Decision: Keep current AS or "upgrade"

[moosetags]

Here is what a Cyclo looks like.

[shucklemoon]

A 2008 Safari is what I could afford. I do like the panoramic windows at both ends and front bedroom, mid-bath floorplan turned out to be the best choice for me (though I didn't know it at the time). Best of all, it doesn't leak and everything still works. HOWEVER the noise of all the fans is a huge downside for a full-timer like me, which is why, in hindsight, I wish now I could have afforded a newer model with ducted air conditioning and Alde heat.

There's no such thing as a perfect trailer or a perfect marriage, but luckily, most spouses can grow and change along with us. I don't think it is unreasonable to grow out of your airstream and want a new one, particularly as Thor has (in my opinion) done an excellent job of incorporating new technology with classic design in recent years.

On the other hand, the longer you wait, the more some of the "new" trailers will become "gently used," and thus more affordable to you. And conversely, because the Airstream brand is very "in" right now, I see most older units in good condition increasing or maintaining their value at the moment. Even if you're transitioning to a fixed income lifestyle I would think the longer you can wait and keep your current unit in good condition, the more value for money you'll get in the end with a trade.

[rideair]

Soyboy,

Since, you have the cash, it really comes down to a total of two questions.

1. How many good years do you think you have left?
2. How much do you want to leave to your kids/family/etc.. when you die?

If the answers are say 10 years, and $0.00 dollars, "Buy It". If the answers are 25 years and $1,000,000.00 you might want to hold-off.

I've come close to checking out twice due to heart attacks before I was 51 yrs. and I have a 18yrs daughter still in high school. Even with that, I still have 6 Airstreams (2 coming up for sale) and 12 cars! But if I checkout tomorrow, I know my wife/daughter will be fine and will live a nice life.

If you're in your mid 60's, you got about 15 "good" years (at best). Buy It, and be done with it!

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Soyboy

(BTW, I know I can easily sell our trailer for about $7-10k more than we paid for it, some due to upgrades, others due to the Airstream mania that seems to be around these days - at least until the next recession lol).

I wouldn't be too sure. People think of accessories, but accessories never add to the selling price. All a buyer will hear is '99!

I will say that I am a believer in buying what you really want, if you can AFFORD IT. Life is short.

The BEST reason!

BTW, I can't believe how many late models for sale are there. Do people buy them on a whim and get tired of them? Decide they can't afford them? Take that one big trip and sell or, or see that the RV lifestyle is not for them no matter how cool it looks in ads etc.

Not everyone can afford an Airstream, especially if you don't buy into the lifestyle. So those who do have disposable income and jump in for a while, then jump out to something new and shiny.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Soyboy

Lots of food for thought. Thanks.

Shiny16 a Cyclo is a tool used for buffing aluminum. It was originally designed for polishing airplanes, but is also used by folks that have polished, non-coated aluminum trailers. It it’s generally used as a final stage after the initial polishing with traditional style buffer.

Isbordsky- good points. And it is worth noting, like you mentioned, it is unlikely that I would buy a new one. More likely 2017 or so (or whenever they started the ducted AC. I only have bought one new vehicle in my life and I regretted it almost immediately. The depreciation hit being a big factor. But also dealer with the dealer on warranty work.

One note, we kept this trailer for 10 years and wouldn’t mind keeping it another ten, but as I mentioned there are some things on the newer trailers that are very tempting. Most important the numerous windows that would be great on our travels. The availability of front bedrooms. Ducted AC with a heat pump. The list goes on.

Also as I mentioned in the first post how did you RATIONALIZE trading a perfectly fine trailer in on a newer (not necessarily new) Airstream, while your existing one was still serviceable.

Just like any purchase like this (Cars being a good example) you can almost always make a financial case for not doing it. Especially if the current item you have is still serviceable. Wants vs. needs.

Not that it matters that much in the decision, but we will be paying cash and not creating a new payment. We generally keep our cars, trucks etc. long enough to save up for the next item. As mentioned we have had this trailer for 10 years. We are the third owner.

I guess I am trying to be talked into or out of buying a newer AS [emoji38]

We all buy emotionally and justify it after the fact with logic. (A lesson that I resisted for years until one night as I scanned channels I saw QVC {or similar} advertising a beautiful 8 place setting of porcelain garden rose dinnerware. Downton Abbey stuff that would sit in a China cabinet except at Christmas and funeral wakes.

I WAS strongly tempted, and it would NOT have been something I couldn't easily afford. Needed it in my Airstream like Lucy needed her rock collection. (And why didn't the ditzy redhead chip off egg sized pieces and store them IN an egg carton? Jeez Louise!

