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wannaroam · 10-30-2006, 05:39 AM

Am I the only one who keeps losing out on units that are for sale before I can even get a chance to clear my schedule to go see them??

Would you buy them sight unseen? Considering how much difference there has been between the descriptions and the realities on the units I've already looked at, I can't imagine doing so. But, the last two units that I made plans to see have both been sold before I could even get there; and that has been within a couple of days.

I am SO disappointed!! I'm beginning to think I'm never going to get to roam....

tbrom · 10-30-2006, 05:51 AM

Butler PA, I'll keep an eye out. If I see something I'll let you know.
Tbrom

Happycampers · 10-30-2006, 07:08 AM

Hello... We bought our current Argosy only from pics posted in the classified. Saw it at 11pm and bought it by 8am the next morning.. called the seller and had a few more pics sent and the deal was done.. we bought 8 days after we had sold our other Argosy and we believed we would be without an Airstream for awhile.. well it was a short while... The price was too good to turn it done.. bought in Feb and picked up in April and are in the process of redoing and repainting.. will be done in a couple of years..

65overlander · 10-30-2006, 07:33 AM

i bought my a/s based on pics only. even when i went to pick it up, floor was covered with shag carpet and i did not have enough knowledge to know where to look for trouble. don't worry, it soon found me. in the process of my reno. guess buying your second airstream is safer than buying your first.

Fyrzowt · 10-30-2006, 08:13 AM

I drove 4 hours one way to look at a trailer that was supposedly in stellar condition, "One of a kind, must see". The outside skin condition was OK, the inside was a mess, they had painted the interior with a 4" brush and it looked like it. The rear was sagging. I was there less than 5 minutes. No sale.

IMO, if you want to buy remotely, you should have many, many photos, and a frank discussion with the owner over the phone regarding expectations.

some of this may be due to honest difference of opinion and perception. I'm convinced that some of it is not.

Good luck in your search.
Dave

Rog0525 · 10-30-2006, 08:33 AM

I was raised there and still have some family in the area.
What approx year & length are you looking for?
A couple years ago, when I was picking up a '71 Caravel in Pittsburgh, I spotted an old 50's Safari sitting in a field wasting away. My uncle, who lives in the area, said it had been sitting there for years, so I of course stopped to ask if it might be for sale. I was greeted with an abrupt "No!" from the lady who answered the door.
If it's still there, she may have changed her mind by now. It was on the south side of Rt 68 just east of Evans City.
Have you tried posting a wanted ad in the classifieds here?

klattu · 10-30-2006, 08:34 AM

We 'missed' out on three before we found the 1
So glad we did not end up with the others...
Of course at the time we thought we missed the deal of a lifetime, was not so.
Sometimes you have to wonder what your Guardian Angel is up to...and if he is paying attention.

klattu · 10-30-2006, 08:36 AM

Yes...lots of photos
Ask SPECIFIC questions, ones that cannot be missunderstood.
A few talks on phone is good too.

safari57 · 10-30-2006, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannaroam

Am I the only one who keeps losing out on units that are for sale before I can even get a chance to clear my schedule to go see them??

Would you buy them sight unseen? Considering how much difference there has been between the descriptions and the realities on the units I've already looked at, I can't imagine doing so. But, the last two units that I made plans to see have both been sold before I could even get there; and that has been within a couple of days.

I am SO disappointed!! I'm beginning to think I'm never going to get to roam....

We looked at a lot of units over an extended period. We had very specific requirements and I did not want to compromise too much. I know many people have had tremendous success buying sight unseen based on pictures and a discussion with the owner - with cars and trucks I've not had the same level of success so chose to only buy what I could feel and touch first. It probably extended our time to purchase but in the end we knew when we hooked up that we had exactly what we wanted. Many folks on the forum are willing to at least take a look at a trailer you are considering and if nothing else, and depending on how much you are paying for the unit, it may pay to have a local RV firm go and take a look and appraise it for you.

Good luck with your search.

