Bigfoot closing?

[Karen T]

Same reason GM, Ford and Chrysler are in such trouble. They didn't read the market and didn't respond fast enough.

Unlike GM, Ford and Chrysler, though, Bigfoot had been making a very high-quality product. I looked at a lot of poorly made, equally expensive campers before I found my used Bigfoot. It was obvious they put their money into building a solid product. This is very sad news.

[BobB]

Sad news indeed for the employees, the town of Armstrong and the Bigfoot owners still in the warranty period. It appears that the news leaked out Tuesday after the plant was closed down, something to do with a creditor. It has been a tough few months for businesses (and individuals) that need to borrow money. As Bigfoot owners we may be joining the ranks of the "orphan" fiberglass trailers, which is pretty good company when you think about it! Although I'm disappointed, I'm still pleased to own a Bigfoot.

[Roger H]

Same reason GM, Ford and Chrysler are in such trouble. They didn't read the market and didn't respond fast enough. Like 10 years ago.
Bigfoot has a rep for heavy, heavily insulated trailers and campers. That's great for guys with full size pickups with V8s who go hunting. Then people began to frown on hunting and gas guzzlers. Those in the market were looking for light-weight trailers with solar panels.

baglo

Apparently that's not the case. If you read the article that [b]Joy A linked to in post #15 in this thread:

Interview with Beau Derkey sales rep at Bigfoot

The closure was caused by a panic decision by a bank, not Bigfoot management. Bigfoot marketed specialty trailers and motorhomes and had only one other competitor in their niche in trailers... Arctic Fox. Their prime competition in motorhomes is Born Free built here in Iowa. Both businesses were slower, but neither was in danger of collapse from within, and if the article is accurate, there was no thought of closing by management. The market remains for their products.

Roger

[Alf S.]

Hi: All...It's sad that BIG Banks, BIG Insurance, BIG Oil...BIG Etc. control everything despite what others say!!! Maybe Bigfoot will be able to re finance or re emerge from this financial plug pulling.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[james kent]

This same thing happened to many of the other brands that we tow. Back in the late seventy's and eighty's, we had an oil crisis that caught many FG manufactures off guard. Thus the gap in age between some of what we are now rebuilding as vintage FG units.

[CharlynnT]

Yeah, I was sad hearing the news, first for Bigfoot as a brand, then for the small BC town that relied on it in a big way. It's a shame the bank had a panic attack (I'd like to know which one), this is starting to feel like the (Canadian) recession of 1982, when a lot of loans were called.

On the bright side, Boler ceased production way back when and we still have them on the road. Well-built! Helpful websites with schematics and original owners manuals! Bigfoot LIVES!

[rickschramm]

So, I agree....schematics and instruction manuals. So where would we keep a repository? It would be a good idea because the bank owns the company now make no mistake about it. I scan a lot of docs and putting them on a CD makes sense to me.

[Kent I]

It is tough. There are several RV manufacturers in the Okanagan valley. Okanagan, located in Penticton shut down operations several months ago. Local company in my town makes windows for RV so that will have an impact. Northern Lite is having a tough time, they have gone to four day work week but they are also being agressive on the sales side and taking 5 models of fiberglass campers to the RV trade show in Kentucky, a thread on the truck camper forum noted above says this is the first time in 20 years. They also make a quality unit specializing in truck campers but also making a trailer.

[jevance]

Just got off the Bigfoot Owners Forums and there is a small flurry of emails there on this topic - no surprise. One member made a good point that manufacturer warranty on the individual items in the newer/recently sold units is still legit (e.g. fridge, stove, A/C, hydraulic jacks, etc.) as lots of items often come with a 1 year warranty.

[Patrick M.]

You would think that the lender could be replaced if the business was cash-flowing. There may be more to the story than "the bank closed us down".

[Bigfoot Mike]

My wife was shocked at the news. As y'all know we bought a 25' Bigfoot earlier this year.

My wife is a bank manager and she said the bank wouldn't have shut them down unless they have missed payments for several months. Obviously we have know idea what is going on.

