Buying Airstream, need help!

[RoadKingMoe]

With four people and the right floorplan, you could seat 4 for dinner at the big fold-out table in front of the couch with two chairs on the opposite side. Not all floorplans accomodate two chairs here though. And two skinny people could sleep on the couch.

But if by growing, you mean the family will be more than four people, you probably need the dinette in addition to the fold-out table for dining. It only sleeps shorter people, i.e. kids.

In anything less than a 34', having the dinette compromises wardrobe space.

My thoughts...

[takito]

I, too, have a eurovan (camper version which can supposedly tow a little over 4000lb.) and thinking about 16 ft. CCD. My wife and I visited a local Airstream dealer and fell in love with the design of CCD. However, I understand that the van can't tow much and only thing that we can tow is probably 16 ft. You think this is too much? I understand that CCD is approx. 3,500 lb loaded, which allows for a little bit of room. However, someone in this thread mentioned that you should tow up to 75% of the allowable weight. That means 3,500 lb is over the limit!!! I would like to join the Airstream community and would like your advise. Thanks!!!

[Stefrobrts]

Of course it's entirely up to you if you think that is a safe margin. Be sure to consider wheelbase and the condition of your vehicle (if the engine is already tired it won't last long being asked to pull it's maximum recommended weight). You'll find a lot of discussions about tow vehicle selection and wheelbase on the forum.

I was also ready and eager to join the airstream world when someone pointed out to me that the vehicle I already had bought and expected to use to tow, a lifted Bronco, was a poor choice due to suspension setup and wheelbase. I was given differing opinions by different people, everything from 'it'll do fine' to 'don't even try it'. Finally I traded for a full size van. It's comfortable, roomy, doubles as a work van for our business, and pulls the little trailer like it's not even there, even up steep mountains. Best of all it can pull a bigger one someday if we ever decide to move up.

The most important thing is that the trailer is well under it's capacity, and the wheelbase is far more than we need, and we have been driving it all over with confidence. That was worth the switch. I think I'd have been very nervous with the Bronco, not knowing if it was really a good idea to tow with it or not. The peace of mind was worth the switch.

If you investigate it and are comfortable with your choice, then try it. The worst you could have to do is replace the tow vehicle later.

[HURST]

I will have to agree with PICK

[crazylev]

My wife and I own a '01 VW MV Weekender. We are seriously considering a new Bambi 19' CCD when they become available, or we can fianncially swing it.

Here is what our situation will be:

Right now when we camp, we bring the bare minimum, but enough for us to be comfortable for a trip.

Whether we go for a two or three day trip or one month, we tend to bring: 3- 2 1/2 gal drinking water, five gallons of water in colapseable "cube" for dishes, etc. a couple of lightweight folding chairs, very portable Pyromid charchol BBQ, three burner coleman, Powerbook for DVD's a coleman cooler with our food, and our clothes. We also carry an LL Bean screen tent to escape skeeters. We restock supplies as needed. We certainly could not be packing more than 250# of stuff, plus our combined body weight of 380# (We are working on that though...)

If we had the Bambi, wouldn't it be feasable to fill the water tank with only say 8-10 gallons of water before a trip, which I don't see why , if we are careful, would last a couple of days, and then refill at site as needed? Or even travel with empty tanks, period, and just bring our ussual stuff. The unloaded weight of the AS is 3600# so with our 250# plus 380# people weight and 80# of H20 are we OK.

Something else that we have considered...due to the wife having a real 9-5 job, 95% of all our trips will be within 2-5 hours of Chicago= FLAT travel. We drive at or under the speed limit, and in the right lane. By the time we have another oportunity to do another longer cross-country thing again, it will probably be time to buy a new tow vehicle. I fully intend on going with a weight distributing system and possibly sway control. Have not thought that far yet.

A company called Da'Lan makes a 2" Class 3 receiver. I just had one installed on the van yesterday. 5000# Gross trailer weight, 400 tongue.

Either way it's pretty close...

Jonathan "Looking for validation" Levin

[Chas]

I remember you from a while back, still got the bug eh?

Sounds like you are almost there, a good reciever hitch on the van seemed to be the biggest hurdle and you got it installed. You have set your expectations low, flat land, low speeds, pack light so I would go for it! I had a Eurovan for a while, a 1st generation, and while I wasn't too impressed with the engine, trans, and braking, it handled like a dream. With the VR6 and the 4 wheel discs they have pretty much taken care of that. I wouldn't tow with the A/C on, would recommend a Jordan Ultima controller and a good transmission oil cooler.

Chas

[takito]

Hi all,

Today my wife and I visited a local Airstream dealer again to check out the 16 ft CCD. Sales person told us that they are going to increase price of this little guy by $5,000 next year. Is that true? I don't think we can afford it this year but thinking about purchasing in the next 2 years or so.

I thought AS was already kinda expensive but another $5k for 16ft. That would make it $37k with all of the options that they had.

If $5k increase is true, I would buy it soon.... but I don't usually trust these auto sales kinda guys. Any idea?

thanks,
Takito

[Pahaska]

If we had the Bambi, wouldn't it be feasable to fill the water tank with only say 8-10 gallons of water before a trip, which I don't see why , if we are careful, would last a couple of days, and then refill at site as needed? Or even travel with empty tanks, period, and just bring our ussual stuff.

