Bambi Sport 16J

[Shorefoot]

Hello folks, my wife & I are new to this site. We are interested in buying a new AS Bambi Sport 16J next year.. I've been other sites & blogs to get a general idea of prices for this unit. What's the the general rule of thumb off MSRP? I've seen anywhere from 10-20% off. Is this accurate for a new Sport 16J? We live in NJ & heard some stories about the local NJ dealer & their higher prices!!! I was wondering also if anybody has the stainless wraps installed on this smaller unit? I would hate to have a new trailer & it gets a couple of stone dings on it!!! We love the look & size of this smaller unit. It looks easy to tow & go. If anybody has this unit & can share any pros & cons like bed size, wet bath, fridge size it would be greatly appreciated!!! Safe travel to all!!!

Shorefoot

[cirrusdriver]

I'm picking mine up in NJ in a couple of weeks. If you are willing to order one and deal with the delay then you can get a decent deal. Mid to high teens discount. The rock guards are a dealer option that will be installed during prep. I ordered those for the same reason you mentioned. We also went with the backup camera and solar options. IMO this is a more solid package than the base camp and a better value. Good luck with your decision.

[Shiny16]

I bought a 16 from Colonial last fall. The price was in line with what I could best tell was average. I just can't see driving all over the place to maybe save a 1000 dollars. My dealings with colonial has been all positive. I also bought the rockguards. As far as units itself goes so far it has been very nice in our limited use. The wet bath doesn't seem like an issue so far. A separate shower and sink would be nice but towing with my Grand Cherokee with weight to spare is also nice.

[Shorefoot]

Thanks for the response!!! So other the delay (how long?) how was dealing with colonial? Those are the same options we are going to go with next year as well.. back camera, stone guard & overhead solar... thanks again & good luck with your new adventures!!!

[cirrusdriver]

This is my second time dealing with Colonial. I bought one of the Pendleton units last year. They've been great to deal with. I think I placed my order in mid February. It might be a little longer now since we are closer to the Spring season.

[SanAndVin]

Welcome to the Bambi 16 club. These little trailers are cute, easy to get along with, and they all the amenities as the big guys, just smaller.

We bought our Bambi in July and got all the bells and whistles, sans the $1000 back up camera. Our discount was in the upper teens. I think, if you get that in your deal, you are doing well.

Your instincts are good, buy the stone guards. Having that protection wrapping around the front of your trailer is peace of mind. Additionally, trade up for a motorized hitch. The convenience is worth the small amount of money. Also, from the dealer, purchase your portable solar unit. If your get it from the dealer, they will include and install a plug on the A-frame to couple the solar unit with your battery.

You will have a Fantastic Fan installed in your Bambi. Get on Amazon and order the Fantastic Fan weather cover. The cover allows you to keep the port open for ventilation but restricts rain water from seeping in your coach. If you wish, your dealer will happily install it for you, although it is not difficult to do yourself.

You asked about the refrigerator size. In the time we have had our Bambi we have used it a lot. We have been on three-week trips and short weekenders. So, here is our experience. If you are going out only for a couple days, then using the frig alone will work out just fine. There is plenty of room for drinks and perishables for two adults and a kid. If you are heading out for a longer trip, then you will need an ice chest stowed in your TV. For my three-week trips I use two ice chests: one with wet ice that gets opened a lot; the other is for hard frozen items. We do use the little frig during these trips, too.

The wet bath is small, true. But it does have the basics. When we travel, we stay in a mix of campsites with and without showers. If the campground has a shower we always use those facilities and save ourselves the chore of drying down the wet bath walls. We have used the shower in the Bambi and found it comfortable enough to get clean. My husband is 6'4" and had no problem sitting on the seat.

You asked about towing. Once you get your rig hooked up and start moving along, you will get to the point where you hardly notice the trailer is behind you. The Bambi tracks beautifully. The only real point to discuss is the issue of backing up the rig. The Bambi is short, so short in fact that your concern is not whether you can get into places, but rather the habit of over-steering. With a lot of practice, working with your partner, use walkie talkies to communicate, you will figure out what little effort it takes to back into a campsite.

The bed is a very personal thing. If you read throughout this website you will notice that some couples are perfectly happy sharing the double bed, as is. We are in this group. We tuck in good sheets, a blanket, and a cozy comforter and we are very happy. Other couples need more room and they describe breaking down the dining table to make a second bed every evening, they seem happy, too. It seems everyone finds their way. We do use the dining table converting to a bed, but serves our son to sleep on.

If you would like me to elaborate on anything, shoot me a note.

See you on the road...


Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[Boxite]

Rockguards have a draw-back as well: They reduce turning radius with many TowVehicles. Especially when backing up. You can quite easily and unnoticeably (until it's too late) you've contacted your forward trailer corners with your TV. A rockguard will also be damaged.

A simple solution is to put a "sweep" on the rear of your TV to prevent rocks from kicking up and hitting your coach... or to slow down on dirt roads. The heavy-duty plastic-wrap AS puts on the front corners is pretty durable.

[ijoe13]

New to AS, but have done some research on the Sport 16. My wife and I live in Seattle are considering the Sport 16. I've been wondering how necessary is it to have a rear bumper added. I suppose I'm not worried about backing the trailer into an obstacle, but it could be useful in terms of having someone bump the trailer from behind. Not sure it would offer a lot of preventative support if a hard rear end hit occurred. Thoughts?

Thanks - Joe

[Piggy Bank]

My opinion is that the "bumper" on an airstream is more of an "attached shallow storage box". I don't think engineering-wise it offers much functional force absorption such as the bumper on a car.

[OTRA15]

The rear bumper is an absolute necessity in my opinion to minimize damage to the exterior aluminum skin, and it can be replaced easily if bumped. The storage is also helpful in a small trailer with limited interior space.

[somer128]

Has anyone had the experience of putting a
Small corner bathroom sink into the wet bath of this trailer. If so, did you recommend plastic or porcelain or stainless steel ? I bought a used bambi 16'
Trailer from north river in fort meyers. They were good but my hitch wasn't installed properly but they paid to have it redone so I feel fine I love this trailer perfect size for me and my dog

[ijoe13]

Thanks folks, for the responses to the bumper question.