All I have to do now is convince my wife we need an AS...

[Army Nurse]

Hello!

I'm an active duty Army guy, stationed at Fort Sill in Oklahoma with my wife and two kids (11 & 15). I've been interested in purchasing a camper of some sort for several years now. So, I purchased a new TV (2009 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 6.7L Cummins TD) last February, and I finally let go of my beloved customized HUMMER H3 last month. Over the last eight months we have looked at several new and used 5th wheel units and TTs (mostly fiberglass models). The two things they all lacked was character and durability. Then, I stumbled across the AS line of TTs. Hmmm... Stylish, AND durable...

I should mention that although my wife has gone to the RV show and a few dealerships with me, she's not 100% onboard with the idea of purchasing a camper. In fact, she's maybe only 15-20% onboard. It all comes down to our individual memories of camping as a children.

I have fond memories of camping in my grandparent's little 10-12 footer, as well as several trips with my dad's camper/topper on his truck. Dad's truck was spartan at best, but it did have two nice mattresses that made a queen size bed in the back with storage underneath. Then, there were the countless times we tent camped, using an old moth-eaten canvas tent with an aluminum frame. For me, camping is about sitting around the campfire and enjoying the time together. Lately, I've been doing some camping with my son's Cub Scout group, as I recently took over as Cubmaster of our pack. Good times!

My wife's memories of camping are not as pleasant as mine. She remembers a lot of excessive drinking and fighting among her family and their friends, which almost always ended badly. To make matters worse, I have gotten a little tense a time or two in the past while traveling on road trips -- usually due to poor planning on my part and trying to do too many miles in a day.

So, here I find myself wanting to relive some of the fonder camping memories of my childhood -- just not in a tent. I love the lines on an AS. Especially the 70's-80's models (which happen to fit in my cash-only ~$10k budget a little better than the newer ones). Even my teenage daughter likes the sleek exterior and what she calls the "retro look" of the 70's-80's AS interior. Ideally, I would like something in a 31 foot model with a fold out couch (for us) and twin beds (for the kids). Not completely restored, but well maintained enough to be comfortably used right away and maybe improved upon as time passes. My vision has us using this TT for various family outings a couple of times a month, as well as for "tailgating" between events when my daughter is at swim meets 6-8 times a year. I've been reading a lot on the various forums, and feel I've gained enough knowledge to make a fairly well informed purchase, except for one little thing...

How do I convince my wife we need an Airstream?!?

I've tried tent camping with my wife and the kids. I've had friends who have graduated from tents to pop-ups to a HUGE triple axle 5th wheel trailer talk to her. (His wife went on and on about how much she loved to travel with their trailer.) We've visited RV shows. We've visited dealerships. Still, she is not convinced. The closest she came to agreeing was to say, "Maybe someday when the kids move out and are done with college." Huh?!?... ELEVEN years from now?!?

So, unless someone on here has some magic words of wisdom that will sway her opinion, it looks like I'll just lurk around here a while.

Airstreamlessly yours,

Blain

PS: Thanks for making this site available. Already, I have enjoyed many hours of interesting reading about Airstreams and the people who own them. What a cool sub-culture. Kinda reminds me of HUMMER owners.

[mcair]

Most RV dealers have trailers you can rent. The best way to sell her on the camper idea is to spend the weekend in one.

[gsmithii]

KOA will rent you an Airstream at some locations. It's a bit pricey but could be a great start.

[TBRich]

I'd take her to visit an AS rally happening in your neck of the woods so she could see first hand how much fun can be had and how wonderful Aristreams really are. The enthusiasm for the "Airstream way" is always quite obvious (at our rallies, anyway) and would surely be a good selling atmosphere. We have had several folks just drop by to ask lots of questions and visit all kinds of Airstreams...now most of them are members with their own rigs..and just as proud and happy with them as we are.

And there is the thing about trying to do too much and cramming your time too full...that leads to less time to relax, being on edge, etc. Remember we go camping to have fun and enjoy ourselves! Make it a party, not a chore!

[zlee]

I'm just starting looking myself. At the start of this, I thought, well, I'll just get one of those fiberglass egg things. Then I made the mistake of looking at the Airstream website. Then I compounded the mistake by walking into some Airstreams. Has she been IN an Airstream in the size you're looking at? Does she like them?

