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Old 11-27-2023, 03:22 PM   #41
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It's getting hard to buy a Japanese vehicle actually built in Japan.

Easier if you buy an American brand name. But the attitudes of the names on both cases kind of stick.
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Old 11-28-2023, 09:37 AM   #42
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Please refrain from posting anything even possibly political in nature. The purpose of this forum is the discussion of moulded fibreglass trailers, not politics which is something that only raises the ire of others. I have deleted 3 posts and will either continue to do so if needed or just stuff the thread down. We want a friendly bunch of members posting here.
Thanks
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Old 11-28-2023, 08:40 PM   #43
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Our friends, with an Airstream 23RB, that travels down the road 10-12,000 miles a year, seem to have $1-2,000 in repairs every fall, with rivets being the #1 item every year. Also, because of their low ground clearance they can't go the places we've gone with our Escape and Bigfoot(s).
Mid century designs are beautiful but invariably impractical. Main thing with AS is that they do the best on interior spaciousness in the small towable no slides trailer range. Lots of headroom and air. The Bigfoot is a tank but much more cramped, or ‘cozy’. Anyhow we decided practicality is more important than design, along with price.
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Old 11-29-2023, 09:06 AM   #44
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Mid century designs are beautiful but invariably impractical. Main thing with AS is that they do the best on interior spaciousness in the small towable no slides trailer range. Lots of headroom and air. The Bigfoot is a tank but much more cramped, or ‘cozy’. Anyhow we decided practicality is more important than design, along with price.
When we owned our 17' Casita (5 years) we had a chance to buy a 16' Airstream Bambi. Previously we had owned a 16' Scamp (6 years). The Airstream was a one and done camper because it was soooo "cramped, or 'cozy'" inside.

For the past five winters we spent three weeks each winter with friends who own a Airstream 23FB. They had to cut the dinette table down on both the isle side and window side to be able to walk down the center isle or sit comfortably in the dinette, and they are stick people. Their 23RB was only 4 months old because the previous owners traded it in for a 25' FB. When they got into our Bigfoot the first evening they commented how spacious it was inside.

I will admit the 25FB seems as spacious as our 25RQ, but our Bigfoot seems to have more storage space. There's something for everyone though.

Food for thought,

Perry
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Old 11-29-2023, 09:26 AM   #45
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I've been in an Airstream once. It was one of their "retro" models, it was a 2011, I believe, but all metal and red trim, like in the 50's.


Cozy? I thought, wow, this is what it's like to be inside a Thermos.


Haven't been in one since.
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Old 11-29-2023, 10:35 AM   #46
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Preferences are just that. I love the bright white fiberglass inside our standard Scamp, while others prefer the warm wood tones of the deluxe Scamp. Airstream- if you're inclined that way- offers a number of design options.

Different strokes...

Good news overall is the used RV market, included molded fiberglass, seems to be rebounding, with greater supply and somewhat lower prices (though a few sellers haven't gotten the memo). That means there's a better chance of finding one that suits your needs, your preferences, and your budget.
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Old 11-29-2023, 11:56 AM   #47
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I've been in an Airstream once. It was one of their "retro" models, it was a 2011, I believe, but all metal and red trim, like in the 50's.


Cozy? I thought, wow, this is what it's like to be inside a Thermos.


Haven't been in one since.

Wonder if that is why coffee always stays hot in an airstream?????
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Old 11-29-2023, 12:25 PM   #48
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I will admit the 25FB seems as spacious as our 25RQ, but our Bigfoot seems to have more storage space. There's something for everyone though.
They’re all about the same size so it’s mainly perceptual I guess. We’re tall and AS have more headroom - a few inches compared to brushing my head against BF. Also the low storage give more openness, and the Al and light colors open it up too, and all that window space. But engineering wise it’s a nightmare.


