Why did YOU choose Airstream over the others?

[JCWDCW]

We bought a '96 25' Excella and paid the same price as our friends paid for a brand new 27 foot lightweight with slide. Their trailer is beautiful and very comfortable with the modern layout. Our trailer is now some 25 years old but I expect it will still be on the road in another 25 yrs, while our friends' trailer will likely be rotting in a field in upper Michigan at that time. Our gas mileage with the AS is much better than our friends SOB with essentially the same TV.

For me that is 'nuff said!

JCW

[Sodbust]

Owned several stick and staple wonders before we settled with our 72 Overlander.. The last SOB was a 5th wheel that pulled like it did not have any wheels under it. The square shape along with it standing 3 feet off the ground and way above our TV was just a large sail holding us back all the time. Started to have siding pulling loose after a day on the road and figured out after the 3rd time I re installed it that the walls were bellowing out while on the hiway due to air pressure flexing the walls. After replacing 1/3 of all the wood in the campers frame due to dry rot,, all I could think about was rivets and alum... Like my great uncle use to say about his 1958 A$,, "if it had wings it could fly"...
Sodbust

[tumbleweeds]

Having recently made the plunge by buying my very first TT, I can say I have enjoyed reading this thread. Like some of you, I never considered anything other than an AS, but I have looked around at other brands as part of my research. I found my 87 Sovereign 29 ft on Airstreamclassifieds and drove from Maine to Maryland to see it, and bought it that day. Long-story-short, I am sitting in it now and I marvel at how fully intact and functioning everything is. This trailer is in excellent shape, inside and out. So the previous owners took good care of it, but they had something solid to work with because it is an AS. My two-cent's worth isn't as valuable as the full timers in previous posts, but my husband and I are heading out on the road this fall with confidence. Not sure I would be feeling that emotion in any other 87 TT.

[Jacob D]

Our case for A/S is 48 years traveling between my aunt & uncle and me & my family with almost no repair..... Maintenance?.... Yes and since axles are original, are now past due for replacement. After 30 years, orig furnace gave way to one that lights itself, hot water heater leaked & was replaced with a gas/Elect unit that also lights itself. Beleive it or not, the Dometic refer is original having been carefully maintained and serviced using A/S instructions. I almost forgot we are on our 3rd toilet but not to blame A/S. My uncle (original owner) broke the original ceramic bowl and the second one just wore out last year.

[kb0zke]

"I would not classify an Airstream as a four season trailer. If that is important to you then I would look at something less expensive and more toward that usage."

I'm not sure that any RV is really a four-season coach. DRV makes a big deal about their 3.5" walls, but then they cut big holes in them for slides and think a rubber bladder is enough insulation. Full-timers can go to where the temperature is more comfortable, and vacationers can travel when the temperature suits the coach.

"I still wonder about the motorhome as my father also pushes that point of convenience versus the "extra work" he says." A MH (especially a DP with airbags) is a really convenient way to travel. When I arrive at a campsite I get situated on the pad, then leave the Detroit running while I plug in the power cord. By the time I have that done the turbo has cooled down and the mercury in the leveling sensor has come back together. I then hit the auto level button and the coach is soon level. No boards, jacks, etc. The interior of the coach is at a comfortable temperature. The downside is that a MH needs to be driven regularly, which is a problem if you are parked for five months like we were. Add to that the possibility of some really high repair bills and we're thinking about an Airstream.

[BluesClues]

To me, no brainer. You ask, will it last decades? We recently bought a '72 soverign. Our thinking, I cringe at the thought of a 43 year old traditional trailer. Our AS is like a house. Folks think nothing of buying a 43 year old house, but a travel trailer? Yes, when it's an AS. Every dollar we put into it is value we're adding to it. AS's simply don't depreciate. As opposed to just about every other trailer (or boat) out there.

[StreamDog]

"Hello all, looking to get some thoughts on AS versus the competition."

There's competition?

[ghaynes755]

I looked at a DRV Elite. The build wasn't any better, maybe a bit worse on the cabinets compared to the 2015 Classic. But I realized that it would need a dually 1 ton at a minimum. Lots of folks use MHT's or buy a used tractor like a Volvo and have it converted to tow the 5th Elite. Pretty heavy unit as I recall, both on the tongue and overall weight.

[Grand Master]

We have a 1963 Trade Wind we bought 7 years ago. We had P&S polish it, and restored it to look and function as good (or better with modern mechanicals) as new. We have traveled to all the contingent United States in the last 5 years.
I bought it because I grew up traveling in an Airstream with my parents. In fact, my Dad had 10 different Airstreams during his life, and his 1962 which was just like the floorpan of my '63, was my favorite.

The look is iconic. We get many nice comments as we travel. Just like Wally, we are travelers - not campers. Most nice Rv Resorts have a 10 yer rule. We have stayed in many across the country and have never been turned away even though ou AS is now 52 years old. Most can't believe it can possibly be that old.

Several times the nice folks in million dollar Prevosts have asked if they could look in our little Airstream. Even though aluminum is not magnetic, our Airstream certainly acts like a magnet to attract nice folks who are curious about this American icon. It is a great conversation starter.

