Tipping Point - What made you decide?

[Jasper Ash]

For us, the 27FB took the cake. For us, it was perfect. Excellent choice for two young adults full timing with one dog. Just the right amount of room and storage space, and excellent layout (we LOVE the walk around front bed queen setup with the panoramic windows). The 27FB also has a lighter tongue weight compared to the 25’ model, which was another we considered. The 30 would have been great, but it was heavy enough to make me question the Tundra’s capability. Ultimately, the available option of the rear hatch on the 2020 27FB models is what became the tipping point.

[LiamG]

We were looking at class C motorhomes but became convinced airstream was the right way to go after we accidentally wandered into an airstream display at the Toronto RV show and a salesman opened our eyes: it won’t depreciate the same as an RV with an odomoter and we could tow one with our existing vehicle since they’re so much more aerodynamic than SOBs.

Having two bedrooms was also crucial for us and our two children who are now full timers. We bought a 1993 34’ Excella, put a sound proof curtain up between the bedroom with its twin beds and the living space, and then put a dinette in place of the couch which had becomes our king size+ bed at night.

We also took out the small dinette across from the sink and put in a 6’ countertop with shelving beneath.

Voila, our dream, mobile tiny house!

[RosenBob]

We decided on the FC 30RB primarily because of the L-shaped couch and the roominess of the 30 vs 28. We chose the FC just because we liked the simplicity of the interior. We looked at the International but preferred the cabinet fronts of the FC.

[Kurtnkegger]

For us it was price. Absolutely the price.

24 foot Argosy formerly an event trailer for Sailor Jerry Rum...$100

[DC Bruce]

FC 27 twin for us, after looking at the large selection at Colonial Airstream in NJ in the fall of 2014. Both of us are tall, so the 72” RV Queen bed was going to be too short. Plus, the space on the center line between the twin beds is more usable than the space in either side of the Queen because of the sloping overhead. The extra space in a 30 goes to what we thought was unimportant (bigger hanging locker and fridge) rather than more living space. Also we were aware of the 27 foot limit at many national parks, where we planned to go. And, we bought the trailer before the TV. A 30 footer likely would have lucked us into a 3/4 ton, which my wife seriously disliked in test drives. Finally, the 27 was the only unit with a propane oven, which made AC power less important.
We have been totally satisfied with our trailer, which accommodated us and our 90 lb. Golden for 8 months of fulltiming and many other trips of up to 2 months’ duration. Zero quality issues and we even managed to wear out a set of GYMs rather than blow them up.

[Ahroc]

Hi
This is turning out to be a pretty good thread.
My decisions after lots and lots of studying, not necessarily experience...

25 to 27-foot Length... National campground length acceptability seems to be very high at 25-ft and goes down as trailers get longer. Some private campgrounds have a 25-ft minimum length. So, I limited my choices to 25 to 27 feet, I did look at a few 28-ft trailers.

2-axles... After chatting with several seasoned Airstreamer's I realized this needed to be on the list.

Width of trailer 8’-6”… OLDER Airstreams are narrower, and newer shorter Airstreams are narrower. 6” in width is a pretty big deal in small spaces, you feel it. I made sure my purchase included the 8’-6” wide-body.

Livability... I full time, I'm single, lots of closet space, large living area, I looked hard at the new 25 and 27-foot Airstream's. I would sit in them for hours at the dealers just to get a relaxed feel. The old 25SS (no longer in production) has the best layout (in my opinion) for my situation, I purchased one. The 23CB (CB = Corner Bed) is a shorter but similar floor plan. The 25SS model is hard to find, but with patience they do show up. I've been in it a year and I’m still very happy with my choice.

Mouse-fur or aluminum interior… One of the techs at the Airstream dealer had a newer Airstream (aluminum interior), he said two things, its hard to keep clean (fingerprints), its cold to lean up against in the winter. I chose a trailer with Mouse-fur (kind of a short-knapped carpet on the walls), it adds insulation, it adds warmth, it adds sound deadening properties.

