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JimGolden · 01-02-2007, 07:29 PM

Well guys and gals, let me inject just this portion:

While we here all think that Airstreams are the cat's meow (myself included), others think differently.

My dad for instance: He is the proud owner of a monster Holiday Rambler Presidential 5th wheel. I have to admit, it is very nice, and has five times the room of my Excella. He considers Airstream to be one of the biggest pieces of #$!@#%!# ever created. He despises them. Where to start? First they "have no room", second "they don't make a 5th wheel" (I know they did...but I've never actually seen one), third, "they don't have a decent floor plan". Fourth "...they don't have a decent frame...mine is 14" deep" and it is, I measured it. You get the picture. I can't really argue much of what he said. We've had hailstorms and his trailer didn't dent. His has three slides. His bathroom is magnificent. His living room is gigantic. It really IS a nice trailer!

But, I still like my aluminum pipe!!!!!!

Not to hijack the thread, as I'm talking about travel trailers. I think the Airstream Classic Motorhomes are Super Cool and would love to have one! But anyway, on the issue of haughty, just thought I'd inject the above sentiment of my "Happy Pappy."

I'd like to fix up an old Flxible bus like the Gournike's had in "RV". That made a really cool RV.

All this being said, I looked at some really swank "motorhomes" built on Freightliner chassis with full leather and were 40' long minimum, sold for about $205K as I recall, and I'd trade my 31' Excella even up without blinking too much

don't listen to me though...I like em all

ALANSD · 01-02-2007, 07:35 PM

Interesting as Holiday Rambler Motorhomes were made out of aluminum ( painted) for a long time.

JimGolden · 01-02-2007, 07:42 PM

Very true. I guess I should have qualified that...my grandpa had an older Holiday Rambler 35' TT and Dad didn't like it either. It was the aluminum skinned job. Dad's is a newer one with aluminum body frame but fiberglass skin, on a massive steel chassis.

I was just saying different strokes for different folks.

As for me personally, I remember my grandpa having about ten of every kind of RV ever made (and at 81 he's still got about three or five at any given time) and I always liked the Airstream's the best.

But I like aluminum airplanes better than composite ones too

PWRSTRK · 01-02-2007, 08:07 PM

... and Cadillacs are STILL just Chevrolets. Badging is a tool of marketing. We can't let our snobbery drive our habits or our judgments (or we shouldn't, at least).

As previously pointed out, Airstream has played around with badging before -- Argosy was a branding game, as was the Westfalia. It's a great name and will be used to maximize the value of the company. That's what it's all about.

In fact, Mandalay (Mandalay Bay is a casino/resort) is a great brand of Thor and a beautiful product. Mandalay Luxury Division has succeeded and grown to show it with two additional brandplates in the last several years.

Notable that someone said Mandalay will have to stand behind the product -- there's no reason to believe that. If it's sold by Airstream as Airstream, Mandalay Luxury Division might have little or nothing to do with taking care of it, folks. Airstream dealers will have to be responsible. Who knows how they will interact with Mandalay (only time will tell).

Furthermore, don't make the decision in advance that they will JUST be Mandalays. No reason to believe, for example, that an Airstream version of a Mandalay won't have Hickory cabinets.

Let's give them a chance. I'd buy one.

Tom

PWRSTRK · 01-02-2007, 08:15 PM

On another note, snobby, note -- if they're going to produce painted products (the Sprinter vans, for example), I wish they'd paint them SILVER. That would be a simple form of brand identity! Geesh!

GlenCoombe · 01-03-2007, 05:29 AM

O.k. my 2 cents worth. My 28' FC has taken me 32,000 miles over the past year and a half. It's never let me down on the road.... other than that kink in the fuel line due to a botched install job with the new generator back in the begining.
I can buy parts at NAPA. If my coach had a Freightliner chassis I'd be in heaven.... and deep in debt. For the cost of my cash investment I'm way ahead of the rest of the pack going down the road in whatever.
I've got what I need, in the size I need it to be. I don't have any need for a 40' motorhome... or a debt service on the note!

Minnie's Mate · 01-03-2007, 09:39 AM

I don't see a problem with putting an Airstream badge on a Mandalay motor coach. I never could tell the difference at a distance between the Skydeck and any of the other luxury big box bus-style motorhomes. As long as the quality is there and they are serviced by Airstream dealers, there shouldn't be an issue. There's no reason why an Airstream dealer wouldn't service them. They serviced the Skydecks and other Squarestream motorhomes. Who knows, maybe the quality of the Mandalay is better than the quality at Jackson Center. This may have precipitated the discontinuing of producing motorhomes at JC with the intention of branding another Thor luxury coach as an Airstream.

cooperhawk · 01-03-2007, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnie's Mate

I don't see a problem with putting an Airstream badge on a Mandalay motor coach. As long as the quality is there and they are serviced by Airstream dealers, there shouldn't be an issue.

I agree. I think that sometimes the members of this forum think they are the board of directers of Thor. Thor is a company of stockholders and must do what the stockholders demand. I also think they are probably smarter than most of us when it comes to what they can sell and service. At any rate, they will do as they see fit.

I believe that Airstream, (even in the bad years) has always stood for quality. I owned some SOB's during the bad years, and Airstream was still much better with their quality and service. I don't think they will sacrifice the name on something of poor quality.

By the way, not all Airstreams were manufactured at Jackson Center. Ever hear about the California plant?

