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Old 05-02-2008, 03:27 PM   #1
tom41
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high oil takes it toll

just more bad news for the RV industry...
RV stocks taking a tumble
Shares of RV manufacturers' stock slid Wednesday after Monaco Coach Corp. predicted a second-quarter loss and reported a first-quarter loss. The company's stock fell $1.12, or 13.3 percent, to $7.33 in morning trading. The company's shares plunged to a nearly 10-year low of $6.50 earlier in the session. Elsewhere, shares of Thor Industries Inc. fell by three cents to $28.98. Winnebago Industries dropped 30 cents, or two percent, to $14.58 after earlier hitting a new 52-week low of $14.30. Shares of Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. fell 11 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $3.68 after bottoming to a new year low of $3.55.
RV transport drivers hit hard by diesel prices
If you've ever considered making a few bucks by becoming an RV delivery driver, it might pay to wait a little while. When an RV manufacturer needs to get a trailer or fifth wheel out to the dealer, they customarily farm the job out to a transporter. Transporters are usually paid by the mile, and in these days of skyrocketing diesel prices, the transporters are having a hard time making ends meet.

Skyline Corp. has announced that it plans to close its RV manufacturing plant, Nomad McMinnville, eliminating 84 jobs. The plant will close June 20

Monaco lays off hundreds of workers
Monaco Coach has cut about 600 jobs. The layoffs represent about 12 percent of the company's workforce. The company sales have declined for four consecutive years.

RV makers lay off more workers
Sluggish RV sales are taking a toll on manufacturers' work forces. This month Country Coach has handed pink slips to eight percent of its workforce, which amounts to about 100 employees. Western RV Inc. of Yakima, Wash., is laying off 47 hourly production workers, representing a 17 percent decrease in the company's work force from 278 employees to 231. The year 2008 has not started off well for motorized RV sales. Class A and C motorhome sales were down 16.9% in January from a year ago. According to data from Grand Rapids, Mich. based Statistical Surveys Inc., motorhome sales in January totaled 2,575 units compared with 3,098 in 2007.
 
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Old 05-02-2008, 04:22 PM   #2
Hemlockusa
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Looks like you spent some time doing some research Tom.... I think most of of thought things were going to go downhill for the RV manufacture's. However right now the KC dealer has just informed MUDCHIEF who in turn told me, he has had the best sales since the first of the year that he ever had??? go figure.. Dennis (MUDCHIF) said he was leaving the KC RV Shop just a few days ago and there were two couples who had just finished signing the papers for new MONTANA'S, and they can't keep the new addition on the lot, they are sold before they get there... Now that says something for the MONTANA and BIG SKY.. Tom, when you getting back to Tenn, I have some knives to ship you. safe travels John
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Old 05-03-2008, 12:54 AM   #3
Glenn and Lorraine
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Keep in mind that most of the above was referring to the fuel guzzling motor homes. While motor home sales are dropping towable sales are on the rise.
Next door to our park is a huge Class A dealer. While his MH sales are plummeting his trailer sales are increasing. The same thing applies to Lazy Days. Lazy Days were huge in MH sales but lately their trailer sales have been on the increase. Oh BTW, as of this year Lazy Days is now a Montana dealer. I did buy mine thru SuncoastRV just 6 miles away but unless they shape up their service dept my Monty will be going across Tampa some 25 miles for any service needed.
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Old 05-03-2008, 05:23 AM   #4
richfaa
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When a potential buyer walks into a dealership I don't think part of the sales pitch is going to be to tell them that sales are in the crappier and no one is buying these things. Having spent some time at our local dealer bird dogging our black tank repair it is obvious sales are down in all areas. Many folks are not even pulling their units out of his storage this season. Of course this area may be hit harder than others by the economy. Rv's and rv'ing is a luxury and luxuries are the first to go when things get bad. I can always tell the state of the local economy as I drive 4 counties on my bus charters, by the "stuff" for sale in front yards. Campers, Motor cycles, ATV's, Boats, second cars and trucks. It is my thought that we will see some major Rv manufactureres go belly up..and what a opportunity for the Chinese to purchase
one, improve quality, make many Dollars and send most of it back to China..
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Old 05-03-2008, 05:47 AM   #5
Delaine and Lindy
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tom41 good post, and all anyone has to do is just look at all the Dealerships which have all those high end MH sitting on the lots. We are going to go thru the same thing as we did in the 70's. People will go and buy the small stuff again. Ford Suv and Truck sales are down 36% and GM down 27% in April. Little stuff is selling, but try pulling the big 5er's with a Toyota?