Maybe this might help, if it's that she doesn't like camping period and if she hasn't actually been in one: the Airstreams are the only trailers I've found that don't feel like campers. They feel like houses on wheels. It's camping without going camping! It's glamping to the max! And everyone says it's really fun to be the envy of everyone else when you take your AS out.

I'd also advise, if you're going that large anyway, not getting a sofa-into-a-bed layout. It's a pain having to take the bed apart every day and then putting it back into a bed every night. (I haven't had to do this on an Airstream, but have lived several places where I had to do that where I was sleeping, and it got old really fast.) Get one with a bedroom - you can find those with bunks in the middle if you look around enough.

If you want the emotional blackmail route...it's not pretty, but it's effective: it's good to remember that life is short and we have to choose what memories we want to leave behind us in our children and partners. I know I want to have done everything we have dreamed of doing before my fiancé and/or I leave this world.

(BTW: thanks for serving us and our country in our military. Words can't express, etc.)

[sempi2]

I'm the wife. Somewhere it was me that wanted a trailer. It came out of nowhere. But we wanted to see this beautiful country. In our early years we camped with tents. Then in the back of a small pu. Onto a a VW popup. Then nothing for years. I didn't care too much about what trailer, but Rusty Rivet said Airstream. The first one we looked at I hated it. The second one was it. Since we were getting ready to retire we spent 2 years making sure we had outfitting the AS with all the safety things. What I can say is that we have loved this trailer. We love to be out together. And working on getting all the things that need to be done with different maintence things have brought us closer together. If I would have known how much closer we would have become, I would have had a trailer many-many years ago.
PS We got our AS for my 60th bday, his 65th bday and our 35th anniversary gifts.
Best wished to you and your family, and thank you for your service.

[sempi2]

Forgot to say - it is a little love nest.

[GetOutDoors]

I'd have to second the part about the Airstream bringing my wife and I together: we love getting out to see parts of our neck-of-the-woods, things we both were either too busy or too poor to do in the past, but also something we both wanted to do.

I don't think a person could justify buying an RV of any type if looking at it from a purely financial perspective, but being able to sell the Airstream if it didn't work out without taking as big a hit on the resell was one of the reasons we went with Airstream; which is why buying a 70's or 80's model is a really good idea for you as it will not change much in price (if you buy right) in the next couple years.

I would also say that your spouse needs to enjoy the time on the road with the RV (if she doesn't, you can kiss Airstreaming good bye). That means the drive of man - the thing that makes us aggressive, must be left at home (Airstreaming is about relaxing and minimizing stress). Yes, and particularly when towing, you will find yourself as a driver in stressful situations. Consider it an opportunity to communicate with the wife the factors that cause the stress and work patiently together to overcome these things. In my experience, when the wife tries to be helpful, regardless of how minimal her contibution may seem, that positive reinforcement, letting her know that she helped and that it was valued, is essential for the relationship and very effective.

When frustrated man likes to simply vent the pressure, but to keep from losing the ability to go RVing, we will take measures to manage that stress more prudently. I have found that managing the stress has changed our relationship and the teamwork learned flows over to other areas of our lives.

In short, you have given her POWER by allowing you to go down the RV way of life.... And that is the biggest selling point!

[Scott J-24]

No mater what you decide, try to keep in mind the old saying....

Happy wife = Happy life

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by TBRich

I'd take her to visit an AS rally happening in your neck of the woods so she could see first hand how much fun can be had and how wonderful Aristreams really are. The enthusiasm for the "Airstream way" is always quite obvious (at our rallies, anyway) and would surely be a good selling atmosphere. We have had several folks just drop by to ask lots of questions and visit all kinds of Airstreams...now most of them are members with their own rigs..and just as proud and happy with them as we are.

And there is the thing about trying to do too much and cramming your time too full...that leads to less time to relax, being on edge, etc. Remember we go camping to have fun and enjoy ourselves! Make it a party, not a chore!

TB whacked the rivet....Never underestimate the power of Fanatic Streamer's in large groups.
Just remember...it was her idea all along.