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Good news overall is the used RV market, included molded fiberglass, seems to be rebounding, with greater supply and somewhat lower prices (though a few sellers haven't gotten the memo). That means there's a better chance of finding one that suits your needs, your preferences, and your budget.
Yeah I guess a crash can be called a rebound in supply and buyer price

I’ve believed that Covid just cannibalized future sales and didn’t fundamentally generate new demand, a big industry insider recently had an op-ed to that effect. So good news is prices should slowly drop back down to trend, and may undershoot.
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Old 11-29-2023, 01:43 PM   #49
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Yeah I guess a crash can be called a rebound in supply and buyer price

I’ve believed that Covid just cannibalized future sales and didn’t fundamentally generate new demand, a big industry insider recently had an op-ed to that effect. So good news is prices should slowly drop back down to trend, and may undershoot.
Yes, I meant "rebound" from the buyer's perspective, a return to something more like a normal market.

From a seller's point of view, I would call it a "market correction" from the unprecedented price bubble in 2021-2022. It will feel like a crash to people that entered the market during the post-COVID frenzy, but in fact current prices are still moderately higher than 2019, consistent with general inflation.

I'd be interested in that op-ed. It seemed like COVID opened RVing to new young families, but I suppose they might be families that were already inclined to become RV owners, but COVID just accelerated their timetable.
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Old 11-29-2023, 03:40 PM   #50
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They’re all about the same size so it’s mainly perceptual I guess. We’re tall and AS have more headroom - a few inches compared to brushing my head against BF. Also the low storage give more openness, and the Al and light colors open it up too, and all that window space. But engineering wise it’s a nightmare.
I guess if you're really tall that 2.5" can make a difference. We see a lot of wasted space in the Airstream 25FB. Our Bigfoot 25RQ is very open and airy where it needs to be. We also don't spend a lot of time in our trailers like others do, so efficiency is preferred over wasted space.

There are also dark Airstreams as well as Bigfoots, so depending on which you choose to view determines your opinion of light vs dark. We find the light colors in our Bigfoot help create the feeling of a very open area.

Engineering wise, we find that the extra seating space of the Airstream 25FB is not needed (it's a single bed trailer, so no need to sit 6-7 people) and would rather have the much larger, useful storage like in the Bigfoot.

For instance, we don't live in the bedroom, so don't need the corner windows of the Airstream. The window over our heads in the bedroom is almost never open, with the blinds down and certainly don't need corner windows for us. We just sleep in our bedroom.

We will be modifying the 25RQ's kitchen next summer, removing the poor quality Dometic oven for two more drawers and a single burner stovetop, and give Terry more counter prep space. We did a similar modification in our Escape 5.0.

Over the decades I've been in more Airstreams to count. This Bigfoot is far from our 1st trailer (16 previous trailers over four decades) and we previously owned a 2003 25RQ.

We're more function over form. Our Bigfoot wins on function, but Airstream wins on form.

However, in the end, we're all different with different needs and wants.

Perry
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Old 11-29-2023, 06:09 PM   #51
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I'd be interested in that op-ed. It seemed like COVID opened RVing to new young families, but I suppose they might be families that were already inclined to become RV owners, but COVID just accelerated their timetable.
https://rvbusiness.com/opinion-stagnant-rv-market-will-continue-through-2024/


Quote:
Originally Posted by Perryb67 View Post
I guess if you're really tall that 2.5" can make a difference.
6’3”, son is something like 6’5”

With my shoes off I get an inch off the ceiling or so


Quote:
Engineering wise, we find that the extra seating space of the Airstream 25FB is not needed (it's a single bed trailer, so no need to sit 6-7 people) and would rather have the much larger, useful storage like in the Bigfoot.
For engineering I’m thinking mainly of fragile heat conduction Al riveted sheets with lots of seams. As the expression goes ‘it’s not if your Airstream leaks but when’. No coincidence they offer and recommend two ACs for 25 and up. They are beautiful though.

