We are going to buy a fifth wheel or travel trailer. Have heard nothing but good things about airstreams. I don't want to make the mistake of buying something because it looks good, only to find out that the quality is lacking. Airstreams are expensive and lack the space of many other models the same size. The question is; why are they so much better and so much more expensive? We tend to keep things until the wheels fall off, which is why I want to buy the right trailer the first time. Your opinions and experiences would be greatly appreciated.
We are going to buy a fifth wheel or travel trailer. Have heard nothing but good things about airstreams. I don't want to make the mistake of buying something because it looks good, only to find out that the quality is lacking. Airstreams are expensive and lack the space of many other models the same size. The question is; why are they so much better and so much more expensive? We tend to keep things until the wheels fall off, which is why I want to buy the right trailer the first time. Your opinions and experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Scott Hopkins
Scott, they are that much better. My Argosy is 32 years old, and many Airstreams are in their fourth and fifth decade of use, you just can't get that in any other brand. These trailers are aluminum skinned, aluminum supported in the walls, instead of the 1x2 wood you will find in any other brand.
I could go on and on about how much better they are, and why, but I am sure others will want to, so I will give them the chance.
Airstreams do have problems, but they are usually annoyances rather than full-fledged disasters.
Terry
PS. If you want to talk to a bunch of Airstreamers about their coaches, and maybe get a deal on a new or used one, come down to the Florida State Rally in Sarasota next weekend, it is just a hop, skip, and jump over the Skyway bridge for you. Bates RV will most likely have a slew of them on display for sale, so bring your checkbook.
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Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.
Terry
We tend to keep things until the wheels fall off, which is why I want to buy the right trailer the first time.
Scott,
That's a very good reason to consider an Airstream. There's a fellow here in our snowbird resort with a 1 year old Brand X 5th wheel. He says the unit is falling apart on him ... cabinets falling off the walls, etc. He's not a happy camper.
Airstreams are not perfect ... but when it comes to fit and finish, reasonable weight, towability, wow factor ... and resale value ... I believe they are a superior product.
Best of luck with your decision ... only you know what is right for you.
Scott, you hit the nails right on the head. (1) Airstreams are no match for SOBs (Some Other Brands) if your purchase decision is based on price per square foot. Other manufacturers make their RVs cheaper. That's a clue right there.
(2) If you plan to keep your RV "till the wheels come off" , you might be disappointed with an Airstream. Mine have been on the road for 36 and 28 years respectively, and the wheels haven't come off yet! The darned thing might outlive you!
There are many considerations, but the first is how you want to use the coach. While there are many Airstream full-timers, there is no question that motor homes and large fifth wheels are more popular with those who live all or a major part of the year in their RV. You hit on a couple of reasons: size and storage space.
There are some very, very good fivers out there now, but they too are very, very expensive. And very, very heavy - to the point where a medium duty truck is required. I don't believe even the largest, heaviest Airstream requires more than a 3/4 ton truck, van, or suv (your choice).
I think where an Airstream really stands out is traveling lots and lots of miles, seeing the country, year in and year out. There is probably no other brand that can do this sort of thing, not just for years, but for DECADES, like an Airstream. There are Airstreams on the road that went literally 'round the world on caravans 40 years ago or more, and yet are in service today.
But none of this will do you any good if it doesn't hold/carry/store what you want or provide the living space you need.
We tend to keep things until the wheels fall off, which is why I want to buy the right trailer the first time.
Scott Hopkins
Scott,
If you get an Airstream. Let me know if you outlive it. That would be one of the few.
My brother-in-law has inherited my dad's 1973 31 footer. My dad bought it new in Nov. 1972. It has required maintenance but it still runs down the road. Usually in front of me pulling my 1977 Argosy.
My brother and I restored a 1963 back in 1982. We sold it back awhile ago. You will not believe what was on Ebay last September! That little Airstream was! It sold for over $5,000! It was worth it too.
Have you visited the Airstream website? They used to have information on how they are built. I am not sure if they still do.
I am sure that you will get a lot of replies about construction and what-not on here. The forums here are VERY active.
