Motorhome Airstream vs Trailer Airstream

[Mike1997]

I have owned my Airstream Land Yacht since 2015, bought it from estate of original owner. Its a diesel pusher so I usually pull a Jeep behind. Since 2017 I have been on it full time and love....love....love it. My maintenance is same as the trailers. On the road it draws more attention than I ever expected. The difference is how you travel and camp....I can not go places with a 35' motorhome that a small Bambi can....but I can take my Jeep places the Bambi can not go also. Its fantastic in tropical or high heat areas....but at 15 degrees I worry about my water lines. One advantage with the motorhomes are the generators most have installed. Mine is propane....if it were to be replaced, would select diesel as it could pull off my 90 gal onboard tank. 20 gals of propane running 2 roof AC's will only last about 3 days.

Keep us posted on what you end up purchasing.

[Isuzusweet]

Pro's and cons, just a few.

Motorhome pro's

Can stop, make dinner, watch TV, relax, go to bed, go to the bathroom, get up, make breakfast and then leave; without ever going outside in the torrential rain and getting wet.
You have a generator, usually 6500w on board.
Motorhomes are built stronger and better than trailers.
Less length to park
Rarity
Don't have to worry about weight distribution.

Cons

Parts for Isuzu diesel can be pricey, but still cheaper than newer TV diesels. Case in point; new replacement injectors for my 6BD1 are $250.00 each, for a modern diesel, $1,000-$1,400.00 each.
Another powertrain to maintain.
Can be very noisy and stinky.
Require big truck shops and mechanics to maintain.
Really do need to tow a toad to go exploring.

Trailers pro's

Bigger club with more members.
More choice of lengths and layouts.
No powertrain to maintain.
More usable length,( no cockpit)
Easier to buy and sell.

Cons

Setup and re-hitching.
Lighter build material, (frames rust out)
No on-board generator
Have to be very careful, where, and how much you pack.
Lack of rarity, (unless you buy one with a slide out or rear hatch).

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[Toasterlife]

Agreed, neither will be an "investment" but both could/should give you joy. How do you like to camp? do you plan to have a "toad" in which case either way you will be towing something anyway. We like the trailer because we set it up and only move it every week or so - think about your lifestyle, and how you want to spend your time and money.

[vintageracer]

Airstream has not made any motorhomes in over 20 years.

ANY old Airstream motorhome you could purchase is a PROJECT waiting to happen. Just remember a motorhome is a house sitting on a truck chassis therefore you have the problems/repairs of a house AND the problems/repairs of a truck in the same unit that are both over 20+ years old!

Hope you like working on a broken down old motorhome as that will become your full time occupation when you buy a vintage Airstream motorhome or a new motorhome for that matter! New motorhomes today are also huge problems waiting to happen as many new motorhome owners will attest to!

Join the Facebook RV Horror stories page and you will also see as good as new Airstream trailers are the to are not exempt from major quality issues.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/RVHorrorStories/

With a trailer alone you will most likely have a modern vehicle pulling your new or vintage Airstream trailer. With a modern tow vehicle your chances of "Arrive Alive" are exponentially greater!

[Protagonist]

Here's a consideration, from my own very recent personal experience…


My toad was totaled just two days ago by a high-school kid running a stop sign and t-boning my car.* I'm 600 miles from home, but I can still get back home by driving my motorhome, without having to rent a vehicle to get me there.


If I had a trailer instead and my towing vehicle was totaled, I'd be stranded wherever my trailer was parked until I either bought/rented/borrowed/stole (okay, maybe not stole) a replacement tow vehicle.


If you have a motorhome, you can choose to bring a toad with you or not. But if you have a trailer, you have no choice but to bring the towing vehicle as well.


If you do have a motorhome and you have the toad with you, then a catastrophic accident to one vehicle still leaves you with one vehicle to use. If you have a trailer, then after a catastrophic accident to the towing vehicle, you can't drive the trailer anywhere!



*In case anyone was wondering, BOTH vehicles involved in my collision were totaled, but no one in either vehicle was hurt beyond a few bruises.

[Isuzusweet]

So, just to sum up; your advice is to buy NO! RV.[emoji16]

Originally Posted by vintageracer

Airstream has not made any motorhomes in over 20 years.