Fitment is design - both are good IMO but BF wins on storage and practicality. Anyhow I’ll get one here sooner or later after I get the truck
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Old 11-30-2023, 08:37 AM   #52
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Originally Posted by BigDan View Post
https://rvbusiness.com/opinion-stagnant-rv-market-will-continue-through-2024/
Thanks. Exactly what I was thinking, though I was hoping for evidence- a cited survey or study- to support the hypothesis beyond the mere fact of the decline in sales.

It matters to the used market. If the COVID bubble was a result of impulse purchases by people not generally inclined to become RV owners, the market will start to flood with used units they no longer want. But if it was driven by people pushing forward planned RV purchases- as the op-ed hypothesizes- they will likely keep them. The reality is likely a little of both.

As in previous RV booms and busts, molded fiberglass is insulated from drastic changes. The higher cost, limited production, and long build times serve as a cushion. A few weaker companies may not survive.
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Old 11-30-2023, 04:30 PM   #53
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Check out this new RV. I do not know if it is fiberglass.
https://pebblelife.com/pebble-flow
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Old 11-30-2023, 11:28 PM   #54
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Check out this new RV. I do not know if it is fiberglass.
https://pebblelife.com/pebble-flow
They say nothing about the construction details. I was also looking for where they are located and could not find any information. I expected the price to be somewhere about $150k, just looking at it. It says they start at $110k. Many interesting ideas - self hitching is a good one.
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Old 12-01-2023, 08:36 AM   #55
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They say nothing about the construction details. I was also looking for where they are located and could not find any information. I expected the price to be somewhere about $150k, just looking at it. It says they start at $110k. Many interesting ideas - self hitching is a good one.
On YouTube, they said it is made from composite material. Weight is 6500 pounds.
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Old 12-02-2023, 08:26 AM   #56
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"Composite" usually means fiberglass (or other fiber) and polyester (or epoxy resin).
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Old 12-05-2023, 06:52 PM   #57
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Well, I'm a bit gobsmacked at the Pebble Flow. First the price is jaw dropping. I watched the video of it hitching itself, which I think is pretty neato. But I see no WDH or sway bar. I see no awnings, I didn't see a refrigerator, I see no curtains in the wraparound windows..and most campgrounds these days have little to no privacy, not to mention I don't like having lights shining into the camper at night. I saw no means of ventilation, for instance, nothing roof top, nothing for cooking inside . Mind you, I don't cook inside if at all possible, but my husband does like his first cup of coffee while i'm still lazing in the bed. I don't know if the self charging thing is necessary? Can one just pull up into a campsite and plug into the 30/50A power stanchion?
No cupboards, no closet for one's jackets...

It's pretty and streamlined but gosh, I think it's another flash in the pan sort of camper.
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Old 12-05-2023, 07:13 PM   #58
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there is a fridge. the windows can be electronically darkened to opaque, and hte bathroom walls go from clear to opaque white. there definitely should be a WDH on a 6500 lb trailer and there's only a few SUVs suitable for towing that much. Their HQ and design offices are in Sunnyvale (based on the help wanted), I don't think they've built a factory yet. 45000 WH LiFePO4 battery, 1000 W solar. heat pump for hvac. very little storage.
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Old 12-06-2023, 11:26 AM   #59
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My two cents......I don't like the look.....looks like an ugly spaceship....I would not want nor use most of the features......heck......I don't even use my cell phone when camping. Wondering if it is required to wear plaid bermuda shorts and white patent leather belt and loafers if you camp in one of these......hoity toity is a good description for this rig........
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Old 12-06-2023, 12:12 PM   #60
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My two cents......I don't like the look.....looks like an ugly spaceship....I would not want nor use most of the features......heck......I don't even use my cell phone when camping. Wondering if it is required to wear plaid bermuda shorts and white patent leather belt and loafers if you camp in one of these......hoity toity is a good description for this rig........
Hey, what’s wrong with my shorts and belt!?
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