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Old 01-13-2014, 08:33 AM   #1
Artemus Gordon
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RV show a bust!

RV shows are few and far between in Northern California. That said, we traveled the 236 miles to Pleasanton California for the annual RV show this weekend. Expectations were very high, based on advertising and promotion we downloaded. The price after discount coupons was $26.00 a couple. Our son and his girl came with us for the day.

The show turned out to be a disappointment, to say the least. Empty vendor areas, few Manufacture reps, poorly dressed salespeople. Even CW's area had their salespeople, huddled together chatting and noshing?

I was not expecting hoards, but Saturday at 12:00 was dead. I do not believe this is an indictment of RV Industry, but more of poor marketing of the event, and lack of training of dealer sales staff. One major missing component was financing reps. I did not see a single bank, or RV financing entity! Now if they were in attendance, where were they working.

I have attended hundreds of publishing shows, as a vendor during my lifetime, and never seen this kind of poor marketing. I trained many sales professionals as well ! These guys need a good consultant! In one instance, the "Silver riveted trailers ", salesmen was down right obnoxious! Did not know hitch weights etc. At one point, after my son asked about tongue and trailer weight, the salesmen asked my son, "what he would tow with"? I interrupted and said, he asked you for "hitch weight"! I said if you don't know that, how would you possibly know if a 2014 Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi 4x4 would be a good fit? He said "that should work with this trailer" ! Oh my goodness! I just walked away. No wonder so many people get upset with salesmen! Lol

Show was not a great experience. I did spend time with 2 yes "2 Redwood's". I was not overly impressed. Also one had $122,000 msrp , "show priced $79,000.00". Same as the internet price?

Lots of lookers, but in my opinion, you would need to tackle a salesperson, write up your own order, if you wanted to buy an RV at that show ! Oh, and you would need to bring your own pen to sign!
 
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Old 01-13-2014, 08:48 AM   #2
BB_TX
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The shows in Dallas and Ft Worth used to be pretty good, but I have not been in several years. What I don't understand is the lack of promotion and advertising. The Ft Worth show was last weekend and I never saw anything in the paper or on TV about it. I would not even have known about it if someone on another forum hadn't mentioned it. I think the Dallas show is coming up soon but have not seen anything on it either.
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Old 01-13-2014, 08:58 AM   #3
Ramblin Roadrunners
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Artemus, the show in Denver was pretty good. Windish Rv brought 1 Redwood and no Alpines. RV America had a couple Mountaineers, couple of Montana's and everyone had lots of toyhaulers. TOO many people. People just sucking up valueable air with nothing to do, nothing in mind, just wandering aimlessly.


If you go to the Keystone website look at the Alpine model 3590. Bed moved to front with 3 slides in bedroom and bath. Pretty cool floorplan.
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Old 01-13-2014, 09:15 AM   #4
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There were some models from a manufacture called Evergreen that looked nice in the $60k range. They were called Bay Hill http://www.goevergreenrv.com/page/74/Fifth-Wheels. Heartland had the Big Horn there and
they looked pretty good. Every salesman was letting you know they had Dexter axles on them if thats what they came with.
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Old 01-13-2014, 09:21 AM   #5
jimcol
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Too bad the experience wasn't more positive. The KC show has gone down hill in the last few years. Hardly any RV accessory companies show up. That bums us as we would like to see all the different hitches in one place so we can make comparisons. The dealers do seem to have some RV sales staff that know what they are talking about but many don't. There is a reason we never see a bank or RV finance company. Here is what was explained to a friend of mine by the owner of the dealership we bought our 5'er from. Banks hate to loan money on RV's. The dealership has to agree with the bank, that in the event of a foreclosure, the dealership will take the RV back on their lot and try to sell it. Every unit they have to sell for the bank is one of their own they won't sell. Kind of gives them a little incentive to better qualify the buyer. We are going to the KC show this weekend. Good way to kill an afternoon but our expectations are not high. Jim
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Old 01-13-2014, 09:37 AM   #6
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There is just too much expense to get them there , too many brands, types and models to see a good selection.
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Old 01-13-2014, 09:39 AM   #7
8.1al
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If your vehicle has 4 tires and an engine some salesmen will tell you "That'll pull it just fine".
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Old 01-13-2014, 10:02 AM   #8
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If you have to write up your own deal, do you get the commission?
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Old 01-13-2014, 10:28 AM   #9
steelpony5555
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Well I guess it's road trip time. They say the RV show in Hershey in Sept. is huge. I keep meaning to plan a trip up when it is happening but I seem to forget. Happens a lot now days lol lol.... But it does seem to be huge from what I seen on the internet......
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Old 01-13-2014, 10:55 AM   #10
bigskyjimmy
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Up here in WA state we have the Seattle and Tacoma RV shows and they are always good and well attended lots of Mfg and vendors I would like to see more MFG's but I realize it costs BIG $$$$$ for dealers to bring them to the show, I would love to look at New Horizons,Excel's Mobile Suites etc.... but they are small volume Mfg's and don't bother with RV shows
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Old 01-13-2014, 11:50 AM   #11
Tom S.
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quote:Originally posted by 8.1al

