First time buyer needs advice

[Kungaloosh]

Greetings All,

First time poster here, but I’ve been lurking on these informative boards for years! Over four years ago, my husband and I decided that we were going to buy ourselves an Airstream. We have since visited dealerships here in California and in Arizona and purchased a TV. Now, after sitting in, laying in, and debating the pluses and minuses of each model, size and trim, we have decided our Airstream of choice is the Globetrotter 27FB twin. Our timeline for the purchase runs roughly from the moment we file our tax returns (!) to early 2021 (love to be situated in one for summer 2021). So, here are my questions:

First, am I going to have a harder time negotiating a better price on a Globetrotter? We notice there are tons of 27 Flying Clouds out there, both with and without the hatch. We are not seeing as many Globetrotters at all (23FB seems the most numerous), and almost all of these are 2020 models. Did dealers skimp on Globetrotters to fill the lots with the new Bambis, Caravels, and Nests or will we start to see more on the lots as spring and summer starts up? I know that the consensus is lower prices in fall and winter but does that hold true for all models?

Second, if I have to order one to get what I want, what kind of discounts, if any, can I expect off of the MSRP? Is there a list of dealer incentives such as hitch, solar, etc., I can reasonably ask to have thrown in to sweeten the purchase?

I've read just about every post in this section, but any buyer strategies particular to the model I want would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[Ray Eklund]

What is your Tow Vehicle?

We have had a 23 foot, 25 foot and currently a 27 foot.

Do you notice a... Pattern?

Also tow vehicles from a 2006 Tundra, 2014 Tundra and a 2015 F350 Diesel. All four wheel drives. Do you notice another pattern?

If you like the 23... buy the 25. You will keep it a long, long time.

Airstream changes the names and styles like the Post Office prints postage. Find what YOU like today. Tomorrow it will change.

Las Vegas Airstream has/had 2019's on the lot and 2020's on the back lot. They wanted to move out the 2019's. A win / win. They sold us a 2019 and made room for a 2020. New and we love it.

Welcome to the Airstream Family. The Airforums is where you can wash your dirty laundry and feel good about it later.

[Kungaloosh]

Thanks Ray!

We have a 2018 Ford F150, 4x4 3.5L V6 ecoboost with the tow package. To be honest, when we bought it, we were thinking along the lines up to a 25 footer and wanted a daily driver for my husband. He loves it, but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't try to talk me into something bigger in the not-so-distant future.

As I said previously, we checked out every model, especially after reading everyone here's input on favorite layouts. We eliminated any that had me crawling over my husband for late night loo visits. Didn't really care for the 26 or 28s, so that left us circling around the 25, which we like, and the 27, which we think we like better! Because we anticipate spending the majority of our time dry camping in state and national parks, the propane oven is a must, and a second air conditioner is not. We will definitely be setting up for solar. I appreciate the extra storage in the 27, although I know I probably will only use about a fourth of it. We are great minimalist travelers

I knew that the Vegas dealer had the two GTs. If I'm not mistaken, that dealership is owned by the same folks who have the three out here in Southern California (Los Angeles, Orange County, Inland Empire.) I'm guessing I'd get a better deal out there instead of having one of the other three dealerships negotiate the deal?

[ROBERT CROSS]

My advise would be...take your time.👍
Oh wait you have already done that.

Ok then...if you are set on the 23' go for a gently used 2nd hand unit, let the previous owner take the depreciation hit.

That way when your ready for your bigger new model you will have learned all the good stuff you will ever need...well allmost anyway😂 Plus you have a trade-in

Sweet Streams

Bob
🇺🇸

[AirMiles]

I think you are buying your second or third Airstream first. That's a great idea! My wife and I purchased a new Flying Cloud 25', moving up from a 17' Casita. Then we traded the 25' for a 27' Globetrotter. We love the 27'. The walk-around queen with the microwave and gas stove are awesome compared to the 25'. There's also considerably more storage space in the 27'. Just like Ray, we kept moving up. But we think we are done going bigger. The 27' is all I really want to tow. You do notice it more than a 25' in both weight and length. I too moved up to an F250 from a smaller truck. I used to have a Twin-Turbo F150. It was an awesome towing machine. You won't lack for power with the twin turbo, but it will not pass up a gas station. I love the relaxed feeling of pulling with a diesel versus the tense revving of a gas engine to make power.

