Potential New Owner and Questions

[RV Doctor]

Hello All...

Long time RV'rs, Tony and Helen here. We have full-timed for 5 years in a 35' fifth wheel and are now in a 2010 36' Tiffin Allegro RED diesel pusher.

We are concerned about the reliability and cost of service and maintenance of our Freightliner equipped chassis.

We are long time Airstream fans but felt we couldn't full-time in one. We are on the verge of never having slideouts again as they bring challenges and have been looking at the Anniversary Editions of the classic 34' temporary release Limited.

Any feedback on Airstream quality and potential issues for the 2011's would be appeciated and if you full-time in a Airstream, your thoughts would be valuable.

Also, we live in Alberta, Canada in the summer and can get hailstorms. I can't seem to get any information as to what size hail these will withstand.

We were in Jackson Center in October and were impressed. Real world owners seem to have real world issues and impressions. Don't hold back!

Thanks from potential new owners!

Tony & Helen

[pmclemore]

Hello, Tony and Helen - we're glad you've found the forums.

Hail is a rarity here in the East, but I would be worried about pretty much any size of stone. That said, we have a lot of members that live in our great midwest that must face it every season. Perhaps they can give you the straight scoop.

Good luck and enjoy the search.

Pat

[nswhite]

They are supposed to resist hail up to the size of a quarter. We've been thru that size and it came thru unscathed.

However, we also were thru a good size hail storm about the size of a league ball. Good size dents. We wound up replacing panels. Thank God for insurance.

Any problems we have are minor compared to the enjoyment we get of camping in one.

[moosetags]

First off, welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

We are not full timers, but have spent a lot of time in the Airstream (810 nights/70,000 miles) in the the last 4 years. We have a 2005 Safari 25FB, named Lucy. We have considered going to a larger Airstream, but ultimately decided that we were very happy with Lucy. If we had a bigger trailer, we would just carry around more junk than we actually need. Lucy's separate bedroom and shower layout give us the individual privacy that we need to live comfortably in a small space.

The 34 you are considering is a great trailer. The Airstream slides have a really good reputation for their long term operation without problems. They are way overbuilt, and add about 1,000# to the trailer weight, and only add about a foot. In my opinion, what you get from an Airstream SO is not worth the extra expense and weight.

As far as the hail damage goes, we have been in two separate hail storms with Lucy, one in South Dakota and one in Idaho. Both times we were scared for Lucy's safety and looked to get under cover, but none was available. Both times the hail was about Peanut M&M size, and Lucy did not sustain any discernible damage. I don't really know at what size you would be in trouble.

Lucy has had some minor issues, but nothing that was really serious. Our biggest problem was the tire issue. Last year we finally took Lucy to Jackson Center and treated her to a brand new set of 16" wheels and Michelin LT tires.

All in all, the Airstream experience has been phenomenal We are now planning to replace Lucy's tow vehicle with a one ton truck with a pop-up truck camper. We will tow Lucy to an area we want to explore, set her up as the base camp, and head out in the back country for several days at a time in the truck camper.

Brian

[Gene]

Colorado's Front Range is the 2nd worse place in the US for hail (Florida is first) and if I still lived there I'd certainly have a hard cover over an RV—pole barn, garage or something similar. Calgary is situated like Denver and Ft. Collins and must have similar weather with thunderstorms and hail to the east of the Rockies. Any RV, car or truck is vulnerable and hail is to be feared.

As for maintenance, RV's need a lot and Airstreams are no exception. Hunt around the Forum and you will find lots of complaints about corrosion, quality control (or lack of it), design issues and such. It will discourage you, but if you like the Airstream design, ease of towing, you may still want to buy one. People that are satisfied or have few problems are less likely to post, so the results are biased. Many will suggest a recent model gently used to save on depreciation.

Gene

[TBRich]

Welcome to the forums! Glad you could join us. Don't worry about folks "holding back" here...you'll get all the "good, bad and ugly" you could want. Ourselves, we are all "good"...and we only have 19' of Airstream to enjoy! As was mentioned there is maintenance with an RV and Airstreams are no different in that area. And there are a few "special" issues with them...like potential hail damage, leak potential and things that come along with having an exterior aluminum skin...which all of like to keep as pristine as possible (but it ain't gonna happen if you use it!)... Airstreams do hold thier value better than most RVs and there is the whole American Icon thing and the "allure" they offer, and sense of community with fellow owners...and those are real parts of the Airstream experience... No one ever says with excitement: "Look! There goes another Jayco!" We used to have a small moho, but sold it and bought our Bambi...we have never looked back and we enjoy the AS ever so much more! We have had very little trouble with our rig and if we ever decide to get another trailer, it will no doubt be an Airstream. Can you full-time in a 34 foot? Of course you can! You will not have the space and storage you might have in your moho or a 5th wheel, but you'll really enjoy the space you do have...and you'll enjoy it in style... Our home was water damaged due to a burst pipe in the ceiling this winter, and we are now going on 3 months in our Bambi in the front yard while repairs are being made to our home. If we can do this for 3+ months in a 19', I KNOW we could full time in a 34'! Good luck with your explorations...you are in the right place here on the Forums to get the information you need to make an informed decision.

