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		<title>October 2025 RV Shipment Update</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2025/12/01/october-2025-rv-shipment-update/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2025 10:12:07 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>I know this isn&#8217;t the most exciting stuff to read about, but it can tell you a lot about the RV industry. Some of it you can certainly leverage if you are looking to purchase an RV. In a struggling... <a class="more-link" href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2025/12/01/october-2025-rv-shipment-update/">Continue Reading &#8594;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2025/12/01/october-2025-rv-shipment-update/">October 2025 RV Shipment Update</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_26561-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-5417" srcset="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_26561-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_26561-225x300.jpg 225w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_26561-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_26561-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_26561-600x800.jpg 600w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_26561-945x1260.jpg 945w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/IMG_26561-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Hey, we tried to help the travel trailer numbers, we bought a 2026 Alliance Delta 294RK</figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>I know this isn&#8217;t the most exciting stuff to read about, but it can tell you a lot about the RV industry.  Some of it you can certainly leverage if you are looking to purchase an RV.  In a struggling market, there is always a buying opportunity.</p>



<p>October Shipment numbers from the RVIA.Org web site are in, and just like last month it continues to be stagnant news if not slightly negative news, except maybe for Fifth Wheels and Truck Campers.</p>



<p>As always let me start by saying that the RVIA is comparing their “growth rate”, only to 2024, which wasn’t a great year.  It would be better if they used a running five-year average as a comparison, excluding the covid years. </p>



<p>Right now, for all RV shipments for the year, they are at 297,477 Units Shipped. That puts shipments at 3.6% over 2024 so far this year.</p>



<p>Let’s break down the October numbers:</p>



<p>In October Travel Trailer Shipments were down again, this time dropping to -9% over October of 2024.  If you remember last month, they were down 4.4%. For the year they are now in negative territory at -.5%.  Again, that’s comparing to the bad year 2024. This has been a bleak year for Travel Trailers.  As I’ve said before, I’ve never seen a year like this for travel trailers.</p>



<p>October Fifth Wheels were up 24.9% over October of 2024.  Down from last month’s gain of 29.1% over September of 2024. Total shipments were 6198, which is up about 1085 units from last month’s shipments.  YTD compared to 2024 they’ve moved up to 21.2%.</p>



<p>Pop-up Campers moved into negative territory this month at-15.8% and YTD when compared to 2024, they are down -2.8%. </p>



<p>Truck Campers had that unexplainable positive wild swing last month of 72.9%.  This month they are up again at 34.8% over October of 2024. Again, I’m not sure what’s happening in that category.  These last two month has put the truck campers at 26.7% positive for the YTD numbers.  Just like pop up campers the number of shipments in this category is so small (just 368 this month) it hardly takes any increase or decrease to make it look like a huge swing.  That being said, something positive is definitely happening in this category.  This is two months in a row where some really big numbers for truck campers are being generated.</p>



<p>I won’t spend a lot of time talking about Motorhomes, but A’s and C’s were up when compared to October of 2024.&nbsp; Type A’s up 15.9%, and type C’s up 21.8%.&nbsp; Type Bs, the Van Campers were in negative territory when compared to October of 2024 at -8.8%.</p>



<p>However, for the year, A’s are barely positive at 3.2%, and B’s are diving deeper into negative territory at -1.4% and C’s are at 5.7%.&nbsp; Overall, the motorhome market has now dropped to only 3.6% over 2024.</p>



<p>Again, the motorhome situation is a bit like Fifth wheels, truck campers and popups. There are not a lot shipped so a modest swing results in a big percentage shift.</p>



<p>Overall, when comparing October of 2025 to October of 2024, there were 352 less shipments this October.&nbsp; Even though the RVIA CEO states &#8220;This latest shipment report shows that overall, the RV industry continues to make moderate, steady gains for the year and we are on track to surpass last year&#8217;s shipment totals,&#8221;</p>



<p>Well, the report doesn’t really reflect that, although we do have November and December to get through.&nbsp; However, are November and December great months for selling RV’s?– probably not.</p>



<p>So, I don’t think this month’s report is great news for the RV industry.  The problem here is that the bread and butter of the RV industry, Travel Trailers, are trending downwards.  Travel Trailers are the most popular RV manufactured.  When, Travel Trailers bottom out, that&#8217;s not good news for the RV industry at all.  Keep in mind, shipments mean nothing as far as sales.</p>



<p>The more reliable indicator is RV registrations compared to last year,( again 2024 was not a great year) and those registrations are now down 4%, according to New Trader Insights. This leads to higher than desired levels at the Dealers.&nbsp; Again, it also a reflection that the industry is not doing well.</p>



<p>So, this may be a buyers’ market for travel trailers, pop up campers, and Class B Camper Vans, since those categories are struggling.  Just a thought.</p>



