26U Twin Question

[MWBishop]

How are you guys liking the 26U?
I am getting cold feet and considering a 5'er instead for a few reasons:
- Half the price.
- Don't plan to boon-dock or dry-camp.
- Much more livable I think (recliners, fireplace, more room for dogs).
- Not being retired afraid the AS would almost be wasted.
- Nowhere near any place to get warrantee work performed on AS.
- Local SOB dealership is 2-3 miles away (best to buy local).

I've been studying for some time and I know the good, bad, and ugly of both AS and SOBs.

I realize the quality of most SOBs is usually no where near AS, but AS is an expensive toy only being able to get out a couple of weekends a month and maybe a week or two here or there (or less if have to run to Jackson for any work to be done). It would be great to get out there and truly "Airstream" but the reality is I'm 12-15 years from seeing that happen if at all.

[mwkersh]

Originally Posted by MWBishop

How are you guys liking the 26U?

I am getting cold feet and considering a 5'er instead for a few reasons:

- Half the price.

- Don't plan to boon-dock or dry-camp.

- Much more livable I think (recliners, fireplace, more room for dogs).

- Not being retired afraid the AS would almost be wasted.

- Nowhere near any place to get warrantee work performed on AS.

- Local SOB dealership is 2-3 miles away (best to buy local).



I've been studying for some time and I know the good, bad, and ugly of both AS and SOBs.



I realize the quality of most SOBs is usually no where near AS, but AS is an expensive toy only being able to get out a couple of weekends a month and maybe a week or two here or there (or less if have to run to Jackson for any work to be done). It would be great to get out there and truly "Airstream" but the reality is I'm 12-15 years from seeing that happen if at all.

That's a really individual decision and something I wrestled with as well. This is our 4th RV. We started with a 17' hybrid to see if we Wouk like it, then a 29' TT with a bunkhouse, then a 35' MH. Now our kids don't camp with us and we don't need as much space. The 26U, after only spending one night it in, seems to work for my wife and I. There is enough space for us.

We really downscaled from our MH but my wife wouldn't drive it. She will tow, so that's really helpful to take longer trips.

No on use vs value, we are in the same situation where we are probably 10-12 years from really being able to take advantage of it, but that's also the window we both will be working at our max so we plan to pay it off in that time as well. That was a big consideration for us to pull the trigger now.

The one thing I know is this RV will last that timeframe and beyond. With regular maintenance and upkeep it'll be there when we have the time to travel whenever we want and the bonus will be it's paid for.

[cabinetmaker]

Originally Posted by MWBishop

How are you guys liking the 26U?
I am getting cold feet and considering a 5'er instead for a few reasons:
- Half the price.
- Don't plan to boon-dock or dry-camp.
- Much more livable I think (recliners, fireplace, more room for dogs).
- Not being retired afraid the AS would almost be wasted.
- Nowhere near any place to get warrantee work performed on AS.
- Local SOB dealership is 2-3 miles away (best to buy local).

I've been studying for some time and I know the good, bad, and ugly of both AS and SOBs.

I realize the quality of most SOBs is usually no where near AS, but AS is an expensive toy only being able to get out a couple of weekends a month and maybe a week or two here or there (or less if have to run to Jackson for any work to be done). It would be great to get out there and truly "Airstream" but the reality is I'm 12-15 years from seeing that happen if at all.

MW...in 12-15 years that SOB will be dead and gone. The Airstream will be just broken in and still look like new. Most people can't tell a new Airstream from a well maintained old one.

In 12 years your Airstream will have retained value...you won't be able to give that SOB away.

A friend just bought a new 5er...if you get a decent brand with features the price is not that much different from Airstreams. Oh, and he has had to take it back to the shop after every use. Last trip he had planned one of the slideouts malfunctioned and dealer couldn't get parts so they made a 3 week long trip without being able to slide one of the rooms. Yuk! The front landing gear has had problems. He is very disappointed and it;s a named brand.

No thanks...my Airstream 26U hasn't been back to the dealer and were on our 4th trip. This is our 5th airstream and none had major issues. We tried the SOB's too but were never happy and always came back to Airstream.

If you get a SOB and then decide you made a mistake your stuck...no trade or resale value. If you buy a Airstream and decide you want to move up to a 30' you can and still have your shirt.