If you do get a silver twinkee, silver bullet, silver egg, etc... you will have a lot of friendship and support on here!
Good luck and God bless!
My Argosy is 32 years old, and many Airstreams are in their fourth and fifth decade of use, you just can't get that in any other brand.
To give you an idea...
Sunline just celebrated their 40th Anniversary last year.
They had a contest to find the oldest Sunline still in use. Guess how many 40 year old Sunlines they found. One!
This was posted on their website last year. I got a chuckle out of it. They found ONE WHOLE TRAILER that was 40 years old. Go to any given Airstream rally and I am sure you will find a dozen of them that age and older!
We do not own an Airstream (yet) but we have been researching RV's for the past two years. We started out looking at Airstreams, and we have looked at everything from there to $250k diesel pushers. We could not find the level of workmanship, the solidity of design, the retention of resale value, the lack of obsolescence, and the "cool" factor that the Airstream has anywhere else. We are probably a few days away from ordering a 2005 28' International CCD. Yes it has less storage than SOB's, but do you need all that storage? I am not sure, but I think buying an Airstream is about realizing that taking more stuff along does not always matter. It is about the experience! We are about to find out, how about you?
We do not own an Airstream (yet) but we have been researching RV's for the past two years. We started out looking at Airstreams, and we have looked at everything from there to $250k diesel pushers. We could not find the level of workmanship, the solidity of design, the retention of resale value, the lack of obsolescence, and the "cool" factor that the Airstream has anywhere else. We are probably a few days away from ordering a 2005 28' International CCD. Yes it has less storage than SOB's, but do you need all that storage? I am not sure, but I think buying an Airstream is about realizing that taking more stuff along does not always matter. It is about the experience! We are about to find out, how about you?
Tim & Randi
We are newbies to trailering and AS's! We took posession of a 22' ccd April 4, 2004 and traveled extensively, enjoying every minute! We loved the interior styling and quickly decided we needed more room for longer trips! We took possession of a 28' ccd today! We are very excited about our purchase....and plan on traveling extensively! We are Happy Campers!!
Jim & Cheryl
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Jim & Cheryl
2017 28' Signature CCD
2017 GMC Denali HD Crew Cab 4x4
Blue Ox Sway Pro Hitch
We are going to buy a fifth wheel or travel trailer. Have heard nothing but good things about airstreams. I don't want to make the mistake of buying something because it looks good, only to find out that the quality is lacking. Airstreams are expensive and lack the space of many other models the same size. The question is; why are they so much better and so much more expensive? We tend to keep things until the wheels fall off, which is why I want to buy the right trailer the first time. Your opinions and experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Scott Hopkins
Scott -
As you can surmise from these responses, there are some very passionate Airstream owners in this community. However, not all of us are totally objective, IMO, and many of us have significantly different perceptions about what constitutes value and quality (as is normal).
You say you have heard nothing but good things about Airstreams...well, there are a number of us who purchased Airstreams within the past several years that are way less than 100% satisfied with their Airstreams, including the product, as well as the dealer and the company service after the sale. A lot of the people who have glowing things to say about Airstreams, and rightfully so, own models that were built in an era when the quality of manufacture was superior to today (again, based on my observations).
The quality of Airstreams manufactured within the past several years have been inconsistent. One owner will tell you he is 100% satisfied with his unit, while the next one should never have left the factory (I happened to have purchased one of the latter). I was at the Tampa RV show last month and saw a new 2005 Classic model, for example, that was so poorly built that both Airstream and Bates should have been ashamed to have had it on display.
(So, "your mileage may vary...")
Why are Airstreams so expensive? It is a combination of factors. One, it costs a lot more to build the aluminum outside shell of an Airstream than it would cost to build a rectangular shaped box of the same size. All of that bending, forming and riveting comes with a cost. On the other hand, it probably adds structural strength and integrity (I'm not an engineer and don't have the proof for this belief though). Some of Airstream's component parts, inside and out, are also more costly than what other manufacturers use -- however, you can also buy a 5th wheel with similar components and pay twice what any Airstream costs - it all depends on what you want and can afford to spend.