The vented air is the one thing you just can't deny is a huge improvement. More windows? Want more heat in summer, more chill in winter? You will get that. For the beautiful view, take 10 steps and GO outside.

Hey. Get it because you have been financially responsible for over half a century and you WANT it. (I heard my depression era mother doing flipflops in her grave when I got the EB, but then I was 60 before I threw out a ketchup bottle that half a tablespoon left in it.) If the doctors take you off life support 3 weeks early because you ran out of money, smile at where that 50K went instead and make a rude hand signal as they pull the plug.

Logic is good.
Thrift is good.
Happiness is a gift.

Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present!

HiHo Silver, Away! "Tonto" Paula

[Foiled Again]

If your phone is ringing it is probably Patrick Botticelli.

Resistance is futile.

[Soyboy]

Good points all. Arguments both ways make sense for sure.

Foiled Again - Hand signals & Patrick Botticelli - I loved it lol We watch his YouTube vids a good bit. Very thorough. It's kind of a joke between my wife and I. I wonder how many folks ask for him specifically after watching the vids. BTW he has his own YT channel with his older (190?) 4X4 Econoline class B. It's a cool ride, you might want to check it out sometime. We're going to NJ to visit my daughter this weekend, and we might run down to Colonial on Monday or Tuesday. It's only about an hour from where we will be (Berkeley Heights).

RideAir - take care of yourself,I hope you have many trips ahead of you! Like you, my wife and daughter will be fine Even if I decided to by an Atlas lol.

Thanks

[Glenritas]

Things to consider on the new AS's that will leave you stuck ,
Powered awnings that fail in the deployed position , Fancy electronic control panels that control just about everything that fail
Electric tongue jacks that fail .
2016 & 2017 units that have design flaws in the ducted air system.

So when selecting features keep it simple and you will be happier in the long run.

Good luck in your hunt.

[Piggy Bank]

How exciting!

As someone who has owned a Flying Cloud 25 RB twin 30 amp, and a Flying Cloud 27 FB twin 50 amp, we have found that these tow just about the same, but the 27 is surprisingly easier to live in and roomier. The larger pantry and closet, and the extra 6-8 inches at the foot of the twin beds all add up to just a whole lot more room inside to stash things so they are put away and not in you face, so to speak.

[Soyboy]

Piggy Bank, I agree. I think the extra space/storage is worth it. At least to us. Especially on long trips. There might be a few campsites we can't get into with the extra 3 feet, we will just deal with that. We haven't really had any problems with our '27 in that regard over the past 10 years. We are not minimalist campers, otherwise we would buy a Sprinter B van - not kidding, we have looked at them. Love the idea, but I think we would kill each other jammed up in there. Other folks, thrive with them, just as they do with shorter trailers. Whatever rings your bell I say.

[AtomicNo13]

New isn't always better. You're paid off and serious money ahead! Spend your money on seeing good sights, not a loan.

[Soyboy]

Good advice Atomic, but please note that I won't be taking out a loan. I only purchase vehicles etc. for which I can pay cash.

[cazual6]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind.

[Soyboy]

No not really.

I didn’t start this thread to get people to convince me one way or the other. I can do that on my own, just ask my wife lol. But rather since we all rationalize purchases in one way or another, I was interested more as human interest in other folks ways of thinking when they have something perfectly fine but want to replace it with something perhaps newer, fancier and most importantly more expensive. I may well wind up dragging my ‘99 around the country. For another 10 years. Or I might buy something g next week.

Our Safari has been great trailer, and we would miss it. But for reasons previously stated, I am giving thought to moving it along and getting a later model. Just curious what other folks thought processes and emotions were when making the same decision.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Soyboy

The eternal decision, needs vs. wants....

I'm curious what goes into folks decision to trade/sell their (perhaps like ours paid off) Airstream for a newer model. Especially if you have an older one like me (a '99) where the trade in or money you get from selling it, only covers a portion of the new one.

