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Old 06-20-2006, 07:25 AM   #1
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2006 25' Safari SS SE
moscow , Tennessee
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A two foot scratch to my 2006 Safari - nooooo!

I am sick that I already have a 2 foot scratch on my 06 safari. It starts at the door and extends back about 2 feet. It is not real deep or wide (resembles a key scratch). What do I need to do to repair and/or protect the skin. Thanks in advance for you advice.
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Old 06-20-2006, 08:12 AM   #2
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The only ways I know to protect a deeper than normal scratch would be to put some clearcoat on it, say from a clearcoat pen you can get in the paint section of most auto parts stores. I would then keep the area waxed with Walbernize. It's never going to look the way it did and that's the hard part, but I too, though about 2" put one on my door. Made me sick too, but the reality is that if you treat it properly it could last just fine.....and put it this way, now that the first mark is done, she's now broken in.

**edit**

If you want to repair it, the most likely repair would be to bring it to either the factory or a good Airstream Service center and have them put another sheet over the scratched one. I'll admit it's a bit extreme, but these aren't like cars where you can slap some bondo on 'em an paint over them........so I'd try the first few things and see how it goes, knowing that the latter is an option if the first doesn't protect the scratch.
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Old 06-20-2006, 09:19 AM   #3
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I feel your pain, man. On our way home from the dealer we camped for the week end. When leaving the camp ground I "brushed" the gaurd rail at the campground exit and now have a 3-4 foot scratch and dent the ends at the wheel well. On our second outing we were about a mile from the turn-off to FDR State Park when a deer lept into the front curb side corner of my 2006 Safari and crushed the stone guard and lower quarter panel ....we now have an unplanned trip to Jackson Center scheduled for two weeks after July 4th. I told my wife it looks like we are going to have to driveway camp from now on. It'll be cheaper and safer!
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Old 06-20-2006, 09:24 AM   #4
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Beauty Marks, Beauty Marks

Hate it when it happens, but it does.... sounds like you have the same type of luck I do! Make the best out of the situation and enjoy the factory Minnie's Mate... 10acKen, what made the scratch?

Good luck.
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Old 06-20-2006, 12:22 PM   #5
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Thanks for the empathy - and the advice - I am off to the auto repair shop to get the clearcoat pen.
I was hoping no one would ask how it happened . . . because I am embarassed to admit that I pulled too close to my own mailbox and my mailbox door-latch (metal) caught it. I seem to be overly cautious when out camping, but when back home I guess I let my guard down - I hope that I have learned my lesson.
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Old 06-20-2006, 02:11 PM   #6
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Gotta watch out for those slow-movin mailboxes - they'll leap out and get ya when you least expect it!

Now that you have the "new" worn off, you can relax and enjoy it. "Beauty marks" go along with Airstream ownership - be they those that were there on acquisition, or those you make yourself.
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Old 06-20-2006, 06:15 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 10acKen
Thanks for the empathy - and the advice - I am off to the auto repair shop to get the clearcoat pen.
I was hoping no one would ask how it happened . . . because I am embarassed to admit that I pulled too close to my own mailbox and my mailbox door-latch (metal) caught it. I seem to be overly cautious when out camping, but when back home I guess I let my guard down - I hope that I have learned my lesson.
Don't feel embarassed. A friend was telling me at lunch today that his father tore the folding entry step off of his one month old motorhome by forgetting to make sure it was up and backing down the driveway, hanging it on the mailbox. Tore the mailbox down too. Didn't actually tear it off, but it will involve replacement and body work.
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Old 08-16-2006, 10:52 AM   #8
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I know the feeling

Yep...I did the same thing as many of our comprades.

We moved 'up' from a 31' Excella to a 34' version. When I was backing it into our parking spot, I forgot about it being 3 foot longer.

We now have a small crease on the rear streetside that is about 1/8 deep and 5 inches long. It strangely resembles the shape of the top of an iron fence

My neighbor noticed it last weekend and I had to fess up that it was self inflicted.

Mitch
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Old 08-16-2006, 11:50 PM   #9
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Me Too

OK, OK, I did it too. On our way home with our brand new trailer, from Eugene, Oregon to Lakewood, Ca. we / I was makeing a turn around in a parking lot in Solvange and hit a parked pick-up. I was so sick, I can't explain the feeling. I eventually made several attempts to clean off the marks as well as possible and was unable to do anything with the dents. And now it is covered up with a special order, per size, American flag decal. It really looks good; I only wish I had it covered up before my brother saw it and asked me "what happened?" That sick feeling was comeing back. You know what I mean! Right now none of the damage shows; I just have a very limited edition [only one made] Safari with an American flag on the street side.

Bob
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Old 08-17-2006, 05:18 AM   #10
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after you get the clear coat pen and apply it go get some "ice" car wax. it is made by turtle wax, it does a pretty good job of hiding blemishes.

i just did my truck and trailer with it and was impressed.

john
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Old 08-17-2006, 07:36 AM   #11
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I picked up the "Changes" a couple of weeks ago from the factory and they made the repair and you can't tell there was ever any damage. They removed all of the interior cabnetry (closet in front corner, overhead bin over bed, master bed, curb-side sofa, 'fridge, closet, hotwater heater, two bunk beds, almost all of the interior skins along the curb side. This was probably 60% of the cost of the repairs. They then replaced it all after replacing the front lower curb side corner panel, stone guard and lower body panel from the door to the back corner panel. They put everything back with no leaks and you can't tell they ever removed anything. The total cost was steep ($9,700 plus fuel and incidentals for the drop-off and pick-up trips) but that is why we have insurance...for those accidents that make us sick when they happen!

