full wall slideouts full wall slideouts

Transcription

001-RVB_0702_LO_FrntCover4.ps
1/19/07
12:28 PM
Page 1
RVBUSINESS.com
VOLUME 57, NUMBER 11, FEBRUARY 2007
©
EXPANSIVE '07 GROW TH IN
FULL WALL
SLIDEOUTS
Monaco’s Mike Snell,
vp, sales & marketing,
in a Signature Series Class A
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
002-RVB02 PG CV2 MONACO.ps
1/15/07
7:03 PM
Page 2
THE DIFFERENCE
IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY.
THE RIGHT PRODUCTS AT THE RIGHT
PRICE POINTS AT THE RIGHT TIME.
SAFARI SIMBA
TOY HAULER
The Monaco difference is right on the money
with innovative new products that are timed
Front Engine Diesel
3,300 Lb. Hydraulic Lift Gate
• Sleeps Up to Eight People
• Base MSRP $147,993
•
right for your customers. Our broad product
•
line means buyers can find just what
they’re looking for – whether it’s lightweight
HOLIDAY RAMBLER
ARISTA
travel trailers and fifth wheels, toy haulers,
front
or
rear
engine
gas
and
diesel
Holiday Rambler Quality
5 Floorplans Available
• Most Affordable Holiday
Rambler “Class A” Ever
•
motorhomes or high-end luxury models.
•
“No other manufacturer
can match Monaco’s
offerings. No one even
comes close.”
HOLIDAY RAMBLER
SAVOY LE
Lightweight — Half-Ton
Towable
• Holiday Rambler Quality
• Extended Season Livability
•
Kay Toolson, CEO
We have the largest offering of products,
so with Monaco, you can always stock the
MONACO LAPALMA
DIESEL XL
latest hot seller — without having to carry
•
A Gas Coach Price with
Diesel Power
• Upgraded Interior and
Exterior
• Exclusive Roadmaster Chassis
another line. At Monaco, we’re different.
Discover the difference for yourself by calling
800.634.0855.
TM
®
MONACO COACH CORPORATION
MONACO. DIFFERENT.
© 2006, MONACO COACH CORPORATION
Monaco Coach Corporation is traded on the NYSE under the listing MNC.
www.monaco-online.com . 91320 Coburg Industrial Way, Coburg, OR 97408 . 606 Nelson’s Parkway, Wakarusa, IN 46573
MONACO COACH CORPORATION, CIRCLE 112 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
003-RVB_0702_LO_TOC.ps
1/19/07
2:26 PM
Page 3
VOLUME 57, NUMBER 11, FEBRUARY 2007
©
26
DEPARTMENTS
38
TOP OF THE NEWS
7
7
11
16
18
John Crean, 81: From Fleetwood Founder to Philanthropist
ARVC Reports Slight ’06 Growth Despite Unusual Challenges
Privileged Access Acquires 15 of Outdoor World’s Resorts
Retiring RV Exec Chimes In On OEM/Dealer Relationships
Coast to Coast Acquisitions Expand CampResorts Network
FEATURES
20
38
2007 Outlook: Industry Executives Are ‘Guardedly Optimistic’
Clearing The Air on The New Diesel Emissions Regulations
COVER STORY
26
Full-Wall Slideouts Fuel New, Dramatically Different Floorplans
OEM SHOWCASE
34
Newell Focuses on Innovation, Amenities in High-End Market
CUTTING EDGE
44
Jensen Stereos; Southco Security; Hadley Memory Mirrors
BUSINESS PROFILE
45
Fabric Services Rides Growth of ‘Decorator-Oriented’ RV Industry
CALENDAR
54
Coast to Coast Listings of RV Shows and Industry Happenings
4
16
37
46
51
52
53
State of the Art
In Brief
Public Domain
Ad Index
Retail Trends
Classifieds
Market Place
THIS PAGE: from left: Fleetwood’s American
Eagle Class A diesel pusher is among the coaches
affected by new diesel-emissions regulations (page
39). Class A’s are also the hot topic as we take a long
look at the trend to full-wall slideouts (page 26).
COVER: It’s only been three years since Fleetwood
debuted the RV industry’s first full-wall slideout, but
this open, airy floorplan has proven popular with
RVers and coach designers alike. Today, many Class A
lines — both diesel and gas — boast at least one fullwall slideout floorplan.
As seen by the interior of
Monaco’s Signature Series
diesel, the combination of
full-wall slide and higher
ceilings — another recent
trend — can create a
homey “great room” atmosphere perfect for lounging
or entertaining.
Photo by Steve Smith.
RV Business (USPS 920-340) is copyrighted 2007 by TL Enterprises
Inc. in the United States, Canada, Great Britain and other countries.
