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Old 01-21-2020, 06:14 PM   #1
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Airstream or no?

Hi everyone,

We've got a Jayco x17z we've been using for years, but now that I am near retirement (yay me!) my husband and I want to upgrade to something bigger where we dont have to fold up sides and pack up a bed to move from campground to campground. If we get a travel trailer (versus a Class C with a small toad), we're leaning Airstream. We love the layout of the 25rb and we love the fact that it's spacious without slides which I am suspicious of. Concerns are
  1. is there enough outside storage for being gone 3-4 months at a time?
  2. can you boondock in one?

Interested in hearing what others who have considered an Airstream decided. If you didn't buy one, what did you buy instead and why? If you did what do you think?
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Old 01-21-2020, 06:21 PM   #2
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Airstreams are loved by many, including me. But I’ve been posting here enough to know that there are many members that will tell you that it’s a bad choice. Too expensive. Not enough storage. Funny Euro interiors. Everything but the heartbreak of psoriasis.

Don’t listen to the naysayers. Do your own thing and enjoy!

Airstream has no problem selling at high prices and doing so for decades. Plus resale prices are great, too. The folks that will tell you “no” here are not Airstream’s market. They don’t get it at all.
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Old 01-21-2020, 06:57 PM   #3
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No storage space and way over priced. If you have the urge to restore, look for a 1980's vintage Avion trailer. Solid built units and priced lower than the older Airstreams....also better built.

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Old 01-21-2020, 07:19 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by creativepart View Post
Airstreams are loved by many, including me. But I’ve been posting here enough to know that there are many members that will tell you that it’s a bad choice. Too expensive. Not enough storage. Funny Euro interiors. Everything but the heartbreak of psoriasis.

Don’t listen to the naysayers. Do your own thing and enjoy!

Airstream has no problem selling at high prices and doing so for decades. Plus resale prices are great, too. The folks that will tell you “no” here are not Airstream’s market. They don’t get it at all.
I see you have a Winnebago.

Airstreams have a distinct look. Interior styling is modern, minimalist, some might consider it sterile. The rounded corners definitely limit storage space compared to trailers with a more square shape. They are more costly than nearly every other TT on the market. They are now owned by Thor.

A few other brands to consider would be Oliver, Outdoors RV and Arctic Fox.

We’re in the market for a vintage trailer. Airstream is off the list. I guess I don’t “get it.”
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Old 01-21-2020, 07:41 PM   #5
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Check out Lance trailers !!!!
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Old 01-21-2020, 07:49 PM   #6
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If you have serious interest in Airstream I would suggest reaching out to an Airstream owners forum to pose your questions and find out what true Airstream owners have to say and why. They are expensive compared to other similar size competitors offer but their quality and resale is not comparable. Those that speak negatively about them likely have not owned one. Yes, they certainly are not for many folks, me included, but if you have strong interest in one, dig into the details with a reputable dealer, the factory and owners and enjoy the adventure with whatever brand you end up purchasing.
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Old 01-22-2020, 05:42 AM   #7
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Will a 100k Airstream sell for 80k in 2 or 3 years? I think so, so they depreciate more than a 25k trailer in 2 or 3 years...correct? Simply because there is more to depreciate. Now at 5 - 7 years do Airsteam trailers level off and slow down depreciation?

If I was looking for an Airstream trailer I would look at the sweet spot where they stop depreciation.
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Old 01-22-2020, 06:12 AM   #8
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I grew up camping with my parents in their Airstream trailers. They were very good in terms of structure but very poor in terms of insulation and storage.

Like you, I was leary of slides but the technology has evolved to the point they are worth considering. If you need light, I'd take a look at Lance, If you want bulletproof, go with a Northwood product.

We have gone through just about all the RV options. We found gas Class A and C to be too noisy and they drove as if they were overloaded. We loved our DP for travel, but it didn't work so good if we sere set up for a long time and where we could go with it was limited due to size. And it was very expensive to keep on the road. Our 20' no slide TT was great. Very mobile and easy to tow. But after one winter in Az it was just too much togetherness for us to enjoy. Currently towing a 27-5 Arctic Fox that we are very happy with. Far from perfect, but the best compromise we have found between ability to go where we want and comfort.

There is no perfect RV. You need to determine what your needs are and what your wants are. Balance the two. I would suggest looking at the used market until you have settled on what you want. You will save a lot of money that way. If you decide you will be towing, buy more truck than you need to start with. I'd strongly recommend a one ton diesel. It's very easy to tow with too much truck but very uncomfortable to tow with too little.
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Old 01-22-2020, 07:13 AM   #9
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I went over to the silver side after being dissatisfied with my previous six RVs.
I’m leery of slides. I’m leery of unnecessary complexity. I’m leery of poor craftsmanship. I experienced all of those in this journey, and lost many dollars on depreciation along the way.
Yes, Airstreams cost more money. They also depreciate, but if you look at depreciation as a percentage rather than raw dollars, they hold their value much better than most other brands.
Storage is sparse. Get yourself a truck, consider a cap to keep everything dry. And get at least a 3/4 ton truck. The extra cargo capacity will come in handy.
It hasn’t been perfect, I had a couple of warranty issues at first, but once resolved it’s been smooth sailing ever since.
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Old 01-22-2020, 07:59 AM   #10
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I owned a 1993 29’ Airstream Excella which was a very good trailer. I thought I needed a bigger trailer for retirement years so I got a 2006 Airstream Classic 34’ triple axle. We stayed in it for 3/4 months at a time. Camper storage is minimal. We had a pickup with shell over box and that was where most items were stored that were lawn chair size or bigger. I can say the build quality of the newer Airstreams including my 2006 were not the same as earlier ones. I had an issue with the braking system on the 2006 and received zero help from Airstream. We eventually traded it for a class A because we full timed and the Airstream was too small for us.
Do I still like Airstreams? Absolutely. Would I consider another one. Only if the price was right, we were ready to downsize from a 43’ class A with 4 slides and our RV lifestyle changed from full time.
As an alternative to an Airstream in the 25 ‘ size I would serious consider a Bigfoot camper. They run around $50,000-60,000 new and well built. I was always concerned I would get caught in a hail storm with the airstream which can result in major damage and very hard to fix. Nearly happened to us.
I still love the look of Airstreams. Once an airstream owner it’s hard to get out of your blood. Like owning a Harley.
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