<p>Until next time Happy Camping!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2025/12/01/october-2025-rv-shipment-update/">October 2025 RV Shipment Update</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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		<title>September Shipments 2025 Update</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2025/11/06/september-shipments-2025-update/</link>
					<comments>https://traveltrailernation.com/2025/11/06/september-shipments-2025-update/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:48:22 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://traveltrailernation.com/?p=5399</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>September Shipment numbers from the RVIA.org web site are in and just like last month it continues to be stagnant news, except maybe for Truck Campers. As always let me start by saying that they are comparing their “growth rate”,... <a class="more-link" href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2025/11/06/september-shipments-2025-update/">Continue Reading &#8594;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2025/11/06/september-shipments-2025-update/">September Shipments 2025 Update</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>September Shipment numbers from the RVIA.org web site are in and just like last month it continues to be stagnant news, except maybe for Truck Campers.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RV-industry.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-5240" style="width:329px;height:auto" srcset="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RV-industry.jpg 1024w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RV-industry-300x300.jpg 300w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RV-industry-150x150.jpg 150w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RV-industry-768x768.jpg 768w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RV-industry-600x600.jpg 600w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/RV-industry-945x945.jpg 945w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
</div>


<p>As always let me start by saying that they are comparing their “growth rate”, only to 2024, which wasn’t a great year.  It would be better if they used a running five-year average as a comparison; excluding the covid years.  I think the following numbers will confirm that the industry is still struggling.  We will also talk about vehicle registrations which is even more telling.</p>



<p>Right now, for all towable shipments for the year, they are at 239,635 Units Shipped.&nbsp; If you remember last month, they had shipped 216,757 for the year.&nbsp; That’s a difference of 22,878 units, down 2152 shipments when compared to August’s gain of 25,030.</p>



<p><strong>On with the Septembers numbers:</strong></p>



<p>In September Travel Trailer Shipments were down -4.4% over September of 2024.&nbsp; If you remember last month, they were down double digits in travel trailers.&nbsp; For the year they are up only .5% dropping from 1% last month.&nbsp; Again, that’s comparing to the bad year 2024. That might tell you all you need to know.&nbsp; I’ve never seen a year like this for travel trailers.</p>



<p>September Fifth Wheels were up 29.1% over September of 2024, Total shipments were only 5,113 units, which is actually down from last month’s number.  YTD compared to 2024 they’ve gone to 20.7%.</p>



<p>Pop-up Campers were up 12.4% but remember YTD when compared to 2024 still down at -1.5%. </p>



<p>Here’s a surprise. Truck Campers were up 72.9% over August of 2024. YTD when compared to 2024 they are up 25.9%.  There number of shipments is so small it hardly takes any increase to make it look like a major accomplishment.  However, in this case they jumped to 210 units shipped.  For comparison, the shipments on Truck campers last month was only 36 units.  In the entire time I’ve been watching shipments I’ve never seen a jump like that.</p>



<p>I won’t spend a lot of time talking about Motorhomes, but A’s B’s and C’s were all up when compared to September of 2024.&nbsp; Type A’s up 20.6%, B’s up 8.2%, and type C’s up 27.1%.&nbsp; However, for the year, A’s are barely positive at 1.8%, and B’s are in negative territory at -.6% and C’s are scraping by at 4.0%.&nbsp; Overall the motorhome market is only up 4.2% over 2024.</p>



<p>Again, the motorhome situation is a bit like Fifth wheels, truck campers and popups. There are not a lot of units shipped each month, so a modest swing results in a big percentage shift.</p>



<p>Out of the last nine months, 2025 numbers have bested 2024 in only 6 of those months, and in three of those months, just barely bested.  So regardless of how they might spin things, it’s not a rosy picture.</p>



<p>The more reliable news is RV registrations. When compared to last year, registrations are down 1.5%, even though shipments have slightly increased.  This leads to higher than desired levels of inventory at the Dealers.  Again, it is also a reflection that the industry is not doing well.</p>



<p>This month RV Industry Association President &amp; CEO Craig Kirby said:</p>



<p>“The RV industry continues to demonstrate a steady, moderate increase in wholesale shipments, which is a testament to the enduring appeal of the RV lifestyle.&nbsp; This steady demand, well into the autumn season, underscores a crucial shift: RVing is no longer confined to summer travel. &nbsp;Our data consistently shows that RV owners are embracing the affordability and flexibility of using their units year-round, enjoying shoulder-season camping and the freedom to pursue their passions beyond traditional vacation windows.”</p>



<p>In my opinion, the moderate shipment increase only relates to comparing this year to last year, which is somewhat meaningless. In other words, comparing a bad year to a worse year, and saying it&#8217;s an increase.</p>



<p>Secondly, I don’t think folks with RV’s ever felt confined to only using their trailers in the summer.</p>



<p>And now for the new term of the month <strong><em>Shoulder Season Camping</em></strong>.  I’ve never heard that before, but I’m a caveman so…For any of you that want the definition, here it is.</p>



<p>Shoulder season camping is camping during the transitional periods between peak and off-peak seasons, typically in early spring and late fall.&nbsp; This time offers fewer crowds and milder weather than summer, though the conditions can be unpredictable, requiring extra preparation and layers for variable temperatures and potential precipitation.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="976" height="549" src="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-More-You-Know.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-5400" srcset="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-More-You-Know.jpg 976w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-More-You-Know-300x169.jpg 300w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-More-You-Know-768x432.jpg 768w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-More-You-Know-600x338.jpg 600w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-More-You-Know-945x532.jpg 945w" sizes="(max-width: 976px) 100vw, 976px" /></figure>
</div>


