Introduction of New Airstream Owner

[bbherb]

We are Bonnie and Bill Herb. Just bought a '07 Bambi from the dealer in Eugene OR. Will take delivery next week and we're excited about joining this community. We're planning our "shakedown cruise", probably someplace on the Oregon coast.

Bill just retired and we figure it's about time to hit the open road. We mulled over the travel trailer idea for some time. Bonnie was rarin' to go; Bill dragged his feet suffering from analysis paralysis. Spent time at the Jayco dealer and then all of a sudden Airstream was uppermost in our minds. Darn things just kind of grow on you.

Would like some feedback and thoughts on buying an extended warranty for the Bambi. Dealer offered a 7 year extended warranty for $1585. Argument is that just having to replace/fix the refrigerator once will pay for the premium. Sounds logical but I've not been much of a fan of service warranties for much of anything. Would like to hear about your experiences.

Looking forward to meeting other Airstream-ers on the road. Travel safe, you guys.

Bonnie and Bill
Camas, WA
bbherb@gmail.com

[overlander63]

Hi, and welcome to the forums.
What I have learned with extended warranties, unless they are offered by the manufacturer, is they are insurance policies, and the insurance company is betting you won't use all your coverage before "time's up".

[bbherb]

Thanks, Terry. I know you're right. Insurance company's gamble. Seems everything Airstream does is high quality, so I'm trying to assess the kind of risk I'm taking by not having the extended warranty, i.e. what kinds of breakdowns are owners of new Airstreams experiencing?

Thanks for the welcome. B&B

[overlander63]

They're good, better than almost anything else, but not perfect.
When you've learned how to navigate around the forums, there are several threads about initial quality, search "quality" and you will see what to watch for.

[Mary Sheriff]

Hello there. We are John & Mary Sheriff from Cleveland, TN. We are in the process of buying a 25 ft Sarfari SE. Hope to go out to Glacier National Park later on in the season. Has anyone been there before? What good places are there to stop along the way? Hope to hear from you soon.

[bkmoore]

Congratulations on your new purchase!

I purchased my Bambi (16") from the dealer in Eugene in 2006. After about 30 nights of use, I've had few problems that weren’t self-inflicted. During your delivery checkout, be certain the shower doesn't leak (lack of adequate caulking is a common problem) and be sure you understand how the awning works. The awning arms are easy to bend...

Interesting about the extended warranty. I wasn’t offered one when I bought my trailer. If it were offered, I wouldn’t have bought it.

Good luck,
Bryan

[Goin camping]

Originally Posted by bbherb

Would like some feedback and thoughts on buying an extended warranty for the Bambi. Dealer offered a 7 year extended warranty for $1585. Argument is that just having to replace/fix the refrigerator once will pay for the premium. Sounds logical but I've not been much of a fan of service warranties for much of anything. Would like to hear about your experiences.

Looking forward to meeting other Airstream-ers on the road. Travel safe, you guys.

Bonnie and Bill
Camas, WA
bbherb@gmail.com

Hi Bonnie & Bill and welcome to the group.

Because of the high initial purchase cost and the high cost to repair major items we got the extended warranty.

Since we are out in our trailer a couple times a month we figured if it didn't fail or break in five years under heavy use it would last forever.

If your Bambi gets to be to small you can transfer it to a new larger unit also.

Good luck.

[Goin camping]

Originally Posted by Mary Sheriff

Hello there. We are John & Mary Sheriff from Cleveland, TN. We are in the process of buying a 25 ft Sarfari SE. Hope to go out to Glacier National Park later on in the season. Has anyone been there before? What good places are there to stop along the way? Hope to hear from you soon.

Hi Mary and John and welcome aboard.

25 ft. is a great size. Room to roam inside and fits into many great places.

Good luck! and many safe happy miles to you.