Buying a Classic? Things you should know.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by flynmike

My 30' Classic came with vinyl from the entry door to the bedroom, love it!

I think that's the stock configuration. At least it's what I got having specified no departure from stock.

The relatively small carpeted area in the lounge, next to the gaucho, is what has pretty much stained and matted after a year on my trailer.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Aage

CSA stands for Canadian Standards Association.

[...]

When I think of the US equivalent, Underwriters' Laboratory comes to mind. Are they still approving plug-in things?

I may have meant CGA rather than CSA. In any case, the trailers intended for use in Canada cost a few bucks extra and have the covered propane lines.

[flynmike]

Originally Posted by Jammer

The relatively small carpeted area in the lounge, next to the gaucho, is what has pretty much stained and matted after a year on my trailer.

Wow...my trailer is 6 yrs old now and the carpet is in really good shape. I've used a bissell carpet machine on it once (puppy barf) and it cleaned right up. I don't have any matting either. My trailer was traded after 8 months by the original owner who moved up to a 34' so I didn't order it but I'm sure it's the original...maybe they got some sort of upgrade but it doesn't reflect that in the owners manual. My carpet has many years left in it...maybe after 05 or 06 Airstream started putting crappy carpet in.

[nswhite]

Originally Posted by flynmike

Wow...my trailer is 6 yrs old now and the carpet is in really good shape.

You have been quite lucky. One of the grandchildren spilled something on the carpet that turned a light pink. Two professional carpet cleaners could not remove it. We think we're better off without it. Except in the bedroom where landing on a cold floor first thing in the morning is shocking.

[au_ee]

The carpet in our 2007 is in pretty good shape. We are now using carpet runners to protect the high wear areas. We also use them on the vinyl floor to keep our feet warm in the colder weather.

[Gene]

I purchased clear vinyl tubing and put it on the propane lines with pipe clamps—the kind that screw down. You have to slit the tubing on one side with a utility knife and not cut yourself, but it only takes a hour or two to install it.

The vinyl floor in ours has humps in it, more after each winter because the factory installs it improperly. Flooring is not the factory's strong point. Looks like you can have the same bad flooring in a Classic as we have in a Safari.

Gene

[xrvr]

Just curious, at what temp does everyone set their thermistat.? zz

[xrvr]

Perhaps my post should be a new thread, sorry. zz

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

Perhaps my post should be a new thread, sorry. zz

Things you should know probably includes where to set the thermostat.

However, you are going to get as many answers as you would if you asked that same question about thermostats at home.

Personally, I set our thermostat in the trailer at about 70. Then if that's too cool, I turn it up. If it gets too warm, I turn it down.

A thermostat setting has too many variables, both personal and environmental, to expect to find a one size fits all answer.

Ken

[kry226]

Originally Posted by Jammer

This applies to most recent years but I have a 2010 so that's where I'll put it.

After about a year of ownership there are a few things I think new purchasers should know especially when considering a factory order.

1) The ultraleather couch isn't genuine leather. It's synthetic, quite leatherlike, and pretty nice, but know what you're getting considering the cost.

2) If you are going to use the air conditioning you probably want the optional second roof unit. There are a number of threads on this but most people find that a single unit doesn't cool sufficiently in demanding conditions.

3) Consider a twin bed layout since it provides more storage and more flexibility.

4) Consider ordering the CSA gas system which provides protective covering over the propane lines. This reduces the chances of a rock or something making a hole in the gas lines under the trailer, which are exposed if the CSA feature isn't ordered.

5) It's worth considering paying the customization fee to have the factory use vinyl flooring except in the bedroom. The factory carpet is not especially durable and is difficult to keep clean, and removing it once the trailer is built is time consuming.

While not absolute, I understand that this is largely the configuration that Colonial orders for their Classics. Something to keep in mind as one may save a few dollars buying off the lot versus ordering.

I think the bed is a personal preference, but for us, not a deal-breaker either way.