Panoramic windows… This is one I waffled on a lot, it’s a small space, large glass helps it feel bigger. Large glass is also colder, less insulation. But I’m a bit of a recluse, I like privacy. The trailer I purchased does-not have panoramic windows, and after living in it I’m happy with my choice.

Light or dark interior… Its kind of funny but the higher-class Airstream’s tend have dark interiors. It’s a small space, I gave up worrying about the class, and settled on the lower-class Safari for the lighter interior.

Size of restroom… This is a personal choice. The larger the restroom the smaller the living space, it’s that simple. I don’t live in the restroom. The 25SS sacrifices restroom space for living space, I agree with the compromise.

Size of bedroom… Again, a personal choice. The larger the bedroom the smaller the living space, it’s that simple. I don’t live in the bedroom. The 25SS sacrifices bedroom space for living space, I agree with the compromise. I’m on the taller spectrum, 5’-10”, in the SS layout, I would be a bit cramped sleeping against the outside wall with my feet against the closet. I sleep toward the inside of the trailer where my feet are not restricted by a closet, it works just fine for me.

Space for a recliner was a requirement… It’s my home, I want to be comfortable. I ended up reclining sidewise on the front sofa with a nice firm back pillow, it works, I’m happy. And I can still un-fold the sofa to a bed for the occasional times a relative has come to visit.

Space for a small workbench… I’m a bit of a handy-man / hobbyist. I was originally going to remove the dinette but I’m trying to work with it at this point. Mostly because I don’t want to get to far away from the original Airstream layout.

The choice for Airstream… After a bit of research, I realized there was a whole culture around Airstream’s that felt like something I wanted to be part of, a lot of hobbyists like me, so here I am. Also, some financial considerations described below.

10-year and younger for campground acceptability… This one was a real struggle for me, it is real. Many private campgrounds have a restriction, no RV’s older than 10 years. Ultimately, I gave up worrying about it, purchased the Airstream I wanted and will take my chances.

I decided for used for a couple of reasons… If you pay attention to used Airstream’s, junk is around $5,000.00, poor is $15,000.00 and below, decent starts around $20,000.00 and goes up, if kept in decent condition they won’t tend to go below $20,000.00. New Airstream’s depreciate just like a Car, quickly, but they will level off around $20,000.00 if kept in decent shape. I like to fix things up, it simply didn’t make any sense to put time and energy into Any Other Brand that ultimately would have no value. So in buying used at the level market point I wont lose anything to depreciation, I don’t expect to gain value in my fix-it-up‘s but I don’t expect it to drop like a rock either. So, I fix-it-up for personal livability.

Happy Travels

[starpicker]

Not really relevant to what you want, and I’m 6’6” to boot. But 2019 33’ Classic had the huge bathroom and larger shower than most.......and I could actually stand up in it, lol. Ok, it’s a big deal to me........

[Dirtbeard]

Originally Posted by Ahroc

Hi
This is turning out to be a pretty good thread.
My decisions after lots and lots of studying, not necessarily experience...

It has been fun to read the various ways people decide.

[Dirtbeard]

Spent part of today looking at UltimateAirstreams.com and some of their modification posts on their Facebook page. I really like their lounge and gourmet cabinet options. It would be so easy for Airstream to offer similar options... guess they just don't have to to sell as many as they can build.


Now to do the math... like get the 25ft and put the cost difference into a remodel that makes it more useful.

[RickyNelson]

Love this thread! We grew up as big admirers of Airstreams. Never thought we would pull the trigger, until we visited the dealer. We started with a 2018 International Serenity. Such a learning curve. Enjoyed the 70+ camping nights in it. I looked at the 2019 33’ Classic and the bed, bathroom, shower, technology and those items made all the difference, so we upgraded. We were able to do another 60+ days in 2019 and completely satisfied. Good luck!