I too had a single A/C in the 25' and now the 27'. We almost always dry camp, sometimes boondock, but not a seriously as Ray. A serious dry-camping-boondocker would never trade their second Fantastic fan for a second A/C. We rarely use the A/C and almost always use both fantastic fans. We love having the second shorepower (generator) plug-in on the front of the single A/C Airstream. You may find it difficult to find a single A/C 27' Globetrotter. Dealer's like to load up the Globetrotters and probably always add the second A/C. You may have to order one to get the single A/C. We got lucky and found a demo unit with a single A/C at a big discount.

Good luck searching for your new Airstream.

[Bluedragon]

Check with Vinnie at Vinnie’s Airstream in Wilton, Ca. We bought a used Classic that his customer only had for five months. He really takes care of his customers.

Good Luck

[Atwebs]

We have a 2019 27 GT Twin, purchased in 2018 - and at that time we couldn't even SEE what we wanted. Dealer was ordering all the GT models after a down playment and, there was also no dickering on the cost. They would come down a little, but the model was (and still is) popular.

All that being said, we did not order and did we get a good price. We'd worked closely with a particular salesman and he'd said he had one already sold coming in that was exactly what we said we wanted. Apparently there was a delay because hte customer had ordered a 2018, but was now getting a 2019 (early summer arrival). He promised when it arrived and was being prepped for the new owner he'd let us peek in it, so we could see before we ordered (we had a long time before we really wanted it). When we stopped by to take a peak, turns out the man who'd ordered it had decided NOT to buy it and there it sat...a very big expensive bit of inventory. So, we were able to work out a deal and the dealer didn't have to hang on until it sold again. Even if you found one, it wasn't a bargain.

As the salesman had originally said to us, the more popular the Airstream, the less likely you can just walk into the dealership and walk out with it. At that time near us, the GTs were commanding a premium OVER recommended sales price.

[Suetate]

The 27ft FBT Globetrotter is gorgeous! We own the same unit in the Flying Cloud trim. Always have more than enough storage even on our 6 week trips. It came with 2 A/Cs and we rarely use even one.

When we purchased the unit in 2017 we owned a 2010 F150 XLT Supercrew 5.4L with the tow package. Hoped it would be enough, but alas the rig was on the cusp of it's towing capacity and payload limit. Just didn't feel safe. Traded for a 2017 F250 Powerstroke - now we are towing like a dream.

Good luck with your purchase!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Either there was an edit or some confusion about the OP's choice ....

A 27' Trailer is a very reasonable size for a lot of things. The Globetrotter is not as common a model as the Flying Cloud. You will not find as many of them out there.

Right now the 2019's that are still new on the lot (with 3 year warranties) are being steeply discounted. You *may* find 25 to 27% "off MSRP" sorts of deals. A lot depends on just which model and what dealer.

If you walk in any day / any month / any time, you should reasonably expect a discount in the range of 15 to 20% off MSRP. Again, a lot depends on the dealer. Some seem to be a bit more proud than others. The same discount should apply to an "ordered in" trailer.

Discount is *not* the only thing to look at when finding a dealer. There is a *lot* of final prep done at the dealer's lot before you get the trailer. You very much want this work done carefully and done right. Having some guy named Bob do your prep on his first day on the lot .... not a good thing

So practically your choices are:

1) Find a 27' 2019 at a good price. This may involve compromise on what you buy.

2) Find what you want in a 2020 on a lot somewhere. This may (or may not) involve a long drive.

3) Order in a 2020 to your spec. It will be there in time for *this* summer camping.

4) Wait for the 2021's to come out, see what they have, order one of them in. That *might* involve a 3 to 5% price bump.

