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swduns · 10-26-2020, 09:02 AM

I read that one high-end RV manufacturer was sold out for 2021 already. I also saw that Winnebago has a $1.8B backlog. Before Covid I had read rumors about some RV manufacturers pending bankruptcy. I see on Utube that many RV sales lots have no inventory. It seems clear that currently RV demand is a record high.

Given complaints about new RV quality, I wonder how the high demand on RV production will affect new RV quality and as well new owner access to warranty service.

I've see some RV utubers stop production due to difficulties in booking RV parks/travel. I have experienced trouble getting RV park reservations both for transit RV parks and destination RV parks. With record demand you would expect this to only get worse.

As Yogi Berra said “'It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future'” but having A LOT MORE RVs ON THE ROAD suggests RV reservations will be challenging for some time.

Just thinking out loud .....

pete5016 · 10-26-2020, 09:08 AM

The latest sales stats I saw showed a 53% increase in July 2020 RV manufacturing over July 2019, mostly in smaller units. That a HUGE production increase!

RonLC · 10-26-2020, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete5016

The latest sales stats I saw showed a 53% increase in July 2020 RV manufacturing over July 2019, mostly in smaller units. That a HUGE production increase!

Has anyone seen the sales statistics segmented by price? Could be a lot of pop ups and 5ers. It would be interesting to see numbers of large units selling.

During our recent 4 month trip to Maine and back to Florida we saw more new 5ers than anything else.

pete5016 · 10-26-2020, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonLC

Has anyone seen the sales statistics segmented by price? Could be a lot of pop ups and 5ers. It would be interesting to see numbers of large units selling.

During our recent 4 month trip to Maine and back to Florida we saw more new 5ers than anything else.

The sales I saw were from motorhomes. Class B's nearly doubled, Class C's were increased about 34% and Class A's had no increase.

So, the increased production appears to be for the newer RV members.

Ljwt330 · 10-26-2020, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonLC

Has anyone seen the sales statistics segmented by price? Could be a lot of pop ups and 5ers. It would be interesting to see numbers of large units selling.

During our recent 4 month trip to Maine and back to Florida we saw more new 5ers than anything else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete5016

The sales I saw were from motorhomes. Class B's nearly doubled, Class C's were increased about 34% and Class A's had no increase.

So, the increased production appears to be for the newer RV members.

These two posts reflect my own personal observations^^.

Booking a site, always difficult in coastal California, has become even more difficult. Once at a campground, I have noticed vastly more TTs and 5ers than previously, and the increase in Cs and Bs. At our favorite spot, class As used to dominate, but now they are outnumbered at least 6 to 1 by towables, Cs, and Bs.

Goodspike · 10-26-2020, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ljwt330

These two posts reflect my own personal observations^^.

Booking a site, always difficult in coastal California, has become even more difficult. Once at a campground, I have noticed vastly more TTs and 5ers than previously, and the increase in Cs and Bs. At our favorite spot, class As used to dominate, but now they are outnumbered at least 6 to 1 by towables, Cs, and Bs.

I think this makes sense. Let's say you were going to spend $5,000 on your 2020 vacation. How much money are you going to spend on an RV instead?

What's scary is to think about the tow vehicles for some of the travel trailers. Many are probably getting by with whatever they already had and looking only at max tow ratings.

AK-AZ · 10-26-2020, 01:24 PM

I was on a RV lot recently in Arizona, the salesman told me sales were way
up but slowing now.
Lots of younger people buying that usually go on cruises or vacations every summer.
He thinks there will be a glut of used RV's after the vaccine. Millennials figure out that an RV is not for them.