How scared should I be?

[babsz]

Hello, new friends. I am finally going to buy my first Airstream after 20+ years of dreaming, 12 years of saving, and 6 months of hunting and reading postings on this fourm. I can only afford the one which I found because they discounted it because of this big 'ol dent. It's a 1993 Excella Classic for $15K.

Please help. Is this just cosmetic, or is there the potential for something major underneath? What's in a curbside lower corner?
I would greatly appreciate any advice I get.
Take pity on a rookie.
Thanks,
Barbara

[uwe]

Originally Posted by babsz

Hello, new friends. I am finally going to buy my first Airstream after 20+ years of dreaming, 12 years of saving, and 6 months of hunting and reading postings on this fourm. I can only afford the one which I found because they discounted it because of this big 'ol dent. It's a 1993 Excella Classic for $15K.

Please help. Is this just cosmetic, or is there the potential for something major underneath? What's in a curbside lower corner?
I would greatly appreciate any advice I get.
Take pity on a rookie.
Thanks,
Barbara

Barbara,
It looks cosmetic to me. My approach would be to pop off whatever is in the way on the inside. then, remove the inner skin, and pop teh dents out slowly, and carefully.
Alternately, you can try a suction cup from body shop supply. It's like a slide hammer on a suction cup, allowing the dents to be removed slowly.
I got some pretty darn severe dents out of my 71 Tradewind, by using the suction cup. I also used a rubber mallet, slowly tapping the dreases while pulling out teh metal at teh same time. Worked really well, and was all but invisible afterwards. In your case, be very careful of the front window frame.
In my uneducated opinion, you might be able to do better for 15k.

[doorgunner]

Barbara;
That roof line looks like the one at the Sacramento Airstream place. Is it?
If you go inside the trailer and look at the inner panel -check it for denting, popped rivets, punctures. Look thru the battery box- use a flashlight.
My excella has a ding sorta like that one on the other side. I can live with it, it does not leak. There is nothing but insulation between the inner and outer skins- on my excella that is. To bad they put that bed liner stuff on the outside.

[steelbird312]

Babz,
I second what Uwe said on about 2 or 3 thoughts.
The dent should not be a 'bad' dent-no structural problems from that dent. Although, I think I would try the suction cup method first, and probably leave the hammering portion to someone a little more seasoned with Airstreams or metal working. I know Uwe did it, but he has been around them a lot-'sperience' means a lot here.
Lastly, I too, think that you can do a little better for that amount of money. Keep looking. What about some of the postings in Airforums.com classifieds?
Watch ebay for something close enough to go look. There are inspectors on these forums willing to check one out for you, which opens up several hundred more miles of range to find a used one.
Good luck in your search. Take your time-find what you want/need.

[FreshAir]

I think the seller (dealer?) will come down in price even more. The labor to remove the dent would be high so it would be difficult for the seller to sell. Tell them that your good and knowledgable friends tell you to keep looking. They will come down. It is costing them every day the Excella is on the lot.