Barry

wannaroam · 10-30-2006, 10:27 AM

tbrom - Thanks! I'd appreciate that.

Rog0525 - I actually live about 3 miles from Evans City and right off 68. If there was one still sitting I am sure I would have seen it! There are two sitting within 1/4 mile of me; one just the same as you experienced "NO!"
the other maybe yes, maybe no, not sure, don't know where the key is,. ect ect.....
I am hoping for a late 70's with rear BR 29-31'. Yes, I did post an ad too.

ArtStream · 10-30-2006, 01:40 PM

Hi Wanna,

I paid for a 78 on photos/phone only.
The owner was real nice and besides the 40 or so photos he also took some custom shots I requested.

2 months latter I drove from WI to FL to pick it up view.
Photos cannot show smell.
Photos don't show wood rot if covered by carpet.
Photos don't show if the fresh water intake is clogged with the remains of a small animal
If the drains are clogged
If the tank vents have a dead bird stuck in them
It's hard to see tire rot or the jury rigged electrical system.

I don't know if the owners were shrewd or stupid.

But when buying anything if the owner fends complete ignorance I run!

I walked away from the unit loosing a very large deposit and am glad for it.

The unit I now own I visited first and than purchased it on the spot.

I'm convinced your Airstream will find you.

Good luck,

Michael

wannaroam · 10-30-2006, 03:38 PM

Thanks Michael. I hope that you're right.

I just spoke to my neighbor today regarding the AS sitting in their back yard. I never saw it close up, so asked if I might and from the numbers it is a 1961 Overlander, International package. It has been sitting up on the hill behind the house for about 15 years.

They have lost the key so I couldn't go inside, but from peeking in the corner of the window where the curtain is pulled back it looks like it may be pretty original inside. Problem is, the brother who lives out of state owns it, and I keep being told he has to check and see what it is worth. I am sure that it will need lots of work though, and since this family never seems to get around to doing anything with anything it will likely still be sitting there in another 15 years.

Rog0525 · 10-30-2006, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannaroam

Thanks Michael. I hope that you're right.

I just spoke to my neighbor today regarding the AS sitting in their back yard. I never saw it close up, so asked if I might and from the numbers it is a 1961 Overlander, International package. It has been sitting up on the hill behind the house for about 15 years.

They have lost the key so I couldn't go inside, but from peeking in the corner of the window where the curtain is pulled back it looks like it may be pretty original inside. Problem is, the brother who lives out of state owns it, and I keep being told he has to check and see what it is worth. I am sure that it will need lots of work though, and since this family never seems to get around to doing anything with anything it will likely still be sitting there in another 15 years.

My advice: If you can be satisfied with a ’61 26’ Overlander, go back again and check for worn axles, bad tires, dents, and whatever other flaws you can spot, point those out to them, then offer $1500 cash as is. The International trim doesn’t mean much in $ on 45-year-old trailer.
Sometimes you just have to gamble, but $1500 for a ’61 Overlander in decent shape isn’t really much of a risk. My experience has been that most people who own these old lawn ornaments will part with them if you wave cold hard cash in their face for buy-as-is condition. If they decline your offer, just keep looking.
The general concensus of opinion here seems to be that if you hold out to find the Airstream of your dreams, your dream may never come true.
If you can’t find the Airstream you love, love the one you found.

msterry · 10-30-2006, 07:00 PM

Do not give up. Your dream ship is out there. We had more than a few that we could not get to fast enough. There was one in particular, forever known as the "one that got away"

I called the seller at 7:00 pm and told him I would buy it, just 4 hour drive from our home, with intentions of driving up the next day. The wife said you better go now, as you probably will not sleep. I took a shower, talked our son into going with me, and prepared to leave. As we got into the car, the phone rang. It was the seller, telling me he had sold it to a guy in GA. Pictures showed immaculate interior. The shower had never been used. It was a 65 Safari. I could not sleep a wink that night. The search continued through several more out-of-state trips. We located one on www.craigslist.com. We have an e-mail that was sent to us with many search engines on it, will be glad to provide to you. This is a better time of the year to buy, as prices seem to go down with cooler weather, as evidenced on e-bay. You need to go look, as it is the only way to know if it is exactly what you would like. If you find one, you can locate someone of the forum to give you insight, as you are a newbie.

