78 Argosy Value?

[brcaraway]

Hi everyone. I posted a similar question in the new member forum but figured it might get more traffic here. We are in the market for an airstream and we have come across a '78 30' Argosy a couple of hours away. The seller is asking $5000. It appears to be in good, original condition and everything is working fine and/or is new (ac, tires, axle, etc.). Pics attached. We do, however have a few concerns / questions and would appreciate any input from seasoned owners!

1. Is this a fair price? After doing some research it seems like these stay on the market for a while. I know it's a personal preference thing for the painted vs. silver.

2. Towing vehicle. We currently have an '06 4Runner V8. Owner said the weight of the trailer was 6500 but my research said it should be in the upper 4000s. I know we would need to get an equalizing hitch. We are in the market for a new vehicle within the next year or two (probably an Expedition), but not right now. We will only be traveling in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana for the most part for a while (we have two young sons who can't handle really long distances) so no cross country or anything. Does this sound safe?

3. What are INITIAL ownership costs that I might not be thinking of? The exterior seems fine but would like to touch up in a few places - this is possible without an entirely new paint job, right? And the cushions - I don't really like the idea of sleeping on cushions someone else has slept on for 30 years. Does a professional cleaning get the job done or do most people make new ones?

My apologies for the long post, and thank you all in advance for your help!

[mandolindave]

$5000 sounds about right. It's almost worth that much in parts

#1 Smaller trailers are a bit more in demand

#2 At that age, lots of things are ready to die. ( The fridge looks new )

#3 Frame rust and floor rot could be an issue.

#4 Chances are high that you will spend time and additional money well beyond $5000

[wahoonc]

Price is not out of line. I would make sure that the axles have been replaced. If not factor that in. They are not difficult to replace, but would be an added expense. Check the age of the tires. Also step on the rear bumper and see if there is any movement between the bumper cover and the shell. If so you have rear end separation which can get time consuming and expensive to fix. Look carefully at the frame between the axles, look for strengthening plates or cracks in the frame itself. This was an issue with the longer rear bath Airstreams and I would think that it would hold true for the Argosy too.

From the pictures it looks like a decent unit for the age and overall condition.

Aaron

[brcaraway]

Originally Posted by mandolindave

$5000 sounds about right. It's almost worth that much in parts

#1 Smaller trailers are a bit more in demand

#2 At that age, lots of things are ready to die. ( The fridge looks new )

#3 Frame rust and floor rot could be an issue.

#4 Chances are high that you will spend time and additional money well beyond $5000

Thank you for your feedback! Do you say additional money will be well beyond $5000 for this model in particular or would you say that for any model of this age?