[DKB_SATX]

I'll second cabinetmaker's reasons for preferring an Airstream. We're just weekend warriors for now, but in 6 years of weekend-and-vacation trips we covered over 22000 miles and 139 nights in a 1975 Argosy 24' trailer that had been well-maintained and had certain key updates, but was essentially original. All the frame, skin, paint, furniture, subfloor, windows, etc. were original and worked well. The refrigerator, stove and AC unit were all original, and when we bought it the water pump was original (though I had to change that 2 or 3 years in.)

We're big guys and wanted more room, and we decided after 6 years we were likely to stick with the RVing hobby. We're in the Airstream club which is a big social outlet for me, and we camp with a fun group of people who eat way too much good food and drink just enough decent booze, so there's always fun to be had. We feel like the 26U plan is going to be really good for addressing all the little things we wanted to be better than the Argosy, plus be more modern and easier to take longer trips (I can work on the road, he gets long stretches between blocks of shifts.)

I figure we'll probably camp in this 26U for 10-15 years and perhaps buy one more for our last one, when I'm in my 60s. Time will tell if that plan will go awry...

[MWBishop]

Thanks for the comments.
I know, I know.
SOB boxes do have a lot of doodads, but just more to break.
And yes, after 12-15 years they are done.
All TTs can have a single point of failure, but an SOB would be more prone.
Like your example - if a main slide fails the whole camper can be useless.
Slides provide great space, but more to maintain and more to fail.
That's the attraction to AS - attempt to keep things simple and basic.
No auto-levelers, no push-button awnings, etc. and I like that.
And I know a good, well maintained AS will last longer than me.
Ultimately, it really is what we want so should just roll the dice.
Little problems I can handle. And I bigger QC issues?
Well, guess just have to deal with them when/if they come up.
I do like hearing others strayed and returned back to AS.
I need to remember - my neighbor had 2 class A motorhomes.
EVERY time they took them out something didn't work - she hated 'em.
So thanks for encouragement and I'll try to keep from freaking out.
Ours is not scheduled to roll out until mid-May - maybe I'll survive till then.

[MWBishop]

Sorry for a long post, but maybe this will help another potential newbie to be when considering an AS but freaks out over the cost.

So... 2 days ago made a pilgrimage to Knoxville and looked at about a dozen ASs from Basecamp to Classic (even a Bahama), but mostly to actually see/touch/try-on a 26U that we initially picked would be best for us. And having ordered one sight unseen I though maybe not a bad idea to check one out. Have to say the quality of AS is exactly as expected and in some ways better. We left feeling very excited about AS and the 26U. The four hour drive home gave us plenty of time to rationalize why the AS is the right choice. It's settled.

So...slept on it again and the price-monkey attacked, again. Time to reconsider, again. Ran the numbers, again. Ugh, the amount of $$$ for the AS is just too frighteningly high (after all I'm not Bill Gates). We cannot spent this much money that we don't have on essentially a toy.

So...yesterday go to local SOB dealership. Oh man, the Grand Design Reflection 5ers are awesome. Not AS of course and certainly they are too super-big, but wow. Seemingly good build quality and have heated theater seats, triple slides, auto everything, and heck even a fireplace! Now this is glamping at it's best. Like a hungry fish seeing a shiny lure I'll bite! And half the price of the AS at that! Really seems to be the perfect choice at this stage of our lives. But before leaving, however, we decided to walk thru some used 5ers just see examples of what ours might look like in 5 to 10 years. Oh my. All looked old and dated. Some were just nasty and smelled really bad. Some were seemingly already at end of life. Very discouraging. Now my head is spinning. Looks like I picked the wrong month to quit Xanax and cigarettes. But if I get a new 5er this won't happen to mine, right?

So...today decided the 5er it will be. But need to go to CAT scale and weigh the F250 to make sure the 5er will work. Never mind the fact that I traded a new F150 Platinum for the new F250 Platinum specifically for towing the AS. Yes, the F150 would have done the job, but to feel safer and have a more confident towing experience I bought the F250 diesel (and I do love the truck). Never mind that it would be the irony of all ironies if the cost of the F250 was the very thing that made me too afraid to spent the $$$ on the AS.