<p>So now you know!</p>



<p>Until next time Happy Camping!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2025/11/06/september-shipments-2025-update/">September Shipments 2025 Update</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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		<title>RV Manufacturing continues to slip&#8230;</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2022/11/06/rv-manufacturing-continues-to-slip/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 06 Nov 2022 12:20:34 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://traveltrailernation.com/?p=4214</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>As predicted in my previous post last month, the RV Industry continues to slip. RV shipments for September fell to 28,333 units. That is a decrease of (-48.5%) compared to the 55,014 units shipped in September 2021. If you are... <a class="more-link" href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2022/11/06/rv-manufacturing-continues-to-slip/">Continue Reading &#8594;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2022/11/06/rv-manufacturing-continues-to-slip/">RV Manufacturing continues to slip&#8230;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
]]></description>
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<p>As predicted in my <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/staging/3512/2022/10/03/rv-shipments-drop-again-in-august/">previous post last month</a>, the RV Industry continues to slip. RV shipments for September fell to 28,333 units. That is a decrease of (-48.5%) compared to the 55,014 units shipped in September 2021. If you are thinking that the quality will go up with fewer shipments, based on what I am seeing online &#8211; that would be wrong. And while the RV association refers to this as &#8220;normalization&#8221;, you can be sure it has an impact on production lines and upstream vendors.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://traveltrailernation.com/staging/3512/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IMG_5106-768x1024.jpg" alt="FT Worth RV Show" class="wp-image-1216" style="width:384px;height:512px" srcset="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IMG_5106-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IMG_5106-225x300.jpg 225w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IMG_5106-945x1260.jpg 945w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IMG_5106-600x800.jpg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Shipments and sales are dropping.</figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>So what was the impact to towables?  Well towables are down 54.4% when compared to September numbers for 2021.  Year to date towable number are down 9.9% when compared to 2021.  That is a drop of 40,443 units so far.  That is quite a drop.</p>



<p>Breakdown:</p>



<p>Travel Trailer Shipments:</p>



<p>September 2021 = 40,254 vs. September 2022 = 17,599.  That is a drop of 56.3%.  For the year Travel Trailer Shipments are down 10.3%</p>



<p>Fifth Wheel Shipments;</p>



<p>September 2021 = 9,405  vs. September 2022 = 4528.  That is a drop of 51.9%.  For the year Fifth Wheel Shipments are down 10.7%</p>



<p>Pop-Up/Folding Campers</p>



<p>September 2021 = 642 vs. September 2022 = 514.  That is a drop of 19.9%.  For the year Pop-Up/Folding Camper Shipments are up 7.8%</p>



<p>Truck Campers</p>



<p>September 2021 = 395 vs. September 2022 = 462.  That is an increase of 17.0%.  For the year Truck Camper Shipments are up 23.9%</p>



<p>In conclusion, the only real bright spot right now seems to be that Pop-Up, and Truck Camper shipments seem to be up for the year.  Given the fuel prices, I think that makes sense as people are probably looking for RV options that won&#8217;t be as costly to move from campsite to campsite &#8211; just my opinion. </p>



<p>The RV Industry Association President &amp; CEO Craig Kirby stated. “Campgrounds continue to report strong reservations as the many people who bought RVs in the past few years are using the RVs to spend quality time with friends and family this fall while enjoying the many physical and mental health benefits of getting outdoors.”</p>



<p>I certainly don&#8217;t disagree with Mr. Kirbys&#8217; statement.   However it seems that campground spots seem to be getting a bit easier to find. In addition, more 2020 and 2021 used RV&#8217;s are now being sold.  This might signify that folks who purchased during the pandemic have decided to leave the life style OR perhaps have decided the quality just wasn&#8217;t what they expected.  So given that used RV&#8217;s are available, that certainly has an impact on new RV sales and of course shipments.  </p>



<p>Let me conclude this post with a suggestion.  If you are looking at a new or used Travel Trailer, PLEASE spend the extra money for an independent inspection.  There is just to much at risk by not taking that important step.  In the meantime if you have a travel trailer, get out there and enjoy yourselves!</p>





<p></p>



<p></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2022/11/06/rv-manufacturing-continues-to-slip/">RV Manufacturing continues to slip&#8230;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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		<title>Record Number of RV Shipments in January</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2022/02/27/rv-shipments/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 27 Feb 2022 13:41:56 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Of course we were all expecting this; January sets a new record number of RV shipments. Of course shipments don&#8217;t always equate to sales, but in this environment of back-ordered units &#8211; it probably does. The following is from RVIA.org:... <a class="more-link" href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2022/02/27/rv-shipments/">Continue Reading &#8594;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2022/02/27/rv-shipments/">Record Number of RV Shipments in January</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Of course we were all expecting this; January sets a new record number of RV shipments.  Of course shipments don&#8217;t always equate to sales, but in this environment of back-ordered units &#8211; it probably does.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://traveltrailernation.com/staging/3512/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E42AB2A5-C150-420B-8E8D-47D5786A70CF-1024x768.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-3456" srcset="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E42AB2A5-C150-420B-8E8D-47D5786A70CF-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E42AB2A5-C150-420B-8E8D-47D5786A70CF-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E42AB2A5-C150-420B-8E8D-47D5786A70CF-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E42AB2A5-C150-420B-8E8D-47D5786A70CF-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E42AB2A5-C150-420B-8E8D-47D5786A70CF-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E42AB2A5-C150-420B-8E8D-47D5786A70CF-600x450.jpeg 600w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E42AB2A5-C150-420B-8E8D-47D5786A70CF-945x709.jpeg 945w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>The following is from RVIA.org:</p>



