Newbie question about Airstream's...

[Homeby5]

What is it that makes them so popular and seemingly more expensive than many others? Is the quality and longevity much better?
The reason I am asking is that we are just starting to shop for used TT's and we are torn about spending the money for them.
Thanks guys

[Griswald One]

My observation in regards to Air Stream... They are basically the Air Jordan's of the RV industry... They look shiny, have a big brand name and people buy them because they want people to know "I spent more then you on my fancy bucket!" I have seen nothing about an Airstream that justifies it's price above it's competitors. Sometimes a running shoe... is just a running shoe!

Now that I have said that I am sure there will be a lineup of Airstream users ready to tell me why I am wrong

I know many people fall for the lies they tell about towability. I have been at shows where they have a display with a sedan pulling a 30ft Airstream. Don't fall for it! In my jurisdiction and I suspect most others that set up would never pass an inspection. The positive I see to them is the solid exterior that is going to be less prone to damage or leaks. The negative is they don't have the flexibility that slide outs offer in almost every other brand. Their interiors are very pretty but almost completely void of functional space. Most other brands have better storage, bigger kitchen spaces and larger bathrooms.

Good luck with the shopping. Look at as many models as you can... Even Airstream... and find the floor plan that suits you and your family best!

[Ray,IN]

A buddy bought a new 30' Airstream TT in 1976, in 2006 he took it back to the factory to have the shiny exterior polished and sealed. He now has Parkinsons and can no longer drive. He was offered $45K for it this year, as they kept the interior spotless. That's about what it cost new in 1976.

Newer years have slide-outs, his did not.

[Kenneth Neal]

I agree with Griswald One. If you like to pay a lot and get a little buy an AirStream. AirSteam has a cult following. Don't be fooled just so you can look cool.

[twogypsies]

We know a couple who said 'never again'. They had a hard time using it in the snowbird states in winter (not freezing temps but cold at night) because it got too cold inside. Insulation was terrible. Plus, they loose cabinet space by the curved roof.

[sam-3]

Get on the www.Airstream and motor home web site. Study the issue for your selves. Most of them cost more than a house. Quality is very poor for the price. Airstreams will always leak. Just a matter of when this will happen. Even if you buy a used one that needs restoration you are looking at least a $10.000 in parts plus thousands of hrs. of labor. Best of luck as you study this for yourself. Rent an Airstream and see how you like them.

[windsorbill]

Here's the sister site to IRV2. Lots of information for you to research/read.

https://www.airforums.com/forums/f156/

[PKI]

Airstream - First, they leak if you don't maintain them and the plywood floors rot out. Second, they are rebuildable if you are willing to do the work. Third, they have one of the very best RV communities. Fourth, they are not a four season trailer - made to chase the 70's, like RVers should. Fifth, they have few bad years - the 02/03 22s had bad frames. Sixth, they are iconic and met with smiles everywhere. Seventh, the ten year rule usually gets ignored if you travel with an AS. Eighth, not having slides does mean less problems, so don't sell that short. Nineth, they are expensive to repair if you blow a tire - $3-5K. Tenth, just like every other manufacturer, ASs have suffered poor quality in some years, but nothing that DIY folks can't make right - RVing is a participant pastime.

Are they worth the money? You get it back when you sell - if you are careful. Buying used is less costly. The new models have some better features. Lots to learn to get it all right.

The reason to buy - they tow much better than most SOBs. Low center of gravity, less frontal area, less side area, a slippery shape, independent suspension - lever arms, not leaf springs - all help to smooth the experience.

Note - never buy more than you can write a check to buy. No RV is that good. The fiberglass similar kin have many of the advantages too - Casita, Big Foot, Olivers. Other trailers made from Alum were considered better - SilverStreak, Avion ..... they just did not have the marketing drive of the Airstream brand.

EDIT - check out the "Keep Your Daydream" You-Tube channel videos - they went from SOB Bumper pull to 5er to tear drop to AS.

[kcdogger]

Airstream owners are a different breed. The things most people find annoying to downright weird are the things that delight them. Owning a park meant we have seen many. Everyone went on high alert whenever one checked in. Parking them took three times the normal. We watched as they leveled them one sheet of paper at a time (not much of an exaggeration either). Sometimes they were leveling, repositioning and just jockeying their rigs around for hours. After they get situated, there was often a period of hours they spent polishing the aluminum. And if there was a tree they felt was in the wrong spot, an elk or deer strolled too close or there was the potential for rain, you were going to hear about it. If someone was going to complain that the sun rose in the east and set in the west it was going to be an Airstream owner. They are also extremely proud and possessive of their rigs. Never ask why, just accept they are the greatest thing since sliced bread and move on. Personally I don't get them, but I don't get Jackson Pollock's paintings either and that could be a $100,000,000 mistake.

[JpalmerCass]

I have the impression the Airstream is an exercise in style, which is cool if you know that's what you're doing.

The failure of the Camplite, which was almost all aluminum, including the floor, but looked conventional is telling.

[Gary RVRoamer]

PKI gave a pretty good summary.


There are a lot of relatively expensive features & materials use in an Airstream, so it is going to be more expensive than many other brands. The folks who focus heavily on price won't ever see extra value. so they won't touch an Airstream, and probably not a New Horizons or Doubleday either. That said, folks pay a lot extra for Michelin tires too, and don't get any extra value for it. Good advertising and a cult-like following adds to a healthy profit margin. Airstream is probably one of the few RV brands that can charge whatever MSRP they want without worrying that the competition will cut them off at the knees.


So, before you decide that Airstream is all hype (or maybe the best ever), what brands and models are you comparing? Is it Airstream Bambi vs Rockwood Geo-Pro? Or maybe a Classic vs a an Alpha Wolf?



I think you can make a good case that Airstreams are overpriced, but that doesn't mean they are totally without merit.

[Teamfoxy]

My first RV was a class C built on a Toyota chassis. We bought it because it was less expensive than renting a class for a month. Little did we know that they had a cult following and that 5 years later we would be able to sell it for what we paid for it.
Was it a great RV? NO. Was it well built? Not really. It was overweight before it left the factory. That is why Toyota stopped selling chassis to coach builders.
I'm not saying anything about Airstream quality, but I do think that some brands develope a fantastic reputation that has no basis in reality. Others get an undeserved bad reputation. Airstream is now a Thor company. How does that reconcile?

[baraff]

My father had an Airstream, early '70's build, I forget what model. It was lovely, but expensive to repair. One year he didn't winterize it properly and he had burst plumbing. The plumbing was all copper, it cost him a small fortune to track down, access, and repair all the split tubing. But other than that it was a solidly built trailer. He pulled it with an 80's era Chevy Suburban, which gave him no end of troubles. He finally got frustrated with it and sold the whole rig, and got out of RVing.
Years later he told me the most fun he and Mom had was towing a pop up on an extended tour of the West.

[PKI]

Originally Posted by Teamfoxy

-- snip --Airstream is now a Thor company. How does that reconcile?

Airstream was the foundation that Thor was built upon. Airstream was on it's knees and Beatrice Foods did a deal to finance the purchase of Airstream to get the company off their books. While other companies just faded away, Airstream had the Iconic history to be viable and keep on RVing. From that restart, Thor was built.

Throw stones if you want, but that just adds patina to the Airstream shell.