# Looking at a salem aluminum side



## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

Anyone have good or bad things to say about these? They seem to have the perfect set up for my family. Looking to get a camper in about six months. 

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## Bluewaterbound (Aug 3, 2006)

The Salem line of trailers built by Forest River is an entry level camper.

Depends on how you plan on using it as to whether or not it will fit your needs.

Also depends upon whether you are going to leave it parked in one place, or burn through a set of tires every 6 months towing it all over the country.

If your just going to use it to vacation with the family 3-5 times a year, I think it might work well for you.

If your going to do some hardcore traveling, you might want to look at something else.

Were you planning on buying new or used if I may ask ???


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

I was planning on buying new. FunTown RV is a couple miles from the house. This would be our first camper. The furthest we would take it would be Rockport. 4-1/2 hr. trip. Probably use it 5x a year. They have a nicer one that is another brand that's about 5k more. I borrow my parents 5th. wheel a couple times a year, but it's not made for my family.


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## Bluewaterbound (Aug 3, 2006)

My advice, for what its worth, would be to buy a better quality rv on the used market. I just bought a 2011 Keystone Montana a few months ago from a dealer that looked as though it had never been used once. It was basically a brand new trailer. Just 2 years old. 

I was able to get it for thousands less than the same model in a 2013-14.

Buying used enabled me to buy way more camper than I would have been able to afford if I bought new.

Lots of clean barely used 2 year old campers out there.

Since you said you won't be buying for approximately 6 months, its very possible the model/floorplan you are looking for may become available on the used market.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

Thanks for the reply. I'll check the others out too. 

Sent from my Note2 because my boss is here.


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## mas360 (Nov 21, 2006)

I ever sell my current Keystone Outback I'd replace it with an used Airstream. All campers today have rubber roof. Unless you store it under a roof, I cannot see that roof being able to withstand the summer heat in Texas for long. Airstream has an all aluminum exterior. It can stay outside and remains waterproof.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

I'm spoiled with slide outs. No airstream for me. 
Plus my parents and I are going to split the cost of a lean to on there 30x50 shop. Then we can store both of them under a roof. They have an outback too. 
Sent from my Note2 because my boss is here.


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## mas360 (Nov 21, 2006)

Do they have delamination issue with their Outback?


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## Pilot281 (Aug 14, 2006)

mas360 said:


> Do they have delamination issue with their Outback?


We've got a 2010 Outback (bought in April '09) and have had no issues with delamination.


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## devil1824 (Sep 4, 2010)

Yes. My dad took the front decal off completely. He's repaired some on the sides and just recently waxed everything. Trying to get some more years out of it. The waxing and buffing made a huge difference in just the looks of it.


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## GForce (Aug 5, 2009)

mas360 said:


> I ever sell my current Keystone Outback I'd replace it with used Airstream...... Airstream has an all aluminum exterior. It can stay outside and remains waterproof.


Umm......Since I am the owner of a 2010 Airstream Classic I can assure you that is not the case. They do have all aluminum exteriors. But they are well known for leaking.


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## Archer (Jul 10, 2006)

Another thing to think about with aluminum sides/roof is storm damage. We had to fight like crazy with the insurance company when our Jayflight got totaled because they had a couple of hail storms come through the area where they were storing it before the adjuster came out. The darn thing was cratered like the surface of the moon and the ins. co was trying to devalue a brand new camper due to the â€œhail damageâ€. we had to have the manager of the storage facility call them and verify the storms passing through to convince them that it was undamaged before it was hit.

The replacement will definitely be a hard sided model unless I get the overwhelming urge to move somewhere that hailstorms are not a common as they are here, like say the Left Coast (GAG).


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