Another reason that Airstreams cost as much as they do, in part, is because they are a hot product just now. Look at today's TV programs and advertisers - many of them show Airstreams. Let's face it, they are a beautiful product that appeals to many potential consumers. Airstream is fully pricing their product to take advantage of this demand.
You can buy a Sunline 5th wheel, for example, for 1/2 - 1/3 the cost of an Airstream. Many of the component parts in the Sunline are less costly than those used in some Airstream models (formica counter tops versus Corian for example). Typically, Sunlines have a much better overall "fit and finish" in the manufacturing process than Airstream, if that's important to you. You will have more storage space in the Sunline, and could be more comfortable, in some respects, living in it. (I've owned 2 Sunlines -- the couch, chairs, dinette, and shower in them, for example, were far more comfortable than those in my new Airstream.) On the other hand, there are many things about the Airstream that are much better than the Sunlines - I love the Moen filtering faucet, the windows and the window shades, in my Airstream, for example, but they are also more expensive components than what Sunline uses. I also get 10-20% better gas mileage towing my Airstream even though it weighs 50% more.
While it is probably true that some parts of an Airstream will outlive those of other brands - Airstream's aluminum roof should last a lot longer than the 10-12 year life expectancy that we get here in PA on rubber roofs, for example, and rubber roofs in the Fl sun probably won't even last that long. Other Airstream components, however, won't last any longer - the furnace, air conditioner, refrigerator, tires and water heater and are identical to those used by many other manufacturers.
In the final analysis, I think you have to make your own decision. There are lots of trade-offs, plus and minus. For myself personally, would I buy another Airstream? You betcha! I just love their design.
In response to a part of flyfshr's post, thae exterior design of an Airstream, as well as the aluminum framework holding it rigid, helps make them very strong. There was a small Airstream on our favorite online auction site a while back that had rolled over, and was still more or less structurally intact, with the exception of some windows and such. Try rolling over another brand of trailer, and you will most likely have a pile of kindling littering the Interstate.
Airstreams are currently being churned out as fast as the factory can throw them together, there is that much demand for them. I would personally prefer to see them make 5-10% fewer per year, and have better quality control. Most owners of newer Airstreams would agree with me, but Corporate America being what it is, I don't think it will happen.
Terry
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Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.
Terry
Last year I upgraded to an Airstream 22' CCD. My previous trailer was a 22' Jayco KIWI.
Things to consider:
While, AS is not perfect, it's a lot more solid trailer. The hard aluminum shell is built to last. I doubt that KIWI will be around in 10-15 years.
Maintenance on the structure is less, and I feel that more of the components are better quality and will hold up alot longer. Some examples: 1)The Zip-Dee awning and it's aluminum cover don't require me to scrub mildew off. The KIWI's awning soaked up water even when it was rolled up dry! 2) My Moen faucets beat those plastic ones on the KIWI. 3) No rubber roofs to worry about. 4) Cheap wooden framing, stapled together started to loosen.
That Jayco depreciated 50% in a year and a half! I wanted a trailer that would be worth something a few years out in case I wanted to move up. Ask some Airstreamers that have sold an AS after 1-5 years and see what % of their original purchase price they got. Then ask a SOB owner the same thing. Resale of the AS is alot better I'm sure.
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Bob
--------------- "THE BAUXITE BUNGALOW"
2004 22' CCD
1997 F-150 TAC VA-12 AIR# 4749 ex WBCCI#1430
We love our Classic Airstream even with the foibles that comes with mass production quality control. Should we have to buy another travel trailer it will be an Airstream. One question. If Airstreams are so great and durable and we love them so much, why don't we see more of them on the road while taking trips. We can tow our unit on a major interstate for 1000 miles and never see another Airstream while spotting hundreds of SOB's.
If Airstreams are so great and durable and we love them so much, why don't we see more of them on the road while taking trips. We can tow our unit on a major interstate for 1000 miles and never see another Airstream while spotting hundreds of SOB's.
I once heard, but have now forgotten how many RVs are sold each year. Seems like it is something just over one million - popups to Prevosts. Airstream builds about 900 trailers a year.