Hey we are looking at the Big Sky 10th anniversity edition. Really just doing a little looking. It seems as though Keystone is putting a lot of the same standards in the Big Sky as the Cambridge had. We wish we hadn't sold our Cambridge, Keystone was ahead of their time and didn't give the Cambridge enough time. Katrina killed the Cambridge Keystone was making all those little trailers for FEMA, I guess it was a good decision for Keystone at the time. We haven't been able to find the new 10 Edition in our area so we can look and touch. Just haven't been many ordered and the ones order don't set on dealership lot long? Someone is still buying RV's. GBY...
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Old 05-03-2008, 03:25 PM   #6
tom41
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I'm just glad keystone is still doing business. Before I bought my montana I had a 37 ft diesel pusher Allegro since 1994. It had the cummins in it with 6 sp allison and towing my grand cherokee averaged 11 to 12 mpg., which is as good as most trucks towing fivers. So its not the gas guzzlers but the expense of buying a MH and the upkeep, which is one reason I am in a dully and fiver, and I also enjoy the fiver more. I am still going to travel, for its my lifestyle and has been for almost 10 yrs now. Before these high diesel prices We used to drive our truck every day, just sight seeing and etc., But one way I have cut back, and still travel is for TWO days a week, I dont start up the truck, thats 8 days a month which equals to over a week of non-driving, saving a bunch of fuel, and really not missing out on enjoying driving the country roads and sight seeing. Also most places we travel, we have friends there and one day we will load up and drive my truck, the next trip we will go with the friends. Works out really well. I done decided no one cares how much we gripe, (altho I will still grumble) So We must find alternate solutions as mentioned above. Just my TWO CENTS worth!! LOL, I think thats all I had left after filling Up !! =)
Tom
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Old 05-04-2008, 01:30 AM   #7
richfaa
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We will all make adjustments. Our retirement "great Adventure" was to travel this great country and see everything there is to see doing 12 maybe 15K miles a year. That is now at todays fuel price 5K to 6.5 K a year in fuel alone Add in C.G fees and it could be well over 7K a year in just fuel and lodgings and increasing every week. The truck and camper will spend a lot of time in the driveway and I will spend a lot of time on the bus doing charters.We will adapt and continue and see what happens....however..if we can't live our dream we will cash in.
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Old 05-04-2008, 03:25 AM   #8
Waynem
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I'm with you Rich. One long trip a year and lots of little ones in and around the state.
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Old 05-05-2008, 08:53 AM   #9
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Was at my Ford dealer this AM to make a appointment for routine manit and some minor Warranty work. This a a very large Ford dealer and much to my surprise said they could take the truck in right now..unheard of. While waiting for the shuttle to take me home I looked up my Salesman. He was not a happy person.True this is only the 5th of the month but this is a very large dealership. They had not sold ONE truck of any kind yet. Had moved 11 new cars and 14 used cars. They normally did more than that in one day. Said that if this month was like last month he would most likely not have a job.The Local Honda dealership however was thriving. Full service bays..8 new Honda's in the delivery area when we went to pick ours up.They had to lease more storage space for their used car stock. New and used Civic' were selling like hot cakes. The salesperson pointed out a lot full of big cars and trucks(trade in's) that were going to auction. We have not seen the worst yet..
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Old 05-05-2008, 03:45 PM   #10
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While Glenn says motorhome sales are down, and towables are on the rise, I just thought I would pass this along from RV news, But I'm sure Keystone is doing ok since it doesnt have motorhomes..

The latest Fleetwood preliminary results - 1st quarter fiscal 2008 - give an overall 3% decrease in revenue since the same period last year.

