Wondering what I can sell it for

[99Limited34]

Have a 1999 34 foot limited rear queen, mint condition, has been babied and been very well taken care of, have all maintenance records. New tires, recently packed wheel bearings. Awnings all the way around in great shape. We're going to go full time soon and the wife says if we full time we need more room, either a motorhome or a big fifth wheeler, Wondering what we can get for our 34'.

[xonvldz]

check it out first,but i dont think a motorhome or fifth wheel is going to give you much more usable space.plus motorhomes from people i talk to at campgrounds are big maintenance headaches.if you will be sitting in one location for extended periods the trailer is the better option imho.

[3 Dog Nite]

xonvldz is right about having less room in a MH. There are more storage area though. We have a 345 & you lose 5' for the driver's area. Maintainance is more than just a TT. For a true comparison you have to add maintaining a TV as well since MH's are "self towing".

I'm not trying to turn you off getting a MH. We fulltime in ours & love it. All you need is a pretty level spot when stopping for the night. No need to set down stabilizers before going to bed. Having a passenger make coffee or lunch while rolling is a huge advantage. Private restrooms are always open too.

Fell free to PM me or post questions here.

Ricky

[pmclemore]

20k

Pat

[Secguru]

We currently own a 1998 34' Airstream FB and used to own a $130K 37' fifth wheel. We full-time in the Airstream and used to full-time in the 37' fifth wheel. I hope my insights might help you.

Fifth Wheel Advantages:
- 400 Sq. Ft.
- Larger Bedroom and Kitchen Area are helpful
- More storage area

Fifth Wheel Disadvantages:
- Usable life expectancy with good care = 10 to 15 years
- Fully depreciated in 10 years
- High cost roof and slide-out seal maintenance as the unit ages
- Must always watch for leaks which will destroy the unit
- Exterior walls can delaminate totally destroying the unit's value
- Our 37' was 18,000 pounds fully loaded and required a Freightliner FL60 as a tow vehicle
- Combined cost of Tow Vehicle and Trailer = $210,000 both rapidly depreciate
- Air ride hitch is recommended

34' Airstream Advantages:
- Airstreams are virtually indestructible with good common sense care
- Can be towed with a 2500 class truck (diesel is best)
- The view from those Airstream windows (what can I say!)
- Airstream is very inexpensive to own and maintain
- Your Airstream is nearly fully depreciated and will continue to serve you or your children for another 50 years with good care

34' Airstream Disadvantages:
- 254 Sq. Ft. Tight, but adequate for two people
- Short on Storage (when we are parked anywhere for a long time, we bring a small storage trailer as a convenience)
- Requires a Hensley Arrow or Pro-Pride Hitch to tow well
- Requires the addition of a rear A/C for comfort in hot climates

Summary:
- We do not regret downsizing from our 37' Fifth Wheel to our 34' Airstream.
- We loved full-timing in the fifth wheel no more or less than in our Airstream.
- We are comforted that as we get older, so will our Airstream also age gracefully and affordably.
- We get a lot of fifth wheel owners who ask about and look longingly at our Airsteam, but we never ever had an Airstream owner look longingly at our fifth wheel!

Price:
- Depending on condition and for this time of year and in this economy, you should be able to get between $19,000 to $22,000 for your Airstream.

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side.

[pmclemore]

Originally Posted by Secguru

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side.

Great post and fantastic finish.

Thanks - Pat

[99Limited34]

Originally Posted by Secguru

We currently own a 1998 34' Airstream FB and used to own a $130K 37' fifth wheel. We full-time in the Airstream and used to full-time in the 37' fifth wheel. I hope my insights might help you.