So... wow, the F250 is a heavy beast indeed. As I suspected if I want to stay absolutely in the weight limits stated for the truck, really almost any 5er except the smallest of the small and the crappiest of the crappy will simply be too heavy based on the yellow payload sticker and the GVWR. Some would argue that as long as stay within axle weights then would be ok. But others (like me) would say the posted GVWR means something. I mean, if the posted "do not exceed" numbers for a truck do not have any value then why post them in the first place? Therefore given I want to be safe for all involved, seems any good 5er is just out.

So... back to TTs. There's Grand Design, Coachmen, Winnebago, etc. Just seemingly an endless list of somewhat descent ones. But after looking at AS, none except the really high end ones (if there is such a thing) make the grade. I know each buyer has to get that he/she can afford, but I just can't bring myself to get another TT knowing I probably will not be satisfied and would regret not ponying up and just getting the AS.

So... back to the AS. Assuming no disasters and after running all the numbers 50 different ways again, it'll cost an additional 40K and take one extra year to get everything paid off (house, F250, 26U). Ok, it's do-able. . Financially not very smart, but is any RV? Wouldn't it be worse to get another only to go thru this again? And in the end, if get *anything* else, every time we see any AS we'll sigh, wish we had just splurged, and wonder "what if".

So... moral of the story? Likely will be stop freaking out, get the AS, and enjoy life. For us only the arrival of our 26U and time will tell...

[DKB_SATX]

MWBishop, I'm coming to the 26U from the opposite direction. We started out doing the Airstream thing on a shoestring, I had set money aside over time for a move we figured was a 75% probability, but my partner matched to a residency in the same city and I had suddenly-unallocated money. I'd wanted an Airstream for years, he didn't think it was crazy, I found our vintage 24' Argosy and we were off. 6 years of fun, maintenance, upgrades, fun, and more fun in the Airstream found us at a campout with our WBCCI unit not too far up the road from home. We were talking about our experiences, with a bigger camping dog than we started out with, a few long-range many-night trips under our belts and some near-future plans. With 139 nights in the Argosy spread across 22,000 miles and 6 years, we decided we were probably going to stick with this Airstreaming thing for a while and my partner expressed some opinions about more comfort, space, features and ease. (Apparently I'm good at giving him dirty looks if he does something I feel like is threatening to creaky 40-year-old interior bits, too!)

So, as you experienced, the hunt was on. We'd already been in lots of other people's trailers, and I'd seen the 26U online since it hit the first RV show but hadn't put my butt on the cushions of one. We talked about what we wanted, targeted several sizes and plans to look at, and agreed without reservation that we liked the 26U best. Barring an unforeseen problem, I think it's a 10-15 year trailer for us. If we're really lucky, in 15 years there won't be one we want more than the one I'm heading out to bring home next week. Prepare for pictures.

[LilBigfoot]

Originally Posted by MWBishop

So... moral of the story? Likely will be stop freaking out, get the AS, and enjoy life. For us only the arrival of our 26U and time will tell...

Wow....Is your head ever spinning! You only live once my friend.....if not now....when?

[Crazycanucks]

Originally Posted by MWBishop

Sorry for a long post, but maybe this will help another potential newbie to be when considering an AS but freaks out over the cost.



So... 2 days ago made a pilgrimage to Knoxville and looked at about a dozen ASs from Basecamp to Classic (even a Bahama), but mostly to actually see/touch/try-on a 26U that we initially picked would be best for us. And having ordered one sight unseen I though maybe not a bad idea to check one out. Have to say the quality of AS is exactly as expected and in some ways better. We left feeling very excited about AS and the 26U. The four hour drive home gave us plenty of time to rationalize why the AS is the right choice. It's settled.



So...slept on it again and the price-monkey attacked, again. Time to reconsider, again. Ran the numbers, again. Ugh, the amount of $$$ for the AS is just too frighteningly high (after all I'm not Bill Gates). We cannot spent this much money that we don't have on essentially a toy.