Publication Sales Agreement No. 1938495 Canadian return address:
Affinity Group Inc., 2575 Vista Del Mar, Ventura, CA 93001. All
rights reserved. Permission to reprint or quote excerpts granted only
upon written request. Periodicals postage paid at Ventura, Calif.
93001, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to RV Business, PO Box 17126, North Hollywood,
Calif. 91615-7126, (866) 238-3237, fax (818) 760-4490. Address all
correspondence and editorial material to the Ventura, Calif., office.
RV Business is published monthly. Subscription rates: U.S. and
Canada, $79 a year; $149 for two years. Foreign subscriptions, $129 a
year. Single copies are $11.95. Advertising rates are provided on
request. RV Business is published by TL Enterprises Inc., 2575 Vista
Del Mar Dr., Ventura, Calif. 93001, which also publishes Trailer Life,
MotorHome, Rider, Trailer Life’s Campground/RV Park & Services
Directory and Highways for the Good Sam Club. TL’s Book
Division currently has 11 books in print.
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
Contents
3
004-RVB_0702_LO_State of A.ps
1/19/07
STATE OF THE ART
12:36 PM
Page 4
STAFF
BY SHERMAN GOLDENBERG
Sherman Goldenberg
Bruce Hampson
WEB EDITOR Dave Barbulesco
ART DIRECTOR Steven Averill
SENIOR EDITOR Bob Ashley
EDITOR AT LARGE Jeff Crider
COPY EDITOR Steve Bibler
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Shawn Spence
CONTRIBUTING TECHNICAL EDITOR Chris Hemer
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Bob Dawson
VP/RV TRADE PUBLICATIONS
EDITOR
The Viability of the
‘Crean Proposition’
SENIOR ADVERTISING
Brenda Hutchinson
Gerald Vandiver
IMAGE EDITOR Robert Peterson
ASSISTANT CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Jill Anderson
FULFILLMENT MANAGER Melissa Robinson
CIRCULATION MANAGER Mike Blakely
PRODUCTION MANAGER
PREPRESS SPECIALIST
ong-time friend and comedian Milton Berle called him
a “brilliant entrepreneur” and “rambunctious adventurer.”
Actor Buddy Ebsen described his life as a “classic
American success story.” Satirist and pal Stan Freberg said he
seemed like “a fictional character in a book.”
Indeed, many of those who knew and worked with John C.
Crean through the years probably remember him best not only
as a shrewd businessman, but as a competitive, intense and
bigger-than-life “character” who steadfastly built
Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. from scratch into a national
power in the recreational vehicle business.
Crean died Jan. 11 at the age of 81 of heart disease.
All flattery aside, the stories that will probably linger
most among his friends and associates will surely deal more
with the “eccentric, ultra-conservative, ultra-kind-hearted,
ultra-rich” individual Crean had become rather than with the role of corporate
executive that this North Dakota native almost reluctantly assumed during
a 48-year career before retiring in a huff in 1998 to a life of philanthropy and
off-the-wall pursuits.
Personally, I remember Crean for the day I visited him at his Oceanside estate in
Newport Beach, Calif., for an RV Business interview. It wasn’t a long visit, but it provided an almost perfect snapshot of a legendary man in his early 70’s who at that time
was as quick and crusty and, at times, humorous as ever. Seated in his study, I asked
him about the derivation of the Fleetwood name. “I needed a name,” he said in his
blunt way. “In those days, most of the manufacturers were using Detroit names.
There was a Roadmaster trailer, after the Buick Roadmaster. There was a Saratoga,
after the Chrysler. That was just generally being done. When I needed a name,
I thought that Fleetwood, off the Cadillac, probably was as good as there was.”
So, GM didn’t mind, I asked?
“They minded a lot,” he said. “I got legal papers for more than 10 years. I don’t
know what was with them, though. I’d get all these orders to cease-and-desist, and
they would threaten to sue me. But that was all that happened. I just ignored them.
Then — it was years later, and we were in the mobile home business by then —
General Motors went in the motorhome business. They built a (GMC) motorhome
and put the name Glenbrook on it. We had had Glenbrook (brand name) on one
of our mobile homes, which we had been using for quite some time.
“They wrote us a letter asking if we thought there was a conflict. We said that we
didn’t think there was one, but we also didn’t see any problem over both of us using
the Fleetwood name. Now we have an agreement. It’s all right for General Motors
to use Glenbrook, and we have permission to use Fleetwood.”
We also talked about the early years when, for all but a short period of time, he
had successfully adhered to what might be referred to as the Crean Proposition, a
business strategy he had perfected as far back as 1951. “Back then,” he said, “I was
pretty doggone efficient. We didn’t have a whole lot of credit. We paid cash for
almost everything. And there was no way we could have any receivables. We had to
get cash for the product. We were just doing things all pretty well right, which just
about everybody does when first starting. It’s when you have a little success that you
get all screwed up.” 6
L
TL ENTERPRISES INC.
