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Old 11-05-2004, 04:03 PM   #1
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Talking Never Let Your Spouse Come With You For Service!

NEVER LET YOUR SPOUSE COME WITH YOU FOR SERVICE! Well, wait a minute – that title didn’t sound quite right! I meant come with you for AIRSTREAM service!

Last Feb, We bought an Ebay special 1977 25’ International. Despite all the warnings and good advice from the Forum, we got stuck with a bit of a lemon. I had new brakes and wheel bearings installed (personal fetish) so that we could tow it on down the road with some confidence. We discovered the hard way while camping in Manatee Springs State Park, FL that neither waste tank valve would hold water (much less anything else!!!)!! The biggest problem we uncovered was that the water lines had been destroyed by the PO who allowed the system to freeze up. When we got back to Cincinnati, I pulled the water heater and had the tank tig-welded but I had not put the whole jigsaw puzzle plumbing system back together again.

Anyway, we let the old girl sit around all summer while we worked ourselves to death (Kacy starting her new private law practice – me keeping GE running single-handedly!) Finally, we decided to fix one of those minor little items the PO FORGOT to mention, the waste tank valves. I didn’t feel like stretching out under that belly pan for a week cutting away smelly #$%@**-soaked insulation to get at the drain valves so I decided to haul the beast over to the new AS dealer across the river in Burlington, KY. Plapps Outdoor had been selling fishing boats etc. for several years and had recently expanded into AS and SOB trailers. I wanted to encourage the local boy with some business. At least that’s what I told my wife. That’s the excuse I was going to stick with!

The day I planned to take the AS to the service center, I encouraged Kacy to come along for just A LITTLE BREAK from her overwhelming workload! JUST A LITTLE BREAK!!! She finally agreed. While I was standing around kicking tires with Service Guy Lee, Kacy disappeared. Can you see where this is going? About 10 minutes later, I hear a call. - “Bob, come over here. Why don’t you just trade in that piece of junk for this cute little Bambi”? Well, that was the farthest thing from my mind. I was going to have a ‘VINTAGE” AS if it bankrupted us!!! (Did I mention the multiple dents in the skin, the frozen TV antenna, the smelly curtains, or the rusty fridge??)

Well, it happened! Let’s bring this boring and long-winded tale to an end. In three hours we had traded the ’77 International for a BRAND NEW!! 2004 Safari 25 foot Dinette right off the lot! I am SOOOO happy. No repairs staring me in the face for the next 25 years.

I have read about the late 2003 / early 2004 model year quality problems but Jackson Center is only 2 hours up the road from Cinti. Worst case scenario, I may have to drive north for some fix-um-ups while UNDER A WONDERFUL WARRANTY so that’s not a big deal. As a matter of fact, Plapps dealership already looks like a good one. We have not taken delivery yet because I asked to have 2 Fantastic Fans installed. While the unit was still sitting on his lot, it got scratched across the front end. Duane Plapp called me personnaly to tell me that delivery would be delayed. He had sent the Safari back up to Jackson Center to have the panel repaired or replaced before he was going to release it to me. No squabbles, no discussion. He just took care of it. That’s a great attitude for a dealer!!!

Can’t wait to play with all the new gadgets in our new “Silver Flame” (you’ll understand the name when I post the pics.) REALLY can’t wait to hit the road, even for a weekend.

Bob & Kacy
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Old 11-05-2004, 04:12 PM   #2
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Congradulations! A new trailer - how cool..........

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Old 11-05-2004, 04:18 PM   #3
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Talking And They Just Keep Comin' Back For More....

Good story Bob! You tickled me.

Congratulations on your second unit!
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Old 11-05-2004, 04:22 PM   #4
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I had a pleasantly different experience. After purchasing our vintage airstream, I took my wife to check out an AS dealer to see if we were willing to let them touch our new baby.

So...after sitting in the chairs at the empty service counter alone for 20 mins and having a decision made for us, we decided not to waste the trip. We found an enthusiastic salesman and looked in every AS on the lot. My wife came away thinking our vintage was far better, for the money. She was really expecting more from them based on what we new they cost and gained a great appreciation for the great vintage trailer we were able to find.

