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Old 07-17-2006, 07:41 AM   #1
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Bambi Contemplation

We are nearing retirement and are thinking of buying a late model Bambi so that we can comfortably check out the rest of this beautiful continent. Any advice and/or suggestions would be welcome. Karen and Kirk.
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Old 07-17-2006, 07:49 AM   #2
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Everyone loves Bambi's!

Welcome to the forum. There is lots of good information to be found on this website especially regarding the Bambi trailer (I own two myself).

If you click on the "search" button at the top of your screen you can find more info.

Here are some threads to get you started:

1) http://www.airforums.com/forum...day-21938.html

2) http://www.airforums.com/forums/f13/ This is a link to the Bambi forum area.
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Old 07-17-2006, 07:57 AM   #3
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I'm not really a full timer, but I have spent a lot of time in my Caravel and Overlander. The Caravel is about the same size as the modern Bambi. I think it depends on how long your contemplated trips will be and what is viscosity of your relationship. The Caravel is great for weeks and weeks for a single person. For two, it's great for a week and OK for a couple of weeks, but I wouldn't plan longer trips for two until I had feedback from shorter trips.

Note: I don't have a bath sink, which might make enough difference that you could add 50% to my suggested trip lengths above. One thing I highly recommend is configuring your camper to have permanently available bed, not a pullout.

Right now, I'm looking for the shortest vintage trailer with two axles that I can find. 23' would be absolutely perfect. Light enough, good towing performance, a little added safety, and, based on my Overlander experience, probably enough space to go for several months with two people.

See if you can rent or borrow one for a couple of weeks...
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Old 07-17-2006, 08:36 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by karenandkirk
We are nearing retirement and are thinking of buying a late model Bambi so that we can comfortably check out the rest of this beautiful continent. Any advice and/or suggestions would be welcome. Karen and Kirk.
Used to own a 99 Bambi. Worked well when I traveled alone in it but I found it too small for my wife and I. Our biggest problem was the bed, at 48"X74" it just wasn't big enough for the 2 of us. I'm 5'10" and my wife is 5'8".

I had a couple of other minor gripes with my Bambi but the bed size was a "deal breaker" for us.
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Old 07-17-2006, 08:47 AM   #5
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My wife and I spend at least 2 month per year (1 month in the spring and 1 month in the fall) traveling in our 19' Bambi -- with two dogs and a cat! With the three pets it does get a little crowded at times. However, trailering is full of compromising, from how much stuff you bring with to how big your trailer is. A wise person on this forum once said "when your towing you want the smallest trailer you can find and when your at your camp sited you want the largest one. For us the 19' Bambi is a great compromise. I've pulled trailers for 20 years and have never had one that pulled easier. When we're stopped the whole family gets to be close.
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Old 07-17-2006, 08:51 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Heywood
Used to own a 99 Bambi. Worked well when I traveled alone in it but I found it too small for my wife and I. Our biggest problem was the bed, at 48"X74" it just wasn't big enough for the 2 of us. I'm 5'10" and my wife is 5'8".

I had a couple of other minor gripes with my Bambi but the bed size was a "deal breaker" for us.
I guess it depends on who you talk to! I'm 5'9" and my husband is 6' and we find the Bambi bed "cozy"!
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Old 07-17-2006, 10:49 AM   #7
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We had our sights on the smaller single axle Airstreams and then found out that the sightly heavier dual axle shiners pulled just as good or better and were almost the same price in many cases. We bought a 1973, 23' with a dual axle and it is no problem to tow with a V6. For the two of us the 23 is as small as we will go and we my look for a 25 or 27 in the future.
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Old 07-17-2006, 01:43 PM   #8
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karenandkirk, do yourselves a favor and get a larger unit. Also, don't settle for Safari flap style windows. Get a unit that has windows that open fully, similar to the new Classics and Internationals. You'll be glad you did.
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Old 07-17-2006, 04:29 PM   #9
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I guess it's all a matter of personal preference. Our Bambi is the perfect size for us. But we weren't looking for all the comforts of home when on the road. Regarding the size of the bed, we've found that no matter what size bed we have ever slept in, we always seem to end up close together. So, for us, anything bigger than the Bambi's bed would be a waste of space.
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Old 07-17-2006, 05:34 PM   #10
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bambi?

Welcome karenandkirk,

You mentioned "late model" in your post. That suggest to me that you are looking for a "ready to go" AS. Even brand new ASs have issues, but the factory or local service center get to work out the bugs.

Many of the important points have already been discussed. Having traveled 100s of thosands of miles in business, i have found the comfort of ones sleeping environment has a direct effect on the next days adventure. What ever size you choose, make sure you are comfortable while sleeping, it especially is important when you are on the road for extended times.

John
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Old 07-17-2006, 07:15 PM   #11
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Hi, we have a 64 Bambi II. It is a 17' model that later became the Caravel. Last September my wife and I took the trailer on a month long trip to the Grand Canyon from North Carolina. We traveled along I-40 then through Utah to join up with I-70 which took us to Indiana and then we wandered back to NC. We stopped in every state for two days and saw what we could.

The trailer has two beds, the pull out couch and a bed made from the dinette. My wife slept in the pull out while I slept on the dinette bed. The dog slept in both beds at different times.

We had a great time. Yes the trailer was small and we had to set up the beds each night. That was an inconveinance. But here were the pluses that made the trailer a benefit. It was light, easy to tow, cheap on gas for the tow vehicle, and easy to maneuver in confined out of the way roads and camp sites. We used the trailer to sleep in, not live in. Every trailer has benefits and draw backs. Think about how you will use yours and choose it accordingly.
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Old 07-21-2006, 12:34 PM   #12
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Love, Love our Quicksilver

Hi , WE love our little Bambi. We like the fact that both windows open and
you can see all around. We have a spendy foam mat on the bed along with
a Travesack from camping world and a down comfroter and sleep like babes.
Soooo comfy. Also use the outside shower and the little sprayer in bathroom
the best. WE travel with two Kerry Blue dogs and at night put the back cushions on the table cover the seats with towels and they have a nice bed as well....talk about spoiled...they could sleep on the floor. We also have a
solar panel and that is a must as we boondock all the time. Happy Trails and
have fun shopping for your AS. Betty & John
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