New Owner - 2017 Classic

[Vickitn]

Originally Posted by mojoe7009

Attachment 280020

We are expecting our new Classic in the next few days. I'm aware of this issue thanks to the forum. Assuming Airstream hasn't fixed this issue, we are looking for a solution to this problem. I have a question about your fix. If you forget to push that handle/knob back in after use, and the door is opened too far or do hard, do you think it would dent the refrigerator? I don't know that I am disciplined enough to always push that button back in. Thanks for your help

[mojoe7009]

No it doesn't hit. The position and depth keep it from hitting. The black plastic trim on the doors hit the cabinet first.

[OSIN]

Originally Posted by Crazycanucks

Any reviews on Airstreams rear view camera and 200w solar pkg ?
Wasn't sure if there might be better value options out there....
Camera in cdn$ is 950 installed and 200w solar is 1800.00 installed.
Picking up our new 26u in a few weeks and still undecided about these two options

Rear View Camera works great on ours. We have Zamp solar, and not thrilled with it's total performance yet, we're using the 100W flex panels however we may have a defective panel (or broken during installation), I've spoken with the Zamp people and they are great, walked me through diagnostics, but I can't get on the roof to check the individual Panels yet. There are cheaper options for sure, but Zamp seems to back up their products, I understand not so much with other overseas panels, Zamp is local in Oregon

[wswhiting]

Nice. We took delivery of the same model on February 9. Living in it full-time in NC. Loving every minute...well, almost every minute. Trying to solve some DVD issues.

[labalope]

Well I am not new to RVing just new to towing, have owned several motorhomes just wanted to down size, the 30 ' classic seems to be the right size, I am picking the unit up in a couple weeks, tow vehicle 2500 Silverado duramax with Allison and off road and towing pkg. Lots of questions the unit comes with what looks like a reese anti sway set up, will this be enough to stop any swaying? I usually drive about 65, I am excited to get this Airstream and plan a trip to Alaska this year the only state I have not been in. Does anybody carry a generator in the tow vehicle for boon docking? and is the water pump still behind the fridge? Labalope

[Nelson428]

Originally Posted by labalope

Well I am not new to RVing just new to towing, have owned several motorhomes just wanted to down size, the 30 ' classic seems to be the right size, I am picking the unit up in a couple weeks, tow vehicle 2500 Silverado duramax with Allison and off road and towing pkg. Lots of questions the unit comes with what looks like a reese anti sway set up, will this be enough to stop any swaying? I usually drive about 65, I am excited to get this Airstream and plan a trip to Alaska this year the only state I have not been in. Does anybody carry a generator in the tow vehicle for boon docking? and is the water pump still behind the fridge? Labalope

Hey Private message me and I will chat with you about traveling with a generator and traveling to Alaska. You will have a blast, it's such a beautiful state to visit.

[james.mileur]

Water pump is under the fridge behind the removable drawer. The space behind the fridge is a mystery to me still.

[switz]

Lots of folks towing Classics, like my self, went with the ProPride hitch which is the second generation Jim Hensley design with lots of detailed improvements.

I put the first generation Hensley Arrow on our 2013 25FB International Serenity and kept it when we traded the 25FB on the 31' 2014 Classic. I have now installed the Hensley Arrow on our 2015 23D International Serenity.

Both the Classic and the 23D have had extensive modifications including nine 100 watt AM Solar panels on the Classic and five 100 watt AM Solar panels on the 23D. Both of our 2,000 watt Honda generators have been converted with the GenConnex propane only conversion kits. We carry the one with the 30 amp twist-lok plug in the Mercedes ML320CDI when towing the 23D. The hybrid Magnum MSH-3012 inverter in the 23D can draw the additional power from the 300 amp-hour lithium battery that is necessary to start the 13,500 BTU air conditioner and the 2,000 watt Honda can then continue the A/C operation. The A/C can cycle as needed. The Honda is attached to the front grill propane outlet and we retrofitted a front power inlet along with a proper automatic transfer switch for rear and front power inlets.

The Classic has a 600 amp-hour lithium battery and can start and run an air conditioner for a period of time. We carry the two Hondas that can be inter-connected for 30 amp operation in the 2012 Ram 2500HD along with a 30 pound propane tank.