<p><strong>&#8220;Results for the RV Industry Association’s January 2022 survey of manufacturers determined that total RV shipments ended the month with 53,290 units, an increase of 16.0% compared to the 45,930 units shipped during January 2021; this January was also the best on comparable record with shipments surpassing the January 2021 shipment total&#8221;.</strong></p>



<p>So let&#8217;s take a quick look at the breakdown of shipments.  I am placing these in the order of number of units shipped, not greatest percent increase over January of 2021; well address that in a minute.</p>



<p>As always, Travel Trailers led the towables group with 38,038 units shipped.  That number is 6,265 units more than those shipped in January of 2021,  that is a 19.7% increase.  </p>



<p>Fifth Wheels came in second place in the towables category with 9453 units shipped.  that number is 721 units more than those shipped in January of 2021, that is an 8.3% increase.</p>



<p>Pop-up Campers came in third place in the towables category with 679 units shipped.  That number is 91 units more than those shipped in January of 2021, that is a 15.5% increase.</p>



<p>Truck Campers came in fourth place in the towables category with 379 units shipped.  That number is 74 units more than those shipped in January of 2021, that is a 23.1% increase.</p>



<p>If we rank shipments based only on % increase we would see that Truck Campers came in first followed by Travel Trailers, Pop-ups, and lastly Fifth Wheels.  I don&#8217;t recall ever seeing that order before.</p>



<p>Feel free to read more about the January Shipments at the RVIA by clicking <a href="https://www.rvia.org/system/files/media/file/January%202022%20Monthly%20Shipment%20Report.pdf">here</a>.</p>



<p>As I&#8217;ve talked about in many of my other posts, these kind of increases in production are not usually good for the consumer.   This kind of increased production comes at a cost, and that cost means less time spent on quality.   I am still reading on a daily basis of the flawed new trailers coming to consumers.  If you want to protect yourself, please consider getting an RV inspection on any new or used unit you are going to purchase.  To read my take on whats ahead for us in 2022 and discussion around NRVIA inspectors click <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/staging/3512/2021/12/25/rv-industry-news-and-a-word-of-caution/">here</a>.</p>


<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2022/02/27/rv-shipments/">Record Number of RV Shipments in January</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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		<title>RV Industry News and a Word of Caution</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/12/25/rv-industry-news-and-a-word-of-caution/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 25 Dec 2021 13:44:42 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Industry Commentary]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Rather than paraphrase the RV Industry Associations remarks, I thought I&#8217;d share their own words with you: &#8220;Demand for RV units has grown month-over-month in 2021, breaking all previous wholesale shipment records. The&#160;latest projection&#160;shows the&#160;most likely year-end total for RV... <a class="more-link" href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/12/25/rv-industry-news-and-a-word-of-caution/">Continue Reading &#8594;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/12/25/rv-industry-news-and-a-word-of-caution/">RV Industry News and a Word of Caution</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Rather than paraphrase the RV Industry Associations remarks, I thought I&#8217;d share their own words with you:</p>



<p>&#8220;Demand for RV units has grown month-over-month in 2021, breaking all previous wholesale shipment records. The&nbsp;latest projection&nbsp;shows the&nbsp;most likely year-end total for RV units built in 2021 to be 602,200 units, representing a 40% increase&nbsp;over the 2020 year-end total of 430,412 units. It will also be a&nbsp;19% gain over the current comparable record high of 504,600&nbsp;units set in 2017.&#8221;</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://traveltrailernation.com/staging/3512/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-768x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-893" style="width:576px;height:768px" srcset="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-225x300.jpeg 225w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-945x1260.jpeg 945w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-600x800.jpeg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>
</div>


<p>So, as I have always maintained, what is good for the RV industry in terms of production is not always great for the RV consumer.  More production in the RV industry typically means faster through-put with less quality.   Every day you can read about the incomplete units arriving at RV Dealerships with missing parts, or parts replaced with lessor quality alternatives.  Many units are arriving with plumbing and electrical issues as well.  Complicating all of this is a shortage of employees in the RV industry.  </p>



<p>If you thought 2021 was a bad year to purchase a travel trailer, 2022 will be even worse? Why? They expect to sell even more units in 2022. Beyond that, many RV manufacturers have already sold out well into 2022, so anyone looking for a new unit may face a long wait.</p>



<p>Don&#8217;t fret though, there are used unit that are only a few years old that are showing up.  However, these units are going for a lot of money compared to just a few years ago.  It is a sellers&#8217; market right now.</p>



<p>So, what can you do to protect yourself?  No matter what unit you are buying (new or used) get an independent inspection.</p>



