New Owner Satisfaction Survey

[wheel interested]

Best advice for new owners may be to avert your eyes to threads about QC or to realize entering them you will hear the bad as well as the good.

I think many people do understand that new is not perfect whether a house a car or a trailer.

That is not to minimize people's expectations that Airstream stand behind their 2 year warranty and for the greater part, with the new exception of corrosion issues... they do whatever they can to satisfy customers when you take the pilgrimage back to the mothership. It also is a great experience... parking in the terraport, having a lounge to watch tv, read, catch up on e-mails and surf the internet. Or perhaps you would like to take the tour of the factory. I take the tour every opportunity I have at least once a visit if not more. It is educational and fun. You get a really nice pen too. I think that is nice touch. You can ask questions and Don will even work your preferences and questions into the group tour. You can shop in the store and the girls up front are friendly accommodating and will find you whatever you are looking for, really. You get professional and friendly service above and beyond every time you visit. No exaggeration. There is also free coffee and hot chocolate and a pet friendly lounge to nap or visit with other Airstreamers.

We have bought 4 new Airstreams. Our last new Airstream was a 2007 and since then we have purchased two more but subsequently these have been previously owned and gently used. The savings can be phenominal. However a brand new Airstream is a very special feeling. I would caution you that many think their first will be their last only to change in the near future.

We do not regret purchasing a new Airstream. However one cannot deny that purchasing almost new and saving a lot of money that could be used traveling could also make the heart swell with pride and add to the entire experience.

[SilverRanger]

Originally Posted by Sophiehaus

I own a 25 ft FB International. I have so many miles on it that I had to get new tires within a year and a half of ownership. I have towed it more than 30,000 miles in mountainous terrain and snowy country.

It's always interesting, and encouraging, to hear from someone who has had a really positive experience with their Airstream. Especially from someone who actually uses it. I've put a lot of miles on mine too.

Originally Posted by Sophiehaus

I have had a few problems, but they have been fixed under warranty. The two year warranty is awesome. However, I have not been satisfied with my dealer. I read this forum regularly and I see that the same bunch of complainers also read and post regularly.They are depressing negative people.

I guess that's where we differ. My experience has been quite the opposite. Can you wrap your head around the concept that people may have different experiences? For instance, I acknowledge and respect your positive experience. You will notice that I don't dismiss your experiences, and categorize you in such a negative manner. Do you think it possible to have a civilized discussion without taking a cheap shot the other party? I believe this thread was started in that very spirit. That said, I'm looking forward to more of your contributions to the forum.

Originally Posted by Sophiehaus

If you are extremely disappointed with your Airstream, then sell it.

Not a chance. Despite the problems, I love my Airstream(s) and, now that I've invested a great amount of time and resources to get it just like I want it, I can't imagine getting rid of it. Not going to happen. Please consider that it's not the Airstream trailer that has not met expectations, but Airstream the company. I didn't expect perfection., and never have.

Originally Posted by Sophiehaus

... Also, if you still like RVing buy an SOB and join another forum. Most of them have their own forums. Somehow, I think if you do this you will poison their forum as well.

I have already owned a pop up and a small SOB, and got exactly what I paid for. That's all I was expecting from Airstream. RVing? I like Airstreaming, and this forum, and no amount of stereotyping, categorizing, or insults by fellow forum members could possibly change that.

[SilverRanger]

Originally Posted by THEPILL

AMEN!!!!!!!!

Shane

Shane, I truly admire your enthusiasm about your new Airstream. My initial experience was similar. I can't wait to hear more from you after you have used it.

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by SilverRanger

... This thread has proven to be interesting. Thanks again for starting it.

i noticed earlier when posting that the thread TITLE has been changed?

my imagination or has the "remorse" word been flushed?

not that i care but NOW it's a 'satisfaction survey' or was that always in the title?

your idea fc' or was this a gentle suggestion from others ?

or did i just imagine it ALL...

cheers
2air'

[Aquabud]

I am expecting delivery of a 2010 27FB International the first of April.

