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Old 04-10-2014, 12:52 PM   #1
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ogden , Utah
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Confused newbie

I' ll try this again last post got lost is the ether. If this a duplicate I apologize
I'm itching to pick up a new AS. I just cannt seem to find the right one. My problem is bed size and limited driveway space at our house. We like to hike around the western US and are tried of staying in fleabag hotels. We've looked at the 16 foot sport up to the 25 foot FC . Seems like you need to get to the 25 foot to get into a "queen bed". I,m 6'3" and my wife is 5'8" . I've have a 07 burb. So towing isn't an issue with the 16to 23 footer problematic with the 25 FC. Leaning towards the 16 sport. Anyway it's a good problem to have

Just wanted to introduce myself

Thanks rad1
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Old 04-10-2014, 01:35 PM   #2
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Well, it seems size does matter. Almost everyone I know who bought a "cute little" trailer ended up trading up in fairly short order. Storage is an issue in the smallest units and, basically, elbow room is in short supply as well. Once you are at 25', you at least have two separate living areas.

I am no Chevy expert but I suspect your Suburban could handle a 25 without too much difficulty. Certainly worth looking into.

Enjoy the journey,

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Old 04-10-2014, 01:35 PM   #3
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Rad1 --

Welcome to the forums! I've also only recently jumped into the boat; but had looked at different models and floor plans for well over a year and a half before I took the leap.

I am 7' tall even -- so I feel the pain you are working with. While I went with the 28' model, I did so knowing I would have the storage space - and also wanting a unit I could easily host family and friends as guests in. If I was looking solely for myself, the 22FB Sport would have been my choice. The bed is sideways so in a relationship, one party may be climbing over the other in the middle of the night to hit the head, etc., but I could lie perfectly flat (ok -- slightly angled) and be perfectly comfortable in that bed.

maybe if I get a second airstream I'll get that one one day....
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Old 04-10-2014, 01:49 PM   #4
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Thanks for the input. There is a new dealership about 30 min. from our house been down there several time that have a limited number of trailers ( about 8) to look at. I've fallen in love with airstream. I just don't want to be to impulsive. They have a 25 FC bed forward , what a sweet unit. But I' m think maybe start slow and see how it goes for a few seasons,I don't know.
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Old 04-10-2014, 01:55 PM   #5
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Easeing into AS

The cheapest and lowest risk way to ease in to this lifestyle is to buy a camping-ready used unit. Make sure that it does not need a lot of work, unless you are especially handy and like that kind of stuff. Good used AS' are not very common (at least in my part of the country) so be prepared for a lengthy national search. But, if you can buy right, you'll get a good low risk way to see if the lifestyle appeals to you and if you decide the unit you bought is not right for you, you should be able to sell it fairly easily with a minimal loss. Good luck and happy trails!
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Old 04-10-2014, 02:00 PM   #6
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rad1 --

My last piece of advice is one given by many folk here. There were four types of airstreams I was looking at when I first began to look:

(a) -- vintage, restore myself
(b) -- vintage, pay someone else to restore
(c) -- new, off the lot
(d) -- find someone selling one a year or two old for whom RV'ing seemed a good idea at the time but they later changed their mind for one reason or another

I am not the expert, but all my research suggested that A-B-C all could wind up being about the same costs. Ultimately, I was lucky and with the help of some forum members was able to go with option D -- on an airstream that is pretty much brand new, three years old and half off MSRP.

Start reviewing the classified section of this site as well as ebay -- and get an idea of the slightly used market pricing and your ability to stave off impulsiveness and wait for the proper one to come along slightly used.

Oh -- finally -- call around the the KOA campgrounds in your area. Here in Virginia, some of them have airstreams permanently placed in the campgrounds you can rent, ala a cabin of sorts. It's a good way to get experience in the systems and the experience of what it will be like for you. Most of them in Va are 25FB and 27FB models; but still...

Ian
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Old 04-10-2014, 03:39 PM   #7
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I towed a 1978 31" AS with a 1996 Suburban 4X4 with a 350 engine without any problems. The newer ones have more horsepower so I think they should be able to pull a 25'.
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Old 04-10-2014, 04:11 PM   #8
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For reference. I have a 25FC and have towed it with two Suburbans. An '07 1500 with 4WD and a 5.3L and now currently an '06 2500 2WD with 6.0L. Both are no problem with a 25FC.
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Old 04-10-2014, 04:20 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IanPoulin View Post
rad1 --

My last piece of advice is one given by many folk here. There were four types of airstreams I was looking at when I first began to look:

(a) -- vintage, restore myself
(b) -- vintage, pay someone else to restore
(c) -- new, off the lot
(d) -- find someone selling one a year or two old for whom RV'ing seemed a good idea at the time but they later changed their mind for one reason or another

I am not the expert, but all my research suggested that A-B-C all could wind up being about the same costs. Ultimately, I was lucky and with the help of some forum members was able to go with option D -- on an airstream that is pretty much brand new, three years old and half off MSRP.

Start reviewing the classified section of this site as well as ebay -- and get an idea of the slightly used market pricing and your ability to stave off impulsiveness and wait for the proper one to come along slightly used.

