Do You Loan Out Your AS?

[PaulnGina]

"Thank you, but no."
"I do have a couple of rooms in the house, though."
(Then, after I think about that....)
"I have two tents in the attic.... take your pick!"

[mcair]

to a very short list of friends and family - yes
Everyone else. No

[terryV]

This is a really good old thread, and should be kept going, even tho the answers are pretty much the same.

I am reminded of the time I jokingly asked my dad if I could borrow his new Jag to take my wife out for an evening on the town.

He told me that if I needed a car for the evening, he would be glad to loan me one of his, but it would not be the Jag.

"You see, Son, a Jag is a very special car that must be earned. Save your money, and when you have finally earned one, you will understand."

I never got the Jag, but would I loan my Corvette, Camaro, Hummer, or Airstream? Well, when you finally earn one, you will understand why I say NO.

[rmkrum]

The issue, as I see it, is trust. The question you have to ask yourself is "do I trust this person to properly care for my Airstream or not. In most cases, no I don't.

I have to admit to the same attitude when it comes to loaning out power tools as well. There are very few inside and outside my family that can borrow power tools without me coming along to operate that tool.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[dkrug]

We have a tractor, stock trailer and equipment trailer in addition to the AS. People will ask to borrow those things on occasion. My husband will say yes, but they come with an operator (him).
The AS and a couple of the vehicles are under the heading of don't even think about asking.

[featherbedder]

No.... Never... even to 2 sons.

[PharmGeek]

I think about it not like trust but like "if and when they bang it up can I live with it?"


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[mefly2]

Loan ??? our AS ??? ROFLMAO

[m.hony]

No.
I've probably said this before on this thread, but here goes-
If someone is coming over and they suggest spending the night in the camper, my response is,"You stay in the house. I'll stay in the camper."

[m.hony]

If I get the heebie-jeebies about loaning out a $350 weed-eater...

[webspinner]

Our Airstream became a guest bedroom when our house guest list blossomed from two to five at 11pm the night before our daughter's wedding. It was a dear friend who got the Airstream, and someone who didn't mind that not all the Burning Man dust had been cleaned out yet.

Let it leave our sight with someone else in it? Not in the foreseeable future.

[J. Morgan]

An Airstream is just a thing.

I will loan it to any of my kids and will be willing among a few close friends.

I didn't used to be this way, but things change.

[Althea68]

No and and you shouldn't feel bad.
All of us even the most well intentioned borrower can't account for all of the possible things that can go wrong.
They borrow your baby(read Airstream) and some scumbag with no insurance runs into them while they are stopped at a signal or light or heck parked in a parking lot and by no fault of their own you are now heartbroken! They feel bad and you feel bad!
I have been on the borrower side and been the victim of my own well intended actions.
So NO NOT EVER unless they agree to pay for a new AS in writing up front with the quote for a replacement.

[webspinner]

For us the issue is the work we've put in by our own hands and the sometimes quirky controls in the Airstream. We've gradually learned how things work. A borrower's eyes would glaze over before we could go through the how-to instructions on the water system, the electrical system, the composting toilet, the old and breakable door latch, etc. People are optimistic and tend to assume it will all work "fine" in some way that they will intuitively understand.

I don't want to have to take the time to repair the consequences of someone's well intentioned ignorance.

[ukulele2010]

I would loan our Airstream out, my wife wouldn't (so we don't). My wife did agree that we could loan it out to my parents (not that they've asked...). To me, it's just stuff and it is replaceable. I actually feel guilty owning the Airstream, in some sense. It is just not going to get used a lot in the near future (little use during the week, as both my wife and I work...). When I pass homeless people I think about how they would likely be more comfortable in an Airstream vs. on the street. Yes, sure, we earned it, it is ours, etc. I understand ownership and working and earning and saving and etc... Still, it's a home that can be useful to others. Your mileage may vary - according to this thread - it is more probable than not.

[Tyvekcat]

Way back in 1978 day, my parent were approached by our minister and asked them if a couple that went to our church, could live in the 3 year old Shasta, for four months. I never knew the circumstances.
Really put the pressure to my parents. I remember my old man said no at first. Finally they relented and said ok. I remember helping my old man set it up out behind the church, plugged into the church's electricity. They used water in it but used rest room facilities in the Church. I don't remember what they did with the grey water. I remember my father going to work in the morning sometimes and say he had to stop by the church on the way home and fix something on the camper. He did that quite a bit. Sometimes I would ride my bicycle and meet him there to help. Once, it was something broke on the door latch.
Any-hoo, 4 months lasted a little over 6 months, it was like all summer. I remember when I helped my old man pick it up. He never said anything, that morning. We didn't go back home, with it. We took it directly to a RV dealer and he sold it on consignment.
Hated that. So I would not loan out my AS.

[cwf]

Sure!!!

A few "rules"... You give me the cash for it. I will hold it for you. When you get back I will have everything repaired / cleaned acceptable to my wife's preference
And deduct the amount from the cash you left for me to keep warm for you.

If it doesn't come back in a repairable state, the money I am holding is considered a deposit on the remainder you owe to repair/replace.

BTW, they don't make the 34's anymore...so the "cash"'will be impressive.

[Msmoto]

Even for the most generous owner who may wish to loan their Airstream, I doubt a borrower would have the knowledge and experience to properly pull, set up, and then repeat alone the reconnection and return pull. My "preflight" checklist requires several minutes to properly carry out, and folks who borrow usually do not care for other's stuff this way.


Ms Tommie Lauer
Greensboro, NC
2015 Serenity 30 RB / 2008 Dodge Cummins 4 X 4
WBCCI #4165 AIR #31871

[switz]

It took lots of time to learn the systems on the trailer and even longer to fine tune them. I have a very vested interest in making sure everything is operated properly, tire pressures checked, wheel lug nuts checked etc. Our setup requires a tow vehicle setup up like ours. There is a proper way to run the modifications made to our truck.

My son once said of a rental car we were rear ended in, "Don't worry Dad, it is just a rental." However, it was someone else's property.

I think the many posters that said they would let the guests stay in the house while they used the AS hit the nail on the head. Everyone vaguely knows how to operate home equipment, the mobile equipment is not always intuitive.

Our truck and trailer will end up with new owners after we are buried and that's okay.. We can't take it with us....

[Piggy Bank]

Unless you do it Springsteen style...

Honey when I die throw my body in the back, and drive me to the junkyard in my Cadillac.