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Pahaska · 08-29-2011, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Emerick

Do you blame them (Airstream)? I did the same thing and will continue to do so.

I applaud them and I applaud anyone who will stand up against the entrenched gang that is driving WBCCI into the dirt.

Coloradobus · 08-29-2011, 09:48 PM

Lynn, We are all our there on the web in some form, even without the info from the WBCCI directory.
Just do a google on yourself or Maria. Better yet do a ZABAsearch.com and stand back and be shocked as you see your name, age, birthdate, addresses past and present, phone numbers. Sorry to digress

Coloradobus · 08-29-2011, 11:02 PM

I am so sick of this Motorhome issue. Those who want a new Class A need to GROW UP, stop their wining, "Oh its about our friends, not machines, buy what they want and move on..... FMCA, THOR DIESEL CLUB. But, it seems whacking them over the head with an Airstream, they just don't get it. What part of A.I.R.S.T.R.E.A.M dont they understand. WBCCI is about, as we all know, is AIRSTREAMS. Nothing more. I am sick of it!
Thhis letter to the Editor in the current BB, why is it , the BB requires your name, Club number, but don't publish it??

LawChick · 08-29-2011, 11:39 PM

We haven't joined WBCCI because of all the fussing. I'm sure there are many others like us and it occurred to me it might be helpful to your club if more of us told you why we haven't become members. So, there. I've said it.

We just want to run around the country having fun in our old Airstream trailer. We always hope to meet up with other Airstreamers along the way. We love rallys - but sometimes the WBCCI disputes come up even at non-WBCCI rallys. We're blissfully ignorant of long-standing disagreements and simply enjoy our AS and the many people we've met along the road.

I'm sorry the club is having trouble and I hope it remains viable and someday returns to more of what it once was. I would have loved to go on one of the old caravans. I wish there were more organized caravans. I'd love to go on one someday.

Best wishes to all of you. I hope the troubles can be resolved.

dwightdi · 08-30-2011, 03:37 AM

Caravans are offered by lots of RV clubs. WBCCI offers a good value in their sponsored caravans. The price of participating in them is the $65 and putting up with the fact that part of that $65 is going to help support the life style of the officers. Many of the local units ignore the issues that are originating from the central command and do not discuss them except as required to vote them down.

It does not seem that the spoiled whining motorhome people listen to the majority of the members, who have previously soundly defeated this proposal before. The reason they want to buy a new motorhome is not about necessity. There are plenty of them out there with very low mileage for less that $100,000. I saw a 2001 36 footer in Chicago on the net today for $64K in mint condition.

GREENovaters · 08-30-2011, 05:05 AM

When I stated that the club was started by Wally I meant to only allude to, not specifically mention, him as he was involved in its creation. Sorry, I know a lot of misinformation is given here and I certainly didn't mean to contribute to it!

Coloradobus · 08-30-2011, 10:04 AM

The primary misinformation comes from the 'Letter to the Editor" publshed and the writer enjoys ananimity in the Blue Beret this thread is talking about. The facts stated that Motorhomes are the majority on the road is not correct. Motorized sales per articles in RV Business.com have over the last several years, that Class A sales have lagged big time. Towables are and have been on the upswing according to articles in RV Business over the years. Case in point, Airstream is enjoying good sales.

Florida 55 · 08-30-2011, 08:08 PM

We purchased our first Airstream in August 2011 and joined the WBCCI the same month. During the search for our new addition my wife met very nice members of the Carolinas of North Carolina unit who encouraged us to be patient, offered advice, and very warmly invited us to join the unit once our new (to us) Safari came home. While we are troubled by the discord at the national level of the club, we are looking forward to becoming part of the Airstream experience at the local level. We also plan to take full advantage of non WBCCI events such as Can Opener and Alumapalooza while continuing to be frequent readers of Airforums. In other words we are looking forward to fully immersing ourselves in the brand experience.

With respect to the current MOHO issue we strongly considered a motorhome before discovering Airforums and learning about the Airstream lifestyle. We made the conscious decision to join the "brand" and the community of people who love the brand. I can't imagine divorcing the brand experience from the product. Life is about choices and we chose to forego the conveniences of a brand new Class A motorhome in order to become part of and iconic brand and the people passionate about living the lifestyle it symbolizes.

As a new member of the WBCCI and Airstream owner it is very difficult for me to understand how the inclusion of non Airstream branded products enhance the brand or the lifestyle. In my opinion a club made up of advocates for the brand should maintain exclusivity and limit itself to people with an ownership stake in the brand. I doubt we would be giving the club a chance if it were not Airsteam exclusive. I hope club leaders concerned with losing members moving on to other products will recognize they also run a significant risk of alienating young new owners of Airstreams who prefer to join a club with brand exclusivity and will be the brand advocates of the future.

Howard E · 08-30-2011, 08:39 PM

First, welcome to the Airstream lifestyle! Enjoy your Safari and we hope to see y'all down by the campfire sometime.

You hit the nail on the head - it is the Airstream lifestyle and what Airstream means to traveling and camping. The same is true with other brand oriented clubs. You do not drive the Mustang to the Corvette club meeting. The HOG (Harley Owners Group) chapter is for Harley Davidson product owners, while the BMW and Honda Goldwing owners have their brand exclusive organizations.

wam52 · 09-05-2011, 06:21 AM

No matter how much they whine about the non support of Airstream as the reason that they are pressing for non Aistream products. It is the management of the WBCCI who has caused the rift to happen. When Airstream decided there was no longer a business case to market Airstream Motorhomes, they dropped the line, infuriating members of the WBCCI Board. They have been on a mission ever since to bring other product into the club.