Stephen Adams
Michael Schneider
SENIOR VP/CFO Tom Wolfe
CHAIRMAN
PRESIDENT & CEO
VP/PUBLISHER/
RV CONSUMER & TRADE PUBLICATIONS
VP/CONTROLLER
Bob Livingston
Dale Hendrix
VP/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Susan Bray
Kevin Hobbs
VP/TL DATABASE PUBLISHING Joe Daquino
OF GOOD SAM CLUB
VP/MARKETING
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF
CLUB & PUBLICATIONS MARKETING
CHAIRMAN & PUBLISHER EMERITUS
Ken Hurd
Art Rouse
EDITORIAL /BUSINESS OFFICE
2575 Vista Del Mar Drive, Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 667-4100; Fax: (805) 667-4484; [email protected]
ADVERTISING
Terry Thompson
Nancy Chavanothai
CLASSIFIED Sue Panchenko (Mgr.), Angela Pezzullo
BUSINESS MANAGER Denielle Sternburg
ADVERTISING SALES PROMOTION MGR. Barbara Keig
P.O. Box 8510, Ventura, CA 93002-9912
(805)667-4100; Fax: (805) 667-4379
Elkhart, Indiana
MIDWEST SALES DIRECTOR Chuck Lasley
MIDWEST SALES MANAGER Peg Recchio
ADVERTISING SALES Tacy Hendershot
2300 Middlebury St., Elkhart, IN 46516
(574) 295-7820; Fax: (574) 522-0418
ADVERTISING SALES Paul Gillerlain
(219) 324-4740; Fax: (219) 324-6564
Seattle, Washington
ADVERTISING SALES Scott Oakes, John Marciano
1818 Westlake Ave., Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 283-9545, fax (206) 283-9571
VP/RV ADVERTISING SALES
ADVERTISING SALES
Automotive Accounts
TIME & SPACE INC.
651 Oak Ridge Drive, Pike Road, AL
(334) 260-7765; Fax: (334) 260-7762
As Vice President of RV Trade Publications for TL Enterprises Inc., Sherman Goldenberg,
based in Elkhart, Ind., oversees RV Business & Woodall’s Campground Management.
4
RVBusiness
Go To:
JANUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
005-RVB02 PG 5 GE EXTENDED.ps
1/15/07
7:04 PM
Page 5
GE MONEY, CIRCLE 127 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
006-RVB02 PG 6 XANTREX.ps
1/15/07
7:04 PM
Page 6
XANTREX, CIRCLE 125 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
007-RVB_0702_LO_TOP4.ps
1/19/07
2:21 PM
Page 7
John Crean: From Obscurity in N.D.
To Fleetwood Founder, Philanthropist
He stressed lean approach to manufacturing, and company growth through earnings
of the
NEWS
Ford and Airstream
Partner on Futuristic
Crossover Vehicle
Although the Ford Airstream
Concept attracted plenty of attention at the North American
International Auto Show, Jan. 7-21
in Detroit, you probably won’t find
this futuristic, hybrid-fueled cross
between a car and an SUV —
developed by Airstream Inc. and
Ford Motor Co. — on the street
anytime soon. “It is a pure concept,” Richard “Dicky” Riegel, a
group vice president for Airstreamparent Thor Industries Inc., told RV
Business. “The important thing is
that it brings together these two
American icons — Airstream and
Ford.”
“Obviously, we would like to
evolve this into something more
practical in the years to come,” he
continued. “Airstream is not in the
car business, but we can learn a
lot from Ford. And, conversely,
Ford can learn a lot from
Airstream.”
The Ford Airstream Concept is
powered by Ford’s HySeries Drive,
a plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel cell
that operates the vehicle full-time
on electricity. Blending traditional
recreation vehicle aspects with
futuristic themes, the Concept’s
exterior features 12 ceremonial
rivets — resembling Airstream’s
iconic riveted construction — and
is finished with reflective silver
paint mirroring Airstream’s polished aluminum exterior.6
John Crean, the multi-millionaire
Orange County, Calif., businessman
known as much for his extraordinary philanthropy and his rags-to-riches story as
he was for the signature Fleetwood recreational vehicles and mobile homes he
designed and manufactured, died Jan. 11
at the age of 81 at his Santa Ana Heights,
Calif., home. He had been ill for some
time with heart disease.
His tenure at Fleetwood spanned 48
years, from the time he opened the company’s doors in 1950 until retiring in 1998.
The charismatic Crean was legendary
in the industry, developing a business
model at Fleetwood that stressed a lean
approach to manufacturing long before it
became a standard in this and other
industries. His fiscal policy was equally conservative: Grow through earnings and never
borrow money. That approach kept
Fleetwood prosperous during the industry’s
down cycles.
