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HootMon-Frau · 01-24-2012, 06:24 PM

We're new owners, but I've been lurking for a few months. We have been camping for the last year and a half in a T@B. It got us back into camping but we found it just too small for our needs. I'm 6'3, so the T@B didn't allow me to stand inside. We had the clamshell version (kitchen on the outside) and that worked pretty well. Along our camping travels early on we came across a couple with a small Airstream in Santa Cruz. They offered a tour and my wife jumped on it. Well, needless to say she fell in love with it. We started doing a bit of research and found that the one we got the tour of and the one that my wife became fixated on was the 16' DWR Bambi.

I had tried to discourage her placing all her hopes in that one DWR basket since I knew that it was a limited production model and would command higher prices. Yeah, that worked well...

Well, fast forward a year and we came across one that was for sale in the San Francisco bay area. We went and saw it, fell in love all over again and the next weekend towed it home. We've camped two times so far since having it about two months (holiday months).

We are looking forward to many years of fun camping in it. We've already signed up for the NorCal Forum Rally up at Casini Ranch.

Can't wait.

Jeff & Silvia
_______________________
2008 16' Bambi
2006 Toyota Tacoma 4dr, 2wd, V6

**Kevin245** · 01-24-2012, 06:34 PM

Congratulations... Some pictures would be appropriate.

Landshark · 01-24-2012, 06:39 PM

Welcome to the Forum and to A/S ownerhood!

Lurkers really do make good owners, especially when you have both fallen in love with your A/S. Just beware of aluminitis: there is no known cure.

Vivian

HootMon-Frau · 01-24-2012, 06:47 PM

I did just post a few images.

Jeff & Silvia
_______________________
2008 16' Bambi
2006 Toyota Tacoma 4dr, 2wd, V6

valmog · 01-24-2012, 06:47 PM

Welcome and a big congratulations to you..what a find!!!! The 16ft DWR was what got me interested in Airstreams in the first place. We never found one, but got a 16 ft one anyway and we love it. My husband is also 6'3 and we fit nicely in the little cozy space!

Looking forward to seeing your photos

This is a great group of people here...you'll enjoy all the information and friendships!

-Kim

crazeevw · 01-24-2012, 07:04 PM

I'm lost, what is a DWR Airstream trailer?
Thanks, Derek

valmog · 01-24-2012, 07:15 PM

Derek, The DWR (Design Within Reach) Airstream was a special edition 16ft trailer that was only available for a short time....you can see pictures of it here Airstream DWR Design Within Reach Travel Trailer review - Roaming Times

-kim

FreshAir · 01-24-2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HootMon-Frau

We're new owners, but I've been lurking for a few months. We have been camping for the last year and a half in a T@B. It got us back into camping but we found it just too small for our needs. I'm 6'3, so the T@B didn't allow me to stand inside. We had the clamshell version (kitchen on the outside) and that worked pretty well. Along our camping travels early on we came across a couple with a small Airstream in Santa Cruz. They offered a tour and my wife jumped on it. Well, needless to say she fell in love with it. We started doing a bit of research and found that the one we got the tour of and the one that my wife became fixated on was the 16' DWR Bambi.

I had tried to discourage her placing all her hopes in that one DWR basket since I knew that it was a limited production model and would command higher prices. Yeah, that worked well...

Well, fast forward a year and we came across one that was for sale in the San Francisco bay area. We went and saw it, fell in love all over again and the next weekend towed it home. We've camped two times so far since having it about two months (holiday months).

We are looking forward to many years of fun camping in it. We've already signed up for the NorCal Forum Rally up at Casini Ranch.

Can't wait.

Jeff & Silvia
_______________________
2008 16' Bambi
2006 Toyota Tacoma 4dr, 2wd, V6

Looking forward to seeing you at the Rally.

HootMon-Frau · 01-24-2012, 07:20 PM

It is one of the special edition models of 16' Bambi's that was designed by the firm DESIGN WITHIN REACH (DWR). There have been a few other special editions Bambi's (Quicksilver, Victronix, Anniversary models, etc). The DWR has a solar panel, some design items inside (George Nelson ball clock, some special dishware, chairs, coat rack, etc)

Jeff

mutcth · 01-25-2012, 09:29 AM

Congrats! We owned a T@B too - took it cross-country before we bought our Argosy. Liked the little teardop - so easy to use - but really wanted more space and a bathroom.

Here's to many happy years with the DWR!

Tom

HootMon-Frau · 01-25-2012, 11:41 AM

That's what did it for us, too. Took a trip to Yellowstone last summer and that was when the T@B's limitations stood out. We started looking at Airstreams right after we got back. We still love the T@B, don't get me wrong. In fact, if they had made a teardrop model of the basic same shape but wider, longer and taller, who knows?