<p>So how do you find an inspector and what is the cost? The NRVIA is the best place to find an<br>inspector to look at your impending purchase. The National Recreational Vehicle Inspectors Association (NRVIA) is an organization providing certifications for professional recreational vehicle inspectors across North America. NRVIA Inspectors follow specific standards. These standards will ensure<br>that you will receive a professional, standardized, and thorough travel trailer inspection.</p>



<p>You will want to find a “Level 2” inspector, and you should expect to pay about $400.00 for the<br>service. This is a very in-depth inspection covering multiple major inspection points.   Under each<br>major inspection point there are multiple checkpoints.  This type of inspection has saved many consumers from a new purchase nightmare. </p>



<p>I don&#8217;t say any of this to dissuade you from purchasing a travel trailer; I think everyone should own one.  However, you need to enter any purchase with your eyes wide open and be prepared to walk away based on what defects may be found.   Hopefully, the inspection will only find some minor issues but that is not always the case.  So, it is much better up front to know when you need to walk away from a purchase.  Trying to make a substandard travel trailer work for you will be an exercise in frustration and probably months of repairs in the shop.</p>



<p>So please, if you only do one thing during your purchase, get an independent inspection.  Your overall happiness depends on it.</p>



<p>Tammy and I wish all of you in the travel trailer nation to have a happy and prosperous 2022!</p>


<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/12/25/rv-industry-news-and-a-word-of-caution/">RV Industry News and a Word of Caution</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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		<title>The RV Industry Projections for 2022</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/10/19/the-rv-industry-projections-for-2022/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Oct 2021 12:30:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://traveltrailernation.com/?p=3535</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>If your following the RV industry shipments you realize that this year is a banner year for manufacturers. In fact, August 2021 shipments were 33.8% greater than August of 2020. &#160;The 52,819 shipments recorded last month set a new monthly... <a class="more-link" href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/10/19/the-rv-industry-projections-for-2022/">Continue Reading &#8594;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/10/19/the-rv-industry-projections-for-2022/">The RV Industry Projections for 2022</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>If your following the RV industry shipments you realize that this year is a banner year for manufacturers.  In fact, August 2021 shipments  were 33.8% greater than August of 2020.  &nbsp;The 52,819 shipments recorded last month set a new monthly record for August.  This is the second largest month of shipments.  The only larger month was March of this year.  That is huge, and a concern, or it should be if you are a buyer. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://traveltrailernation.com/staging/3512/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E2C1D0BE-7EE9-4E9D-A4D7-5B4692613739-1024x768.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-3442" style="width:768px;height:576px" srcset="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E2C1D0BE-7EE9-4E9D-A4D7-5B4692613739-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E2C1D0BE-7EE9-4E9D-A4D7-5B4692613739-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E2C1D0BE-7EE9-4E9D-A4D7-5B4692613739-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/E2C1D0BE-7EE9-4E9D-A4D7-5B4692613739-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>The numbers speak to the issues that the RV industry is under. Manufacturers are shipping units without refrigerators, awnings, valances, just to move them out of their lot. What does this mean for the consumer? A less than perfect RV and certainly not what the customer ordered. It is also giving the manufacturer a black eye because it shows a lack of honesty on their part.</p>



<p>Do you want to pay upwards of $50,000.00 for an incomplete unit?  What about a unit that is supposed to come with a porcelain toilet but comes with a plastic one (because that is all they had)?  These are all real examples of what is happening.</p>



<p>Demand is so high that THOR Industries has sold all its new units through 2022.  So, if you&#8217;re looking to buy an Airstream, Jayco, Keystone, Venture, Cruiser, Crossroads, Dutchman, KZ, Prowler, Highland Ridge, or StarCraft&#8230;It will be a long wait.</p>



<p>So what is the RVIA&#8217;s projection for this year?  They feel they will beat 2017&#8217;s record by 73,000 units.  If you remember 2017 in the RV world you will remember there were many quality issues due to the number of units produced.  We see that it has only gotten worse this year, or so it seems from the online blogs regarding current quality issues.</p>



<p>But wait there&#8217;s more!  Hold on to your hat for 2022 because the RV industry is projecting that there will be even more shipments that 2021.  They in fact predict that they will hit over 600,000 units or a 4% increase.</p>



<p>Do a simple job search on the internet for RV jobs in Elkhart, Indiana.  You will quickly realize they have hundreds of job openings from production line to supervisors.  How can companies push so much through with so little to do the work?  The short answer is that they do the best they can and let the Dealerships clean up their failings.</p>



<p>I would not want to own a Dealership right now.  Dealerships are not equipped to handle the amount of flaws headed their way.  If I were a mobile RV tech, I might be feeling pretty good about the situation.</p>



<p>Now adding to all of this chaos are the Supply Chain Issues that are currently manifesting themselves.  You can see how having outsourced many parts is now having an affect on the market.  This is why certain parts that are on the specification sheet for your new Travel Trailer have been replaced with something else.  In most cases probably not of equal value in the eyes of the consumer; like the plastic toilet.</p>



<p>So when will this bubble burst?  That&#8217;s the million dollar question, and what will it mean for the RV industry?  I have to say it is a bit reminiscent of the auto company surge quite a few years ago; where they produced and sold an incredible amount of vehicles.  Consumers bought way out ahead because the deals were so good.  Then all of a sudden the market dried up because so many folks had new cars.  That was bad for the auto makers. </p>