I would like to know for certain the configuration in which the dual A/Cs come. My understanding is that they come in a 15K/13.5K configuration.

[au_ee]

Bed layout is purely personal. My wife and I prefer the queen, especially on cold nights. We replaced the original with one that is much more comfortable. Storage under the queen is very adequate. There are drawers on front and each side of pedastal. The bed lifts to give access to other areas plus you have access from the outside rear. The area is large enough to store bulky items.

[withidl]

Originally Posted by au_ee

The carpet in our 2007 is in pretty good shape. We are now using carpet runners to protect the high wear areas. We also use them on the vinyl floor to keep our feet warm in the colder weather.

I spent some time in Hawaii; there you take your shoes off and leave them on the poarch when entering a home (oriental thing). Anywhy, that is what I've done with my ASCL; shoes off on the floor mat(s) at the entry and socks or slippers inside; keeps the wear and soil to a minumum.

[Jammer]

While many people will opt for a queen my point is that many people either don't know the twin layout is available or haven't thought seriously about it.

I like sleeping with the love of my life as much as everybody else but still have the twin. There are certain practical advantages.

1) You get considerably more useful storage space. There are two more externally accessible lockers that access the outboard portion of the area under the beds, plus the rear-facing external compartment as with the queen (which opens into the area under the nightstand). There are also three more roof lockers. On the rear wall you get three roof lockers instead of two, and then there's an additional roof locker above each of the beds.

2) You get some additional deep counter space on the top of the nightstand, covered with Corian.

3) There's standing room in the bedroom due to the center aisle, which is more convenient for dressing. With a queen you have to get dressed in the bathroom.

4) The beds are 3" longer (78" instead of 75").

5) The bedroom layout is such that a group of people can sit on the beds facing each other and talk, which is helpful if you are entertaining or if you need to have a private conversation.

6) If you're traveling as a couple and have guests or kids you have alternative of the two of you sleeping on the gaucho while the twins are available for two people who wouldn't ordinarily share a bed. This works especially well if you are a couple with three kids, for example, which is harder to pull off with a queen layout.

7) In situations where you are traveling without the love of your life you can share the bedroom with a sibling or hunting buddy or any other good friend who you don't necessarily want to share a bed with.

8) If you really need to find room to sleep an extra person (perhaps a friend whose tent blew apart in a storm) you can put them on the floor between the twins.

Sure there are disadvantages:

1) Well yes if you want to sleep as a couple you have to do it on the gaucho. (When you're, how shall we say, not actually sleeping you can both fit in one of the twins for a while.)

2) The beds are somewhat harder to make up since you can't get at the far side. In practice I don't find this to be a big deal and after contemplating sleeping bags and similar things I have ended up making up the beds with sheets.

3) You really do need custom sheets due to the odd size and the curvature, but these are readily available.

4) Resale may take longer because while prices are similar there are fewer buyers and fewer sellers; I'm told that only 1 in 4 classics is manufactured in a twin configuration.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by withidl

I spent some time in Hawaii; there you take your shoes off and leave them on the poarch when entering a home (oriental thing). Anywhy, that is what I've done with my ASCL; shoes off on the floor mat(s) at the entry and socks or slippers inside; keeps the wear and soil to a minumum.

Definitely take off your shoes before entering. It is not only a custom, it is a great wear and tear (and therefore money) saver.

My wife grew up in Iowa farming country. Therefore removing shoes at the door both home and trailer are a non negotiable mandate.

The filth that one gets on the bottom of their shoes can be extensive, especially when traveling. Wiping before entering is helpful, but doesn't help much with mud in traction soles and diesel fuel on any kind of sole.

Both my wife and I keep slip on "outdoors only" shoes right inside the door of the trailer for frequent in and out trips.

Ken

[Jammer]

The shoes off thing works great in principle and I do try to follow it. Not always practical particularly in bad weather where groups of people are entering/leaving all at once and wearing footwear that can't be put on or taken off without sitting down.

And then there are dogs, and sometimes I have guests that bring them.