For a more realistic picture, go to www.rvtadersonline.com and do a search for trailers for sale built between, say 1960 and 1980. Last time I did that over 1/3 were Airstreams or Argosys.
We are going to buy a fifth wheel or travel trailer. Have heard nothing but good things about airstreams. I don't want to make the mistake of buying something because it looks good, only to find out that the quality is lacking. Airstreams are expensive and lack the space of many other models the same size. The question is; why are they so much better and so much more expensive? We tend to keep things until the wheels fall off, which is why I want to buy the right trailer the first time. Your opinions and experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Scott Hopkins
If you plan to "keep the coach until the wheels fall off", the Airstream is among a small group of RVs that have the potential of living up to that expectation. When I decided to purchase my first travel trailer after several tent campers, I listened to relatives who advised to buy new and purchased a Nomad Light Weight Special 19' in 1980 - - that coach virtually self-destructed in less than ten years. I was so disappointed in that coach that it was several years before I even considered another coach.
It was in 1995 when I decided to buy another travel trailer and I knew it would have to be an Airstream, but the model year was a question mark as I even considered a new Safari. It seemed almost destined to happen when my '64 Overlander found me through a blind advertisement in a "shopper" classified. About six months later, we discovered that it was the coach that I went on my first camping trip in 1964 (when I was five years old). In 1964 the Overlander's list price was in the vicinity of $6,600 (the coach is 26' 8"). Friends of my family speical ordered the coach new and kept it until the early 1980s when they retired from traveling - - I would hate to try to estimate the number of miles that it covered while they owned the coach - - it made at least one and usually two trips to South Dakota (from Illinois) each year along with numerous WBCCI caravans and rallys each year - - I know that during their ownership the coach visited all of the lower-48 states as well as much of Mexico and Canada (it has yet to make a trip to Alaska). When the original owners sold the coach in the early '80s, the sale price was $4,000 (only about $2,000 less than they had paid for the coach in '64). The coach changed hands twice before I purchased it in '95 when I paid nearly what the original owners had paid when they purchased the coach new in '64. Today, I wouldn't consider selling the coach for several times the original list price as it is a member of the family. I guess that you could say that the "wheels have been run off" on this coach as the next project is a new set of axles with the disc brake upgrade (probably in two to three years).
I have attached photos of my coach - - the one with the '75 Eldorado towcar was take about eighteen months ago - - the second was taken in 1966 when the coach's original owners were visiting my family's farm (I am the one leading the pony).
There are at least two or three members of the VAC who have heirloom coaches that have been in their families for two, or three generations.
Good luck with your research!
Kevin
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Kevin D. Allen WBCCI (Lifetime Member)/VAC #7864 AIR #827
1964 Overlander International
1978 Argosy Minuet 6.0 Metre
I can vouch for the longevity. Everyone in this picture except the girl far right and the boy far left and the little one in the stroller are dead. The one in the stroller is now 44 years old. The airstream to the right is my '59 Tradewind. I have no idea what happened to the one in the background.
You know there is just some magical feeling folks get when it comes to Airstreams. As a kid, we'd count them as we went down the road. At no time did I ever think I'd own one.
Years passed and we went to an RV show to "look". Saw some nice coaches. Having come from family trips with a '75 Lark (Travel Equiment Corp) and a 1982 Jayco, both comfortable well built trailers, I was fairly disappointed when I saw Jaycos and other boxy SOBs (Larks are long gone). They creaked and would flex just walking down the floorplan. True there were some better than others, but the overall feeling was that most felt cheap and not well built. At this point, I had remembered all the Airstreams we had seen and counted when we were on vacation as kids. I looked but didn't see an Airstream dealer at the RV show.....until I rounded the last corner. There they were for 2003! So we walked into a few of them and right out of the gate, there was a different feel. So we bought a 19' Bambi. Nice coach, but a bit small after a season of camping. Additionally, a lot of small QC issues. Traded up to a 25' Safari, and love this coach. Solid, easy to tow, lots of room, a few small QC issues, but from the look of the other brands we saw, I'd say far less.