Anyway, if you can take you coaches back to the factory and have them fixed right if they are new have them "buck" the rivets using "hard" rivets and you will never know there was any damage.
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Old 08-17-2006, 08:24 AM   #12
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Happened to me too...

On my last journey out after the flat tire on the Suburban, Big Dawg... Bought "Foiled Again" in March of this year.

I realized I wouldn't be able to get a replacement tire until Monday morning, but the exit I pulled off at had a "Campground" picture sign so I thought it wouldn't be too hard to go there, hook up, get a shower as I was covered in black tire dust, then take off the next morning in search of tires. Well the campground wasn't on the main pull off road, but was 10 miles away over roads that I wouldn't have felt comfortable towing on in daylight, and it was 9pm when I started down that road. WEST VA. MOUNTAIN TRAIL!!!!! One and a HALF lanes wide, twisty, turny, huge hill on one side, 500ft drop on the other and NO place to turn around. No moon either. Suddenly there was an oncoming car, moving at a high rate of speed. I pulled as far right as I dared, put on my flashers and prayed... and thought he'd squeeked by until the next day when I saw my left side rock guard and a six inch scratch immediately behind it. There's also a second scratch about four feet back, then he managed to miss the rest.

Even with the rock guard on, I can reach behind it a bit and "boing" it back into shape with my fingers, but it doesn't stay. Will try the wet plunger trick on it next, and then unhinge it and try to palm it out. I'll buy a new one if it won't straighten.

The scratches do look like it's been keyed. Initial one did put a little crease, second one is purely superficial. I slopped a bit of Walbernize over both and they are much less visable. I've ordered a can of clearcoat and my plan is to mask about 2 inches on either side of the scratch and just re-coat, though I may try one of those dent suckers to see if I can get a bit of the crease (it's 1/8th of an inch deep if that) to straighten somewhat.

Say the mantra folks: I bought it to use it, I bought it to use it....

---------------------------------------------------------------
Add the mantra: must get a Garman GPS, must get a Garman GPS
And finally remember: NEVER try to find a campground after dark, especially if it's described as being "up yonder a piece" If it isn't an overlighted soulless KOA 500 feet from the interstate, you don't want to risk the road in the dark


Oh... and as for the campground, when I arrived what little I could see looked like a very pleasant mountain meadow (no moon, no lights) I spotted a sign that said to camp and see the office in the morning, then proceeded into the campground where there was ONE trailer - a "classic" silver streak! Then I jumped down from Big Dawg to survey the spaces with a flashlight and suddenly noticed the tang of a backed up septic tank in the air. As if I wasn't already hearing the theme song from "Deliverance" in my mind. And the "classic" Silver Streak.... well let's just remember this was West Virginia, and I couldn't see the wheels for the grown up grass around it.

So I went back down the effen mountain and drove on the interstate without a spare until I found a rest stop. I MUST remember to put 5 gallons of water in the fresh tank... but NO I wanted to travel light, and knew I could make it all the way home without stopping! Well, I got a sponge bath with room temperature bottled water (not at all unpleasant as it was 99 degrees outside) then turned on the fantastic fan in the living room, set up my endless breeze by the bed and collapsed until dawn.

Next day four tire shops that didn't have tires big enough for the 'burb... Finally the nice man at Wal-mart called around and found a place that could take care of me.

In West Virginia if you go tire shopping be aware that you'll be asked in hopeful tones, "and du yew want a NEW tare?"

Paula Ford
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Old 08-17-2006, 08:47 AM   #13
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My goodness Paula. That sounds like my luck with the "Changes" so far! I'm glad you made it back out safe and in one piece. I bet that car was a tent camper that got a whiff of the place and decided not to stay and see the manager in the morning.

I hope your next adventure is less eventful and comes with full hookups!
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Old 08-17-2006, 11:13 AM   #14
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Thanks for being big-hearted enough to post about all these mishaps, folks. It makes me feel better about the one near-miss with my '59 that could've been disastrous, and I'll bet that sometime in the future some forum member staring at a newly scratched trailer will be slightly cheered by remembering that we are in great company!

And Bob, I'd love to see a photo of your flag-bedecked, perfect trailer.
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Old 10-16-2018, 10:20 PM   #15
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Question- Panel Repair

Our new 25 was 1 Week old and accidentally damaged in the service lot. Not by us, no one admits to the culprit. They were honest and sent pictures. I should have never let them repair it.

The entire lower panel was replaced with a 25 ft new one laid over the original with repair rivets.

Now you can see the panel thickness difference complete with tooth paste sealer from the banding down in the front and real. It was on the utilities side.

I feel the dealer should have as we requested got us a new trailer with us paying the increase in 18-19 increase, dealer fees and tax difference. They are not discounting the 19 as our 18 was. Like give us $7500 for something we did not cause or do.

I feel we have a devalued airstream, and as of now I refuse to take it home from the dealership.

Is a panel over a panel “ Quote” A factory repair? Or if I had taken-it to the factory would they have removed the interior and done it as manufactured? The panel over the panel in my opinion is a cob job.

I should have done this)
( Anyway, if you can take you coaches back to the factory and have them fixed right if they are new have them "buck" the rivets using "hard" rivets and you will never know there was any damage.[/QUOTE]
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