Lightweights in fast lane at RV trade show

[Patrick M.]

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.d...INESS/611290516

A year ago, Chaz McAfee was happy to stock lots of bus-sized recreation vehicles at his company's lot in Jackson, Ga. But yesterday at the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association's 44th annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, he was looking at lightweight trailers.

"Towables are a growing market. They're getting so affordable that a lot of people who never used to consider RVs are getting into them," McAfee said.

And sales increases in the less expensive lightweight market are making up for declining demand for the big motor coaches at the Sagon RV Supercenter where he works.

Since 2004, sales of motor coaches have fallen 21 percent, according to the RV group.

But overall RV sales have increased. McAfee and other dealers said lightweight models that can be towed behind a truck or large car are the fastest-growing segment of the market.

more at link

[MyronL]

Lightweight for sure!

I just went to that link and read the article. It's got me scratching my head and wondering what that journalist was trying to tell us. If as it seems, the main point was how the market for RV's has changed to cheaper-smaller........well slap me inna nose if he ever backs that up with proof, like some real-time price samples.

$39 thousand, $2hundred and 63thousand, $4hundred and 20thousand, $5hundred and 30thousand, $69thousand - DOLLARS wuz the only numbers he listed in the article. Kinda high numbers there, Chet, I mean Chaz. Shore don't seem like it backs up his point, if there ever was one. Nice pictures of the beautifully designed Airstream for two trinket. But notice he never says how much .......... one costs.

The article, in short, is a fig leaf. The standard industry plant.

[Bob H]

...the last photo in the photogallery...a landbardge that squirts a mini-car out it's butt...

[Brian B-P]

...a landbardge that squirts a mini-car out it's butt...

While this perhaps seems ridiculous initially, it may not be so wild. A full-sized pickup truck with a Bigfoot 21' or 25' trailer (one of our treasured moulded fiberglass units) is about as long overall as this motorhome, has less usable interior, and may not get much better fuel economy. Since I can't possible afford the thing, it's not a serious option...

I do think that it's interesting that a company based in Indiana selects a car (to show being hauled by their motorhome) which is not available for sale in the United States - it's the only one that people have heard of which will fit!