As most of you know I ordered a 2004 30' Classic Slide Out a few weeks back. We had looked at a used 34' Cllassic Slide a few weeks earlier but pretty much ruled it out since the hitch receiver that came with my new van has a 1000 lbs limit.
According to the brochure I got from my dealer the hitch weight for the 30' is 900 lbs. so we went ahead and placed the order. Much to my displeasure, I went prowling around the Airstream web site and found that the 2004 units have increased to 1125 lbs. So much for my receiver being adequate.
I haven't priced replacing the receiver but it looks like I'll also need to put replace the spring bars and I'll have to look at the hitch itself also. Needless to say I'm not very happy about the situation.
Jack
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Jack Canavera
STL Mo. AIR #56
'04 Classic 30' S.O.
'03 GMC Savana 2500
'08 Vespa GTS 250
See if you can get the dealer/Airstream to eat it since the supplied specs were wrong. Point out that the weights advertised were one of the deciding factors. Threaten to cancel the order because of the extra expense that your going to incure do to their advertised inacuracy's
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1959 22' Caravanner
1988 R20 454 Suburban.
Atlanta, GA
Where on the wesite did you find that info...the info I saw on the A/S site still had it under 1000 lbs.
Plus, on the 3/4 ton units with trailer pkg, I was under the impression that GM didn't have serveral different versions of the heavier class hitch/receivers. Dad's 3/4 Silverado has a 1200lb hitch weight.
The Reese on my Impala is rated at 1200 when using weight distribution......
If in the end the info is correct I agree with Eric (Toaster) that Airstream should make an concession here given the misinfo. Funny that I had just sent Streamer a PM regarding some improvements and one of them was clearly to have the info on the web updated and have the same info in all the places (understanding that specs changes without notice sometimes), the web should have always been up to date from day one......
Eric
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It is worth a shot but I would bet they will point to this statement at the bottom of the spec PDF. "Specifications are subject to change without notice. Check with your dealer"
Yeah, right.
Well, what if they made it 15 feet instead of 30 feet? Would that make a difference? How about if they omitted the slide-out? "Sorry, we just changed the specifications!"
Uhhh, I don't think so.
You acted in reliance on the information you were provided. If they can change their mind, so can you. I don't believe they can hold you to a purchase if the item has changed materially.
So, I'm thinking you can back out and ask for your deposit back. The dealer's (and Airstream's) alternative would be to help you out with accommodating the changes they unilaterally made.
-Don
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"Between what matters and what seems to matter, how should the world we know judge wisely?" E.C. Bentley, Trent's Last Case
As it ends up I have some improving news. The dealer called A/S and asked why the hitch weight went up 225 lbs for 2004. (Apparently the 2004 brochures didn't arrive at the dealer's until this week and he had given me a 2003....although the model year was not stated anywhere in the booklet. The new brochures now state 1125 lbs which agrees with the web site.)
The answer was that the trailer used to determine weight was a 2004 30' Classic Limited Slide Out. The Limited designation means that there are additional things added, insulation, 15K BTU A/C, power stabilizer jacks, and probably some nicer interior items. According to A/S my Classic Slide out will come in the 900 lb. hitch weight realm.
What makes this nice is the dealer, Bill Thomas Camper Sales, wants me to feel confident with my new Classic and has offered to upgrade my hitch components at his cost rather than retail. Since I know that I have added the 15K A/C unit and spare tire and with full LP tanks, I wonder how close that 900 lb. weight will we be? With this in mind and with some of my other hitch components nearing 22 years of age (not the receiver since its new), I'll probably take him up on his offer and upgrade to a heavier receiver and other components.
Jack
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Jack Canavera
STL Mo. AIR #56
'04 Classic 30' S.O.
'03 GMC Savana 2500
'08 Vespa GTS 250
On my 34', the Limited package added 220 lbs TOTAL, and 50 lbs on the tongue, 20 of it extra propane. On a 30', the Limited added 120 lbs TOTAL and nothing to the tongue. This was for '01, and the Classics haven't changed that much. The Limited doesn't make 225 lbs difference on the tongue. Sounds like a case of tell the buyer something so he'll go away.
For '03, the dry 30' Classic was 7230, with a 730 lb tongue weight, and if you load it to GVWR of 8700 lbs, tongue weight should be at least 870.
If you add the slide, the 30' Classic was 8000 lb dry, with a dry tongue weight of 1080. This tells you the slide adds 770 lbs, 250 of it on the tongue. The GVWR of 9100 means that fully loaded, your tongue should weigh at least 910. But you're already at 1080. That DOESN'T mean you shouldn't load 10% of that 1100 NCC on the tongue. In fact, you probably need to load the majority of it on the curb side to offset the slide. I would expect a loaded tongue weight of about 1200 lbs. You won't see this on the truck axles because the hitch is distributing some of it back to the trailer axles. But the hitch IS dealing with it.
[on edit] Actually, now that I look at the layout, there's a lot more than 250 of the 770 lbs going on the tongue. Go for nothing less than a 15K Reese Titan receiver.
Jack, with that much weight on only two tires per side, and the odds that the trailer's going to wind up a little nose high or nose low, I'd definitely seek out the Recreational Vehicle Safety & Education Foundation (RVSEF, previously known as AWeigh We Go) and get your rig weighed on a tire by tire basis, which will not only ensure you aren't overloading one, but show you your weight balance in both planes. I hear they usually do weigh-ins on the last day of a rally when folks are headin' home. Doesn't necessarily have to be an Airstream rally.
Originally posted by RoadKingMoe I'd definitely seek out the Recreational Vehicle Safety & Education Foundation (RVSEF, previously known as AWeigh We Go) and get your rig weighed on a tire by tire basis,
A local SOB dealer had them in a couple of years ago. I took the Safari down and was very impressed on the process and the information that I got from them. I just got off the phone with Silvertwinkie (Eric) and made the comment to him that I will have to find these folks and get a weigh in. It's interesting that you had the same thought.
Thanks for the reminder.
Regards,
Jack
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Jack Canavera
STL Mo. AIR #56
'04 Classic 30' S.O.
'03 GMC Savana 2500
'08 Vespa GTS 250
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