Chaplain Kent · 01-03-2007, 10:30 AM

I just could not sit on the sidelines of this thread any longer. I do like the looks of the Land Yacht and would love the amenities it would provide; however, it is not aluminum and not a "real" Airstream. What makes an Airstream unique is the styling, rivets and everything on the inside fits through the door. I was in the factory when they were making the last of the boxy motor homes and saw how they had to place the refrigerators on the floors before the box was built around.
We will keep our wonderful, 25 year old, dependable, classic motor home, running long enough to pass it on to our grandchildren.

Pick · 01-03-2007, 12:02 PM

I've seen the fiberglass Land Yacht and Sky Deck being built in the Jackson Center factory. They are "real Airstreams". They are just another product line of the Airstream company. The company that owns the trade name can put it on what ever product they please. It is not up to the general public to decide what is and what is not an Airstream. I've not seen a law written anywhere that says an Airstream "must contain 65% aluminum by weight, have rounded ends, be silver in color and shiney."

Silvertwinkie · 01-03-2007, 01:23 PM

I agree with Kent....the thing that makes an Airstream a real Airstream, is the monocoque shell. Without the shell, you can put whatever name you want on it, sure it will be an Airstream in name only, but not share in the tradition and heritage that made Airstream what it is. It matters not where the Airstream was made, California or Ohio, it's the fact that the shell and other unique things that make Airstreams what they are..... What does matter, again IMHO, is that it share the base parts that Airstream has been known for. Folks are totally right, the board of directors and Thor can do as they please, I don't think that's the issue here at all.

I'd further agree, the Airstream company has many bright folks that make the decisions they do and have the knowledge on why they must do what they do.

I would disagree with the statement that:

"It is not up to the general public to decide what is and what is not an Airstream."

I think quite the contrary. I think that sales numbers from customers will be the deciding factor and the final say what is accepted as an Airstream or not will be from customers. So far it appears that the Airstream box motorhomes haven't sold all that well and thus the possible outsourcing from another member of the parent company. If that statement is even remotely true, as time passes, you may find the same issue has only moved factories.

I totally understand and appreciate why Airstream is doing what they might be doing, but I don't have to agree with it. That makes me personally not an Airstream snob, nor a member of the Thor board of directors. I happen to get along just fine with all campers I see and meet at the campground. I'm simply offering my personal opinion on what I feel makes and Airstream special.

rluhr · 01-03-2007, 02:29 PM

So can we expect another name change proposal? Wally Byam Airstream/Mandalay Owners Association?

cooperhawk · 01-03-2007, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rluhr

So can we expect another name change proposal? Wally Byam Airstream/Mandalay Owners Association?

We can only hope. The last one was so much fun.

Minnie's Mate · 01-03-2007, 03:45 PM

While I said it doesn't matter to me if they put the Airstream name on a Mandalay, I agree that the public will ultimately decide if it's a good idea...through sales figures. Since I'm not in the market for a Moho, nor will I be anytime soon, it doesn't matter. Of course, to paraphrase Mr. Shakespeare, "A [Mandalay] by any other name is still a [Mandalay]" Or in this instance, an Airstream.

bfred · 01-03-2007, 04:29 PM

I want to thank everyone who replied to this thread. My concern for the change is just like the stockholders. I believe it will tend to devalue our MHs as the price for used ones are starting to rise just a bit because AS has quit building them. I am not one who stands on snobbery as those who own Prevosts can surely put us in our place. I have noticed that a lot of WBCCI members with trailers can emulate snobbery pretty well though.
Sorry about the mandalay bay thing. I should'nt be on this computer in the wee hrs.
Drive safe and hope to meet everyone on the road.

Cracker · 01-03-2007, 04:58 PM

I'll say my piece and then quietly get out of the discussion. What we have with Airstream is a rather significant heritage, going back to the mid '30's, that makes us willing to shell out hard-earned dollars for what purports to be a continuation of that heritage. To simply state that Thor has the right to put the Airstream moniker on anything they manufacture - although true - demonstrates a total disregard, and lack of respect, for the intangible heritage value of Airstream. We're too quick, in today's world, to turn our back on the past and embrace anything that's new, shiny, and different! If this kind of attitude persists and begins to dominate, I, for one, will end my love affair with Airstream and all that it means to me. I would rather sell out before being casually associated with anything less.

wkerfoot · 01-03-2007, 05:07 PM

You can call a horse a cow, but on the other hand, she wore a glove, to be a member of WBCCI, or whatever name may be next, the RV must be manufactured by Airstream Inc. No mention of an RV with an Airstream name.

Bill

Silvertwinkie · 01-03-2007, 08:10 PM

Sounds to me like it's pretty much a done deal. I'm sure that Airstream folks read this forum, so it wouldn't shock me to think this hasn't been observed and noted.

PWRSTRK · 01-03-2007, 10:09 PM

We also have to face the fact that Thompson and Orthwein created Thor in order to acquire Airstream: Airstream was Thor. In fact, these guys saved a floundering company that might well not have made it without their management, like it or not.

It's not the evil parent -- Airstream created the corporate underpinnings for what is now the largest RV company in the world.

And has anyone looked at the profitability? Thor is a good company. They're doing some things -- many things -- right.

Buy some stock. Speak up as shareholders. Benefit from the successes.

Fyrzowt · 01-03-2007, 11:11 PM

Quote:

The company that owns the trade name can put it on what ever product they please. It is not up to the general public to decide what is and what is not an Airstream.

Your point is taken. But, it truly IS up to the general public to decide. In sales. The final judge will be if the public buys into the Airstream box or not. Airstream has always had a unique product, very distinguishable at a distance, with unique construction techniques.

Now they build a box. What will make this box stand out from all the other boxes out there? The label? I think not. They better either have a superior product or a slick marketing strategy.
Dave