“He set the principles upon which this
company has been most successful and is currently operating,” said Fleetwood President
Elden Smith. “He put a focus on the customer, the quality and function and utility of
the product. His beliefs were the customer
was always right. He believed in open, frank
communication. He was very intense, very
demanding — but at the same time, easy to
work for in that he listened to your point of
view. You had full opportunity to debate and
discuss very complex subjects. Then a decision would be made. When you worked on
something, you put 110% into it, and he did,
too, right alongside you.”
Crean was born July 4, 1925, in Bowdon,
N.D. After serving in both the Navy and
Merchant Marine during World War II,
Crean lived with his mother in Compton,
Calif., and went to college briefly. After dropping out and following his brother into the
trailer business, Crean worked for a Venetian
continued on page 19
40th Anniversary ARVC InSites Convention/Expo:
U.S. Parks Post ‘06 Growth Despite Challenges
The National Association of RV Parks &
Campgrounds (ARVC) celebrated a milestone
birthday in late 2006 at the 40th Anniversary
ARVC InSites 2006 convention/expo, which
attracted more than 750 campground operators,
industry officials and vendors from across North
America.
The Nov. 29-Dec. 2 convention, held at
Rosen’s Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Fla.,
capped a challenging year for campground- and
RV-resort operators who managed to secure
slight revenue growth, despite rising fuel costs
and uncooperative weather.
“Thankfully, we didn’t have the hurricanes predicted for the year — but many areas of the country had their share of tornadoes, floods and fires,”
ARVC President and CEO Linda Profaizer said in
her annual report to association members.
“Considering all of that, RV parks and camp-
grounds generally have had substantial increases
in their net income while occupancy levels
showed slight increases.”
Profaizer noted, in fact, that campground occupancies were up 2% to 3% nationally through
Labor Day, according to data collected through the
Woodall’s/ARVC National Occupancy Survey.
Billings, Mont.-based Kampgrounds of America
Inc. (KOA), for its part, said average occupancies
at its 438 parks were up 2%, while its revenues
climbed 7%. Milford, Ohio-based Leisure Systems
Inc. (LSI), which franchises Yogi Bear parks, said
occupancies at its roughly 70 parks increased 8%,
while revenues climbed 13%.
But while tracking such statistics is obviously
critical to effectively gauge the financial wellbeing of the outdoor hospitality industry, ARVC
Chairman Max Gibbs said that ARVC and
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
Contents
7
1/18/07
4:19 PM
Page 8
TOP OF THE NEWS
Industry Vet Paul Eskritt
Succeeds Chris Braun at
Fleetwood’s RV Group
Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. promoted Paul
C. Eskritt to executive vice president of the
company’s recreational vehicle group, replacing Chris Braun.
Eskritt joined Fleetwood following a 15-year
career in finance, program and project management, and information systems for a
national multi-plant manufacturing operation.
He was hired in 1999 as motorhome division
controller and, in 2001, was promoted to
controller-RV Group.
The following year, Eskritt was named general manager of Fleetwood’s single-largest
production facility, the diesel motorhome plant
in Decatur, Ind., where he had responsibility
for all operations. In October 2005, Eskritt
was appointed vice president–motorhome
division.
He earned both his bachelor’s degree in
accounting and a master’s of business
administration degree in management information systems from the University of
Minnesota-Minneapolis.
“Paul’s experience with Fleetwood, combined with his financial acumen and demonstrated leadership in a variety of increasingly
responsible roles, makes him eminently qualified for his new position,” said Elden L. Smith,
Fleetwood’s president and CEO. “Under his
leadership, the motorhome division has made
significant progress in such areas as operational effectiveness and innovative product
Paul Eskritt
development, in spite of a very challenging
market environment.”
Fleetwood reported that Braun has left the
company. Braun joined Fleetwood in May
2003 as senior vice president-RV Group.
“Chris has been a dedicated associate who
guided the RV Group through many changes,”
Smith said. “We wish him well in his future
endeavors and thank him for his commitment
to Fleetwood during his tenure with us.”6
Chariot, Out of Van Business,
Markets ‘Super C’ Motorhomes
A refugee from the lagging van conversion
business, Chariot Vans Inc. by mid-2007
expects to offer a more affordable version of
the hefty Chariot Class C motorhome that
it has been building since last May primarily for automobile racers.
“I’m totally out of the van business,” said
John Wilosek, a former Chariot employee
who bought the company in 1999. “We built
5,000 vans in 1990, and then SUVs just took
it all away.”
Chariot minimotorhomes currently are
built on 38,000-pound GVWR Columbia
or 42,000-pound Coronado Class 8
Freightliner chassis with MSRPs in the
Weekend Warrior-National
RV Land Deal Goes Bust,
But New Sale Announced
National RV Holdings Inc. announced on Dec. 28 that it had entered
into a new agreement to sell and lease back property at its headquarters in Perris, Calif., with First Industrial Acquisitions Inc.
