When to order a new Classic 30 (2017 or 2018)

[cetanorak]

Greetings all!

Hopeful, soon-to-be-first-time Airstream owner here. We will likely be ready to order some time between November 2017 to February 2018. We really feel that the Classic 30 will suit us best and were thinking of custom ordering through a dealer to be picked up soon after the build somewhere nearby in Ohio, rather than buying something that has been sitting on a dealer's lot for a year.

Would you all expect that there will be a 2018 Classic 30 model that will be revised in any way from the 2017 model? Do the new-year models tend to be announced a couple months prior to the next calendar year and then become available for delivery a couple months into the new calendar year? If we are hoping to order something new at the end of a calendar year, perhaps the only option would be to wait for the 2018 models.

Thanks for any insights that you may have!

[kendrick.l.j]

From what I have seen in the past they usually roll out the next year model in October or November. I bought my 2017 in early December of 16. I also considered making a special order but didn't need to do that, found the one I wanted 5 states away and went and got it.

[graysailor]

Check with your dealer. Always nice to have the latest and greatest. I have a 2016 Classic which I love. Not so impressed with the 2017's.

[66Overlander]

Model year changeover at the Airstream plant occurs in mid-May, so if you order a new one, it will automatically be a 2018 at this point. You can only can get a 2017 off the lot now.

The price of the 2018 will likely increase, but new features won't be pre-announced. You'll be able to find out about changes when the 2018s start showing up on dealer lots in early June.

[paiceman]

What JOE said, and the 2017 Classic is a terrific trailer. Some tweaking, required but we had to do the same with our Luxury Newmar Coach when we had that. The Classic was a little frustrating at first, but I've learned a lot and we stayed in ours for months this past winter with only one issue, the pull down shade on one window has an issue. That is it, many other situations developed but all ended up being operator error and were corrected and or modified by me.

Bud

[Dennisr]

I wish I had known you could do that. We bought a 2017 classic and we love it.
Ours has a oven and confection oven which I don't need both. I would have liked drawers where the confection oven is. I also would like better lighting in the bathroom.

[dugster]

The RV industry is not on the same schedule as the auto industry. New models come out around July. Dealers attend a national meeting around late May. That is where official announcement of new pricing, features & options are made. Any dealer can give you reliable info after that meeting. Until then, everything you hear is just rumor. Having said that, many dealers have good hunches about changes & improvements they expect. They have the benefit of a year's experience with warranty work and customer feedback by the time the dealer meeting arrives. They also get a predetermined allotment of new models based on the current year sales. In my experience they have a good idea of what their readily available inventory will look like. I mention this so that you can be knowledgeable if someone is "steering" you towards a specific model. I encourage you to talk with several dealers for comparison. I studied the Airstream product for over a year and spoke to 6 dealers before I pulled the trigger; glad I did.

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by cetanorak

Greetings all!

Hopeful, soon-to-be-first-time Airstream owner here. We will likely be ready to order some time between November 2017 to February 2018. We really feel that the Classic 30 will suit us best and were thinking of custom ordering through a dealer to be picked up soon after the build somewhere nearby in Ohio, rather than buying something that has been sitting on a dealer's lot for a year.

Would you all expect that there will be a 2018 Classic 30 model that will be revised in any way from the 2017 model? Do the new-year models tend to be announced a couple months prior to the next calendar year and then become available for delivery a couple months into the new calendar year? If we are hoping to order something new at the end of a calendar year, perhaps the only option would be to wait for the 2018 models.

Thanks for any insights that you may have!

We have just been shopping for a 2017 30' Classic. The few 2017 out there are mostly twins and whatever decor it comes with. No new orders accepted for 2017 models. All new orders are for 2018 models, first once due out May. Prices are up on them about 10%. This info I got from three different dealers.
We lucked out and found a queen which we were looking for with the right interior. I got it home today, the wife is smiles ear to ear :-).

[Jekerrville]

Welcome to the fleet! You are in for some really good times.

When you pick up your new 2017 or 2018, do yourself a big favor and wear some old cloths so you can crawl over ever square inch of the new Airstream. Look at every bolt, nut and screw. Every rivet, buck or pop, top and bottom.

When you have made sure everything is tight, all the lights work, vents are sung and in place, cabinets latch and all is shipshape, THEN give the dealer the money.

My wife and I traveled 2000 miles to pick up a new 2015 Flying Cloud '28 rear queen bed. Very nice machine. But after a year we started to find the flaws that were behind and underneath things.

Compared to our old 68/69 31 foot, just not as much care and quality of craftsmanship.

Don't get me wrong, we are very pleased with the Cloud, but better tires, charging system and attaching straps to hold the tanks in place underneith, we are ready for travel time and another year. Then that 2015 will turn into a 30 ft. Classic.

Oops. Danny will be calling any day now.

Just remember these new machines are like airplanes. Got to do your annuals.

Have many happy miles, and again, welcome to the fleet!!

JEKerrville

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

We have just been shopping for a 2017 30' Classic. The few 2017 out there are mostly twins and whatever decor it comes with. No new orders accepted for 2017 models. All new orders are for 2018 models, first once due out May. Prices are up on them about 10%. This info I got from three different dealers.
We lucked out and found a queen which we were looking for with the right interior. I got it home today, the wife is smiles ear to ear :-).

Wow!! Prices are up on them about 10%...Yipes! Well, sure glad I bought my 2017 but hey...prices going up makes all past model years rise in value too so not a bad deal I guess...unless your still shopping!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

So now that the 2018's are here for real, anybody want to change their minds?

Bob