Got the bug... BAD! About to buy. Advice?

[Bellah]

I'm so new I don't even know what to ask.
I'm about to make a deal on a 2008 Safari Sport. I have a 2006 Toyota Tundra (smaller V8) to pull with.

Any buyer's remorse visions?

Most want to to travel to CO once a year and lots of Bluegrass
Festivals.

Bed is small. I'm 6'3". I guess it beats a tent on the ground.
Weight Limits?
Gas?
Bathroom OK? Wife insists on a full bath and this is the best design I've seen yet.

I would appreciate any advice.

JBell

[Silvertwinkie]

I don't see any problem with it unless you have a family you are planning to bring with you. TV would be more than fine to tow it...you know your lifestyle better than any of us....if you think this could fit your needs for the next 5 years, it's a good buy, if not, reconsider, because upgrading isn't cheap after depreciation sets in......

[Jaxon]

The only buyers remorse we had when we got our first Airstream, was that we should of got a larger one. Going from tents to a pop-up, we thought that with the 'Stream, we'd only need a "little one"... then said, heck let's splurge and get the International 22'... Several years later and countless trips, we finally got the 30' Classic and it's been great.

[vswingfield]

I'm with Bill on this one. Bigger is better. There is more difference going from not towing to a little trailer than there is between towing a little trailer and a big one. Heck, some of us think a 30 is a little trailer.

Bill and Kim are great people! Met them at the first Branson rally. Their Classic is a beauty and I am envious of their F250. That's my next big purchase.

A note on bed size, an Airstream "Queen" is no longer than a full, only a little wider.

By coincidence, there are 2 JBell's in my building.

[AirsDream]

You should spend as much time as you can reading these forums. Especially about tow vehicle / trailer load ratings, issues, etc. There are lots of facts on here, quite a bit of well-formed opinon, and a fair amount of balderdash. You'll figure it out.

And then you should spend a LOT of time sitting in the trialer you think you'l want. Lie on the bed. Sit on the potty. Imagine cooking with another person or two sitting .... where? Check out the pot and pan and clothing storage. Where will you store that (fill in blank here) that you just HAVE to take with you? You get the idea. Spend the better part of a day in it before you buy it.

From what I read, your tow vehicle should do o.k. for a trailer less than 25 feet or so, if you're careful about weight. Newer trailers are much heavier than older ones ... but do watch the various load ratings, hitch weight, etc. Be sure to get a high quality weight distributing hitch with sway control - you'll be glad you did. Bigger engine and tow gearing highly useful especially in hill country. Larger truck equipment even more useful coming down big hills. Even if you had massive all-around disc brakes as on a 3/4 tonner, and even if your tailer brakes are tweaked just right, it still won't stop like it does when you're not towing! Take it slow and easy your first few trips until you get used to the differences.

Got my A/S used, and at 23' its easy to tow, highly maneuverable, plenty big enough when I'm the only one aboard, or when wife or a friend comes with. Last fall, we took a longer trip with wife and two friends along. It was pretty snug for us, but we didn't boondock, so had campground showers, toilets, etc. to fall back on. Bigger is better when it's evening and getting close to bedtime. Bigger is worse when you're trying to get into a small fuel station or a tight campsite.

Good luck - let everyone know what you wind up with and how you like it. These machines do love to travel, so hitch up and head out!

Ryanh

[Foiled Again]

Yep, that surely is a purdy little trailer thar.

Do note my name "Foiled AGAIN."

I got it because I traded up from a 2005 22 CCD to a 25 Safari FB SE. I won't go to the 27 CCD FB unless I find a Grrrreat deal. I won't, I won't, I won't. Well not this year anyway.

So. As the prior posters have said. Look long and hard before you buy. Imagine spending two or three rainy days stuck in one.

I fulltime, you may be totally happy with a small unit. Oh, one thing about the beds... if you've reached a point where a night time potty break isn't unheard of, make sure you've got a bed you can crawl out of without disturbing your partner too much... or worse.

Paula

[ROBERT CROSS]

JBell,

The place to be for everything Airstream.

25' works nicely for us.

We all advise slow and easy, but not all follow there own advise,

Good Luck in your new adventure...

[lsinclair]

You would be wise to envision being locked up in your RV of choice for several days to help with the ideal size to fit you now and in the future. We started out with a 25' and went to a 30' as experience proved our first choice to be a little inadequate for us. Regardless of what you purchase, be sure you have sufficient reserve on your tow vehicle. The Colorado Rockies have numerous grades that put many a tow vehicle to the test. Having a heavy duty cooling system and trans cooler is essential for the longevity of your rig.
Be patient and good luck, you'll be happy in the end.