[m.hony]

Ditto to everything already stated.
I always wanted an Airstream. I tried a white box trailer to try to not spend the money for an Airstream. It didn't work. I still bought an Airstream. Should have just bought an Airstream to begin with.

[m.hony]

I made a list one time of "pros" and "cons" of the Airstream and the white box trailer.
The Airstream list had 50-60 pros and 8-9 cons.
The white box trailer had 8-9 pros and 50-60 cons.

[NWRVR]

gsmblue post: "Since I was a child in the UK I was fascinated with airstreams. In more recent years I regularly would get drunk and tell my wife of the dream "A Range Rover pulling an Airstream touring the west coast and the mountains"...snip, snip."

When I retired in 2010 and returned to Oregon, our place of origin, from Houston we sold our vehicles and my son suggested getting a Range Rover so when the camping bug hit us this year there was no question that it would be an Airstream. Love it!

[Bev1940]

My AS is 37 years old and has had a few repairs over the years still tows fine and supplies me with a good home where ever I stop. Travelled 70000 mi last summer with no problems. My son bought SOB about 8 yrs ago and replaced the floor twice before he traded it in on ANOTHER white box ! My other son has a 1995 5th wheel that's done roof has bee repaired and now its only good for staying parked.
AND my oldest son has had at least 2 white boxes since I bought my AS 14 yrs ago,,,,but hey what do I know lol.

[Tumbleweed61]

In our case, it was our 30th Anniversary gift (to ourselves).
We started looking into the idea of park service volunteering about a year ago, and shortly thereafter started looking at campers & trailers. We started looking in earnest at Airstreams after a visit to a dealer in Mesa, AZ last October (after looking at some beat up examples of SOBs, the dealer visit (looking at new & used units) was the tipping point for us on Airstreams) for pretty much the same reasons already listed (iconic, longevity, etc.). We ended up with an eBay special in January (by accident, but that's another story).
When we first got married and the future wasn't so bright, the running gag we had was that we would end up living in "a 30-year old Airstream trailer with a squeaky swamp cooler on top".
Well, as it turns out, that's pretty much what we have (sans the swamp cooler, and I'm not looking for one).





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[Betty Farmer]

So far as all the amenities you have researched - that would simply be your choice. We have owned many brands of travel trailers over 50 years. I will never pull anything else - simply for the "pull". We own a 28 foot Classic w/o a slide. It is roomy enough for 2 people and a 60 lb. dog and I pack it as my kitchen at our home is equipped.

[andreasduess]

We never even considered anything else.

Back when I lived in the UK, I lived on a beautiful narrowboat for a while, which isn't all that different from living in a trailer, except on water and with much bigger tanks. They're just shy of 7' wide to fit the historic canals built during the Industrial Revolution, mine was 42' long. I loved it, for a young single guy it was the perfect way to live.

The Airstream was the only trailer that's anywhere near the quality and feel of a well built boat. Every time I see the trailer it puts a smile on my face.

[MacPDX]

Originally Posted by slowmover

... An AF at ten years is on its last legs.

This is such a tired argument not really based on fact. I know dozens of people with Northwood Trailers (Arctic Fox, Nash, etc) that are over 10 years old and not on their "last" legs.

The fact of the matter is that any well maintained quality trailer, Northwood included, will last many years. The enemy of any trailer, including Airstreams, is moisture. If you don't keep out the moisture everything but the shell rots.

I have seen many, many Airstreams slowing decaying into the earth on which it sits due to neglect. Sure, the shell won't rot, but the floor, frame, tires, axles and everything inside will.

If you spend the time, and, yes, some money to maintain your trailer, it will last. Keep out the water and one will have years, if not decades of enjoyment out of most trailers.

[FollySteve]

For us, it was a done deal the first time we sat inside with the door closed. Nothing else feels like an Airstream. Nothing!

I agree with the previous poster. Keeping the moisture out and the sun off, day in day out, is key to
longevity. We built a carport for ours.

[Road Geezer]

So, another perspective. Our 2011 27' Flying Cloud was our first RV EVER; we had tent camped for almost 45 years. We looked at most every permutation of trailer, Class A, Class C we could find. It frankly got down to the fact that the Airstream was simply what we wanted. We like the design, the materials used, the "ethic" of having to travel light, carrying less than we thought we needed. The idea was that we did not want to pull around another home on wheels, we CAMP in the Airstream. If we want a fire, we build one outside and enjoy the stars.

We've camped in cold weather, but the AS is not well insulated and we go they a lot of propane.

The AS community is a delight; I'm sure other brands have their nice communities also, don't know.

Numerous times we've been asked if other campers could come inside an see our trailer; so many express the desire to own one.

I doubt we'll ever change out our trailer; it suits us so well. Our kids are counting on inheriting it when we stop traveling.

Look around a lot; carefully decide what's important for you. Then if the Airstream fits, buy one. You'll never look back.

[Zybane]

Originally Posted by Road Geezer

I doubt we'll ever change out our trailer; it suits us so well. Our kids are counting on inheriting it when we stop traveling..

That made me chuckle. "Hey dad, when you die can I have your trailer?". Was just wondering how that conversation went.