[labalope]

I looked into getting the solar panels installed on my classic I understand that the 2016&2017 are pre wired? The tech at the dealership said the 80 watt panel is 3'x2' I am new so how do you get so many on top of your classic, maybe I am being told wrong the service tech did not know about Lithium batteries, which is standard on Liberty coaches, just asking, labalope

[BetterNowlinLater]

Hi there,
A little quick note. We have had our 17 Classic since Sept. 16 and I just realized the lights dim. You just hold your finger on the button for the light you want to dim. I think we were told at our walk through that there were no dimmers.
You all may already have found this but just in case you haven't, I thought I would share.

Brenda

[kendrick.l.j]

BetterNow - thanks for the share. I vaguely remember being told about this and I had forgotten so thank you for sharing.

[RareStream]

Have they changed the "wood" in the 2017 Classic?



That sure doesn't LOOK like real cherry or maple...looks like pine.

Maybe it matches the fake plastic laminate walls better???


Hmmm...

[mojoe7009]

Originally Posted by RareStream

Have they changed the "wood" in the 2017 Classic?







That sure doesn't LOOK like real cherry or maple...looks like pine.



Maybe it matches the fake plastic laminate walls better???





Hmmm...

It's as cherry as it's going to get. I'm not sure what "fake" plastic laminate is. Laminate is laminate and it is probably in at least part of everyone's cabinets at home. For us the cabinets and woodwork look rich in our Classic compared to most other trailers. I would be surprised to find any trailer with solid cherry wood on 100% of the cabinet surfaces.

[RareStream]

Originally Posted by mojoe7009

It's as cherry as it's going to get. I'm not sure what "fake" plastic laminate is. Laminate is laminate and it is probably in at least part of everyone's cabinets at home. For us the cabinets and woodwork look rich in our Classic compared to most other trailers. I would be surprised to find any trailer with solid cherry wood on 100% of the cabinet surfaces.

When the "new" Classics debuted a few years ago they WERE all real CHERRY wood and real CHERRY wood veneer...EVERYWHERE. And it was NOT just a cherry-colored stain over "hardwood." It was REAL cherry, EVERYWHERE. Hence the price increase.

But, Airstream cheapened out a just few months later and replaced most of the real wood veneer with fake plastic stick-on contact paper laminate while RAISING the price because they couldn't care enough to prevent the real wood from getting scratched during production.

Rather than take extra care in a $140,000 trailer they drastically cheapened the materials because they knew they could get away with it...that whole "Airstream Apologist" concept.

Fake wood walls with cherry-stained hardwood doors is what you find in a $15,000 Coachmen Catalina.

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by RareStream

Have they changed the "wood" in the 2017 Classic?



That sure doesn't LOOK like real cherry or maple...looks like pine.

Maybe it matches the fake plastic laminate walls better???


Hmmm...

Let me help you out here...I've been building cabinets all my life so I know a thing or two about hardwood.

Yes, the classic cabinets are true cherry. I have seen a classic in person and I could tell that at least the cabinet fronts are real cherry wood. Yes, the grain looks similar to pine but so does many other hardwoods. Look up cherry lumber pictures on the internet and you will see what I mean.

Cherry has very few knots and is reddish-brown in color. It's harder than pine but softer than oak. On a hardness scale of 1 to 10 I would rank cherry a 6. It's also very stable and doesn't tend to bend or warp with humidity changes. A very nice wood for cabinets or furniture.

I also liked the hickory cabinets in the past classics...very nice and yes they were real hickory. I had one of those.

[paiceman]

Been refinishing antiques for over 40 years with some repairing as well. The cabinets in our 2017 Classic are Cherry as are the closet and bathroom doors. I've not only inspected, but mounted some additional hooks, Cherry is very hard, hard to drill into. They are not pine, soft wood easy to drill, plus these have no resemblance to pine.

[mojoe7009]

Well said cabinetmaker and paiceman! I think that clears it up.

[RareStream]

The hickory was beautiful. There wasn't any cheesy fake plastic laminate walls in those Classic trailers...that was before Airstream cheapened them.

[paiceman]

No plastic walls in the 2017, some are veneer in the hall and bath area. If one is that picky don't buy it.

[RareStream]

Plastic stick-on laminate...the same as in any Thor bottom line travel trailer.