Where are all the 90's????

[rideair]

What has happened to all the 1990-1999 era trailers?

Went looking out on the "Trailers For Sale" side of the website and a total "FOUR" 1990-1999 trailers are for sale. It appears people must have gone back to liking the big-oak looking cabinets, trailers longer than your house, with vinyl ceiling falling down that take a big truck/SUV to pull.

Don't get me wrong, I love my 1996 34' Front Kitchen Model and can easily understand the desire to own one, but I've never seen so few of them currently for sale on the website. The word must have gotten out they were great trailers for the money.

[OTRA15]

Interesting observation . . .

The Pandemic Pandemonium buyers are all out in droves?

[kidjedi]

I think most of the really long ones have become "permanent" installations.

[stunami]

Airstream really didn't make small trailers in the 80's and 90's. I bought mine used 4 years ago. Searching for a 20' or smaller trailer the choice at the time was mid 1970's or 1999 or later.

[4mer Paddler]

Originally Posted by rideair

What has happened to all the 1990-1999 era trailers?
Don't get me wrong, I love my 1996 34' Front Kitchen

Same here. Love my 1993 29’ rear twin. Bought it about 12 years ago. Has seen Canada from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia and Yukon, Northwest Territories and into Alaska as well as the southern U.S. from Florida to California. Still has original oak cabinetry, switched up upholstery to “pleather”, and “led’d” all lights. Only major replacement was the fridge. The thing’s a tank!

[JCWDCW]

Just sold my '96. Had the decals and clear coat stripped, planning to buff out the ghost images. Friend of the family wanted it as is and on the advice of CanAm I got full asking price...exactly what I paid for it in 2014. They had been looking for two years. Despite the decals and ceiling issues, these were well made trailers. Everything on mine was original and working very well..including the Air-conditioner that got us through 2019 in Doswell 105 degree temps. Several of our club members have had their 90's 34 ft renewed, especially now that the model is no longer made.

Two acquaintances cannot find an Airstream anywhere in Southern Ontario. They are scarce

JCW

[EPEisenman]

We love our 1992 Sovereign, 21' with dual axles, original except for fridge, upholstery, and carpet replacements. What's not to love!

[Luna1967]

We’re loving our new to us 31’ 1999 Excella. Classic. And as mentioned, she is a permanent install on our property. A second home as the house is leased. Gives us a place to land. I’m headed there now!

[richard5933]

Just got our 1994 Excella 25 last week and love it. I see what you mean about the oak cabinets - kind of like stepping into my Mom's house from back then. Of course, let's not forget the wall to wall blue plush carpet - it's a decorator's dream.

I wonder if sales numbers were down in the 90s, causing a reduction in the number of used units.

[spgppowell]

Not a pull-behind, but have a 2000 AS Land Yacht motor home for sale. Can send pics if interested. Email:
spgppowell@yahoo

Engine replaced 2 years ago, and less than 10K miles driven since then. Located in southwest Virginia.

[OTRA15]

FYI there is a separate classified ad part of this site, where you will have to register, or sign in again maybe, to place an ad:

https://www.airstreamclassifieds.com/

You can also click on the grey "Classifieds" tab above.

Good luck.

[911Patriot]

We went from picking up an old girl in MI to fixing her up and traveling all over the country with her.

[spclkaz]

After 24 years ownership and travel all around the US from Key West to Maine and back to Arizona, I just sold my 30ft Excella Front Kitchen last week to a nice younger couple from Colorado... they gave me top dollar for it despite the ceiling issues (everything else worked) and they liked the new wood laminate floor I put in several years ago. Between COVID and a broken shoulder, I have not used it much in the last two years though it spent many summers on the beaches of California and in the Arizona Mountains. I think they plan to acquire several others and turn them all into Airstream B&B Glamper campers.

So if you of anyone who now needs a 99 GMC 6L 300HP 8ft bed with topper with just 117,000 miles... let me know...

It was fun while it lasted...

[Aprilrivet]

Ours is a '96 Classic 25'. We've noticed the same 90's omissions on various for sale websites. We purchased 9 yrs ago (3rd owner) and have since travelled over 150,000 kms across North America. All original with normal maintenance items..brakes..wheel bearings..etc. The number of quality complaints seen on Forums and elsewhere on new or newer units is mind boggling and personally would not pay for those headaches. We'll keep ours running as long as possible and besides you can't really tell the year as long as the shiny side is up !

