South Carolina repair shops?

[robinson]

I am afraid I am one of the unfortunate newer airstream owners in need of a subfloor repair. I have 2006 Bambi with the linoleum floor that now has a 12-18" soft spot on the road side in front of the fridge. I haven't tried the ice pick test to validate my concerns, but the lino is raised slightly and I am pretty sure that I am not just imagining the spongy feeling. My cursory looks don't turn up any obvious leaks but there must be a culprit.
Anyone know of a reputable repair shop near upstate South Carolina ?
Also, if I ignore this for a month or so what might happen ? That being said, this might not be an entirely new problem. I think the linoleum was a little raised last year and I refused to believe it, however I wasn't paranoid about the SF at that time. I mean, it is a fairly new trailer, why the heck would anyone suspect an issue with the structural aspects? I don't know if it was there at my purchase in 2009, but I was giddy and trusting.
Regardless, I need to get it fixed. Now where in the world do I start ? Please help!

[DGJackson]

Check with Out of Doors Mart in Colfax, NC. This is about an hour northeast of Charlotte.i've bought parts there and when I've driven up to pick up large parts they have service center and always have something interesting gong on with repairs.

[Florida 55]

I live near Out of Doors Mart and decided to take my recently purchased (I'm the third owner) 2008 Safari 27FB to the factory in Jackson Center to repair floor rot and leaks. I received both positive and negative input from other Airstream owners about dealer service and only positive testimonials about service at the factory. My own experience with the factory service was very good.

The drive was about seven hours from my house. I left the trailer at Jackson Center for three weeks to give them plenty of time for the work. They replaced about 1/3 of the wood subfloor and all of the linoleum. They sealed leaks at the back bumper, the rear panoramic window, and some exterior lights. They also put new sealant around the vents, television antenna, and skylight on the roof. One of the fantastic fans was replaced as it was leaking and the housing could not be repaired (probably a bad installation job at the factory when the trailer was built). I had them install a street side awning as well. Upon return the trailer was waiting in the Terraport where My wife and I stayed overnight (Sunday) to check out everything. Monday it went back to the service bay for a few tweaks. We should now be ready for a summer of relatively trouble free travel.

If you can I'd recommend taking your Airstream to the factory for major service. The technicians know their stuff, do quality work and have seen almost every conceivable problem. If only the company would take that knowledge and employ it in the design and production line, the new units would be phenomenal.

Buying used carries the risk of major repair without the benefit of factory warranty. While my wife and I were disappointed about having a large repair expense early in our Airstream ownership, we realized a significant savings buying "lightly" used and are still economically ahead of the cost of a discounted new unit. We were very disappointed the Airstream dealer we paid $400 to inspect the trailer, before we purchased it from an individual, did not discover these significant problems even though we specifically asked the service manager to check for leaks and floor rot. We discovered the floor rot on our second outing when the support leg of the dinette table punched through the linoleum into the subfloor. Another reason we were hesitant about using dealer service for a major repair.

[Florida 55]

To clarify my post above the Airstream dealer who inspected my used trailer before I purchased it from a private individual was not Out of Doors Mart. The inspecting dealer was located near the seller in the northeast. I have purchased parts and supplies at Out of Doors Mart and found those transactions to be satisfactory. They have a huge parts inventory and are very helpful in answering questions.

[sandlapper]

Robinson, give the folks at Out of Doors Mart a look. They indeed have a ton of parts, are knowledgeable, friendly, and have at least one super technician.
John

[blkmagikca]

Chuck (Florida_55) is giving you very good advice. Taking your 2006 Bambi to Jackson Center will ensure you get the repairs done right.

When I bought my 1987 Excella last October, I took it to Jackson Center for some repair work. I've subsequently had upgrades done there as well as servicing. I cannot speak highly enough about their capabilities and quality of workmanship. All the guys working in service had at some time prior worked on the production line; they know the product intimately.

When I was first there in October, there was someone with a 2005 FB model that had floor rot due to improper sealing at the rear bumper - Jackson Center did the repair as an extended warranty.

If you make a service appointment, they take your trailer in the appointed day and each night they bring it out to the terraport for you to sleep in. During the days you can see some of the local tourist attractions, such as the Neil Armstrong Space Museum in Wapakeneta (about 15 miles north, but not on a Monday).