Bob

[Flying Gypsies]

And when you go looking, there is something to be said for gently-used...less up front money and resale will be easy if it doesn't work out. From what I can tell, a used airstream can be BETTER than a new one. Airstreamers take pride in their babies and often add upgrades and keep the maintenance up above and beyond. This is not always the case with other used campers. If you go to an RV show to make up your mind, look UNDER the units before you go in the door. They will show you all the bells and whistles inside, but the quality is in the stuff you can't see. Some look like cardboard under there- airstream is very different. Be sure to show her the different models- Classic is our cup of tea, but not everyone likes all that wood inside. I hope she comes onboard with the camping experience AND an Airstream.

[xonvldz]

wife and i always liked camping from tents to popups sobs etc.when the kids were young they told me they didnt like to camp.so i told them when they got older they could choose not to camp.now that the youngest two are college aged,all of them from the memories of camping try to go with me and mom every chance they get.my daughter made the comment since she went tent camping with her friends at school,that the airstream is not camping at all.inmho it is a lifestyle that goes with my love of the outdoors.for me i only use the airstream to sleep in,while other family members hang out in it during the day.there already asking about next summers travel agenda.my attitude is if they want to go"great",if not will see you on the return home.funny how the airstream has grown on all of them.by the way we haved ownned 2 airstreams in the 30 years of camping.great coach to travel in.

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Army Nurse

My vision has us using this TT for various family outings a couple of times a month, as well as for "tailgating" between events when my daughter is at swim meets 6-8 times a year. I've been reading a lot on the various forums, and feel I've gained enough knowledge to make a fairly well informed purchase, except for one little thing...

How do I convince my wife we need an Airstream?!?

Tell her how nice it would be to stay in her own bed on these trips...then leave a copy of one of the latest "Hotels with Bedbug" articles next to her reading pile.

Shari

[Starscream]

Make the Airstream a family project. Every trip you will find something that can be tweaked so it will be easier to use. Getting the kids involved is a great way to get the wife's interest.

If you can rent one or if you can convince your wife to get one, take some well planned trips that are close to home at first. This way you can scope a nice campsite before you even load up, plan how to get your rig in and out and best utilize the amenities of the campground. Have the food prepared before you leave so that's one less thing to worry about.

Alot of people make the mistake of going bigger than they need and if traveling is stressful, you will never use your trailer no matter if it's an Airstream or not.

That said, Airstreams do tow very nicely, will likely hold their value, and I have met alot of nice people in my lifetime but none that were as welcoming as Airstream owners.

Tara

P.s. - Don't forget the s'mores.

[slowmover]

My folks bought their upmarket aluminum cousin, a 28' Silver Streak in the mid-70's when they were not quite 50. Kept it until in they were 75 or so. Our family vacations were 3-4 weeks back then with three kids from high school age down to elementary. Yours truly slept comfortably on an air mattress near the doorway. So, a trailer big enough for family (pulled by a luxury car), yet small enough for a retired couple.

My folks also used the trailer for a siblings sport events out of state, graduations, Thanksgivings at Bastrop State Park for many years, etc.

While theirs was a year old at purchase -- and never needed more than a replacement A/C and awning the next quarter century beyond normal small repairs and maintenance -- and yours is a "project" (thus possibly being the first of several), don't discount the amount of space to cool, heat, clean and maintain. Time spent outdoors is the key to easy living, but with enough interior space that all are comfortable in bad weather. I disbelieve that people today need more ("want" being an irrelevancy; one needs to learn to pack/store/inventory with a little more effort).

The on-road performance is key to much of this. With a VPP hitch, trailer disc brakes and well-adjusted rigging it is a stable, economical tow rig behind a Dodge. I have, and recommend, a bed topper to go with that. With 170 c/f storage, much that a family may want or need to learn to use can be shuffled out of sight. As experience grows, one is not limited to a pickup truck to pull an A/S, especially an older, lighter one (thus the TV can be quite economical in all use). On your CTD I also recommend a Class 5 Titan hitch receiver. The Dodge piece is adequate, not ideal, for proper WD.