According to a press release, the previous agreement entered into on
Nov. 22 with Perris-based Warrior Holdings Inc., which markets
Weekend Warrior-branded recreational vehicles, was terminated on
8
RVBusiness
Go To:
Ardell Brown RV Moves to Larger
Facility, Doubles Showroom Area
Longtime retailer Ardell Brown RV has relocated to a new
and larger store in suburban Salt Lake City, Utah.
The new facility, which opened late last summer, sits on a 15acre site in Draper, about a mile south of its previous location.
“We outgrew our former location,” said Mickey Hannon,
sales manager. The new store features a 10,000-square-foot
showroom — twice the size of its old showroom — and 22
service bays.
Ardell Brown RV, a member of the FreedomRoads LLC
network, ranks among the top 10 dealers for several brands. 6
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
009-RVB02 PG 9 POLLMEIER.ps
1/15/07
7:04 PM
Page 9
Pollmeier Beech vs. Red Alder
Why
Beech?
Number 1
in a series
of species
comparisons
Availability: Beech is 15 times more
available than Red Alder. With its third
sawmill, Pollmeier will increase volume
by 90 million board feet. A site for a
fourth mill has also been purchased for
future expansion.
Average Age at Harvest
Beech: 80-200 yrs
Alder: 25-100 yrs
Sustainability: Europe’s forests are
increasing at 2 times the rate of North
American forests. Pollmeier Beech is
PEFC certified.
Wider Boards, Less Defects
Beech
Yield & Throughput: Beech has fewer
defects—wider widths and will increase
both yield and throughput.
Alder
Durability: Beech is over 40% stronger
and over 80% harder than Red Alder.
Machinability: Although Beech is hard
and strong, it machines 96% perfect parts
and holds a fine edge better.
Affordability: Beech will provide a lower
output cost in most products.
Six Year Price Trend
Alder
Pollmeier Value-Added German Beech
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
Call today to find out how Pollmeier
value-added German Beech will give
you and your customers better value,
consistent supply and greater profits.
Finished Board Comparisons
North American Sales Office
Portland, Oregon
Toll Free 866-432-0699
Outside U.S. 503-452-5800
[email protected]
www.pollmeier.com
Beech
Alder
Natural
Cherry
POLLMEIER, INC., CIRCLE 115 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
010-RVB02 PG 10 RVBAY.ps
1/15/07
7:05 PM
Page 10
RVBAY.COM is only a “C l i c k” away!
Target Your Wholesale Business Coast to Coast!
RVBAY is an exclusive, confidential wholesale auction
network available only to Dealers
RVBAY is a great way to balance your inventory
RVBAY brings “seasonal” markets together
RVBAY will turn your aging inventory into cash
RVBAY, CIRCLE 128 ON READER SERVICE CARD
RVBAY is the perfect addition to your internet program
RVBAY allows you to sell it before you buy it
RVBAY is safe, convenient and cost effective
RVBAY requires no contract or membership fees,
just pay as you profit
You’ll Be Blown Away, It’s So Easy!
RVBAY helps you connect with other Dealers around
the country. It has never been so easy to sell your
trade-ins or find that “hard to find” RV for a client!
Call our Toll Free Number and get signed up for your
FREE 90 day unlimited use passpor t today!
CALL Toll Free 1-866-382-3924
Proud Member of the RVDA
Go To:
See You On-line!
.com
User Guide
*Not Affiliated with Ebay
Contents
1/18/07
4:20 PM
Page 11
TOP OF THE NEWS
Bob Lee Divests Himself of NRV Stock
Bob Lee has severed his final financial ties to
the company he helped found.
Lee sold his 577,906 shares of National RV
Holdings Inc. stock on Friday, Jan. 5, for an
average price of $3.50 per share.
“I don’t know who bought it. I put it on the
market and let it go,” he told RV Business.
Lee said he sold his National RV stock
because “I didn’t think it (the company) would
go anywhere ... I won’t have to worry about it
on a day-to-day basis anymore,” he said.
The company posted losses in 17 of the last
21 quarters and has negotiated a sale of its real
estate to generate much-needed cash.
Rumors of Lee’s stock sale surfaced when
trading on Jan. 5 reached 600,000 shares,
more than 20 times the average daily volume.
National RV deferred comment until receiving
official notice of the sale.
Though he was no longer on the board of
Perris, Calif.-based National RV Holdings Inc.
— parent to Country Coach Inc. and National
RV Inc. — Lee was the fifth-largest shareholder in National RV Holdings with 5.6% of all
outstanding shares.
Meanwhile, Lee, who was named chairman
in November of Western RV (WRV), was moving ahead with plans to revive that company.
WRV makes Class A motorhomes under the
Alpine Coach brand and Alpenlite fifth-wheels
and truck campers.
