Had It With My Basecamp

[roc97007]

Originally Posted by overlander63

This thread is about a Basecamp. People come to this thread expecting to read about a Basecamp. Not a Nest. If you want to complain about the problems with your Nest, feel free to start your own thread about it, and not simply piling on in a thread about a different thing. With 50 posts, you should have at least the basics of forum etiquette now, and hijacking a thread is one of those things you should know about. It's you that's being rude, not the person calling you out on it.

In all fairness, we (Basecamp owners) were originally undecided between the Basecamp and the Nest, and I spent some time on the forums trying to decipher the difference between the two in reliability and long term usage.


We eventually decided against the Nest because of issues owners were having with the fiberglass shell cracking and aging rapidly. And I'm told that Airstream doesn't make the Nest any longer, although I'm certain they NEVER admitted that it was a bad idea.


So I personally would have been interested in hearing about the Nest before we made our purchase.


Moreover, the Basecamp and Nest share one thing in particular -- both had design and quality issues that Airstream never admitted, and owners of either had to struggle with Airstream to get their issues resolved. (In most cases, without ever seeing a positive resolution.) I think those stories are important to relate to other prospective owners.


I think the difference, which I will state here and now, is that the Basecamp, at its root, *is* a good design, spoiled by some very badly implemented details, like the fridge type (corrected in mid-2019) and placement (corrected in the Basecamp 20), and surprisingly poor workmanship. Once we had a bunch of stuff fixed, and the range, fridge and subfloor replaced, I have to admit, it's a decent trailer.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by roc97007

. . .
Once we had a bunch of stuff fixed, and the range, fridge and subfloor replaced, I have to admit, it's a decent trailer.

Thank you for the overview, and for your OP post in the "Multiple Issues" thread.

[click on the orange arrow in the quote to go directly to the following 8/2/19 post]

Originally Posted by roc97007

Ok first time poster. I had intended to join this group anyway, and recent
events made it a high priority.

My wife bought a 2017 Basecamp off the dealer lot in August 2018. I'm in a tough spot, acting as a go-between for my wife and the Airstream dealer. She's fed up with the trailer and wants to dump it on Airstream's doorstep and walk away from it. I'm trying to find a less extreme solution.
For a trailer purchased off the lot, there's been a remarkable number of items
either missing or nonfunctional. (I suspect, since this trailer sat on the lot for
a year, it was a "hanger queen" during that time, and parts were "borrowed"
off it for other trailers.)


It does seem like the trailer is becoming a money pit. We've had it almost a year, and noticed things missing or nonfunctional from the day I picked it up.

We've taken it out four times, three weekends and one week long stay, and
it's been back to the dealer for repairs three times. It's there right now, and
has been for coming up on three weeks. The trailer has literally spent more time in the service department than it has camping out.

This is my list so far:

- Blackwater hose storage box missing. (Replaced by the dealer.)

- Parts of the bed missing (replaced by dealer. The replacement parts don't fit right, but we've been making do.)

- A cabinet door fell off. I found that it was held on by tiny wood screws into particle board and they had just pulled out. I replaced them with larger, longer screws and so far it's holding.

- Batteries stopped charging off shore power on third trip. (batteries
replaced by dealer)

- issue with refrigerator, all or part of which was replaced by dealer. (I
don't know the details on this one.)

- Significant gas leak on fourth camping trip, which happened to be the Airstream users group campout. Hi, meet the factory reps and... hey, is that gas I smell?

- Screws pulled out of the back door. Door replaced by dealer

- Side door replaced by dealer. (The service department found something
wrong with it this last time it was in for service, and they're replacing
the whole door. I don't know what was wrong.)

- Roof molding coming undone, replaced by dealer. (Trivial, but I'm trying to get all the issues in one place.

This seems like a lot of issues for less than a year's ownership.

I guess it boils down to two issues:

1) The gas leak, which Airstream's own documentation says "can lead to
injury or death", is not covered by the warranty. It'll cost around $750 to
replace the range, where the crack is. This really doesn't make sense to me,
and is, in fact, a deal killer for my wife.

2) The larger issue: We went with Airstream because of their reputation
for quality. Yes, they cost more, but it's worth it for the fit and finish,
durability, and the way the company stands by the product. Right? I think
it's fair to say, we haven't been impressed so far. Is this what everyone else
has been experiencing, or did we get a lemon?

To other Basecamp owners: Have you had experiences like mine?

This has to suck for the dealer, too. I've had to drag the thing back to them
three times now, and they've made a lot of repairs and replacements free
of charge. I'm sure THEY have better things to do also.

But what happens when the repairs are no longer free? Did we get everything, this time, or will we see things continue to fail at this rate? I just realized, I haven't even tried the space heater or water heater yet. I don't even know if those items work.

I *like* the product. It's a dream to pull. The view from the kitchen is
excellent. The layout is really well thought out. The tent extension, after
we figured it out, is relatively easy to set up and doubles the floor space.
I photograph horse shows, and I find the door in the back extremely
convenient for loading my table, chairs, and other equipment. It's a
nice trailer. When it works.

I've left a rather lengthy, and I hope not too hysterical, message with
Airstream customer support (they're on eastern time) basically outlining
the above. I'm waiting for a call back.

I don't *want* to get rid of the trailer. But neither do I want to spend my
declining years throwing money and effort at a product that may never
function properly.

I could really use some help here.

Ron

Have a good Fourth of July!

Peter

[GettinAway]

I agree. This is great info. I don’t have a dog in the fight (I don’t own a Basecamp) but I do own an AS, and I really wish they’d have handled the Basecamp fiasco much better than they did. It’s not like they are barely breaking even.

[roc97007]

Originally Posted by Beboplu

Happy to say that Airstream is stepping up and gave us the option of a new Nest or swapping out for a 16 ft Sport Bambi. We love the layout and amenities of the Nest. The sport felt a bit cramped and lacked the inside storage and counter space of the Nest. So we are going to stay with the Nest and keep our faith in Airstream to make sure our new Nest is built right this time. We will come back to Jackson Center to inspect it and bring it home when it's ready. Thanks for all the support in this forum!

So, it's been a couple of years. How did that work out for you?

[Beboplu]

We are extremely happy with our Nest. I was new to the forum and apologize to anyone who was “offended “ by my posting here in the basecamp thread. We absolutely love our Nest, and after having it for 2+ years, still love the tow ability, ample storage and counter space, and the quality of the interior. Airstream has been great to stand behind their product, and I am glad that I rode out the new phase of the Nest. Even if we decide to move up to a bigger Airstream, we will keep our Nest. It will always be our “baby”. She is so easy to care for and tow!

[Beboplu]

We originally sought to buy a Basecamp, but after comparing it to the Nest, we were smitten. We are extremely happy with our Nest. I was new to the forum and apologize to anyone who was “offended “ by my posting here in the basecamp thread. We absolutely love our Nest, and after having it for 2+ years, still love the tow ability, ample storage and counter space, and the quality of the interior. Airstream has been great to stand behind their product, and I am glad that I rode out the new phase of the Nest. Even if we decide to move up to a bigger Airstream, we will keep our Nest. It will always be our “baby”. She is so easy to care for and tow!