I felt really good about my decision to purchase until reading many of the comments in this stream. I have a sinking feeling that I've made a mistake purchasing a product from a company that has major product and assembly issues and doesn't stand behind their work.

Given the money I'm putting out for my AS, and my excitement to get a "top" product from a good company...I sure hope my decision is rewarded.

The alternative is an ugly concept.

Wow...I realize I am almost in a bit of a state of shock at this point.

What have I done????

[SilverRanger]

Give it a chance, and enjoy your new Airstream, Aquabud. And, congratulations!! I'm betting you have a great experience.

[SilverRanger]

Originally Posted by 2airishuman

or did i just imagine it ALL...

cheers
2air'

Aliens again?

[THEPILL]

Originally Posted by Aquabud

I am expecting delivery of a 2010 27FB International the first of April.

I felt really good about my decision to purchase until reading many of the comments in this stream. I have a sinking feeling that I've made a mistake purchasing a product from a company that has major product and assembly issues and doesn't stand behind their work.

Given the money I'm putting out for my AS, and my excitement to get a "top" product from a good company...I sure hope my decision is rewarded.

The alternative is an ugly concept.

Wow...I realize I am almost in a bit of a state of shock at this point.

What have I done????

Exactly my thoughts before my purchase and when I saw this site. I've only had my 2010 25 FB ccd International over a month. Just Relax. It's gonna be ok, trust me. I've had minor problems. You will also,I'm sure. Just keep in mind, these are built by hand. Human hands. Humans make errors. But in the end, they fix it. No matter how minor. It gets fixed. You made an awesome choice. I too was worried from some of these horror stories on here. But your not hearing both sides. A lot of Airstream owners don't even know about this site. A lot of Airstreamers don't even post unless something is wrong. Just relax, get excited and keep looking at the brochure. Airstreams are built to last, a lot better than those SOB cracker boxes. Go look for yourself. You will Very seldom see a 20 year old crackerbox going down the road.

I had the same worries you are going through now <have I said that already>...

Everything will be fine.

SHane

[Aquabud]

Originally Posted by THEPILL

Exactly my thoughts before my purchase and when I saw this site. I've only had my 2010 25 FB ccd International over a month. Just Relax. It's gonna be ok, trust me. I've had minor problems. You will also,I'm sure. Just keep in mind, these are built by hand. Human hands. Humans make errors. But in the end, they fix it. No matter how minor. It gets fixed. You made an awesome choice. I too was worried from some of these horror stories on here. But your not hearing both sides. A lot of Airstream owners don't even know about this site. A lot of Airstreamers don't even post unless something is wrong. Just relax, get excited and keep looking at the brochure. Airstreams are built to last, a lot better than those SOB cracker boxes. Go look for yourself. You will Very seldom see a 20 year old crackerbox going down the road.

I had the same worries you are going through now <have I said that already>...

Everything will be fine.

SHane

Thanks, SHane.

You've actually made me feel a lot better. I guess I just got caught up on some of the ugly threads I've been reading.

I will deal with the reality when it comes my way.

Do you have ANY suggestions for what I might look for upon delivery or what kind of issues you experienced?

[eleighj]

Originally Posted by SilverRanger

Great thread, Joe. ...

Frankly, I was letting all this pass until the "Town Meeting" thread. I thought it was a great concept, but poorly executed. In my humble opinion, the Airstream CEO, when confronted by criticism of the product, came across as ineffectual, arrogant and condescending, then he ran away. One of the unintended results was that they solidified the resolve many of their unsatisfied customers. They did threw a small bone to some vintage owners, though. Some hailed it as akin to a second coming. I viewed it as a failed marketing experiment. My opinion, not fact.

Sorry it was so long winded, but you asked me to contribute. Again, thanks for starting the thread, and the opportunity to comment. If there's anything else I can contribute, please don't hesitate to ask.

Your assessment of the CEO of Airstream comment's was right on; no guts; "period". FYI; I am a Corporate Officer with a publicly traded company so I know the game. Don't show up to a meeting of your customers unless you are ready to take the heat. More than likely you are going to hear what is wrong, rather than what is right. Just part of the process; you learn to deal with it and use it to your advantage; i.e. a better product. How it is!

