Where are the Airstreams?

[Fraserg]

Hi

We are relatively new to the TT world and are thinking replacing our 23ft Trail Cruiser with an Airstream. We have just completed a five week tour to Newfoundland from Ontario and in that time only saw one Airstream TT on the road. A KOA Park manager in Gros Morne Newfoundland said although he used to see quite a few of them in past years, he hasn't seen one in his park this year. We find this rather curious and makes us a little hesitant about considering an Airstream. Any explanation to why there just doesn't seem to be as many on the road? We would appreciate any feedback.

Cheers
Judy and Fraer

[Janet H]

Hi and welcome. Airstreams are still out there. But as a percentage of all trailers on the road, are few. Maybe it's becasue new ones are very expensive relative to box style trailers. Maybe Airstreamers (who tend to be an independant bunch) aren't visiting this particular KOA or....?

For a dealer list you can visit the Airstream Corp website www.airstream.com

[ArtStream]

Hi and welcome,
See:http://www.airforums.com/forum...r-u-26161.html

Michael

[Foiled Again]

and welcome to Aluminitis...

I've just found the wonderful world of "Airstream Only" campgrounds. They are generally beautiful and MUCH less expensive to camp at than your local KOA... If one is handy I'll definitely stay there. You might be able to visit one for a day to meet owners and find out what they think about the Airstream experience! Other than that, many forum and WBCCI rallies welcom day visitors so that is a great place to find Airstreams.

KOA's are often very very cramped, and some are rather run down. Granted they always seem to be close to major highways and easy to find, but they are generally my last choice when traveling.

Paula

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. There are Airstreams out there. They are just not very common. Airstreams are relatively expensive, but not totally out of sight for what you get. They are well made and function well. They are almost iconic. When you show up at a campground with an Airstream, you are definitely noticed. If you want to travel anonomously, don't get an Airstream.

If you do decide to get an Airstream, you will likely become infected with Aluminitis, a disease with no known cure.

[doorgunner]

I spotted one last night on NCIS. and another heading south on HWY 99. We're out there. welcome

[streamer23]

Originally Posted by Fraserg

Hi

We are relatively new to the TT world and are thinking replacing our 23ft Trail Cruiser with an Airstream. We have just completed a five week tour to Newfoundland from Ontario and in that time only saw one Airstream TT on the road. A KOA Park manager in Gros Morne Newfoundland said although he used to see quite a few of them in past years, he hasn't seen one in his park this year. We find this rather curious and makes us a little hesitant about considering an Airstream. Any explanation to why there just doesn't seem to be as many on the road? We would appreciate any feedback.

Cheers
Judy and Fraer

Hi guys and welcome to the forums.Maybe there just not as many coming to Canada this year. I've seen a few and know of several others that were up here but this year there are definately less of them around.The gasoline price may have had something to do with it earlier in the summer.

[myboyburt]

Originally Posted by streamer23

Hi guys and welcome to the forums.Maybe there just not as many coming to Canada this year. I've seen a few and know of several others that were up here but this year there are definately less of them around.The gasoline price may have had something to do with it earlier in the summer.

Hey Streamer23,

The Region 1 Rally in 2008 will be held somewhere in your neck of the woods. I hear tell that 3 sites are being looked at. 1 in New Brunswick, 1 in PEI and the 3rd in Nova Scotia. Leon and I are planning a Canada adventure around this rally, hope to be in your beautiful country for 3 weeks. I'll let you know the details once they are published. It would be cool if you could add our number (7032) to your list of Airstream sightings.

[streamer23]

Originally Posted by myboyburt

Hey Streamer23,

The Region 1 Rally in 2008 will be held somewhere in your neck of the woods. I hear tell that 3 sites are being looked at. 1 in New Brunswick, 1 in PEI and the 3rd in Nova Scotia. Leon and I are planning a Canada adventure around this rally, hope to be in your beautiful country for 3 weeks. I'll let you know the details once they are published. It would be cool if you could add our number (7032) to your list of Airstream sightings.

Hey Michelle,

I can't wait.Looking forward to meeting a lot of the forum folks.Of course I'm a little partial to the 3rd site

[nohillgrish]

Judy and Fraer,
You know, a group I camp with quite often asked me that same thing when we were camped at South Fork, Colorado this summer. My reply--you didn't see many Rolls Royce's or Jaguar's in the campground either did you. I was jokingly making reference to quality. Not that Airstreams are that expensive, if you take into consideration quality, resale value, etc. Myself, I sold a 2003 trailer of another brand, put a little more with that money, and purchased a 1987 32' Excella. The Airstream is 16 years older than what I had but, in my opinion, it's three times the trailer. See there, this aluminitis thing is serious. Besides, there's probably a rally or get-together somewhere every week of the year and these Airstream folk know how to have a good time.
Stray

[hookedonclassic]

Several points well stated above. One of the best days traveling last summer was when I met 11 different Airstreams most likely coming back from International event. It was a thrill each time I met one on the interstate. Otherwise it's long and far in-between.

