Discouraged

[Len n Jeanne]

Dave, if you are a handyman, you have a huge leg-up over our initial lack of experience with RVing when we bought the Bambi in 2007. We were total babes-in-the-woods. No previous RV experience, towing experience, backing-a-trailer experience, repair experience, you-name-it. We just try to be friendly to the RV mechanics who fix stuff for us.

Maybe I should feel lessened somehow by these admissions, but I think it is helpful to prospective Airstreamers for somebody just to say that, while it is helpful to understand the mechanical side, and while some guys truly enjoy restoring an old AS as a hobby, you can still have a lot of fun in one without all of the expertise and without all of the work. We've been all over the western states and southern BC in ours, without a moment of regret.

Off camping to Kikomun Creek Provincial Park in a couple of hours. Rain the forecast-- but we are bringing good books, rain gear, and good spirits. Ministry of Environment - Recreation - Kikomun Creek Provincial Park

[PharmGeek]

Len n Jeanne....

I just want to say thank you for that bit of perspective....as similar newb's soon to own our first AS, its a tad intimidating....my wife and I will be in the same boat...I am not the handiest person in the world..I expect RV mechanics will take my money away after my warranty expires....is november here yet folks??

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

Len n Jeanne....

I just want to say thank you for that bit of perspective....as similar newb's soon to own our first AS, its a tad intimidating....my wife and I will be in the same boat...I am not the handiest person in the world..I expect RV mechanics will take my money away after my warranty expires....is november here yet folks??

That's why you pay attention as to how the stuff gets fixed, so you can do the same. Learning WHY things work the way they do, and not just how to make them work, is important.

[PharmGeek]

Good point...hopefully during the warranty period I will glean alot and learn alot...and when its over I can simply do much of it myself...heck, ive learned to fix toilets, install light fixtures, and all kinds of stuff since being a home owner in my first 5 years. AS will be no different...plus (and this is critical), I have very handy family too...dad is a mechanic, brother an electrician.....so that could help at times

[Zackybilly1]

As a kid and with my family, we tent camped (5 kids...bless my parent's souls) often and I camped quite a bit outside of family trips...just because I loved camping. I tent camped off the back of a motorcycle for years and today, I have two 2012 pop-up campers to tow behind GoldWings. I bought my first SOB trailer in my 20's when none of my friends would remotely consider that option or accessory. Besides camping, I really like preparing for camping as its a good alternative to camping when you can't get loose to go.

My parent's neighbor had a brother that was a sales rep for Airstream...he (a very "stately" man...reminded me of Richard Attenborough...the theme park owner on Jurassic Park) would come down to visit several weeks out of the year with his custom Land Yacht and his "tricked-out" white International Travel-All with hitches, both, front and rear. I lusted after his trailer recognizing he had the Rolls Royce of trailers and I had a tin & stick box on wheels. When he heard that I was enamoured with his trailer, he flagged me over one day and gave me the full tour. Compared to my trailers up to that point, I felt like I had stepped into a corporate executive's custom-built Gulfstream jet. His was decked out with leather and what appeared to be mohogany panels throughout...extremely plush. It was a bachelor's dream trailer and as of today, I haven't seen any trailer that rivaled his interior in appearance and in that "feel". If James Bond had a travel trailer, it would have looked like that one. A man's man trailer, for the lack of a better description.

With time, limited savings and some horse-trading, I worked my way up to a 26' AS...it was a little rough around the edges but the body was straight and looked good. The fabric on the cushions, etc. looked like it had been selected by someone on a bad acid trip from the 60's....but I had arrived and it felt good...real good. With time, I had the upholstery redone a piece or two at a time in some high-end fabric by a highly-skilled local man who worked it in between his high dollar jobs. It turned out to be a fine rig that I was quite proud of. However, as time went on, I wanted more.

