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Old 03-28-2017, 05:22 PM   #1
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2018 19' Flying Cloud
Newport , Washington
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Two FC19 Questions

After what seems like years lurking on the forum my wife and I are within 6-8 weeks of purchasing our first AS. We have visited multiple dealers in as many states, sat in everything from a Sport 16 to a FC30 with bunks, discussed at great length our anticipated usage, etc. and finally settled on a FC19. There are a couple of questions that I really could use some help with.

1) We just retired and are still adjusting to the whole "fixed income" thing. Before we spring for an AS we want to make certain we can really afford to do this. Can anyone tell us approximately what we can expect to pay for insurance. I realize it varies with state of residence, driving record, etc. but we're just looking for a ballpark idea.
2) Having lurked here literally very day for more than a year, I kept seeing folks who said they purchased a 19 or 20' only to find it was too small and moved to a larger size. I've also noticed the dealers seem to be moving a fairly large number of new 19' trailers. Combining these two observations I started shopping in earnest, fully expecting to see a fair number of used FC 19's for sale. I've been watching the Airstream Classifieds, RVT.com, RV Trader.com, and the websites of several major dealers throughout the country. To my surprise we have found very, very few used FC 19's for sale. Is this really the case or am I just not turning over the right rocks?
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Old 03-28-2017, 05:55 PM   #2
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2014 19' Flying Cloud
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Make no mistake-you can be very comfortable in a 19'. We bought a 2014 FC last spring after having full timed for eight years in a 36' diesel pusher. We do have a park model in a south TX RV resort so during non-use times i.e winter-we put the AS in storage for insurance purposes-saves a lot! Like you said, there are a lot of variables as to cost but we have found National General and Progressive to be very RV friendly. We pay in the ballpark of $1200 for both our AS and van (our TV).
Back to the size issue, much of that depends on what kind of usage your AS will get as well how often you will use it. Full time living would definitely require a larger unit, in my opinion, for a couple. But for weekends and extended vacations we have been very happy with the 19'.
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Old 03-28-2017, 05:56 PM   #3
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Welcome! We are glad to have you with us.

Insurance is pretty cheap for me. I want to say $300ish a year. Give progressive a call as they offer a pretty good package. I have roadside with them and they will replace our trailer, not just give us the depreciated value of the trailer (very important for an Airstream.

As far as looking for 19s used, I'm not sure. Those are the places I would be looking. I wonder if you will see more of them with spring coming.
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Old 03-28-2017, 06:49 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KelloggKid View Post
Having lurked here literally very day for more than a year, I kept seeing folks who said they purchased a 19 or 20' only to find it was too small and moved to a larger size.
Although there are many here who are happy as pie with their 19', make sure you are content with a bed that is only 48" wide....that's two feet each! I loved our 19 but got tired of setting up the dinette into a bed so we could both have room to sleep without bumping each other.
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Old 03-28-2017, 07:18 PM   #5
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I boated for 15 years, and even though it's just the wife and I, and a dog, we ended up getting bigger and bigger boats, losing a ton of money on each deal. When it was time for the Airstream, we both agreed to get the biggest one we could.

Many folks are very happy with smaller trailers. It just depends on your individual circumstance, tastes, and tolerances for tight spaces. We bought ours with the thought of paying it off and keeping it for 30 years. We're about 10 years away from retirement.
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Old 03-28-2017, 07:30 PM   #6
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2018 26' Flying Cloud
Brighton , Michigan
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On the insurance question, in Michigan we pay $200 a year full coverage, depreciated value. When in storage just comprehensive on it, $5 a month. Insured thru a full lines carrier, they have our cars, house, umbrella etc. which gives us a small break in price.

When deciding between a trailer and motorhome the registration and insurance costs were dramatically different. In Michigan the trailer reg. is a one time fee of $100 the MH $400 annually. MH insurance was $1600 a year.
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Old 03-28-2017, 07:56 PM   #7
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Stay on top of things and the right deal will happen. I have seen a few FC 19s, 1-3 years old, pop up in the last several months. I follow the market just for fun. There was a 2016 that was ridiculously priced, I contacted them out of curiousity because I was tempted to buy it and lip it, but it was gone.

I bought both my previous 19 FC and my current 23 FC FB used, a 2013 and a 2014, and got good deals on both. Since you've settled on used, you should do fine if you buy it right and decide to upgrade...and I repeat, if you buy it right. In that case you shouldn't lose much in a year or two or even three, if you decide to sell and upgrade.

Make sure you have email notifications turned on for all the sites you look at, you named the right three. My current 23 FC I got an email in the morning, could see the price was right, and after a tour via video on smartphone, made a deposit and then drove 1700 miles to get it. It was priced very right, even before I knocked them down further. (It was a dealer surprisingly enough, I don't think they understood their numbers, and/or really slaughtered the original owner who traded in on a newer/larger one. Dealer said they could have sold it 10 times over at full asking price in the week before I picked it up. But I jumped on it and put a deal together the first day it came on RvTrader.