[blmitch5]

Welcome!

We love our 19' Bambi and wouldn't ever dream of camping in anything other than AS. There are quirks and some minor issues but less than most brands. Hail scares me to death (Kansas City here) but the smaller hail hasn't caused any damage. I've never experienced large hail but if I do there is insurance for that.
You can use the search button to find out anything your looking for bit if you can't find an answer to a specific question please feel free to ask.
Good luck with your search.

[au_ee]

We've had our Airstream for a year. We bought a 2007 used unit because the price of a unit a few years old is much better than a new one. Ours had minor issues with it when we bought it and in the past year we've been real pleased with it. In the past we've owned Motorhome, Fifth Wheel, and several popup campers. You will hear folks complain about ASs on the forum but I think you would hear similar complaints about other brands. ASs have the same appliances, electronics, etc. that are on all other RVs. The only difference is how it is constructed. I'm still sold on the design of the construction. Quality control could be better but I have had the same complaint about other RVs. Another advantage of a well maintained used unit is the first owner has already worked through most of the bugs. Anyway, if I were trying to decide whether to purchase an AS based on our current experience I would say yes.

[fmr.capt.evi]

What a coincidence.......whenever I get mad at Airstream I threaten to trade it for a Tiffin class-A!

[TG Twinkie]

I don't believe it would with stand quarter size hail stones. Of coarse the quarter has shrunk in size along with the dollar. So maybe today it could with stand it. More like dime size. LOL
I was wondering when they changed the description on hail stone sizes. It use to be "marble" or "golfball" or "baseball" etc.

[Gene]

I think it was 2000 when the Denver area was hit by a very bad hailstorm—quarter sized (maybe marbles too). It did much damage to our SUV and if it does that to steel, aluminum would be much worse. Pea sized is probably ok, but anything bigger, not good.

Gene

[fmr.capt.evi]

Great line about hail, TG.....I can't wait to use that one!

One thing I have done to alleviate my fear of hail damage has been to pay for "replacement cost" coverage on the Airstream. It increased the premium by about $200 per year, which is well worth it (for a worrier like myself).

[rock60]

i owned a 86 34ft avion a few years back in the early 90s. we had a hail storm and it looked like you took a ball ping hammer and hit it about every 2ins top and end caps and a little on the sides. shreded the ac shroud and running lights. i live in the blueridge mountains.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I think it was 2000 when the Denver area was hit by a very bad hailstorm

Gene, it was 1990, not 2000. You'd better see a doctor about that memory problem old guy.

Gene

[Road Geezer]

Tony, my wife and I bought a new 27' FC a little more than a month ago. This was our first RV. We decided on an Airstream after years of looking at late model used Bluebirds; it finally came down to not wanting the expense and complexity of a high line class A rig. We spent a lot of time pouring over Airstreams at shows and local dealers. Turns out it was time well spent, because at least so far, the 27 FC is exactly what we have been looking for.

We looked at both the International and FC interiors. The International was just too dark for us, whereas the FC this year uses a beech wood type paneling. It's definitely a European modern, somewhat spartan style. We actually prefer this to the more common, home-like decor in many others. We have a nice home and like the different feel of the Airstream when we're out in it. After all we're camping aren't we?

A couple comments about the rig itself. We've had it out one three "shakedown cruises" so far, the last involved a tow all the way down the infamous CA Hwy 1; that's the water side where in places you look almost straight down to the surf 500' below. To date, there have been absolutely NO problems; everything works. Even the Sony entertainment center was already set up; that blew me away as it has the largest user manual.

We plan on taking extended trips so we ended up deciding between the 25 and 27 foot rigs. The 27 is much more livable. It also is short enough to get into most CA state parks and USFS camp grounds. I think we'll do a fair amount of dry camping. It has some inadequacies and we're experimenting to figure out the best work arounds. Specifically tankage and battery life are a bit low for anything more than a few days. We'll figure it out. In the 27' the extra two feet compared to the 25' end up in wider kitchen drawers, more counter space, a larger wardrobe, and an island queen bed accessible on three sides.

