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spark1946 · 05-30-2013, 01:18 PM

HELP _ Newbie owner in Austin : bought 1984 Airstream : need new a/c unit.
And a few other repairs:
Can anyone recommend the best/good Trailer repair shop?- in Austin.
Thanks....

adonh · 05-30-2013, 01:25 PM

Try Camper Clinic Camper Clinic II sells and services a huge selection of quality new and pre-owned Airstream, Flagstaff, Montana, Blue Ridge, Freedom Express, NuWa, Columbus, Hampton, Pleasure-Way, Cruiser, Holiday Rambler, Puma, Ever Green, Laredo, Seville, Aviator,. They are in Buda. They have a full service facility and are an Airstream dealer. I have not used them but have heard good things about them.

SteveH · 05-30-2013, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adonh

Try Camper Clinic They are in Buda. They have a full service facility and are an Airstream dealer. I have not used them but have heard good things about them.

That's refreshing to know because I've only heard bad things about them.

Pahaska · 05-30-2013, 02:09 PM

I have had mixed experience with them, but my last 2 visits (segment replacement and front window replacement) were really good. In both cases, the work was flawless and on schedule.

Ntex · 05-30-2013, 04:45 PM

Our one experience so far with the repair department was good. We purchased a 2004 unit from an individual this spring and took it to Camper Clinic to have a small repair made and to reseal the top. They got it done on time and courteously. Our experience with the sales area when we were considering buying new was less positive. They seemed disinterested in our business, which had me concerned about the repair shop. But so far so good!

reinergirl · 05-30-2013, 05:50 PM

About an hour north of Austin is Top's Vintage Trailer Works, he's a member here ( ID is Top) . He'd take good care of you ! And it would be worth the drive IMHO

. Check out his Facebook page too, he's doing some awesome polishing work

Roadrunner55 · 06-01-2013, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark1946

HELP _ Newbie owner in Austin : bought 1984 Airstream : need new a/c unit.
And a few other repairs:
Can anyone recommend the best/good Trailer repair shop?- in Austin.
Thanks....

Would take it to bob jones in Houston~have not heard good things of shops in Austin.

adonh · 06-01-2013, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadrunner55

Would take it to bob jones in Houston~have not heard good things of shops in Austin.

Ask for Chris Jones, 713-910-2949

Bob Jones RV

jonplewis · 06-01-2013, 07:24 PM

I have a good running 79 excella motor home.. where can I find new front end parts ??? the shadetree mechanic that I know thought they would be to find ..
jon

slowmover · 06-02-2013, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reinergirl

About an hour north of Austin is Top's Vintage Trailer Works, he's a member here ( ID is Top) . He'd take good care of you ! And it would be worth the drive IMHO

. Check out his Facebook page too, he's doing some awesome polishing work

I would choose Top before CC (echoing all that is heard above, good or bad. I intensely disliked the sales department). Ones relationship with servicing personnel is, IMO, as important as the work needed.

.

Roadrunner55 · 06-02-2013, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonplewis

I have a good running 79 excella motor home.. where can I find new front end parts ??? the shadetree mechanic that I know thought they would be to find ..
jon

Depending on what your looking inlandrv.com has vast knowledge and inventory of merchandise to help you

Frank&Mike · 06-02-2013, 12:25 PM

We live here in Austin and have experience in using Camper Clinic a number of times over the course of the last 5 years and 3 Airstreams. I'll just say we will not use them again. We had repeated bad experiences and have seen things that were very disappointing.

For the last year we have been going 45 minutes up IH35 to Lance (TOP here on the Air Forums). Lance has his own RV Service business and does outstanding work, is very particular with his work, is very good to keep us posted of the issue and resolution. We will not take our Airstream anywhere else but to Lance. I highly recommend Lance.

bspelce · 06-13-2013, 12:46 PM

If it's not an "Airstreram Specific" need I had good service at a decent price with the repair shop at RV Outlet Mall in Georgetown -- 4500 I-35 south of Georgetown, easy to get to and easy to from Round Rock and easy to get back to I-35 going toward Austin. 512-931-4922.
Prior to our Airstream I had a pop-up and they provided me with good and affordable service. When I got our Airstream I looked here on this forum and got Top recommended, but since I just needed regular service and maintenance type work I let RV Outlet look at it, give me a quote, set up an appointment and do the work. It was all done on time as quoted and the work was outstanding.

utee94 · 06-13-2013, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bspelce

If it's not an "Airstreram Specific" need I had good service at a decent price with the repair shop at RV Outlet Mall in Georgetown -- 4500 I-35 south of Georgetown, easy to get to and easy to from Round Rock and easy to get back to I-35 going toward Austin. 512-931-4922

.
Prior to our Airstream I had a pop-up and they provided me with good and affordable service. When I got our Airstream I looked here on this forum and got Top recommended, but since I just needed regular service and maintenance type work I let RV Outlet look at it, give me a quote, set up an appointment and do the work. It was all done on time as quoted and the work was outstanding.