<p>Unlike the above example, there are currently no great deals on Travel Trailers due to the demand.  Even used Travel Trailers are are expensive.  However the impact of the public viewing RV&#8217;s as a safe haven for travel in a Covid environment has certainly spiked demand.  At some point in the future things will return to some form of normal; and that will have an impact.  It&#8217;s going to be interesting to watch where the industry goes from here.</p>


<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/10/19/the-rv-industry-projections-for-2022/">The RV Industry Projections for 2022</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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		<title>Should the Buyer Beware?</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/04/30/should-the-buyer-beware/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2021 19:35:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://traveltrailernation.com/?p=3254</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Wow, the RV industry continues to best previous records.  In February the RV shipments were 30.1% higher than February of 2020.  Should the buyer beware? </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/04/30/should-the-buyer-beware/">Should the Buyer Beware?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Wow, the RV industry continues to best previous records.  In February the RV shipments were 30.1% higher than February of 2020.   This represents the best February Shipments on record.   Should the buyer beware?  More on that in a minute.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://traveltrailernation.com/staging/3512/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-768x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-893" srcset="https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-225x300.jpeg 225w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-945x1260.jpeg 945w, https://traveltrailernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/image-3-600x800.jpeg 600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>



<p>As I mentioned in January, several factors are fueling the increase in shipments this year, mainly a record number of new people entering the RV market.  This is due to the realization that the RV lifestyle is a safe way to travel (post covid). In addition, more folks are working and attending school remotely which opens up more opportunities to work or attend school on the road.</p>



<p>Although you will hear the RV industry complaining about a shortage of parts due to covid or the &#8220;Texas Freeze&#8221;, the numbers just don&#8217;t bear that out.  It is more likely that the increased sales numbers are causing the overall shortage of parts.  Let&#8217;s face it though, how much of a shortage exists if shipments are up over 30%.</p>



<p>Let&#8217;s take a quick look at Februarys Towable Shipments:</p>



<p>Travel Trailers a 38.1% Increase</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">February of 2020 &#8211; 25,161</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">February of 2121 &#8211; 34,741</p>



<p>Fifth Wheels a 11.1% Increase</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">February of 2020 &#8211; 7,076</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">February of 2021 &#8211; 7,858</p>



<p>Folding Camping Trailers a 2.9% Increase</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">February of 2020 &#8211; 613</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">February of 2021 &#8211; 631</p>



<p>Truck Campers -21% (the only Category that showed a loss).</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">February of 2020 &#8211; 319</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">February of 2021 &#8211; 252</p>



<p>The net increase across all <strong>towables </strong>is an increase of 31.1% over February of 2020.  This is the best February on record.  Of course as I have said before, it&#8217;s great for the RV manufacturers but that doesn&#8217;t mean its great for the consumer.   Someone shopping for an RV right now should at the very least consider and independent inspection on any rig they are interested in purchasing.  If you look on-line right now (and we are only in April) there are numerous horror stories around brand new rigs being delivered with leaks, electrical issues, and more.   One RV manufacturers Rep allegedly told a new buyer that they were turning new units out so fast that they were relying on the dealers to find and fix their mistakes.  That is totally unacceptable &#8211; if true.</p>



<p>My current travel trailer was manufactured during 2017, which was another banner year.  It had a number of recalls and there were things that should never have passed the Pre-delivery Inspection.  It also had a roof that was not correctly applied, which has now become part of a larger story that is ongoing.</p>



<p>Tammy and I love our Imagine and we have made many upgrades to it; so it is not going anywhere.  It took us about two years to shake out all the problems.  It has been trouble free since 2019 with the exception of the roof saga.  </p>



<p>The moral of the story is that a high volume year MIGHT signify lower quality to the consumer.  As of this writing on one job site alone , there are 613 open RV jobs in Indiana.  That is a sign that the RV industry is struggling to fill open jobs yet putting out a record number of RVs.  Should the buyer beware? In my opinion they should be.</p>





<p></p>
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		<title>January’s RV Shipments</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/03/29/januarys-rv-shipments/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Mar 2021 18:18:17 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>January’s RV Shipments are in, and the RV industry had its best January on record. One would think that’s a good thing; and it is for the RV industry, but what is the impact to new buyers? Folks that bought... <a class="more-link" href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/03/29/januarys-rv-shipments/">Continue Reading &#8594;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/03/29/januarys-rv-shipments/">January’s RV Shipments</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>January’s RV Shipments are in, and the RV industry had its best January on record.  One would think that’s a good thing; and it is for the RV industry, but what is the impact to new buyers?</p>



<p>Folks that bought RVs in 2017 remember that was also a boom year.  As a result quality took a back seat to production numbers.  In January the shipments are up 40% over January of 2020.  That should concern anyone thinking of buying a new unit.</p>



<p>There are only three things that can change production throughput:</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Time (skip steps/work faster or longer to decrease shop to dealer time)</li>



