What's the future of the RV industry?

[B Bob]

Fuel is now headed down just in time for the "season". Hurahhhh!!! IMHO the future of the RV Industry is very good. There are millions of baby boomers going to buy them. Every single one of our close friends either already owns a class A or is getting one or is upgrading.

If gas goes outa sight you just home more than motor.

[Renipladlo]

Well, I should leave this one alone, but cannot.

I believe the RV industry is going down the tubes for several reasons, fuel prices being just one of the reasons, unless we get significant raises in income.

Young people for the most part are more interested in their I-pod or cell phone than in going out into the woods and camping, so we are losing a generation of potential campers/RV’ers type folks to that.

Young people starting out, are not making good money for the most part, and won't have the disposable incomes we had/have to justify the costs of an rv, the fuel and camping costs associated with that lifestyle.

Quality of RV is in my opinion at an all time low, with the bottom line being the biggest most important constraint in any RV company, yes, they must make money to operate, but, quality should be the most important component in RV's and brother it is not there period. RVIA is just a joke in my industry; it means nothing at all concerning the quality of an RV. So the industry is going down, as for the reasons I have stated, which are my opinion only.

Check out RV Business Magazine, it has articles related to this subject, and fuel prices are already having an effect on new unit sales, which were expected to recover, that won't happen now.

[melvonnar]

Gas going down?
Goes to $3.50 everyone says its a bargan.
Next time gas goes to $5.00.
Gas goes down to $4.50 everyone says its a bagan.
o me o my

[RedneckExpress]

Originally Posted by melvonnar

Gas going down?
Goes to $3.50 everyone says its a bargan.
Next time gas goes to $5.00.
Gas goes down to $4.50 everyone says its a bagan.
o me o my

Aye, its got about $2.00-3.00 a gallon to go before I'll start cheering....

[johnsonjm209]

Bear in mind that I skipped the previous pages and went to the last page, so I hope I'm not doubling up on anyone.

Where is the RV Industry???? We're sucking up the fuel, they're sucking up the profits. I see no one in the industry (manufacturing and sales) getting together and trying to do something to impress the politicians that a lot of us regular RVers are on the verge of becoming extinct. And, probably a lot of us have or will walk away from our Rv loans.

As a matter of fact, they even produce products that are guarenteed to come to us needing repairs. I wonder if anyone has ever driven an rv out of a sales lot and not had to come back for repairs of sloppy production.

Whew, I feel better already.

[B Bob]

I made one post yesterday saying I was thankful fuel was headed in the right direction and awakened the most pessimistic responses. Ugh. I absolutely think having the speculative oil price bubble burst and prices headed in a favorable direction is something to cheer. I don't care how much it heads down or what prices used to cost. Down is good!

2. RV quality has been good for years and is improving. If you consider the circumstances. All RVs made are relatively short runs of complex mechanical vehicles. RVs are not like cars. Cars are much simpler and you make 100,000 of them. So you get defects down. RVs you make a few. I own an RV and I think the quality of mine is excellent. I have many friends with RVs. Nearly every one of them reports very good experiences with regard to quality on their units.

3. The idea that younger people are not going to love camping is just wrong. I spent the whole day yesterday in the yearly volunteer annual meeting for the State Park I volunteer at. There were lots of new young people there who love the outdoors.

4. Higher gas prices will not kill the RV industry. I think fuel prices are headed down significantly now for a while. But even if prices head way up the RV industry will do fine. Look at Europe. High fuel prices and high RV usage.

5. I am very optimistic that as the US economy continues to recover the RV market and RV usage will too. We have just had the biggest recession since the 1930's and it will take a while for things to improve. The best days are ahead of us.

