help!! can anyone tell me how to convince my hubby!

staceydr200 · 10-04-2008, 02:38 PM

I have a chance to buy my friends 2005 bambi ccd 19ft on Mon, she only used it a couple of time 2 yrs ago, its like new.. (she offered a great price I think??) 20K, I think she paid almost $50, my hubby is worried w/the economy that we should pass it up.. I am so sad I want it so much, is that a price too good to pass??? Do they hold their value?? How can I convince him or should I just buy it like I was going to do?? I already told my friend I was going to get it.. I was just going to surprise my hubby.. please reply w/any info re the bambi ccd 19 2005 model to help reassure him.. any info would be great!!!! stacey

purman · 10-04-2008, 03:23 PM

Sounds like a great price... What does the Economy have to do with enjoying an AS... Plus they hold there value better than any other TT on the market today... I get it....

Here is one for $37,000 Airstream Trailer & Motorhome Classifieds - 2005 Airstream Bambi 16ft International CCD Lemongrass - Powered by PhotoPost Classifieds

And another for $25,000 http://www.rvlegends.com/usedinvento....aspx?id=20048

It's a good deal and a great trailer, GET IT>>>>

Foiled Again · 10-04-2008, 03:24 PM

$20K for one in almost new condition sounds more than fair... especially in California. Do take it to a dealer and have it inspected to see that no plumbing froze over the winter and that the water heater and furnace work correctly (they should, but spiders really DO like to live near propane and either might need cleaning and adjusting as well as having the webs blown out.

Now, Can you afford it? If you are making a maximum contribution toward your 401K and have savings for your kids college tuitions, and don't have a lot of debt - why not? If you can't sell your house because your mortgage is $200K higher than what you could now GET for it... not a great purchase. If you're already just barely getting by... this isn't the time to take on more debt or even deplete your savings by paying cash.

What ELSE do you do? I've seen people try to maintain six to ten expensive hobbies. We can all fall prey to thinking we MUST have the biggest barbecue grill or wear $1100 shoes, or drive his and her Hummers, etc. Are you going to have to give up something else you value to have this trailer? Will your REALLY give it up?

You never get your money back out of an RV. Take that to the bank. Your friend has already learned that lesson. An Airstream is not an investment... but it CAN be a big money saver. If you normally travel and stay in hotels, staying in a small trailer and cooking "at home" can make your vacations a lot less expensive even after paying the fuel cost to tote a trailer around. If you can visit your in-laws and not have to stay IN THEIR House, it might save your sanity and your marriage! If you go to any kind of tailgate parties, or enjoy sports events or concerts... true sanity might mean going to the trailer afterwards for dinner and a nap while all of the nutjobs sit in stalled traffic for 3 hours trying to get out of the parking lot. Surfing, camping, riding bicycles, kayaking, hiking - all make good companion hobbies for Airstreaming - and camping in the Airstream is comfortable and economical way to enjoy these hobbies more often.

In short, if you're really a "camper" already and are getting tired of tents and air mattresses, or do a lot of weekend trips that you KNOW you will use your Airstream instead of a motel, it makes sense. If you're willing to vacation in Lake Tahoe instead of Tahiti - it makes a LOT of sense. If you've got a lot of people who visit YOU and you can put them in your guest house instead of the living room, that's great too.

Makes some lists:

Plans for activities that WILL be done using the Airstream
Amount of money that you can legitimately expect to save using the Airstream vs. motels, resorts, etc. Pull activities you've done over the last 2-3 years that could have been Airstreaming activities.
Cost of storing the Airstream (check your zoning you might not be able to keep it at your home)
Cost of furnishing & modifying your Airstream - my current one has a new bedspread $100, a custom table lift $50, extra shelves for the pantry $40, and for my next project I'm replacing the venetian blinds with the rather pricy rollup blinds they have in the CCDs for around $600 (just hate to dust venetian blinds every week).