But they don't, and if I made it myself (I had thoughts) my wife said we probably wouldn't go camping for years until it was finished. Wait, does that mean she lacks confidence that I could finish one project before moving on to another?!?

mutcth · 01-25-2012, 05:31 PM

We were in the same boat. T@B made several bigger models in Europe - I even toyed with importing one from England. If we could have bought that (the T@DA just didn't do it for us), we would have. Oh well.

Both T@B and Airstream have great groups of owners too.

Tom

Condoluminum · 01-25-2012, 05:41 PM

Welcome and Congratulations! We've gotten to know a number of couples that have camped for months at a time in their 16' Bambi's, including summer trip from Virginia to Alaska and back. Had small washing machine tub inside and two bikes in back of Toyota pickup. Don't make mistake of parking it just to provide housing for spiders and critters.. (Ask me how I know..).. They are really easy to take to warm weather, and actually do OK in cold with full propane tank, small electric heater and external electrical power..

We too look forward to seeing you at Casini, if the spiders don't mind giving it up for the weekend..

HootMon-Frau · 01-25-2012, 05:45 PM

Yeah, we saw those European models and drooled for awhile then found out how much they would cost if imported and that put that problem to bed.

I think, the much worse drool factor was the European Airstreams. They have THE layout as far as I'm concerned. Bed (queen size) in back (across the back) with a dinette in the front. The fact that it was light was a huge bonus. But again, not available here.

Why, oh why, doesn't Airstream make a 19' or 20' version with that same floorplan, which is the same as the 16 Bambi. It would allow for an acceptable bed size which doesn't exist until you get into the much larger (and heavier) models.

mutcth · 01-25-2012, 05:56 PM

Yep. Our T@B TQ had a king-sized bed - basically the whole thing was a rolling bed. We now wind up sleeping separate, one on the gaucho, one on the dinette.

You raise a great idea. A 20' Bambi with the 16' floor plan and dual panoramic windows, but instead with a seating area that made a queen (or king) across the back and a slightly longer galley, would have us getting out our checkbook.

Tom

kds · 01-25-2012, 08:46 PM

I got so excited when I saw your T@B next to your AS!!! I have a 2010 T@DA and a 28 ft AS. I love them both. I take the T@DA when it's just me and the AS when my husband and I go together. I know I'm going to have to give up the T@DA someday soon---maintaining 2 travel trailers is expensive but boy---do I love them both. What a great problem to have. Never thought I would be so lucky. Enjoy your new AS. Lots of adventure is headed your way. Congrats and best wishes.

kelly

valmog · 01-25-2012, 08:52 PM

Jeff your thoughts were ours exactly when we were looking...why can't they just stretch the 16ft floor plan out to a 19 or 20! Like Tom, we'd also have our checkbooks out tomorrow!!

elfirebob · 01-25-2012, 09:45 PM

Jeff and Silvia,
Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new rig, you're gonna have a great time in your rig.
Our first camper after tenting for years was a Silver aluminum T@B 16. Had a great time, still after many trips, Yellowstone too, the no shower issue became the driver for another rig.
Our first Airstream was a 19 Bambi and we now have our 25FB...
Who knows, if Thor had brought over the T@B XL from Europe maybe things would have been different. Still, I think AS has nailed it with their full product line including thier Euro like Sports, the 17 and 22, nice.
Again, welcome, we'll see ya'll out there!

HootMon-Frau · 01-26-2012, 03:07 AM

I just had to laugh. When we first got our Bambi home I didn't even try out the refrigerator since it was working when we tested it out at the previous owners. Well, before our first trip I filled both propane tanks and just like I had done with our T@B, turned on the refrigerator a day before we left so it would cool and ready to go. I had it on auto and had assumed it was running on the shore power it was plugged into.

It was cold the first trip but the fan kept us up at night so we shut it off and restarted it in the morning.

I replaced the noisy little fan with a quieter one (can't even hear it at all). Our next trip went fine AND we could sleep at night as well as have cold beer (important).

Got home and the check light came on. Well, that's odd. I tried for a few days to get the fridge to turn on but it just wouldn't. I figured I'd try to run it on propane but the check light kept coming on. As a last resort I took off the propane cover and what the... both tanks were empty!

So it had been running on propane the WHOLE time. Now I went the AirForum and searched around and one of the first things that was suggested to check on was whether a GFCI outlet might have been tripped. Ifelt around behind the fridge and found the outlet (not GFCI) but nothing was plugged into it. The plug must go somewhere else, right?

Nope, after a bit of fumbling around I found the culprit. The power cord for the fridge wasn't plugged in! Plugged it in and everything is fine. Works great. Can't figure out how it could have ever been disconnected. I have to assume that the previous owner had it disconnected for at least part, if not all, of the time he had it.

Wow.