was mainly because I do not want something to break while I am camping. If I replace it now and service it when I should then I know what shape it is in and how long it has been in service.
I paid $800 for my 1973 Argosy 20. My brother that restored our 1963 Bambi with me when we were teenagers has laid claim to it. It needs a little more work than my Minuet but it is in great shape. Very roadworthy and tows like a charm. My brother says that he will pay me for it but I am not holding my breath!

desi arnaz · 07-04-2005, 06:58 PM

well i had a big set of whevos when i bought mine.........firefighter had it for sale on ebay for $5500, looked like hell in the pictures,looked even worse when i got it,but i got a great deal. i think the 2 previous owners were just overwhelmed by the damage.i am in the process of replacing the 2 rear r/s panels[1st one done this morning]just waiting on the proper ribs to be sent by airstream. they sent middle ribs not end ribs that were welded together........and very flimsy.
i have the r/s brown belly skin off and have matereal on it's way for free from a gutter contractor. all i have to do is cut it out using the old as a pattern.and then install the rest of the windows. still missing 2 out of 6 that were broken in the crash.
i am very happy with my purchase..........when i'm done it won't look brand new ,but it will look much better than it did and be very useable.......i am dissipointed with how much crud airstream leaves behind in the belly and behind the walls though...i found papers and a lot of metal shavings which could of been cleaned up before shipping. i also found a hole that a new york sewer rat could of gotten through where the gas pipes come through the floor. i will foam that before i seal up everything..............all in all it has been a fun experance

: D

.

Smokin Camel · 07-08-2005, 10:37 PM

I bought mine from my vet (71 25 ft. Tradewind). It sat (under a roof) for ten years on his farm. So far almost everything seems to work. The furnace looks to need a bit of adjustment as it has a little carbon near the burnier. The trailer even had the original manual and warrenty with the original owners name & location. Doesn't look like many miles were on it. I do have to have the pull out beds re-upolstered, UV from the front window is rotting the front couch. I think I will look into modern bed foams and replace the entire foam core when I have them re-done. I have to check out a couple of clearance lights and replace the door light & the round one by the door. Fix a couple of tambour doors and I will be off in 71 retro-style. $1500, he just wanted to get rid of it because he bought a 38 ft. - 90k Damon motor home.

The only future pain will be the Care-Free awning which is in parts and will need new canvas. I still have to figure out how to assemble it, I don't think it will be rocket science. It will be stored for a couple of years while I finish the work. I will test run it then and store it until retirement in somewhere around 6 years or so. These AS trailers are great, not to mention a fun hobby. Though camping with 4 German Wire Haired Pointers may be a bit trying!

So far my expenses have been--bearing grease, 4 tires, battery, 100 ft. of door & window seal + adhesive & cleaner, and extra 10-pack of light bulbs and some silicone spray. I should include a vacumn bag and some 409, 6-7 rolls of shop towels, A few pop rivets and washers for the under pan liner. Total--not sure but less than $2500 including purchase price. I am sure there is more to come. The worst part so far was getting the paper wasp nest out of the furnace exhaust and the birds nest out of the power vent.

Cheap Entertainment so far. (storage was great too--$100/year in a machine shed & I have room to work on it.

FrenchBern · 07-09-2005, 04:36 AM

Gigawatt, i have original couch in front and thinking of selling it because it's too heavy. Are you looking for one?

scf31 · 07-11-2005, 05:10 PM

I am the 3rd owner of the Caravanner,we paid 7,000 for her and love it, We use it every 2 or 3 weeks except for winter.

DustyDevil · 07-12-2005, 11:59 AM

We traded for ours, "One man's trash is another man's treasure" in our case, something not worth much to us, got us a Silver Mine! Really looking forward to many great summers in our old Airstream.

cynthia · 07-12-2005, 12:16 PM

Ordered with everything on her from factory 29,500.Love her even more after 16mos.I'm still a bit of a newbie and admire those of you who have restored your babies.Following alot of you is helping me learn what I know someday I might (have) to do.Repairs!

Lamb & Elk · 07-12-2005, 01:30 PM

We originally were looking to buy an older AS and restore...we thought that it might be "fun" and we'd learn a lot in the process...

However, then we started looking at other factors: We have a limited amount of "free" time that we want to spend "on the road" instead of renovating
We want to be able to start traveling immediately without a "renovation" delay and major "ooops"
We wanted our relationship to last (we already "survived" a bathroom and partial home remodel )
And ditto #1 again...we just have too much other "stuff" (jobs, hobbies, etc) in our lives at the moment that limit "free" time

So...for now, the logical choice for us was to go with new...so that we spend a limited amount of time on maintenance and repairs....However, who knows, in the future when we both are retired or have more free time...Maybe we'll get one of those 1950-1960's to remodel...

Alden Miller · 07-12-2005, 01:42 PM

We paid $8000 for our 31' 1981 Excella Limited last year. Everything in it was working fine (although we have since replaced the water heater because it was not quite as good as it could have been). Otherwise it's little stuff like marker lights, antenna,...

It was a little more than we were intending to spend but it was only 20 miles from our house. When we factored that in it made it worth the extra in our book.

-Alden

pillageTHENburn · 07-12-2005, 02:35 PM

Ok, so it's not an Airstream "Trailer" but we paid $7,000 for our 1974 Argosy motorhome. It was 24' in 1974 and in 1984 the original owner had the chassis extended to 31'; added a tag axle; completely remodeled/redesigned the inside; full custom cabinets and floorplan. So now it's 31'. It has a 454 in it. We LOVE it!! It's been worth every penny so far (going on 2 years)!!

rickyandcook · 07-22-2005, 07:43 PM

we paid $39,000 for our 2006 Safari 25. It retailed for $45,000 with options, we are happy with our purchase.

CAAR · 07-12-2006, 06:05 PM

Hey!
I love my A/S even tough I have not had a chance to use it yet.

I got a 1965 globetrotter for $2900 cdn. it was in an OK shape complete, just needed some work in all the original appliences.

but noooooo, not me.........

I saw this evil website and decided to restore it-cuzromize it to my taste (actually my wife's taste).

so I took it all apart, restore the frame (cleaned it and painted it) it did not have rust other than superficial.

I put new floor, brakes, bearings, wires, insulation (so far)

I already bought a bunch of new appliences: A/C, range, fridge, furnace, water heater.

got new black water tank, new fresh water tank among other things.

I have spent like 5 grand ontop of the trailer!

and tons of hours!

there are people that doesn't get it about old vs new.

I bought a 1973 porsche 914 a while back and restore it, then I sold it and I got a 1969 porsche 911 which I'm gonna restore.

an old vehicle looking sharp means passion for the car, that you know wht you are driving and care for it.

A New vehicle means that you have some dollars to spare.

also there are people that buy old because they can't afford to buy new and they hope to fix the old one little by little or they just don't know what they are getting into.

by the way I bought a brand new subaru and nobody said anything to me, but when I was driving my 914 tons of people stopped by to give complements about the car.

so what's the veredict?
Old or new???

for me..... Old

Cheers
Carlos