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09-21-2005, 12:51 PM
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#41
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wahoonc
most if not all of the RV based washer/dryers I have seen have been the single drum combo units, Splendide is the brand that comes to mind.
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And they are VERY expensive.
Shari
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09-21-2005, 02:23 PM
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#42
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Rivet Monster
1975 31' Sovereign
1980 31' Excella II
Sprung Leak
, North Carolina
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maqboqs
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Maq,
That is a copier copy of the one I already have...plus you can get a legal reprint from Airstream for $60...
Aaron
__________________
....so many Airstreams....so little time...
WBCCI #XXXX AIR #2495
Why are we in this basket...and where are we going
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09-21-2005, 04:51 PM
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#43
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Rivet Master
2021 27' Globetrotter
Saint Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by InsideOut
And they are VERY expensive.
Shari
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I think Trailer Life did an article on this type of appliance a couple of issues back and they concluded that while they work, they were not the greatest things in the world.
Dennis
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09-21-2005, 05:04 PM
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#44
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Rivet Master
2021 27' Globetrotter
Saint Louis
, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,108
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maqboqs,
Have you thought about buying new/newer and financing? The interest is a tax deduction since the A/S qualifies as a "home".
I know it isn't good to go into debt to get a tax deduction, but it may make buying and financing more appealing since you're single and are taxed at a higher rate to begin with.
Not a recommendation, just something to consider.
Dennis
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09-22-2005, 05:22 AM
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#45
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Just an old timer...
2004 22' Interstate
Tipton
, Iowa
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,766
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Well, I learn something new every day. I had no idea that service manuals were actually available! Thanks guys!
Roger
__________________
havin' to fix my broken Airstreams since 1987...
AIR 2053 Current: 2004 Airstream Interstate "B-Van" T1N DODGE Sprinter
Former Airstreams: 1953 Flying Cloud, 1957 Overlander, 1961 Bambi, 1970 Safari Special, 1978 Argosy Minuet, 1985 325 Moho, 1994 Limited 34' Two-door, 1994 B190 "B-Van"
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09-26-2005, 04:45 AM
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#46
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1 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
Abbeville
, Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cosmotini
maqboqs,
Have you thought about buying new/newer and financing? The interest is a tax deduction since the A/S qualifies as a "home".
I know it isn't good to go into debt to get a tax deduction, but it may make buying and financing more appealing since you're single and are taxed at a higher rate to begin with.
Not a recommendation, just something to consider.
Dennis
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Dennis,
Actually, money isn't really a problem. At present, my income as a single individual is over $2,000/Mo and my expenses are about half that. With the planned move to Oklahoma coming up, my income will increase by $1,000/Mo. I'll be making $700/Wk.
So I am financially secure, stable, and able to buy pretty much whatever I want/need. The decision to live in an Airstream is a choice I believe I want to make, with the understanding and realization that if I find it to be a mistake, or it simply doesn't work out for me, then I will not be too badly offset if I must turn around and sell my Airstream trailer (even if at a loss) and return to my life as I now know it.
I have two University degrees. While I do not want anyone to think of me as bragging, because I am not, I need you to know that I am not choosing to want to live in a trailer for financial reasons. I could just as well get financing and place a down payment on a house if I wanted.
Believe me, if I purchase an Airstream, I plan to redo the entire interior - flat panel television, end-to-end high-tech stereo system, high-gloss off-white walls, cabinets, custom hardware, etc. Replaced carpeting, track lighting, solar panels on rooftop, gas generator, on and on...
I have been investigating the combo washer/dryer units and can find a decent one on eBay for $350 to $500, or a new one from $700 to $1,600 and would plan to remove the range/oven and replace it with the combo unit. I do all of my cooking in an electric wok and microwave, so the oven/range is, to me, a complete waste of space that would be better used by an appliance I can use to wash and dry my clothing.
In the end, if this doesn't end up working for me, or I just simply get bored with it, selling the modified trailer for what I can get and returning to everyday apartment living will be little more than a minor inconvenience.
Do any of you know of any good Airstream or other RV modification sites?
__________________
I'm MAQ BOQS - As in Mac Box... I'm a Machead.
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09-26-2005, 06:02 AM
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#47
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Rivet Master
1956 16' Bubble
Rose Lodge
, Oregon
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: 1961 26' Overlander
Posts: 921
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Yikes
Doesn't $700 a week mean you get food stamps or something too?
__________________
Of course I'm an elitist. Look around you.
