Newbie: Top five things you wish you had known prior to purchase

[Splitrock]

I wish I'd have know thieves are only targeting old Airstreams.

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by rjack

The twin beds are a good choice as they allow the bedroom to be useable as a room...for resting, dressing, emailing, etc. (due to the walk-around space).

Probably true enough, but on the downside, we had twins in our last trailer and my wife always complained how difficult it was making the beds with one side against the wall.

For that reason, we specifically looked for a walk around Queen bed in the next trailer - that is what we have now and she is happier.

She did not want a queen bed with one side up against a wall.

Brian

[Bonnie Disch]

Pinky,
We just purchased a 2006 22' International last month, after looking at all the different AS out there this is the design that appealed to me. We found this one at a dealer in Wi. so we drove from Ky. to get it sight unseen. We spent a day going over it while the dealer made our truck tow worthy hitch, brakes all that. Have no regrets,
and have been out in it every weekend since. Love getting out of the city and away from our busy careers. When I'm not out in it, I enjoy seeing sit in my driveway as it reminds me of art. AS people are the nicest people in the world, I found this out at rest stops on our way back from Wi. Don't over-think this, just do it!
Bonnie

[Pinky65]

UPDATE: I never officially got back to you all to thank you properly about all the advice. I took it all to heart - every bit of it - and ended up biting the bullet and getting an Eddie Bauer. It has every single thing I wanted in an Airstream - and I get to break it in myself. And being only 46 - I hope to work myself like crazy for the next 5 years, pay it and the truck off, sell my house and get on the road for months at a time when my 50s roll around. Thanks to everybody who took the time to respond and help me with my dream

[eubank]

Hummm. Since we bought our vintage rig at the time before the Internet went public, we had no way of knowing that there are lots of Airstreams out there for sale. However, if we had had access to information of this kind -- and if we had had the foreknowledge that a longer rig limits access to special places in the west -- we probably would have searched for a shorter Airstream.

No regrets, though. We use the Airstream and plan to continue doing so, even with its length limitation. And once we become doggie-parents again some day, we will then remind ourselves how much nicer it is to have a longer rig.


Lynn

[Scott J-24]

Everything everyone else said... But the number one question I keep asking myself is why we took so long before purchasing our Airstream.

[flyfisher]

I wish I had known how terrible Airstream's quality control was (it was non existant), how poor my dealer was (he was Airstream's oldest dealer at the time but is no longer in business), and that Airstream's management would not honor their written warranty policy (they required me to bring my trailer back to the factory for repair at my expense, instead of returning it to an authorized service center as per the policy). Simply stated, I wish I had never bought an Airstream in the first place.

[kcashut]

I totally agree. I prefer the Safari interiors much over the international anyway.