[QuiltedLily]

swirly things!!! lol

[Spartanguy]

Definitely swirly things, ha. The whole design concept of the Airstream fits my minimalist hobby/lifestyle/worldview better. If money were no object I’d have a 23 with that cozy corner bed (not the D) and a 2019 or newer 33, my compromise is the 25FC. I actually like the east-west bed, it’s very cozy and I love kinda propping my pillows up in the corner while watching tv or reading. To me the 25 is the perfect single man’s AS. I chose the less popular (I don’t know why) front door with microwave and larger bathroom over the rear entry door with the smaller bathroom, to each their own.

I probably should add, the least used space in my AS is the lounge/dinette area, I often think about how to make that space more valuable/comfortable...still thinking on it.

[kathyek]

We started out with a 19’, which was an okay starter for us. We have no pets, live in a condo, and did not want to buy a pickup truck as it would be our only vehicle. After 2 years, we saw a 20’ in the showroom and fell in love with the kitchen! We are big foodies. We found one this forum and sold our 19’ on forum too. We then reconfigured the front bed to a convertible u-shaped seating area, which really makes the interior seem much larger and more open, and replaced the bathroom door with the privacy screen. The seating area converts to a full bed at night, we keep the topper rolled up in the shower during the day. We also upgraded to 16” truck tires which we felt added a bit extra safety given it is one-axle.

We are more minimalists when it comes to Airstreaming- we don’t have a lot of stuff. We keep things to a minimum. The fridge is one of those smaller ones, but we love visiting grocery stores when we travel. We tow with a Jeep Overland w/towing package. We like that we can do a U-turn on a 2 lane road, camp in a small space. We feel the size fits keeps us from accumulating too much. We like that we don’t need a pickup. Things it doesn’t have- double-axle, skylights, and ducted heating/cooling- (2011 model).

If we were full-timers, I think we might feel it was too small. We have done 6 week trips and it was fine, but we do always cook outside, and we’re not the types to lounge inside the trailer all day. Even if it’s raining, we are out & about.

[dhroberts]

Originally Posted by switz

An independent repair facility that is approved by Airstream (like A&P Vintage Trailer Works in Paradise, mTX [near DFW airport in Dallas] that is also approved to do Airstream warranty work is the way to go. As an example, instead of replacing the lowest bidder broken cheap door/drawer catches with new cheapest plastic catches, we installed brass ball catches. The list goes on to include electrical outlets and many other parts.

Agree! For me in Houston, TX - go with Bob Jones RV in South Houston.

[dhroberts]

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

Orangekayak,

Way too lengthy to answer your post. I would suggest you use "lockdown" time to search this forum for quality issues, repairs, and so on. I mean spend hours reading posts. Then assess your expectations and willingness to do the work yourself or the proximity of a good dealer and your willingness to pay.
I will give you a few disappointments here, though.
1. In less than two years my roof needed to be recaulked, not covered by warranty because it is a "wear" item. Caulk used by Airstream is inferior to many available caulks
2. My water heater electrical wiring fried. On my 25 FBQ the back of the water heater is inaccessible after construction, one must pull it from the outside to gain access. It was fried due to substandard wiring from the factory.
3. Tongue jack failed due to poor ground. Method of grounding tongue jack inadequate to prevent corrosion and loss of electrical continuity.
4. After 4 years, fresh water tank outlet broke at tank. After tank removal it was clear that Airstream method of installing fitting in plastic tank is improper. Nothing is accessible without dropping the belly pan and tank.
5. See the many threads on the shower door.

I would never, ever buy and pay the money for a new Airstream. If I needed a different model, I would only consider one that has been well-cared for by a previous owner. I must add that I am also disappointed that to get any work done at the dealer, the wait time is incredible. Best to try to save up items for work over the winter, if the failures will allow it.