I guess everyone's situation is different but my trips often involve me living out of the trailer for a while along with friends or kids and then inviting more friends over to join the party.

[AirsDream]

Interesting thread, on both the a/C and carpet fronts. As to the carpet, I dunno - my carpet is 11 years old and essentially looks new. I try to keep "stuff" outside and off the carpet, vacuum it pretty regularly, and steam clean it once ayear, but I'd not want to be without it. In cold weather, I love to be inside in socks or barefoot, and vinyl or Pergo wouldn't do it for me.

[Jammer]

I have some throw rugs I put over the carpet for that purpose. I'd rather have them over vinyl. They'd look better.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I have some throw rugs I put over the carpet for that purpose. I'd rather have them over vinyl. They'd look better.

If I had it to do over, I would have the carpet left out of the front and maybe even the bedroom. Since there is vinyl under them, I may investigate removal.

We keep most of the vinyl covered in throw rugs.

Ken

[jcanavera]

I upgraded my Classic to the 15K AC unit from the standard 13.5K that usually is supplied at build time. One of the things that those of you who are not satisfied with the 15K performance need to do is to check your thermostat settings.

With mine I have 3 fan speed settings. Low, High and Auto. What is nice is that the Auto feature actually cycles down both the compressor and the fan once the set point on the thermostat is reached. This is a real plus in that typically when a fan is running continously, once the compressor shuts down the fan will evaporate the water on the condensor coils back into the trailer. This gives you that clammy feeling that you feel on cooler days or at night. Auto stops much of that from happening.

There is a bad side though to using the auto setting. First understand that auto will usually invoke the low speed setting on the fan. This means that your unit is not running at peak cooling capacity. The other issue is that unless you manually switch it to high, auto will not engage high speed until the interior temperature exceeds the set point by 10 degrees.

For all intents it means that cool down of a hot trailer will take longer since once the trailer interior air temp drops below that 10 degree set point difference, the fan steps down. Secondly if you set your thermostat set point like mine, that fan speed change to high speed only comes when the temperature inside the trailer is 86-88 degrees. None to comfortable at that point.

I can tell you that when it really gets hot in full sun, my AC unit will lose ground if left set to auto. As soon as I detect that the compressor is not cycling and the temp starts to climb, I'll manually set the thermostat to high fan speed and temps start to come down.

I'm not sure if the newer thermostats have that same operating parameter, but it bears checking out.

Jack

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

I upgraded my Classic to the 15K AC unit from the standard 13.5K that usually is supplied at build time. One of the things that those of you who are not satisfied with the 15K performance need to do is to check your thermostat settings.

With mine I have 3 fan speed settings. Low, High and Auto. What is nice is that the Auto feature actually cycles down both the compressor and the fan once the set point on the thermostat is reached. This is a real plus in that typically when a fan is running continously, once the compressor shuts down the fan will evaporate the water on the condensor coils back into the trailer. This gives you that clammy feeling that you feel on cooler days or at night. Auto stops much of that from happening.

There is a bad side though to using the auto setting. First understand that auto will usually invoke the low speed setting on the fan. This means that your unit is not running at peak cooling capacity. The other issue is that unless you manually switch it to high, auto will not engage high speed until the interior temperature exceeds the set point by 10 degrees.

For all intents it means that cool down of a hot trailer will take longer since once the trailer interior air temp drops below that 10 degree set point difference, the fan steps down. Secondly if you set your thermostat set point like mine, that fan speed change to high speed only comes when the temperature inside the trailer is 86-88 degrees. None to comfortable at that point.

I can tell you that when it really gets hot in full sun, my AC unit will lose ground if left set to auto. As soon as I detect that the compressor is not cycling and the temp starts to climb, I'll manually set the thermostat to high fan speed and temps start to come down.

I'm not sure if the newer thermostats have that same operating parameter, but it bears checking out.

Jack

Thai is how our thermostat operates. However our 2010 came standard with 15K BTU.

Ken