I never travel with more than about 5 gallons of fresh water. Just enough for toilet flushing and hand washing.

Depending where I am going, I may take the collapsible jug in the bed of the truck. I have been known to ask at a service station near my destination to fill my tank from their outside faucet, either by hose or by collapsible jug. I have never been refused.

However

The unloaded weight of the AS is 3600# so with our 250# plus 380# people weight and 80# of H20 are we OK.

If you are than close to the rated toing capacity, I thyou will be disappointed in the performance (or lack thereof). Don't forget, the unloaded weight is an estimate based on a pre-production model and doesn't include options.

[Porky Pig]

Originally posted by takito
Today my wife and I visited a local Airstream dealer again to check out the 16 ft CCD. Sales person told us that they are going to increase price of this little guy by $5,000 next year. Is that true?

He's probably right ... but not that much.

I do know that the Retail Base of the 34 Classic increased by $4,083.00 ... and the 30 Classic increased $3,463.00 ... these numbers are 2004 vs. 2003.

This is the annual biggest jump I have seen in awhile. I guess Airstream is making hay while the sun shines.

[beachmpk]

Just to let you know that a 25' Tradewind would be just fine. As you can see at the left, we have a 72 Tradewind. The floor plan is:
Rear Bath,
Double Bed middle with a closet and bureau (slide out drawers behind a set of doors under the window) on the other side and overhead compartments on both sides)
Front couch that converts to double and a fold out table that we frequently seat six at for games.

We have folding stools for the kids but have also used outdoor folding chairs to get really comfortable for those competitive Scrabble games.

We have four kids, but they have their own tent. The youngest still sleeps in the trailer. We leave the rear bed open to the double position when camping. The kids range from 4 to 14 and we are very comfortable. They have even had friends around on rainy days and we were all in the trailer without feeling like sardines.

As far as the floor plans go - I know that these were made with there being a single bed on either side and even bunks that fold down from above in the middle area. This would eliminate the very convenient closet. There could also be a twin bed bunk over the double. There was one for sale on eBay once whinch leads me to believe that it is possible to find one.


My mother has a 1969 Globetrotter (21 feet?). The kids stayed with her without a tent when we had only two kids. That was starting to get a little crowded but it was "doable".

[Penguin]

Everybody says there's a table on the Airstream site but I can't find it!

It's NOT that airstream.com/faq/weights.pdf -- that link doesn't work.

I have searched all over and can't find weights for older trailers. Does anyone know where I can find them?

[thenewkid64]

Airstream redesigned their site.

Here is the correct link to the weights:

http://www.airstream.com/airstream/p.../weights-1.pdf

Or click HERE

Keep looking!

[Penguin]

Thank you Brett! That is just was I was looking for, and I could NOT find it!

I love this forum site. (And we WILL keep looking!)

Connie

[53flyingcloud]

Two die as camper flips on I-66

Roger Bianchini

Eyewitnesses describe violently tumbling vehicle.

Two of four Canadian family members traveling westbound in a Ford Expedition on Interstate 66 were killed last Thursday afternoon after the driver lost control of an approximately 27-foot Fleetwood Mallard camper being towed.

The father, Jean Coupal, 40, and his daughter, Liliane, 12, were pronounced dead at the scene. The mother, Danielle, 39, and her son, Jeremy, 14, survived the accident with what were reported to be non-life-threatening injuries.

State police at the scene said the adult female was driving with her husband in the front passenger seat with the couple's children in the back seat. Liliane was thrown from the SUV, which eyewitnesses say tumbled violently after being separated from the trailer, during the accident.

It is believed the family was returning to their home in Quebec when the accident occurred. Maps and personal items lay strewn down the highway in the path of the accident.

Danielle Coupal was transported from the scene by helicopter to Fairfax INOVA Hospital. Her son, diagnosed with less severe injuries at the scene, was initially transported to Warren Memorial Hospital by a Front Royal Company One unit. According to Warren County Fire and Rescue Chief Richard Mabie, Jeremy Coupal was later transferred to Fairfax INOVA Hospital to be close to his mother.

Pittsburgh-area resident Chris Mounts, 20, was also with his parents and sister in the family car traveling westbound on I-66 around 4:30 p.m. on July 24. What he and his family saw transpire on the road in front of them left them shaken as they watched rescue efforts develop over the next 90 minutes and learned there were fatalities.

"The trailer began to fishtail," Mounts, whose father was driving at the time, said. "Then it jackknifed and the trailer went over on its side and skidded and the black SUV or pickup started rolling and went over the bank."

"It happened very quick," Mounts father, who declined further comment, said as he sat next to his son on the guard rail on the right shoulder of the highway in a blazing sun as rescue and recovery work continued.

While a state trooper on the scene said it was unlikely a vehicle the size of a Ford Expedition had rolled that many times, Chris Mounts said it seemed as though the SUV had rolled about 10 times down the highway before tumbling down the right bank where it came to rest upside down some 60 to 70 feet off the highway.

Rescue and fire units from the Front Royal, Linden and North Warren Fire Departments, as well a rescue unit from Marshall, responded to the scene along with Virginia State Police and Warren County Sheriff's Office units.

The accident occurred approximately a mile and a half west of the Linden exit off I-66. Traffic was blocked till shortly after 6 p.m. and backed up an estimated three-plus miles during the rescue efforts and the righting and removal of the trailer from the highway.

This is so sad..