Motorhome sales however were up: Motor home revenues improved by 22 percent to about $274 million from $225 million in the same period a year ago.

But - travel trailer sales - were down 48 percent to approximately $64 million compared with $122 million in the prior year, while folding trailer sales were off 8 percent to $22 million from $24 million in last year's first quarter.

It does'nt matter whos right or wrong, We all know that RV'ing is not going to be what it has been in the pass, unless two things happens (IMO) and that is fuel drops quiet alot, OR we all hit the lottery .

almost forgot this... I know every one knows Jason Lippert...

According to recent dealer surveys, inventories of towable RVs have declined since last year at this time, but are still higher than dealers prefer in light of reduced demand. As a result, RV dealers are reducing their orders for new RVs from our customers," said Abrams. "With the continuing economic downturn affecting consumer discretionary purchases, and tight credit markets, we are expecting a soft RV market in the coming months."

Drew's RV segment reported sales of $124 million in the 2008 first quarter, a decrease of 4 percent from the $129 million of sales reported in the comparable period in 2007. During the same period, there was an 8 percent decline in industry-wide wholesale shipments of travel trailers and fifth wheel RVs, including a 14 percent decline in March. Wholesale shipments of motorhomes, components for which represent 3 percent of Drew's RV segment sales, were down 25 percent in the first quarter of 2008.

Recent acquisitions added approximately $4 million to RV segment sales this quarter, offset by a sharp decline in specialty trailer sales due to an industry-wide decline in sales of small boats, particularly on the West Coast. "While we're disappointed with the recent contraction of the boat trailer market, we have improved efficiencies in these operations through facility consolidations and cost reductions, and we anticipate sales growth and better profitability in this product line when these markets eventually recover as consumer confidence improves," said Jason Lippert, President and CEO of Drew's Lippert Components subsidiary.
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Old 05-06-2008, 02:42 AM   #11
richfaa
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Folks in the lower income brackets(like myself) are affected more than the folks in the higher income brackets by the high energy price and the declining economy. Folks in the lower brackets are the folks who purchase TT's 5th wheels and pop ups so it is no surprise that MH sales are not affected as much as other sales. we are retired and on fixed incomes, We were fortunate enough to get a 2.3% COL increase in 2007(both of us) while diesel fuel alone increased over 20% to date...
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Old 05-06-2008, 03:13 AM   #12
tom41
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You are right on Rich, in the past I have owned two motorhomes, one gaser, the last a diesel pusher. While at the time, I got good deals on both, and could very well afford these, the coaches got so expensive to purchase, but mostly the upkeep and getting service went up 10 fold. So in 2006, I sold my 94 diesel pusher for more than the purchase price of my 06 monty. even had a few thousand dollars left over to go in on the purchase of my dully. But since I have been fulltiming since oct 1998, Its a lot more logical (for myself) to go to a fifth wheel and truck, only one drive-train to insure and maintaine, plus more liviable room in a fiver, plus when unhiched, I can hunt the lowest price fuel, where I couldnt with the coach. Now since I am used to a fifth wheel and truck, even if the cost of motorhomes were like they used to be, I WOULD NOT go back to a motorhome. But just to let Glenn know , diesel coaches are no more a fuel guzzler then a diesel pickup towing. a 37 to 40 ft diesel coach towing a small car will average between 10 to 12 MPG. then when parked, the small car or jeep comes in really handy in case of cheaper driver around than a pickup. I have owned diesel coaches and have several friends that still do, and can tell him from experience I know what I'm talking about. Can he say the same???
Tom
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Old 05-06-2008, 03:35 AM   #13
richfaa
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We are taking our Honda to Florida with us next winter (if we can still afford to go) Driving that big diesel dually around as a daily driver besides being expensive was inconvenient.I wanted a MH but Helen talked me out of it as you indicate, more livable space, etc. Our Honda dealer will haul customer cars down to Florida for the cost of fuel and driver salaries. He has a couple of retired truck drivers that love to do that.Sharing the cost of hauling 5 or 6 cars at a time is not to bad.
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