<li>Money (add production lines to increase manufacturing output).</li>



<li>Add more people to the production line (to speed up each step).</li>
</ol>



<p>My guess is #1 above is the “go to” plan in the RV industry. I hope this isn’t the case but everyday I read more and more posts of people having serious issues with their brand-new units. The manufacturer caused problems ranging from plumbing and electrical issues to roof membranes that they didn’t glue down.  Unfortunately, in most of these cases there isn’t just one thing wrong with the unit, there’s a list of issues.</p>



<p>There was a time when competition really had an impact on this industry but I don’t see that being the case anymore.</p>



<p>Should you be concerned to buy a new unit? The answer is Yes! This type of increase in production is a cause for concern. In my opinion quality has been going downhill for quite a while. I wouldn’t consider buying a new unit without an independent inspection.</p>



<p>One thing that mystifies me with January’s numbers is that we keep hearing that the RV industry is being hampered by COVID related supply chain issues.  Really?  How is that possible if you just jumped 40% over last January’s numbers?  I must be missing something.</p>



<p>Don’t get me wrong, I want the RV industry to do well.  However, I don’t want their success to be at the expense of families that buy an inferior product.  These units are not cheap; buyers expect to get a travel trailer that is not thrown together in haste.  Buying a camper and then having it in the shop during camping season does nothing for that family.  Long term it doesn’t help the RV industries reputation either.  </p>



<p>It’s a sad state of affairs when a manufacturer is fine having new travel trailers with blatant issues fixed at dealerships after the sale.  It’s what we used to call a “leave it for third shift” mentality.  In other words “let someone else fix our mess”.</p>



<p>Please, if you are considering a new travel trailer get an independent inspection.  The cost is more than reasonable for the service they provide.  It may be the only way to insure you are not buying a project!</p>





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<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2021/03/29/januarys-rv-shipments/">January’s RV Shipments</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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		<title>RV Manufacturing is off the charts!</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/11/02/rv-manufacturing-is-off-the-charts/</link>
					<comments>https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/11/02/rv-manufacturing-is-off-the-charts/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2020 13:59:18 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>RV manufacturing is off the charts; here are Septembers numbers: The RV industry is now only down only .8% over 2019 for all “towable RV’s” and down 3.2% for all RV shipments which include all classes of Motorhomes. This is... <a class="more-link" href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/11/02/rv-manufacturing-is-off-the-charts/">Continue Reading &#8594;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/11/02/rv-manufacturing-is-off-the-charts/">RV Manufacturing is off the charts!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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<p>RV manufacturing is off the charts; here are Septembers numbers:</p>



<p id="block-19893afe-f8a7-426c-8422-91c16401a341">The RV industry is now only down only .8% over 2019 for all “towable RV’s” and down 3.2% for all RV shipments which include all classes of Motorhomes.  This is amazing given the two month shutdown for COVID19.  The RV Manufacturing boom continues.</p>



<p id="block-4a080731-139b-442a-91d7-894aa2890ce9">Only three months of manufacturing are remaining for 2020.  There is little doubt now that the RV industry will exceed 2019’s numbers.  Let’s take a quick look at the numbers for September.</p>



<p id="block-b3be349f-4e10-41a3-b90d-5c0f29537925">Septembers Travel Trailer shipments (the most popular RV of choice) were up 38.7% over September 2019 numbers.  September of 2019 = 21253 vs. 29476 for September of 2020.  That is a 16 point gain over last month alone!</p>



<p id="block-63ca60a6-eee7-4e62-8e43-1e582755e46b">September&#8217;s Fifth Wheel shipments were up 20.4% over September of 2019.  2019 = 6282 vs 7564 for September of 2020.</p>



<p id="block-77e56ee6-72d6-4b53-864d-e3f429604d3c">Folding Campers shipments were up 123.3% over September of 2019.  You read that correctly 123.3%.  September 2019 shipments were 287 as compared to 641 for September of 2020.  Again my opinion is that many families are starting our with Pop-Ups trailers to see if this is a lifestyle they would enjoy.  The risk&#8217;s are somewhat minimal as you don&#8217;t have to invest in a heavy duty tow vehicle, or spend a fortune (although some of these folding campers are not what I would call inexpensive either).</p>



<p id="block-d86b7694-b5de-47bd-b6f8-d27570731155">There was even a rise on Truck Camper Shipments, up 17.5% over September of 2019.  September 2019 shipments were 263 compared to 309 for September of 2020.</p>



<p id="block-66613c88-6309-4549-8916-eac1e7a67879">So what do the numbers tell us? Just like last month, People are still buying RVs and there is still a shortage.  While Tammy and I have seen the parking lots at the dealerships starting to fill up a bit, they are far from reaching the inventory levels they had pre-covid.  Sales are also being driven by the fact that folks have discovered it is a safe way to travel with the family or work remotely plus the interest rates on loans are at an all time low.   As a result, manufacturing is off the charts!</p>



<p id="block-66613c88-6309-4549-8916-eac1e7a67879">The RVIA is very optimistic regarding the shipment numbers.  As a matter of fact the RVIA predicts that by the end of the year not only will they have made up for the two month COVID shutdown but they will beat 2019s numbers by 4.5%.</p>



<p id="block-70e48591-22d3-4871-b8a4-5d3645c526d9">They predict that 2020 will be the fourth best year on record for shipments. In addition they predict 2021 will be up 19.5% over 2020.  If true those numbers would best 2017’s record year.</p>