Ours too had frozen pipes, frozen TV antenna, clearcoat peeling, and I will be replacing the water heater next spring.

I am a lucky man.
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Old 11-05-2004, 04:23 PM   #5
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Great Motor Home LeeMO.
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Old 11-05-2004, 04:38 PM   #6
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If you still have the rehab bug, start planning now for the overhaul you can do in 30 years. I'm certian you will want new upholstry by that time.
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Old 11-05-2004, 04:41 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Janet
If you still have the rehab bug, start planning now for the overhaul you can do in 30 years. I'm certian you will want new upholstry by that time.
And curtains. I couldn't believe how much cheaper they are in the new trailers compared to what is in ours.
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Old 11-05-2004, 05:42 PM   #8
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Great story Bob! I'm jealous (as I ponder what to do about my non-working vintage fridge).
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Old 11-05-2004, 06:51 PM   #9
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Great story Bob and a great unit.

Have fun with it.
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Old 11-05-2004, 08:28 PM   #10
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Thanks for the story; I enjoyed reading it very much. Way to go Kacy!! I hope yawl enjoy your new 25' Safari. Happy and Safe traveling!
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Old 11-05-2004, 09:09 PM   #11
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Sounds like a good idea to me

After another summer of doing absolutely nothing with our vintage Airstream because of too many other distractions and priorities this trade-in idea sounds good to me.
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Old 11-05-2004, 10:22 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BOBHAST
(Did I mention the multiple dents in the skin, the frozen TV antenna, the smelly curtains, or the rusty fridge??)
Bob & Kacy
Why were you in my trailer? We real Streamers enjoy dealing with rotten floors, rear end sag, busted pipes and broken axles. Yeah, bring it on Mister "I bought it all done".
Sit in front of your plasma tv while I deal with cops who've had complaints from the neighbors about a junkyard in their unblemished community. Enjoy your shiny new RV while I try to figure out why Southern Shine and sandpaper and hours of elbow grease still leave me with a corroded old bucket.
You have missed out on the whole enjoyment of the Airstream experience, i.e. buying an old trailer that your neighbors will hate and spending buku bucks and time into transforming into something they will loathe.
Silly guy, Airstream ownership is not about enjoyment, it's about working your butt off so you will have a proud work of art to display to the world and when they ask "do they still make those?" you can answer "not like this one".
Maybe there is still hope for you if you invest your life's savings into that old eBay special and pawn it off to the next generation of real Streamers.

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Old 11-06-2004, 10:54 AM   #13
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Wink The Error of my Ways

Oh Roger – how could I have fallen so far from the fold! Thank you, - thank you for making me realize the error of my ways. What was I thinking?? As I sit with my feet propped on my new couch enjoying a cold brew from my operating fridge while listening to Lyle Lovett my multi-disk CD-DVD-MP3 audio video entertainment center, I realize too late that I will never again enjoy the liquid surprise at the end of my waste pipe, the endless hours of fun tracing down that 59th drip-drip-drip under the sink, or the excitement of discovering another cute little fuzzy nest from some tiny companion under my bed!

I can only hope that the next excited owner of my old Ebay special will relish the hours of enjoyment to be invested and the millions of dollars to be spent in the pursuit of ‘VD’ (Vintage Dreams). I have unselfishly relinquished this ’VD’ opportunity in my foolish yet surprisingly successful attempt to achieve ‘AN’ (Airstream Nirvana)

Perhaps if I hoist a few, my biceps will return to those old buffing days with the polisher. I think I’ll just rotate the ol’ flat screen around to face my lumpless, non- stinky new bed and seek guidance from the next episode of Dr. Phil.

Your pal,

Bob
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Old 11-06-2004, 11:07 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BOBHAST
so I decided to haul the beast over to the new AS dealer across the river in Burlington, KY. Plapps Outdoor had been selling fishing boats etc. for several years and had recently expanded into AS and SOB trailers.
We visited that dealership some time back. They were still moving into their new building. Nice place and a lot of potential! I'm glad to have an A/S dealership so close to home, even though it's a couple of hours away.
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Old 11-06-2004, 04:07 PM   #15
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I'm worried. I have 4 of these old things lying around, not one of them newer than '62.
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