Shopping for an Airstream 25' to 31' under $10K

[Archer1]

Hello Airstream Forum Folks,

My wife and I are looking to buy a used Airstream. I've been checking the postings. It seems like everything interesting is located a long ways from central Illinois. It's hard to find the time to travel hundreds of miles to look at a trailer. But something will show up eventually...

So, if you have an Airstream for sale within a couple of hundred miles of Champaign, IL, I'd sure like to heear from you. Prices greater than $10,000 aren't out of the question depending on what's offered.

Archer1

[Condoluminum]

Archer-

Welcome, and good luck with your search... As you search hrough posted threads, several concepts should appear to guide you...

1. The further from home you are willing to look, the more candidates there are... For many vintage and rare models, however, the market is "national"
2. Not everyone is honest or shares your views on condition and value. Get second opinions, and look carefully before leaping.
3. Because of weight and tow vehicle concerns, 31's are about same price as 25's in many cases. Larger means more hassle in state/county/national parks plus more room. Smaller means easier towing, more crowded...
4. Condition is big deal in value and price... You (or some other owner) could easily spend $15K fixing up a "fixer-upper", and wipe out a small difference in purchase price. Rarely does the fixer upper get immediate payback on their investment if they have to sell...
5. There are as many stories of finding an Airstream 10 miles away as 3,000 miles. Patience is a good thing...

John McG

[AZstreamin]

Patience is a good thing...

John McG[/quote]

John is wise.... I recently purchased my families AS and found this community provides very useful, if not the best advice on the web. Ask questions.. Use the search function. My recommendation is to first narrow the buying decision to ONE floor plan that specifically fits as many of your personal needs. You can then search for the exact model as far from home as your heart desires. I ended up buying 600 miles from home but looked seriously at one 1800 miles from AZ. Without question, willingness to go the extra mile provides you, THE BUYER, a better position to negotiate more importantly choice, to find 'The One'.
Good Luck,
AZstreamin

[SilverToy]

Archer -

Use the search button on the top right extensively. Be a 'browser' of ads for a while. Read all about 'replacing' this and that.... floors, HWH, gaucho, etc....

That should keep you quite busy for a time, depending on your reading speed!

Then be sure to use the Caveat Emptor rational as you start to think about what you want, need, can afford and etc... Be SURE to have solid parameters for what you will consider. Don't yield on that.

Lots to do, see, read about and enjoy here even if you don't own an AS yet.

There is SO Much to learn.... Take your time. Enjoy the process. AS ownership will come when it is right!

Axel

[cameront120]

Welcome to the forum. I've been seeing some interesting trailers on www.craigslist.com, so it might be worth checking there regularly. Here's an example:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/clt/165220451.html

It's only 21' but looks like a tidy little unit.

Cheers!