Help Me Avoid Buyers Remorse

[FordTruck]

We purchased a used 2003 22' International for $24.5k about 18 months ago to see if we really like Airstreaming. The sales rep at the dealer (Safford RV, Thornburg VA) said that if we wanted to sell later, that size would always be in high demand. We used it many times and made the decision to upsize. I placed ads here and at RVOnline. MANY MANY calls. Sold it in December, 2007 for $24k. Certainly not a bad investment on our part.
We took delivery of our 2008 Safari 27 FB SE on 12-Jan-2008 and can wait to use it.

[whitsend]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

well that's certainly another option, but if that's your goal, don't worry about a little chipboard (or lots of it!)

IF you only plan to keep it a year or 2 the floor may not matter.



family camping is a wonderful thing. and the truth is most kids could care less about trailer brands, it's the camping that matters.

but they ALL need maintenance of some sort, and investment in care is one of the reasons so many old airstreams are still in use.

a/s travel well, while other units crumble in use.



you started out asking about a very specific model/year, almost no one is suggesting they all have these issues.

still it's important to understand the product and your needs.

darol's experience with buyers is typical. many just blindly jump at the first unit seen.

luckily they were buying from a guy who knows how to pick out the best units for restoration.

and just as importantly knows how to pass on really needy trailers...

the 04 in question is without a warranty, so going over every system is important for pricing and negotiation.

the best thing for you might be to BUY A BRAND NEW TRAILER WITH A 2 YEAR WARRANTY, the 23s are SWEET!

this likely doesn't matter 2 u, but the best a/s feature is that they are repairable, with parts available over many decades.



it's not unusual to be all over the map emotionally during the shopping n buying process, that's healthy.

but very few here think the product 'basically sucks'.

see, the other side of "buyer REMORSE" is never owning an a/s.

we are a picky bunch of folks, with collective knowledge about LOTS of issues and a/s details over many decades.

so don't confuse specific issues on one model with 77 years of great travel trailers...

like robertsunrus noted above, all of us offering advice OWN this product, some for many years, or decades....

and our product loyalty is also for a reason....

cheers
2air'

teksmith - I understand your concern about not wanting to overpay. And yes, some of the replies you've seen here have given some negitives to you to consider for certain models. Where else are you going to get that much truth on ANY product? Houses, boats, cars, airplanes and RV's all will have "issues" and require repairs. Airstream trailers are NOT cheap, but - please - name me ANY SOB trailer still on the road & serviceable after 10 to 15 years, much less enjoying this degree of owner love & loyalty. And please know that the Airstreams discussed all throughout this Forum HAVE EARNED that owner loyalty.

Bottom line is - sometimes you just have to jump on in, the consequences be damned. Personally I don't think you will regret that action. But please do let us know what you decide and why.

[Fyrzowt]

I have owned SOB trailers most of my camping life. More recently, I have now had 3 different A/S trailers and will never go back to SOB.
While ANY trailer can and will have the occasional maintenance issue, I have found the A/S construction to be superior.
Never again will I be trying to re-attach the skin to dry rotted wood framing members.
Good luck in your search,
Dave

[soldiermedic]

Originally Posted by Fyrzowt

Never again will I be trying to re-attach the skin to dry rotted wood framing members.

Exactly Dave....everyone knows we have to reattach the C-channel to the rotted floors in our coaches

Steve

[Fyrzowt]

True. Unless one keeps ahead of the leaks.

[SilverCabin]

teksmith,

I'm just a few miles from you. PM me if you need any help or assistance. I bought new not used just over a year ago, but looked at several used, and owned an SOB before.

Randy

[rseagle]

I've got a 2004 22' CCD so I'll weigh in.

I've had my trailer for four years now and have had more fun with it than problems. Is it perfect? NO! But I've stayed on top of the problems and have my local dealer (Safford RV) perform regular maintenance.

I had an SOB before my Airstream and I'm glad I made the switch. I don't know if or when it will start giving me trouble, but like any vehicle I've owned, once the cost exceeds the benefit I'll ditch it. For now it's a great trailer for my family's needs.

We have adapted the floorplan to our liking. We love the wet bath (our SOB had a dry bath), got a memory foam topper for the dinette bed hump, use the desk for our entertainment center, storage bins and dirty clothes hamper (leave the chair at home), use a cot for my youngest daughter and a small tent for my teenager (she want's her own space). I replaced the small battery with a large 12 vdc 212 Ah deep cycle battery and a bracket/cover for Boondocking. Hanging closet cubbies make the wardrobe closet more usable.

We're happy with the 22' because I can tow it with my F-150 and I can get in pretty tight camping spots in the National Forests.

I hope you will be happy with whatever you decide on.

[Wayne&Sam]

A fair price it what you think it's worth to you - not to me or anyone else. You have been shown the potential problems and the potential benefits. You seem to like the trailer, so pick your price and do it. If that price is fair to the seller, you'll both be happy.

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by teksmith

Thanks again for the feedback.
The data I have been receiving here seems to indicate that most late model Airstreams have serious issues. At least the '03's, '04's, and '05's. The photos you posted was from an '05 I believe. OSB floors, bent frames, major equipments failing (refers, A/C, etc). What I really need to figure out is which late model Airstreams are of high quality (if any).

We've got an '05 Classic 30'. Minor problems that were fixed after the initial "shakedown" trip. Nothing since and the trailer has performed flawlessly (with the exception of a unnamed, south Austin dealer-busted skylight!). Fixed that problem at the Branson ralley with the help of A/S of Arkansas fast shipping (thanks guys), good as new.

Folks here are giving you the "what-to-look-out-for" scenarios in response to your initial question, so I'm sure it all sounds pretty negative. But as 2Air sez, if you think what we're describing is bad, wait till you try "maintainence" on an SOB... At least one can effectively maintain an Airstream AND, they really do look better, tow better and behave better.

You might spend less on a NEW SOB (say $18-20K), but $20K of of an SOB is ALOT of money that will have NO character and very little resale value (and all be made of OSB for that matter). You will have problems with anything you purchase. Your chances are better in an Airstream. Take your time, you're asking the right questions.

[teksmith]

Thanks for all the feedback. I really do appreciate it. This is one of the best forums I have participated in. I made the seller an offer of $26k and he declined. I think it is now a waiting game. He is going to wait and see if I will go up (I might, but no time soon), and I will wait and see if he will take $26k. If anything changes I will be sure to let everyone know. Thanks again.

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by teksmith

Thanks for all the feedback. I made the seller an offer of $26k and he declined. I think it is now a waiting game. He is going to wait and see if I will go up (I might, but no time soon), and I will wait and see if he will take $26k.

Hope he doesn't read your post...!