When to buy?

[Muddy Waters]

We are ready to buy our Airstream! We know it's what we want, but... it's October already. If we buy it now, we'll have to pay to store it. Is it worth doing that, or should we take a chance that there will be some nice, pre-owned late model Bambis available in the spring?

[drag'nwagon]

Hey, if it feels good...do it! You will have all winter to plan out next years adventures.

[CaddyGrn]

Hello Muddy Waters!

We are nearly neighbors!

No reason to "store" your new trailer... drive over to Brookings and enjoy the sunshine on winter weekends! Actually if you find just the one you want at the price you want, go for it. We waited a few years to find ours! Folks will have their Bambi's for sale in the Spring, but you might find the best deal in the winter! Besides there are usually some nice rallies on the coast in the winter time! You just missed the best one, Beverly Beach! Be sure and check out the rally schedule, great place to learn about Airstreams, meet great folks, and have a good time!

You might also check out threads on insurance and towing insurance for the trailer... talk to your insurance carrier and see what they will offer you while you are looking!

Good luck!

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis ~ from the Great State of Jefferson)

[Muddy Waters]

Hi, there, Mrs. Norcal, lol you're right we're practically neighborhoods. It never occurred to me that we could take the Airstream to Brookings during the winter but now that you mention it, I did hear somewhere that the coast can be nice - sometimes. You'll understand then when I say that if we go down to Utah or Nevada to check out a few A/S's, we have to go through the Siskiyou Pass. It's notoriously fickle in the winter. We may get out but be unable to get back in. I may be paranoid, though!

Drag n' Wagon, you echo my sentiments. It's my DH who needs convincing. He's an ex-banker and says stuff like, "We'll sink money into a non-performing asset which will sit around all winter. We could invest it instead and put it in a fund, then take it out in the spring when it makes sense to buy." How come bankers have to talk like that? I want it NOW. He wants to invest the money and get a return. Silly man.

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by Muddy Waters

Hi, there, Mrs. Norcal, lol you're right we're practically neighborhoods. It never occurred to me that we could take the Airstream to Brookings during the winter but now that you mention it, I did hear somewhere that the coast can be nice - sometimes. You'll understand then when I say that if we go down to Utah or Nevada to check out a few A/S's, we have to go through the Siskiyou Pass. It's notoriously fickle in the winter. We may get out but be unable to get back in. I may be paranoid, though!

Drag n' Wagon, you echo my sentiments. It's my DH who needs convincing. He's an ex-banker and says stuff like, "We'll sink money into a non-performing asset which will sit around all winter. We could invest it instead and put it in a fund, then take it out in the spring when it makes sense to buy." How come bankers have to talk like that? I want it NOW. He wants to invest the money and get a return. Silly man.

the pittance you'd earn on your money, will be a wash when they hike the prices come spring...

goforit!

[urbanfood]

Originally Posted by Muddy Waters

"We'll sink money into a non-performing asset which will sit around all winter.

you're gonna sink money into when it becomes a performing asset too.

[Muddy Waters]

Thanks, Urban and Finalcut, you're right! We won't wait until spring if we find the right unit. I appreciate the feedback.

[CaddyGrn]

Originally Posted by Muddy Waters

Hi, there, Mrs. Norcal, lol you're right we're practically neighborhoods. "We'll sink money into a non-performing asset which will sit around all winter. He wants to invest the money and get a return. Silly man.

Hello again!

Well, first the weather: yes, the Siskiyou pass can be awful. We simply look carefully at the NOAA website and check the weather before we travel. If it looks icky, wait a day or two. It isn't like Tahoe where it snows 9 feet! The pass at worst is closed a few hours or overnight.

The coast is great in the winter. The Monterey Coast and south is often best in February! So is Southern California! Last winter we got good and tired of the cold and staying indoors. So, we hitched up our little Bambi and went to Disneyland for a week and basked in the sunshine! Had a great time! Not too many folks there and camping is great in off season.

Now as to an investment on your return... investing in money is important, we need food and shelter ... however, you might remind him to also invest in your time together and enjoying life! You can't recoup lost time and experiences, you can recoup poor investments financially! I can't stress this enough! We are retired and truly enjoy camping and spending time seeing things and meeting the great friends we have developed because of Airstreaming! You can't put a price tag on that!

Good luck! Have the number cruncher calculate the savings from motels and eating out! Best thing to do is get him to a rally as soon as possible and let him learn to enjoy! (You don't always have to have a trailer to attend... )

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis ~ from the Great State of Jefferson)

[ROBERT CROSS]

Prices always better in the off-season.....shop now, save some bucks,

and enjoy getting to know your new best friend

[Surman1322]

There is only one BEST TIME to buy an Airstream. That is the time when you find the right model, in the right condition, at a price you are willing to pay.
The best used Airstreams bring top dollar and are gobbled up fast, so when
you find it, don't delay.

[Muddy Waters]

Thanks for the info about the rally in Paso Robles. Our daughter lives close by in Los Olivos. We could make a weekend out of it - except - we have one kid still left at home, a tenth-grader. She has a volleyball game that weekend. So we're retired in that neither of us works anymore but are stuck with one more kidlet. She's cute, but we're ready to be more independent. :-)

We'll just take our time for now and when the right one comes along we'll pounce.

[InsideOut]

When to buy?

When you find "the one" you can't live without!

Shari

[urbanfood]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

When you find "the one" you can't live without!

kind of like my wife minus the pricetag...??

[Silvertwinkie]

There is really no right or wrong time to buy. I special ordered my Safari just before Haloween and picked it up just before Christmas. Deal was good and it was the right time.

The first 4 years are the most brutal when it comes to depreciation. My only suggestion based on the bath I took (as do most new vehicle purchasers) on the new Safari after nearly 4 years of ownership would be to see if you could find a good pre-owned one. Even if it's a few years old. You might be shocked what you might find and put a few dollars back into your pocket.

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

There is really no right or wrong time to buy. I special ordered my Safari just before Haloween and picked it up just before Christmas. Deal was good and it was the right time.

The first 4 years are the most brutal when it comes to depreciation. My only suggestion based on the bath I took (as do most new vehicle purchasers) on the new Safari after nearly 4 years of ownership would be to see if you could find a good pre-owned one. Even if it's a few years old. You might be shocked what you might find and put a few dollars back into your pocket.

a good used a/s coach is hard to find... we looked for a year... found two that were 'like new'... they didn't last long

if you do find a well cared for used one... don't dily-daly

[Muddy Waters]

We're finding a few decent deals/units out there. I wish we could just drop everything and go look at them but with the kid in high school still, we are tied to her schedule. It's fun looking though and I'll probably be a little sad not to be poking around through the classifieds anymore. Even through e-mailing, I've 'met' some nice folks. Anyway, we will buy when the right one appears and not wait until spring. Unless it takes that long...

[urbanfood]

Originally Posted by Muddy Waters

It's fun looking though and I'll probably be a little sad not to be poking around through the classifieds anymore.

it's so funny you mention that because i think part of the joy IS the looking. once you find the one you want, you do become a little sad and wonder, now what? a year later i still find myself looking on craigslist and ebay just to see what's out there.