ANY old Airstream motorhome you could purchase is a PROJECT waiting to happen. Just remember a motorhome is a house sitting on a truck chassis therefore you have the problems/repairs of a house AND the problems/repairs of a truck in the same unit that are both over 20+ years old!

Hope you like working on a broken down old motorhome as that will become your full time occupation when you buy a vintage Airstream motorhome or a new motorhome for that matter! New motorhomes today are also huge problems waiting to happen as many new motorhome owners will attest to!

Join the Facebook RV Horror stories page and you will also see as good as new Airstream trailers are the to are not exempt from major quality issues.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/RVHorrorStories/

With a trailer alone you will most likely have a modern vehicle pulling your new or vintage Airstream trailer. With a modern tow vehicle your chances of "Arrive Alive" are exponentially greater!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by vintageracer

Airstream has not made any motorhomes in over 20 years.

Airstream Interstates and Airstream Avenues are motorhomes, albeit only Class B motorhomes, made in the last 20 years. The Airstream Atlas is a Class C- (some say B+ but it's really a Class C even though it lacks an over-cab bed) motorhome made in the last 20 years.

I think what you mean to say is that Airstream hasn't made a Class A motorhome since the 2005 Land Yacht. (which by the way was only 15 years ago according to my calendar).

I know that I shouldn't really make an issue of it, but having met— and taken an instant dislike to— some very pretentious people who think that if it's not a Class A then it's not really a motorhome, saying that my Interstate isn't a motorhome has become one of my hot-button issues. And in case you're wondering, one of the pretentious couples in question had a 54-foot Class A, for which they hired a professional driver to chauffeur them around (and put him up in a hotel while they camped in the Class A), and used an Airstream Interstate as a toad limo!

[nazguy]

This is wonderful to see all the thoughts on this subject. I was not raised camping out of camper. So any kind of RVing was new to me. 10 yrs ago I started with vintage trailers and loved the rallies. But hated the towing part.
I have decided i'm a explore who likes to stop at a moments notice to look and experience the here and now. Trying to find a parking space at a look out as the sunsets or stop at a fruit stand where the only parking is 1/4 mile down the road I'm tried of. So I came upon a vintage 79 Excella MH . And yes they are a project and 35k later I have a very dependable fun and cool ride. Now I don't fit in every space but vs the trailer its a marked improvement. Also the view is great up that high.
Look at the kind of person you are . Are you a Camp Squatter or a Road Warrior. This may help in your decision.

[FlyinNitwits]

We went with a trailer. You can leave it in the campground, unhook the TV and go get milk, see a museum, visit local friends - all without having to haul the whole unit with you. Friends of ours have a huge Class A motorhome and once they are settled in a site they can go NOWHERE.

[LiamG]

The point that tipped us in favour of the trailer a year ago is that when you inevitably have some sort of engine problem, with a motorhome your whole home has to go to the mechanic shop. When you have a trailer, you park it and the TV can easily be swapped out.

The lack of an odometer also means your trailer is likely to hold its value much better than a motorhome.

We're full timers and couldn't be happier with our 34' Excella! We won't trade it in anytime soon, but a new car every few years can be nice.

[mnleber]

I have had tent trailers, slide in truck campers, motor homes, pick-ups for towing and vans both Gm astros and GM express 1500 to 3500. I always end up with a travel trailer and a van. The 3500 van offers security, load carrying passenger carrying and reasonable GAS mileage and it pulls well with cruise control. We also always in 45 years of camping come back to a van and trailer combination. You can pull off the road and sleep in a short time. You can leave the trailer in camp when touristing. The gas mileage is relatively great and you can drive passengers and cargo around that isnt going to get wet or stolen ( at least without causing serious damage).

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by martin300662

Sorry, I stopped reading at the words purchase investment.....they are money pits and should be enjoyed for what you get out of them (emotionally) because you will not benefit financially.

Amen. Made a list of "want to" and "have to" projects for next fall and winter. The factory is gonna love my visit. 2012 is now 8 years old and bigger stuff will happen.

[Halford1]

which is cost effective (tax, gas $, storage fees and etc)?

