Motor homes shrink in size but sales continue to climb
Hoping to get another weekend or two at the cottage before school starts? You may soon see some relief from the convoys of motor homes lined up ahead of you.
The sluggish economy and high gas prices are forcing many monster RVs to the side of the road. And, it seems, the newer models that are taking their place are that much smaller.
"Fuel prices are driving it, but this is a cultural shift," says Bob Wheeler, CEO of Airstream, which converts delivery-van-style Mercedes-Benz Sprinters into low-key motor homes. "There's a shift away from conspicuous consumption," he told US Today.
Though these units are still priced upwards of $125,000, they typically don't have the panache of larger units. But they do get triple the gas mileage of some big gasoline-powered motor homes.
Also, smaller RVs can be for other things such as a mobile dugout or shelter for little leaguers and soccer kids at games.
Are people buying? It would seem so. Some 8.9 million people, or 8.5 percent of U.S households, now own RVs, says Richard Curtin, a recreational vehicle industry analyst and economist.
He believes that the industry, including Canadian dealerships, looks to continue to grow and thrive going into 2012. So much so that keeners of all ages are using their RV as the first and only home.
Are you an RV enthusiast? Are dollar-a-second gas prices keeping you off the road or at least looking at smaller models?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: ana | Aug 15, 2021 11:18:16 AM
I tried to tell my foreman at a trailer company that we should be making smaller units because of the gas prices but he said the big fifth wheels are what they want now! The company no longer exists and they are the ones to blame, they always seem to want to blame the employees when things go wrong but the big wigs seem to think they know it all andnotllisten to anyone else but the employees are the ones to suffer in the end, with no job.
Posted by: Kathy | Aug 15, 2021 12:04:54 PM
Let's face it. "Most" of the people who own the larger rigs, whether they are TT's, 40' Fifth Wheels or motorhomes, can afford the gas. Maybe they won't travel as far, or as much, but those people will always be looking for bigger and better.