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09-26-2005, 06:45 AM
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#48
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Retired.
Currently Looking...
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, At Large
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,276
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Quote:
Originally Posted by summerkid
Doesn't $700 a week mean you get food stamps or something too?
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Theresa, he said $700/week, not $700/month.
As far as a washer and dryer, he could get one of those Rubbermaid "instant sheds" and place the washer and dryer in it, keeping it out of the trailer, so he can run whatever electric he needs out to the shed. He could also use the rest of the shed to store his seasonal items, and some of those buildings can be set up and taken down in a matter of an hour or two. He could then take it with him without damage if he ever had to move.
__________________
Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.
Terry
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09-26-2005, 06:45 AM
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#49
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2 Rivet Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by summerkid
Doesn't $700 a week mean you get food stamps or something too?
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Maybe that's "take home". I know after I pay Health insurance for three, SS, income tax, and pretty soon.. child support, I am left with crumbs!
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09-26-2005, 07:06 AM
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#50
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Retired.
Currently Looking...
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, At Large
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,276
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Oh, the apartment-sized washer and dryer usually run about $700 or so for the set from Sears Outlet, or at least they did when I last bought a set. If he winds up with a little mini shed, he could then get a full-sized set for a lot less, and have to do laundry less often to boot.
__________________
Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.
Terry
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09-26-2005, 08:40 AM
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#51
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Rivet Master
1956 16' Bubble
Rose Lodge
, Oregon
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: 1961 26' Overlander
Posts: 921
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Quote:
Originally Posted by overlander63
Theresa, he said $700/week, not $700/month.
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I know, but still, doesn't that qualify one for welfare nowadays? That's barely more than 100 bucks a day. I'm no millionaire after a quarter-century in public service jobs but still, I'm racking my brain trying to figure out when I last made anywhere near that ... must have been the mid-'80s ... and it hurt THEN.
__________________
Of course I'm an elitist. Look around you.
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09-26-2005, 03:42 PM
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#52
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2 Rivet Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 26
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Ouch on the income issue... I make about 30% of what I was making last year to go back to school (for a 3rd degree...) 700 a week would be nice, although I guess I still get paid to go to school so I can't complain too much!
I sold a 2400 sq ft, 4 bdrm house a couple months ago and have been full-timing in a 79 Excella, 31'. It's been great to go from $1400 a month in home bills to $350 for my lot rent... one smart thing to do is scout out a parking space before buying. This is nearly as important as researching trailers. I was able to get a park that has a laundry room and shower that is all of 100 feet from my door step. The center bath is small but I don't need to use it with the shared facility. It is an all-ages kind of park so I don't stick out quite as badly, and also I am able to bike to work in 10-15 minutes. Lots of great perks based purely on location...
I too am a single male, actually a little younger than 34, and my grad school friends all get a kick out of coming to visit and bbq. Its nice to have a yard and some ownership, as compared to an apartment. I also have a 10' by 10' gazebo from Target that functions as my office during warm weather. And I have good excuses to visit friends with spacious homes too. The trailer won't appreciate in value, but median home prices here in Reno are quickly approaching 300k, and students can't afford that. So, yes, I say go for it. It is indeed fun to go full-time. By the way, I'm a Minnesota native, so my furnace is on less than you might expect... and no, I wouldn't live in a trailer there.
By the way... I bought the most original 79 I could find and have been doing "period correct" decorating rather than modifying it--vintage TV, radio, dishes, etc...
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09-26-2005, 03:55 PM
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#53
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Retired.
Currently Looking...
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, At Large
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,276
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Quote:
Originally Posted by summerkid
I know, but still, doesn't that qualify one for welfare nowadays? That's barely more than 100 bucks a day. I'm no millionaire after a quarter-century in public service jobs but still, I'm racking my brain trying to figure out when I last made anywhere near that ... must have been the mid-'80s ... and it hurt THEN.
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Hmm...I am not sure what the expenses are like in Oklahoma, but if I take my expenses here, if he bought a house, or even rented one, it would be $1000/month. Lot rent should be around a quarter of that, say $250. Electric would likely average $100/month. Water and sewer are usually included in lot rent, at least here. So his housing expenses after trailer purchase would be 1/8 his monthly salary, much less than the recommended budgeted amount.
That leaves $350/ month for a trailer payment, or to make upgrades and repairs on one he buys outright, and still be within accepted budget limits. Who would need welfare? BTW, welfare threshlod would likely be $600/month gross income...based on past experience trying to get assistance for my retired parents.