The only way you really can go wrong is to buy a trailer that is not right for you. The whole buy and resell thing is ok if you are really sharp buying used trailers. It is not a good way to go buying new. The 3 year warranty is tough to pass up .....

Bob

[cazual6]

Go to the RV show. Order what you want, you'll get the best deal there.

[drbrick]

We have an F-150HD 3.5L ecoboost Lariat FX4 6.5 bed off-road with 2" front lift and max tow the GVWR is 7700#. Our AS is an International 25 CCD with a GVWR of 6400" and a TW of 740#+50# (for the hitch) leaving me about 1000# of cargo capacity in the TV.

Once you go above the 25 I woud guess your AS will be heavier that your F-150. Also the TW of most of the newer AS happen to be on the heavier size which will possibly minimize your cargo capacity.

IMHO with your present TW I would AS max at 25' but that's just MHO

[skyguyscott]

You may think all Airstream trailers of a given model and size are the same.
You may think all Airstream dealers are the same.
You may think the lowest price negotiable is the best price.

You would be wrong on all three assumptions. Very, very, very wrong.

All Airstream trailers are hand-built (and, to be honest, very quickly and rather poorly on a good day) Each trailer arrives at the dealership in shockingly poor condition with construction debris strewn about, loose screws, damaged components, incomplete assemblies, missing parts, etc. You would be alarmed.

It's up the dealership to finish the trailer, fix it and make it presentable. This could entail much work, depending on the conscientiousness of the dealership and their industriousness.

So, how much is a solid, problem-free, working trailer worth to you?

How much is a dealership that will work diligently in your corner to fix the numerous warranty issues you are bound to face up front worth to you?

How far are you willing to tow your trailer for the work?

You will regret your myopic focus on the bottom line deeply, frequently and forever if that is the only factor you consider.

[jeffmc306]

Kungaloosh, welcome to the Airstream Community and Forums!

Others have commented on discount and negotiations so I'll skip that part except to say I think sales overall are down so better opportunity for you!

We got the Airstream "bug" in 2018 and bought a Flying Cloud 23FB because it fit our tow vehicle but we really wanted a 25'. It took two short camping trips to decide we made a mistake.

Back to the dealer and this time we decided to move up to a 27' Globetrotter and love it. We ordered a 2019 in December of '18 just before the $4K price increase. We did get the 2nd AC and factory solar too. *Airstream had increased prices 2x per year in the past. Not sure if that's still the case.

It went into production the first week of April and we got to see it on the line in Jackson Center. It was worth the trip for us but we're only a days drive away.

One bit of purchasing advice would be to request a quote from several dealers once you're serious. Our dealer sold a trailer to a couple two states away because he offered the best price. You might find a better deal in different parts of the country.

Recently, another forum member "GettinAway" found a used but never left the lot 25' GT. The original buyer refused it at delivery because they changed their minds and bought a 27' FC with the rear hatch. Dealer couldn't sell it as "new" so he saved a ton. Stuff like that happens, just never to me!

Good luck with your search and hope to see you down the road!
-Jeff & Caryle

[BillfromWI]

We ordered a 2014 FC25FB twin and took delivery in September 2013. I ordered it with factory solar (all lowest common denominator parts/junk then--now all replaced), no inverter (I'm have never missed it but I do carry a generator), and three additional 12 volt outlets (which we didn't pay for because they put two in the wrong place). We paid cash. The dealer discounted it 15% (plus the free outlets). At the time I thought it was a good deal and I still do.

When we took delivery the dealer AS mechanic was excellent. Between then and 18 months later they went through at least three new ones (they wouldn't pay what a good mechanic is worth). I haven't been back since. I tow to Jackson Center if I need work I can't, or don't want, to do.

I also ordered my first TV from the same dealer; a fully loaded 2013 F150 144" wheel base, 3.5 Ecoboost, 4X4, 3.73 axles, max payload, may tow. It was an excellent deal and a very nice truck. What I did not know or expect is that 25 FBs are noted for high tongue weights. Ours is 1,252 lbs. on the factory production scale--I had it weighed while there for warranty work.

