Frustrated by Pandemic Delays

[Julie Hagin]

I ordered my 21 Atlas on 11/11/20 for delivery on 12/25/20. Then it was pushed to March or April 2021. Then it was pushed to April or May 2021. Now it is June (maybe) 2021, yet there are no concessions for purchasing an RV that will be 10 months old at the time of delivery. Two months before the release of the 2022 Atlas. Is anyone else experiencing this frustration with Airstream? I ask if the company was going to at least offer the extended warranty at no cost to the consumer and was told no. Your thoughts?

[OTRA15]

Welcome to the forum . . . join the crowd . . . probably gonna get worse IMO.

For instance, this report of the global shipping container shortage:

[Click on the orange arrow in the quote to go directly to this post in another thread]

Originally Posted by Zach05855

I am the president of a company that supplies the construction industry with raw materials. We rely on shipping containers from the orient for our raw material. The shipping industry is in total kaos. currently there are over 40 container ships waiting to off load in the port of LA. This is the equivalent to 160,000 truck loads waiting offshore. We expect that the situation will continue well into the summer. Also the cost of shipping a container from Asia has tripled in the past 4 months. So expect delays on everything coming from Asia and expect substantial price increases. Even if a product in made in the USA, many or most of the components are made in Asia.

The refrigerators, A/C units and all those little pieces and parts are probably sitting offshore

There are many other posts in that thread about supply chain problems all over the world.

Have you considered canceling your purchase agreement, due to the seller not being able to supply the goods?

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Julie Hagin

<snip>...there are no concessions for purchasing an RV that will be 10 months old at the time of delivery. Two months before the release of the 2022 Atlas.

I understand your frustration...but is it really "10 months old" if it's new when you get it? As mentioned, it's not really a control-able schedule if they can't get parts to build it. Have you asked your dealer for a 2022 model instead, although I'm sure the early 2022's are going to run into the same issue. Is there really much difference between the 2021/2022 models? You might want to look at it this way, it'll have lower miles for a 2021 when you go to sell it.

Hang in there...it's "a thing" with a lot of things during this trying time...

Shari

[SeeMore]

Originally Posted by Julie Hagin

...an RV that will be 10 months old at the time of delivery. Two months before the release of the 2022 Atlas.

Interesting notion, but I'm pretty sure your unit will have a birthdate at the end of the production line when it's fully assembled and not be ten months old at that moment. Even more importantly, the delayed production is being driven by the lack of components from the disrupted supply chain worldwide rather than Airstream's intention to upset waiting customers.

You needn't be worried about 2022 models emerging from the factory before the 2021 order backlog is cleared. There is no indication that market conditions will be changing anytime soon.

Meanwhile, you should pursue return of your deposit if you are unwilling to await delivery so you can resume your RV search. There just might be an unsold or used unit for sale somewhere that meets your need.

[bobmiller1]

My honest recommendation......cancel your order for the $245,000.00 class B motor home that you will not be able to sell for $120,000.00 after you have owned it for 6 months and decided to get rid of it because of all of the problems that you are going to have with it with no warranty. Even if it is warrantied having to deal with Airstream telling you that it is a Mercedes issue and having Mercedes telling you that it is an airstream problem is enough to make someone burn it and collect on the insurance. Buy a Classic motor home and fix it up, a fraction of the price and much nicer than a mail truck . Regards, Bob

[Peter417]

See if you can get into a 23fb instead. You won't be sorry.

[DaveG]

Hi Julie,
Good to vent a little and many here can relate. Have patience, don't quit now. If you cancel you will lose your place in line and someone else will be really happy to take it. You waited this long and everyone involved wants you to get it (they are waiting too). You went through a selection process leading to the choice, have a dealer, and completed the ordering. You aren't alone in this situation. You will be receiving a wonderful coach and it will be brand new. The insurance payments you are now saving will pay for outfitting your rig. Have you made lists of items you will add and planned some trips? Do you have the future servicing and storage worked out? Have you looked through the manual available on line? Do you have questions to post on the forum? This is an exciting time in the process. Anticipation is one of steps to be savored.

[Andrew T]

If it is any consolation it is costing Airstream way more to build your Atlas than the anticipated when you ordered it. I replacement order will be much more expensive.

[Atwebs]

It may very well be time to plot differently. With the price of gas (4.38 a gallon here where I live) and the southern gas shortages, over booking of RV parks and crowding of boondocking sites, hitting the road has far less appeal right now than it did a while back.

It may be that you get a 2022 model or a hybrid model with some improvements when they finally get it done. Our Airstream was ordered in late 2017 and not delivered until 2018 -and when it arrived it was a 2019, Guy who'd ordered it backed out because he wanted the 2018 and had waited too long (he got the same price...still wonder about that?)...we walked in and picked it up the next day!