Oh -- finally -- call around the the KOA campgrounds in your area. Here in Virginia, some of them have airstreams permanently placed in the campgrounds you can rent, ala a cabin of sorts. It's a good way to get experience in the systems and the experience of what it will be like for you. Most of them in Va are 25FB and 27FB models; but still...

Ian
I'm Ian's friend Paula. We met on the forums and will meet in person next month at a forum rally. Good work Ian - Pay it forward. He said everything I would have, but with a lot more efficiency I'll add just this - your Burb would be fine here on the East Coast. Even our mountains are more like hills. It might get a bit hairy in the Rockies... but it could be done.

About bed size - it's probably a turn-off, but don't exclude twin beds. In a TRAILER they've got a lot of good points. More open floor space, easier to make, easier to access stored items under the beds. Company friendly - on a rainy day two people can play cards in the bedroom sitting on the beds, while up front to others can work on a project at the dinette. As for in an Airstream, well ONE of you gets to go to the empty bed and fall asleep on sheets that aren't all sweaty! And there are always other options that aren't quite so horizontal. .... and the dinette does convert to a full bed
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Old 04-11-2014, 03:32 AM   #10
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Ditto on Ian and Paula's advice. We bought a 3 year old (at the time) 2008 27FB Safari on eBay. We did drive 400 miles to inspect it before we bid. The first owner never camped in it, the second owner we bought it from used it 5 times. His wife wanted it gone and we were the beneficiaries. If we wanted to sell it today we could should be able to recoup most of our original investment based on prices we see in classifieds.

Fortunately we got the right size and floor plan (for us) the first time so we have no plans to trade anytime soon. If Airstream ever decides to make a 30FB with recliners in the rear and a side dinette we could be tempted!

We've spent some money on fixing floor rot, upgrading tires, adding a street side awning, new electric jack, and routine maintenance. Last year we spent 105 nights in the trailer so we are definitely enjoying it.

When we bought the trailer we expected to be traveling the country on our own. We had no clue about the social aspect of Airstreaming. We attended an Airforums rally in Florida (Canopener 2012) soon after buying our Airstream. We made new friends and started attending other rallies. Today we enjoy attending a few rallies per year, plus meeting some of our Airstream friends occasionally at state parks in the region for a few days, in addition to our long road trips traveling the country. Another pleasant discovery has been the Virginia Highland Haven Airstream Park where we like to stop and relax for several days at a time.

Definitely consider buying a late model, lightly used Airstream. Cost of entry will be lower and you should recoup most of your investment if you decide to trade or sell it. New Airstreams are like new automobiles. The depreciation hit is huge in the first 2-3 years.

Once you buy, sample everything. Talk to your local WBCCI unit and attend a rally as a guest. Go to a couple of Airforums, independent rallies, and commercial rallies (like Alumapalooza) you'll see discussed or listed on Airforums. Visit one or more of the Airstream parks. Try camping in state parks, national parks, Army Corps of Engineers parks, local parks and fairgrounds, boondocking in national forests, private campgrounds, and overnighting in a Walmart or Cracker Barrel parking lot. The Airstream lifestyle can be a great adventure and each activity brings something new. For us the investment in aluminum trailer has changed our lives for the better and the experience has vastly exceeded our high expectations.
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Old 04-11-2014, 09:04 AM   #11
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Thanks all. Going to spend some time looking at all my option . I quess 1/2 the fun is in the process of looking and deciding. As I get closer to making my decision I'll keep you posted. I appreciate any future advise . I looked at my suburban , it has a 7000 lb towing max . However , has almost 90k miles on it . Might have to look at getting a new vehicle . I quess one thing leads to another
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Old 04-11-2014, 09:53 AM   #12
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We admired Airstreams for years and then bought our dream, a 19 Bambi, in 2007. Retired in 2008, camped a bit while working part time and loved our Bambi. However, we moved west in 2011 and spent 6 months in the 19 and came to dislike the corner bed( and we are 5'9 and 5'6!). Traded to a 25 FC Twin in January 2013 and love the extra space!

Good luck!
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Old 04-11-2014, 10:11 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OregonVista View Post
We admired Airstreams for years and then bought our dream, a 19 Bambi, in 2007. Retired in 2008, camped a bit while working part time and loved our Bambi. However, we moved west in 2011 and spent 6 months in the 19 and came to dislike the corner bed( and we are 5'9 and 5'6!). Traded to a 25 FC Twin in January 2013 and love the extra space!

Good luck!
We looked at the 19 international at the local dealer . Really don't think the Conner bed will work for us. I think the the 16 foot sport bed has more room but such a small bathroom. Also the problem with the 16 sport no bumper, we want a bike rack and no stainless rock guards . I know you can add the rock guards , not sure the cost. I think you can add the bumper. The 16 foot has the advantage I have room to park it at our house. Larger units I would have to store. But that woundn't be a deal breaker. But might violate the KISS principle
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Old 04-12-2014, 02:25 PM   #14
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We recently imported a 2006 16' CCD (Lil' Al) into New Zealand. We didn't get to inspect him (scary!) but some friends on vacation in the US did (by the way - there are folks on this forum who are willing to inspect trailers for you). I think the advice to buy lightly-used instead of new for your introduction to Airstreams is sound. And there's loads of advice on this forum about what to look out for.

