Re: [A/S] does anyone know where I can get body repair done?

["Harvey Barlow" <harveybarlow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Susan,

Welcome to Airstreaming.  Sorry your first experience went so badly.

As a starting point, go to http://www.airstream.com which is the official
website for Airstream, Inc.  Dealers and authorized service centers and
parts dealers are listed.

Some are better than others.  If I were you, I would ask, on-list, for
comments from Airstreamers about dealers you are considering.  Promise
confidentiality and ask for off-list replies.  I did this a year or so ago
when I wanted to have a rear corner panel replaced.  I inquired about
Griffith RV Service, Inc. in Oklahoma City, OK.  I immediately received a
dozen or more very strong and glowing recommendations.  I have used that
service center ever since and found them to be as good as, possibly better
than I was told.  Although that service center is almost 400 miles from my
home, and there is an authorized Airstream dealer offering sales, parts, and
service in my home town, I pull the trailer to or call the dealer who is 400
miles away.

Is your Airstream insured?  I hate to offer bad news but you should be
prepared to deal with this situation knowledgeably.  The reason I ask is the
repairs are going to be very expensive.  Your insurance company may declare
your trailer a total loss and refuse to pay the full cost of repairs but
instead subtract your deductible, take the trailer, and pay you average
retail value for it.  If it is not insured the decision will be yours and
yours alone but plan on spending several thousand dollars for repairs.  I'm
sorry to start your day with such bad news but dealing with facts is
preferable to hoping for something better and being disappointed.

 If I turn out to be wrong please let me know.  I am frequently wrong and
don't mind being corrected.

Can't help with an RV park near SF.  Go to any RV store and purchase one of
the several RV park guides.  I like the one published by Trailer Life.   It
will list most, but maybe not all RV parks in your area.  If no luck there,
try your yellow pages under mobile homes, trailer parks, etc.  In some parts
of the country permanent mobile home or manufactured housing parks will
permit travel trailers if set up with skirting around their bottoms.

Harvey Barlow
WBCCI 1171, WDCU, VAC