Fifth Wheel Advantages:
- 400 Sq. Ft.
- Larger Bedroom and Kitchen Area are helpful
- More storage area

Fifth Wheel Disadvantages:
- Usable life expectancy with good care = 10 to 15 years
- Fully depreciated in 10 years
- High cost roof and slide-out seal maintenance as the unit ages
- Must always watch for leaks which will destroy the unit
- Exterior walls can delaminate totally destroying the unit's value
- Our 37' was 18,000 pounds fully loaded and required a Freightliner FL60 as a tow vehicle
- Combined cost of Tow Vehicle and Trailer = $210,000 both rapidly depreciate
- Air ride hitch is recommended

34' Airstream Advantages:
- Airstreams are virtually indestructible with good common sense care
- Can be towed with a 2500 class truck (diesel is best)
- The view from those Airstream windows (what can I say!)
- Airstream is very inexpensive to own and maintain
- Your Airstream is nearly fully depreciated and will continue to serve you or your children for another 50 years with good care

34' Airstream Disadvantages:
- 254 Sq. Ft. Tight, but adequate for two people
- Short on Storage (when we are parked anywhere for a long time, we bring a small storage trailer as a convenience)
- Requires a Hensley Arrow or Pro-Pride Hitch to tow well
- Requires the addition of a rear A/C for comfort in hot climates

Summary:
- We do not regret downsizing from our 37' Fifth Wheel to our 34' Airstream.
- We loved full-timing in the fifth wheel no more or less than in our Airstream.
- We are comforted that as we get older, so will our Airstream also age gracefully and affordably.
- We get a lot of fifth wheel owners who ask about and look longingly at our Airsteam, but we never ever had an Airstream owner look longingly at our fifth wheel!

Price:
- Depending on condition and for this time of year and in this economy, you should be able to get between $19,000 to $22,000 for your Airstream.

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side.

Great post! I agree with some of what you say, but also disagree with much of what you say. Our Airstream has been very expensive to own, thousands and thousands of dollars in repairs. I had always heard and believed that Airstreams quality was great, but I've been very unhappy with the quality of this trailer and am definitely looking forward to a new unit.

[Secguru]

Dear Wondering:

Over the several years we have owned our 1998 Airstream we have had perhaps $4,000 in repairs. The biggest cost was in taking our unit mostly back to original, adding a second A/C and replacing the original A/C, which gave out after 10 years of use and 6 new tires. This amount is quite reasonable in my mind. Maintenance on any RV will be more than for say, a Condo.

If you think that is high, get ready for the cost of maintaining a motorhome! You can expect several thousand dollars EVERY YEAR. Just the cost of maintaining a diesel engine will run over $1,000 per year. And things just go bad on motorhomes at an alarming rate. My brother has a $500K Country Coach and spends upwards to $3,000 per year in maintenance. This amount is not abnormal at all. These are all highly complex hand crafted vehicles, mass production quality control is mostly a fantasy for motorhomes. They just break a lot.

I would not recommend full-timing in a gas engine motorhome at all.

We went with the Fifth Wheel in order to reduce maintenance costs, but did not save much over my brother's cost. However, we did not have to vacate our home to service the diesel engine, we just drove the Freightliner to the service agency and left it and then slept peacefully in our fifth wheel until it was ready to pick up. Not so motorhomes. You will need a hotel while the motorhome is in service, which sometimes can take weeks.

I can confirm that the Airstream is the least expensive option to maintain based upon personal experience and substantial research (over 200 RV campground interviews over 5 years before buying the Airstream).

I hope you find a solution that works well for your family. Please don't let anything I say discourage you from full-timing. This has been an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. I work as a consultant and take my home/office to every job. No matter what choice you make on a vehicle, you will be happy that you changed your lifestyle. Life is just better in an RV.

Most sincerely,

[bruceburkart]

you should get 28-32 grand for this retail if its as nice as you indicate, original owner a big plus
Where are you located, I'm looking for a 34'
BB

[shermantic]

I have a 38 ft fifth wheel still for sale 2.5 years after I got a 26ft airstream I can get you pics if interested I paid $49,000 in Late 06 I am asking $14,000 Trailer has only been slept in Approx 20 nights Much smaller Airstream Used over 72 nights per year and more then 60,000 mile per year.