[swampdog2]

and what office are you running for

[melvonnar]

Originally Posted by swampdog

and what office are you running for

I have a hard time believing things are improving when the price of everything is going up.
I just checked a campground that we spend a lot of time in the summers for available spots this summer; most every summer except this summer they are booked solid every weekend; not this summer, the only weekend that they are booked solid is the fourth of july. every other weekend the are only about 1/3 booked. and through the week are nearly empty.
They raised there rates by %20 ;I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not.
Gas up; camp fees up = -------------

[Kayjulia]

I am on the road now and the price of fuel is crazy in the same town the price can very from $3.59 a gallon to $4.00 gallon that was in Roswell NM doesn't make sense. The cost of Typical RV park fees has gone up especially along the interstate highways. Even some state parks have raised their fees. I have a feeling if this goes on many of us will have to seriously cut back out RV trips. That does not bode well for those depending on traveler and tourist dollars, those businesses could see a lot less people buying less; then what will they do raise prices again? I don't think many people know how much money RVrs and Campers spend in many communities or care!

[TW]

Originally Posted by melvonnar

.....
.

Gas up; camp fees up = -------------

Just checked some CG for the summer season (Middle of the road)

Some are getting over 50 bucks. No wonder Wal-Mart is filling up.
We are not trading up. Got used to our Motorhome. Getting too old to trade up

[Billieg]

Originally Posted by TW

Just checked some CG for the summer season (Middle of the road)

Some are getting over 50 bucks. No wonder Wal-Mart is filling up.
We are not trading up. Got used to our Motorhome. Getting too old to trade up

It really doesn't make sense when a camp ground is 3/4 empty and they still want the full price. We are planning a trip and needed a one night stay to complete our first leg of the trip. We checked 3 camp grounds in S. Georgia none had cable, WIFI or sewer and all wanted over $40 per night. I guess Walmart is looking good at this point. Something has got to change because most of us are not getting more money each year but everything is going way up. The job market is still down and we are losing jobs everyday. I guess my small part will be to buy fuel from Murphy and other stations that sell American fuel and try to buy products made in the USA and not from overseas. If enough of us do it it might make a difference.

[davidjneff]

I am fortunate that I have a good job and income, but I really do not stress on the cost of fuel. The payments on my newer class A diesel is about $1100 per month. What is a few hundred more for gas? I can buy enough fuel to drive cross country for the amount of one month payment! Of course I cheer when the price drops and hate the sticker shock, but the amount I pay on fuel is actually a small percentage of the overall cost of ownership. Of course if one has a fully paid off rig and on a tight budget I understand the price can really take a bite!

I do not RV because it makes financial sense. I do it for entertainment and to have memories, make new friends, and get experiences I would not otherwise have.

[Gary - K7GLD]

Seems most folks here expressing the intention of continued recreational (discretionary) travel steadily ASSUME that fuel prices ALONE will be the controlling influence - ignoring the already evident FACT that there are and WILL be other major expense issues added to that fuel cost.

Stuff like fewer RV resorts and CG's, as THEIR occupancy rate and profit margin disappears - and virtually EVERYTHING we touch, eat and wear rises dramatically - is rationed, or vanishes from availability.

This is NOT the simple dramatic increase of a single item - fuel - as we experienced on the later '80's, this is a TOTAL nation/worldwide event that will touch us ALL, in MANY places and items - and the cost of FUEL, may well be well down on our list priorities and choices!

Paranoia? Doomsday crying? NO - just the simple and obvious eyeopener of what we are seeing and experiencing steadily unfolding all around us DAILY in the stores and national news.

Laugh and ignore the MANY warning signs at your own peril!

[Gary - K7GLD]

3. The idea that younger people are not going to love camping is just wrong. I spent the whole day yesterday in the yearly volunteer annual meeting for the State Park I volunteer at. There were lots of new young people there who love the outdoors.

SO - you go to an OUTDOOR EVENT - and find lots of young people enjoying it - who woulda thought!

Go to a ballpark or rock concert, and you'll probably also find lots of young folks enjoying THAT as well - THAT'S WHY THEY ARE THERE!

But ask those same young folks at that ballpark and concert if they enjoy camping outdoors and/or RVing - and see what the percentage is!