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Old 12-24-2013, 01:36 PM   #1
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2014 27' Flying Cloud
Seattle , Washington
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Getting close... and a few more Qs

We are getting very close to purchasing our AS. I was wondering about the 2013 Flying Clouds that have been sitting on the dealership lot for a year or so. I have been reading a lot in the forums and asking questions, and generally getting some great help here. I have run across several threads about problems with Airstreams that have been sitting for awhile, such as leaks, weak batteries, wear and tear and/or other problems, even system failures. Would anyone like to share their experience with buying a (new) late model AS from a dealership? Any suggestions for what specifically we should inspect ourselves when looking at these? I am thinking of putting together a check-list to take with us during our next visit to the dealership. It would be nice to save a little money if we can find the right floor plan/size in a 2013. Thank you, and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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Old 12-24-2013, 05:54 PM   #2
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The beauty of purchasing a new Airstream is the warranty. Of course the next part of the equation is the dealer.. you need a good one. There are many things that might happen to a new trailer but a good dealer will help you through any traumatic moments. Enjoy the shopping!
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Old 12-24-2013, 06:15 PM   #3
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We did exactly that this time last year and bought a 2012 Flying Cloud 27fb. Love love love it!

I guess anything I possible. It could have been trashed but then again, 2 year warranty if anything was out of whack. No major problems at all. Could not be happier!

Good luck!
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Old 12-24-2013, 06:18 PM   #4
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Units on the lot for a year or more may require a battery load test before acceptance. They get neglected!
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Old 12-24-2013, 06:24 PM   #5
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Yakima , Washington
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Congrats on getting close to the big decision. This is a great time to be looking at last years models. Good deals to be had and the dealer is not as busy as it will be in the Spring. You have what I think is a great dealer in your area. We purchased ours from the same dealer but in the Portland area.
The trailers should have been winterized so broken pipes should not be an issue. Batteries should be good and tires to the correct pressure. All systems should be checked out in the shop and your walk through should include testing everything.
Good luck, lets us know when you make the move and which model you decided on.
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Old 12-24-2013, 09:37 PM   #6
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Batteries need to be load tested to assure that they are up to snuff.

All systems should be tested and verified before delivery. You should also get a walk-through for all systems. Video the walk-through if you can, for future reference.

Not only should the tires be inflated properly, they should not be more than a couple years old at most (including the spare), especially important if you are buying a model year behind. If you don't like the looks of them ask for new tires. We bought an '06 in March of '07. No problems with the systems or tires caused by sitting on the lot for as long as it did, even in AZ.

Also check for any signs of filiform corrosion. I would not buy a rig with any signs of filiform.

If the rig is brand new and never owned, the warranty will begin with your original purchase and good for 2 calendar years. Use it if you need to and don't be shy to do so.

And most of all...ENJOY!
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Old 12-25-2013, 08:22 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce B View Post
The beauty of purchasing a new Airstream is the warranty. Of course the next part of the equation is the dealer.. you need a good one. There are many things that might happen to a new trailer but a good dealer will help you through any traumatic moments. Enjoy the shopping!
Bruce
As I understand it, a new 2013 would include a 24 month warranty. The 2012s and 2013s Certified Used include a limited 12-month warranty. We have not looked into an extended warranty, though. Any experience with those?

Are there any better or worse dealerships out there in particular? I am wondering if choosing a dealership that is closer versus one that is "better" is important. I would tend to go with better, but if something goes wrong and the dealership is further away, that seems like it could be a hassle (depending on what went wrong). Or maybe another way to look at is as an adventure! I am trying to get into the mind set that if something goes wrong, not to sweat it too much Can I buy from one dealership and go to another for service?

It has been interesting looking inside the various models. Seems all the fabric choices are not too well represented. There is a lot of ultra leather, which is very nice. I would like to see each fabric combination in person, too. Not too big of a deal, though. I am happy we have been able to see all of the floor plans. Planning on going again soon - looking is fun.
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Old 12-25-2013, 08:32 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by SteveSueMac View Post
We did exactly that this time last year and bought a 2012 Flying Cloud 27fb. Love love love it!

I guess anything I possible. It could have been trashed but then again, 2 year warranty if anything was out of whack. No major problems at all. Could not be happier!

