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Old 03-02-2014, 06:40 PM   #1
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Any way to find Airstream at RV shows

Without looking through every exhibitor list of every show. I have been trying to find a rv show with Airstreams within a few hours from me and so far no luck.
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Old 03-02-2014, 07:00 PM   #2
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I can only speak for the Seattle show.
They were not there.
I believe that they do not need the show for sales as
they are so popular and iconic.
Just show up at the dealers, many of whom also rent space to
people who don't have a place to park them. They (at least here) also rent tow vehicles so the city folk can "store and go" at the drop of a hat.
Makes excellent sense as in the city no one wants a F150-250 sitting around for
occasional camping trips.
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Old 03-02-2014, 07:07 PM   #3
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You don't often see Airstreams at RV shows. When they are there, it is rarely more than one or two. The best way to get a look at the Airstream lineup is to go to an Airstream dealer.

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Old 03-02-2014, 07:46 PM   #4
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The last RV show in Milwaukee, WI I attended, the only AS dealer in WI had only one trailer there. (They are a car dealer first and AS second) This years show they had about a dozen including an Interstate. They had tons of people looking.
After talking to them I found out they had a new marketing director. Had a very nice chat with her. Being new to AS's she is still learning. She had heard about the WBCCI but not the Forums. She wants to put a link on their web site.
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Old 03-02-2014, 08:00 PM   #5
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RV dealers bring campers to the shows, not the manufacturers. So, it all depends on what dealers are invited and bring Airstreams.
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Old 03-02-2014, 08:31 PM   #6
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I know in my neck of the woods my local dealer sells other brands of rv's. The reality for these types of dealers is that folks wanting to buy an Airstream will come to his dealership. At the RV show his SOB's are just boxes that look like all the other RV's at the show. So for all intents he needs to show those trailers that compete with the majority of units there. You will see that he usually never sells an Airstream at a show...but he sells the SOB's. I dare say that the SOB's that his dealership sells allows him to sell Airstreams. For the vast majority of dealers, the RV show is for the SOB market. That's the market, and resources are spent on the units that best support the dealership. If you consider the size of the RV market, Airstream is iconic, but is a minor player when looking at annual volumes.

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Old 03-02-2014, 10:02 PM   #7
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Colonial brings a bunch to Atlantic City NJ for their show. That is the only one I've ever seen in an RV show.

Your location - Hilton Head SC is rather far from any BIG dealer - but next best thing is to look here in the forum and WBCCI rally section. Forum rallies are generally open even to Avions and other "kin" trailers. WBCCI - check to see if visitors will be welcome. (Generally Airstreamers love to show off their units.)

You'll see a lot of vintage, gently used and new Airstreams at most rallies. That should give you some ideas at least.

Airstream, Inc :: Home has a list of authorized dealers.

Happy Hunting. Paula
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Old 03-03-2014, 06:09 AM   #8
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The RV and Boat Show in Chicago in January and the RV Show in Rosemont, IL in February both had Airstream represented. Think there were at least 4-5 Airstreams at the January show that we attended. Usually the shows will tell you who is represented and you could call that dealer in advance and ask them what they are bringing.
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Old 03-03-2014, 06:15 AM   #9
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There are always several Airstreams on display at the Florida RVSuperShow in Tampa. The show is held in January. Up til this year, Bates was the big Airstream dealer in Florida. A different dealer now has the Airstream line, but they still showed up in Tampa with at least a dozen different trailers and Sprinters. We went last year and this year. We will most likely buy at next year's show. We drive down from Charleston, SC.
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Old 03-03-2014, 07:12 AM   #10
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Fly in to the Ballon Fiesta in New Mexico, first week in October. There will be 200 Airstreams, plus 600 hot air balloons.
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Old 03-03-2014, 09:15 PM   #11
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Sounds like fun! Is that party in Albuquerque?
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Old 03-03-2014, 10:02 PM   #12
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Hershey RV show last summer in Hershey PA had 8-9 brand new Airstreams on exhibit. We went on the first day and 2 were sold while we were there. Colonial A/S in NJ had sales people there as well as several marketing people from Jackson Center were there, too.

If you are serious, take some time and go to Jackson Center, OH to Alumapalooza, the week after Memorial Day. Lots of new, old and redone Airstreams, seminars and factory tours. You can camp in any trailer or stay 20 miles away in a hotel.
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Old 03-04-2014, 06:57 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coastal View Post
Without looking through every exhibitor list of every show. I have been trying to find a rv show with Airstreams within a few hours from me and so far no luck.
There is an occasional RV show at the Greensboro Coliseum. It's about a 5 hour drive from HH. Last time I went (maybe 10-12 years ago) Out of Doors Mart had several units in the show. But, you do not need to wait for the show, ODM always has several units on their lot. They are closed Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
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Old 03-04-2014, 07:41 AM   #14
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We went to the big RV show in Tampa Florida in January 2012. 1800 rigs. We were intent on buying a 5th wheel. To get into the RV show you had to walk right through the Airstream display. I think there were a dozen there. We had never thought about AS until then. We went through this display going in and leaving the RV show both days. By then we were convinced that AS was the way to go. The rest was, as they say, history
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Old 03-04-2014, 12:02 PM   #15
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My dealer also sells umpteen other brands, but will not take an Airstream to a RV show because the fragile, expensive to repair AS skin can be subjected to errant baby carriages, fist pounding, or running of fingernails along the side etc. (That was the gist of their explanation).

