It has been a few years since Al and I have attended this show, but, since we were in the area, we decided to break the bank and attend on seniors day (they gave discount ticket prices for seniors).
We realized just how long it had been since we have been to any show of any kind up that way, when we discovered that they have MOVED the building! Geeshhhh, how bad is that??
The show was larger than what we anticipated, but since we have not been in so many years, we cannot really judge if it was larger or smaller. I climbed in and out of enough 5ers, I am glad it was no larger!
The crowd was respectable in size, but, it was nice not to have to stand in line to get into a unit to have a look. Again, since it has been so long since we have been to that show, we cannot comment as to traffic numbers. It was a week day afternoon, more people in evenings and weekend days??
There were plenty of salesmen and they were surely set up to wheel and deal, computers standing by to check your credit, and work a deal, make you an offer on your current unit for a trade in.
We saw Class A and C motor homes, some toy haulers, a LOT of pop-em-ups and light weight towables, one truck-camper, as well as 5ers.
The high end of the 5er market has been greatly diminished, as in out of business, we did see some Cedar Creeks, Jaycos, Cardnials, Carriage models, Mobile Suites (maybe one of these), 2 Bighorn units, Montanas (2 dealers had em there), no Big Skys, The Montanas we saw were 2008 and 10th Anniversary models. We thought they were units left unsold at dealers (????) Lots of mid range to lower end units and units with new names we did not recognize.
The following statement is our opinion, no offense is meant to those who do not agree. Now, having a Montana, we are a tad spoiled. Many of the units, to us, looked inexpensive and not overly appealing. They would be great units for families and weekenders. The choices for those of us that want a bit higher end unit are getting more and more limited as companies go under. There are lots of reasons for the high end units to have disappeared, however, these lower end units appear “flimsy” to us, and in our opinion would never hold up to long timers or full timers heavy use. Makes us wonder, are we witnessing the end of an era??
Other things we noted: An interesting development, a shroud for the pin box. Appears to have been made of fiberglass, designed to complement and match the rest of the exterior of the rig.
Only one new floor plan that we could find. Most of the rest were very similar to what has been out there, side aisles, rear kitchens, rear living rooms, 3400-like units. Lots of flat screen telies, some were HUGE!! Most units we saw, floor plans did not allow for full stackable washer/dryers, you would have to go Spendide if you wanted a w/d. Many of those were in the front beside the closet. Lots of units we saw had no carpet right at the door ways, which is something we have never really liked about our unit, so this to us is a nice development. Saw larger frigs and even one unit had a residential refrigerator (works for me). Some units still offering Appolo ovens. Lots of carpet choices that are MUCHO better than what I have. Still not a lot of padding under the carpet tho.
We overheard a lot of folks chatting as they looked at units, whewie, scary, hope a LOT of them find a good online source of info like we have here at the MOC. Lots of the people at that show had not been in a new unit in years, their comments gave them away!
People were buying or talking deals or bartering or whatever. Almost every sales desk area that we walked by had a couple (as in husband and wife) talking turkey with a salesman, over heard several sales people stating, we take trade ins (??? unlike has been reported here at the MOC lately). Considering that the crowd was not huge, it did strike us that almost every sales desk was cooking something, or at least simmering, eh?? I guess I did not expect to see wheeling and dealing going on to that extent.
Fleetwood product that we looked at had a huge discrepancy in the printed specs for cargo capacity (how many pounds, errr, books, I can tote around and not exceed the limits of axles, tires and frame). The printed brochure stated about 3200 pounds of cargo. They had on the inside of one of the kitchen doors a computer printed/generated sheet with weights. That sheet said the cargo capacity was 1300 pounds. That is almost 2000 pounds difference. When we questioned the sales personnel, they really had no answer, but, reportedly called the plant and asked. See, they told us, that the sheet on the door in the unit was an exact measurement when the unit came off the line, that they are weighing each and every unit as it comes off the line. So, the answer from the plant was that the unit had all holding tanks, fresh water and all waste waster tanks, full up to the brim (for testing??), and that accounted for about 900 pounds. Well, okkkk, even if that is so, there is still 1100 pounds MIA. Buyer beware, is all I can say. To me this just muddles the water, or something like that. Confusing, you bet.
Linear Mode