+1 on the non-Airstream specific experiences at the repair shop at RV Outlet Mall, they've done good work.

For fitting a new AC to the top of the shell, though, I don't know how they'd do?

SteveH · 07-12-2013, 07:27 PM

We just returned from a tree week trip, and one of the stops on the trip was at Jackson Center, OH...highly recommended for any Airstream owner, or future owner. While we were waiting for the tour to start, we spent some time looking around the parts store, and I remember seeing the special allen head screws and special shoulder nuts for sale for I think it was $5.75 a pair (could be wrong by a few cents, but not much), and I thought at the time I should buy some of these as you can only get them from Airstream, and I've had them come apart on previous trailers.

Should have, but I didn't, and low and behold one came apart farther on in our trip. Like before, I took one of the bolts out of the second step to get the top step working, and just used the top step for the rest of the trip.

Sorry about the long post, and here's the meat of the story....when we got back, I called Camper Clinic II in Buda, our closest dealer, and they had the bolts and special shoulder nuts. I told them to send me two of each.

They charged me for the two screws $13.52. For TWO 10-32 SCREWS! They charged me for the two "Hinge Pins" $11.64...well they are common only to an Airstream. But wait, there's much more....they charged me $5 for packing! What packing? They put them in an envelope! Of course there was tax...no problem, but then there was $11.50 "Special Handling"! What???? A Whopping Total of $44.15 for two screws and two "Hinge Pins", and then to top it off, one of the "Hinge Pins" is bad because it was never tapped at the factory.

That's it for me with Camper Clinic II. I wouldn't urinate on them if they were on fire!

Sorry for the rant....well, no not really, I meant every word of it.

**DKB_SATX** · 07-12-2013, 09:18 PM

I guess it's just an issue of trading shipping for price, though the kit from ODMRV has the screw, hinge pin and 2 different sorts of washers or spacers. The net price with tax and shipping would probably be the same by the time it gets to you.

Step hinge pin kit, ODMRV

KJRitchie · 07-12-2013, 09:50 PM

I've got a 2008 Classic and I'll have to check my step. Can these bolts be secured by Locktite?

I checked the nuts on the awning parts and some of those were loose.

Guess its a good idea to check fittings every few months.

Kelvin

SteveH · 07-13-2013, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I've got a 2008 Classic and I'll have to check my step. Can these bolts be secured by Locktite?

I checked the nuts on the awning parts and some of those were loose.

Guess its a good idea to check fittings every few months.

Kelvin

Yes, Most of them do have a thread locker on them, although it's not Locktite because it's white, at least on our trailer.

I took them all apart, about half came apart easily, and then re-installed with blue Locktite.

SteveH · 07-13-2013, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

I guess it's just an issue of trading shipping for price, though the kit from ODMRV has the screw, hinge pin and 2 different sorts of washers or spacers. The net price with tax and shipping would probably be the same by the time it gets to you.

Step hinge pin kit, ODMRV

Maybe, but that "kit" includes two special washers. I just got basically the screws and nuts, and one of those is bad.

SteveH · 12-19-2013, 07:17 AM

After I learned the '08 34' we bought about a month ago was part of the hydraulic brake recall, I called Airstream and they confirmed by serial number that it had not been brought in for the recall.

Since CCII is my closest dealer, I called them to setup an appointment to get the work done. They in turn called Airstream to confirm, and to order parts, and then called back later to tell me the parts were in, and to set up an appointment, which was for yesterday a 9AM. (all of this took about two weeks to setup) I even called them to reconfirm the appointment day before yesterday.

I got to CCII yesterday morning at 8:45AM, and what a surprise, no one in the shop knew anything about me coming to get the work done. When told about it by the office people, the shop foreman starts yelling and stomping around because he had to change some of his work schedule around. Obviously the people in the office do not communicate well with the people in the shop.

Anyway, I was told the job would take three hours. It took six hours. They had blown a fuse they could not find. They wanted inside the trailer which is one of the things I did not want them to do because they get the whole thing filthy, so I went in and checked the breakers, and none were tripped. I told them that, but the tech who had been working on the trailer insisted on going inside with all of the dirt and dust all over him from working on the brakes all day, got everything in the front of the trailer dusty and dirty, only to confirm that as I had told him, none of the breakers were tripped.

Then the tech calls his supervisor who also confirmed no tripped breakers, but figured out the tech had blown a 30 amp fuse outside the trailer near the brake actuator. Fuse was replaced, and I was on my way.

When I took the trailer in, there was a slight delay of the brakes after the truck brakes were applied, and I had read on the net in troubleshooting the Actibrake actuator that indicated the system needed to be bled. Now I have a FOUR SECOND DELAY in the trailer brakes.

Obviously they did a poor job of bleeding the brakes which is part of the job as the rubber brake hoses had to be replaced. I called them back, was told the shop foreman would call me, but he hasn't yet.

Sorry about the long post, but it's sort of a long story, and the last verse is I will never go back to Camper Clinic II, no matter how far I have to drive to get service work done.