Do your homework and think this decision over carefully. There's no point in losing your husband over this... (well even that depends!)... but if you can make good cogent arguments in favor of the Airstream, he'll probably buy in. Here's one: You and your buddies can have the house for a ginormous super bowl party... while a girlfriend and I spend the whole weekend touring quaint shops in Napa Valley. (or fill in some other activity like antiquing, museums, arboretums, etc. that will just make his skin crawl.) If he falls for this, hide all of the breakables, and put plastic sheeting over the carpets before you turn the house over to the boys.

Good luck and happy trails with either choice you make. ALSO if you don't get this one... trust me there will be another one that's even better in your future.

Paula

**Kevin245** · 10-04-2008, 03:25 PM

MARRY ME!!!!! I won't mind if you buy it!!!!

ROBERT CROSS · 10-04-2008, 06:45 PM

You could always try going on "strike".

Ask me how I know.

TBRich · 10-04-2008, 07:08 PM

It's a good price if it doesn't have any "unusual" problems and you have it checked over... AND if you are going to use it. It's not a good price if it's just going to sit in your driveway....it's expensive yard art. I told Greg when we got our 19' that if we do this, we are going to USE it... And happily, we do...as often as we possible can...when the stars are right, we are gone about every other weekend...and try to make one longer trip about every month or so...

Fyrzowt · 10-04-2008, 07:32 PM

Quote:

help!! can anyone tell me how to convince my hubby!

Woman's wiles...

I've bought lots of things that I wouldn't otherwise have.

2airishuman · 10-04-2008, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staceydr200

...she offered a great price I think??...20K, I think she paid almost $50.

Do they hold their value??

looks like u answered this question stacy....

but there is a lot more to buying and keeping and using a stream than the initial purchase price.

cash or finance? got good credit?

insurance? storage? adequate tow vehicle? and so on...

so impulse buying is risky, and there are LOTS of trailers for sale.

so a better question is HOW MUCH can u afford for ALL rv, maintenace and travel related issues, monthly and yearly ?

and just how good a friend is this friend?

cheers
2air'

uwe · 10-04-2008, 08:05 PM

We recently sold a 04 CCD BAMBI 19FT FOR 31K, without a complaint from the buyer. 20k for a barely used 05 seems to be a very low price.

2airishuman · 10-04-2008, 08:11 PM

ok, lets sort this out...

at 9pm last evening you announced the purchase...

New airstream owner!!!!! any advice?

and now TODAY, u r asking for advice on convincing your mate?

perhaps he needs to register here and read what u r up 2?

cheers
2air'

Janet's Husband · 10-04-2008, 08:46 PM

OUCH! Busted....

But we can still help you. Load it up and head for one of the rallies, that will convince anyone of the trailers worth.

staceydr200 · 10-05-2008, 04:32 AM

well.. I told my friend that I wanted the as on Friday. we agreed to a price on Fri night..I hadn't talked w/ hubby until very late fri night after already speaking w/my friend, My hubby was not so stoked about it, I thought he would be just as happy as me... So on Sat, I was looking for advise to convince him what a great idea it is to buy the as..I figure I have until Monday. He knows me very well and if I choose to still buy the as, he would probably not be surprised..I would hope he would learn to love it as much as me.. so that might explain why I announced the purchase on Friday night, but, had not talked w/hubby until very late on Friday...I really thought he would say "GREAT", but I was wrong.. and I am supposed to pick up the as on Monday this week,,so I do not have it yet... so I help this clears the confusion anyone might have, plus I was so happy to find this site I just started asking ???'s to get info...everyone has been awsome... by the way I do not hide things from my guy, I just like surprises!!!

ROBERT CROSS · 10-05-2008, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staceydr200

well.., I just like surprises!!!

My DW is full of surprises too, but never quite as surprising as yours.

Convince him that the Romance of the Airstream Lifestyle has just begun.

**Janet** · 10-05-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by staceydr200

..I would hope he would learn to love it as much as me..

He will. Load up the Airstream with his favorite hobby... fishing, good wine, great music - whatever gets him going, and take off for a weekend.
Like nascar? go camp at a track over race weekend
Like music? Camp at a music festival

But most importantly - meet some other Airstreamers. The trailers are cool, but the people who are drawn to them are cooler. He'll come around, and if he doesn't, you can always sell it and recoup your cash.