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Airstream trailer?


Dave McReynolds

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Dave McReynolds

I'm thinking about buying an Airstream trailer. Since you can get two good trailers for the price of one Airstream, most people would probably ask me, "Why?" But in a forum devoted to BMW motorcycles, hopefully I won't have to get too bogged down with that question. The question I'm interested in, like Kathy's question about the car she wants to buy, is what to pay for it.

 

I bought a book, How to Buy an Airstream, by C S Michael. In that book, he stated that 20% would be a reasonable discount off MSRP. The No Cal Airstream dealer feels that 5% would be a reasonable discount, and that Michael must have been smoking funny stuff when he wrote that. I'm not in any particular hurry to get one, although I'd like to have one by spring. I'm not adverse to traveling a few hundred miles to save 15%. I assume the local dealer might budge a few percent and I might budge a few percent, but I have the feeling that there will still be about a 10% gap between what each of us is willing to do. I would think that now would be a better time to buy than spring, as demand might increase in the spring, but I don't know.

 

Does anyone have any experience with this? Like a person who wants a BMW motorcycle, I don't mind paying whatever I have to pay, I just don't want to pay more than I have to. Unfortunately, I guess you have to play this negotiating game, which I am not very good at, to find out what the right price is.

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Dave, we bought a new 28 foot International Serenity 2 years ago for 20% off MSRP. Only catch was it had been in their inventory for several months and their regular patrons seemed to always favor the "Classic" style. Best advice would be to join the airforum.com family and you can glean a great deal of great information on airstreams from experienced owners. They have a great classified section as well if you're interested in letting a prior owner take the initial depreciation hit.

 

It's my understanding that the dealer up in the Seattle area is highly regarded and the one in Mesa does a lot of advertising. Colonial RV in NJ is the largest dealer in the country and you can study their inventory and pricing if you're up for a cross country trek. Feel free to PM any questions...like the majority of owners, we love our Airstream.

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I won't question your choice of an Airstream as it's a great product (if you've decided that a travel trailer is the way to go for you.) An RV is one place where it's definitely worth it to pay for quality.

 

Since you're talking about MSRP I assume you're planning on buying new. In the RV world MSRP means nothing as typical discounts are 25-35%. I'm not familiar with Airstream per se and they may be a different case, but if you're only being offered 5-10% off of MSRP I'd definitely shop around as that would be unusually small in the larger RV world (although again, the market for Airstreams may be tighter.) If you know the exact model you want you could ask for bids from various dealers, that might give you some idea of a real-world starting point.

 

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smiller, Airstreams aren't discounted like other RV's. The factory in Ohio produces as many as they can in order to keep up with demand. The higher price of admission insures the exclusiivity but also the stylish interiors and classic design elements really seperate them from the herd.

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Dave McReynolds

Thanks for the input so far. I have my eye on a 23' Flying Cloud. I started out looking for a 19 or 20' Flying Cloud, but absolutely everyone I talked with who had previous trailer experience said that the biggest mistake everyone made was to buy too small at first, and there are features I will probably miss if I don't get the 23' one. So I told them not to call me until after Feb 15, because I have things to do between now and then that don't involve buying trailers. If the 23' one that I want is still there after Feb 15, then that is probably a good indication that I should hold out for the 20%.

 

Mickey, I know I need a weight distribution hitch, some extended side mirrors, and maybe a generator for when I'm camping away from a power source. Any other big item I need to consider?

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What you towing it with.? Always bring enough truck.

In the 70's Airstream lovers used IHC Travelalls. 1020's :thumbsup:

Low entry height for the older crowd and built on a real trock frame.

Good luck.

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well, the 23 can be pulled with most half ton pickups, or suburban or tahoe even. most of the newer model pickups already have brake controler built in if it has a tow package, if not.. you'll need a brake controler. no matter what anyone says.. DO GET a sway bar to go with your weight distribution hitch... i can't emphasize that enough!

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Thanks for the input so far. I have my eye on a 23' Flying Cloud. I started out looking for a 19 or 20' Flying Cloud, but absolutely everyone I talked with who had previous trailer experience said that the biggest mistake everyone made was to buy too small at first, and there are features I will probably miss if I don't get the 23' one.

 

Though I've never had one, I'm a big fan of Airstream trailers - old and new - and have been to the factory more than once. Mid twenties - like the current 23' models - is the size I'd go for as well if it were something I were going to actually tow around a lot (whereas if I were just going to park it somewhere and live in it, bigger of course would be better).

