valhalla360 wrote:
Looked up sales numbers (these are overall for RVs. I couldn't find travel trailer specific):
Thor owns Keystone & Jayco and with other brands about 50% of the market
Forest River owns Forest River and Coachmen and with other brands about 33% of the market
Winnebago is about 8% of the market.
REV owns Fleetwood and about 3% of the market with other brands.
Gulf Stream is independent and under 1%.
Add in a bit of buyers bias (people who spend far more for a supposed better brand are less likely to slam that brand), and what you basically have is a survey that largely mimics sales.
I'm betting if you found the actual travel trailer sales, it would match even closer (ie: Winnebago is primarily a MH shop that does a few travel trailers. Keystone & Thor are primarily trailer shops that do a few MHs).
Without compensating for sales numbers and where they are drawing the survey population from, these numbers mean a whole lot of nothing.
I agree it's not scientific, it's a just poll of 3,000 RV'ers. I also believe that those with complaints are far more likely to participate.
I am currently shopping and my this was my take away:
Forest River represents 33% of the market and garnered fully 50% of the complaints.
Thor represents a much larger market segment than Forest River but had considerably fewer complaints.
Not sure if it will impact my decision but I believe the poll has value.