So...yesterday go to local SOB dealership. Oh man, the Grand Design Reflection 5ers are awesome. Not AS of course and certainly they are too super-big, but wow. Seemingly good build quality and have heated theater seats, triple slides, auto everything, and heck even a fireplace! Now this is glamping at it's best. Like a hungry fish seeing a shiny lure I'll bite! And half the price of the AS at that! Really seems to be the perfect choice at this stage of our lives. But before leaving, however, we decided to walk thru some used 5ers just see examples of what ours might look like in 5 to 10 years. Oh my. All looked old and dated. Some were just nasty and smelled really bad. Some were seemingly already at end of life. Very discouraging. Now my head is spinning. Looks like I picked the wrong month to quit Xanax and cigarettes. But if I get a new 5er this won't happen to mine, right?



So...today decided the 5er it will be. But need to go to CAT scale and weigh the F250 to make sure the 5er will work. Never mind the fact that I traded a new F150 Platinum for the new F250 Platinum specifically for towing the AS. Yes, the F150 would have done the job, but to feel safer and have a more confident towing experience I bought the F250 diesel (and I do love the truck). Never mind that it would be the irony of all ironies if the cost of the F250 was the very thing that made me too afraid to spent the $$$ on the AS.



So... wow, the F250 is a heavy beast indeed. As I suspected if I want to stay absolutely in the weight limits stated for the truck, really almost any 5er except the smallest of the small and the crappiest of the crappy will simply be too heavy based on the yellow payload sticker and the GVWR. Some would argue that as long as stay within axle weights then would be ok. But others (like me) would say the posted GVWR means something. I mean, if the posted "do not exceed" numbers for a truck do not have any value then why post them in the first place? Therefore given I want to be safe for all involved, seems any good 5er is just out.



So... back to TTs. There's Grand Design, Coachmen, Winnebago, etc. Just seemingly an endless list of somewhat descent ones. But after looking at AS, none except the really high end ones (if there is such a thing) make the grade. I know each buyer has to get that he/she can afford, but I just can't bring myself to get another TT knowing I probably will not be satisfied and would regret not ponying up and just getting the AS.



So... back to the AS. Assuming no disasters and after running all the numbers 50 different ways again, it'll cost an additional 40K and take one extra year to get everything paid off (house, F250, 26U). Ok, it's do-able. . Financially not very smart, but is any RV? Wouldn't it be worse to get another only to go thru this again? And in the end, if get *anything* else, every time we see any AS we'll sigh, wish we had just splurged, and wonder "what if".



So... moral of the story? Likely will be stop freaking out, get the AS, and enjoy life. For us only the arrival of our 26U and time will tell...

Do the resale math after 5 and 10 years, 5th wheel will be 25-35% of retail if you can sell it in 5 . 10 years out it's a no value proposition.
Look online at 5 year old AS's... 60-75% and a good majority of 10 year old units are getting at least 50% of retail.... and you get to enjoy the AS life/social scene ... we spent months agonizing over the $$$ outlay for our 26U , tried to buy 25-27 ft used but they were either sold right away or the price was within reach of the new 26U............FYI the theatre seats will be dated soon enough.

[switz]

Go back to the model of the 26U twin and look carefully at the mattress and the wooden support. You may find that, if needed, a custom length mattress can be ordered for the really tall folks.

We are unfortunately getting shorter per the doctors height measurement this time. I was shocked but my feet still reach the ground at 5' 5". We have the twins in our 2014 31' Classic and had left the factory mattresses at the factory and installed exact size duplicate 8" Rocky Mountain twin mattresses. The Airstream factory custom 600 thread sheets fit perfectly. But the head (towards the rear) is about 4" away from the curvature. If we shove the mattress back, then there is about 4" of the wood support showing at the foot of the mattress. If the mattress is at the bottom of the board, there is about 8" to the wall at the foot of the bed.

The night stand is about 2" above the mattress even with the 1" HyperVent Marine spacer to prevent mildew (http://www.hyperventmarine.com) under the mattress.

If we decide to upgrade the mattresses, we would consider a 10" thick Rocky Mountain mattress set and make them 4" or 5" longer. We have the 10" Rocky Mountain mattress in our 23D and really like it. The custom fitted sheets would have to be ordered from a different vendor with the longer and thicker mattresses.

YMMV

[MQF]

The used SOB section of an RV dealer and looking at 10 SOB trailers on Craigslist was enough to push me to order an airstream, it was between the 26u and the 30' classic. Price and usage made the 26u a better choice for us.