Visit our Popular Forums

Tincampers · 07-13-2014, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmeikle

Looks basically like the Escape made up here in BC. Well worth considering if you want a smaller ( narrower) trailer.

George

There is no comparison between the Escape and the Oliver. The Oliver outscores the Escape by a mile.

cramar · 07-13-2014, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmeikle

Could we camp with something cheaper? Of course we could. I could also drive a cheap car but I choose to drive a Corvette because I can.

George

I have a Corvette... now looking to buy a used AS. Both are ICONS!

I like the quote from "All Corvettes are Red" by James Schefter: "Corvette isn't a car it's a dream!"

How many thousands of 'vettes will travel to Bowling Green for the 20th Anniversary of the Corvette Museum at the end of August? Like I said, an icon!

2014 National Corvette Caravan - YouTube

To me Airstream isn't a travel trailer, it's a dream!

I don't see SOBs rallying to a "mother ship." Matthew McConaughey owns at least one AS. Maybe people should ask him, "Why an airstream?"

As the above video states, it is about PASSION!

A Corvette wave to you now! Hopefully an Airstream wave in future.

wzelkins · 07-13-2014, 09:42 PM

I dont want to sound negative but its not that complicated.
If you cant justify the cost and its out of your budget don't buy a new or newer AS.
If you don't have the means or interest in restoring a vintage AS don't buy one.
We like AS's because we understand them and they speak to us. Cost is secondary.
Remember you get what you pay for in most cases.

gandttimes · 07-13-2014, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrprez

There is no comparison between the Escape and the Oliver. The Oliver outscores the Escape by a mile.

I was talking dimensions.

George

**Rocinante** · 07-13-2014, 11:07 PM

Generally when people see our AS in campgrounds the first comment is, "Wow, what a beautiful trailer!" The first question is, "What year is that?" The second is, "Hey, they're still making them?" The the third is a combo statement/question, "Well, those things are really expensive, right? How much did it cost?"

About then I tell them that since AS has been making trailers for 80 years and many are still in use, there's probably an AS for them at the right price if they seriously want one, especially if they are ready, willing and able to restore a vintage AS to its former glory. I never like to discuss the price range for a new AS...too many assumptions get made. So, then I change the subject and we talk about other things, like how there's this great AirForums site with tons of information about restoring vintage trailers, what to look for and what to avoid.

Then, no matter what camping setup they have, I find something to compliment and ask them what they like best about their current setup. I don't want our camping neighbors thinking we're snobby...we're just regular folks out to have a good time camping who happen to tow an AS.

Tincampers · 07-14-2014, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmeikle

I was talking dimensions.

George

I see. You are right about that.

The one thing that turned us off on the Oliver were the dimensions. Too narrow. I was sold on the Oliver until I saw my friends 25FB. Wow, what a difference.

**Rocinante** · 07-14-2014, 08:20 AM

Oliver also has a terrible floor plan. I'd love to want an Oliver, but with the current floor plan I can't even work up a good envious glance.

TWA640316 · 07-14-2014, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrprez

I see. You are right about that.

The one thing that turned us off on the Oliver were the dimensions. Too narrow. I was sold on the Oliver until I saw my friends 25FB. Wow, what a difference.

Is that the new 23 ft model they just started building this year? We are thinking of a trip to the factory to check one out.

Tincampers · 07-14-2014, 09:02 AM

Yes, but they sell it as a 22. Fully loaded for about $45000. Not a stick of wood in it anywhere. Well thought out.

Tincampers · 07-14-2014, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvery Moon

Oliver also has a terrible floor plan. I'd love to want an Oliver, but with the current floor plan I can't even work up a good envious glance.

Ultimately that is what killed it for us. Along with the wet bath. If it was a bit longer and wider....

Gene · 07-14-2014, 11:18 AM

I've come to believe there is no perfect floor plan. Weight distribution has to be equalized over the axles which means mainly the kitchen appliances. The fridge and stove are heavy. Easiest to balance them in opposite sides. The bathroom is fairly heavy and the black and grey tanks are very heavy when full, so all that has to go close to or above the axles. The fresh water tank is heavy too, so that has to be crammed in next to the other tanks. Cabinets get distributed along the whole trailer. The living room and bedroom usually get one to each end. Then you have a 25' or 27' FB, or many other similar floor plans.

