Airstream Question

akronharry wrote:
I notice there aren't many topics out there about Airstreams compared to other travel trailers. I assume becuae they are priced pretty high.

Looking (thinking about it) to buy a 10-15 year old Airstream (any one know of one ? :) ), but I'm not sure if it is worth the price even at used. Opinions?

Are there other tt's that last as long? Thanks in advance.

Howdy!

You may want to look at the Airstream forum to get a better answer to your question.

Airstream forum

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

The nice thing about Airstreams is that there are places that can take a servicable shell of an Airstream, and totally remodel the interior for about $11-12k. That way, one pretty much has all the niceties of a 2014 model travel trailer, but with the vintage look of the older Airstreams.

mlts22 wrote:

That way, one pretty much has all the niceties of a 2014 model travel trailer, but with the vintage look of the older Airstreams.

They all look the same to me....:B

In my opinion, at least half the value of an Airstream is, well, "air". Plainly put, prices stay high because they're considered a sort of status symbol, if such a thing can be said about trailers. And they can be just as problematic as many other trailers, leak-and-repairs-wise.

Nothing wrong with buying one and paying for the "cool" factor, but if there are budgetary considerations you might consider whether that's the best way to spend that money.

Airstream have their own forum site. check it out !

RV Trader has several hundred new and used Airstreams listed on their website. Well built, proven durability, iconic styling, all that said they are too confining for my taste buds. Neighbor has one in mint condition and I often make my way over when I see him outside fiddling with it. They do have their appeal, but it makes me feel somewhat claustrophobic after spending a few minutes inside. It works well for them as it is just him and his DW,

We sure like ours. We have owned 3 now. One new and 2 used. You can save a lot of money buying used. They are well built and last if taken care of. As far as the 1/2 the cost being air goes--80% of all items costs is air. It is called overhead and profit.

I don't know about 80% being "air" but I have read that 80% of all Airstreams sold are still in use. I think they are great, out of my budget, and wish they had one with a slide.

Airstreams are a weird product. Realistically any other travel trailer will match them feature for feature, at a much lower price point. Most other brands will have more space for less price, most are better featured.

Wearing your boring beige pants, Airstreams don't make much sense. At all.

But, looking at it from another point of view... No RV makes sense. Tents really serve the same purpose... So why do we buy RV's? Because we like them.

Airstreams aren't just a product that people "like". They're something that people fall in love with. Some people will never understand why Airstreams even exist. Other people would never buy anything else. They're really a product you buy because you're an airstream enthusiast. It's a product you cherish, and enjoy just for the sake of enjoying. It's a purchase you make with your heart, not your head. It makes no sense, but there is nothing wrong with that at all.

I'd never buy an Airstream. They just aren't for me. However, I'd never ever criticize anyone who has one, and the RV world would be a worse place without Airstreams in it. They're not for everyone... And that's exactly why they're so special.

akronharry wrote:
I notice there aren't many topics out there about Airstreams compared to other travel trailers. I assume becuae they are priced pretty high.

Looking (thinking about it) to buy a 10-15 year old Airstream (any one know of one ? :) ), but I'm not sure if it is worth the price even at used. Opinions?

Are there other tt's that last as long? Thanks in advance.

Lots of topics about Airstreams on the Airstream forum, I suppose. They are prices ridiculously high, that is for sure. Last RV show here in Houston I saw a used 25ft one for $75K. Had a good chuckle. DW never even set foot in the thing. When I asked her why she said that she did not like the idea of living in a small aeroplane and especially at that price.

I note that you have a "regular" RV with one slide so I assume you are a knowledgeable RVer. If you are looking at Airstreams then you would be looking at it through RVer's eyes, and if it still appeals to you then that is all that matters. No one here can offer any opinion on that "right brain" decision. As someone mentioned, people buy Airstreams because they basically love the concept. "Worth" hardly enters into it because it is subjective.

I can say this much - they appear to be made very well. As for how long they will last - that depends on the owner, I guess but considering that you could probably but 4 RVs for the price of 1 Airstream AND have 4 different floorplans during that time, the decision is clear for most folks.