I am looking for a used travel trailer. I have seen some Airstreams going pretty cheap considering their original cost. for example a near mint 2005 28 ft for under $10K.

What are their pros and cons??

 

From everything I've heard, they are very well built.

Like any RV, look closely for discoloration or any other sign of water intrusion.

Fridge is also expensive to repair/replace.

 

mint 2005 28 ft for under $10K.


Something is wrong there . . flood damage, rollover, salvage title, etc.



All-aluminum trailers are different,but appliances are the same as any trailer (in the main).

I'm third generation aluminum travel trailer owner/enthusiast. For us it has been the others: STREAMLINE, SILVER STREAK [and maybe my next one] AVION.

These competitors went out of business as costs rose and American incomes did not. It's as though Chevrolet survived and Packard, Buick and Cadillac faded away.

The "advantage" of the Airstream is a semi-monocoque shell where walls and floor were all load-bearing (think unibody), and low ground clearance and low center-of-gravity combined with independent suspension (after mid 60's) with a quite rounded cross-section give lowest aerodynamic resistance and excellent road manners. Lightest weight, low COG, independent suspension meant very little strain on the tow vehicle. 20-30% less horsepower compared to a comparable box.

Unfortunately the weight has crept up over the years without commensurate re-design, and frame/shell separation is common. Axles need to be replaced on any that have sat for years (or, in use, about ten), and the AL-CLAD skin can have corrosion problems on newer ones.

The insulation is lesser than the old competitors and fit/finish is poor also. Leaks are a common problem.

This said, they are still waaay better than any white plastic box.

Any of them are still roadable after thirty or more years. My folks kept their Silver Streak for 27-years with minor maintenance and a furnace overhaul plus one A/C replacement. The white boxes [refrigerators] are in the junkyard or on the hunting lease after about fifteen (if that). With any older trailer it helps to have some home repair experience, and with cars. Water plumbing, gas plumbing, 12V and 120V electrical, etc.

AVION had semi or true IS after 1967, foam insulation, a heavy frame and great looking all wood cabinetry. Production ended in 1990.

SILVER STREAK had leaf suspension, glas insulation, the biggest interiors and storage, and production ended about 1985 (though custom work continued through 1996).

STREAMLINE went OOB in 1974, had leafs, foam insulation, great frame and really cool aluminum cabinetry. Really great low weights (what my grandparents owned).

All of these featured true double-hull construction for far better insulating capacity. The floors were NOT part of the structure. Skins were diamond-hard 5005 anodized.

As with all "orphans" parts are harder to find (plus there were far fewer built), and some skin repairs are not gonna be happening. You can find an excellent one at a better (far better) price than an Airstream, AND, spend far less to bring it to comparable shape (as it won't need as much).

All of these trailers are fantastic on the highway. I have towed in winds where the the boxes (the 5'ers especially) HAVE to park. The "gold standard" for roadability is a sway-eliminating hitch (PRO-PRIDE or HENSLEY), trailer disc brakes, and a top zoot brake controller. And sweating all the details of a weight-distribution hitch setup. (DODGE requires a WDH where tongue weight exceeds 350-lbs).

I can do manuevers with mine all day that would put ANY 5'er in the ditch on the first wheel turn.

If you want a trailer that will last another 30-years, get best fuel mileage (I got 15 with a 34' trailer; had I slowed down to my current 1,725-cruise I'd be above 16; all on the flats), that's easy on the tow vehicle, then an all-aluminum trailer is the way to go.

For someone who hauls a trailer to the lake, etc, a white plastic box is fine. A 5'er is about good enough to make it from here to there under good conditions. But, if you really want to travel -- 10,000 or more miles per year -- then aluminum is the man's choice.

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond with great detailed info. I'm going to include the other aluminum trailers in my search as well.

 

Under 10k sounds to good to be true for a '05 airstream. Airstreams in that size and year usually go for 25k to 35k. They do tow easier and return better fuel mileage than sob's. Rednax mentioned 350 lbs. or more needs wdh, I believe thats 500 lbs. 3rd gens hitches rated 500/5000 without wdh and 1200/12000 with wdh. As far as quality I believe that airstream is one of the better makes, but they all have their problems.

 

I bought my '02 Airstream used in '07 and love it. It weighs 5.000 llbs, too heavy for my then F150 so I got an '01 2500 CTD. I get 20 mpg not towing and 16.5 mpg towing. It's a great combination.