Good luck!
That is great! We are hoping for a similar experience - no big issues to deal with, just enjoyment and adventure I am sure we will love the whichever one we settle on. It is exciting!

Have you added any upgrades/extras to yours? Like the 16" rims and new tires or solar panels? What would you recommend adding, if anything?

We like both the 27' and 28' floor plans. Narrowing it down from there is difficult (they are both so nice!) We keep going back and forth, but we plan on spending more time in both at the dealership soon. What do you especially enjoy about your 27'?

By the way, your dog is beautiful. Looks like a sweetie, too.
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Old 12-25-2013, 08:47 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by TBRich View Post
Batteries need to be load tested to assure that they are up to snuff.

All systems should be tested and verified before delivery. You should also get a walk-through for all systems. Video the walk-through if you can, for future reference.

Not only should the tires be inflated properly, they should not be more than a couple years old at most (including the spare), especially important if you are buying a model year behind. If you don't like the looks of them ask for new tires. We bought an '06 in March of '07. No problems with the systems or tires caused by sitting on the lot for as long as it did, even in AZ.

Also check for any signs of filiform corrosion. I would not buy a rig with any signs of filiform.

If the rig is brand new and never owned, the warranty will begin with your original purchase and good for 2 calendar years. Use it if you need to and don't be shy to do so.

And most of all...ENJOY!
Thank you for the advice! Will the dealership do a load test of the batteries for us? Do they do this during the walk-through or before? I am not sure how the process would go. We make an offer, they accept, we sign, then they do the walk-through after signing? If something is off, do we renegotiate the deal, or do they just take care of it? If something is really off, can we decide not to buy? When we bought our tow vehicle, once the papers were signed that was it. No going back. No changing our mind.

Good idea to video the walk through. One of the dealerships told us the walk-through would be a 4-hour process, which is fine by me. I can see how so much information could be overwhelming. Recording it is good, and we could review it later.

Will check the tires and tire age, and also check for corrosion. Which areas of the trailer are more subject to filiform corrosion?
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Old 12-25-2013, 08:57 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Mike and Gloria View Post
Congrats on getting close to the big decision. This is a great time to be looking at last years models. Good deals to be had and the dealer is not as busy as it will be in the Spring. You have what I think is a great dealer in your area. We purchased ours from the same dealer but in the Portland area.
The trailers should have been winterized so broken pipes should not be an issue. Batteries should be good and tires to the correct pressure. All systems should be checked out in the shop and your walk through should include testing everything.
Good luck, lets us know when you make the move and which model you decided on.
Thank you! I appreciate knowing that we have a good dealership in the area. We have looked through the different models and floor plans at the one in Covington. They have a big selection. The sales staff was very helpful. Not pushy at all, but attentive and the man helping us answered all of our questions. Did you purchase yours off the lot, then? That is what we are planning to do, but I am curious about ordering one versus buying off the lot. Can you still negotiate price when ordering one? Seems like the deal may not be as good that way, but I have no idea.

Thanks, and I will let you know once we make the big purchase!
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Old 12-25-2013, 09:00 AM   #11
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Units on the lot for a year or more may require a battery load test before acceptance. They get neglected!
Thanks! I like your two dogs - do they travel with you in your AS? We have a dog and cat who will be traveling with us. Should be fun.
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Old 12-25-2013, 09:12 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by streaminlife View Post
(Lots of edits...)
Have you added any upgrades/extras to yours? Like the 16" rims and new tires or solar panels? What would you recommend adding, if anything?

What do you especially enjoy about your 27'?

By the way, your dog is beautiful. Looks like a sweetie, too.
We went with the 15" Michelins (not 16s) as they had enough capacity for the 27.

I don't know that I'd recommend adding anything per se. After a year of using it, we decided we're going to swap out party of the couch at the dinette for a recliner but that's about it. Oh, and a new shower head :-)

We love everything about the 27FB. I especially live the dinette in the rear so when we back in at an ocean site, the dinner view is stunning!

And thanks - yes, Daisy is the sweetest pooch we've ever had! She loves camping too!

