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Old 09-15-2005, 03:39 PM   #1
dsprik
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How many units being sent South?

Anyone have any idea how many 5ers are being sent south to aid Katrina victims? A noble cause... just wondering if there will be any effect on dealer stocks? If the government is buying all these up, it makes it a little difficult to 1) even find the unit you want to buy and 2) it seems your bargaining power just went out the window, especially if the gov is buying them up as fast as someone like Keystone can make them.

Someone please tell me my logic is all wet. Also, the possible good news is that next spring or summer, when the gulf folks start moving back into permanent homes, there could be some really GREAT deals on used Montanas... if they are not totally trashed, which could be a possiblility.
 
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Old 09-15-2005, 03:54 PM   #2
Glenn and Lorraine
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So far as I could tell during our 2 weeks in Goshen they are building some very basic travel trailers without a lot of bells and whistles and not 5ers. The 2 dozen or so that I have seen didn't even have awnings. The Cambridge plant will be shutting down next week to build some these units but nothing was said about shutting down the Montana or the Mountaineer plants.

There was also talk of building the TT without axels so they could be stacked on rail cars and taken south. Much the same way they transport containers.
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Old 09-15-2005, 03:58 PM   #3
richfaa
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We will be at the plant in Oct. Will see what we can find out...
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Old 09-15-2005, 06:14 PM   #4
dsprik
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Glenn, that would make sense that they are only sending out base units, and not anything like we would be interested in FTing in... I hope. Still could be a problem if too much of the line was diverted to manufacture of these south bond units and really slowed down on putting out units for their retail dealers. I would be interested to hear what you find out, Rich. I believe you were planning on buying in the spring like I was.
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Old 09-16-2005, 02:02 AM   #5
Ormee and Ginette
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According to my dealer he has over ten warranty claims waiting for answers from Keystone one of them of course is mine... keystone in the past has always responded very quickly normally within one to two days never any longer... It has now been in excess of eight days that my warranty claim has been put in and much longer for some other folks... LOL
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Old 09-16-2005, 03:12 AM   #6
Charlie
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What Glenn says is probably correct. I think that Montanas would be excluded from the group that would be sent to the hurricane area....what I heard was the max FEMA was willing to pay for any unit is $25,000. Pictures I've seen on television of the units on location appear to be basic units and bumper pulls, not 5ers.
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Old 09-16-2005, 03:22 AM   #7
richfaa
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Dave...We will tour the Montana plant oct 4th. Going up the 3rd /We have been to the plant before but now know a lot more about Montana's and have a long list of questions to ask thanks to this forum.We will probably buy from Town& Country Rv in Clyde, Ohio. They attend the Rv show in Toledo In Feb and we will order at about that time for delivery in March or April.Can't do it any sooner as the CD to pay for the camper does not come due till Mid December. Really don't think the N.O situation will have a big impact on the fifth wheel market as everything that I have seen on Tv are low end TT's.In my opinion the high fuel prices and all that goes with that should make it a buyers market by the next quarter.
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Old 09-16-2005, 04:55 AM   #8
ronstan
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I recently saw in the paper here that a dealer in Monroe In. has sold some trailers to fema. They didn't say what kind. He had a lot of used ones so maybe he got rid of them. They sell Yellowstone as well as some other brands. I think a good used one would be good enough for the people temporally
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Old 09-16-2005, 05:14 AM   #9
Karl
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We are pulling one of the units from Wisconsin down to Baton Rouge tomorrow morning. The dealer I will be pulling for has sold 69 units to FEMA, and several other dealers have also. FEMA usually buys directly from the factories, but there is not enough time for the factories to make them, so they are buying from dealer stock. The dealers here are keeping enough for inventory, and selling pretty basic units from their stock for very near invoice price plus any interest they have had to pay while the unit was on their lot. The report from this dealer is that FEMA was buying about 40,000 units directly from dealers across the country.

Those of us pulling will be paid enough to pay for our fuel and meals, and a little bit more. Anything beyond what we spend, we intend to donate to the Red Cross and Salvation Army.

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Old 09-16-2005, 05:24 AM   #10
Karl
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Just an additional comment;

The travel trailers that FEMA is buying are units from 26 to 32 feet long, and will in many cases be housing families of four or more. I certainly feel that these would be much more comfortable than some of the other places they have to stay. While it may be true that the depletion of dealer stock might take away the purchaser's bargaining power, I for one feel that this is a VERY SMALL price for us to pay when I think of the tremendous hardships that so many are going through. We can continue to use our Recreational Vehicles for RECREATION, and unfortunately, many of us will soon forget about the hardships of others.

