Is there any industry less efficient than that of recreational vehicles?

[vito]

I own a small travel trailer. Its a 19 footer that I can pull with my 6 cylinder Dodge Durango. Last July I suffered a bad blowout while on a trip to the West coast for my son's wedding. The blowout tore up much of the bottom of the trailer and did some real damage to some of the body work near that wheel well. I was able to limp home with the camper although we had to stay in motels since the camper itself had become unusable due to the damage.

I brought the camper to a reputable RV dealer where I live on July 15th. The insurance coverage was quickly resolved and I gave the go ahead to do all the repairs before the end of July. Its now almost 7 months later and the dealer still cannot complete the repairs since he is still awaiting parts from the manufacturer in Indiana.

The dealer told me not to get too upset, saying that this type of thing is routine, and that he has motorhomes on the lot that have been waiting close to two years for key parts. He added that one of those motorhome owners shared with him that his monthly payments are just under $2,000 and that he has been making those payments for the last two years without any use of his vehicle.

How does this industry survive with this level of inefficiency? I wonder if this industry takes the first place prize for incompetence.

 

[Dan in MI]

You may not want to hear this.

Basically rv’s are made to be disposable. In my dealership days I got the pleasure of being the rv guy. They are slapped together and as long as they aren’t damaged will hold up. Once damaged it’s a crapshoot.

I would get wiring diagrams that were utterly useless. The harness wouldn’t be anywhere near where it was supposed to be. The list could go on and on.

The only good thing was they paid very well.

 

[vito]

I don't disagree with you. Its amazing that people will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for what can so easily become unusable. At least my camper only cost me $20K back in 2016 and I've already had 6 years use of it. I don't use it for "camping". I see it as just a mobile motel room, allowing me to take my dog with us on trips, sleep in our own bed at night, and not have to go three times a day to a restaurant for meals. In return my gas mileage drops from 24 mpg to 11 mpg, and my average driving speed drops from anout 75 mph to 60 mph. If this camper ever gets fixed I might just leave it with the dealer to sell on consignment.

 

[hittman]

The older ones are like a 10’ x 50‘ single wide with a hitch.

 

[kmoore]

I have owned 9 rvs in the last 46 years. It's always been bad, now it's worse. The Covid 19 crap really pushed RVs sales through the roof while at the same time parts and workers were in short supply.
If you keep up on the RV forums, that boom in RV sales created a lot of new RVers who don't know how to change a light bulb or turn on propane. They don't read the manuals and call for service guys to replace fuses. Or take them back to the dealership for simple repairs. The RV industry is overrun with needed repairs. Add part and worker shortages is really a mess right now.

YES, if they built a better product most of the problems would go away.
The RV market is building them as light as possible so smaller tow vehicles can be used. That ends up with units that won't last as long as older more solid bult units. A simple example is inner fenders used to be all made of metal, now most are plastic.

1.5 years ago I ordered a new pull trailer RV made by a small company named Outdoor RV. A top-of-the-line RV, they only reached 25 thousand units built last year after 12 years making them. They were back ordered for a year to 2 years depending on model. They could not get the generators, the fireplaces and luxury up graded seating. We waited 6 months or half of the time to get one and were willing to take a unit without those items. But they increased the price 2 times and expected a third before the unit would be built. They went up 11,000 bucks. Dealer would not sign a contract at time of order, they knew the prices were going up. We ended up cancelling our order.

 

[daveag.]

Used to be a lot of slide in campers. What happened to those? Even GM, Ford had “Camper Specials”.

 

[Dave P.]

I have small RV storage area, usually with somewhere around 125-150 units in it. Your story is very common with the customers I
talk to. Many people waiting sometimes months just for the service appointment and then longer still for parts. I think the dealer
and brand of unit play a big part in it.
Not that it matters now but as a point of information, how old was the tire?

 

[Kevin]

My folks had a Casita camper trailer. All fiberglass, and very well built. It went for miles and miles over years of use. They were very happy with it.