__________________
Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.
Terry
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09-26-2005, 08:08 PM
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#54
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1 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
Abbeville
, Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 13
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I was born in Springfield Missouri and have family and friends in both Springfield and Joplin Missouri, so I travel there nearly yearly. Cost of living is not bad. In Springfield I have a number of friends living in two bedroom second and third floor apartments where they pay around $385/Mo. In Joplin decent apartments run around $400.
I miss the general prices of things there. I live very cheaply (had to learn to after enduring eight tortuous years at University living off loans). I miss 45 cent loaves of generic bread in Joplin at Food 4 Less. I miss Always Save and Best Buy brands. Those brands are nowhere to be found down here. I hate having to pay $2.50 for a dang loaf of bread. Sadly, the cheapest bread here is 99 cents, and that stuff shouldn't be fed to the hogs. It is nasty, grainy, and falls apart the instant you try spreading jelly or butter on it.
I get a lot of flack for making decent wages. I don't know if I'm blessed or cursed. In the last ten years I've gone through 17 jobs!!! Yes, seventeen! I get a good paying job, then they find cheap labor in India, then I lose my job. On to the next, same thing. Such is the life of a guy who wasted eight years of his life on computers and programming.
In absolute honesty, I'm determined to enroll to a trade school once in the Tulsa area and pick up something that dang well cannot be outsourced, like welding, carpentry, or anything requiring here-and-now hands-on labor.
I already know my "too good to be true" $700 a week job will be pulled out from under me by next Summer. They wanna hire me to do the big brains proprietary work they do not want other countries to know about, then the rest they can do cheaply overseas once they no longer need me.
Same song, different employer.
By the way, I'm no stranger to Food Stamps. Have received them more than once between "too good to be true" jobs. It gave me a real sense of understanding two years ago in 2003 when I drove my 2002 $12,000 vehicle to the local Food Stamp office and applied. With nasty looks people said "there's another one of those leeches" as they saw me get out of my nice car. Well, I lost that car a few weeks later, for about 1/3 the price I paid for it in order to pay my bills until I found another job.
I think this works into my desire for a small, convenient home on wheels I can take where ever I want or need. And the prospect of having a small Rubbermaid shed is out of the question, though a good idea. If I'm gonna do this, it's gotta be all the way - meaning 100% Airstream-maintained. If it doesn't fit in or on the Airstream, then I'll do without it. I expect to be able to move it all in a single trip at a moment's notice if needed.
Fun fun!!!
__________________
I'm MAQ BOQS - As in Mac Box... I'm a Machead.
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09-27-2005, 04:44 AM
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#55
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Rivet Monster
1975 31' Sovereign
1980 31' Excella II
Sprung Leak
, North Carolina
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by summerkid
I know, but still, doesn't that qualify one for welfare nowadays? That's barely more than 100 bucks a day. I'm no millionaire after a quarter-century in public service jobs but still, I'm racking my brain trying to figure out when I last made anywhere near that ... must have been the mid-'80s ... and it hurt THEN.
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Summerkid,
The current poverty guidelines are pretty low...$9310 for a family of 1 and $18,850 for a family of 4. Maq is making pretty decent money. IMHO...about as much as a good skilled laborer...now you know why I did not follow in my parents footsteps and become an educator! Too much education and not enough $$. I also look at income as a state of mind, unlike a large portion of the american public, some of us prefer to live simply and not chase the almighty dollar, a new car, a bigger house, etc. For years I lived in a boarding house and rode a bicycle every where I went. In a way I really miss those days, life was simple. At another point I lived in a pickup camper in the woods with no electricity or running water. I had water but I had to pump it made for strong arms and back it also teaches you a skill set that in my opinion (not humble) is sorely lacking in today's society.
Aaron
__________________
....so many Airstreams....so little time...
WBCCI #XXXX AIR #2495
Why are we in this basket...and where are we going
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09-27-2005, 08:36 AM
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#56
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Rivet Master
2012 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Vintage Kin Owner
Virginia Beach
, Virginia
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,801
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The third place
Quote:
Originally Posted by maqboqs
I think this works into my desire for a small, convenient home on wheels I can take where ever I want or need. And the prospect of having a small Rubbermaid shed is out of the question, though a good idea. If I'm gonna do this, it's gotta be all the way - meaning 100% Airstream-maintained. If it doesn't fit in or on the Airstream, then I'll do without it. I expect to be able to move it all in a single trip at a moment's notice if needed.
