2006 Safari 25' FB (queen)

[Mfdfyr]

My wife and I are new to the site. We are looking to purchase are first Airstream. We like the layout of the 2006 Safari 25' FB with queen bed, booth, and sofa floorplan. I am finding it difficult to find one for sale. What type of price are we looking at? We do not care about SE models.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jimmy

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

We have a 2005 Safari 25FB that we have towed 60,000 miles and spent 650 nights in. It is a great floor plan. We would not have anything different. I watch prices and nice 25FB's go in the mid 20's or higher.

Brian

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Mfdfyr

My wife and I are new to the site. We are looking to purchase are first Airstream. We like the layout of the 2006 Safari 25' FB with queen bed, booth, and sofa floorplan. I am finding it difficult to find one for sale. What type of price are we looking at? We do not care about SE models.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jimmy

Welcome - I have the SE - and in Wisconsin I'd recommend the "mousefur" interior just so you don't freeze your tookus if you inadvertently touch the interior. Look here in the CLASSIFIEDS, and list youself under "WANTED." E-bay and craigslist are possibilities too. I don't know about dealers in your area, but another good resource could be an "Airstream Only" park; I've always seen "for sale" signs on units at these places. Check REVIEWS... I think there is an Airstream park close to you.

Obituaries - a good source of used Airstreams can be found in Florida and Arizona - where snowbirds go to die. Grim but true. As long as the former owner wasn't found dead inside after a week or 10 days, how bad could it be?

Below you can find Forum Rallies - a Saturday visit to one might help you locate someone who's just looking for an excuse to sell and buy a 27 or other bigger unit. You could even help with the "planking" - where you tow the old Airstream up beside the new one, and run a plank between the doors, then carry all of the owner's stuff from the old to the new one.

Welcome to the forums, Paula

[Mfdfyr]

Thanks for the information. When did Airstream start this floor plan we like (queen bed, sofa, booth)? I thought it started in 2006 since I could not find the floor plan in earlier models.

[AZ-JH]

There are a couple used 25FBs and 27FBs in the Classifieds here.

[dkottum]

A moment to promote the SE model. We have a smaller '07 and love the Safari SE features, especially the easy-to-wipe-down aluminum interior, the better quality fully-opening windows, and the pano window in the front. Always airy, bright and cheery. No problems at all with "cold" walls.

[Foiled Again]

You sent me a "thanks" and asked when he FB came out. As far as I know in 2005 for the 25' and in 2007 for the 27'. There was a brief flirtation with a 30' version in Classic trim - with a King size bed, also 2007 if memory serves me correctly.

Very VERY few dealers carry a full line of Airstreams - and sometimes www.airstream.com itself lags behind in what is actually in production at any given moment, so I cannot be absolutely sure I'm right about the dates for the models that came out. I'd bet Colonial Airstream in NJ would have the exact information - and they get used units quite frequently.

To make matters worse, Airstream keeps renaming models and trim levels. In 2008 or 2009 they changed the "Safari" badging to "Flying Cloud" - trim levels about the same. This is the lowest priced version - and it comes in two levels. The cheaper of the two has mouse fur on the walls and Herr windows - which are held in with rubber gaskets and only have a small opening on the lower 1/4th of the window. The SE has big windows that open fully and bare polished aluminum.

The next level up is the International - aka the CCD. CCD stands for Christopher C. Deen who designed the first of these in 2002 I believe. Very slick modern finishes, big windows, bare walls, often with a single large "lobster bowl" sink that you can actually wash something the size of an electric skillet in. The first ones had a tropical oak laminate - black woodgrain for the walls - now the laminate is Wenge - a dark brown. The International has had two "special" models, the Ocean Breeze and the Serenity, which replaced the OB. Serenity - a very few may have come out in 2009, but mostly it was announced in 2010. OB was 2006 - 2008 as far as I know. Again check Colonial's website for the best range of the current options.

The highest price is the Classic Limited which has hickory interior, corian, pleather seating - it's nice, but...

Consider carefully whether you want twins or a queen. I have the queen but wish I had twins for ease of accessing storage and so that the bedroom had a bit more flexibility and floor space to maneuver around in.

Paula

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by Mfdfyr

Thanks for the information. When did Airstream start this floor plan we like (queen bed, sofa, booth)? I thought it started in 2006 since I could not find the floor plan in earlier models.

The 25FB was introduced in model year 2005. Our Lucy is one of the first produced. The factory made the first dozen or so with a rear hinged (suicide) door.

Brian

[elfirebob]

Well covered Paula.
I'd note some early FBs had a door that swings oppisite to the current standard, lock forward layout.
I have to agree the versatility of this layout is great. We have twins, modified to join in the center when occasions call for it.
Find one and get out there!
Stream Safe,