Silver Bullet

In choosing my retirement motorhome, I want something that is not only functional, but also projects a sense of style and class. To me, those terms have always been synonymous with the Airstream brand. So I was interested to hear that, in addition to their esteemed trailers, Airstream makes a Sprinter-based RV. Also, if any brand could convince me to choose a travel trailer instead of a van, it would be Airstream, so I looked at those, too.

Airstream calls their Sprinter RVs touring coaches, and their focus seems to be on day trips or short term camping - something you'd use as an alternative to motels until you get to your destination. But I was determined to see if they could work for my long-duration touring plan.

The Airstream esthetic is evident immediately, inside and out:

Everything is very sleek and sophisticated. Here is the floorplan best suited to my intentions:

The two wardrobes provide ample storage space, and, though the floorplan doesn't show it, Airstream retains most of the Sprinter windows, so the space feels nice and open. On the down side, the bathroom is as cramped as it looks (I've squeezed into one), and I could have at most one friend along at a time. Neither of those were deal-breakers for me, but this was:

The refrigerator (at lower right) is tiny, and worse, the microwave is below the sink (All plans share this arrangement). I can't imagine getting down on my knees every time I want to look in the microwave or set the controls. They could easily have relocated the microwave to one of the upper cabinets. That an experienced company like Airstream would make such an obvious design error told me they didn't have their A-team on this project. As persnickety as it seems, this was enough to put an end to my interest in Airstream Sprinters.

Even though their Sprinters weren't for me, I've admired Airstream trailers for a long time. When I was visiting my daughter in Spokane, I drove past an Airstream trailer dealer several times a day, so I decided to have a look. Trailers, per se, didn't appeal to me - dragging something behind me, the difficulty of backing up, the inconvenience of passengers not having access to the fridge or the loo while moving - but maybe Airstreams would prove irresistible. And I could understand the desirability of having a detachable tow vehicle for excursions away from camp.

In a previous post, I explained that I am considering RV vans of 24' or less because of length restrictions at some camping sites I want to visit. These same campgrounds limit trailers to 20' or less, so those are the Airstreams I looked at, though they have models that range up to 38'.

The smallest Airstream is their Sport model at just 16' long. It's positively cute:

Though tiny, its floorplan fits in all the essentials:

and the interior has the unmistakable Airstream style:

And look, look! The microwave is at eye level! Even so, the fridge and the bathroom are small, and the dinette, though it does convert to a bed, can only comfortably sleep one.

There are several Airstream choices at 19' and one at 20'; the one that suits me best is the 19' International Serenity:

I particularly like the decor of the Serenity (though this photo isn't the 19' model):

The shower in the 19' model is relatively roomy, there's a three burner stove (vs two in most compact RVs) and a real oven. The dinette bed is still very narrow for two, but there is enough floor space to lay down a twin size air mattress if necessary. The refrigerator is only 4 cu.ft. How large a refrigerator will I actually need? I don't know, but 4 cu. ft. seems too small. And in a buttoned-down design like Airstream's, there's little opportunity for customization. With a 23' trailer you get a 5 cu.ft. fridge, and at 25' you get 7 cu.ft, which seems to me large enough for full-time living. I will say that Airstream trailers, though expensive compared to other trailers, are surprisingly less expensive than a van-based RV. Of course, you also have to provide the tow vehicle.

So, ultimately, though Airstream trailers are very appealing, they aren't compelling enough to overcome the disadvantages I perceive in towing a trailer.

The tour of various RV alternatives I've presented in preceding posts has served to convince me that, though it has compromises of its own, the Sportsmobile is the best choice for me. In upcoming posts, I'll present the evolution of my Sportsmobile designs and review in detail at my ultimate choices.

One final note, before I close. I've grown to hate when news shows spend significant time describing what they expect to happen in the days or weeks to come. To me, that is hype and speculation masquerading as news. In spite of that, I've got some news-in-the-offing. The deadline to put down my deposit on a Sprinter van for Sportsmobile to convert is just about here if I'm to have the completed RV by the end of July. I've visited the local Mercedes-Benz dealership, and had them quote on a Sprinter van that matches my own and Sportsmobile's requirements. Their initial number is higher than if I place the order through Sportsmobile, but not by a lot. (Sportsmobile appears to be completely neutral on which path one takes.) This coming week, I'm going to negotiate with the dealership to see if I can get their price down. Because of the convenience and certainty of ordering through Sportsmobile, I've decided the dealer will have to beat their price by several thousand dollars to get my business. In either case, by the end of the week, I should have a financial commitment to buy a Sprinter RV conversion.