RV Dealers lots are full

I would think that this time of year, dealers toward the south would be stocking up for the busy season with snowbirds heading down. Up here in the North, there may be some smaller bump for snowbirders who want to buy before heading down south. We also noted large inventory at a local MASS dealership over the weekend.

Iof tried to buy a new one this year but my present one won't sell even at a very good price. Couldn't even get a looker. Then when I shopped for a trade in I can't get a deal anywhere. One dealer won't even give me an offer, yet all them have a lot of inventory that isn't moving...Oh well.

B.O.

Many consumers are just coming out of bankruptcy and foreclosures (the seven year stint) and home values are starting to increase, resulting in gains in equity. Although I don't suggest it, many home owners pull equity from their home to purchase luxury items). This, combined with the surge in retirements, is pushing up demand for rv's. The trend should continue for about the next 15-years - unless the economy tanks again (anyone have a crysal ball?)

JAXFL wrote:
Can you say economy? Folks seem to have money for some small purchases but for the big dollar items... they are holding off.

RV's are selling in record numbers and dealers are ordering in accordance...this from the RVIA:

"The RV market continued to track upward in the first half of 2015 with total RV wholesale shipments reaching 202,653 units through June, an increase of 5.5% over the 192,065 units shipped during the same time frame in 2014 according to RVIA’s June 2015 survey of manufacturers."

and this:

"In 2014, RV shipments climbed to 356,735 units, a gain of 11.1% over the previous year. This was the fifth consecutive annual increase and the fourth double digit percentage gain in RV shipments since the end of the last recession."

It is clear that the RV industry has it;s sights on the next wave of Baby Boomers retiring. This economic tidal wave has been the best thing ever for the RV industry. Speaking in macro terms any economy that produces 350,000 luxury RECREATIONAL vehicles per YEAR (not counting Boats and other types of RV,s) is not an economy that is doing badly overall.

We live in southern Michigan, not far from the northern Indiana RV industry. Drove down to Topeka, IN (east of Elkhart) on Tuesday to pick up a part for our 2015 Cedar Creek Silverback. We drive through this RV industry area fairly often and in the spring the manufacturers lots were over the top full. This week we noticed that the inventory in their lots were about 10-20% of what we saw this spring.

My buddy works for a supplier to the RV industry and he told me they are very busy. Lots of supplies coming in and lots of products going out.

Somebody must be buying those RVs, but I agree, the dealers seem to have plenty of inventory.

General RV in Wixom MI is selling and servicing RV's like crazy. They can't hire people fast enough and has a waiting list to get in. Been like that all year.

Can you say economy? Folks seem to have money for some small purchases but for the big dollar items... they are holding off.

Both of our local dealers have sold a lot of their inventory. I store my 5er at one over the winter. When I went to pick up in February to head south. They barely had enough room to move around. Now they have all kind of space. They even have new units coming in.

Dealer by me has lots of leftover 2015's that aren't selling. Challengers, and many other Thor products. Prices have been lowered 2-3 times over the past 6 months and still not moving.

Golden_HVAC wrote:


Hopefully they are not building units they can not sell?

Fred.

I hope they're not building them based on the dropping gas prices?
We all know that Isn't going to last long.