Good luck!
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Old 12-25-2013, 09:14 AM   #13
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Our first AS was a 2006 International 28' purchased new in January 2008. I agree with what has been said about absolutely checking all the systems for any coach that has sat on the lot for any length of time. We needed new batteries and had many other issues during the three years we owned. The good news was that there was never any problem about the two year new warranty we used frequently. The challenge was the fact that the dealer was located 130 miles from use. During our last repair trip, we saw a newly delivered 2011 Flying Cloud 30' and that is what we went home with. An expensive swap but one we have never regretted. We just completed a 12,000 mile, four month trip with the only issue that we had difficulty with was keeping the refrigerator lit on gas. We came up with a solution for that and all was great.

I'll also add that the seating arrangement for our 28' was terrible. The three extra feet we have now makes all the difference in the world. Good luck!
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Old 12-25-2013, 10:09 AM   #14
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We just bought our first AS (brand new 2014 27FB International Signature) from the dealer you mentioned in Covington. It was generally a very good experience. We went with the ultraleather because it will be so much easier to clean. We chose the Signature over Serenity, Onyx and Sterling because we insisted on the faux-wood floor for easy cleaning, and we chose the Signature vs. Flying Cloud because we wanted a CCD interior. We love it!

Yes, the views out the back from the dinette were what sold us on the FB floor plan. We chose the 27' model vs. a 25 because we wanted a N/S queen bed and a microwave. We chose the 27' model vs. the 28 because we didn't care for how the couch and dinette wrapped around each other in the 28...also, it's a slippery slope. Once you add the extra foot for a 28, why not add a couple more for a 30 or 31, etc.? 27' seemed a perfect choice for the two of us with our dog and occasional guests. We also considered the EB edition because we thought it was super-cool to open up the whole back of the trailer for toys and fun, but in the end we preferred the curvy lines of the CCD interiors. EB was too straight up and down the hall for our taste.

For options, we had them install a solar panel and backup camera. We almost got the bike rack as well, but I like to ride recumbents and they rarely fit on racks, so we'll toss the bikes in the truck. We also went with the Trident treatment in hopes of protecting the trailer inside and out, especially since it includes replacing any panels or interior items that become irretrievably marred.

We went with the standard rims / tires, not realizing that might be an option worth discussing. They did not bring it up as an option either, but this forum has been scaring the poop out of us with the tales we found here afterward. For now, we've decided to add a tire pressure / temperature monitoring system so we can stop immediately and take a look if a tire gets overly heated or starts to quickly lose pressure; hopefully before anything truly dramatic happens. In theory, the wheels and tires provided by AS would be designed to keep their new customers safe at least long enough to pay for the trailer, right? I'm also seeing plenty of what seem to be knowledgeable articles saying that proper maintenance, tire pressures and attention to speed should do the trick. I guess we'll find out!

Here's something embarrassing: During the walkthrough they did not mention a spare tire or show us where it might be hidden. We are going to have to go on a wumpus hunt, I guess. Is there a spare tire on an International 27FB, and if so where?

Oh, and another thing - when you get the walk through, please do insist on seeing them hitch the trailer and then unhitch the trailer before you leave. Don't just chat about how it's the reverse of hitching. Make them do it and show you. This miss was totally my fault, because I'm sure he would have demonstrated had I pressed even a little. We had a very hard time un-hitching our trailer the first time, as we didn't realize how much we'd need to jack it up before the coupler would release the ball on the truck. We thought the jack was lifting the truck, which was of course not the case at all.

We initially signed up for the Coach Net features, including membership, road hazard and extended warrantee. However, after our trouble unhitching and a couple of calls to Coach Net for help, they were completely awful to us. I can't say this strongly enough; for us, the Coach Net experience was simply terrible. Instead of jumping in to help us out, they started quoting arcane contract terms and conditions to tell us why the would be of no help to us whatever in our hour of need. We immediately cancelled all the Coach Net features and will never do business with them again. We also strongly suggested our dealer find a more customer-focused outfit with which to do business for warrantees and roadside service, because they made him look very bad indeed in our eyes. Meanwhile, we have expanded our AAA membership to AAA Premier - RV, which means they will provide roadside assistance for TT issues in addition to TV issues. That membership will be the best money we ever spent, I think. So, we have no extended warrantee and no road hazard warrantee. I would have liked a road hazard warrantee in particular, but not from a company that seems dedicated to not helping and not paying when the poop hits the fan. I sincerely hope others' experiences with Coach Net differ from ours, but we'll steer clear of Coach Net forever.

