charles wrote:
Ten years ago you couldn't find a Class B that was $100,000.00 plus. Today there are only a few that are under that figure, even the Lexor and 190 models have MSRP's real close to $100,000.00 if not over that for 2015. Incomes have not gone up that much and there are not that many buyers out there willing to spend that much on a RV. We bought our first new Class B in 2001 and initially it was a shock looking at the price of it sitting very near new Class A units priced the same and that comparison holds true today.
Nick
That is exactly what happened at the Austin show last time I went there. There was the Airstream "B" sitting there, and 1-2 aisles over, a fully loaded, three axle fifth wheel with all the family-friendly gewgaws like eight (!) LCD TVs. So, people look at the van, look at the 40+ foot fiver, and assume bigger is better.
As for the price of a "B", they are not cheap, but their cost per mile is the lowest of any rig out there, and their resale value is quite high. In fact, I can't see upfitting a van chassis being cheaper than what Sportsmobile or Winnebago can do without cutting major corners. Decent materials (not even marble, but Corian, wood composites that are water resistant), appliances (especially the new European ones which free up a lot of cubic space) coupled with decent workmanship (wires in bundles and conduits as opposed to being stapled willy-nilly, as well as PEX pipe used with ProPEX fittings which won't leak compared to the crimp fittings in common use) can't be done for much less in price than what a Travato costs.
