Following A Dream

[SnowGypsy]

Hello from Kansas. We have had 7 RVs - no Airstreams, so yes, isn't it just about time. We been wading through information. We have full-timed for a couple short periods. I am awaiting a couple of Airstream books at this time. We can't really decide which "era" we are most interested in as they all have their special charm. We are in our 50's and have one dog, Rinnie who was socialized in an RV park as a pup and gets excited every time she sees an RV of any kind. We will be taking our time in our selection but are thrilled to have started the process. I just love classic. Cathy

[DEITZ645]

Cathy,
Welcome and good luck with your search. My wife and I started out with an SOB and after only a year or leaks and poor service replaced it with a new 2006 30' Classic Limited with a slide. We love it and have had zero problems with it. I did about a year's worth of research before we bought the new Airstream and visited about three dealers before we struck on a model and a deal that was agreeable with us. We are part-timers as we are still realitvely young and must work for healthcare.
We get a lot of use out of our Airstream. The first year we spent a weekend at the Penn Wood Airstream Park in Clarion, PA. We fell in love with the place and took a lease on a site. We decided we needed a second (gently used) trailer to keep at the Airstream park over the summers so I wouln't have to drag a trailer back and forth every time we wanted to go to the park (it is a four hour trip from our home to the park). So the research started anew. We were looking for a gently used trailer in the 25'-34' rand and spent a lot of time on the road looking at trailers. We finally found an '87 34' Excella 1000 that fit the bill in Ohio, over seven hours away from our home. Had somebody ever told me I would drive seven hours to look at a trailer, I would have told them they were crazy. But you learn that you have to look at a lot of trailers until you find the one you want. We made a great buy and now I am in the process of replacing the ugly 80's era mauve carpeting with a laminate hard wood floating floor. Next stop it out to P&S Tailers in Ohio for stripping and a new clear coat, new decals, and some new Zip-Dee awnings on the road side and rear of the trailer.
The best advice this novice could give you is to research, ask lots of questsions, and look at as many trailers as possible.
Good Luck.

[Foiled Again]

I will second the advice of "look at as many as possible"! Find a good dealer near you and look at new ones. Check the "Rally" listings at the bottom of the portal page and visit one - people love to give you a tour of their babies.

It's very important to not just look at the layouts but actually sprawl on the beds and sit in the bathrooms. Some units are very friendly if you're a size six or smaller! Don't be afraid of getting a big honking 34' if that is what appeals to you. You'll learn to tow it with just a slight bit more difficulty than a 25'.

Enjoy, the search is half the fun.... and don't forget to look under "classifieds" right here in this forum! Airstream of ARKANSAS is probably a bit of a drive but is one of the biggest Airstream dealers in the country.

Again welcome and happy trails. Paula Ford

[Phil/Edee]

Welcome to the best bunch of people you could hope to meet... the Forum members!! They're very patient... and very helpful We've almost full-timed in our '99 Excella 25 for two years now and love it. But since we have two furkids... a dog and a cat... we're looking for a bit more room. I've already asked opinions on a 34' but Phil is a bit concerned that the tongue weight will be too much for our F250 gas...(we don't even know the 25 is behind us...) People were more than happy to give suggestions.

I've done the "curtain" questions and, although I do have the pattern and the material, still have them waiting to see the finished product.....

Now we're trying to decide on a 30' with or without a slide. ( Are you beginning to see a pattern here... sigh) I need 2Air to clarify the "so"/no "so" question for me....

So you've definitely come to the right place to ask questions!!! Good luck on your search. Gotta love the AS way of life!

Edee & Phil

[2airishuman]

hi cathy and welcome to the big show...

as paula suggests aoa is a top notch dealership.

great selection, great pricing and honest dealing with worry free service.

and it's not that far from fort scott, i pass through there several times each year on my way to/from searcy.

knowing/understanding HOW you plan to use the trailer and HOW MUCH u can afford to spend, is critical for selection.

purchase and repair and upgrades all cost moola!

so try on LOTs of models and find what works for you.

cheers
2air'

Originally Posted by Phil/Edee

...I need 2Air to clarify the "so"/no "so" question for me....

hi edee and here ya go!

your 06-f250 will handle the tongue mass on a 34 or the 30 (slide or no slide) without a sweat.

a 30ft'r with slide is the heaviest thing they make on 4 wheels

and the tongue is approx the same wt (may-b more) as a 34 without slide, this largely depends on lp tank size and packing.

i prefer having 6 wheels under that much mass (and do) since there is less wt per wheel

... but the 30 slide floorplan is very nice...

the 2 big issues (imo) are...

1. which bathroom layout do u like better (split-hall or all street side)
-i actually prefer the bathroom layout in the 30/slide, but it's not available on a 34, so i have learned to like the 1 side layout.

2. travel patterns. the slide MUST be stabilizer jack supported EVERYTIME it's used, even for a few hours.
-on long trips i often stop for a quick overnight and don't wanna mess with the slide or walk over it when not extended.

[soldiermedic]

Welcome to the forums.

I have used Airstream of Arkansas for both Airstream purchases and service. I would recommend them highly like Foiled and 2Air.

Steve

[vinstream]

go early 60's!

[TBRich]

And what a nice dream it is! Congratulations on wanting to get hooked on Airstreams! Nobody here will argue with you for wanting that!

Good luck with your quest and use the Airforms to naroow the field...it's the best place to get all the info you need...not to mention the great crowd who will share your journey with you...

See you down the road...
TB

[moosetags]

Welcome to these Forums. We are glad to have you with us.

We have a Safari 25 FB. We have spent over 200 nights in our Lucy and can't wait to go again. We are going to leave Tuesday and go where the wind takes us.

Good luck in your search.

[deauxrite]

Hi Cathy and welcome. we are in our second AS the first was a 25 rear twin, this one is a 27 Front Queen. We have loved them both and think that they are both suitable for full timing, which we are beginning for the second time this month.

Welcome aboard and ask lots of questions..both from the forums and the dealer that you decide to rely on.

Jerry