Larry

I think I agree with your "I would never, ever buy and pay the money for a new Airstream" statement. I too was disappointed with the quality of my new AS back in 2016. Local dealer is awful! That said, after a year or two shakedown period, I am happy with my rig and its operations.

[dvgofaz]

We kept walking through, stretching out and sitting in trailers on the dealer lot until we found one that 'fit'. I am 6'3" and need room for a guitar, my wife plays upright bass and THAT puppy needs some room too. We also wanted to be gone for months at a time and creature comforts personal and space were important. We also needed room for 2 computer work stations.

After looking for 2 years we finally found a 33 classic on craigslist for a very good price. One step in the door and we were sold.

I would say find the one that fits your life, room for your stuff(a lot or a little), personal space, your ability to store it at home, and your ability/comfort level dragging it around new and strange places.

Like they say, measure twice cut once! And enjoy the fool out of your AS!

[jcanavera]

Tipping point was attendance at a fall 2003 dealer rally where I saw a 30' Classic Slide out. I loved the extra space that the Slide Out had even though it was 5K more than the same none slide model. I figured that a slide would be easier to sell if I decided to get another Airstream in the future. I did a deal right there at the rally and traded my 28' 2001 Safari for a new yet unbuilt 30' Classic Slide Out. By ordering rather than taking the trailer at the rally I was able to get a 15K AC/Heat pump unit at build time. Even though the dealer could have swapped units in his service department, I really didn't want them doing that kind of work on a new trailer. At that time Classics came with the standard 13.5K AC.

We placed the order at that rally and the delivery date was scheduled for January. As luck would have it I was prowling around the dealer's lot in early November and happened to find an almost identical match that had just been delivered, for the trailer I had on order. The only difference was the one just delivered had had a leather sofa. Interior fabrics and colors and the 15K AC/Heat pump made it a match for my ordered trailer. At that point I went into the dealer owners office and reminded him I had one on order just like the one on his lot. I said I'd pay the upcharge for the leather sofa if he would let me take the trailer off the lot rather than wait for mine to be delivered. He said okay and I had a new trailer home the following week.

Interesting aspect at this point is as we all no the slide outs are no longer being built and I've liked this trailer so much that I still have it almost 17 years later.

Jack

[Goin camping]

Tipping pint on this last trailer was width, weight and size.

Too messed up from illness to handle the last ones size and weight so it was sold and replaced by a 1960 22 footer. Light and easy.

[Mc2]

Class A Tiffin too expensive to maintain. Airstream Classic 30. Too big and didn’t like the heating system. Purchased the 25fb Globetrotter easier to get into campsites/ parks. Electric stabilizers and awning. Twin beds for more room and storage ( the Classic was a queen) Light interior and lots of seating. Love the look of an Airstream.

[Fixintime]

Mine was a serendipitous find.

As a kid, my parents purchased a small (12 or 14') "Prairie Schooner" that served a family of four for years. Manual pump sink, no A/C, only propane, no heat. in 1968 we went on a 4500 mile trip with it and our Country Squire station wagon.

We always envied the campers with Airstreams in their blue, once piece jumpsuits, but never thought I would own one.

About 3 years ago, my wife decided she wanted a vintage trailer to fix up. We looked at a few and I was pretty sure we were getting into a very deep abyss, particularly when her focus and attention went solely to an airstream.
about 2 years ago I started a new job and on my way to lunch one day, saw the top of a familiar shape on the other side of a, 8' steel fence. I could not see enough to identify what it was. I never saw the gate open to get a look.
A few weeks go by and my wife had to bring my car keys, (locked mine in car) and she wanted to see the mystery trailer. It happened to be outside the fence and unlocked. She began knocking on doors to find out who owned the property and found one neighbor who would text him her phone number.

A week went by and we heard nothing, but the following week she got a call. The property had been sold the day before and the new owner wanted to clear off the property. We pulled it out that afternoon, basically getting it for probably less than scrap value. It turned out to be a 1976 Argosy 24, Rear bath unit