<p id="block-7a52a7a3-fe1a-43a5-aaa2-3a4ee07b7a14">As I mentioned in last months update regarding the manufacturing numbers, this kind of manufacturing boom could also bring back the same quality issues that were apparent in 2017. So, it might be great for the RV industry but not necessarily great for the consumer.</p>



<p id="block-73f376c1-f14b-4851-8473-d9e96eff54a4">In conclusion;  the surge continues&#8230;even into next year from the looks of it. To see the Septembers numbers from the RVIA Click <a href="https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/september-rv-shipments-31-percent">here</a>. </p>



<p id="block-1be84ed8-4b6a-4e6e-a4e3-786e95faaf35">Until next time, stay safe and happy camping</p>





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<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/11/02/rv-manufacturing-is-off-the-charts/">RV Manufacturing is off the charts!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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		<title>July RV Shipments and the Travel Trailer Shortage</title>
		<link>https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/09/24/july-rv-shipments-and-the-travel-trailer-shortage/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[john.martini.patterson@gmail.com]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Sep 2020 10:15:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Blog]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>You may remember from my earlier blog about June shipments, that I thought the RV industry would make up for the Covid19 shut down. I think there is very little doubt about that happening. But there is a lot more... <a class="more-link" href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/09/24/july-rv-shipments-and-the-travel-trailer-shortage/">Continue Reading &#8594;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/09/24/july-rv-shipments-and-the-travel-trailer-shortage/">July RV Shipments and the Travel Trailer Shortage</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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<p>You may remember from my earlier blog about June shipments, that I thought the RV industry would make up for the Covid19 shut down.  I think there is very little doubt about that happening.  But there is a lot more to talk about than Julys numbers.  So today we will talk about the July RV shipments and the Travel Trailer Shortage.</p>



<p>While we were on our August trip in Wisconsin, I kept looking for the RVIA to publish the July numbers.  When they finally arrived, I was not surprised.</p>



<p>July&#8217;s shipments were the highest in four decades for that month. Not only that, shipments were up an amazing 53% over July of 2019 (Pre-Covid19). Pretty amazing when you consider Junes 2020 numbers were up 10% over June of 2019. Now, total RV shipments have dropped only 10% compared to 2019. Last month, they fell 16.8% from 2019—a rebound of almost 7%.  A couple more months of this kind of production and they will beat 2019&#8217;s numbers. That is amazing given the shutdown driven by Covid.</p>



<p>Fueling the RV numbers are all the new folks coming into the RV lifestyle.  Dealers are reporting that 50 to 80 percent of the current buyers are new to the RV lifestyle. Ordinarily they would only make up 25 to 35% of the purchasing market. </p>



<p>In addition, there is the realization that camping is the safest way to travel right now.  With a push for folks to work from home, don&#8217;t underestimate the number of folks that have taken to the road;  they can work just as easily from their travel trailers.</p>



<p>As a result of all of this, there is a huge RV shortage.  People are not trading right now, and people have huge waits for new orders.  As a matter of fact, I received an email from a nearby dealer that wanted to buy my RV as they have nothing to sell.  Obviously we are not thinking of selling our unit at all.  So, if you are thinking of selling your unit, it is a sellers market.</p>



<p>The shortage is obvious; Tammy and I have noticed that two major RV dealers near us have almost empty lots.  I&#8217;m actually not sure how they stay in business with so few units to deal with.  My guess is that the units that are coming in are going out almost immediately.  </p>



<p>So now that we have talked about the July shipments, lets dig a little deeper into the details.  I will only be discussing towables in detail.</p>



<p>Travel Trailers led the shipment numbers with 30,268 units being shipped.  Fifth Wheels were second with 8100 being shipped.  Folding campers made up 531 units while truck campers made up 261 units.  The result is a grand total of 39,160 towable units that were shipped in July.  Ordinarily I would say &#8220;remember shipments don&#8217;t mean sales&#8221; but with the market today&#8230;who knows!</p>



<p>The balance of the RV Market (class A, B, and C motorhomes) only made up 3,875 units; but that was still up 27% from 2019&#8217;s number.  So overall a really stellar month from a manufacturing standpoint. </p>



<p>What does the RVIA think about the upcoming months?     RV Industry Association President Craig Kirby  said this: <em> “RVs have been the ideal way to travel this summer, providing the freedom and fun of RVing while also allowing people to control their environment. As we look towards fall, families and professionals who can work and learn from the road will continue to drive interest in RVing, Our manufacturers are working very closely with their dealer partners and component suppliers to meet the increased demand for RVs.” </em></p>



<p>I predict the August numbers will blow your socks off.  As soon as the numbers are out, I will come back and let you know where the industry is at for the year.</p>



<p>If you want to read the report from the RVIA click <a href="https://www.rvia.org/news-insights/rv-shipments-54-july">here</a>.</p>


<p>The post <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com/2020/09/24/july-rv-shipments-and-the-travel-trailer-shortage/">July RV Shipments and the Travel Trailer Shortage</a> appeared first on <a href="https://traveltrailernation.com"></a>.</p>
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