There is probably no such thing as a used trailer that "needs nothing" as you know. I'd start with LED running/signal lamps, new safety chains, breakaway switch, new axles with disc brakes, 16" tires, etc. Get the VPP hitch and use scale certified weights to dial it in. In other words, all the travel precautions covered when the budget is fresh. Whatever else is left can be done at ones leisure.

The overhead can be lower, the trips a bit less expensive, the drive itself less work, and the TT is easier to manage (operate, etc) than many so-called lumbering, deteriorating rivals.

And there's no place to store enough beer.

As to trip planning, well, look that up around here. 300-miles or 3 o'clock is sage advice. That phrase is ancient. PM me if wanted, I've posted on trip planning to some extent.

.

[Army Nurse]

Wow, thanks for the very helpful posts! I read a few to my wife as we sat on the couch last night. She particulary enjoyed Sempi2's comment...

Originally Posted by sempi2

Forgot to say - it is a little love nest.

We were both surprised at the number of women who replied. My wife still isn't convinced, but perhaps she is 1-2% more onboard than she was before reading this.

Originally Posted by GetOutDoors

...That means the drive of man - the thing that makes us aggressive, must be left at home (Airstreaming is about relaxing and minimizing stress)...

...I have found that managing the stress has changed our relationship and the teamwork learned flows over to other areas of our lives.

Excellent advice, and probably my favorite response so far. That's exactly what I am striving for. My wife liked that post as well. As we work our way through our mid-forties, things are smoother than they were 20 years ago. Still, there's always some room for growth in everyone.

Originally Posted by REDNAX

...And there's no place to store enough beer.

Well, (sadly) I don't drink beer anymore. However, I do find an ice-cold Diet Coke always brightens my day. Might have to put a portable fridge in the back of the TV.

Originally Posted by REDNAX

...300-miles or 3 o'clock is sage advice.

I've been hearing that a lot on the various RV forums. Time management is key to making any project smooth, whether it be pulling a TT thorugh the mountains or replacing the exhaust on your TV. I've noticed that the more I try to pack into one day, the more frustrating it becomes. My best days working on a project in the garage are ones I plan to only fill about 4 hours. More than that, and Murphy comes along and messes it up. The next thing you know, it's 11:30 pm on a work night and the entire exhaust from my truck is still laying on the floor of the garage. (Good thing I still had the H3 back then, so I could use it to drive to work the next day.)

I suppose this, like many of my traits, comes from watching the way my dad used to plan the family vacation each year. He would come home at about 5pm Friday night and hurredly pack the truck. By 9pm, we were all in bed. At 3:30am we all wandered blurry eyed to the truck, and the adventure began. 9 hours later, we were checking into the resort cabin on the lake in Hackensack, Minnesota. Dad was all about getting the travel out of the way as quickly as possible, in order to arrive at the cabin before they closed up the office at 5. I wonder what fun we could have had if we had stretched the trip into two days?... What wonderful things might we have been able to stop and enjoy on our way?...

Every 2-3 years in the Army, we do a little thing called Permanent Change of Station. Basically, the Army says "Move!" and we pack it up and go. Usually, this process is very stressful, and the travel time can be the worst part. I think I'll plan my next PCS to limit the amount of distance we cover each day. Maybe if we stop and smell the roses on the way, the PCS won't be as stressful to everyone.

[zlee]

I love Diet Coke. In fact, I'm addicted to Diet Coke. I'm trying to wean myself off of it. I think I'm going to get a Mr. Fizz old fashioned siphon bottle - preferably in stainless steel, to match my future Bambi, and make fizzy drinks that way, as it will be less to store in the trailer. A doctor friend of mine tells me that Diet Coke actually changes your brain chemistry. *sigh*

[SeeMore]

Oh, where to start? I too had great times camping and touring in my youth. My dad was the original DIY constructor of a VW bus to camper conversion in the early 60s while we were stationed in Europe: many of his solutions are now standard features in Class B models. It was this ingenuity for a family of six and fantastic castles, fjords, etc. as backdrops to our evening fires that I wanted to share with my wife of 30+ years.

Sadly, she considered Marriott's as roughing it! I knew my interest in seeing America from the drivers seat ahead of a silver tube were probably fantasy. I started as you, wandering RV shows and various lots to no avail. She finally spoke positively about the notion after a few super-outfitted Class A's at many times the budget I had in mind. I told her a used Airstream would have the same amenities, durability, and comfort without the parking hassles once we got to a destination and wanted to see the sights.