Our trailer in many respects is perfectly fine. We have upgraded it in many ways: Stripped and polished, Ultraleather upholstery, memory foam mattresses, solar, TV, Alpine stereo and sub, all new brakes, bearings, drums, cork floor, new curtains etc. etc. We like it, but we are soon both to be retired and like most folks on here, we want to take the grand tour, perhaps more than once. For that, first of all, I would like a trailer with more windows. Our Safari's layout doesn't have a lot of them in the living area 9(no pano either). A front bedroom would be nice too. Maybe the rear lift door. Also, I would like the updated systems, ducted AC with heat pump and most of all, at my age, not to have to run the Cyclo anymore. I'm Cycloed out lol. I won't mind washing and waxing a trailer, but buffing. I would leave that to P&S if we kept. I must admit being a "car" nut, that it's lots of fun pulling into the campground with a fairly high wow factor. We get a lot of visitors from the SOB folks. Many of whom seem to dream of a 'stream (sorry,couldn't resist).
If you
So there you have it, we have a perfectly fine trailer in many ways, that we love (I will shed tears when/if we part with it). However, I would like something 18-20 years newer for the reasons stated above. We would likely buy a late model used trailer to avoid some of the depreciation on a new one (BTW, I know I can easily sell our trailer for about $7-10k more than we paid for it, some due to upgrades, others due to the Airstream mania that seems to be around these days - at least until the next recession lol).

We can afford it without nailing our retirement funds. Well I guess all of our funds are retirement funds, but you know what I mean.

Looking at another 28 or maybe a 25. Flying Cloud, International of one sort or the other. Kind of like the interior on the Flying Cloud, as it is pretty much like our Safari with the swing up cabinet doors. However, we like some of the bells and whistles on the "higher" trim levels too.

To elaborate, I think I could get the low to mid $20s for our beloved Safari. Especially here in the mid-Atlantic, it seems like there is a dearth of AFFORDABLE Airstreams in good shape (lots of restoration projects though). The "new" trailer, depending on the year and model I would think will be in the $55 - $75k range.

I will say that I am a believer in buying what you really want, if you can AFFORD IT. Life is short. .

BTW, I can't believe how many late models for sale are there. Do people buy them on a whim and get tired of them? Decide they can't afford them? Take that one big trip and sell or, or see that the RV lifestyle is not for them no matter how cool it looks in ads etc.

Thanks

I'm in the same boat!
Love both of my trailers, but want something new or newer. My problem with buying new includes tech stuf I will not buy. Buying used means upgrades or repairs to do.
I think I'll keep what I have.

[Soyboy]

A W Warn - If I had a 2000 like yours (one year newer than mine) I would be more tempted to keep mine too, it as you have the factory clear coat. And I think the better quality Hehr windows. Myself, I tend to like gadgets so the new stuff doesn't bug me so much, although I know it can be buggy lol.

[redhat200]

Congratulations on your upcoming retirement. Do you sell your trailer privately. And buy 2019 from a dealer . Sooner than later , because they are going up in price. We purchased a 2018 25ft FBT International serenity. We love it. Bought it brand new, then took ours to Ultimate Airstream had them do the modifications that were not offered by the factory. Do take a look at their website. You will get some awesome ideas. Consider a 25 ft Airsteam with a twin bed set up. Especially if you get up at different times in the morning. Feels like a 28 ft space wise .We got such a great deal on our Airstream from dealership . Doing the modifications was a no brainer. We love the 25 ft and pull it with our 2014 Dodge Durango citadel . Great size Airsteam for all of the national parks . I have to say I do love the new hatch option. I think that’s the only thing I would’ve loved have had ,but I understand it only comes in a 27 ft. Traveling in an Airstream so much fun. And yes life is short ! See you down the road . My only other recommendation is to join one of the Airstream clubs in your area. We’ve met the greatest folks through our club .

[mkcurtiss]

Here is the real solution to your quandary...Decide what you want to do- Then, do not do it for 6 months- Then. after 6 months,if you still want to do it, then you have found your solution !

[bibbs]

Me Being what I call a depression baby ( I grew up with a mom who lived through it) she saved pieces of junk mail and the envelope, if you could use the un printed back side! Which can’t help but influence the way you spend.
My first instinct was to keep the one you have. But NOW I think you should get the one you want. Life is short. Think of all the enjoyment you will have, getting the one you want.
You know you will use it. So it’s not a impulse purchase. The trailer most likely won’t loose value, so I don’t think you can go wrong. And you can enjoy the hunt!

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Soyboy

A W Warn - If I had a 2000 like yours (one year newer than mine) I would be more tempted to keep mine too, it as you have the factory clear coat. And I think the better quality Hehr windows. Myself, I tend to like gadgets so the new stuff doesn't bug me so much, although I know it can be buggy lol.

My 99 is pealing and lightly colored above the mid belt line.
On my 00 the finish looks good except for some minor filiform around lights and badges.

On my 99, I stripped some of the finish last winter and started buffing, trying to match the factory finish. I'm learning as I go. When I get it looking descent enough I'll be selling it. Since I bought a home down south for winter living the 99 34' trailer is setting behind the barn up north, unused.
I'll be keeping the 25' for now, probably will be my last/final trailer.
I hope to be towing it at least another ~20 years until I'm 90 ;-)