Having said that we would not trade our 19' Bambi for anything. The wife and I love to get out on the road by ourselves.

eleighj

[THEPILL]

Originally Posted by Aquabud

Thanks, SHane.

You've actually made me feel a lot better. I guess I just got caught up on some of the ugly threads I've been reading.

I will deal with the reality when it comes my way.

Do you have ANY suggestions for what I might look for upon delivery or what kind of issues you experienced?

Well here goes. Some of these old geezers might beat me up but here goes....

You get a lot of suggestions on staying at the place you buy the Stream from. Do that!! Bring a pillow,soap towels and sheets and stay in it for as long as you can on their site. Camp there, go eat and drive around during the day, or cook in it. Use Everything. I didn't do the above advice and our 1st outing was flawless. Our second not so easy. Black water tank quit reading, Water heater wouldn't light <I did it manually so we had hot water> otherwise pretty smooth. I called my dealer that saturday and he called me back within 10 mins<service is closed on saturday> and told me to bring it to him monday. I did. He fixed everything while I waited. You need to make sure you are buying from a great "Service Department" Not necessarily the sales side but the service side.

Heater is not made by airstream. Black water sensor is NOT made by Airstream...seeing a pattern? Airstream makes a fine Trailer. Sometimes you get one with a few glitches, sometimes they work great. No Matter what, AIRSTREAM makes sure it gets fixed and Fixed right!!! While I was there I told him one of my clips was hard to turn on the kitchen exhaust fan<on the outside>...and you know what? My service guy ordered a new one.A completely new outside cover Like I said ANYTHING goes wrong in 2 years it gets fixed. So Relax, you made an awesome choice.

Here is some more advice, USE it! Take the Airstream to the local state park,rv campground,Lake even if it's 2 blocks away, DRIVEWAY camp, we did for 3 days right after we got it!!! We HAD to stay in it also when our power went out for 3days during a snow outtage.USE IT. A lot of new owners don't use theirs and the warranty doesn't get used. Then after 2 years thing shat shoulda went wrong early on start to go bad and don't get fixed under warranty.

I'm a Newbie here and learning, but I have learned a lot while here and am contniuing to learn.

The Best advice is don't expect perfection. <Made by hand>....But Airstream/your dealer will make it right no matter what. Have an open mind, it's also ok to be picky, WE paid a lot for our Airstreams and should expect it to be right.

Just pm me if you have ANY questions.

YOU DID GOOD,
SHane

[wayner61]

Originally Posted by THEPILL

Here is some more advice, USE it! Take the Airstream to the local state park,rv campground,Lake even if it's 2 blocks away, DRIVEWAY camp, we did for 3 days right after we got it!!! We HAD to stay in it also when our power went out for 3days during a snow outtage.USE IT. A lot of new owners don't use theirs and the warranty doesn't get used. Then after 2 years thing shat shoulda went wrong early on start to go bad and don't get fixed under warranty.

I'm a Newbie here and learning, but I have learned a lot while here and am contniuing to learn.

The Best advice is don't expect perfection. <Made by hand>....But Airstream/your dealer will make it right no matter what. Have an open mind, it's also ok to be picky, WE paid a lot for our Airstreams and should expect it to be right.

SHane

Shane - I couldn't agree more. We've had our 2008 27FB for 17 months now. While we aren't the "road warriors" that some others are, we have put more than 12 thousand miles under the tires since we bought it.

Was it perfect? No. But the issues were truly minor as far as I'm concerned. I can't think of anything Airstream QC related that has happened yet that has prevented me from enjoying a camping trip. Just about any possible concern, no matter how trivial, has been addressed to my satisfaction.