Like all trailers, you have to work the maintenance. For instance, you have to watch for leaks. I did not, and had to replace the floor at a cost of almost $5000 (It took a week's worth of labor to take out all the interior, then reinstall). So, that's something to check out on your "mint" condition $10K trailer. Otherwise, they are really nice trailers, but you still have to spend $ and time to keep them in good condition.

 

Do a search for Avion, there are a lot of them out there. I just sold my 84 30 foot rig, and miss it already. There is a following, for these, and a lot of people doing refurb. Also Caro in the midwest somewhere (Michigan?) has plastic parts, and does complete frame-of restor's, at a price. A heck of a price.
What I don't miss about the rig is lack of room. The slide outs of modern rigs really makes a difference.
No matter what you buy, look at the storage capacity, inside, outside, tools, tables, bbq's, all that extra crap like lawn chairs, bird feeders, that the wifey will insist on finding a place for eventually.
good luck.

 

Yeah, you all were right with something being wrong. It was a Cragslist spammer. I started looking all around the country on Craigslist and the same ad poped up in FL, TN, NC, SC, MO, TX! you get the idea! Got no answer to my e-mail. But on the plus side I have run accross some real nice older ones for not too much money. For example several mid 80's Avion for $4000 - $7,000. I'm sold on the aluminum trailers and their higher quality of build. Plus I just think they are cool looking too. Those big three axle ones are something else. I researched the Hensley and being an Engineer I totally appreciate the design. Cudos to Jim Hensley for getting a patent on such an obvious yet straight forward solution. Makes me wonder why any large tag a long trailer even has a ball!! I'm still waiting for my tax return and shopping.

 

Thx Rednax for that very informative reply

I really like the interieur of newer Airstream TT´s and I like the fact that they are very aerodynamic. Then I wonder why no other company offers similar products in the 20+ feet range.

 

Rednax mentioned 350 lbs. or more needs wdh, I believe thats 500 lbs

Owners Manual, 2004, pp. 278: 350-lbs. Guys, tongue weight is not static, in a bad road situation the lever of the trailer (from axle center to hitch ball) can exert thousands of pounds of force, UP and DOWN.

A WDH helps minimize this problem, it maintains Steer Axle load so braking and steering are problem-free.

Even a 2,500-lb trailer can have a 350-lb TW. The REESE Straitline "Dual Cam" is the default choice for over 40-years in a WDH. www.etrailer.com has the WDH/Anti-sway setup plus videos. Get one, and the Pole Trailer Adaptor, and you are set for any trailer (given correct bars; CL or the Bay can help you acquire several sets).

I see that in re-reading the above I was hard on Airstream trailers. There are thousands of them out there, and the fixes are known, service is available from factory and repair centers (some in business over 40-years), and the best aluminum trailer website is

www.airforums.com

I wouldn't turn down a good one. Like any good product, the informed, conscientious owner is the long term winner, and A/S is a good product. Rallies, Airstream-only RV parks (buy land, set up housing to accomodate trailer-travel as a way of life; a permanent address at low cost), general admiration of public . . . someone else has already solved your "problem" and pics/guides to renovation and mods are great reading.

With any good alu trailer you don't need a 3/4 or 1-T truck up to or just a little past 7,000-lbs. Turbodiesel is the way to go, as is AWD and I-S, and many Airstream owners use cars to get down the road. It all depends on use . . and don't discount that you may want to use another tow vehicle (TV) someday. With an alu trailer, the trailer size and layout are more important than the TV, 'cause that trailer will outlast many TV's. Think ahead to your future use: children, grand-children, being disabled, etc.

I sold my rear bath SILVER STREAK last year, and now want a rear bedroom layout so that we effectively have two "living areas" that some may read or snooze in one end, and others may watch TV, etc, in the other. Our son is grown, and although he may not care about traveling with us, we prefer that two couples may have sufficient sleeping privacy and comfort in a trailer. So, my plans include the inclusion of [2] TV's, several types of radios, cell phone amplifier and antenna, etc. Other mods have more to do with better quality appliances, more "independence" from utilities, water filtration, etc. The sky is the limit (as with sailboats).

Aerodynamics pays for itself when it is married to high American quality craftsmanship.

(And, as a final note, were I searching for an Airstream, I'd concentrate on about 1984-1994 for cost, age, and heavier frame rails. Construction appears to have started a decline after this . . . and the "best" ones were built up until the 1960's).