I know at one point this year with the exchanged rate between Canada & the US, the cost of a 25'er was 0ver $45,000 US. That couldn't have helped sales. Now with the recession in full downward spiral and being winter, sales have got to be hurting even more. Several high end RV manufacturers have gone out of business - Automate, Alpenlite & others comes to mind.

[Rick B]

After an extended trip into the US this spring, my wife and I decided that the 2008 Bigfoot 25 was a great trailer but she liked more storage area and wanted a slide for extra room inside. We hope to retire in 2 years and do considerable travelling for great lengths of time. Our trailer cost about $50k Canadian, and we asked about a same year Bigfoot 2801, with the dealer wanting an additional $30k!

Bigfoot's market has largely been the US, and with the stronger Canadian dollar, I would see US built trailers sitting on lots here in Canada for a considerable price difference ( a $20k stick built trailer beside a $35k Bigfoot - same length). The strong dollar may have contributed to Adventurer RV's (lower mainland of BC), moving to the former Alpenlite plant in Yakima, Wa. I was advised that Travelaire out of Alberta, Canada has stopped production of travel trailers and were advised that they were manufacturing park model as well as work camp trailers for the oil patch. I also found out that Okanagan trailers out of Penticton had stopped manufacturing travel trailers, awaiting a more robust economy. What was left in Canada in terms of large manufacturers were Citation (Oliver, BC, with Thor being the parent company), Bigfoot, and Triple E out of Manitoba.

In August, while camping, I was visited by a worker from Bigfoot who advised that many staff were laid off, and that some workers were on wage subsidy from federal unemployment insurance, but it was to run out in late September. He was looking for another vocation

I had a small crack appear in the fibreglass of our 2008 Bigfoot and Mark Holmes advised me to get it back to the factory after camping season - noting 'we built it, we can fix it'.

I had faith that the repair would be completed, but nevertheless, we traded the Bigfoot in late August for a Triple E, aluminum framed, but front and rear moulded fibreglass caps!

I was happy with my two Bigfoot units and would not hesitate to buy another, but want to end my working career so I can enjoy my sought after travelling. I just hope that Triple E is well financed to absorb the current economic situation.

Rick B

[Joanie]

The 21ft Bigfoot was my rig of choice for full timing *sigh*

I wonder if Escape or even Oliver will consider buying the molds and name?

I am a GM retiree too, this has been a very bad month

[Time K]

Add me to the shocked group. Didn't see that one coming.

We just bought a new 25 footer like some others here.
Absolutely no buyer’s remorse on that decision; in fact we have confidence in the construction and feel comfortable that we made the right purchase and it’s camping as usual.
Feel bad for the employees and the area that will be impacted by the economics of the closure.

[Lainey]

What a sad thing. Bigfoot made a great product. Hopefully we haven't seen the last of them.

[Terry Jones]

Just read this in a Canadian Newspaper. See link below. One less fiberglass RV maker.
BC maker BigFoot down the tube.

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonis...67-0434334797f9

[Jim Bennett]

More on this thread from last week. LINK<a href="http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.php?showtopic=32660" target="_blank">
</a>

[Chuck Jenkins]

It's not isolated to just fiberglass... 4/5 "stickbuilt" models have suffered the same fate in the last month or so.

Alfa, Weekend Warrior, Travel Supreme, Western (Alpine) brands to name a few

Put your seatbelt on...I think the ride is going to get bumpier!

[BobB]

Terry,

Thanks for posting this article. I've done several searches and not come up with much info on the Bigfoot closing. I did discover there is a recall for 2003-2007 21 FB trailers. This is a little different slant than the news last week.

Thanks,

Bob

[Kent]

I stopped by Big Sky RV and they stated that Bigfoot did shutdown. They currently have a 25' Bigfoot travel trailer that they will let go at cost plus $500 the only problem is if you had any mfg. warranty issue other than applicances etc. you are out of luck.

The BF they have is 2008 25RQ model and I believe they have had it since end of last winter. Any one in the market for new BF TT I bet you could get great deal on this one.

Just passing on the info and other than buying some parts from Big Sky RV I don't have anything to do with them.