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Old 09-16-2013, 01:05 PM   #1
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New Braunfels , Texas
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New to This Forum

Currently shopping Airsteams and we are totally new to the travel trailer scene.

Some questions I have would be what dealers in the U.S. are the best to deal with in regards to sales? is there a best time of year or month to make a purchase? Cars and motorcycles sell for a better price at the end of a month and year or, in the case of motorcycles, during cold weather months when demand is down. Of course we want the most for our money, just curious if there are dealers more inclined to discount anything? I would travel anywhere in the US to make a purchase if the savings were worth it.

Speaking of motorcycles, has anyone installed a platform across the back of their Airsteam, just above the bumper, that a motorcycle could be loaded onto? I've seen them installed on trailers before, maybe 3 feet wide- that the bike can be secured to across and above the bumper area.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Andy and Nancy in Texas
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Old 09-16-2013, 02:22 PM   #2
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Hi and welcome.

Not sure about the pricing question - we bought an older trailer.

What I can tell you is that you cannot add any weight to the back of your trailer without risking serious damage and voiding your warrantee.
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Old 09-16-2013, 02:29 PM   #3
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Welcome to the Forums! Here is quick version of a lot of advice.. Forum have had more than 10,000 members over more than 10 years and hundreds of thousands of posts.. First priority is to get familiar with using "search" tab above in blue bar. Click on that, and type a couple key words like dealer discount and see what you find..

That said, yes there are "buying seasons" and it is starting now. Dealers get inventory year round, and get flooring (financing assistance) from Airstream to cover inventory cost/interest for a couple months after delivery (usually..). Factory runs at near constant rate year round (shuts down for new models/changeovers and slows down in winter a little..). So buying as fall units arriving (especially buying units that have been at dealer longer than 90 days..) can result in better pricing on new trailers. Used trailers not quite as seasonal, and dealers generally don't carry much inventory, as they'd rather sell new and provide services.

There are also a handful of dealers that focus on internet sales, strong web presence, and are happy to sell to remote buyers. Other dealers focus on higher margins, look to their immediate sales territory, and focus on trying to provide higher levels of hand-holding, though it certainly appears the internet/high-volume dealers do a pretty good job of customer service as well.. The highest volume dealer is in New Jersey (Colonial Airstream) and others include Toscano in Calif, Northwest Adventures (WA, OR, CA) and Foley in Mississippi. Depending on where you are in Texas, you might visit the Airstream Community (RV Park and homes dedicated exclusively to Airstream owners in Hillsboro. Look for North Texas Airstream Community.. They welcome visitors, and can offer suggestions.. Depending on location, you might save a couple percent of MSRP up to maybe 5%+ compared to local dealers.. Whether that is worth the drive is up to you, but it could be considered an adventure and first outing...

The motorcycle carrier/hitch mount on rear of trailer is generally a very bad idea, as the rear of the trailer is not strong enough to carry a cantilevered load of a couple hundred pounds. You will see them on some motorhomes, but those units are attached to a hitch rated to tow or carry as much as 10,000#.. We have a 2" receiver on our trailer and have been yelled at for using a light bicycle rack and 1 bicycle, though our trailer can handle it with welded frame reinforcements.. If you really need to carry a motorcycle, try either front receiver hitch mount, or get pickup with long bed and perhaps wide ramp/tall doghouse shell cover and carry motorcycle in the truck... Even the Eddie Bauer model Airstream (with lift up rear gate and tiedowns) isn't really designed for more weight inside than a few bicycles or a canoe or some kayaks...
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Old 09-16-2013, 02:29 PM   #4
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Andy and Nancy, I can not say too much about Colonial Airstream of NJ.

We towed our old FC 23 1250 to get there and the new 25 back. When we went through the walk through of our unit, there was a couple from CA waiting to go through theirs.

Colonial has a huge inventory and their website completely documents each unit with many photos.

I can't recommend them too highly!
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