SafeHarbor · 10-30-2006, 09:43 PM

I bought my Argosy dumbly. I knew nothing about them other than that it was advertised as an "Airstream Argosy." I was a bit taken aback to find out that it was painted, but when I looked in it, parked in a public area with no hookups, it looked pretty good to me. It was rash of me to buy it, but in the long run, it proved to be a good deal for me as it has proven to be an exceptionally good trailer. The PO didn't mention the missing fresh water tank and lacerated plumbing, but I didn't know to ask either. I sort of think he might have taken good tires off the trailer and put them on one of his cars, because in the 14 years I've had it, the trailer has never put the irregular wear on the tires it had when I got it. Another clue is that the shell of the Argosy is very good. It has obviously not traveled much, or far.

My Airstream I bought from an ad on the Airstream company website. It linked to another site, and I contacted the owner. He sent me a BUNCH of photos of every part of the trailer, inside, out, and underneath, and said the magic words to me - "It has no rot."

Wow! It was TRUE.

Michigan + Arizona + Michigan in a barn and hardly ever moved but regularly serviced = no rot.

I was lucky. Both of them were the first ones I looked at, but with the second, I have been reading here before chosing.

Lamar

Roscinante · 10-30-2006, 09:55 PM

Hang in there friend! Like someone else said, YOUR Airstream will find YOU!

I am sure you do not want to go through the rest of your life stepping into an Airstream that is "almost" it for you.

Be patient.

Jer

**azflycaster** · 10-30-2006, 11:50 PM

I looked at the same trailer as artlink. It was a 76 and it was located in Northern California. I too lost a deposit on this trailer. I did not walk away, I ran. Went back to the motel to think about the trailer, called the owners at 8 the next morning, I was 200 miles south at that time. I found my trailer a few months later right here. I bought it from a forum member. I am very glad I waited.

Auretrvr · 10-31-2006, 07:03 AM

Had the same experience as FYRZOWT on one (after months, it is still listed at the same price). We aggreed that we would always walk if necessary. But I agree that your A/S will find you. We had to be ready to pounce on an ad and at least call. Know what to ask by poring over these forums! We found just what we wanted, asked a million questions and explained the cost of our travel and that we needed accurate answers to our questions. (There's the rub...you need to have specific questions or you can't blame them for withholding disappointing features, then you still need to be ready to walk.) Often, sellers will give you time to get there if you are reasonable. See if there is a volunteer inspector in the area where you are looking. The trouble with Airstreams is that they are very photogenic, even when they are not in the best of shape.

Hang in there. The ones you miss out on very well may be harboring problems you don't want. There, now don't you feel better?

Mel · 10-31-2006, 08:23 AM

Hubby and I still talk about one that got away. Driving around during the day, he stopped and looked at a 1950 Flying Cloud. He came home and asked if I wanted to go look at it, so we called the owner (who said, "Come on over!"), grabbed the checkbook, and left. We pulled into the driveway just as the owner was carrying out a "Sold" sign to replace the "For Sale" sign. We missed buying that one by about 5 minutes. We bought our Safari about two months later, but I still wonder where that Flying Cloud is today...

dmac · 10-31-2006, 08:38 AM

In 2003 I was visiting my son in Florida, and wanted to see a new left-over 2002 trailer that I found-on-line at a very good price at an Airstream dealer (to remain nameless) near Tampa. I called the dealer, and they said it was still there and to come on in. I immediately drove 1 hour, only to arrive at the dealer and hear that it just sold. I asked to take a quick look at it anyway, and they said it was already gone. Can you imagine a new trailer being available, then sold and gone within an hour? No. Then they worked on selling me other units on the lot. Can you smell bait-and-switch?