I'm sure we'll think of other things, but in any case, happy shopping!
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Old 12-25-2013, 01:00 PM   #15
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We just went through this about a month ago. I had almost signed a contract on a 2014 FC 25 with FB and leather etc. I came across a 2013 FC 25 RB twin, no leather, solar panels, window awning package and a few other things. As part of the deal they gave us 2 nights at a campground right around the corner. We closed the deal and headed to the campground. Our salesman stopped by twice a day to make sure all was ok and even winterized it when we left, as we were in for a couple nights of below 0. We added 2 fantastic fan vent covers. For those 2 days, it rained the whole time, so perfect chance to check for leaks. A couple "good for us surprises" about the model we bought. Turns out we like the rear bed set up much more than the front bed. The additional room in the bathroom is great, as well as the additional storage. We were also pleased how much more quiet the rear bed is, away from the street etc. With the dinette in front it is like sitting on your front porch. The dealer also gave us some $$ to spend in their store as well as two more night in another campground. On top of this we saved a bunch.
I am on the east coast so can't help with you with a dealer, but do your homework and if you are willing to drive, there are plenty of deals out there. Good luck.
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Old 12-25-2013, 01:48 PM   #16
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Ah yes, ours also came with the full window awning package, forgot to mention that. We liked the FB layout so much that we decided to accept potential campground noise to get the benefit of the rear living area / dinette. Our previous MH had a bedroom amidships (yeah, it was weird, one twin bed on either side), so we figure the FB will work for us...it's an actual bedroom instead of the half hallway half bedroom we used to have, and it will be quieter than a tent, no matter where the bedroom is. Besides, in many of campgrounds we've been surrounded by active campers, and various types of noise comes pretty much from all directions, not just the street. Can't wait to test our theories in the new rig.
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Old 12-25-2013, 10:21 PM   #17
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We bought from the Seattle dealer, and it was a good experience. If you spend that much time with a dealer, and their price is competitive, you should purchase with that dealer. We spent quite a bit of time winnowing down the model we wanted.

We were going to buy a very gently used 2013, but wanted an alternative interior so we ordered a 2014 spec'd how we wanted. They came off MSRP by about 14%, and while we could've maybe gotten a bit better deal out of state, I wanted to purchase and deal locally. They also threw in an equalizer hitch and an adventure pack of needed goodies. Walk through was very thorough.

I've upgraded to the 16 tires and rims at the local Discount Tire for under $2k and sold the stock tires and rims for $500.
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Old 12-25-2013, 11:33 PM   #18
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Thanks! I like your two dogs - do they travel with you in your AS? We have a dog and cat who will be traveling with us. Should be fun.
Our Danes love to travel! In 3.5 years they have clocked around 23,000 miles and almost 370 days on the road. Using another measure - 41 states! Texas to Montana to Maine to Georgia and in between... West coast soon, but Florida tomorrow!

We have a slide-out which adds the necessary floor space for them to lounge comfortably on the floor each night. Many here have met these kid friendly hams at various events and refer to them as ponies. One is 150 lbs and the other 165 lbs. They have backpacks and carry their own food and water on hikes.
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Old 12-26-2013, 08:19 AM   #19
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We bought a new 2013 off the dealership lot in October 2012. It had been sitting since June/July- so 3-4 months. There were no issues.
I do not have covered storage at home. The trailer has been outside since it left the factory in June/July 2012. The only leak was from the Blue Beacon truck wash- spraying at the wrong angle near the bottom of the entry door- high pressure + just right angle = water gets in trailer- but just a little-
When getting the trailer washed at a truck wash you should warn the people doing the washing about not putting the high pressure nozzle near a/c, refrigerator vent, stove vent, water heater, furnace, and entry doors and storage compartments.
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Old 12-26-2013, 09:17 AM   #20
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With regards to buying a left over 2013 like we did, I forgot to add -- make sure on your walkthrough that the dealer open all the windows. Ours were stuck from sitting so they were very tenderly opened. Due to the nearly 48 hours of rain we had after we picked it up, there were no leaks.
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