Purchase Advise 2006 Safari SE 25ft

[Abj1]

Hello
New to the forum and we're looking to get our first airstream. We're a family of 5 with three small kids.

I found a really nice lightly used 2006 priced at $36.5k. Any thoughts on pricing would be great based on others experience.

More importantly Are there any inown issues with this make model I need to be aware of as I inspect the trailer?


Edit- just realized I put this in the wrong thread. Apologize for that.

Thanks so much!

[KJRitchie]

Is this a 25 front bedroom?

Check the rear subfloor adjacent to the rear bumper. This era of Airstreams have had issues with water infiltration between the bumper and lower rub rail. Use a moisture meter with sharp probes to check under the dinette area of the 25fb or rear bedroom for the 25rb. Probe around all shell to floor areas that are accessible.

Then just the usual system checks; plumbing, electrical, fridge (LP and 110v), water heater, A/C, converter/charger, batteries, check tire age, brakes, window and roof seals etc.

Take advantage of the Airforums inspector service. There might be someone in your area that can help you inspect the trailer.

Is the owner a member of these forums?

Can't comment on the price without seeing the trailer.

Kelvin

[cabinetmaker]

Dealer purchase or individual? If dealer insist on 4 brand new tires and 2 brand new batteries for a start.

Then next get them to give you a few months worth of warranty just in case you find something on your first or second outing.

If individual then your going to need an independant inspection...there are several on the forum that do that and may be in your area...or have seller take it to a airstream dealer and get a annual inspection done or prepurchase inspection done whatever they call it...but have the trailer checked out by someone who knows what they are looking at.

If the seller balks at any of this...walk away.

[cliffcharb]

A little high IMO. I paid around that for a 30' Safari Bunk last year. It was in exceptional shape, and had some updates / improvements completed already. I would think around $30k would be more in line.

[brokeboater]

Originally Posted by cabinetmaker

If the seller balks at any of this...walk away.

Yeah, not to worry, in another year or so another one will hit the market.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Abj1

Hello
New to the forum and we're looking to get our first airstream. We're a family of 5 with three small kids.

I found a really nice lightly used 2006 priced at $36.5k. Any thoughts on pricing would be great based on others experience.

More importantly Are there any inown issues with this make model I need to be aware of as I inspect the trailer?


Edit- just realized I put this in the wrong thread. Apologize for that.

Thanks so much!

IMO, it is over priced. I bought my Safari when it was ~9 years old for $21k. But that was about 8 years ago. Values are now inflated due to increased demand.

If it has a rear storage bumper, the lid on the storage box is a source of water leakage where it goes through the exterior wall. Be extremely careful to check for water damaged to the plywood subfloor beneath the carpet along the rear wall.

My trailer had this problem.
The damaged floor repair: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...xy-108608.html
The leak repair: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f456...de-109059.html

[DaveMc]

I'll second Alan's post above. Our 2005 Safari bunkhouse came with plenty of floor rot to deal with, and I paid 32K. I should've been in the 27K range on purchase price. If it's fixed up the way you like and, and has gone through the floor repair and has documentation, it's not outrageously priced.

Here's my $0.02--

1. If the seller doesn't know anything about the floor damage, but doesn't have a specific set of maintenance guidelines they rigorously follow, chances are there's subfloor rot. Especially if they're not the original owner and it's been kept undercover when not in use. Like what they seal with, and where they seal, etc... if they're oblivious to the notion that the floor may be rotted, it probably is.


2. Take someone well-versed in Airstreams to inspect it with you. You can find an inspector on the webpage here.

Good luck! Hope it works for your family and is in awesome shape!

Dave

[Betty Farmer]

we are in Texas and sold to a Texas family, A 2005 25' Safari in 2016 for $31,000. It had no repair issues. My problem with the 25' was the layout of the rear bedroom. My husband is not agile, therefore we slept with himself on the bathroom side, causing me to have to climb over him or scoot into the other side since a bad knee will not allow me to crawl. If it is that arrangement, let whomever is gonna sleep on the "inside" try it. One trip was enough to convince me that the arrangement would not work for me.

[dfschultz]

We bought our 2005 25' twin bed safari 3 years ago from a private party for $29K, it had been stored under cover and used very little, so no issues with floor. Great little trailer!

[Bill M.]

Of course inspect the floor and the rear for leaks and the front a frame for rust. The 25' seem to bring a premium price. About the sweet spot for easy pulling versus space. I am an old guy and can not help with the price. The newer ones are priced high enough to scare me and maybe that pulls the used prices up also?

[AirstreamJim]

We paid $34K for a 2007 25FB SE a little over a year ago, from the dealer in Salt Lake City (sold on consignment, owner was from CO). It was in excellent condition, no floor rot issues or any other problems. We did a lot of research and hunting before pulling the trigger on this unit (and drove out from NY to pick it up). At that time the asking price was consistent with just about every other similar unit on the market.

I second the other posters' suggestions regarding inspections. If it checks out, I don't think the price is that far off what you'll see anywhere else. But do your research, check out other dealers' inventories as well as the Airstream Hunters Facebook group and the Airstreamclassifieds.com website (for private sales) and that's how you will come to be comfortable (or not) with the price for the Airstream you decide to buy.

Jim

[Abj1]

Hello everyone-

Thank you so much for the input and advice. Especially on the subfloor! Very much appreciated.

For those that asked this is a private owner and the trailer is located in Canada.

Thanks again!