Airstream Dreams

[FeatherFam]

We've been dreaming about Airstreams of late. We really like the 30 Classic, 27FB, and 30J. It is possible for us to save for one. It would have to be our retirement purchase, and it would limit or eliminate a few other areas of retirement activity. But it may be worth it. The good news is we have time. We are saving for "something," either a single big purchase like an Airstream or a "package plan" that would include a less expensive RV with more travel and adventure budget. Both would be great.

[RogerR]

Saw a 27 ft airstream on rv trader in colorado. $9500 a lot heavier than current models but pics looked nice

[FeatherFam]

A lightly used unit would be more doable for us. My uncle found a beautiful 27' that had been used three times and kept in a barn for three years. An older Air Force officer bought it with every feature available. He and his wife decided that they wanted a big bus/Class A. So they stored the Airstream. They are out there for sure.

I will say that it looks like Thor is doing not messing up the formula with the Airstream division. The 2018s are absolutely spectacular! You make concessions with space, but the quality of materials and craftsmanship is worth to me, if you have the wallet. It's said that they spend 8 hours just on the entry door.

[Midnightmoon]

Having owned one, I can honestly say that I am cured of the Airstream dream. Ours was a used 31' Excella. We dealt with rear floor rot, popped/missing rivets, and leaks that we could not stop.

Thinking that the issues that we had were due to buying used, we actually considered a new one a couple of years ago. We were standing in a brand new 2015 FB Flying Cloud at the former Airstream of Western PA watching water run in between a seam in the skin above the sink. That was enough for us.

Are they nice.....Absolutely. Are they worth the money....questionable. Are they free of the troubles of the average RV.......absolutely not.

[FeatherFam]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Having owned one, I can honestly say that I am cured of the Airstream dream. Ours was a used 31' Excella. We dealt with rear floor rot, popped/missing rivets, and leaks that we could not stop.

Thinking that the issues that we had were due to buying used, we actually considered a new one a couple of years ago. We were standing in a brand new 2015 FB Flying Cloud at the former Airstream of Western PA watching water run in between a seam in the skin above the sink. That was enough for us.

Are they nice.....Absolutely. Are they worth the money....questionable. Are they free of the troubles of the average RV.......absolutely not.

Huh . . . What? I've been asleep?
I was in the most incredible trailer. it was all shiny and sleek. And then the sky went black, and the ground began to shake - A massive crater opened up and swallowed the glistening trailer. i stood alone atop the crater. I watched as the last bit of sparkle succumbed to the deep earth.

What's for breakfast? Thought we go look at Jaycos today!

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by FeatherFam

Huh . . . What? I've been asleep. I was in the most incredible trailer. it was all shiny and sleek. And then the sky went black, and the ground began to shake - A massive crater opened up and swallowed the glistening trailer. i stood alone atop the crater. I watched as the last bit of sparkle succumbed to the deep earth.

What's for breakfast? Thought we go look at Jaycos today!

I had a Scrapple sandwich with cheese and mayo.

Seriously, I'm sorry to be the downer in the conversation. But they are not what the image makes them out to be.

[Mark S]

Originally Posted by FeatherFam

Huh . . . What? I've been asleep. I was in the most incredible trailer. it was all shiny and sleek. And then the sky went black, and the ground began to shake - A massive crater opened up and swallowed the glistening trailer. i stood alone atop the crater. I watched as the last bit of sparkle succumbed to the deep earth.

What's for breakfast? Thought we go look at Jaycos today!

I love that response!! Not sure I understand it completely but I love it. Well done!

[FeatherFam]

You guys are awesome!

[FeatherFam]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

I had a Scrapple sandwich with cheese and mayo.

Seriously, I'm sorry to be the downer in the conversation. But they are not what the image makes them out to be.

Not at all, I appreciate your experience. We would have to score a great deal to even consider it. We love all trailers!

[chasfenwick]

We bought a new 2010 Airstream int’l Serenity 23D and used it a fair amount for two years. So we know plenty about the limitations of Airstreams. By and large they are mostly image. A cult. But in campgrounds they definitely attract a great deal more attention than our Precept does. Quite the conversation starter. Even HERE!

[clubhouse]

I too really appreciate the classic look and modern styling of the Airstream. Still think occasionally that I might get one when my kids are grown since space will become far less of an issue.

None of us with RVs/TTs believe there is a perfect issue free brand out there, Airstream is no exception. In fact my neighbor had a new Bambi that developed a rook leak within the first year that the dealer struggled to fix, so much so they ended up trading it for a Cloud that has been issue free for 4 years. No differnt than our Jayco’s, some are totally trouble free and others are a mess.

[Crabman]

Airstream Dreams, love the thread title. I always thought one of their greatest attributes was they did not leak, but in reading some posts that may be a myth.

[chasfenwick]

Originally Posted by Crabman

Airstream Dreams, love the thread title. I always thought one of their greatest attributes was they did not leak, but in reading some posts that may be a myth.

Leaks are one of the biggest problems that Airstreams have. And by the very nature of its construction, an Airstream’s insulation is very poor; heat and cold are conducted directly from the outer skin to the inner skin. The Fiberglas bats don’t do much for insulation, and they tend to become saturated with water.