Be patient and be ready to move quickly when one pops up, and it will happen.
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Old 03-28-2017, 08:40 PM   #8
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Spokane , Washington
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We got our 2016 FC last August,,it was at the end of the year and we think we got a great deal on a new unit with a full two year warranty, it was a peace of mind to buy new from a local dealer

Like you we searched for a used unit for two years, when one would come available it would be gone in hours,,,very frustrating ,,,we have no regrets in buying new,,,

Ken (Spokane Valley)

If you want to meet for coffee sometime, we can educate you on everything we have learned over the past year
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Old 03-29-2017, 09:01 AM   #9
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Thank you all for your thoughtful postings. As so often happens on this forum I learned more than I expected.

1) It sounds like the cost of insurance is going to work for us. Thank you to those who pointed out the ability to reduce your insurance load during times when the trailer is in storage. I had no idea that could be done.
2) Those who pointed out the short comings of a 19' (pun intended) thank you for your input as well. My wife and I have put a lot of time and thought into this, spent hours in various size and models and we feel that for our purposes a 19' will work nicely. We do not anticipate any trips longer than 3 days, and we are very outdoor oriented so will be in the trailer mostly to sleep and eat. We are small, trim, and prone to cuddling at night so the narrow width of the bed will not be a problem for us.
3) The suggestion that I sign up for email notifications when a used FC19 comes on the market is a good one and I have just done so. Thanks for that.
4) I have not seen a great deal of difference between the discounted price of a brand new unit versus the price of a 1-2 year old used one. We were hoping to perhaps find one that was 3-4 years old, and failing that see what we could negotiate on a 2017 once the 2018's come out. Spinonedad thanks for your thoughts. I will PM you.


I'm still somewhat baffled as to where all the 19' trailers disappear to. With so many being sold, and so many folks regretting the size and moving up, I really expected to see more used ones on the market. I suspect they are being resold via local dealers who may not be advertising on national internet sites.

Again, many thanks to all of you who took the time to respond. Your efforts and opinions are greatly appreciated.
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Old 03-29-2017, 09:41 AM   #10
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We are the happy owners of a 2015 19' Flying Cloud. We're camping in it now, and have taken extensive trips in it, up to two months.

1. I can't comment on your insurance as we live in Canada. But our prior 2005 16' Bambi was totalled in an accident and we were very thankful that we had paid for the more expensive insurance that covered the replacement value of what a new 2005 Bambi cost back then. Nobody plans to be in an accident, but that's what insurance is for.

2. Size-wise, a lot depends upon your camping style. Much of our camping is in BC or the western states, in "primitive" public campgrounds in more natural settings, vs. RV "resorts; and we didn't want to go over 20 feet. A lot of the older campgrounds were not designed for big rigs. We generally travel as just a couple, minus children or grandchildren. We used to have a medium-size dog, and this worked out OK, as well.

Since you're in Coeur d'Alene I might mention that Priest Lake is a perfect example of a park with a lot more sites for smaller units than for the bigger ones.

One thing we prefer about the 19' Bambi (or the 20' if you're considering it) is having the back window. The longer narrower Sport has no back window, which is often where the best view is; the front being occupied by your vehicle and the side view by neighbouring campers.

We generally fold down the dinette at night to make a second bed. But if at least one of you isn't too large or doesn't need night trips to the bathroom, the one bed should work out OK.

We think that size is more of a state of mind. We've never felt spatially cramped in the 19-footer. We do have a truck with a topper (canopy) on the back so we can carry all kinds of camping gear. This means we don't need a ton of storage space inside the camper.

Good luck with your choice, and Happy Trails to You!
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Old 03-29-2017, 11:08 AM   #11
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2018 19' Flying Cloud
Newport , Washington
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Len n Jeanne View Post
We are the happy owners of a 2015 19' Flying Cloud. We're camping in it now, and have taken extensive trips in it, up to two months.

...........

2. Size-wise, a lot depends upon your camping style. Much of our camping is in BC or the western states, in "primitive" public campgrounds in more natural settings, vs. RV "resorts; and we didn't want to go over 20 feet. A lot of the older campgrounds were not designed for big rigs. We generally travel as just a couple, minus children or grandchildren. We used to have a medium-size dog, and this worked out OK, as well.

Since you're in Coeur d'Alene I might mention that Priest Lake is a perfect example of a park with a lot more sites for smaller units than for the bigger ones.
Thanks for your comments. As part of this shift to retirement we are moving from CDA to Newport so will be even closer to Priest Lake. Priest Lake and Heyburn State Park will probably be our maiden/shakedown trips. We expect our camping will be exclusively in the NW and Canada so your comments about smaller spaces is spot on. Our kids are grown up and gone, our grandkids are either too young or too old to join us, and so it's just the two of us. We like to hike, mountain bike, and kayak so sitting around a pool at a fancy RV park is not our cup of tea. As an example of your comment about space size, there is a really beautiful, yet primitive, Forest Service camp ground just N of Bonners Ferry called Moyie Springs which would not be able to accommodate a longer rig. While I spent quite a bit of time in Western Canada in a prior life, my wife has only been there a couple of times so we are really looking forward to that part of this adventure. We did apply for and receive the free pass for 2017.
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Old 03-29-2017, 12:21 PM   #12
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We bought our 19' Bambi new in 2002 and have used it ever since. It was called a Safari, but is still the same basic interior design as the 19' FC.

