What we give up for an Airstream

[rebel beck]

Just wondering if anybody has done what we are fixen to do. Last year we got into camping it's me, my husband, and 7 year old son. So we bought a popup camper wanting an Airstream at that time. So we have done our weekend camping trips cranking up and cranking down and went to Disney world this last summer so much fun. While we were there I told my husband lets ride over and see how many A/s are here.
March I started going through mid life crisis I guess and went out and bought me a new Toyota Solara convertible and that has been fun. But today I drove down to Wal-Mart in that car and bought me a FOR SALE sign and put it on the dash and went looking for V8 trucks.
So folks give me some ideas on good tv's the camper we have our eyes on is a 79 model 4500 dry and 5000 loaded. We have a Ford exp v6 now and are having problems as my husband says Fix Repairs Daily.

By the way we have a
2005 Toyota Solara convertible 6200 miles for sale
1995 Jayco popup

Becky

[Janet H]

Way to go becky! Don't forget to look at the bigger imports... both nissan and toyota make good rides. Keep vans in mind as well - some of them are built on truck frames. They can be cheaper than trucks - especially used.

[overlander64]

Greetings Becky!

I would caution you to expect more than a 500 pound difference between the empty weight of a coach and its as-typically-towed weight. I have one coach with a very similar empty weight, but its gross weight as-towed will vary between 6,000 and 6,200 pounds. Even on my lighter coach it doesn' t take long to surpass 500 pounds above the empty weight -- its empty weight is 2450 and it is very difficult to keep its gross towing weight to less than 3,200 pounds.

I am a firm believer in the 80% guideline -- only plan on utilizing at most 80% of the tow vehicle's maximum trailer tow rating. If I were shopping for a tow vehicle for the proposed coach, I would be looking for a tow vehicle trailer tow rating of at least 7,200 pounds. I will admit to being very demanding of my tow vehicle, and plan on frequent trips to mountainous terrain -- I also expect at least 200,000 plus miles from my tow vehicle (my Suburban will exceed 154,000 miles this week and I am expecting at least 300,000 miles from this vehicle).

Good luck with your research and investigation!

Kevin

[juel]

I too have been struck with the V8 truck bug. I first bought a 1978 Argosy, 24ft. Went to get it in south Texas in my husband's 2000 V8 Ford. Well that didn't last long. Went out and bought a new Toyota Tundra, step-side with the towing package. The coach pulls like a dream at up to 70MPH. No strain on the truck. In the specs it shows a towing capacity of 11,000 lbs. The coach is 3800 lbs, with a tongue weight of 540 lbs. I don't really understand the math or the 80% rule too well, but this truck had one of the highest capacities of any "regular" V8 truck. No peoblems with the Toyota otherwise either.

[85MH325]

After years of buying and selling trailers and tow vehicles, my counsel would be to find and buy the trailer you want, and THEN find your tow vehicle as you'll know exactly what you REALLY need vs. what you THINK you might need.

And... I'd also suggest finding a two or three year old tow vehicle with 40k on it. We have a Y2K Excursion and a '94 Tri-axle 34'. We bought both of them in April of '03, and bought them both for less than the price of a new Excursion alone.

It takes work to find the best deal on the best used truck, but it's worthwhile financially. I just bought an '02 Tundra access cab pickup in showroom condition (from a Toyota dealer) with 46k miles and the remainder of the factory warranty for less than half the cost of the comparably equipped '05 model. They also beat the financing deal from my credit union!

You don't need to own the bank to have a nice rig.

Roger

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by juel

In the specs it shows a towing capacity of 11,000 lbs.

um....as fine a tow vehicle as I'm sure the Tundra is, it won't tow 11,000lbs.

[juel]

I'm sure you're right. All I know is that it tows this Argosy very easly. And it's sexy looking while it does it!

[SafeHarbor]

According to Toyota.com...

http://toyota.com/tundra/specs.html

Curb weight... 4470
Gross vehicle weight rating... 6010
Towing capacity V8 with towing package... 7100 lbs
Gross Combined Vehicle Weight... 11,800

That's pretty respectable, but it won't tow like Detroit iron. (The numbers are less than my '93 midsize Dakota!)

Lamar

[juel]

Oh my gosh.....I guess I've done it now. The old import vs American battle. My husband definitely sides with you guys. He's got his big Ford truck and he's never going to buy Japanese. I know there are lots of choices out there and they would all be good choices. Actually I've done my part for American cars. I have a 2000 Dodge Caravan with 168,000 miles on it and still going strong. (of course it won't pull a trailer) Also have a '52 Ford with the original Flathead V8, still going strong. Restoring a '56 Ford coupe and a '64 Chevy pickup. I'm doing my part.

[SafeHarbor]

Hi, Juel,

I did not want to start any of the traditional discussions... I just wanted to get the figures out there so somebody wouldn't run out and buy a Tundra for their new 34' slideout.

Actually, you're right. That truck is a great match for your Argosy, and it should pull it like nobody's business.

Lamar

[azflycaster]

I pull a 75 Trade Wind 25 footer, around 5,000 loaded with my 2003 Tundra. Does everything I want and a great ride. Now if I could only get mirrors........