Please remember those less fortunate, and continue to support the legitimate relief organizations not only now, but in the months and years to come. And while we are doing this, let us not reduce our giving to other organizations.

(OK....off the soapbox now)
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Old 09-16-2005, 05:42 AM   #11
Garin1
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It has been my experience that the RV crowd is the most helpful,generous selfless group of people I have ever had the pleasure of associating with. Please,,, let's keep focused on the needs of these poor people.

KARL,, you stay on that soap box there buddy and let me know if you need any help.

God Bless everyone
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Old 09-16-2005, 07:01 AM   #12
Parrothead
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Karl,
Thank you for what you are doing. You are allowed the soap box. Reports here of the several RV manufacturers in the area, are they are making small trailers and mobile homes not fifth wheels to send south.
Happy trails...........and drive safe.
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Old 09-16-2005, 07:26 AM   #13
Karl
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My understanding too, from the dealers who have sold units to FEMA is that FEMA is purchasing only travel trailers and possibly some park models the same as they have always used in these types of emergencies.

I am really interested in seeing how the villages are set up. The destination for the trailer I will be towing is one of those "villages" that has just been set up with water and electricity, so I hope to see it first hand next week.
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Old 09-16-2005, 05:32 PM   #14
Montana_4221
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Thanks Karl for the work you are doing. In my job at the post office I have had the opportunity to talk to a number of the people from the gulf region processing change of address forms. I have also been involved with them at a Red Cross processing center set up at my church. These people have been totally devastated and we do need to continue to focus on their needs. On the average they seem to complain less than the people worried about their birth certificates attached to passport applications in New Orleans. Go figure!
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Old 09-16-2005, 08:48 PM   #15
jpkelpe
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Our local Montana dealer has been advertising that their technicians are getting all of their TT's ready to go to the south and also if you are going to go down and help and need somthing done on your RV tell them and they will fix it right away so you can go. In thier ad they tell you they still have motor homes and fifth wheels to sell.
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Old 09-18-2005, 03:32 PM   #16
Go Pokes
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We were in a RV dealership in Oklahoma City which had sold 33 units to FEMA. These were units right off the lot. These units were proably mostly Jaycos. In addition, they had sold all their Jayco bunkhouses to a cellular phone company. These BH were to be used to house the workers sent to LA.
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Old 09-18-2005, 04:49 PM   #17
jrgwdenner
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The report from our home in Alabama is that they have set up about 50 units in our favorite state park on Lake Martin. The park has over 600 sites so there are plenty left over. I'm glad that they're finding a place for these unfortunate people to live, even temporarily.
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Old 09-18-2005, 07:11 PM   #18
mobilrvn
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My understanding is that the units ordered are without holding tanks and while they mostly are travel trailers, they are setup like mobile home. All makes sense---we all have had problems with holding tanks, eh?
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Old 09-19-2005, 02:41 AM   #19
Karl
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We are on the way back from the gulf after delivering the travel trailer to the staging area at Baton Rouge, LA. The trip was good, and we were part of a loose caravan of 69 TT's being sold to FEMA from a Wisconsin dealer. All of the TT's that were sold were sold right off the lots, and were from 26 to 32 feet. They are all units set up just as they would be if you or I bought them. We pulled a 32 foot Jayco bunkhouse unit. It was a revelation (again) of the difference between pulling my 5er and a TT. Our duramax usually gets 12+ mpg when pulling our fully loaded 35 footer, but it got barely over 11 when pulling the empty TT (almost 6,000 less). What a difference in wind resistance when the front of the TT is back so much further.

The staging area in Baton Rouge was well run, and the thousands of us that were delivering were handled well, both efficently and in a friendly manner. As a Wisconsinite, unhooking the TT at 98+ degrees with high humidity was another reinforcement for my keeping "up Nort" as a summer place to live. I was disappointed that I did not see on of the "villages" that are being set up, but hopeful that the relocation of those where were displaced can proceed now with a proper timeliness.

On our way back to WI, we will motel it for a couple days, visit Graceland, then up to St. Louis to visit our son and family, then back home.
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Old 09-19-2005, 02:58 PM   #20
ronstan
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Was at our local dealer this afternoon. They only had used ones left. Fema came in and bought all the new trailers they had. They handle mostly Shasta and Air stream but don't think they took any air streams. Wonder how many they will buy.
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