I will say that the folks at the factory are great as well. I took my trailer there for some collision repair and really enjoyed my time hanging out there. Everyone that I dealt with from the guard at the factory gate to the guys that replaced the sheet metal were top notch. I pulled out of there a little poorer (stay out of the factory store) but it is a much different experience than I ever would have imagined. When people say these things are made by humans, they hit the nail right on the head. The reality is that it isn't a bunch of automated assembly steps and robots that put these together. It is a bunch of guys and gals from somewhere near a small town in Ohio that piece them together via a VERY manual process.

I guess there is an argument that Airstream should automate the assembly. Maybe that would result in a higher initial build quality. Robots usually do everything the exact same way every time. For myself though, I would rather help keep a couple of folks in a small Ohio town employed with what looks to be a pretty good job than pay some automated manufacturing company to put a robot in to rivet shells together.

Just my 2 cents (and worth every penny you paid for it )


Wayne

[Gene]

2air, no you are not hallucinating (well, maybe you are, but not about the thread title). The title was changed.

I have come to believe a problem with QC is inconsistency—some trailers have lots of problems, some do not. Maybe the QC engineers are of varying quality. Maybe it's the Friday afternoon syndrome. Maybe some owners have low expectations and quality seems fine to them. Maybe all of the above.

And, Sophie', given where you live, the closest dealer is in Denver. You are right about them and I and others have learned the hard way. I take exception to your personal comments about some people. To call people you do not know "depressing negative people" is unfair and counter to Forum rules. If you want only positive comments about Airstreams regardless of each individual's truth and experience, this is not the place for you.

Gene

[SilverRanger]

Originally Posted by wheel interested

Best advice for new owners may be to avert your eyes to threads about QC or to realize entering them you will hear the bad as well as the good.

I think many people do understand that new is not perfect whether a house a car or a trailer.

That is not to minimize people's expectations that Airstream stand behind their 2 year warranty and for the greater part, with the new exception of corrosion issues... they do whatever they can to satisfy customers when you take the pilgrimage back to the mothership. It also is a great experience... parking in the terraport, having a lounge to watch tv, read, catch up on e-mails and surf the internet. Or perhaps you would like to take the tour of the factory. I take the tour every opportunity I have at least once a visit if not more. It is educational and fun. You get a really nice pen too. I think that is nice touch. You can ask questions and Don will even work your preferences and questions into the group tour. You can shop in the store and the girls up front are friendly accommodating and will find you whatever you are looking for, really. You get professional and friendly service above and beyond every time you visit. No exaggeration. There is also free coffee and hot chocolate and a pet friendly lounge to nap or visit with other Airstreamers.

.

Carol,
I couldn't agree more.Our visit to Jackson Center was a real treat. We didn't go for service, just to visit, and ended up staying two days. We'll be headed out that way soon, and we'll definitely do the tour again. Don was one of the highlights of the visit. Our group consisted of four people, so the whole tour was pretty much personalized, and there wasn't much he didn't know about Airstreams, old and new, and the history.

[tetstream]

Regret - No. Like our A/S - Yes. Disappointed in many poor build-quality issues, especially for the big dollars spent. Some fixed, more to be fixed, and just found another sealant failure.

If I were buying again, I would surely look at other products. But, I'd likely come back to A/S for the style. Thank goodness I'm handy...

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by SilverRanger

Shane, I truly admire your enthusiasm about your new Airstream. My initial experience was similar. I can't wait to hear more from you after you have used it.

You don't even need to "use" an Airstream... just admire it

MoMA | On the Road: Airstream Bambi Travel Trailer

<big grin>

[H.Caulfield]

Great thread!
I'm a lurker on another RV enthusiast forum (box type travel trailers), and there was a similar topic posted a while back... IIRC the question was from 'are you satisfied with your brand X' point of view... but regardless, the results looked 50/50

I wouldn't care if it were 100:1 disappointed with Airstreams, I'm still getting one...
I guess I'm just young, dumb, and full of OPTIMISM

[boondockdad]

"You can please all the people some of the time,
and some of the people all the time,
but you cannot please all the people all the time."


or is it...


"You can fool some of the people all of the time,
and all of the people some of the time,
but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."
A.Lincoln (1809-1865)

[blmitch5]

There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again.

George W Bush

[boondockdad]

bump