New vs Old

[greew016]

Husband wants to purchase used 2008 25 ft. safari queen bed, very basic, very good condition, no bells or whistles, no wrap around windows cloth interior walls and ceiling.

Wife wants to purchase new 25 ft. rear twin bed, front and back wrap around windows, some desirable bells: bedroom LED TV/DVD, convection microwave, some nice but not necessary: 600 W inverter, solar charging system. Aluminum walls & ceiling. Would expect 18 1/2 off retail.

Based on our age we would probably sell this unit in five years (could be sooner or later depending on health).

Husband bases decision on price alone - says depreciation less on used, easier to sell.

Wife says used unit is not desirable for most purchasers, harder to sell.

Either unit will meet basic needs. Marriage not in jeopardy.

[Bill M.]

I use a 1988 model 25' rear twin. Like the layout. Like the wrap around window (we only have it in front). New was not an option for me. If it is for you then I would do the new one. Yeah, it will cost a more and probably depreciate more, but if you can afford it why not get something you really like? Have know people who bought a new Airstream when they retired and were still going on caravans in it 30 years later. If you really need a good portion of the money back in 5 years you may be marginal for affording the new one.

[murreywalker]

Originally Posted by greew016

Husband wants to purchase used 2008 25 ft. safari queen bed, very basic, very good condition, no bells or whistles, no wrap around windows cloth interior walls and ceiling.

Wife wants to purchase new 25 ft. rear twin bed, front and back wrap around windows, some desirable bells: bedroom LED TV/DVD, convection microwave, some nice but not necessary: 600 W inverter, solar charging system. Aluminum walls & ceiling. Would expect 18 1/2 off retail.

Based on our age we would probably sell this unit in five years (could be sooner or later depending on health).

Husband bases decision on price alone - says depreciation less on used, easier to sell.

Wife says used unit is not desirable for most purchasers, harder to sell.

Either unit will meet basic needs. Marriage not in jeopardy.

If you've been married to the same person for a few years (my case it's been 47), there's no contest.

Are you going to wait until the 2013's come out, and what color interior are you going to get? ;-)

[Moflash]

Your going to live with it.I would get exactly what you want.
Trading up is more expensive!!

Life is too short to buy a basic Airstream

[c_lewis77]

Are you locked into 2008 or newer? If you are going to flip it in 5 years or so anyway, it might be worth while to consider an older unit that can be semi-customized to what your needs are and the difference in purchase/resale in 5 years will be less. Worth a look if you haven't considered it. I have seen some fantastic remodels/restorations.
I am biased of course.... my rig is 30 and still going strong!

[dkottum]

We had a 2007 20' Safari SE and had the exact same question. Choose the new 2012 rear bed Flying Cloud 25' with all the bells and whistles, including solar, inverter, micro, and full awnings. Just got back from six month trip to Southwest, you will love the 25'. Have not regretted it for a moment, and I was on your husband's side.

We priced used, you get what you pay for and the differential in price, new warranty, confidence in what your getting, made sense. The options make a huge difference in enjoyment of the trailer, and should be standard equipment on these trailers.

doug k

[ROBERT CROSS]

Either trailer is an excellent choice.....just remember.

"she's not happy,'til your not happy"

Give in, it's more fun anyway.

Bob

[Splitrock]

`

In my home we go by the golden rule . . . she with the gold rules.


`

[field & stream]

There is another option: a used one with all the bells and whistles. There is very little difference between the 08's and the new ones, and some (like LED lights) you can upgrade. With this option you can all the goodies you want, and save on depreciation, too.

[dwightdi]

It is like buying a mobile house except a little more complex. Husband and wife make up a list of priorities without the other seeing. Then rank them and assign an ascending number to the most important. Now you can put the two list together and get a relative ranking on priorities. Spend some time looking at various trailers until you find one that meets the most of them. DIY or hire someone to upgrade the unit to meet the other priorities.

[c_lewis77]

Originally Posted by dwightdi

It is like buying a mobile house except a little more complex. Husband and wife make up a list of priorities without the other seeing. Then rank them and assign an ascending number to the most important. Now you can put the two list together and get a relative ranking on priorities. Spend some time looking at various trailers until you find one that meets the most of them. DIY or hire someone to upgrade the unit to meet the other priorities.

Lol! Reminds me of "The Long Long Trailer"!

[TBRich]

Originally Posted by bfield

There is another option: a used one with all the bells and whistles. There is very little difference between the 08's and the new ones, and some (like LED lights) you can upgrade. With this option you can all the goodies you want, and save on depreciation, too.

That's what I was going to say. We bought ours new, and have not regretted it really, but there is something to be said for used in terms of $$ saved...but why buy anything that is not what you want? You will be able to find a slightly used unit with the features you want rather than settling for a used unit that doesn't have the features you like...halogen and incandescent lights can be replaced with LEDs, televisions can be replaced with newer ones...etc etc... I'd not settle for a less expensive used unit unless it had the stuff I wanted on it. They are out there.

[Skatiero]

They are both great choices. There are many older ones with exactly the features you are looking fir, so if you do decide not to buy new, consider continuing to look for exactly the bells and whistles you want. (ours is a 1989, and to me either of the ones you are considering sound "new). Either way, when you go to sell yours will be a used trailer whether you bout it new or not.