[cwf]

1999, 34’ Excella. 3rd owners.

Ceiling perfect. Mouse fur cleaned... etc... Many of us “ancient ones” still prefer these to progressive ones. Our cabinets and doors remain intact...you fix it or you quit traveling, I suppose.

Some just use them throw away ... or destroy them in accidents.. or Mother Nature shows her true self.

[Peter417]

It wouldn't be unreasonable to think that a lot of the 90s models are still with their 1st owners and not yet for sale.



I also suspect that because of the size of trailers that AS pushed in the 90s that they are probably not getting used as much as they might if the were 9ft shorter. Length adds stress. Stress leads the less use, or at least less travel and more setting in place.


Keep to conversation coming. I want to know why there was such a dramatic shift towards long and big and then the shift back to smaller trailers again.

[PA BAMBI II]

Originally Posted by Peter417

I also suspect that because of the size of trailers that AS pushed in the 90s that they are probably not getting used as much as they might if the were 9ft shorter. Length adds stress. Stress leads the less use, or at least less travel and more setting in place.

Keep to conversation coming. I want to know why there was such a dramatic shift towards long and big and then the shift back to smaller trailers again.

I can't disagree with you on a personal level. We camp a family of four in a '64 Bambi II. At 17', it is tight, but doable. And we can get the thing to follow us or park anywhere. Literally anywhere.

We did recently get a bigger project in our '24' TradeWind. We love it and it towed home nicely. But it was quite obviously bigger and bulkier than the Bambi. Still, it will make a nice retreat for our family of four as our 8 and 10 year-old girls grow into their teens. We have zero intentions of going bigger.

On the other hand, my Dad went bigger every time. He also started in a '66 24' TradeWind, then "upgraded" to a '72 31' Sovereign, and, once all of us kids had moved on, finally settled into an '86 32' Excella for just he and mom. He finally had his fulltime bedroom in the rear...and lots of space for two people.

He LOVED his long trailers. According to him (with more than 40 years of towing experience), they tracked better, backed better, and provided so much more in camp.

As with everything else Airstream-related, to each his own...

[Peter417]

Originally Posted by PA BAMBI II

I can't disagree with you on a personal level. We camp a family of four in a '64 Bambi II. At 17', it is tight, but doable. And we can get the thing to follow us or park anywhere. Literally anywhere.

We did recently get a bigger project in our '24' TradeWind. We love it and it towed home nicely. But it was quite obviously bigger and bulkier than the Bambi. Still, it will make a nice retreat for our family of four as our 8 and 10 year-old girls grow into their teens. We have zero intentions of going bigger.

On the other hand, my Dad went bigger every time. He also started in a '66 24' TradeWind, then "upgraded" to a '72 31' Sovereign, and, once all of us kids had moved on, finally settled into an '86 32' Excella for just he and mom. He finally had his fulltime bedroom in the rear...and lots of space for two people.

He LOVED his long trailers. According to him (with more than 40 years of towing experience), they tracked better, backed better, and provided so much more in camp.

As with everything else Airstream-related, to each his own...

This documentary kind of shows what I am talking about.

https://youtu.be/ArEv5eNB6tw?t=55

Check that guy out. Airstream ignored this customer for 20 or 30 years. I am not sure why. This seems like a really cool interesting guy. He also may still be in his AS. Does anybody know him?





Then there is the market AS went after for 30 years. Big big big. Big requires big trucks that most people don't just have. I wonder how many people will never experience an AS because the vintage market will continue to be $$$$ and the affordable trailers on paper require 3/4 ton trucks. The guy above was able to get a used AS and pull it with his little Ford Ranger.



Is there anyone here that was familiar with the marketing strategy of the time?

[Peter417]

I turned that video on again today and it explains why we don't see any AS fro sale from the 90's. This video is from 1994. Production levels were 2 AS per day. Maybe 500 per year. in 1972 they were doing ten times that. Even if 70% of the 70's trailers were gone it would still be easier to find one of those for sale.

https://youtu.be/ArEv5eNB6tw?t=1015

[jcanavera]

One of the biggest issues in the 90's units were the pealing clear coat. Airstream at that point was dealing with EPA emission requirements due to the clear coat being done at Jackson Center. They were screwing around with formulas I've been told, which led to some nasty results. That eventually led to Alcoa precoating the aluminum at their facilities that is still the standard today.

Jack