A friend brought to my attention that an older man in a neighboring town had a longer AS and was wanting to down-size. We worked out a deal and I ended up with a '73 31' Land Yacht...center twin, rear bath in exceptional condition....except the upholstery fabic...yuck. I repeated the process on the upholstery and ended up with a reasonably nice trailer. At the time, I was a field supervisor over-seeing jobs all over the country. I lived in that trailer 5-6 nights a week for several years...not retired and rambling the country-side but I enjoyed the utilization and was making cash money off of it in the form of daily per diem as opposed to staying in motels.

With time, my friends and family associated Airstreams with me. If a AS surfaced on the local market, many times it was pointed out to me. Later and after looking at many, I found an exceptional deal on a second '73 31' center twin but this particular trailer had the optional Onan "battery charger", double-pane windows and supposedly, "extra" insulation for colder weather service. Not wanting to part with my existing 31' footer, I became the proud owner of two Airstreams. One usually was parked out of town while one resided at home for recreational service. Even after I changed careers excluding my need to be away from home, I still kept both trailers. The fact that they were almost identical trailers and being the gearhead that I am, I began the process of transferring all of the best components on to the "Onan" model to develop "my" premier trailer. Over time, my Airstreams became "cooler & cooler" especially after hitting vintage status. Besides the road trips, they proved handy when the kids had sleep-over company, the mother-in-law came to visit or I needed an on-site retreat.

The amount of pleasure I got out of the trailers, by far, greatly exceeded any effort or money I put into them in the way of maintenance or "refreshing". Besides being symbolic of my freedom, I like the legacy of the Airstream product line. I had no intensions of ever getting rid of the trailers but Mother Nature had different plans. Between a tornado topping a pine tree on one and Hurricane Katrina killing my favorite of the two, I found myself trailer-less for several years while trying to recover from the losses incurred during Katrina. Although I remain interested in Airstreams, I had more pressing issues to deal with on my plate.






Fast forward to a month ago, while browsing the net, I found what I considered a killer deal on a "new" trailer....a fellow purchased a 2012 28' International Signature in August of 2012 and traded up to a 30' footer in February of 2013. He never rigged out the 28' footer, never used it, never slept in it, never a hose hooked to it....just hauled it home and parked it. The bed & pillows were still sealed in plastic and I assumed it was a 2013 when I first saw it on the dealer's lot. Best I can figure, the PO took about a $27K hit on the 28' not to mention what he laid out for the 30'. The dealer was flooded with 2013s so was willing to negeotiate.

I am crazy about the wide-body models but, respectfully, feel like Airstream went backwards in some areas. Realistically, the things that I think are vast improvements aren't really related to AS but their suppliers (Dometic, Atwood, Fantastic, Amana, etc.). LED lighting and flat-screen televisions were heaven sent to the RV world. I don't like the cheap looking steps on the later models...looks too SOB for me and some items just plainly weren't right from the factory (gray water/fresh water monitors were swapped, waste-water connection support...cheesy and hanging on by a thread, etc.). Personally, I think the sky-lights are more of a liability than an asset on these later models. With the battery location moved to the front and I guess, the addition of particle board, the weights/tongue weights have gone up dramatically (the published tongue weight on my '73 31-footer was 515 lbs) But, it is fresh, I have better TV's than years gone by and I'm just going to treat it as an "workable core" which is kind of a shame considering the layout of cash even at my discounted price. I think in some respects, Wally would be spinning in his grave...but I still think it is the best thing going in travel trailer in spite of the price tag.

To further feed my aluminum addiction, Father's Day, I bought a nice '03 30' Classic (non-S/O). It is as clean as a pin, well maintained and includes a HA hitch at a small fraction of what I gave for the 28' International. I plan to keep both trailers which isn't odd for a fellow that has had two before and currently has 15 motorcycles. Once again, I'm a little less than enthusiastic about the upholstery but maybe that is just me...not nearly as offensive as the psychodelic stuff from years ago. For the price, I wouldn't care if it were avacodo with purple & pink sun-burst. The body is straight and well maintained, I like the floor-plan/oak interior and it is ready to roll. The only immediate change I foresee is the addition of a second A/C unit which is a slam-dunk with the goodies available today for that type of up-grade.