The jury is still out as to whether our 2001 Suburban can handle the tow. It does fine here in Norther California; we take most grades at between 40 and 55 mph. My concern is when we get into high altitude areas. We may be forced to get something that has more muscle.

Like I said I'm an RV newbie, but I've towed a boat on a tandem axle trailer. Our Airstream, as set up by the dealer, tows like a dream, no sway, smooth braking, and absolutely no effect from passing cars and big rig trucks.

I can't over emphasize the importance of choosing a solid, customer service-oriented dealer. I found it easy to get objective references by private email in response to requests on the Forum and simply networking with other owners.

Enjoy the hunt,

Paul

[Gene]

Paul, ours towed well too, but once I checked out the hitch thoroughly myself, I re-adjusted it and it towed better. Some dealers just slam the hitch on to save time, some do it right.

You are right about tank and battery capacity for boondocking. With a solar panel, you can go longer. Not showering also helps a lot. Saving dishwashing water and pouring it down the toilet keeps the grey tank from filling as fast. We will soon upgrade the batteries substantially.

Glad to hear you are enjoying your trailer. The 27' is nice and we agonized between the 25' and 27'. We find the 25' works fine for us, although a little more space would be nice. We were on Hwy 1 from Monterey south last fall and while people complain about towing on it, we thought it no more challenging than a lot of other roads. The stretch north of SF is more challenging, but we did the whole thing north a couple of years ago.

Gene

[Road Geezer]

Gene, I thinking that a battery upgrade might be the easiest way to improve capacity. I'd be interested in what you decide on.

Also, I did make one adjustment to my WD hitch, I took the chains up one link to reflect additional stuff in the trailer.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Road Geezer

Gene, I thinking that a battery upgrade might be the easiest way to improve capacity. I'd be interested in what you decide on.

Also, I did make one adjustment to my WD hitch, I took the chains up one link to reflect additional stuff in the trailer.

I carry a small generator - Honda 1000. With a generator you can always recharge your trailer batteries. There are lots of phantom power drains in Airstreams. The sound system display, microwave display if you have one, and if you haven't changed to LED's the lights will do a good job too.

Oh and a hint. If you boondock and leave your trailer hitched, pull the umbilical cord because after your trailer batteries go flat the tow vehicle's battery gets used.

Happy hunting for an Airstream, Paula

[bonginator]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I think it was 2000 when the Denver area was hit by a very bad hailstorm—quarter sized (maybe marbles too). It did much damage to our SUV and if it does that to steel, aluminum would be much worse. Pea sized is probably ok, but anything bigger, not good.

Gene

I also have lived in Montana and Colorado and I agree with Gene that if the hail were larger than pea size, I would be concerned about the aluminum. It would be best to do as others recommend and get good insurance so you are not worried about it. we keep our unit here in CO under covered storage when not in use for that very reason.

Good luck in your decision.

Sandy

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Road Geezer

Gene, I thinking that a battery upgrade might be the easiest way to improve capacity. I'd be interested in what you decide on.

Geezer,

Last year I thought the OEM batteries were not holding a charge as well as they had before, so when I check them soon I'll see how each cell is holding up. I may buy new batteries just to stop worrying about them.

I have been told AGM's are the best ones for units with solar panels. There is unending discussion about various styles of batteries, some of it incomprehensible to me. What I can gather, however, is that AGM's satisfy most needs.

The next issue is what class battery? The OEM's are just about the cheapest ones available and have less capacity than other classes. One limiting factor is the size of the battery box. Some people make the box larger either by welding or bolting another piece(s) onto it. I will have to go look at batteries and measure them and then see what fits in the box. I will also look at an easy way to make the box taller (the easiest adaptation) if that works for a better battery. The easy way is to bolt something to the lip at the top of the box and move the cover onto them. That means using L or U shaped metal parts that I'll have to look for. So this reminds me it's time to get to work on this.

I think it's important to remember there's a space around the batteries for a reason—they should have sufficient ventilation for gasses that batteries produce and to keep them from getting too hot. There's a temptation to cram better batteries into the space. Of course, I could get someone who does metal work make the box bigger, but I think (being cheap) I'll look for a simpler bolt on answer.

Some people get 6 v. golf cart batteries. That seems like overkill to me, but the people who do it seem happy. It does mean if one battery goes bad, you don't have a 12 v. backup in the other one.

You can read the lengthy battery threads and maybe it'll be easier for you to follow than it was for me. After a while it got very tedious and I just wanted to move on.

Gene