A vintage Airstream can be a truly wonderful thing to buy. They are strong, reliable, always in style, and by buying an older unit a great deal of money can be saved over new.

One must though, shop with care, and remember that buyer beware.

I arrived back at the Airstream a day or two ago to find a note attached to the door. It was from a woman named Susan, informing me that she had just purchased a vintage Airstream, and needed the name of a repair guy fast.

I called her with the contact information for my guy, and discussed the trouble she was having with her Airstream.

It seems that she recently purchased the trailer, and had been assured by the previous owner that it was free of leaks. She did notice some staining from a previous leak, but the owner assured her that he had fixed it and that it leaked no more.

Of course, she purchased it out of covered storage.

To make a long story short, she bought it, it rained, and the leak was right where the previous owner said it wasn't. Now she has repair bills on top of what was likely a substantial purchase price, and the repair must be made quickly before the floor begins to rot.

Ronald Reagan said 'Trust But Verify' when referring to nuclear disarmament, but when buying an older Airstream it is likely best to stick with the Verify, and leave the Trust to someone else.