About to enter the Airstream world.

[ghanesdvm]

Greetings. I am 6 months away from retirement and have decided Airstream ownership is on my bucket list. Have actually considered this for many years but it's now time to get moving. My girlfriend is on board and we look forward to trips together in the future, both boondocking as well as full campsites. We realize our budget means we will be purchasing used. On our initial excursion to the closes dealer in our area, we came away with lots of ideas as well as questions. We think we would enjoy the Flying Cloud, 23 or 25, and prefer the bed in the rear. The International series is also appealing.

What I'm looking for at this time is to make a list of "do's and don'ts" from others who have gone through this process so we don't end up reinventing the wheel. Some simple questions would be Dealer vs Private Party, how to handle and out of state sale (do you always visit ahead to inspect), how much bargaining there is with dealers, items to completely avoid and items to never forget, etc.

I know I will get plenty of opinions, because everyone has one, but I hope this forum is a good place to start.

Thanks,
Gary

[dbj216]

Hello from Colorado and welcome to these Airstream Forums. We've owned an Airstream since 05 and I've been a member here since 09. There are just a lot of good folks here with just a lot of knowledge about everything Airstream.

I think you are zero-ing in on the right size travel trailer, especially the 25'. They are a very popular size, not too big, and not too small. You are wise to consider used as you save some depreciation. However, Airstreams hold their value well. And they last a very long time with their aluminum bodies.

The Airstream travel trailer is an American icon. It is a easily recognized shape. I might add that they are not for everyone due to their small size and high cost. They are well built with premium materials. The aluminum is one of the major cost drivers.

Air Forums has a volunteer inspection service. If you were interested in an Airstream, say in the Denver area, but couldn't justify the time and cost to look it over and kick the tires so to speak. I'm such a volunteer. We use a standard inspection checklist that covers everything from tires to air conditioner, from hitch to rear bumper. It is a detailed inspection conducted with the owner present. The owner gets a copy of the report before it is sent to the requester. It is in no way an attempt to assign a value to the trailer. It is just an inspection of the physical trailer without any "marketing fluff" one way or the other. For example, tires are dated october 2010 and have 6/32" of tread is an inspection report. Tires are in good condition is a marketing opinion. An inspection is a good way to gain confidence in the trailer you're looking at, or no confidence as it might be.

Feel free to ask all the questions you may have. I'm sure the folks here will give you a good description of their experiences.

David