Airstream

dunton10
dunton10 Forum Participant Posts: 53
edited November 2016 in Caravans #1

Just read that Adventure Leisure Vehicles, the only UK official dealer for Airstream, are not only closing their Gloucester branch but will be no longer be importing or dealing in new models. They will continue to trade in used vehicles only.

They say the decision is down to Brexit and the fall in the exhange rate.

Shame I always fancied one of those in retirement. At least they dont leak and used to hold their value exceptionally well (if you could afford the initial outlay) 

Comments

  • Brian1
    Brian1 Forum Participant Posts: 242
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    edited November 2016 #2

    Methinks Brexit is a convenient hook.

    They have diversified away from Airstream over the last few years and now also sell Eriba, T@b and other 'quirky' makes, mostly from Europe.  I suspect the Airstreams  weren't selling that well even before May.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585
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    edited November 2016 #3

    The excuse is that the fall in the pound against the dollar has made them too expensive to import. Frankly it is far too early to see if this is a long term thing and bringing them into order should still have been viable at least in the short term. I do
    feel that they have hung their hat on this to hide the real reason whatever it is.

  • TimJim
    TimJim Forum Participant Posts: 162
    edited November 2016 #4

    We looked seriously at an Airstream....at Tebay they import the empty tube frame and largely custom fit the interiors from a fairly wide choice of options. They are beautifully made and the price reflects that ..circa 65k for a Baby Airstream. Definitely
    a legacy purchase. They are without any doubt peerless. As soon as you open the aircraft type door you know it !

    Tj

  • ocsid
    ocsid Forum Participant Posts: 1,395
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    edited November 2016 #5

    The excuse is that the fall in the pound against the dollar has made them too expensive to import. Frankly it is far too early to see if this is a long term thing and bringing them into order should still have been viable at least in the short term. I do feel that they have hung their hat on this to hide the real reason whatever it is.

    Whilst it maybe far too short term to assess what the final currency exchanges level out at, the business probably can't stand a dearth of orders as time passes. Particularly as we seem to be facing several years before we even know the trading structures we will end up with and then the time for those to impact on the final outcome.

    I certainly don't feel it is too early for a small niche business to cut their loses and stand down , rather than fund a business for 2, 3 or 4 years in hope one day things could get back to "normal" or better.

    It will always be a niche product and after this generation of what I suggest is the principle buyer, pensioners, the oncoming trauch might not have the same funds to indulge anyway. 

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #6

    Personally I'm not enamoured with them I would rather buy a Van Master 

  • Spriddler
    Spriddler Forum Participant Posts: 646
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    edited November 2016 #7

    Doesn't sound plausible as Airstreams aren't sold on price.

    It's of no consequence to me anyway as I don't like Marmite.

  • Qashqai66
    Qashqai66 Forum Participant Posts: 551
    edited November 2016 #8

    It seems a lot of money when, all things considered, you are still in a box on wheels which will never have the longevity of a house on terra firma.  For that reason I am quite content at the thought of the Coachman we have on order for a fraction of the
    cost.

  • jennyc
    jennyc Forum Participant Posts: 957
    500 Comments
    edited November 2016 #9

    The excuse is that the fall in the pound against the dollar has made them too expensive to import. Frankly it is far too early to see if this is a long term thing and bringing them into order should still have been viable at least in the short term. I do
    feel that they have hung their hat on this to hide the real reason whatever it is.

    Write your comments here...

    If you take your head out of the sand briefly you might notice that $ based purchases have already gone up in price, iPhones, Sonos music systems and petrol wholesale prices to name just some. Of course Airstreams will cost more now.

  • EJB986
    EJB986 Forum Participant Posts: 1,153
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    edited November 2016 #10

    So will/have all the European products!

  • Qashqai66
    Qashqai66 Forum Participant Posts: 551
    edited November 2016 #11

    So staying with UK makes may be the best way.  I am certainly hoping that our Coachman is a good choice and so far I trust the dealer's advice on it.

  • cody
    cody Forum Participant Posts: 123
    edited November 2016 #12

    I love marmite, so classy.

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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    edited November 2016 #13

    The was an Airstream at a site we stayed on in Italy. Just like the NEC, there was a queue of people waiting to look inside. I suppose they are bought by people who like Morgan's, and gramaphone players whereas an MX5 and a CD player give so much more at
    much lower cost. They don't look very comfortable and they weigh an enormous amount but I guess that's not the point.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited November 2016 #14

    Ugly looking things too. IMHO

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #15

    Don't fancy driving close to one of these ugly things with a low reflective sun shining off its alluminium body, if Brexit is the reason then hooray for Brexit.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585
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    edited November 2016 #16

    The was an Airstream at a site we stayed on in Italy. Just like the NEC, there was a queue of people waiting to look inside. I suppose they are bought by people who like Morgan's, and gramaphone players whereas an MX5 and a CD player give so much more at
    much lower cost. They don't look very comfortable and they weigh an enormous amount but I guess that's not the point.

    If you can afford to buy one you can afford the Range Rover car to tow it.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2016 #17

    If I was going to spend the money one of those things costs. I think I would go for something with an engine. That effectively saves in the cost of the Range Rover.

  • jennyc
    jennyc Forum Participant Posts: 957
    500 Comments
    edited November 2016 #18

    The was an Airstream at a site we stayed on in Italy. Just like the NEC, there was a queue of people waiting to look inside. I suppose they are bought by people who like Morgan's, and gramaphone players whereas an MX5 and a CD player give so much more at
    much lower cost. They don't look very comfortable and they weigh an enormous amount but I guess that's not the point.

    If you can afford to buy one you can afford the Range Rover car to tow it.

    Write your comments here...

    We parked next to one, towed by a Range Rover Vogue, at Glastonbury festival a few years ago. Because their door was on the offside our awning faced their canopy, so we got to chatting quite a bit. They were nice people. There's no doubt that it was a very
    aspirational outfit, eye turning, and a huge statement. But maybe the province of people who want to make huge statements - subtly.