[SkyBound]

I never had the Airstream dream. My grandparents had one when I was little but I never had any desire to go camping in a spaceship. Interior height is also a factor for tall guys like myself. To each their own, but this modern, fancy, Euro styling going on in trailers like Airstreams just isn't appealing to me. I wish Jayco made a more rustic, cabin/lodge style interior to be honest (look up Keystone Fireside). The thing that bothers me the most about the Airstream dream is some of the vehicles that I see pulling them. Just because it's got a Hensley hitch doesn't mean an Altima can pull it!

[oh355mbqs]

I live about 15 mins from the Airstream factory here in Ohio. I know several people that work there. They just added 90,000 square feet to manufacturing because they can't keep up, I believe now it is more of the Sprinter style vans than the trailers. They do offer tours everyday if you are anywhere near Jackson Center Ohio. My brother has an Airstream, he purchased it for about nothing, it had been damaged in a storm and was setting at the repair facility at the factory when the people decided to sell. I helped him some, had the thing completely gutted at one point. What I noticed, all of the appliances (furnace, stove, water heater etc) are the same exact brand as the Keystone Laredo I owned at the time. What I do notice about the Airstream is the towing. My brothers is somewhere around 30' long and is a 2004. It has torsion axles and shocks from the factory. It will actually set level, no need for the tongue jack to hold the front of the trailer up. He and I both had similar trucks, GM 2500HD with the 6.0, when we were towing, he would get much better fuel mileage, similar length and weight campers. My fuel mileage was 8, his was 12-14. We were running together so speeds and roads were identical.

[Tokyotea]

Originally Posted by Midnightmoon

Having owned one, I can honestly say that I am cured of the Airstream dream. Ours was a used 31' Excella. We dealt with rear floor rot, popped/missing rivets, and leaks that we could not stop.

Thinking that the issues that we had were due to buying used, we actually considered a new one a couple of years ago. We were standing in a brand new 2015 FB Flying Cloud at the former Airstream of Western PA watching water run in between a seam in the skin above the sink. That was enough for us.

Are they nice.....Absolutely. Are they worth the money....questionable. Are they free of the troubles of the average RV.......absolutely not.

I second that! The “Airstream” brand has been synonymous with quality and longevity but that is no longer the state of the company or the product after Thor took over.

We purchased a 2017 in April of this year and it stayed in the shop for 3 months getting the flooring repaired. We noticed a soft spot in September and when probed with the moisture meter it read 50% moisture! When the certified Airstream mechanic went looking for the leak they discovered that the galley sink did not drain into the grey tank. HOW DID OUR UNIT LEAVE THE FACTORY LIKE THAT?! Also, the counter tops were just floating on the cabinets and were never attached. Along with other minor issues and lackluster response from the warranty department we are selling our unit and looking for an older Eagle Premier.

[TxLoser]

I'd have a tough time being ok with issues after spending that much on a trailer. I'd expect a premium product. I know it's all relative, but from my perspective that a lot scratch for something without an engine.

That being said, I do like the interiors. It's like an Ikea on wheels. Good use of small space. Too bad they have the same quality as issues as the other makes.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[ReelCool]

Originally Posted by FeatherFam

We've been dreaming about Airstreams of late. We really like the 30 Classic, 27FB, and 30J. It is possible for us to save for one. It would have to be our retirement purchase, and it would limit or eliminate a few other areas of retirement activity. But it may be worth it. The good news is we have time. We are saving for "something," either a single big purchase like an Airstream or a "package plan" that would include a less expensive RV with more travel and adventure budget. Both would be great.

I thought I wanted an AS when we traded our Class A diesel. A friend had an AS, so I thought I wanted one! I love the look of the interior, but would not trade the space of my WH dsrl for theirs. They purchased a 2014 27 Eddie Bauer new, kept it a year. After a 3 month cross country trip, it did not have the space inside to make them happy. They traded it for a new 2015 classic 32' and just traded for a new Class C motorhome. They got tired of towing a heavy camper. It also did not have much storage so everything was hauled in the back of the pickup with a topper. (I am not sure what they are going to do now as the new one has less storage). The classic had a lot of issues. Price point does not eliminate quality control! With the $$ lost in trades, they could have bought my camper two times over. During their AS ownership I learned a lot of the price is made up in snob appeal. As someone above said it is almost like a cult. I still like the interiors and vintage look. Even though the AS holds its value better than most, it still depreciates everyday just like a car or any other RV. So it is really not an investment. Just my thoughts.....

[DocBrown]

In looking at Airstreams here and there, and aside form the comments here, the owners I've talked to simply rave about their units.

Our problem with them is two fold. I have never seen anything bigger than a double bed in any of them. That's simply too small. We're used to a California king at home, and a queen in our hybrid. The other issue is that they all feel anti septic. Sure they look slick but I feel like I'm visiting my doctor's office. They just don't feel "homey" to us.

[norty1]

Most that have them love them. Not much in between. They are to heavy and expensive for me but I like to look at them.

Especially if they are shiny.