Hello!

[CityGirl62]

Hi! My husband and I are going to look at a 2012 Serenity 19 this Saturday in London Ontario. We live in southeast Michigan so it's only about a 2 hour drive. We are empty nesters and first time RV-ers. To say we are excited is an understatement! We have our checklists and have been reading the forums but know we have a lot to learn! Thank you in advance for tips, advice and ideas!

[mpsgolf]

Congratulations on apparently almost being an Airstream owner and welcome!

My wife and I started with a used 25' a few years ago, and recently upgraded to a new 28'. We are very happy with our decision and in fact will be taking early retirement at the end of Aug to travel even more.

My only advice for shopping is to look at various models. Consider the size, arrangement, features, etc. Think about how you will live in it on a day to day basis - where you store things, how it will be to spend time in and move around inside, etc. Our 25' had enough room, but not enough storage and we didn't like having to put the dining table up and down everytime we wanted to use the couch in the evening. The 28' has more storage, and a separate couch and dining area.

Finallly, buyer beware! There are a lot of honest people out there - and unfortunately some that may not be. Make sure everything in the used trailer is in working order before committing. It may be worth it to have a dealer check it over before committing. I had great luck with my 25' - it was well cared for and everything worked. Looking back, I took a lot on faith and am fortunate that all turned out well.

Have fun and be SAFE!

[CityGirl62]

We started with a 16 foot but quickly moved to the 19. Unfortunately we are not yet retired and most of our trips will be long weekends for now. The 19 is at Can-Am. They assured us they export to the States all the time. How will we know if the tanks, especially black water, have been properly cared for? Anything we should have replaced before bringing it home?

[AnnArborBob]

I would generally trust a used Airstream purchase from CanAm. They will stand behind what they sell. And they are close enough to your home to take it back for service.

[OTRA15]

Hopefully they have other Airstream models there you can look at and sit in. Even ones in for service could be glanced into with the owners' permission, to get a sense of scale and place. If you can look at any other models before you get to CanAm that would be helpful too IMO.

There is no substitute for actually taking some time inside each model to appreciated its bed, windows, ventilation, galley, head, shower, and so forth.

Good luck!

Peter

PS -- And welcome to the forum.

[dbj216]

Welcome citygirl62. You are wise to consider the Airstream trailer in my view. They are well built and last a very long time properly cared for. The Serenity trim level is quite nice. I'm glad you are looking at a 2012 as some of the mid 2000 trailers had a bad water leak at the rear of the trailer. Can Am is a very good dealer and may offer some warranty just in case you find something amiss after the delivery.

The 19 will tow easy. The 19 is good for weekend get-aways. Heck, some folks live full time in a 19. They just don't have a lot of stuff. You will learn to travel light, taking only what is absolutely necessary. A pair of socks will last a week, won't they?

Can Am are known for towing set up and hitch adjustment. They should get you started out in good shape.

Welcome to AirForums. This is a good place to get your questions answered. There are just a lot of Airstream experts participating. If you execute a purchase, be sure to post a picture.

David

[CityGirl62]

Thank you Gentleman! I love all the tips and references for Can-Am. If anyone can look at the 2012 Serenity 19 on line and share feed back about the floor I would be grateful. It says "commercial" in the description but I can't tell much from the photo.

Pam

[Tn Traveler]

Welcome, Pam. I went to the Can-Am site to look at the trailer. It looked great. It is easy to see why you are excited about it. Here's hoping it's everything you want it to be.

[CityGirl62]

Thanks Don! Could you see the floor? I can't tell what it is and haven't seen one like it in other pictures. As you can tell I can't wait until Saturday when I'll see it for myself!