Airstream Basecamp reviews

This review is for a BaseCamp 20X. This is a copy of the letter I wrote to Airstream/Thor. To whom it may concern. After 2 1/2 years of ownership, 11 service visits, and approximately 7 months total, in the shop, I’ve given up on ever getting the advertised airstream “experience”. (It’s currently in the shop since August 10th). I can’t tell you how disappointed I am in your product and its shocking lack of quality and dependability. This was my retirement gift to myself, always wanting to experience the airstream “life on the road”. After looking at other trailers, the BaseCamp 20X seemed like a perfect model to see how we liked RV traveling. Though we spent much more on the BaseCamp compared to the others we looked at, we believed it would be a better quality trailer and be more dependable on the road. We could not have been more wrong! In the 24 trips we have taken, we have yet to have ONE trip, where everything worked properly and we didn't have to make a list for another trip to service. Here is a brief list of the issues: 1. Heater did not work on our first trip, fixed after the second visit, when I had to tell the dealer that there was a service bulletin. 2. Fresh water tank only is 20 gallons, even though my owners manual and the original information on-line showed 27 gallons. Huge difference! Your customer service said that’s the way it is, no apology of course. Weird how you can misrepresent your product like that with no repercussions. 3. All the interior panels in the bathroom were cracking, and had to be reskinned. 4. Black water flush inoperative. The valve was installed backwards from the factory. 5. LP cover warped, replaced, but is warped again. Looks so cheap. 6. Bathroom floor squeaks loudly, 3 visits to repair. 7. Vinyl floor blistering around same area as squeak around wet bath. 2 repairs. I’m assuming the glue was not good and I will be seeing this again. 8. Gray tank sensor not reading correctly. 2 repairs. 9. Water pump issues. 6 repairs!! They are replacing the pump again on this visit. It’s still in the shop. 10. Propane leak, arrived at campsite with no propane one time! 11. Our last trip, the a/c would barely cool, so we left our trip a day early. They say they can not find anything wrong with it. It has cooled perfectly prior, even in our 110 degree temps in Phoenix. This is a concern, as we travel with 2 dogs and we leave them in the trailer by themselves at times. Not any more, I can’t trust or depend on this trailer to be safe for them. 12. Both rear table tops delaminating. In the shop now for this. Seems to be a problem on other trailer models as well based on a customer I met in service. 13. Approximately a dozen other minor issues that one should not expect at any price. It was easier for me to fix some of them myself, rather than deal with the service department. (For the most part, another huge disappointment) Until now, I just kept patiently thinking we would get everything fixed for good and not have to be in service so much. After over 2 1/2 years that hasn’t happened, and does not seem that it will. At this point we just feel so duped into believing the airstream quality myth. Once an iconic brand, you seem to be just another Thor trailer company now, only shinier and more expensive. I’m nervous every time we take it out, knowing something else will likely fail, possibly ruining a trip. We have loved RV living and will continue our camping adventures. Our plan is to upgrade to a 22-23 ft trailer, originally planning on a 23ft flying cloud. Even after all this, we still thought we wanted to stay with airstream. That last cling to your brand was given up on when I dropped it for the current service visit . Another customer in the shop with a new flying cloud, had all the interior panels delaminating! We would feel stupid to pay another 60-70K to upgrade to a larger airstream, and have the quality issues we have now. I can’t pay for a name again. Show less