The 16 footer has a very efficient floor plan. My wife and I are both under 5'8'' so the compact bed is not a problem. Our model has the full-size stone guards and the rear bumper (including the super-handy locker) which I wouldn't want to do without but I don't think you can't get these on new 16 footers. But if I ever replaced Lil' Al, I'd go for a slightly larger unit to get an oven and separate shower - that's it.

Storage of our Airstream at home is real important to us. We do short weekend trips as well as longer vacations and I think if we stored the trailer off-site we might be less inclined just to hitch up and go on a Friday evening. With the trailer at home you can effortlessly get everything packed up and ready to go the night before. That maybe something to think about for you guys, depending on your expected usage. After all, the most important thing is just to get out there exploring in your Airstream!

Cheers and welcome to the forum, KiwiAs.
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Old 04-12-2014, 05:22 PM   #15
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Guess we are at the other end of the spectrum--looked, saved, read the forum for a number of years, visited various AS rally's , looked at several used units--jumped in with both feet and ordered a 30ft FC w/ recliners, two AC, full awnings, leather dinette, and hope we only will buy once. Sure it cost 20/25% more! but it is ours, our way, two year warranty, and the good times are in front of us--added a Sleep Number bed from Camping World, and have not looked back. Should get us to retirement sooner than later.
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Old 04-12-2014, 06:02 PM   #16
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Rad1,
We met Florida 55 while checking out floor plans at Canopener 2012 during Open House. Later that month, we ended up purchasing a 25FB Safari which had be converted to twins by the PO. We are both 6' and definitely enjoy the full length twins vs. a short queen. Find a rally that may be close by or in a campground that offers cabins/yurts so maybe you can get a better understanding of what maybe available in the used market. Watch the classified like a hawk. Some sell in as little as an hour. Some sell at Rallys. Getting back to the initial point, in addition to focusing on the unit we might like to find, we found some wonderful new friends. All has been a wonderful experience!
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Old 04-13-2014, 05:36 AM   #17
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Finding Your Airstream - Try Renting One a Few Nights

Quote:
Originally Posted by rad1 View Post
Thanks all. Going to spend some time looking at all my option . I quess 1/2 the fun is in the process of looking and deciding. As I get closer to making my decision I'll keep you posted. I appreciate any future advise . I looked at my suburban , it has a 7000 lb towing max . However , has almost 90k miles on it . Might have to look at getting a new vehicle . I quess one thing leads to another
Half the fun is "studying". We spent a year reading Airforums, looking at new and used trailers, and talking to people before we bought. We also made a trip to a KOA offering Airstreams for rent and spent a couple of nights in a 25FB to get a feel for living in one. Here is a link to the page on the KOA website listing the locations with Airstreams you can rent by the night in the event you might want to try one:

KOA Airstream Locations

I see you are from Utah. You can also stay in an Airstream overnight at the Shooting Star RV Resort at Escalante. Here's the link to the website:

Shooting Star RV Resort

One great thing about the search process. Eventually your Airstream will find you. It is amazing!
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Old 04-13-2014, 09:14 AM   #18
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I'd be very careful about buying a short airstream. Some people think they're cute, but if you're going to take trips of 10 days or more, I wouldn't recommend one. I like our 25' FB for our trips of a month or more. Maybe we could use a 20' one for a week or so. Your Suburban will pull any of them.

...and I would not worry about 90m miles on the tow vehicle. If it's in good condition, why panic over the miles? You seem like you might be at least somewhat cost sensitive, so I'd say your money would be better spend carefully checking that Suburban yourself before you head out or pay a qualified person. That would have to be much cheaper than buying a replacement.
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Old 04-13-2014, 02:39 PM   #19
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We're not in any hurry. I agree haft the fun is looking, learning and dreaming. Does any have any advice , concerning seasonal price fluctuations. I would guess ,the prices might drop towards the end of the season.
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Old 04-22-2014, 08:46 PM   #20
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Hi rad1,
Also a newbie, had read the forums every day for months and gained valuable information for the experts before our first visit to dealer. First visit we went with iPhone cameras & toured as many models as we could starting with 16' Sport. Loved the unit but could not deal with wet bath concept. Next up, 22' Sport offered considerable more living space but overall we were not happy with overall floor plan & kept looking. The Flying Cloud 20-23 foot Front bed layout was just was we're were looking for. We shopped for used units throughout the country staying with 2009-2012. However, we were curious about new model year roll out & when inventory at dealer might be "priced just right" for our consideration. Entertained a negotiation during our lengthy confirmatory visit & were pleasantly surprised with discount with very little negotiations. Turns out their fiscal year was rapidly approaching. They communicated our timing was great, as they need to make room for new 2015 rook outs from the mothership!
We have narrowed down our tow vehicle choice & just waiting for vehicle to become available & then we'll schedule our pick up.
Good luck & the journey is the mist fun!
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