 

That size is, as posted above, readily towable by any reasonably sized/powered tow vehicle, and it's really livable inside. The 19' ones aren't really much smaller from a towing perspective, but are hugely less livable, in my opinion, inside. A good friend's mom lived in one while traveling around the country for an extended (multi-year) period, and it worked well for her as one person, but would have been cramped space for even a couple I think.

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Any full size suv with a 5+ liter V8 will work fine. I've pulled a 29 and 31' Excella (7k lbs) with an '03 5.3L Tahoe and being moderate it'll return about 12 mpg at 70-75 on the hwy. Just ease up to speed, once you're at hwy speed the aerodynamics (curved corners) really come into play. It'll easily hold overdrive w/AC on which is pretty amazing because any square trailer half that weight creates as much or more drag on the tow vehicle. I had a 23' Holiday Rambler and it was harder to pull at speed than the 31 A/S.

 

I prefer the older ones, specifically mid-80's to late 90's, they have very high quality materials (although a few minor issues), but mostly because they've stopped depreciating and are slowly appreciating. The 70's stuff has really dated interiors, the 60's and late 50's ones are either junk or totally restored and are exorbitantly priced, although I understand because they're very light and can towed with almost anything, plus they're just cool. I had an 01 Safari (base model) 27' for several years but never bonded with it, the interior materials and build quality were inferior to the older ones, don't know if it was because it was a lower end model or whether the quality in general degraded in those years.

 

This little guy was next to me at the Ouray campground last summer, they were from from Texas and spend a couple months in it there every year. It's a '57 18 footer which is an unusual size and pretty rare according to the owner, a real nice couple.

 

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This is the 29 Excella, we use it for mobile expeditions, usually 3-5 day dirt bike rides from Fla. into the Appalachians. We've done 6 but 5 guys is comfortable, rotate driving half days, everyone gets to mostly ride. Stay in State Parks each nite (one site) and load everything in the rig for an 8 hour drive home. Two bikes in the trailer, three in the van and one on the front, comfy seating for six : )

 

The magic bus (3500, 6.0L) pulls all that with ease and returns over 11 mpg, on regular.

 

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Look around the southwest for a used one. Lot's of retirees kick the bucket and the widow wants to unload it.

New RV, motorcycle and boat pricing shenanigans are scary.

Edited by upflying
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Dave, the 23FB is a great choice for having a manageable rig that is easily towable. They have the smaller refrigerator and tanks but manageable unless you're boondocking for an extended period. I'd try to get one with a smaller single sink so you don't waste so much counter space and replace the regular oven with a convection microwave. Mirrors, hitch, brake controller and generator (sized to run the AC if you're away from shore line power) are your major other expenses with the first three dependent on your tow vehicle. Roadscholar is right on about ease of towing with an Airstream and if you decide to upsize your AS then tongue weight will need to be accounted for. I took a pic of a Pan America model during last summer's MOA rally in Salem. Neat AS if you find one but forget about getting into most National Parks or pulling with a regular sized vehicle. And of course if you ever find yourself in Ouray with an Airstream you gotta find a way to have a bike there too, maybe road scholars way would work for you.

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Dave,

 

Start off with how many folks will be using the trailer on a regular basis and what kind of trips are you planning?

 

In our case, its just the 2 of us, and we will be doing road trips to National and State parks all over the USA. Deb loves Airstream but they ARE expensive, so we just went and checked out the new Lance Travel Trailers and were very impressed!

 

They really have the whole weight, energy and space saving idea down very well coupled with low maintenance. Most of this came from their Truck Camper Top experience.

 

If you are interested in checking them out, they also have a good owners forum as well, HERE .

 

 

Edited by philbytx
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Dave McReynolds
Look around the southwest for a used one. Lot's of retirees kick the bucket and the widow wants to unload it.

New RV, motorcycle and boat pricing shenanigans are scary.

 

Funny, Bob, my wife originally had something like a teardrop in mind. When my vision expanded to a larger model that we could live in for extended periods on the road, she said, "I'd never be able to handle that thing!" I told her that when I die, she can sell it, and hopefully in the mean time, we'll get a few good years on the road.

 

BTW, thanks others for comments, re: brakes, sway bars, etc. I'll be pulling it with an 8 cyl Tundra, which, while not overpowered for the job, should be adequate for a 23 footer, as long as I am happy staying in the slow lane a lot of the time.

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I looked at new ones for awhile, then nicely restored vintage ones. All awesome. But I ended up buying an old Bluebird Wanderlodge.