If my close friend were to ask me advice on getting an Airstream, I would recommend that they shop for a well-maintained earlier model. Not necessarily vintage (unless they were mechanical & enjoyed tinkering) but something that the "bugs" have already been worked out by the PO and the depreciation hit had already been absorbed by someone else. If buying new, it is a substaintial financial layout and if not satisfied, you will take a major hit trying to sell it. I wouldn't recommend a new trailer to anyone that hasn't had a pre-owned AS or isn't flush with cash. Frankly, I would hate to recommend a new one to a friend/newbie and then, they have to worry with getting all the little issues fixed with no clue of what they are dealing with. At the rate the quality was improving on Airstream's decades ago, you would figure the process would be so refined by this point that you couldn't find anything wrong with them or any area to improve on.

Such as life and welcome to the 21st (disposable, take-what-you-can-get) century.

Glad we got a chance to visit.

Z

[Landrum]

I think that's the longest post I've ever seen.

[Zackybilly1]

Originally Posted by CaptainNecro

I think that's the longest post I've ever seen.

It's a rainy day schedule today.

Cheers,

Z

[Tomzstream]

The happiest days in an Airstream owner's life...

OK I have to admit I too get discouraged reading these forums. The whole filiform corrosion thing just amuses me no end. How folks get so upset because a metal changes composition? It used to be that it was the fact that aluminum formed a micro thin protective surface that distinguished it from metals that rust... Before there was clearcoat, I am sure folks bitched about having to polish every year... Uh Oh, I probably just offended all of the vintage owners.

Its funny though, when they are out and about and mixing with owners of SOB trailer, there is no end to their bragging (no rubber roof, prestige and style... etceteras).

Personally, I think I will keep my stream long term and let 'er age gracefully. Afterall, SOMEDAY she will be "Vintage"!

[AIR-Quarius]

Yes, that was a long post.

[Zackybilly1]

Originally Posted by AIR-Quarius

Yes, that was a long post.

Is that discouraged around here or do I need more rivets?

Z

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Zackybilly1

Is that discouraged around here or do I need more rivets?

Z

Not discouraged, but you get to Rivet Master faster if you break up long ones into smaller chunks :-)

(I'm being a wise-guy.....post whatever you like!!)

[m.hony]

Zackybilly- the new Classics still have the machined aluminum steps- I hate those SOB steps, too.

[Zackybilly1]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Not discouraged, but you get to Rivet Master faster if you break up long ones into smaller chunks :-)

(I'm being a wise-guy.....post whatever you like!!)

SSM,

I appreciate your humor and glad you saw it in my response. I enjoy reading your post.

I am a man of a few words...sometimes. Admittedly, I've been accused of posting too many pics on other forums but it is a little more work to do it here so I guess I'm just venting my bottled-up enthusiasm via the keyboard. I'm stoked about being wrapped in aluminum again and have the modification ideas just running rampant in my head. I like putting my own spin on things.



My pop-up camper tow vehicle...


Z

[m.hony]

The Classic tail lights and running lights are different, as well.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by Zackybilly1

SSM,

I appreciate your humor and glad you saw it in my response. I enjoy reading your post.

I am a man of a few words...sometimes. Admittedly, I've been accused of posting too many pics on other forums but it is a little more work to do it here so I guess I'm just venting my bottled-up enthusiasm via the keyboard. I'm stoked about being wrapped in aluminum again and have the modification ideas just running rampant in my head. I like putting my own spin on things.



My pop-up camper tow vehicle...


Z

4 Goldwings and a Road King. I can't identify those that are further back.

[jimmini]

Hay Airstream are the best.You want problems buy a SOB.
I have a 1989 Squarestream that I have had for 8 year.I have done all the small maintance that had to be done and I use mine all most full time.The other day I needed the AC for the first time and it worked after all these years.
The Air Forum is just here to help you if needed.Not to make you think Airstream are junk.

Just do your home work and pick a good used one and Cowboy up and get into the fun of the Airstream life.

[Zackybilly1]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Zackybilly- the new Classics still have the machined aluminum steps- I hate those SOB steps, too.

And I thought it was just me...

