Is it worth it?

[outdoorsdad]

I'm in the process of buying a 27' Globetrotter and will take delivery the last week of this month. The dealer is offering me an interior and/or exterior protection package. Similar to what car dealers offer to protect the finish etc.

My main concern is maintaining the spit shine look of the exterior metal. What's your opinion of this add-on? How many of you have actually bought it and what are your opinions?

[perryg114]

Well I would want more details. The outside is coated aluminum and they are recommending some sort of treatment for the seams and rivets to prevent corrosion. Most of these add ons are dealer profit items more than anything. The corrosion prevention is an on going maintenance issue on the newer trailers.



Perry

[uraljohn]

Pass on the offered exterior/interior protection package. Pure dealer profit center. I have worked at various dealers throughout my lifetime. The all have a big board in the company meeting room to keep track of who shoves the most of this kind of stuff down the purchasers throats. Every Monday at the sales meeting they give out an award to the salesperson with the most sheep.
Awful way to conduct business, but that is just the way it is.

Wax your new Airstream a couple times per year with Walbernize or some other quality product that you feel comfortable with. Clean the interior just like you would keep your car and house clean.

Paint protection, rust proofing, extended third party warranties, fabric protection, etc. are all designed to put additional $$$ in the dealers pocket.

[GMFL]

Pass. Pure dealer profit. Airstream finish is easily maintained with soap and water for the most part.

[brick1]

I would (and did) pass.

[ROBERT CROSS]

No....Save the money for the inevitable up-grades that are in your future.

Bob
🇺🇸

[outdoorsdad]

Thanks for all the comments. Kinda what I figured but wanted some reassurances.

[SilverWind]

What do you guys think of the Clay Bar Coating offered by some "specialists"? Cost is upwards of $4,000 for the average size trailer.

[rmkrum]

Put the money in a dedicated savings account. Then use it for repairs and maintenance. Better return on the money than handing it to a dealer. I absolutely refuse to line their pockets unnecessarily.

[Amsterdamer]

Originally Posted by SilverWind

What do you guys think of the Clay Bar Coating offered by some "specialists"? Cost is upwards of $4,000 for the average size trailer.

Clay bar itself is not a coating, but a precursor to adding a new protective coating. Claybar removes contaminants from a finished surface. Waxing/coating is required after claybar. I've used Meguiar's clay bar on many of my cars/trucks and I think it would work on an Airstream, but it would take a very long time to do. After using claybar on a surface, you can feel the change when you draw your hand over the surface as it will be very smooth.

Personally, I wax my Airstream with Turtle Wax Ice as it does not leave a residue on seams and rivets and I do not claybar the camper.

[redhat200]

Congratulations on your globetrotter. We have never had any problem with any of the finishes in our International serenity. Everything has been very low maintenance. They are built to be used and enjoyed. Enjoy the beginning of a new life of adventure. Don’t worry don’t worry! ! The Airstream community is the most knowledgeable and generous community you now have become a part of. You’re have many awesome adventures ahead of you. Hope to see you at the Loveland Colorado International rally 2020.

[Banker]

Have had my 2019 Globtrotter for a year. It still looks new with no special protection. Sits outside al the time.

[PKI]

The inside treatment is likely of limited value. The exterior nano-coat, if properly applied, is worth the cost if you negotiate the excess profit out of the sale. By all means, don't finance the cost. If you can't pay for it out of pocket, plan on just regularly waxing the coach. In all cases, wash regularly and wax at least once a year. Fill scratches with a clear coat pen immediately.

The Aluminum skin has a nano-coat clear finish applied when the aluminum is manufactured by the mill. The edges, any rivet holes and any cut out edges from Airstream manufacturing processes have no coating. So the dealer applied nano-coat is sealing those edges and rivet holes. If no nano-coat is applied, the wax you apply regularly serves the same purpose. The cost is your labor. Not a bad trade off for most folks. But understand that wax burns off in a short time. Best is to spend some time learning about the processes and products used to do high end automotive paint detailing. That info will help you chose products that do the job which meets your objective. Lots of high performance products are available if you learn to apply them correctly. Lots of low performance products do the job if you apply them often.

Note: Clear coat is very difficult to apply to aluminum. Message - keep what has been applied in good condition.

Note: It is very difficult to see scratches in an aluminum skinned product until they begin to oxidize. Then the oxidation is difficult to correct.