The Club's Airstream owner membership and Airstream's need to market their trailers to a newer generation of Airstreamers have been at odds with the club leadership ever since. Think about it, if Airstream really wanted the support of the club it would have been really simple to Badge a product for sale to those few members who wanted them. But they didn't and that tells the whole story.

You can make an argument that the general consensus of the old guard is that our club is about people. You can also equally argue that the club was founded on the basis of good marketing strategy and supported by those who enjoyed the benefits of Airstream ownership.

During the high growth years of the WBCCI there was turmoil and units split over all sorts of things like money, personalities, investment opportunities, politics, you name it. The club is now in serious decline and the number one reason is there is a disconnect of mission. Part of the club wants to be free of Airstream and part of the club wants to continue to be associated with Airstream.

It is time to split the club and form a new one! Divide the assets and stop the bickering! Both sides will benefit because the antagonism which has developed will not subside until that happens and then growth can begin.

The club doesn't suffer from its ability to attract new members it suffers from its inability to keep them due to this turmoil!

If no one is willing to step up to the challenge of correcting this mismatch of mission, then this thread as well as all the rest of the bickering is moot and a waste of time and energy! If we could take just a small amount of that energy and press it towards a new beginning we would all be better off!

dwightdi · 09-05-2011, 06:57 AM

Larry Huttle, from Airstream, did make the proposal to the club that Airstream would offer a Thor motorhome finished off at the Airstream factory in September of last year. He only asked that the people who wanted them sign-up to take one, guaranteeing that it would be an economically viable plan. There were an insufficient number of people who signed up. He did not say what his target number was when he made the proposal at the Sugarcreek Rally last year. Larry withdrew his offer at the IBT meeting last January. It is likely that less than ten PIP's and Motorhome members are causing all this fuss. Personally, I think we could move on nicely without them.

Nuvite-F · 09-05-2011, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wam52

. . . this thread as well as all the rest of the bickering is moot and a waste of time and energy!

True, and always has been. You'e just now noticing the fact?

If the moho amendment passes I look for about a 50% drop in membership, accomplishing one past international president's goal of "quality, not quantity".
.

Ed Emerick · 09-05-2011, 08:28 AM

I think it would be much more, but that is just my opinion. I for one will be part of the group that would be QUICKLY searching for an Airstream only new club.

We all know where the "quality" is, and its not in a mixed WBCCI.

Gene · 09-05-2011, 09:44 AM

When a nonprofit is dissolved the money—there's a substantial amount of it—has to go to a similar nonprofit. It does not get distributed to the members. Where would it go? Wouldn't the WBCCI leaders try to direct it to a motorhome and trailer nonprofit? Usually the state attorney general has some authority in this matter and who knows what the AG would do? A fertile ground for lawsuits.

Gene

dwightdi · 09-05-2011, 08:12 PM

The club leaders will not allow the club to dissolve until they have used up all the money. The current headquarter's overhead is about $200,000 per year, including health benefits. Benefits to the leadership are another $100,000, so it will take a while to use up the bank reserves we have. With fewer member there be less expenses to provide them benefits.

gaylejoe · 09-05-2011, 08:59 PM

At the International this year I believe that Larry Huttle addressed the "badging" of a Thor MOHO. Can't do it because of some licensing issues or trade marks. Not really sure of the wording but he did address the issue and what't it can be done. Maybe someone can chime in and explain it better. Sorry, I was trying to listen to him but the sound system was not loud.

Forrest · 09-06-2011, 01:02 AM

In talking to Larry a couple of years ago I seem to remember the reason is that if a Thor motorhome were badged an Airstream, then Airstream would have to honor the warranty on that motorhome as though they had made it. Despite the fact that Airstream is owned by Thor, the company's sub-divisions are still independent of each other and Airstream reasonably doesn't want to warrant someone else's product.

DFDureiko · 09-06-2011, 08:35 AM

I don't get it. 4 or 5 years ago General Motors Corperation owned Chevrolet, SAAB and Suburu....among others. Were not those companies independant? The SAAB 97x rolled off the same assembly line/plant as the Chevy Trailblazer, the SAAB 92x rolled off the same Japan assembly line with the Subaru Imprezza, with the same Subaru boxer engine...
SAAB dealers had no issues providing service and warranty.
So what is the difference. Never gotton a clear answer on this. These are only two examples of many with the auto companies....
Saabs in Sweden, Subaru in Japan, sounds like independenly run companies to me.
Dan

Forrest · 09-06-2011, 09:04 AM

I imagine with auto companies they're making autos. As you say, same Boxer engine. What you don't see rolling off automakers assembly lines are busses or dump trucks side by side with the cars.

Like a lot of us, I've been to the Airstream factory. It was set up to make trailers. Can it make Motorhomes? Well, it did, but quality suffered, and I imagine it played havoc with production. I've worked on a factory floor and it doesn't take much to upset the rhythm of the assembly line. Throwing motorhome production into a trailer assembly line just isn't that compatible.

You might not get management to admit that, but obviously Airstream decided to concentrate on doing what it does best. It isn't that they can't, it's because they shouldn't. It's not that big a mystery.

Coloradobus · 09-06-2011, 12:01 PM

Forrest's right. We owned since new a 1999 35 ft Cutter Diesel single slide on a Freightliner raised rail chassis and owned it for LESS than a year, 10 months actually. We got to use it for 4 months, and the rest of the time it was in a repair center either at Freightliner, our Airstream dealer, or Jackson Center. The only good thing we got out of owning it, was Airstream paid our fuel to bring the Cutter diesel to Jackson Center for them to work on it. They PAID our way to fly us home, and they brought the coach back to us, still with issues. It was no surprise to us Airstream ceased production of Class A's!