The class three receiver on the F150 was rated for 1,100 lbs., and of course the drive axle and tires were overloaded too. It was so far over that no hitch setup could compensate.

I now tow with a 2016 GMC 2500 Duramax. It is the TV I should have bought in the first place. You will never regret towing with a modern US 3/4 ton diesel, especially in mountains.

[Kungaloosh]

Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement and advice!

We will definitely be doing another side-by-side comparison of the 25 vs. 27. There are just the two of us (plus one mini schnauzer). We are both still working, but in a sense, we retire every summer since we're high school teachers. Lots of long weekends and week-long travel time available too, so the 27 seems ideal for the time spent on the road, but the 25 is probably a better fit for our tow vehicle? Our only real non-negotiable is having twin beds...and being a Globetrotter! We are not opposed to traveling for a deal either!

[RobdaSlob]

We bought a 2020 27’ GT - placed the order about a year ago. (Airstream will start pushing 2021s to dealers in a month or so) We got a good discount under MSRP - from my experience and others discounts in the 18 to 22 percent range are achievable. Trailers are a commodity like cars so it depends on what the market will bear. Here was my approach:

We visited 4 different dealers in about 300 mile radius from us. And went to four different RV shows. That gave us a good picture for how dealerships vary and we knew exactly what model we wanted. For this much money I insisted we got exactly what we wanted.

I then sent out emails requesting quotes from those four dealers plus two or three others. Not all of them responded. But two or three gave me aggressive prices. It is much easier to negotiate virtually. Make sure you know exactly what you are getting quoted. Taxes vary, dealer fees vary, etc. Excel spreadsheet made the task easy.

Interestingly enough I didn’t go with the lowest price but an aggressive price from a 5 rivet dealer (Southland) that our gut told us felt right.

Our gut was right and we loved the experience. Only regret did not make it to JC to see the build. Maybe my next one.

We got the twin A/CS and a convection microwave. We live in the southeast and recommend twin air.

Down payment to place order was very reasonable.

I tow with a 2014 F150 with a V8. It pulls just fine - but no payload in the truck. This year I’m studying F250s. There are still 2019s on the lot and Ford is getting itchy to get rid of them so the discounts are growing....

[jeffmc306]

Originally Posted by Kungaloosh

Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement and advice!

We will definitely be doing another side-by-side comparison of the 25 vs. 27. There are just the two of us (plus one mini schnauzer). We are both still working, but in a sense, we retire every summer since we're high school teachers. Lots of long weekends and week-long travel time available too, so the 27 seems ideal for the time spent on the road, but the 25 is probably a better fit for our tow vehicle? Our only real non-negotiable is having twin beds...and being a Globetrotter! We are not opposed to traveling for a deal either!

The Tuft & Needle mattresses in the Globetrotter are much more comfortable than our previous FC23FB. Our Cairn Terrier thinks my side of the twins is "his" and he shares it with me. Ha! He's a great traveller too.

By the way, consider joining the WBCCI - the International Rally is in Loveland, CO. this June (hint, hint)

[huck55]

Originally Posted by Kungaloosh

Greetings All,

First time poster here, but I’ve been lurking on these informative boards for years! Over four years ago, my husband and I decided that we were going to buy ourselves an Airstream. We have since visited dealerships here in California and in Arizona and purchased a TV. Now, after sitting in, laying in, and debating the pluses and minuses of each model, size and trim, we have decided our Airstream of choice is the Globetrotter 27FB twin. Our timeline for the purchase runs roughly from the moment we file our tax returns (!) to early 2021 (love to be situated in one for summer 2021). So, here are my questions:

First, am I going to have a harder time negotiating a better price on a Globetrotter? We notice there are tons of 27 Flying Clouds out there, both with and without the hatch. We are not seeing as many Globetrotters at all (23FB seems the most numerous), and almost all of these are 2020 models. Did dealers skimp on Globetrotters to fill the lots with the new Bambis, Caravels, and Nests or will we start to see more on the lots as spring and summer starts up? I know that the consensus is lower prices in fall and winter but does that hold true for all models?

