My wife and I just came back from the Portland RV show, it was interesting…… I have not seen in long time so many opened slideouts at once. The show was an amazing set of controversies especially in
light of current fuel prices:
- Living
light, Lance, Aliner, Airstream Bambi were the small trailers.
- No
fiberglass trailers I assume because of cost but Aliner was there.
- Very big fifth wheel with 3 pullouts with 3 sided
windows, fire place, ceiling fans, 2 air conditionings,
generator, cabinets with etched glass, and many other utilities all new for $45-$65K depending on the brand.
- 11K lb. Sprinter conversions were from $100K to $135 for Airstream conversion. I asked Airstream folks, if Mercedes Van cost $45K what is there for $90K. The Airstream’s rep said that chassis roof modification is very expensive; they have to cut out factory roof and add their own steel roof, when I confronted that with the knowledge that high roofs come that way from the Mercedes factory he switched the topic heading deeper into another truth twister.
Our overall experience was very negative. The ratio of the whopping RVs to small vehicles was overwhelmingly high, likely in the high ninety percent range. Turning this US RV industry from huge to small will take many years. Will take many layoffs before this industry will revamp but I believe it will.
We both did not see anything which could
light up our fire, including Sprinters’ conversions with 6” road clearance at best with prices way above out threshold.
George.