[danlehosky]

We bought new. At my wife's insistence. Now I'm glad we did. Lots of monry but I like the warranty. I also like the interior aluminum instead of the mouse fur. It's true you will take a depreciation hit but if you're expecting it so be it. If everybody worried about first year depreciation we wouldn't see many new products. Someone has to lead the way.
Dan

[Florida 55]

We looked at both new and old and ended up buying a 2008 model "lightly used" in August 2011. The price was substantially below new. The used model also came with a sway control hitch and a number of accessory items affording us additional savings.

If you buy a recent used model, plan to spend some additional money, as well as time, addressing issues you may not uncover at the time of purchase. We spent $400 to have an Airstream dealer "thoroughly" inspect the trailer before we paid the owner. Three months later we discovered we had substantial floor rot as well as a number of bad leaks. This situation necessitated a trip to the factory where they replaced about 1/3 of the subfloor and all of the vinyl flooring. The factory also installed a street side awning and made some minor repairs. Separately we replaced the four year old original tires as a safety precaution. I also added LED lighting to the interior and upgraded the converter myself.

Even though the costs associated with repairs and additions have been substantial, we are still ahead of the game economically and very much like our trailer. No buyer's remorse at all. However, if I had known the trailer we were buying had the floor rot problem at the time of purchase I'd have walked away from the deal and purchased a new one from the dealer who did the $400 inspection. It is ironic the poor job of inspecting a used trailer cost this dealer the sale of a new unit. In addition, should I ever trade my current trailer for a new unit, I will go to a different dealer to make the purchase.

It took us a year to find the right used trailer and we looked at a number of really good units and some poor units before we landed on our trailer. My observation is that units 10 years old or newer in excellent condition tend to sell very quickly and go for a premium over trailers in average condition. Poorly maintained units tend to languish on the market for months unless very sharply priced. My other observation is some sizes and floor plans seem to be more popular than others on the used market.

Good luck. Whatever you do will be right. Life is too short to agonize. If you enjoy traveling with your trailer the experiences will be priceless.

[casa3805]

The wrap around windows add so much to the light and feeling of space. So do the aluminum interiors, much like mirrors do. Obviously if you buy new you get to ask for all the bells and whistles you want. However, a quick trip thru the classifieds will let you see that a used Airstream about 5 or 6 years old will cost you about 60-65% of a brand new one. That is a significant price differential.
If money is not a consideration, new is good. But remember that an Airstream, with some care, will last a lifetime. Ours is a 27 ft 1984, wrap around windows in the front. 28 years old and in the prime of its life. (-: The price was right. And we have made many significant improvements (inside and out) without even scratching the price range of a new one. Always fun to have people ask me how old it is and watch the reaction when they are told...
That said, I search the classifieds daily...sigh

Good luck! And enjoy!

[urnmor]

It was not to long ago that my wife and I went through the same Scenario. In the end we bought a new 25' FC. Not sure of your age but from your post I gather that you are close to our age mid to late sixties and at that age health is always a consideration in making major decisions. It did in ours and it was one of the main reason we bought new.

We looked at used AS on the web for months even made an offer on one. However, I found that most used AS were not in the local area or were not what Claire and I wanted. Also the search was taken longer then I wanted so we decided to bite the bullet and buy new. We are glad we did. First and foremost we bought what we wanted and second the warranty is nice.

I am not one to worry about depreciation because we purchase for the long term. Yes health issue could be a problem but heck you made it this far so why do you think you will be in poor health in five years or so?

Yes new is expensive but if you can afford it I would strongly recommend going new. You worked hard for where you are and no doubt made many sacrifices along the way. Now is the time to pamper your bride and yourself.

Looking to seeing you on the road

John
.

[Denis4x4]

Consider doing a factory order. We got exactly what we wanted and didn't pay a dime for things we didn't want. From order date to delivery was about six weeks. Depending on the dealer, factory orders can produce discounts due to the elimination of flooring costs.

[rodsterinfl]

I know this thread is a month old but to add my thoughts, You could still get used and what you want. You also mentioned I believe not necessarily having it that long. Personally I would rather have used and the 25-30K of cash left to make it mine. to each his own I guess. I like the pano windows but I would not want them in my bedroom. Also, I bought a used one with the upholstered walls. I have since come to like it and actually thing it would be great to have a classic with the addition of wood cabinets. Yes, this coming from a person that wanted an International at first. Oh and for me I would rather not have a dinette. I have a place outside a pop up leaf table inside and that's enough but again to each his own.

[rodsterinfl]

Oh, forgot to mention that your 25' used Safari option could be gussied up. I have an '06 Safari twin and since Feb I have added two fantastic vents with sensors, A new microwave, top end mattress, LED lighting all over with clear lenses, an entertainment system that includes led Tvs, Blueray Hdmi switching, subwoofer, soundbar, new radio upgrade with whole trailer Bluetooth voice command and hands free calling and it wasn't that hard to do. at least all but the HDMI wiring.. I also added a rear view camera for towing.