Made in Rice, TX. I went there and saw the factory with them (parents). It seemed like a reputable company.

 

[purebred]

We actually live full time in our RV. Got tired of the home ownership upkeep and have lived in one for going on 4 years now. We bought a Keystone Alpine which we have had very good luck with ours.. Like anything you have to be able to work on it yourself or suffer the consequences. The wife likes the simplicity of RV living and so do I. We have been many a place and if we don't like it we up and move. Tires are a critical part of RV ownership and must be kept up with most importance. Age, tire pressure, inspection is a must. A lot of people don't care for the RV life but we sure do. With my Ram heavy duty and our 5th wheel I keep busy with our daily rituals for sure. It's a good life but not for everyone.

 

[bigbillyboy]

Used to be a lot of slide in campers. What happened to those? Even GM, Ford had “Camper Specials”.

Yes, they were very popular......

 

[RSIno1]

Used to be a lot of slide in campers. What happened to those? Even GM, Ford had “Camper Specials”.

They got pricey - here's a used one for $71 grand https://rv.campingworld.com/rvdetai...lance-lance-1172-truck-camper-70k-CCA2196289A
My parents had a couple in the late 70s then got a motorhome that I inherited - went to the junkman less the generator. We had a Bluebird Wanderlodge - yep top of the line. Decided to sell it figured we could get a nice room for the night for the $200 a day we were burning in fuel (when it was $4 a gallon). Missed the lifestyle so bought a 20' lightweight travel trailer - should have sold it when the prices were up during the pandemic. The only RV I have ever made a profit on was a 23' GMC motorhome. Paid $1,300 spent another 2 grand on tires, suspension, refer and sold it not quite finished for 5,500. Who would ever think that motorhomes would become a collectable?

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Used to be a lot of slide in campers. What happened to those? Even GM, Ford had “Camper Specials”.

Well "the market" demanded MORE FEATURES, MORE ROOM, MORE EVEYTHING and the manufacturers gladly obliged, essentially pushing the slide-ins into the obsolete category. The availability of more discretionary cash played a big part in it, too.

 

[coach]

What a lemon law attorney has to say about buying a new RV.

 

[hittman]

My former boss bought an RV in the late 90s. Wanted to travel but was too cheap to pay for hotel rooms. Two summers and he was over it.

 

[purebred]

My former boss bought an RV in the late 90s. Wanted to travel but was too cheap to pay for hotel rooms. Two summers and he was over it.

I'd say i don't know to many that buy a rv and stay in motel rooms. Kinda defeating the purpose.

 

[hittman]

Me neither. He thought dropping $50k on an RV be cheaper and easier than hotel rooms.
He was wrong ….. at least for his needs and abilities.

 

[daveag.]

Slide ins did not have much room. Go outside to turn around. I took a Ford 250, 2 wheel drive, with slide in during a snowstorm deer hunt. Late season. -13 degrees one morning. Frost on inside, I had bunk over cab. Still had a good time. I remember letting a doe and twins pass, babies had frost on face ,,,,

 

[kmoore]

Yep, slide in campers expensive, I have owned 3. Last was a 9 3/4 foot floor 2004 Artic Fox. It was about the same price as a 28 ft pull trailer. It was nice, it was heavy it was really expensive. I believe new it was about the same price as the 2013 27ft Keystone I traded it in for.

 

[314Chevy]

A friend lives in a RAM 1500 Camper Van and loves it. The little I've seen it, it looks like a more robust but smaller RV. The camper vans are being built on RAM and Mercedes truck chassis and looks to possibly be the future of Van/RV's.

 

[Jeepnik]

Like anything else you get what you pay for. There are a number of really high quality RV's out there. But they will cost you. I picked up a 19' Airstream. Cost almost as much as my house did 40 odd years ago. But, for just the two of us it perfect. And, my wife isn't afraid to tow it.