Disclaimer - I am not an expert. There are folks who have successfully made their living applying high performance products for years and understand what they are doing. That would be your best contact for valid information. There are also folks who take your hard earned money and deliver much less that your expectations. Knowledge is your friend in determining the expertise with which you are dealing.

A thought to take away. As long as your coach is sealed and does not leak, the patina that develops over time from your use and maintenance makes it your coach. That is not a bad thing and for some delivers the best experience.

Good luck with your new coach. Hope to meet you down the road. Pat

[crispyboy]

I wonder if the dealers coating is a ceramic type coating used on new cars? It would be worthwhile to investigate what they are selling, pros and cons, etc.... there may be detailing shops that do the same or better protection. This protection or regular cleaning and applications of a protectant is your best defense against filiform corrosion.
One thing I have learned is that the real way to hold the value of an airstream is to keep the skin in the best condition possible. The other parts of a trailer are easy to fix or remodel down the road.

[sranger]

"Wax on Wax off"

Use Carnuba wax and a little elbow grease. If you must, use a low RPM orbital polisher...

Wax is a great way to protect finishes and you need to do it about twice a year.

[mikeinca]

We purchased the exterior nano coat treatment. The retail cost was too high but we were able to negotiate a significant discount. You can google nano coating for a detailed explanation but basically the treatment, unlike the typical paint treatment scams offered by auto dealers in the past, actually bonds with the clearcoat at a molecular level and becomes part of the paint. It's highly effective at resisting stains, acidic bird droppings, tree sap, etc. The treatment we got has a 7 year warranty against damage to the finish by environmental contaminants.

Just from my observation, surface crud washes off very easily and the finish beads water like it was waxed this morning after two years. Since our trailer is parked outside, 7 years of guaranteed protection for the price we paid seemed like a reasonable deal and will probably outlast our ownership of the trailer.

Bottom line, I think there is value to the nano coating product. Whether it's enough value to warrant whatever price they are asking is a personal choice.

[SilverWind]

Originally Posted by mikeinca

We purchased the exterior nano coat treatment. The retail cost was too high but we were able to negotiate a significant discount. You can google nano coating for a detailed explanation but basically the treatment, unlike the typical paint treatment scams offered by auto dealers in the past, actually bonds with the clearcoat at a molecular level and becomes part of the paint. It's highly effective at resisting stains, acidic bird droppings, tree sap, etc. The treatment we got has a 7 year warranty against damage to the finish by environmental contaminants.

Just from my observation, surface crud washes off very easily and the finish beads water like it was waxed this morning after two years. Since our trailer is parked outside, 7 years of guaranteed protection for the price we paid seemed like a reasonable deal and will probably outlast our ownership of the trailer.

Bottom line, I think there is value to the nano coating product. Whether it's enough value to warrant whatever price they are asking is a personal choice.

I wonder why Airstream doesn't offer this as an "accessory" upgrade from the factory. I understand that results can vary depending on who is doing the application.

[bickp]

[QUOTE=PKI;2276950] Fill scratches with a clear coat pen immediately.


Never heard of a clear coat pen. My son dragged the plastic trash cans against my brand new AS the week it came home. I've polished over them several times but they are visible and a cause for concern.

Where do I get a clear cost pen for a 2019 AS?

[PKI]

[QUOTE=bickp;2277092]

Originally Posted by PKI

-- snip --
Where do I get a clear cost pen for a 2019 AS?

Dealer sells them. Pat

[mikeinca]

Originally Posted by SilverWind

I wonder why Airstream doesn't offer this as an "accessory" upgrade from the factory. I understand that results can vary depending on who is doing the application.

I suppose that question could be asked about any aftermarket accessory for almost any product. Probably it has to do with production logistics and, of course, cost. The process is also labor intensive and maybe Airstream figures that given the take rate for the coating it's something better left to the dealers who can also make some profit from it.

I'm sure you're correct about the fact that, like any other servicing, results may vary from provider to provider. I've had experience with the quality of work at my dealership so I felt comfortable that the application would be done properly.

I'm not trying to sell anyone on the treatment other than to suggest that it's not snake oil, assuming that what the OP's dealer is offering is nano coating and not something else. If someone doesn't think the price is worth 7 years of guaranteed protection for the finish with minimal maintenance then that's a perfectly reasonable personal decision. There are other alternatives. I'm just sharing what I know about it and my experience so far, for whatever that's worth.