Monomoy Capital Partners L.P. acquired the
Yakima, Wash.-based company last fall.
Lee’s stock sale ends a long and sometimes
stormy relationship with National RV. In
November 2005, Lee and Bryant R. Riley, a Los
Angeles investor, launched an unsuccessful bid
to buy National RV Holdings. In August 2006,
Lee resigned from the board, saying the company’s leaders had refused to deal with “the
ongoing crisis” that “threatens the very future
of this company,” and that it was time for CEO
Brad Albrechtsen to resign.
Lee founded Country Camper in 1973 and by
the early 1990s, the company had become a
national player in the luxury motor coach market.
In 1996, Lee sold Country Coach to National
RV Holdings for $9 million in stock and the
Privileged Access Acquires Outdoor
World’s 15 Eastern Campgrounds
The Rank Group, Resorts USA’s Londonbased multinational parent company,
announced that it will sell Fernwood Hotel
and Resort, The Villas at Tree Tops and
Fairway, and Minisink Financial Corporation
to Resorts Group Inc. for $32.5 million.
Resorts Group, a corporation formed in
October, confirmed the deal in a press
release.
The new owners will include current
Resorts CEO W. Andrew Worthington and
employees Kevin Lavelle, Mark Turner,
Thomas Casale, Kurt Rawding, Josh
Herschlag and Gina Bertucci. Also joining the
ownership team, according to a report in the
Pocono Record, is “a new partner” with previous ties to the Poconos, Harry VanSciver of
Whitebriar Financial Corp., a Massachusettsbased private lender that specializes in
financing resort, vacation and timeshare
transactions.
As part of the overall sale, Resorts Group
has agreed to sell another Resorts USA
holding, Outdoor World Corp., Bushkill, Pa.,
which operates 15 campgrounds throughout the eastern U.S., to a subsidiary of
Texas-based Privileged Access. Year-old
Privileged Access, headquartered in Frisco,
is an emerging name in the membership
campground business with holdings that
now include the operations of Thousand
Trails.
Outdoor World began in 1981, when the
membership
campground
concept
was introduced, and
now has
more than
30,000
members
throughout
the country.
Joe Mc Adams,
president
and CEO of
Privileged
Joe McAdams
Access,
founded the company in October 2005 after
leaving the board of directors of Equity
LifeStyle Properties (ELS). In the spring,
Privileged Access acquired the membership
business of Thousand Trails in the first of a
series of acquisitions designed to consolidate and transform the membership campground business.
McAdams said then he plans to grow the
Thousand Trails network by acquiring the
real estate assets of additional campground-membership companies and by
making agreements to provide Thousand
Trails members access to additional ELS
parks. “I expect to eventually grow the
Thousand Trails business to more than 100
different resorts,” he said, adding that the
Thousand Trails brand name will remain
intact with Privileged Access being the parent company. 6
assumption of $10.1 million in Country Coach
debt. Lee stayed on as CEO after the sale. He
retired in 2000, but returned in 2002 to turn
around the Country Coach division. He stepped
down as CEO in 2004 and continued as a paid
consultant until May 2005.6
Heartland RV’s New
Big Country FifthWheel Boasts TripleSlideout Floorplans
Designed for towing by short-bed pickup
trucks, the new mid-priced Big Country fifthwheel from Heartland Recreational Vehicles
LLC, Elkhart, Ind., debuted at the Louisville
Show in three 31- to 38-foot triple-slideout floorplans, including one family-style
bunkhouse layout. With the same front cap as
Heartland’s Big Horn fifth-wheel, the aluminum-and-fiberglass Big Country is built on a
drop-frame that maximizes front storage
capacity. Features include a universal docking
center for utilities, a walk-in front wardrobe,
free-standing dinette and heated and enclosed
underbelly. Retail prices start at $39,000.6
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
11
Contents
1/18/07
4:21 PM
Page 12
TOP OF THE NEWS
ARVC
WITH SECOND RATE PRODUCTS, EVEN A
WORLD CLASS PERFORMANCE CAN GO FLAT.
An inferior audio system is like playing an incorrect note in an orchestral
performance. It’s just wrong.A first rate RV deserves first rate components.
That’s why you should insist on the outstanding performance of Bose®. From
music to movies, innovative Bose technologies provide extraordinary audio
performance, elegance and simplicity.
Bose®Lifestyle 48 Series Home Entertainment System digitally stores and organizes up to 340 hours of music.
With a progressive scan DVD/CD player, viewers can experience a superior cinematic experience.
RIVER PARK INC., CIRCLE 122 ON READER SERVICE CARD
The Wave® Music System sets a new gold standard for audio performance — sound so thrilling and
lifelike it feels as if you are sitting in the front row. Bose award winning audio systems are known
worldwide for superior performance and lifelike sound reproduction.