Then we stumbled on a place where we could rent an Airstream from an acquaintance for the weekend. It offered us the chance to be lakeside and for her to experience a small, well-equipped "cabin" as though we had rented a cottage! The big bonus was not having to tow or park it. She was amazed at how all the conveniences really worked like home plus the luxury of her own bed and bath facilities. This truly fun-filled adventure from our retirement doldrums of country club golf, dinner outings, and same-o social circle events got me permission to jump in (modestly) with the caveat of selling it within a year if she changed her mind anywhere along the line.

Well it has been 16 months now and we have stayed in our trailer, "Instead," over 50 nights, traveled over 7,000 miles, and she is the one dreaming up new destinations. "Instead," her name because we do this instead of what was her old definition of travel via plane, rental car, and hotels, became so much more that what she thought at first was a crazy idea. She even named my Ram HD
"Seemore" in honor of her new found passion.

I should add we travel with our two boys, three year old Great Dane Harlequins at 150 & 165 lbs. We have done the beach, lakes, prairies, and mountains as our destinations; done theme tours of architecture, fairs, and music festivals, as well as national parks like Yellowstone, Tetons, Arches, Yosemite, Smokies, Big Bend, and the Ozarks. The Florida Keyes are next in January and then a tour through upstate New York in the Spring.

A special appreciation for laid-back daily living is one major key: 300 miles max (usually) and setup by 4pm rules our travel days. Unless there is a driving need to make miles, we travel every other day but do occasionally find a two day to/from with three days between sprints works nicely for moderately distant destinations. I no longer "make the schedule," just the lists of gear and spares, and have to cool my jets constantly. Funny, its a new approach for me and probably added years to my life besides making my time with the missus even more fun than the early years together!

P.S. You will not need the cooler in the TV. You have a full kitchen for beverage and meal breaks mere feet behind your TV whenever you want it

[Mini Cooper]

If it helps you any, just this month my wife and I purchased our new AS. We moved from a pop up to a 1988 32' Excella. Priced right in your price range of $11K.

My wife is an accountant so I approached this matter from a financial view. I know that next year, or in five years I can sell my AS (not that I plan on it) for every dollar we have in it. I truly believe that I could sell it for a small profit if I took my time and wanted to flip it soon. Having said that, my wife knows that I have been looking at moving up from our pop up to an AS for almost two years. We have yet to camp in it and it will be spring before we do.

We have a young 7 year old and could have spent the $50K to $70K for a much newer AS. We like the finer things in life, but we wanted to have other things in our life than just an AS. I was concerned that having an older AS would put my wife off for sure, and possibly me. I have spent 9 hours so far just detailing the Excella and have many more hours to go. I must say that neither my wife or myself regret buying this older AS. I know I have more to learn about the AS and all of the systems but one thing I know for sure is buying an older AS was absolutely the right decision.

My wife really does not like to camp she would rather be at the JW Marriott. I think the idea of not having a bathroom in the popup and pop up's tend to be cold/or hot since the only thing between you and the outside is a tent covering.

What sold my wife on an AS was my passion for the brand, she got a bathroom and insulation. The price knowing we could easily sell it if we did not like it. Surprisingly what we have found in the last month by being on these forums is my wife is finding all kids of cool people that have a similar interest and now she wants to camp with other AS and she sees this now as an opportunity to make new friends.

Other people have said it already but I can tell you that the quality time you will gain with your family will be immeasurable. With my son I don't know how he's already seven I can only imagine it's the same for you and your children. Life's short, try it for a couple of years. If you take your time buy the right AS your total expense over the two years will be less than one trip to Disney. If you happen to get lucky as I think I did, you might actually make a buck or two.

Thanks for your service to our Country.

Best of Luck.

Steve.

[bwoodtx]

Rent a trailer and take her to a forums rally!

Just remember-"Those convince against their will, are of the same opinion still"

Don't try to convince her, take her to the rally and let her enjoy all the good things that can happen. And plan better so you don't get up tight. So you don't make 300 miles a day-BFD-HAVE FUN!!!