Second, if I have to order one to get what I want, what kind of discounts, if any, can I expect off of the MSRP? Is there a list of dealer incentives such as hitch, solar, etc., I can reasonably ask to have thrown in to sweeten the purchase?

I've read just about every post in this section, but any buyer strategies particular to the model I want would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Your TV may be able to pull your TT , but you’d better check the payload on your TV, prolly about 7000 lbs.

Tongue weight on a 27 FBT may be 1100 lbs, leaving you with only 500-700 lbs, not much considering passengers and gear.

[Kungaloosh]

Thank you everyone and please help me out here (I’m a history teacher and not so good at math...plus all these numbers and acronyms scare me!). I have a Ford 150 ecoboost, 2018, Supercrew 4x4 3.5 L V6. My door sticker says my GAWR front axle rating is 3525, GAWR rear is 4050; and GVWR is 7000. According to Ford my maximum towing capacity is 13,200 with a maximum payload of 3,230. Is GVWR what I can tow, or is that the 13,200 “maximum towing capacity”?

How do you figure tongue weight? I see hitch weight, unit base weight, and GVWR for the trailer in the specs but I’m still not sure how much I can tow? The dealers of course tell me I can tow anything on the lot but I’m not that naive.

[Daquenzer]

Originally Posted by Kungaloosh

Thank you everyone and please help me out here (I’m a history teacher and not so good at math...plus all these numbers and acronyms scare me!). I have a Ford 150 ecoboost, 2018, Supercrew 4x4 3.5 L V6. My door sticker says my GAWR front axle rating is 3525, GAWR rear is 4050; and GVWR is 7000. According to Ford my maximum towing capacity is 13,200 with a maximum payload of 3,230. Is GVWR what I can tow, or is that the 13,200 “maximum towing capacity”?

How do you figure tongue weight? I see hitch weight, unit base weight, and GVWR for the trailer in the specs but I’m still not sure how much I can tow? The dealers of course tell me I can tow anything on the lot but I’m not that naive.

1. I doubt your payload is 3,230lbs. There is a sticker on inside by the driver’s door that gives you the payload. I have a similar 2017 Max Payload F150 with a Super Crew Cab and my payload is about 1800lbs. Remember the payload # includes a 150lbs driver and full tank of gas. Yours might be more or less. I doubt more than 2000lbs however.
2. An F150 with Ecoboost will definitely pull a 27’. I pull a 28’ just fine with mine. I do have an added suspension system and a propride hitch.
3. You can get a tongue weight scale to measure the tongue weight of your trailer. Your tongue weight will vary depending upon whether you have a rear bedroom or a front bedroom. I have a rear bedroom in my 28’. Generally most of the storage and tank weight is toward the rear of the trailer in the RB configuration. Therefore when loading it takes off tongue weight. The reverse is true in a FB where you may start with a lower tongue weight and then add to it with storage. So when I have my trailer packed up my tongue weight is around 960lbs. Then you have to add the weight of your hitch to it and that adds to the payload.

Now having said I tow a 28’ you may want to consider some other factors in the Tow Vehicle you have. Check your actual payload, then ask yourselves what are you going to take with you. The longer you intend to stay out the more “stuff” you will take with you. That increases your payload demands if you stick it in the back of the pickup. My wife and I typically pack light and are out for a week or so at most at this point. However when I retire fully that can change. Therefore my payload requirements may force me to get a 3/4 ton pickup.

Second you have to ask yourself if you are going to tow much in mountainous areas. There isn’t just the going up the mountain there is also the going down the mountain which can be frankly a bit more exciting. If you live in and tow in a mountainous area I would seriously consider a diesel with the engine break system that helps in descents. It takes the “excitement” out of the process

You can get used ones fairly reasonably.

4. The weight distribution hitch is intended to take weight off the tongue and spread it to the front wheels of the pickup and to the wheels of the trailer. You want 10 to 15% of the trailer weight on the tongue/hitch area to prevent sway. You have to hit the truck scale to measure that.

Good luck