RiverPark complements this world class performance with the exceptional product expertise
and dedicated service that our customers have come to expect.We’ve been providing
the finest electronic brands to our recreational vehicle customers since 1981.
Expect great performance.With innovative Bose products from RiverPark.
AUTHORIZED OEM DISTRIBUTOR
W W W. R I V E R P A R K I N C . C O M
12
RVBusiness
Go To:
© 2 0 0 5 R I V E R PA R K I N C .
from page 7
Woodall’s are temporarily suspending the
national survey for one year because of a lack
of participation from ARVC-member campgrounds. Gibbs said ARVC will craft a new
survey in 2007 that the association hopes will
generate higher levels of participation.
Profaizer noted in her annual report, however, that ARVC achieved success with several
other initiatives launched during the past year.
These include:
■ The successful redesign of the
GoCampingAmerica website. The website,
which went live in June and uses the same
nomenclature for state branding, has also
begun to accept advertising, with proceeds
being reinvested for website improvements.
■ The creation of a new interface at
www.arvcgateway.com, which enables parks
to easily access their park profile on the
GoCampingAmerica website and to make
changes as needed.
■ The expansion of ARVC’s campground
marketing relationships with major road-atlas
providers: MapQuest, now NeoDate, has just
produced a new atlas for Barnes & Noble that
will list ARVC-member campgrounds. ARVCmember parks will also be featured in the latest
National Geographic Camping Atlas, which
was expected to be released by the end of
2006. Another atlas by Cabela’s was also
expected to include ARVC member parks.
■ Positive news coverage for the private
park sector: The New York Times and the Los
Angeles Times were among media outlets that
published positive stories based on the
American Camper Survey, which ARVC cosponsored with other industry associations.
Additionally, Profaizer noted that ARVC continues to increase its interaction with both the
Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA)
and the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association
(RVDA). ARVC, for example, provided commentary on RV product- and customer-service
issues to five committees organized by the Go
RVing Coalition. “Our partners,” Profaizer
added, “are more aware than ever of the issues
facing our RV parks and campgrounds, such
as the loss of parks for other development, the
need for financing and the difficulty of dealing
with government at all levels.”
ARVC also supports the RV industry in its
marketing efforts, having contributed $85,000
to the national Go RVing advertising campaign.
Gibbs, for his part, said he would continue to
work toward the completion of previously
announced ARVC goals, including the improvement of ARVC’s services for state affiliates, the
continued production of educational DVDs and
the development of stronger relationships with
businesses that support the campground sector.
ARVC members also elected new officers for
2007, including a second term for Chairman
Max Gibbs, Sandy Pines, Hopkins, Mich.; Vice
President Garry Cole, Shelby-Mansfield, Ohio
KOA; Secretary David Berg, Red Apple
Campground, Kennebunkport, Me.; and
Secretary Mark Turner, Bushkill, Pa. 6
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
013-RVB02 PG 13 FREIGHTLIN.ps
1/15/07
7:10 PM
Page 13
TURNING IT UP, AGAIN.
Introducing another industry first by Freightliner Custom Chassis.
We’ve done it. Freightliner Custom Chassis’ new independent front
suspension by ZF®, with an industry-leading 60-degree wheel cut,
enables you to maneuver like you’ve never thought possible.
Why? It’s about negotiating those tighter spaces and tighter turns;
about having more controlled confidence at the wheel; about
expanding the limits of where you go and how you get there.
So don’t be afraid of the road ahead…take on the world one turn at
a time with Freightliner Custom Chassis, The Leader at Every Turn.
1.800.545.8831 | freightlinerchassis.com
Call Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation at (800) 545-8831, or visit us on the Web at www.freightlinerchassis.com. FCC/MC-A-030. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation is registered to ISO 9001. Copyright 2006, Freightliner LLC. All rights reserved. Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation is a member of the Freightliner Group.
Freightliner LLC is a DaimlerChrysler Company.
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
4:21 PM
Page 14
TOP OF THE NEWS
Florida RV ‘Time-Share’ Company Sued
Executives of a Sanford, Fla., motorcoach
manufacturer are being sued after allegedly setting up a new company and selling $8 million
worth of time shares before the whole thing collapsed two years ago, leaving buyers with $7
million in losses, according to court documents.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that the company, Universal Luxury Coaches LLC, is now in
the hands of a court-appointed receiver, who is
suing the founders and managers to recover
money for investors. The receiver contends the
company was a pyramid scheme that paid
early investors with money from newer ones.
Two executives are awaiting trial on charges
of fraud and racketeering: Universal Luxury
Coaches’ former president, Scott Spor, 49, of
Altamonte Springs, and James P. Hollis, 65, of
Satellite Beach, its vice president of marketing.
According to the Sentinel, people who
bought in were offered far more than a week’s
vacation in a fancy motorcoach. They would
get a 10% return on their investment every year,
and at the end of three years, a full refund on
request, according to the sales materials.