To put the kitchen or bath at one end means you have to strengthen the frame to hold that weight at one end or the other. When that isn't done, you get sag at the heavy end and a less stable trailer.

Those are limits hard to challenge, but companies do and get into trouble, including Airstream.

Decor is a different thing. A lot of RV decor is designed by blue haired old ladies who love stuff that the rest of us gave up on a generation or two ago.

Gene

**Rocinante** · 07-14-2014, 08:29 PM

Agree there's no perfect floor plan, but there are plenty of doozies out there.

For me, any floor plan that doesn't include a permanent and easy-to-make queen size bed counts as bad. I'm also don't care for a "wet bath." Unfortunately, the floor plan for Oliver squarely hits those two pet peeves. Also, now that I'm spoiled with my 27FB windows, I really like a lot of glass.

So, if Oliver comes up with a better floor plan and more windows, I'd be pleased to covet one of their trailers.

Piggy Bank · 07-14-2014, 08:44 PM

Gene, you really get to the heart of the matter.

Which brings up a question that I have been wondering about, which is , are there exploded view layouts for the elevations, floor plans, and underfloor layouts anywhere on Airstreams? Hubs and I have been discussing layouts, and come the same engineering-based conclusions as you mentioned about load distribution and component location.

And Silvery Moon, you bring up a BIG deal for me, which is line of sight, open windows, and views. I grew up camping in a tiny Bethany pop up -two beds and a table. But it had a big (screen) window that was probably 16 square feet, and had screen openings at the ends of the beds. You got an amazing cross breeze, and didn't need any light inside until after dark. By goodness, I have to have LIGHT in a camper, and can't stand how most SOBs have the solid rock guard over the bed. Just can't.

Window size, location, and operation is very impotent to my selection process. And Airstream offers really nice windows, as compared to most SOBs I have seen.

**Rocinante** · 07-14-2014, 08:50 PM

Yes indeed. The AS windows may not be thermal and they may sweat like crazy in cold weather, but, oh, the light that comes in. The beautiful light. Without the light, I feel so very claustrophobic inside, no matter how many slide-outs they give me. With all those windows in my AS, I don't need any slide-outs at all to feel very spacious, dare I say palatial, inside. (A friend used that very term to describe our 27FB while sitting at the dinette.)

Tincampers · 07-14-2014, 08:54 PM

We like the windows as well. So much so that we decided on a floor plan that has a window in the bathroom rather than the large mirror.

kscherzi · 07-14-2014, 10:13 PM

Looked at many new SOB's. Interior decoration across the board is cheesy, dated, ugly. Loud swirling fabrics, same boring oak cabinetry, overstuffed yet somehow uncomfortable chairs, and slide outs that seemed functionless, just created more empty space. Most disliked the same brown fungus style wallpaper that every SOB uses. Its like RV interior design is stuck in the early 1980's styled by KMart (of the era), or maybe a off strip Vegas motel room of that era never remodeled. Started to wonder if it was just me, and seriously questioned the type of person who's a RV'r.

Saw the International Airstream and I was floored. Wow! Never looked elsewhere again.

**Rocinante** · 07-14-2014, 11:06 PM

Same here. We loved the International interiors. After our first year RV'ing in an SOB motor home, each of the International interior designs was a wonderful experience. We loved them all, each for different reasons, settling finally on the Signature edition.

Gene · 07-15-2014, 08:29 AM

Piggy,

Detailed floor plans and interior layout doesn't seem to exist unless Airstream has them on their website recently. Would be a nice touch. Some dealers may do interior tours like realtors do, but you'd have to look around for that. I'd start with Centennial's website. Best way to check out RV's is to go look at them at dealers and RV shows.

Gene

dkottum · 07-15-2014, 03:58 PM

Here's floorplans, specs, and photos for our model/size Airstream from the Airstream site. Just go to Airstream.com, then travel trailers, and then the models you want to compare. You can also download a brochure.

Airstream Flying Cloud Specs, Airstream Travel Trailers | Airstream

These are 2014 Airstreams, I suppose they will give 2015 specs when the dealers have sold most of their inventory. Colonial Airstream in New Jersey has a good site with floor plans, specs, and photos of their inventory with many 2015 models. Many of these models have not changed much over the years, while some such as the 2015 Classic is completely redesigned (well, at least the interior is).