I need to clarify that half of my discontent is toward the dealer and the other half is my discontent with the quality of fit and finish in the AIRSTREAM BASECAMP 20' RV. First off I bought this RV for business purposes mainly. I travel all year long to many different states but live in COLORADO. When asking the dealer if the AIRSTREAM BASECAMP 20' can be uses in the winter? His reply was, "Oh yes its rated down to 0 degrees F" Excellent! So this problem falls on me. Had I researched it better and read the manual before purchasing I would have realized, "NO IN FACT IT CANNOT BE USED WITH ALL FEATURES BELOW 32 DEGREES F" Okay begrudgingly I accept responsibility for this mistake. However it is an off road trailer. It is Airstreams answer to to off road customers. Being that this dealer is in COLORADO, one would think they would inform you "NO IN FACT IT CANNOT BE USED IN WINTER". Alright my fault. Now onto the Fit and Finish of the RV. The time it took to research the RV's on the market, I kept running into how Airstream is the Highest quality, Best Resale value, etc etc... So okay great... that's what Im looking for. All along the main reason I chose Airstream was mainly because of the No Formaldehyde used in the components. When looking at other RV's my eyes would burn upon entering the unit. This did not happen with the BASECAMP. However I do not understand how Airstream and Dealers and Periodicals claim they hold their value so well when they are maid and finished with some very low quality parts! For instance: INSIDE FINISHES: 1) Storage; Every glass door handle from inside storage doors has fallen off at least two times each in the 6 months I've owned it. The glass actually moves in the hinges so it can easily fall out if one isn't super vigilant in making sure its closed properly. 2) Bathroom; The bathroom door handle mechanism has fallen off. The shower head, the shower head holder and shower head tube is all very cheap plastic that is simply screwed into the Aluminum sheeting not into any stud. So be very careful about how you tug on it because 3 lbs of force will remove it entirely from the wall! 3) Other fit and finish issues but too numerous to take up the readers valuable time, you get the point. OUTSIDE FINISHES: 4) The doors have a tiny tiny latch that holds them from inadvertently closing. These latches are not anchored in anything except for the sheet of super thin aluminum. A wrong pull or strong wind will pull the latch right out of the aluminum. you can see the 2 inch travel in the sheet if you pull on it softly. 5) The plastic cover on the hitch to hide the electric cable the propane tanks and other items is so flimsy it has no locking capability and has elastic cords to hold top down. Ive had it 6 months now and will have to replace these with in another 6 months. 6) The manufacturer puts a "Rock Guard" on the two front sides of the trailer which is a great idea! Terrible execution though. When driving down the road if you glance in the rear view mirror the flex and contortion forces on these panels makes me worry how long they will be on the unit? They literally look like they will break off any moment. 7) I ordered an after market rack for the rear of the RV that I could install for carrying my generators. Awesomely constructed rack btw! its from "EZ-Rack". In any event, the instructions on putting this rack on are to remove the under panel in the rear to get at the studs to mound rack mounts too. Well in doing so you see that no wonder the manufacturer of the RV doesn't recommend using the RV in the winter cause there isn't a stitch of insulation anywhere to be found and the gauge of aluminum used is deplorable. I could continue in this same vane for like 20 more items but I want the moderators to allow this review and i find myself beginning to get angst and its probably showing so ill finish with the following statement: We pain $58,000 for this RV and it is simply NOT WORTH IT. I hope someone finds this rant helpful and sorry to those that may really love their RV. This just wast as good as an "AMERICAN" product should be! Laurence Shapiro PS Anyone want to buy a RV LOL? Show less

Just a wonderful practical and well build unit to be enjoyed frequently. The BaseCamp 20X has everything you need for both novices and camping experts alike. Plenty of storage space within the BaseCamp 20X and wonderful windows to enjoy the views Awesome large tires BaseCamp 20X can be towed almost anywhere! Easy to tow and park. Show less

Absolutely love the versatility of this rig and that I can tow it w my Jeep. Light weight, easy to set up and tear down. Have been through the Rockies, the Cascades, and the Coastal range with it. No problems towing. Only complaint is that I can’t use it more. Show less

Great little backroad trailer! good in winter as well. well built. ergonmic design. perfect for 2. great window views. quiet heater.read door is a plus. do not like to set up and take down bed. first time we have an indoor bathroom ...nice.. have not had reason to call factory on warrnty Show less

IT'S AN AIRSTREAM!!!!! This is the only off-road trailer Airstream makes. Specifically it is made to boondock. Solar panels on roof, large 9,000 BTU A/C, and set up for sub freezing temps. The furnace is propane and has a 12v system for the tanks to keep them from freezing. This thing will go anywhere!!!! Show less

Airstream outdid themselves when they made the Basecamp! Light, pulls like nothing behind my Nissan Frontier and state of art amenities inside I bought this trailer only a month ago with the intention of retiring and now I'm not. I haven't camped at all since I purchased it and probably won't so now I'm selling it for someone else to enjoy. The retail price is $43,000 but after tax, title and licensing you could pay up to $5000 more. Show less