Larry

[skykingpilot]

Hey JBell,

While everyone is saying "bigger is better", truth is, often bigger is just bigger. We are very happy with our 19' Bambi. There are times where a little more space might be nice, bigger is typically heavier, uses more space and fuel, and taxes your Tow Vehicle more.

We enjoy the minimalist (if you can call any Stream minimal) space. I actually enjoy the size of our rig. My only interest/desire to change - might be - a little different floor plan. Make sure your floor plan is one you both really love. The size thing is something I would encourage you to just settle on and then make your move. There will always be days you wish you had more space... They are typically few and far between. We are VERY pleased to have a smaller unit. Especially when towing, or filling up with gas!!!

BTW: My tow vehicle is a 08 Tundra. Very pleased with the power and performance. We're set for another great year of camping!

All the best to you. Post after you make your final choice and pick up your unit! Best of luck, and ENJOY your new camper... '

Bill

[Gene]

J,

RV beds are smaller than standard ones. We made our "queen" about 4 inches longer so it would fit us better (we didn't stretch the mattress—put a support under the end, moved the mattress down and stuffed something under the pillows against the wall—presto, true queen). I don't think I could be comfortable in an RV double and you're 5 inches taller. But everyone is different.

I think the Sports are mainly for weekend camping. Small water tank makes a big difference if you are boondocking.

The 1st generation Tundra should be ok for a Sport, but not for a 25'. The grades in Colorado would test a 4.7 L. Tundra. It's a very good engine but I would not push it.

As others have said, take your time. Check everything out in each model and see if you fit. Some models have small areas in the bathrooms and tall people aren't comfortable on the toilet. Feeling cramped in your new toy is a genuine bummer. Once you've got the bug, it's hard not to buy one right away.

Gene

[happycamper2]

Before you buy, spend time in several units to find the best fit for you. Stand in the shower (some of them seem short), sit on the toilet and close the door, try out the bed. That's the best advice we got from this forum when trying to decide on a size. We finally found the fit that was perfect for us.

[Ahab]

Bigger is not always better. We do just fine for weeks at a time with the 22'. Two adults and two dogs. Last summer the mountain passes in Colorado posed no problem and we were in the passing lane more often than not, with decent gas mileage to boot. All this with a 3.6L engine. We're headed to Yellowstone this summer and don't expect any less. For your use, I'm thinking you'd be very happy with the rig your mulling over.

[hanlon]

JBell...go for it. As a long-time "looker", if you're "this close", go for it. Listen to what skykingpilot & Ahab posted. You've got the vehicle; do you really want to trade "up" for a more powerful one, or invest in a 3rd one (an older Suburban, for example), to pull a larger trailer? Do you really want to go diesel (I don't)- just to tow your rig?

Fuel has risen 40% in the last 90 days; when the recession starts ending- and India and China go back to their previous demands- it's going back to over $4. I say leave a smaller footprint and save money. In some folks minds, "less is more".

[Bellah]

Thanks for all the advice.
I lost out on the 2008 SS deal so no great hurry now.
Still thinking it over but we've still got the bug bad. We want to make
some bluegrass festivals this summer.
Thanks for all the time you guys have given and the tips you've supplied.

JB

[BeBop]

Explore the forums for opinions on size.

I did extensively, and ultimately decided on a used '27 Safari rear twin. With the whole family in tow, we convert the front gaucho to a queen with an air bed and let the kids (15 girl & 18 boy) share the rear. Otherwise it is the front queen with an early morning/late night rear lounge for the restless.

Only drawback to length is parking that sucker, otherwise on the road with the appropriate rig, not much of a difference. State and National facilities, as well as some private campgrounds, do often have length restrictions though. It is all part of the fun of researching the correct unit.

Any "extra" space comes in handy. Sometimes the longer units represent a better value per square foot. Just make sure they are structurally sound.

Enjoy the experience and hit the road!

[Jaxon]

Originally Posted by bellcr8v

Thanks for all the advice.
I lost out on the 2008 SS deal so no great hurry now.
Still thinking it over but we've still got the bug bad. We want to make
some bluegrass festivals this summer.
Thanks for all the time you guys have given and the tips you've supplied.
JB

Between the 22' International we had and the 30' Classic we now have, I haven't noticed any appreciable difference in mileage costs other than the diesel seems to work less when on the road. Besides the obvious of having more space for us and the dawg, the 30' allows us to have more folks over inside when the weather is not so good (winter or summer). Sometimes, playing some accoustic stuff outside bothers folks late a night or the 'skeeters begin to feast... indoors is a whole other venue and makes for nice conversation... with the 22' International, more than 4 adults indoors was very crowded.