[Escape_Plan]

I ordered a new 2020 Ram 3500 6.7L Cummins diesel MegaCab 4x4 in February of 2020. At the time of the order, the Saltillo plant had already shutdown, I specifically asked this question of the dealer and was told no, they are completing all orders before they shut down, truck will be here in 6 weeks. I watched the press reports saying the plant was, indeed closed. Six weeks later, I called the dealer and asked about a delivery date. I was told it will be delayed, but the truck was being built. I asked for the VIN, of course he didn’t have one, but promised to research it and get me the VIN. Weeks went by, no VIN, no update/communication from the dealer and no returned calls. This was at a very large automotive group in Northern Virginia that rhymes with Stafford. By July the plant was opening for limited hours. Still no VIN. By mid-August (still no VIN) I was growing increasingly concerned that my truck would be “thrown together” as quickly as possible, potentially cutting corners and a ‘relaxed’ attitude towards quality control to clear the backlog in order to start the 2021 production line. By late August/early September (still no VIN) I called the dealer to cancel my order and request my deposit back. The salesman called me and got short with me saying “I ordered you a $95,000 truck” I said yea, and I had to show you how to write a spec sheet. The sales manager called me, lying, saying my deposit was nonrefundable. I said, “funny, my receipt doesn’t say nonrefundable.” He called me a f*cking a**hole. I said true, I’ll be in at 3:00pm for a cashiers check. At 3:00, I walked in the front door and was met by the general manager who tried to talk me out of getting my deposit back because “these guys have families to feed also.” I said they should have thought about that before they got belligerent with me. I got the check and kept my 2017 Ram 3500 diesel megacab and haven’t looked back.

Moral of the story? You’re the customer. You can continue to wait and hope your Atlas is eventually delivered, meeting your expectations for quality, customer service, buying experience, etc. Or work, hopefully with a more professional sales staff to change or cancel your order and look for something else.

[gypsydad]

I agree with others; I would consider going another path then the Atlas; cost vs value and resale prime considerations, or should be. Mercedes issues complicating all Sprinter and other RV's who use that platform. Many experienced RV folks I talk with are driving their ClassC/B RV's now with the Ford gas/diesel/platform and tell me prime reason was Mercedes issues over the years. (hear say of course from me) I love AS TT's, but the Class C/B units are way overpriced IMHO, and the MBZ issues just complicate. Buy used and see if you like it; likely will avoid taking a hit if you change your mind. If your set on new, not sure if you have looked at the Liesure model made in Canada?..MBZ/engine/ chassis or Ford echo boost/Fordchassis with echo boost. Very nice units at half the price...like I said, I love MBZ...but these drop in value like a rock. Best of luck!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

I have yet to see anything formal about a price increase for 2022. That's a bit weird since you can order 2022's right now. There also isn't anything out that I have seen about feature changes for 2022. This puts you in a somewhat weird position if you cancel. You could get hit by a price increase combined with "same/same" features. Net result, you would be paying more for exactly the same MH.

Bob

[nadrad314]

We ordered our International 27' in November 2020. Salesperson was upfront and told us it would not come off assembly line until mid June 2021.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by nadrad314

We ordered our International 27' in November 2020. Salesperson was upfront and told us it would not come off assembly line until mid June 2021.

Thanks Jon.

It has been 6 months since you ordered. Mid-June is a month away.

Do they have a current ETA for you?

[RGJZ06]

Originally Posted by Julie Hagin

I ordered my 21 Atlas on 11/11/20 for delivery on 12/25/20. Then it was pushed to March or April 2021. Then it was pushed to April or May 2021. Now it is June (maybe) 2021, yet there are no concessions for purchasing an RV that will be 10 months old at the time of delivery. Two months before the release of the 2022 Atlas. Is anyone else experiencing this frustration with Airstream? I ask if the company was going to at least offer the extended warranty at no cost to the consumer and was told no. Your thoughts?

Hang in there. You will love it. It is a fantastic way to travel. It has outstanding quality and everything you will need to enjoy the road.

[Saluda372]

Join the club, I vented a while back and got some good advice. I'm waiting and hoping there are no issues. Want this Airstream.
Good luck ! Only you can decide.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Julie Hagin

I ordered my 21 Atlas on 11/11/20 for delivery on 12/25/20. .......

Hi

Even in *normal* times, a 6 week build plus delivery is crazy fast on anything from Airstream. I suspect that there was something odd about that original date. Delivery dates 6 months out are pretty much the norm.

In most cases just the delivery portion of the process is a three week sort of thing. Maybe it happens faster, in some cases it's slower than that.

Indeed sometimes dealers have something coming in a month out that they ordered to put into stock 5 months ago. Those stock orders apparently got moved out in favor of orders for actual customers. Again, no idea how that fits in here. Even if that was the case, the "last change date" on those orders is typically 3 months ahead of the build.

Best guess, the original delivery date simply was bogus ....

Bob

[bobmiller1]

Ahhhh......blaming it on the “Bogos” thing eh ?????...LOL, Regards, Bob

[Daquenzer]

I feel your pain. I'm about done with my new house. Can't get garage doors. How dumb is that. Hopefully they will come soon. I've heard people waiting 5 to 6 months. Problem all over.

Vehicle problems are due to chip shortage. There are large lots of F150's ready to ship, but no chips. So I'm not surprised.

My builder told me our house would be done in February. My guess he's done with everything at the end of June.

The moral of the story. Either Wait for it or cancel it, and then order later. But either way you aren't getting it sooner.

What IS frustrating is when the people that sell the stuff over promise. This is not Airstream's problem as much as the person who sold you it.

[bobmiller1]

If enough people were to cancel, then maybe, just maybe American manufacturing would get the hint to stop relying on Chineseium products and start manufacturing them domestically. But I doubt it cause enough people are willing to get jerked around and wait. Seems like all they’re good at is complaining, instead of taken action. Regards, Bob