We also had a very nice used Airstream (1993) that probably cost more used than the average new SOB in a campground. But I always thought what we had in the Airstream was twice as nice as what the less expensive white boxes were new. (IBut I had been bitten by the Airstream bug already).

[CanoeStream]

Westbound near Mason City, Iowa, this afternoon another Airstream and I happily flashed our high beams as we crossed paths -- and that considering the low number of RVs on the road at this season. I've seen a lot of southerners (northern snowbirds in disguise??) still lingering in the north in their Greyhound Bus-sized mohos. Their loss, our gain!

[CaddyGrn]

Welcome,

There are Airstreams out there! After reading the forums you may find a significant number are in the middle of restorations and in someone's garage... we are out and about in ours as much as we can go! Many Airstreamers like the scenic campgrounds... and avoid the places next to the freeways with all the noise and sob's. (some other brands)

Just look at member's pics and see where they travel! Enjoy.

Mrs. NorCal Bambi (traveling in S Tardis)

[dbradhstream]

We had an interesting experience that I think helps describe the "SOB/Motorhome-owner mentality." We found our AS at a dealer exhibit at the RAlly in Daytona last April. While we were looking inside/drooling/wondering if we could afford it, a couple of women came in, took one look, and then one said with an obvious air of superiority, "Oh! Once you've had a "BIG" RV you just CAN'T stay in anything like this! Let's go!" and they turned and left without a second glance. Now this was in a 28' unit!

Unlike the two of them, we loved the design, the 'iconic' look and nostalgic feel of the AS, the solid feel of the trailer compared to SOBs we walked around in (that creaked and shook with every step), etc. We bought that trailer that day.

It's true you don't see many AS compared to cheaper/bigger/easier to find SOBs and RVs, but you don't see a whole of anything that people have to work to find/afford/maintain/enjoy. But that's exactly what some of us love about our Airstreams. You either "get it" or you don't and those two women definitely didn't. I can promise you though, when you pull your AS into a campground, you will get more comments, smiles, thumbs up and questions from other campers than any SOB owner there.

BH

[rock60]

they are all buffing, polishing and remodeling. don't have time to go.

[jcanavera]

It's been a while since I broached this subject, but if you do the math, dependent upon what the weekly output of the Jackson Center factory, the number of Airstreams that get injected into the US annually is minuscule compared to the total RV market. Spread that output across the US and you might understand why your Airstream viewing might be limited.

Jack

[BillTex]

Welcome, we had a Trail-Lite before our Excella. Really enjoyed that camper and had lots of good times with it.
AS stewardship is something different though. You might say it is equivalent to the Harley experience; yes there are other machines with two wheels but, nothing else is like riding a Harley. Just as with HD, an AS can be the last camper you ever buy-they really can (and do) last for decades. We have put thousands of miles on ours, they tow great, are obviously well constructed, and very comfortable to live in. The quality will become obvious the more you live in your AS. When you own an AS, you have the best money can buy

It is also true that we are often the only AS in some of the places we camp, and always get lots of glances and inquiries. Lots of folks say “I always wanted one of those…” Well we have ours, and plan to have it for many years…

Our AS is ten years older than our last SOB, and that is OK with us (as much as we liked our Trail-Lite, I am pretty sure there wouldn’t be much left after 17 years of use like our AS!). True I see lots of brand new SOB’s when we travel, and they can be had for a lot less than a new AS, but few of those will ever live up to the kind of use an AS can handle…

[McLogger]

Fraserg,
We just bought our first AS this summer and I have been with SOB since I was a little guy camping with the grand parents (from mini motors, TT, truck campers with a number of brands). I have to say there is camping and then there is camping in an Airstream. There is just something about it! I know ours is a 73 and we have some work to do on it but the quality and value as well as resale no SOB can beet that. I have to say I can not see my family ever being with out an AS.

[ScottW]

Welcome to the Aluminum world. All of the above are true. However, I suspect most 'streamers are like us...we stay off the interstates and cruise the back roads and enjoy rural America...the main reason we bought an Airstream in the first place. Enjoy.
Scott & Bev

[munimula]

i had a different experience this past Spring. I pulled my 34 down to New Orleans for Jazz Fest and stayed in the only campground in the NOLA area that had not been commandeered by FEMA - Mardis Gras RV Park.

I was there for ten days. At one point we had a Airstream B Van on one side of us - and and 90's Safari on the other side of us and there was another Airstream parked in the row behind us at the same time. Four AS's in the park out of about twenty rigs total that weekend.

--dave