Far be it from me to be discouraged...or want to discourage anyone else. Although almost anyone in the country can identify an Airstream at 1,000 yards, we owner are still a niche group. I'm seeing many members here from Mississippi which, for some reason, is more encouraging (like I really need it).

I'm just in this for the fun. I surely enjoy the fun parts but also like the problem solving of any issues I encounter. I'm a tinkering guy at heart and things like this only feed my addiction. As mention before, prepping for a road trip and staying on top of the related equipment runs a close 2nd place to the actual trip itself. Guess I must just be easily amused. Cruising this forum is certainly shortening up my learning curve on the later model trailers...forums are invaluable in that respect to me.

For every negative I can point out about the newer AS, there are 500 positives...about the same with most products these days. I only hope to thoroughly wear them completely out. Now, I don't have a pine tree in a 1/4 mile radius of my Airstreams...I can only see where that will help.

Cheers,

Z

[Zackybilly1]

Originally Posted by m.hony

4 Goldwings and a Road King. I can't identify those that are further back.

1967 Triumph Bonneville
1968 Triumph Bonneville
1969 Triumph Bonneville
1970 Triumph Custom (Home-built)
1973 Norton Commando Interstate
1982 Suzuki Katana (one owner...first crotch rocket)
1982 Suzuki Katana (WIP)
2000 Honda Shadow
2001 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad
2003 Moto Guzzi California Stone
2008 Honda CBR1000RR
2010 Honda GoldWing ABS Black (IronButt Long Distance bike)
2010 Honda Goldwing ABS Red
2010 Honda Goldwing ABS Titanium
2013 Honda Goldwing F6B (Honda's StreetGlide)
2013 Yamaha FJR1300
2013 Honda NC700

2010 CanAm M/C Trailer (Sold the Spyder...kept the trailer)
2010 Tailwind Carbon-Fiber M/C Trailer Red
2011 Tailwind Carbon-Fiber M/C Trailer Black
2012 Tailwind Carbon-Fiber M/C Trailer Titanium
2012 RollAHome Solo M/C Pop-Up Camper (highly modified)
2012 RollAHome WideBed M/C Pop-Up Camper

The Harleys are gone...I have to buy and sell one about every 5 years to remember why I don't have them.

After the day of purchase, none of this bikes have ever been back to the dealership.

A man needs hobbies. I have one bay in my shop reserved for AS projects.

Z

[m.hony]

Zackybilly- maybe we will meet on the road somewhere- on 2 wheels or 8...
Where is Poplarville?

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by callmedave

Hi Folks,
1st post: We've been looking into TTs for a while, went to a few shows and discovered AS, recently found this forum.
After spending the weekend browsing here(doing due diligence)we're feeling quite discouraged about getting an Airstream.
Although there really doesn't seem to be much competition, we're getting the feeling that AS TTs are a lot of trouble.
I'm mechanically skilled(as a retired builder I do much of our maintenance and repair) but I really don't want to spend all my time addressing a series of problems, especially on the road.
Do "Streamers" get to enjoy RVing?
Any advice as we proceed would be appreciated.
Thanks,
callmeDave

I am a retired builder also.

I started Airstreaming 20+ years ago, after tent, popup, and white box camping 20+ years prior to that. I'm not in love with my trailer nor am I romantic about traveling in it. I do enjoy the freedom it gives me when traveling. I am on my fourth Airstream trailer now. I have always bought a second or third hand trailer.

As a builder I know you will appreciate my next statement. I look at my trailer as a tool. I want the best tool I can find to get the job done quickly, with the least effort, and with a result that makes me happy. Airstream does that, better than any other tool I have found. A new one would be nice, but I'm to much of a tight wad to lay out the $. Though, I buy a new tow vehicle every year or two.

You will learn to understand the systems of the trailer pretty quickly. They are much simpler than, though similar to, residential and/or industrial systems. And, you should easily be able to take care of the maintenance, if you are the do it yourself type. There is less maintenance on an Airstream trailer than on any car or truck.

If you buy a trailer and a tow vehicle and decide it is not for you, there is always someone like me who prefers those second or third hand tools!

Go for it!