Fun fun!!!
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I remember an episode of "Northern Exposure" where the cast members mused over the world's last communal ritual - going to the river and washing clothes together. O'Connor was abandoning it by getting her own washer and dryer. In the end, she sold them to the laundromat because she lost so much connection with her friends by cocooning with her machines.
The world is full of laundromats. If you want to live simply forget having a washer/dryer onboard. It's just one more thing that can break - and they are never big enough to do anything large. Buy two weeks worth of skivvies if you worry about running out of stuff.
I was in New Bern NC last week at a pretty decent KOA and enjoyed doing my laundry while chatting with a couple of nice guys from Texas. They were pulling a 25 ft Safari with a Jeep Cherokee - and had been doing so since 2000!
I turned them onto this forum.
Tin Lizzie
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09-27-2005, 01:38 PM
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#57
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1 Rivet Member
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
Abbeville
, Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulaFord
I remember an episode of "Northern Exposure" where the cast members mused over the world's last communal ritual - going to the river and washing clothes together. O'Connor was abandoning it by getting her own washer and dryer. In the end, she sold them to the laundromat because she lost so much connection with her friends by cocooning with her machines.
The world is full of laundromats. If you want to live simply forget having a washer/dryer onboard. It's just one more thing that can break - and they are never big enough to do anything large. Buy two weeks worth of skivvies if you worry about running out of stuff.
I was in New Bern NC last week at a pretty decent KOA and enjoyed doing my laundry while chatting with a couple of nice guys from Texas. They were pulling a 25 ft Safari with a Jeep Cherokee - and had been doing so since 2000!
I turned them onto this forum.
Tin Lizzie
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HA! I remember that episode too. You might be right. I could as easily do laundry at a laundromat. I don't mind doing laundry though and could see myself doing a load in the combo unit every other day or so, but you do have a point. The extra space could be put to use in other ways, though I do like the idea of having my Airstream as "complete" a home as I can.
Heh, speaking of my dirty linens, where's my mother when I need her?
__________________
I'm MAQ BOQS - As in Mac Box... I'm a Machead.
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09-27-2005, 03:01 PM
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#58
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3 Rivet Member
2022 16' Basecamp
Currently Looking...
anywhere
, Alabama
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 218
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Get a 30+ Airstream for full-timing. Go to the dealer websites and checkout the layouts and options that you want. Newer models offer flat screen TVs, indoor/outdoor speakers/solar panels, generator connections, etc. Also check their used inventory. Go visit the dealer and spend time in the Airstreams to see where you would put your stuff, where will your laptop go, etc. Then when you buy it, you will have more time to enjoy it.
I understand your cooking preferences. I have a convection over/microwave combo that works great. I used it for grilling steaks in Yellowstone, making popcorn and baking cookies. Works better than the conventional oven which just takes up space. Multipurpose tools is what you need in small spaces.
We just spent two weeks in our trailer and it was great. I wish I could fulltime! Good luck.
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09-27-2005, 04:51 PM
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#59
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Rivet Monster
1975 31' Sovereign
1980 31' Excella II
Sprung Leak
, North Carolina
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 7,172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonia
Get a 30+ Airstream for full-timing. Go to the dealer websites and checkout the layouts and options that you want. Newer models offer flat screen TVs, indoor/outdoor speakers/solar panels, generator connections, etc. Also check their used inventory. Go visit the dealer and spend time in the Airstreams to see where you would put your stuff, where will your laptop go, etc. Then when you buy it, you will have more time to enjoy it.
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Sonia,
Good ideas...but you can retrofit all of them into a vintage unit...I am working on the flat screen...it comes right after the Fantastic Fans along with the fluroscent light(s) upgrade...
Aaron
__________________
....so many Airstreams....so little time...
WBCCI #XXXX AIR #2495
Why are we in this basket...and where are we going
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09-27-2005, 04:55 PM
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#60
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Retired.
Currently Looking...
.
, At Large
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 21,276
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wahoonc
Sonia,
Good ideas...but you can retrofit all of them into a vintage unit...I am working on the flat screen...it comes right after the Fantastic Fans along with the fluroscent light(s) upgrade...
Aaron
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I have a flat panel in our 63, and halogen lighting, too. But Fantastic Fans use 12v, at this time all I have is 110.
__________________
Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.
Terry
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