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wannaroam · 10-10-2006, 03:00 PM

Before you bought your first AS?

I read in another post how disappointing it can be to drive long distances and see units that are not what they were purported to be.

Boy, how true. We just spent a full day in travel to look at a one owner, vintage Trade Wind that had been only used 6 years and stored under cover ever since then. Two windows were shot out, mice had made nests in all the cabinets, and inside the oven, mice dirt everywhere, and the highlight of it all was the garbage pile *and much worse* in the bathroom. I am amazed that anyone would show an rv in that condition.

Sigh.

**Stefrobrts** · 10-10-2006, 03:09 PM

I pretty much bought the first one I stepped into. I couldn't even find one to look at they were getting snapped up so fast. Paid top dollar and ended up doing a lot of work to it. Still don't regret it though!

asta2 · 10-10-2006, 03:11 PM

Been looking since July, about a dozen trailers, and still at it. The market's improving everyday as the weather cools off

InsideOut · 10-10-2006, 03:17 PM

Never stepped foot inside one before the one we bought. Just went to look to see what one looked like inside...the rest is history!

Shari

Mel · 10-10-2006, 03:39 PM

We bought the first one we looked at - had also never even been inside one prior to that.

ibgl6 · 10-10-2006, 03:50 PM

I bought one off ebay and drove 750 miles with just some pictures i seen of it and hauled it back 750 miles with no problems thank god and it is in really good shape for a 1973 only a couple small things and the previous owner had already told me about them hope to get to use it real soon it was also the first one I had ever been into but I like all the retro 70's stuff

LI Pets · 10-10-2006, 04:10 PM

One, got lucky

bhayden · 10-10-2006, 04:14 PM

Got lucky. We'd been shopping ads, mostly Craigslist for several months. Ended up driving by ours parked along side Hwy 99 with a for sale sign only because I missed the turn to the Mukulteo ferry. Wrote down the phone number, called up and went back with the wife to look the next morning. She loved it, we made an offer close to the asking price and haven't seen a better deal since.

I think the moral of the story is "better lucky that good"

One thing I will say is don't rely too heavily on internet postings. Owners that don't have computer access are selling to a limited market and are less likely to be caught up in the "collectible" paradigm. It's also costing them more to advertise which means they are less likely to just hang out an absurd price and troll for someone that's desparate. I have noticed that there seems to be a big difference in values across the country.

-Bernie

wkerfoot · 10-10-2006, 04:25 PM

In May, 2002, we decided to upgrade our camping lives from a cab-over camper on the PowerWagon to a trailer. It was a "no brainer" that the trailer would be an Airstream, my parents owned two different ones in the 1970's. Although I did not know much, we started looking in June, 2002 and found the Safari in August. We received many pictures from the prior owner and then drove 460 miles to look at it. We decided on the spot to purchase it. We wanted one which did not need work and that we could used immediately and we found it. Since we drove the mini van up to inspect, we went back in two weeks with the PowerWagon to bring it home.

Bill

Fyrzowt · 10-10-2006, 04:50 PM

When we bought our first one, we really only looked at one. We had been internet shopping for a used one, and in the process went to our local A/S dealer just to check out floor plans, options, etc. When we finally found the used one that looked like would fit our needs, we drove 3 hours, liked it, bought it.

When looking for our second one, we drove to LA (4+ hours one way) and looked at one that I would have been embarassed to advertise. Of course it was "one of a kind", "great condition", etc. We turned around and drove back home. We drove up past Sacramento the next day (6 hrs one way) and looked at another one we had been considering. We didn't want to pay as much as they wanted so had put off looking at it. After looking, it was in supurb shape for the year, and we bought it.

garthbf · 10-10-2006, 05:11 PM

I didn't really buy one, Had no choice. My father gave me this one. I was not sure I wanted it, then did, then not again. It had been in storage for over 5 years and had to go to Calif. to get it. spent two and a half days going through it and removing all the old stuff, removing mice #$#&@ and checking everything, Doing a limited cleaning just to make it so we could camp on the way home. It has a large dent in the back do to storm (tree) damage last winter. after getting it home and going through it I find that it has rear end seperation and needs new axles. I have already redone the inside with new flooring and a good cleaning. have made it waterproof on the outside.
Been camping twice since I have had it home.
No regrets and I am hooked on the thing.

-Garth

juel · 10-10-2006, 05:13 PM

Bought mine from pictures off RV Trader from a dealer in El Paso. Talked to him on the phone, sent the deposit after getting a copy of the title by Fax. Mark, the owner of the business, said he would return the deposit if we didn't like it, so we drove 700++ miles and hauled it home. It's an Argosy, something I never considered, but what a great trailer. No polishing!!! It was just as Mark had discribed it. I feel we were very lucky to have met an honest man with a great trailer. Have gone to inspect some trailers for others that were horrible.

**azflycaster** · 10-10-2006, 05:16 PM

I looked at 2 in the Phoenix area that I knew I would not buy, but looked at them any way. It helped me spot things that I had read about on the forums. I did an 1800 mile round trip one weekend to buy one which I walked away from as well as a $300 deposit. I then got in touch with a forum member who was selling his trailer (he had bought a project). Drove 500 miles bought the trailer. I am very happy with this trailer. It pays to wait. Do not be afraid to let one go. I have seen too many posts on the forums from people who should have walked away.

tin sista · 10-10-2006, 05:19 PM

We were lucky too, our first Airstream was only the second one we looked at within a 45 minute drive of home, advertised in the local paper. We hit the jackpot with a super senior who maintained everything and had lots of spare parts.

Our second Airstream was the first one we looked at. Of course I'm not counting all the drooling I have done looking online, here in the forum, and at rallies...

rebel beck · 10-10-2006, 05:59 PM

We called about many only to find out they had sold

Then we called on one we saw here listed under the classifieds, drove 600 miles and bought it.
So yes we bought the first one we looked at.

Wharf Rats · 10-10-2006, 06:03 PM

We also got lucky, been sort of looking around for about a year. I was off on a 2 month job, got back went on line that nite and found what we were looking for 2 hrs. away. Called the dealer the next morning, drove up there and bought it. It was exactly what we were looking for at an unbelievable price. It was if the planets lined up just for us and this AS.

bill benton · 10-10-2006, 06:36 PM

We looked for 3 years on line, in news papers, anywhere we could find one advertised. We would drive 2-4 hours just to see the model we were looking for. We finally found the one we wanted 750 miles from home. We drove there on a Fri. night bought it on Sat. and came home Sun.

uwe · 10-10-2006, 06:42 PM

We bought the fifth trailer we looked at the first time around. went all over the place within 5hours of Orange County.
Then for our second trailer, we bought the 3rd one we considered, which was the first one we actually loked at, if that makes sense.

MarkR · 10-10-2006, 07:09 PM

LOokEd aT tHreE
BoUGht tHreE
(sOLd onE)

breakaway · 10-10-2006, 07:14 PM

We bought our 1989 29 ft Excella sight unseen. We never even talked to the PO. Just pictures and email. We made a deal with the PO to deliver the Excella from Kansas to Michigan. The first time we saw it was at a year round camp site in Western Michigan.
Our 1976 24 ft Argosy we did see and bought it that day on EBAY. We enjoyed repairing and cleaning up the Argosy but we found having two trailers very confusing; Whatever we needed was in the other trailer. So after 18 months we sold the Argosy on EBAY to a buyer from Maryland who never saw the Argosy until they arrived in Michigan to pick it up. They were happy and we were happy.
Today we use the bigger and more comfortable Excella and I feel it tows just the same as the Argosy.