[Solar Stream]

Very good post. I have (2) 30' Airstreams, A 2000 Excella and a 2004 Classic and both are in Mint condition. I had looked into a 5th wheel and also at one time had a Dodge Motorhome left to me. What a headache trying to get the MH running so we finally let it go for nothing just to get it off our property. The cost factor towing a 5th wheel can be quite expensive and those low hanging tree limbs always find them.
My 2000 30' Excella is for sale if someone is interested in Airstreaming in style.

[99Limited34]

Originally Posted by bruceburkart

you should get 28-32 grand for this retail if its as nice as you indicate, original owner a big plus
Where are you located, I'm looking for a 34'
BB

I'm based in Wisconsin, currently in Arizona, will be back in the midwest, probably not looking to sell until this fall, will be ordering a new truck this summer and a new 5th wheel this autimn

[99Limited34]

Originally Posted by Secguru

Dear Wondering:

Over the several years we have owned our 1998 Airstream we have had perhaps $4,000 in repairs. The biggest cost was in taking our unit mostly back to original, adding a second A/C and replacing the original A/C, which gave out after 10 years of use and 6 new tires. This amount is quite reasonable in my mind. Maintenance on any RV will be more than for say, a Condo.

If you think that is high, get ready for the cost of maintaining a motorhome! You can expect several thousand dollars EVERY YEAR. Just the cost of maintaining a diesel engine will run over $1,000 per year. And things just go bad on motorhomes at an alarming rate. My brother has a $500K Country Coach and spends upwards to $3,000 per year in maintenance. This amount is not abnormal at all. These are all highly complex hand crafted vehicles, mass production quality control is mostly a fantasy for motorhomes. They just break a lot.

I would not recommend full-timing in a gas engine motorhome at all.

We went with the Fifth Wheel in order to reduce maintenance costs, but did not save much over my brother's cost. However, we did not have to vacate our home to service the diesel engine, we just drove the Freightliner to the service agency and left it and then slept peacefully in our fifth wheel until it was ready to pick up. Not so motorhomes. You will need a hotel while the motorhome is in service, which sometimes can take weeks.

I can confirm that the Airstream is the least expensive option to maintain based upon personal experience and substantial research (over 200 RV campground interviews over 5 years before buying the Airstream).

I hope you find a solution that works well for your family. Please don't let anything I say discourage you from full-timing. This has been an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. I work as a consultant and take my home/office to every job. No matter what choice you make on a vehicle, you will be happy that you changed your lifestyle. Life is just better in an RV.

Most sincerely,

We're definitely going with a 5th wheeler, because we do not want to vacate our home to have engine maintenance done either.. We're lloking at top end 5th wheelers and will be touring some factories this spring. You;ve been fortunate with your maintenance costs, ours have been several times higher..

[Aage]

Originally Posted by 99Limited34

You;ve been fortunate with your maintenance costs, ours have been several times higher..

I'd appreciate hearing a quick rundown on the expenses you have had...

[Secguru]

Dear Wondering:

- If you can, try to get a fifth wheel that can be towed by a 3500 or 4500 series truck in order to keep your Tow Vehicle maintenance costs as low as possible.
- Also watch out for net vs. gross weights. There are several so-called high end fifth wheels that sport two axles that only have a net cargo capacity of less than 1800 lbs. This is not enough for a fifth wheel. You will need 2500 lbs easily, so watch out for long fifth wheels with two axles.
- Lastly, your rig will last longer and tow better if you have an air-ride hitch. They are well worth the extra money.
- We think Teton makes the best high-end fifth wheel hands-down.

[xonvldz]

keep in mind also that diesel engines are better if you run them alot.the old saying is use them or lose them.with my diesel truck,i use it as my daily driver so it does not sit idle like a motorhome would for long periods of time.maintenance on my truck runs about 700 per year,and on my airstream it has been virtually nothing.of course i am still working fulltime so i only use the airstream when i can which equates to aprrox 4-5000 towing miles annually.