Which has more floor plans to choose from?

Which can be left at campground and still can go on a drive?

Which is more noticeable than the other?

Which cost more in tire maintenance? Oil maintenance?

[Mikebrady62]

"Do any of you have any very strong opinions, or otherwise, as to which is a better"

No one on this forum would have that :-)

I hope you received some insight you ere looking for.

[PSchw]

Last class A made by Airstream was 2007 all electric. Mine is a 2005 SkyDeck with a 2006 title.
Engine is a CAT7 which will go for many decades if used and maintained correctly.
In the inside you have way more room as in a trailer and maintaining it is the same as the trailer.
For me the motorhome works best. Stop in the rest area go to bed what TV get up in the morning take a shower and be on my way again. I can run both air condition driving with the generator and always have a comfortable temperature in the rig not so in a trailer.
That’s my two cents.

Peter

[mkcurtiss]

Technically, all motorhomes will eventually reach the value of $0. Even the giant Prevost million dollar motorhomes eventually reach $0 value.....Eventually mechanical issues will render it useless and financially no longer feasible to own.....now thats not to say that some folks will not go ahead and spend 20-30,000 to replace motor, drivetrain, differential, generator, etc., but if finances mean anything, a well maintained trailer is a better investment, just by virtue of the fact that mechanical failures will never render it $0 value....and, for the cost of a new drivetrain in a motorhome, you can pay cash for a nice Airstream trailer......don't get me wrong, I have toyed with the idea of getting an Airstream motorhome, and I can do most of the mechanical maintenance it would require, but still.....the classic American icon Airsteam Travel Trailer is hard to beat....and, you never need a toad, because your tow vehicle is your toad......

[stream3]

Originally Posted by sallye

Nope, not an investment. Airstreams keep their value more than SOBs, but that's not why you buy them.


The problem is that if you want to go touring around, you either get a trailer that you have to tow, or you get a motor home that you have to totally disconnect, put everything away, etc., before you go touring around. Either way you are maintaining a motor, tires, etc. Of course a motor home can tow a small car, but then you are maintaining two motors and sets of tires, etc.

We bought because we wanted to travel with our little dogs. A trailer can be connected to power so that the AC can keep them safe and comfortable while we tour around. You can't do that with a motor home since most museum parking lots and the like don't have electrical connections.

Not sure I understand - in our 345LE we use our generator for AC and inverter for many other 110 electrical needs. Most of the time the MaxxAirs provide sufficient ventilation unless it's above 80 and those are 12V with our solar keeping charge up. And why couldn't I plug my motorhome in just like your trailer?

[mkcurtiss]

.......my response is just my opinion, and it does not mean that I think Airstream MH owners are stupid......THere are good arguments for both, and I respect what others think......

[stream3]

Originally Posted by Halford1

which is cost effective (tax, gas $, storage fees and etc)?

Which has more floor plans to choose from?

Which can be left at campground and still can go on a drive?

Which is more noticeable than the other?

Which cost more in tire maintenance? Oil maintenance?

You can get any floor plan you want if you're willing to pay for it. What's cost have to do with it anyways? We've already established neither are financial investments, unless you put a dollar value on enjoyment. Classic motorhomes and Interstates/Atlas could be more expensive to purchase and probably to maintain and use. But, it's a personal choice for how you like to travel, and for us it's all about being inside the unit as we move. We're more about the journey to see places and enjoy the total immersion in our AS, which provides us freedom of movement inside and all that comes with it.

That's a personal preference, and that's the question we all have to answer. Either choice of an AS - trailer or motorhome is a choice that says i want to see what's out there, and do it with something that becomes a treasured part of who we are. More than any other brand, AS represents the dream people seek - freedom to see and do, while satisfying an innate human desire for design, function and style.

And which is more noticeable? Well, I think both are right up there together. However, from the daily requests we get to peek inside our totally renovated (inside and out) '88 Classic 345LE, (six today), not to mention the road videos and pictures that are non-stop, apparently we're pretty noticeable.

[Isuzusweet]

The real difference between motorhome and trailer people, is we're like power boaters and sail boaters; we both ply the same waters, but we have different problems and challenges, both get you there, just in different ways and enjoyments.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony