How do you answer when folks ask how much your AS cost?

[Rich W]

Wow! Lots of different answers, but I think I have the best. I got mine for free, it didn't cost me a dime. I took it right out of my kids' inheritance.

[tbashin]

I usually tell them what I paid for it but note that I've invested a lot more in it. Then I quickly move on to the prices of a new one.

[PCJ]

I answer with a question, "how much does your house cost" oh well less than that.

[mkcurtiss]

Really, in most cases, folks are trying to start a conversation because they are interested, and dont know what else to ask......they know they are expensive.
They are trying to assess for themselves if it is possible for them to have one for themselves, after drooling over yours for however many miles they have been following you on the highway....
It does not take long to separate the pricks from the genuinely friendly people, but I have never found it beneficial to be a prick myself.....most folks think we are already stuck up Airstream people...I would rather not reinforce that preconceived notion.

[Nomad518]

I tell them what we paid for our brand new 70th Anniversary 25’ Safari 6-sleeper out the door in 2001. About $30k with hitch and setup. Then I quickly tell them I’m glad I bought one when I did because they go for a lot more than that brand new today. Helps show the increase in value and how well they hold up over time.

[Dan and Liz]

$3.50. But that included the weapons ...

[Zardoz]

“19-20% off list.” Or walk away.

[sheriff1]

“They’re about a buck and a half” and I leave it at that

[mefly2]

Most folks can not differentiate ours from one made decades ago ... so, we just say isn't it really neat! If they have no "upbringing" and are bold enough to ask further ... just ignore the question and smile. DW says Cheshire cat smile ...

Originally Posted by Rgentum

"Does the cost question come up often with you?"

Occasionally.

"And are you comfortable just sharing it right off?"

I tell them: "I went to my local dealer, Airstream Adventures NW, who gave me a price of $79,500 and adamantly refused to bargain over it. I thought that price was excessive, so I shopped AS dealers throughout the US ...It cost me a drive from Seattle to central CA to save almost $9K. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

... I just have had a problem getting Airstream Adventures NW to negotiate their sales price on a new AS.

Same thing happened to me when the AS 33 came out...

OK, I admit it. I've lived all my life buying and selling assets, negotiating prices, and bargaining. It just galls me to think of paying $9K to "buy local" when I can obtain the identical item elsewhere for some $9K less --- or, in the case of the AS 33, for some $40K less.

Our experience with AANW was just the OPPOSITE
... we saved a great deal of money by traveling to Covington, WA from MT. Their prices were the best in the western US on our last two AS purchases ! Perhaps it is how the transaction is approached or even the individual salesman?

Airstream Adventures NW has also provided superb service after the sale and even personally delivered as well as shipped us parts when needed ... avoiding any hassle with the local dealer.

[Pat Pierce]

In 2016 we bought the new F150 Lariat and a few weeks later, we bought the new 27' Serenity. Our names we gave them were Tex (I wanted to call the F150 Honker at first because it seemed everything I did led to the security alarm going off, but the name became Tex (more like Tech for all the stuff) and Wanda, close to Wander. Along the way, we came up with their 'road' name combo -

"TexandWandacostalotta". So when asked we might tell whoever this name. Or we might just say "north of a hundred, more every year and depends on the model, length, and more thousands for generator, etc."

[Fly at Night]

"Google it."

[BAB]

If you have something either beautiful to look at or that's rare, you WILL get asked about it by the GP (General Public). You WILL be asked how much you paid for it.

If it's a car, they will stick their phone out of the window to take a picture of it -- while they are driving -- and also encroach into your lane at the same time. Been there, done that.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by BAB

If you have something either beautiful to look at or that's rare, you WILL get asked about it by the GP (General Public). You WILL be asked how much you paid for it.

If it's a car, they will stick their phone out of the window to take a picture of it -- while they are driving -- and also encroach into your lane at the same time. Been there, done that.

Hi

If you are "out and about" most of the people you will talk to are not even aware that Airstream still is in business. They have seen pictures from the 50's or 60's. A reasonable conversation there will involve the fact that indeed AS still exists as a company making new trailers.

At a campground, it's a pretty good bet that those you bump into are a bit more RV savvy. They also may be unaware that AS is still in business, but it's a bit more rare. In a campground you are more likely to run into people who are legitimately shopping for "their next RV". That conversation works best if that fact comes out early on .....

Bob

[InsideOut]

I usually respond with "ours is a 1956 -we paid $5K for it, plus "several times that" in restoration parts & about 4,000 hours self-performed labor over 3-1/2" years. It's worth every penny." That's usually enough information for inquiring minds and yet keep the details private.

Shari

[AtomicNo13]

If you have to ask, you can't afford to tow it!

[Silvr_Bullet]

What’s the secret?

[Countryboy59]

Most people can google to find out. I don’t honestly remember what I paid, and I say so. They can look it up. One guy said “must be nice to be that lucky”. I responded, “the harder I work the more luck I seem to have”.

[jcanavera]

I've only had one person ever ask me how much mine cost. That was a next door neighbor who we are very close to. Others I've talked to I've said I'm glad I bought this trailer 15 years ago. It was expensive then but now the equivalent model (of course no slide out) costs twice what I paid then. I then say if I had bought then because I was still working. As a retiree, I feel completely different now about the price and probably wouldn't have bought at the current prices today or would have bought used. The good thing was I bought new and the trailer has been under my watch for 15 years and I definitely know it's history!

Jack

[Sneakinup]

I always tell the truth. I paid $800 for it, AS IS.

[gordonopp]

I just tell them that my red membership numbers indicate the number of payments I’m making😜