Now that we got an upgraded tow vehicle, we're thinking of one last upgrade...to a 31 footer. May or may not do it, but I will tell you one thing, once you get it all shaken down, and get over the fact that you're gonna spend as much money as some folks paid for thier first house, it's a decision that I feel you won't regret. If I had to do it all over again, I'd still have bought an Airstream, but I would have had the right tow vehicle first, then got the coach I wanted in the first place.
Like you, I am also trying to decide between an Airstream and 5th wheel to spend several months a year in. I also want (and am willing to pay for) a quality product. There is a lot of trailer junk out there for sale. I really feel sorry for people that buy that stuff thinking they are getting a deal. Airstreams were superior to anything I looked at early on in my search.
I finally realized, there are so many brands out there; I needed help narrowing the field down. From what I read, the RV Consumer Group was a reliable source of information. I figured the cost of joining is insignificant to the amount of money I will be spending.
I looked at a couple of the top 5th wheels based on the RVCG, and I was very impressed. The attention to detail and quality was obvious, and was comparable to that found in a fine home.
BUT, as already mentioned, they are almost twice as heavy as an Airstream, and not as aerodynamic. AND, they do not have that cool curved aluminum shell, which I really like. Lets face it, that beautiful shinny durable shell is what differentiates an Airstream from all others. And I think its the shell design, and lack of any "shell design" competition that keeps the price of an AS high. If Airstream paid as much attention to quality on their interior as I saw in brand x and y 5th wheels, then this decision would be simple.
We recently went to an rv show that featured primarily used SOB rigs. It was a real eye opener. Trailers that were just a couple of years old were faling apart. Seals shot, siding coming loose, roofs leaking, and unspeakable interiors. Those "gently used" relatively new trailers wwere in worse shape than our 25 year old Trailer was BEFORE we fixed it up. I'm sooo glad we chose an Airstream.
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1964 Globetrotter | 2023 Nissan Armada
We did the research, looked at everything out there and decided on an Airstream Classic 30. We bought a 2005 model complete with the new disc brakes and heavy duty axles. We pick it up on March 30. Why? Past experience with boats and motorcycles. We had a couple of boats before we finally broke down and bought a Boston Whaler. That was 16 years ago and I fully intend for my grandson to inherit the boat. Same with motorcycles, had several that became outdated before I broke down and bought a BMW. That was 18 years and 124,000 miles ago and I still have no intention of buying a new one. The reason we bought an Airstream is that we did not want to make the same mistakes we did with the boats and motorcycles. This time we just decided to start out with the best to begin with. Besides, it was the first thing my wife and I have ever bought in 36 years that we both loved and neither of us had to compromise. Oh yea, we ruled out 5th wheels early on for several reasons. They are just too heavy and cumbersome looking, not to mention that the styles change. They are nice, but Airstreams are engineered for the long haul and have 70 years of historical records to prove it. No, they are not as fancy, but I will take functional quality over stylish any day.
Good luck in your search.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sky
Hi Scott,
Like you, I am also trying to decide between an Airstream and 5th wheel to spend several months a year in. I also want (and am willing to pay for) a quality product. There is a lot of trailer junk out there for sale. I really feel sorry for people that buy that stuff thinking they are getting a deal. Airstreams were superior to anything I looked at early on in my search.
I finally realized, there are so many brands out there; I needed help narrowing the field down. From what I read, the RV Consumer Group was a reliable source of information. I figured the cost of joining is insignificant to the amount of money I will be spending.
I looked at a couple of the top 5th wheels based on the RVCG, and I was very impressed. The attention to detail and quality was obvious, and was comparable to that found in a fine home.
BUT, as already mentioned, they are almost twice as heavy as an Airstream, and not as aerodynamic. AND, they do not have that cool curved aluminum shell, which I really like. Lets face it, that beautiful shinny durable shell is what differentiates an Airstream from all others. And I think its the shell design, and lack of any "shell design" competition that keeps the price of an AS high. If Airstream paid as much attention to quality on their interior as I saw in brand x and y 5th wheels, then this decision would be simple.
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