 

Can I recommend that you make having dual axles a must have criteria? A flat on a single axle is a pain in the ass at best and an accident at worst; a flat on a dual is an inconvenience that you can fix on down the road.

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The magic bus (3500, 6.0L) pulls all that with ease and returns over 11 mpg, on regular.

 

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HYjack over. Sorry. Couldn't help meself

 

 

 

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...no matter what anyone says.. DO GET a sway bar to go with your weight distribution hitch... i can't emphasize that enough!

 

I tow my 26' toy hauler without the sway bar. I've never had a hint of any kind of issue.

 

 

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Kathy lol, the night the lights went out in Georgia, or N.C., or some dark rainy mtn. road, was it 14 clowns we had crammed in there?

 

 

I tow my 26' toy hauler without the sway bar. I've never had a hint of any kind of issue.

 

 

The magic bus don't need no stinkin sway bars or load levelers. :grin:

 

 

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If you need a sway bar, you've either got the wrong truck for the job, or the trailer isn't set up right. (Or most likely - both!)

 

With a properly set up rig, the trailer should all but disappear behind you. Braking and acceleration are the only times you should notice it, and even braking should be no issue if the trailer brakes are working right.

A GOOD weight distribution hitch is crucial, however - and you should absolutely learn how to set it up and adjust it.

 

 

 

Edited by Gregori
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If you need a sway bar, you've either got the wrong truck for the job, or the trailer isn't set up right. (Or most likely - both!)

 

With a properly set up rig, the trailer should all but disappear behind you. Braking and acceleration are the only times you should notice it, and even braking should be no issue if the trailer brakes are working right.

A GOOD weight distribution hitch is crucial, however - and you should absolutely learn how to set it up and adjust it.

 

 

 

Ga%20Dualsport%20050-L.jpg

 

Actually, because it was empty and we unhooked the trailer every night to go to dinner, it wasn't convenient or necessary for them (700 lbs. of tonque weight is invisible on a one ton truck). But when we added 1000 lbs. of bikes in the back of the van and 700 in the front of the A/S plus 6 guys and a week's worth of luggage and gear I did hook up the W/D bars for the long haul.

 

 

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Bill - Do I understand correctly that you loaded two bikes into the Airstream? If so, could you elaborate as to tie downs and general loading procedures? I don't recall ever hearing about bikes in travel trailers other than the toy hauler type.

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Correct. Think I've related this before some time back but since asked, will again gladly : ) Sometimes I have a questionable penchant for doing things unconventionally but in this case it happened to work, to a degree. Quite a few years ago I noticed that Airstream doors appeared wider than your average travel trailer, then made a point to find one and measure it, and was the reason I ended up with one. Sure enough the door opening was 26" vs 24 for a garden variety TT (according to David Baker, it's so all the furniture and appliances can be taken back out for restoration). Two inches isn't much but it's all you need.

 

But you do need the proper floorplan in the trailer, fortunately it's the most prevalent layout of the bigger units (22'-34'), where the couch is east-west in the front. Because the couch expands to a double bed this leaves anywhere from 3-5' of open floor from the doorway to the opposite wall. Just need a ramp and a portable wheel chock. This next part will make some cringe but I drill and install sizable eyebolts into the adjacent furniture for extra security with tiedowns.

 

Obviously you won't get any horizontally opposed twins in there and a KLR is really tight (won't try that again), but most other singles aren't a problem. I've loaded several F650's by myself and a DRZ400 is a breeze (although it helps to remove mirrors, handguards, and bar-ends).

 

The biggest downside is now the couch is pretty much unusable and the entry isn't as wide, but when traveling that's not insurmountable. Putting a second bike in the hallway pretty much negates using the trailer as intended tho', unless you're a contortionist. Also having a buddy helps because once in, it needs to have the rear wheel moved over a couple feet to back it into the hallway, then install in the wheel chock (theoretically on a 29 with twin beds there's room for a third bike but for now that's uncharted territory) :grin:

 

 

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HYjack over. Sorry. Couldn't help meself

 

 

 

There was a lot of "couldn't help myself" going on that weekend, as I (fondly) recall! Some of it might have been mine.

 

Bill, is there anything on wheels you haven't owned?

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Bill, is there anything on wheels you haven't owned?

 

Oh yeah, a Rolls, Lamborghini, Citroen, Borgward, Facel-Vega, Messerschmitt, and others... :grin:

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The magic bus don't need no stinkin sway bars or load levelers.

 

 

What it needs are lights that don't go out on a twisty mountain road in the dark... :rofl:

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  • 1 month later...