Every year we spend a full month in the thing together with a large dog and find it very comfortable. We are not short, but also not wide and that may help the comfort level. When using the trailer, we are mostly in it evenings and nights, spending days in the out-of-doors.

Has worked very well for us.

Tim
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Old 04-02-2017, 01:40 PM   #13
Len and Jeanne
 
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KelloggKid, we know where Moyie Springs is, but have never camped there: you've piqued our interest.

One of our favourite places to camp in eastern BC is the municipal campground in New Denver, on Slocan Lake. If you're lucky, you can get a site right on the water. There is a WW II Japanese internment camp museum in town and a beautiful Japanese-style garden near the CG. We've also camped at Wragge Beach on the north end of Slocan Lake, although it was a rough road going in there, and we were fortunate to get one of the few sites long enough for a trailer of any size.

There is also nice camping between New Denver and Nakusp, BC at either the provincial park or 3 Islands RV park on Summit Lake. Both places are close to nice hot springs at Ainsworth and Nakusp if that's something you enjoy.

We like to camp with our canoe, and find that a canopy/topper on the back of the truck has ample room for paddles, life jackets, and the usual camping accouterments.

You're not that far from Waterton Lakes, Banff, and even Jasper NPs, and some of their campgrounds have special loops for shorter rigs, so we're happy to escape the jolly jumbo campers blocking our views.

Maybe we'll see you on the road.
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Old 04-02-2017, 02:17 PM   #14
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2016 19' Flying Cloud
Austin , Texas
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Fc 19'

I have a 2016 FC 19' and am very happy with it. Two people will be pretty cozy but if you make use of the dinette as a bed, and you're only going out for 2 to 3 days at a time, then it will be great. Be warned that the bathroom is small. I'm 5'-10", 220 lbs, and i have to be in shorts and a t-shirt with no shoes on to use it while sitting. So if i were you i would go sit in it and go through the mechanics of using it.

It's a great rig. However, if you can afford the 23' FC or International and you have the tow vehicle to pull it, then you may seriously consider the 23'
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Old 04-02-2017, 03:20 PM   #15
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I would like to just offer a brief testimonial for the 22 sport. Since you are already seriously set on the 19, I am not trying to talk you out of that. I only want to point out the advantages that I see in the sport 22 vs the 19 Bambi Flying Cloud.

1-operable window in the bathroom on the 22 Sport. We find that having a window that opens in the bathroom is good for a couple of reasons. One is to ventilate easily when showering or using the facilities. Second is to get a nice 4-way cross breeze when boondock camping. (the 22 sport has operable windows on all 4 sides of the trailer). Third is to keep the bathroom window slightly open when using the propane heat. This prevents the buildup of vapor in the trailer, so it doesn't feel cold and clammy.

2-Big Bed. The bed in our 2015 sport is 80 inches long x 54 wide. (2017 models are a few inches shorter because they added a very cool hinged lift function to the bed). This bed is really big enough for 2 to sleep very comfortably.

3-Windows on 3 sides of the bed. There is an big operable front window, and operable window at the head and foot of the bed. This gives great ventilation while sleeping.

4-Better kitchen counter space. More counter surface area than most airstreams. And an operable window over the kitchen sink. (can you tell that I think windows are a big deal?)

5-Huge amount of storage under the dinette, and under the bed. Really look at the differences, as they are substantial.

6-Great bathroom in the 22 with larger shower, and room to towel off and dress in the bathroom with the door closed. Not to mention that you can use the toilet with the door fully closed as well.

Shortcomings are of course you don't get that nice table with the pano window, you don't get the larger overhead storage lockers, and you don't get an oven option.

As I said, it took us a while to realize that the sport 22 offered more of what mattered to us than the other Bambis. Just want to make sure you had not overlooked on this.

Best of luck whatever you get.

We were able to get a 9 month old "used" unit at a dealer when someone else traded it in, so that IS possible. But you need to be ready to buy right away.
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Old 04-02-2017, 04:30 PM   #16
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I would like to just offer a brief testimonial for the 22 sport. -- snip -- We were able to get a 9 month old "used" unit at a dealer when someone else traded it in, so that IS possible. But you need to be ready to buy right away.
We would offer a similar testimonial for the 23FB and lots of folks would jump in with a similar comparison for the 20 and 23D. So, not going there.

However, Piggy's last point in the key to part of your search. Just as other posts say, folks trade up. Decide which dealers you trust and keep looking at their inventory. The dealers want to move those trades because inventory costs them money.

Hope to see you down the road. Pat
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