They also alluded that potential Airstream owners are somewhat elitist and would not want to purchase a trailer after the unwashed masses had tromped through enroute to the tent trailers......or words to that effect.

Really? Are we that elitist?

Frankly, the FaN was the dealership's showroom model and many had tromped through prior to purchase. Did it bother me? Not really.

This "elitist" just disinfected everything before permanently gracing the interior.
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Old 03-04-2014, 05:16 PM   #16
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You just missed a Sisters on the Fly rally this past weekend in Hilton Head (my bride is a member and went), and I know there were a few Airstreams there (and from pictures some really cool other trailers). Someone else posted about going to rallies, a great resource to get ideas.
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Old 03-04-2014, 05:21 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by nilesrob View Post
You just missed a Sisters on the Fly rally this past weekend in Hilton Head (my bride is a member and went), and I know there were a few Airstreams there (and from pictures some really cool other trailers). Someone else posted about going to rallies, a great resource to get ideas.
I read about it in the paper and was mad at myself for not knowing. I have been wanting to check out that new campground as well. I may go to a rally but we would feel funny asking to tramp through everyones. We have been researching for months and we have found as much as we can online. We did rent one as well but that was only one model. We will have to bite the bullet and make a 7 hour drive to look at a big selection. Now I need to decide to go to Tampa or Tennessee for that (or maybe NJ)
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Old 03-04-2014, 05:33 PM   #18
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I read about it in the paper and was mad at myself for not knowing. I have been wanting to check out that new campground as well. I may go to a rally but we would feel funny asking to tramp through everyones. We have been researching for months and we have found as much as we can online. We did rent one as well but that was only one model. We will have to bite the bullet and make a 7 hour drive to look at a big selection. Now I need to decide to go to Tampa or Tennessee for that (or maybe NJ)
Think of it as the first of many (enjoyable) road trips.
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Old 03-04-2014, 05:54 PM   #19
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There are always several Airstreams on display at the Florida RVSuperShow in Tampa. The show is held in January. Up til this year, Bates was the big Airstream dealer in Florida. A different dealer now has the Airstream line, but they still showed up in Tampa with at least a dozen different trailers and Sprinters.
There are now five dealers in Florida. There were only two a few years ago - Bates and JD Sanders. I haven't been to a show without Airstreams but I agree that a dealer with various models would be your best viewing. It is kind of a split for you but there are two dealers nearER you - Out of Doors Mart in the Winston-Salem NC area and then there is JD Sanders in Alachua, FL near Gainesville, FL. It is 329 miles to Colfax (Winston Salem) and 248 miles to Alachua, FL. You may want to go to Alachua but I would call first to get an idea of what is on hand to look at. When I was there in Nov they had a good mix of models.

The Tampa SuperShow is great too as it covers the gambit of RVs. I went in '12 and '13 (not this year) and there were quite a few Airstream models present.
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Old 03-04-2014, 06:24 PM   #20
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There are now five dealers in Florida. There were only two a few years ago - Bates and JD Sanders. I haven't been to a show without Airstreams but I agree that a dealer with various models would be your best viewing. It is kind of a split for you but there are two dealers nearER you - Out of Doors Mart in the Winston-Salem NC area and then there is JD Sanders in Alachua, FL near Gainesville, FL. It is 329 miles to Colfax (Winston Salem) and 248 miles to Alachua, FL. You may want to go to Alachua but I would call first to get an idea of what is on hand to look at. When I was there in Nov they had a good mix of models.

The Tampa SuperShow is great too as it covers the gambit of RVs. I went in '12 and '13 (not this year) and there were quite a few Airstream models present.
JD is the closest, but last I check he did not have many new models on site. Out of Doors mart is a good option but I like the usual on site models of chilhowee rv(Tennessee) and North Trail RV(Ft Lauderdale)

In short, we know we like the 25 size and want to compare 25 and 27 Flying Cloud and Eddie Bauers if possible. Also want to look at the 23D to see if it might be a smaller possibility. We think we know we want 25(but a week or so ago we thought we wanted 27). We just need to get on a big lot of inventor and spend some time.

Side note, we have decided on a Nissan Armada to be the tow vehicle. Wife wasn't comfortable when we test drove the trucks.
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