[juel]

You're right of course. Wasn't thinking of those people who buy the long-long trailer. Thanks

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by SafeHarbor

Hi, Juel,

I did not want to start any of the traditional discussions... I just wanted to get the figures out there so somebody wouldn't run out and buy a Tundra for their new 34' slideout.

Actually, you're right. That truck is a great match for your Argosy, and it should pull it like nobody's business.

Lamar

I was staying at a campground in N. C. a few weeks ago and pulled in right next to a fairly new 25 ft. Safari. I saw a Jeep Cherokee next to it with a hitchball - and we got to talking and sure enough, these two guys had been towing it with the Cherokee since 2002! I asked how many steep grades they had gone up and down, and they came over the appalacians and have also been up in Vermont with "no problems". No weight distributing hitch, just the ball and safety chains. The owner was quite intrigued by my Reese setup and said he'd never seen one before. That was odd because about half of the SOB's in the park had some kind of weight distribution system.

Of course they'd never heard of WBCCI, this forum or even visited the Airstream website. I turned them on to this forum - so hopefully they will read some of the threads about the tow vehicles.

Tin Lizzie

[85MH325]

Originally Posted by SafeHarbor

Hi, Juel,

I did not want to start any of the traditional discussions... I just wanted to get the figures out there so somebody wouldn't run out and buy a Tundra for their new 34' slideout.

Lamar

WHAT? YOU MEAN MY NEW '02 TUNDRA WITH THE 3.4L V6 WON'T PULL MY 34' BEHEMHOTH???? I'M SHOCKED AND APPALLED!!!!

Roger

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by 85MH325

WHAT? YOU MEAN MY NEW '02 TUNDRA WITH THE 3.4L V6 WON'T PULL MY 34' BEHEMHOTH???? I'M SHOCKED AND APPALLED!!!!

Roger

That's okay, Roger. You still have the Intrepid to tow it with...

[Boondocker]

Having recently purchased a '68 trade wind (bought in august and have had it to jellystone already) I suppose I will be replacing my trusty F150 with a F250 powerstroke in the near future. Having said that, I cant for the life of me think of a thing I have given up for ole Gertie, but man o man, look at all I got

[maxandgeorgia]

What have we given up for an Airstream: too hard or too squishy hotel mattresses, chill of wall-unit A/C, stale air, who-knows-who-has-walked-barefoot-on-the-carpet (or worse!), hauling overnight stuff up three floors to room, rubber-stamp buffet breakfast, noise makers revelling down the hall at 1 am, being locked into a hotel reservation when you just changed your travel plans, desk clerks too busy talking together to register you, negotiating with said desk clerk for best "deal" on room. . . boy, do I miss all this! Anything more??

[Janet H]

Let's see... what did i give up?

A tiny tent on the cold hard ground
Sleeping bags for 2
No beer, tea or anything else tall and wet, at night - (no place to recycle it at 3 AM)
Wet rain fly to fold up in the am
Cooking on 40 year old svea stove
Wet dog in tent on sleeping bag....
Sore back....

Yep - I gave up a lot!

[Boondocker]

****warning a sober reflection follows********Im embarrased to admit how much of a stretch the $5K I have in ole gertie was and is for me. Back in grad school (finishing in the spring ) but going on 39 one month from today. Recently the doctor gave my brother the long face, and for me here is what it comes down to. None of us know the number of days alloted. I got to take my mother to see the west via the tetons, Yellowstone and the black hills last week. She and her husband commented on ALOT of cows along the way. If I never use gertie again, it was cheap and Im gratefull I had the good sense to do it while I could. I guess maybe I have lost some future regrets, I will just have to deal with that loss I suppose. ****anoying sober reflection ends*****

[C Johnson]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

****warning a sober reflection follows********Im embarrased to admit how much of a stretch the $5K I have in ole gertie was and is for me. Back in grad school (finishing in the spring ) but going on 39 one month from today. Recently the doctor gave my brother the long face, and for me here is what it comes down to. None of us know the number of days alloted. I got to take my mother to see the west via the tetons, Yellowstone and the black hills last week. She and her husband commented on ALOT of cows along the way. If I never use gertie again, it was cheap and Im gratefull I had the good sense to do it while I could. I guess maybe I have lost some future regrets, I will just have to deal with that loss I suppose. ****anoying sober reflection ends*****

Rodney

I kinda feel the same way here having just crunched the numbers for gas. It was a great experience that I would trade for nothing. If I never see another cow ever - I am ok with that ! I missed the Tetons, just not enough time in the schedule. I will be planning a trip there, maybe next year. What you, your parents, me and my friend saw along the way was a slice of America that not everyone is going to have a chance to see.

What I gave up was, not going waterskiing this summer = $$, not making the short trips to the local CG's, not goin skiing this winter on new skis, not having that sprinkler system in and the green lawn that follows. Not starting a new career this year. etc etc.

We all give up something to be able to do something else. This trip was VERY important to me, in that, I was able to visit some of the greatest places in the US and I got to do it in comfort in my Airstream. That makes me a happy camper.

Chris