[99Limited34]

Originally Posted by Secguru

Dear Wondering:

- If you can, try to get a fifth wheel that can be towed by a 3500 or 4500 series truck in order to keep your Tow Vehicle maintenance costs as low as possible.
- Also watch out for net vs. gross weights. There are several so-called high end fifth wheels that sport two axles that only have a net cargo capacity of less than 1800 lbs. This is not enough for a fifth wheel. You will need 2500 lbs easily, so watch out for long fifth wheels with two axles.
- Lastly, your rig will last longer and tow better if you have an air-ride hitch. They are well worth the extra money.
- We think Teton makes the best high-end fifth wheel hands-down.

Secguru,

Our new tow vehicle is going to be a F-450, they're rated to tow over 24000 pounds. I agree that Teton's are great but have heard that they are out of business, I don't want an orphan...We're thinking Excel, or Hitchhiker. The Hitchhiker 37 and 38 footers are tripple axle..Their carrying capacity is in excess of 4000 pounds. They also are available with disc brakes and an air ride hitch which I want. I don't want a big heavy dual axle trailer.. Triple or nothing..That's the one thing I liked about the 34 Airstream, it towed almost effortlessly.

[99Limited34]

Originally Posted by xonvldz

keep in mind also that diesel engines are better if you run them alot.the old saying is use them or lose them.with my diesel truck,i use it as my daily driver so it does not sit idle like a motorhome would for long periods of time.maintenance on my truck runs about 700 per year,and on my airstream it has been virtually nothing.of course i am still working fulltime so i only use the airstream when i can which equates to aprrox 4-5000 towing miles annually.

I hear ya.. My F-250 7.3 liter is driven daily, maintenance is very low, oil changes and fuel filters. 296,000 miles and still running strong.

[Secguru]

Dear Wondering:

Sorry to hear that Teton is out of business. That's a sad loss for Full-Time RVers. Excel and Hitchiker tripple axles are both good choices. 4000 lbs cargo capacity is excellent. Your choice of a Ford F-450 is very good. I suggest you stay away from Mountain Master fifth-wheel beds though, I had one and hated it. The access is deep and only from the top, the access door locks failed days after they were fixed (several times) and so nothing was ever locked. It was hell to reach down into the storage cells and they filled up with water on every rain.

I agree with the post about diesel maintenance. The more they are used, the better they like it. Also, (and forgive me if you already know this) I suggest you gauge up your truck with Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) Pyrometer, Transmission Temperature and Turbo Boost. Maintain EGT below 1250 degrees Fahrenheit and transmission temperature below 800 degrees in order to keep the engine and transmission lasting many, many years. Turbo Boost gauge will allow you to drive with the highest MPG and engine efficiency. (The more vacuum the better). If you will be driving long hauls (cross-country), I suggest air-ride seats. They are expensive, but you will not believe the difference in diver/passenger comfort. Air-bag rear suspension is also highly recommended to improve ride comfort for yourself and to extend the life of your trailer.

I'm glad to hear you are choosing disk brakes. They are a must in my opinion with a heavy trailer. Consider using the BrakeSmart controller or another controller that varies the trailer braking directly in proportion to the amount of pressure applied to the brake pedal (proportional or inertial controllers do not do this, they lag the pedal, and do not act with the pedal). Believe me, you do not want the trailer brakes on an 18,000 pound trailer acting after you slam on the truck brakes! It redefines the word excitement (personal experience there after which I got rid of the Tekonsha controller and replaced it with a BrakeSmart).

Sounds like you are making all the right decisions. I'm sure you will enjoy full-timing as much as we do. It is simply the best lifestyle in the world.

[Secguru]

Teton does not seem to be out of business. Go to: Teton Homes Excel and Hitchiker tripple axles are both good choices, but they are a shadow of the Teton on build quality.