If your vehicle has 4 tires and an engine some salesmen will tell you "That'll pull it just fine".
Someday, I'm going to ask a salesman if a S10 will pull one.
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Old 01-13-2014, 02:44 PM   #12
The Oldguard
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quote:Originally posted by bigskyjimmy

Up here in WA state we have the Seattle and Tacoma RV shows and they are always good and well attended lots of Mfg and vendors I would like to see more MFG's but I realize it costs BIG $$$$$ for dealers to bring them to the show, I would love to look at New Horizons,Excel's Mobile Suites etc.... but they are small volume Mfg's and don't bother with RV shows
There was a RV dealer located in "Everett, WA." That brought in some Mobile Suites in 2004 2005 time frame we looked real close into getting one but got a 2005 3400RL.
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Old 01-13-2014, 04:40 PM   #13
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Sorry to hear about your disappointment. Thats a LONG way to travel for a RV show.
Denver was good. We looked hard at a Heartland Bighorn 3160 but in the end we decided that we liked our current Montana too much to give it up. We were fortunate to meet up with other MOC members there and have lunch within EZ walking distance. It was a fun day.
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Old 01-14-2014, 01:01 AM   #14
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We have always found the annual January RV Show in Tampa to be good. Heading there tomorrow.
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Old 01-14-2014, 03:18 PM   #15
richfaa
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Yes Tampa is a great show. Everyone is there and most all the vendors all the Keystone and Montana people are there. We haveen to the show for the last several years but there is nothing there for us this year.
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Old 01-16-2014, 03:57 AM   #16
Jim Jarvis
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quote:Originally posted by richfaa

Yes Tampa is a great show. Everyone is there and most all the vendors all the Keystone and Montana people are there. We haveen to the show for the last several years but there is nothing there for us this year.
Your friends are still there Rich.
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Old 01-16-2014, 04:16 AM   #17
TAKPAK
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The RV show in Portland, OR, is always very well attended and sponsored. From big motorhomes all the way down to itty bitty trailers that I couldn't even fit in. And aftermarket vendors galore. I guess places like Curtis trailers, Johnson RV, Funtime RV, with others really pony up the money for the show. Our Curtis salesman told us the show this year was really good for them, they sold 85 trailers during the show. There are actually two shows in Portland, a couple of months apart. The big one is in November, and is the best one by far. Don't know who puts on the earlier one, but it is not hearly as good. I only went once, that was enough.
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Old 01-16-2014, 11:27 AM   #18
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We went to a little "free" RV show in Ft. Myers today. The bigger one is next weekend in North Ft. Myers. Looked at a Lifestyle (by Evergreen). Had a slide on the left side that was really a super slide because it went almost the entire length of the unit! Trim was nice, leather was great, came with G-614 tires. Price wasn't bad either, but it was heavy. Talking to salesman and mentioned we were really stuck on a new Montana 3725 because as full timers it had a really nice floor plan. I spent the next 5 minutes hearing about how Keystone will not honor their warranty if they find out you live in your unit full time, but of course Evergreen will. Blaa....blaaa....blaaaa....I finally asked him what he thought Keystone had in mind when they offered the "Full Timers Package" as an option and he didn't know what to say. Anyway, I liked their product just not the way they represented it.
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Old 01-16-2014, 01:59 PM   #19
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Yep, whatever it takes to sell and RV, which includes running down the competition, which also turns me off.

JandC, I took note that you too are thinking of the 37 and a quarter. We just got one, and I'm surprised at how many others are as well. At one time I thought the 3750 might be the leader, taking that spot from the 3400. Now I'm not so sure!!! We really like our 3725. Now, on to the next show.....
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Old 01-17-2014, 02:54 AM   #20
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quote:Originally posted by TAKPAK

Yep, whatever it takes to sell and RV, which includes running down the competition, which also turns me off.

JandC, I took note that you too are thinking of the 37 and a quarter. We just got one, and I'm surprised at how many others are as well. At one time I thought the 3750 might be the leader, taking that spot from the 3400. Now I'm not so sure!!! We really like our 3725. Now, on to the next show.....
We haven't found a 3725 to look at yet (we are stuck down here in these darn 70-80 degree temps until April). Still looking but something is really going to have to blow us away before we decide on something else besides the 3725. I know PackerFan loves his.
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