Went to look at AS for the first time

[farmerdave]

I was in Pismo Beach for the weekend and stopped in to look at Airstreams and compare to other brands for fun and to see how they might work for my family. The AS seemed to be noticeably better quality than the other trailers that I checked out. My wife fell in love with the Eddie Bauer version. The guy at the dealer was very nice, no pressure etc. Oh the temptation! I think that for a first timer, I should look for a used trailer though. Has the Eddie Bauer version been out long? I forgot to ask the salesman.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, the Eddie Bauer hasn't been out very long, maybe a year or two. I wanted to buy a used Airstream too, but we weren't able to find a nice one when we were looking. So we bought a new trailer. A lot of people have found nice used trailers, so take a look at them.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Dave,

When the DW is in LOVE with an Airstream, the mountain has been climbed.

After 18 Seasons with a 63 22' Safari, we drove by a lot full of silver on the way home from camping, stopped at the closed dealer. Returned the next day,
DW saw the interior of a 25' Classic, noticed it had real beds....game over!!

Like Robert I would have preferred used....but she's not happy, 'til I'm not happy so time was not on my side.

Try to force yourselves into taking the time to do the research here. Be aware that these trailers are not perfect.

Check the thread's on QC, leaks, filiform and dealers, so you are aware BEFORE purchase.
I don't think any of these would have been a deal breaker for us buying another Airstream, but may have effected the purchase of a new one.

Another point, if you decide on new, choose an established dealer with a good customer service and repair history, ours closed 6wks after purchase which left subsequent warranty repairs up to me, as there are no dealers in NYS.

Good luck in your search.....keep posting

Bob

[Bk Yd Safari]

We looked casually for almost a year before getting serious in our search. 4 months later we found a used AS that fit our requirements and budget. The unit was in excellent condition and we have spent very little in repairs.
Good luck and be patient in your search.

[moosetags]

Our story is similar to some of the others. We shopped used Airstreams for about six months before coming across a great deal on a new 25FB which was a brand new floor plan for 2005. Lucy, our 2005 25FB, had languished on the dealers lot, unsold, for sixteen months. That was very fortuitous for us as I don't think that any other floor plan would have worked out so well. After 1,013 nights and 90,000 miles, we are still infatuated with our dear Lucy.

Brian

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by farmerdave

My wife fell in love with the Eddie Bauer version.

It's good that the missus loves it, BUT make sure she doesn't tell the seller! Falling in love with an RV before you sign on the dotted line is a sure way to end up paying too much. The seller already knows you like it, else you wouldn't be trying to buy it; when he knows you love it, he also knows you won't walk away from whatever "deal" he offers.

Before the sale, you have to be willing to hate it— not actually hate it, just be willing to hate it— so that you can find everything wrong with it that you can use as bargaining chips, and to ease the pain of walking away from the deal if you can't get the price down where you want it. After the sale, THEN is when you can fall in love with it because it's yours.

[farmerdave]

Thanks for the responses. Too late, the wife practically screamed "I love it" to the salesman. To his credit, he didn't shift into high pressure sales mode at her obvious delight. I was cringing at the thought of trying to get a decent deal out of the guy. Still need to think long and hard about other options. I want to see some of the used trailers with slide outs before we make a decision.

[Fly at Night]

Yes, my dealer knew it was love at first sight, but I also loved the off-season discount, i.e. the more ice and snow on the trailer, the lower the price.

Notice you are in California, so less weather ploy there, but the dealers are less likely to make a deal the closer you get to the summer camping season.


Owning an Airstream is akin to "The Agony and the Ecstasy," but overall, the ecstasy outweighs the agony.

Slide outs are nice, but man, they can leak and be a big PITA - especially the non-Airstream ones. I was also quite interested in a used 5th wheel with great slide-outs, until they popped them back in and two would not align flush with the unit properly. Nice. (TIC).

A good used Airstream was almost impossible to find here.

Good-luck with your search. Let us know how it works out.

[bikemom]

Hi farmerdave, we just purchased a 2012 Eddie Bauer, and we love it! I hope you find the right unit for you. For us, the back hatch and storage for kayaks, bikes, etc. while still having the Airstream quality was paramount. Good luck finding your dream trailer!

[farmerdave]

Yeah the back hatch is the main reason we like it too, Also if my wife needs to use her wheelchair in the trailer it fits down the hall and the couch can be folded up to give her room to maneuver. She loves to kayak too, so the hatch would be huge for that too.

I hate to ask, but what did you end up paying? The salesman that I talked to said to go low because they want to move it, but I haven't got a clue what "low" is for an AS.
Dave

[bikemom]

We actually got ours lightly used. The previous owner only used it 10 nights before returning to RV life, so I don't know what low would be for a new unit. There are many people on the forum who could tell you what a good offer would be. With the economy, I would think you could get a great deal. Ours came with a weight distribution hitch and some other goodies, so it was truly turnkey. Given we've been looking for about three years, it was good karma!

[Sodbust]

My battle was my wife like all the open floor plans of the newer SOB trailers and pushed me real hard for one with 29 slide outs. After pointing out the poor fit of the seams and gaskets I got her back off that idea..

My wife lacks a good poker face when we are hot on a good deal,. I always have to step up the game and remind the sales person,, who holds the check book.. Works sometimes,,,

Over the past 5 years I have always leaned towards an Airstream and she did not like any of the older models due to what she called the "submarine effect" inside and outside.

Well we ended up getting SOB 5 wheel a year ago and had a train wreck with all the wood frame damage from a poorly installed AC system that drained all its water into the camper body frame over the years.. Roted wood,, rusty staples,, it was a big mess to repair.

So after my wife saw the way all the other campers trailers are built she then could understand why an Airstream is a totally different machine. We ended up getting what we could afford,, a 1972 Overlander and she likes it a lot.

Good luck and don't just get one to look at,, USE IT..

Sodbust