 

Congratulations Dave. You look happy with your find and to have the decision making behind you! Now, the fun begins. Love your pooch!

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Thought some of you guys might be interested in the result of my search:

 

Looks nice. I'm up for the full photographic tour . . . .

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Nice, very nice.

 

And come equipped with a guard dog as well! :grin:

 

They are called "Land Yachts" for a reason. Enjoy

 

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i-MTsNfLh-L.jpg

 

Look at the line up of All The Usual Suspects in the back seat!

 

Did the local LEO's know they were all at the same place at the same time????????

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Their finishes and design are light years ahead of the rest.

 

I love the foot warmer under the table.

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  • 3 years later...
Dave McReynolds

We bought one that was on sale for about 15% or so off. Ironically, the reason it was on sale was because it was a one of a kind design Airstream was trying out with a bunk bed above the regular bed, and evidently nobody had wanted to buy it in the time frame they had in mind to sell it. Ironic because the bunk bed has become one of my favorite features, because it is like a long shelf to hold fishing gear or other long stuff. While the dealer I bought it from has frequent sales, I got the idea after a number of visits that it would be difficult to just walk in and negotiate a significant discount on one that wasn't on sale. OTOH, they have been great to deal with in the three years that I've owned it. The Airstream is a valued part of our lives now, and I can't see myself selling it any time soon.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I spent a summer pulling an airstream around Washington and Oregon on a job. It was a 1970s vintage. I was impressed with some of the features. Especially for something that was 20 years old at the time. For instance, I remember that the propane tanks were aluminum. A nice touch.

 

Do they still have the sewage incinerator? It was a pump and a small tube that feeds black water from the holding tank, up to the tow vehicle's exhaust manifold. Never used it myself, but man that was COOL! It'd prolly nuke your catalytic converter tho....

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Dave McReynolds

It will be interesting to see how the Bowlus fares. Airstream is priced higher than comparable other brands (or SOB's, as we Airstreamers call them), and Bowlus is priced higher than a comparable Airstream. It would be as if another sport touring motorcycle, perhaps called the Bolus, came along priced $10,000 higher than a comparable BMW.

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It will be interesting to see how the Bowlus fares. Airstream is priced higher than comparable other brands (or SOB's, as we Airstreamers call them), and Bowlus is priced higher than a comparable Airstream. It would be as if another sport touring motorcycle, perhaps called the Bolus Motus, came along priced $10,000 higher than a comparable BMW.

 

Fixed :wave:

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szurszewski
The Bowlus looks like a worthy competitor to the Airstream

 

http://www.bowlusroadchief.com/ontheroad.html

 

"Looks" being the operative word

 

$137,000

Base Weight 2,300 lbs

GVWR 3,000 lbs

 

Man - I guess $200 a night hotel rooms don't seem as luxurious to some as they do to me, but that's a LOT of nights at $200 a night... and you don't have to tow anything. Hmmm...

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roadscholar

I've had my fill of motels, luxurious, cheap, or otherwise. When traveling on interstates I stay usually at one of the big truck stops, most encourage overnight RV parking. RVing tho is more about getting away from that world and where you can get to.

 

airstream1.jpg

 

I picked up a '69 Tradewind 24 "barn find" like this one awhile back, unrestored but original in and out and completely functional. Just needs some sprucing up here and there and interior clean-up. For a wee fraction of what that Bowlus costs : ) The 50's and 60's Airstream are becoming increasingly more desirable (and valuable) because they're so light and easy to tow.

 

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The Bowlus is cool though and has some innovative features, the cassette toilet, in/out shower, fits in some garages, and center front door for a more efficient interior layout. It'll have a limited (and possibly viable) market at the stratosphere price though.

 

 

 

 

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szurszewski
No, it's not quite ready for prime time, maybe next time thru though : )

 

We'll definitely be wanting to check that out. And in the meantime, I should say Molly's house was acceptable as a subsitute ;)

 

 

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roadscholar

Yes, there's always that, it'll do : )

 

Careful what you wish for, it's not quite like the one above.. Here's the old girl at the moment, planning on at least shampoo the carpet if not new flooring entirely (paging RichardD). New upholstery, maybe curtains, repair a couple cabinet doors, some trim redo and a little elbow grease. After the inside should be able to decide how far to go with the outside (to polish or not to polish). Main thing is it tows great, is solid, all there, and the A/C works, thank goodness : )

 

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roadscholar

Thanks Pat, that is the end goal. It's more maneuverable and way lighter than the 30 footer. Oughta work great long as you don't have to accommodate a posse : )

 

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