Dexter Busching, 86, of Hernando plowed
$65,000 into the deal. At first, everything
worked the way it was supposed to, Busching
said. He received several monthly checks, but
then they stopped coming.
“That’s been more than three years ago,”
Busching said. When the checks stopped, state
regulators sent an investigator to the company’s
office in Sanford. When she visited in September
2004, the office was empty and closed.
Company officials later told the investigator
that Universal no longer had any employees
and had just $89 in the bank, according to
court records.
The company receiver, Gary Lipson, contends the time-share plan started as an idea to
relieve a business bind at Featherlite Inc., a
manufacturer of trailers and motorcoaches. In
2001, Featherlite’s stock price was languishing. It also had too many unsold luxury coaches and looming credit problems, according to
court pleadings.
Spor, the only company executive who commented directly to the Orlando Sentinel, was a
business consultant at the time. He said he
advised Featherlite president Conrad Clement,
an Iowa businessman, that he could boost
sales by creating a time-share program. Rarely
Sunline Coach Co.
Shuttered, Continues
to Explore Options
B W CUSTOM TRUCK BEDS, CIRCLE 103 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Longtime towable builder Sunline Coach Co.
continues to search for a buyer after ceasing
operations at its Denver, Pa., plant on Nov. 15,
and placing a “For Sale” sign on the Internet’s
most prominent retail clearinghouse.
“We’re approaching the sale from two perspectives,” said Joe Bucara, Sunline president
and COO, in an interview with RV Business in
early January. “One is to sell the total business,
including the company’s intellectual property. We
are also looking at selling the intellectual property
exclusively.
“We have had interest in both propositions. But
gaining additional investment during the latter
part of the year is very difficult. Recently, we have
been exploring putting the business for sale —
through both approaches — on eBay.”
According to Bucara, management began
actively looking for a buyer in the beginning of
2006. “We were looking for a buyer intelligently,
not desperately,” he said.
But by early November, the search took on a
more desperate tone. Facing the effects of a “significant downdraft” in the towable market in
September and October coupled with mounting
demands from lenders, Sunline officials decided
the best course of action was to shut down, liquidate existing inventory, while still keeping their
lines in the water for a possible buyer.
14
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
015-RVB02 PG 15 ONAN.ps
1/15/07
7:05 PM
Page 15
Powerful
Change.
Two global leaders have combined energies to create the new name to remember in
power generation. The Cummins Onan brand of generators continues to build on the
tradition of dependable performance and technological leadership you’ve come to
expect. Plus you can still rely on exceptional sales and service from the worlds’ best
distributor/dealer network. Powerful change is good. The new Cummins Onan
brand—performance you rely on.
Take advantage of this powerful change, visit www.cumminsonan.com
RV
|
MARINE
|
COMMERCIAL
|
RESIDENTIAL
|
PORTABLE
Cummins®, Onan® and the “C” logo are registered trademarks of Cummins Inc. © 2006 Cummins Power Generation. All Rights Reserved.
ONAN CORPORATION, CIRCLE 121 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/19/07
2:24 PM
Page 16
TOP OF THE NEWS
OPINION
IN BRIEF
Thor ‘Bests’
Forbes. Jackson
Center, Ohio-based
Thor Industries Inc. was among Forbes magazine’s “The Best of the Best” listings in the publication’s “400 Best Managed Big Companies”
in America. According to a press release, Thor’s
combined five-year average growth in sales and
earnings per share was the highest in the consumer durables category.
An RV Veteran, Upon
Retirement, Pines for
A Time When OEMs
And Dealers Partnered
Dear RV Industry,
So, the finish line is behind me after almost
40 years of working in the RV Industry. It is
time for the next generation to move in, and
for those of my generation to step aside. It is
also time for me to “say it like it is” as I have
pretty much done over all of those years.
I would start by asking today’s RV dealer
body — as well as the RV manufacturing
community — “What are you thinking
about?” I’ll bring you back to that question
later on in my letter — it may take a little bit to
help you understand it.
First, a little about “how it was”compared to
“how it is.”
My first job in the RV industry was for FAN
Coach, a small company in Wakarusa, Ind.,
during the school summer break of 1962. I
worked in the “final finish” department that
summer. Due to the lack of pre-finished paneling and cabinet doors, FAN Coach, like
many RV manufacturers of the era, had a
paint shop where the interior finish was
applied to raw wood cabinetry.
My first job as a sales rep (1969), was for
a new division of Holiday Rambler called
Avenger. I was its first sales rep. We had to be
one of the first (if not the first) RV companies
to make nearly everything standard in a lowerpriced towable.
Next on the list was a small RV company in
Goshen, Ind., called Elkhart Traveler. This is
where the “how it was” starts to come into
focus. We weren’t the largest RV manufacturer in the industry, but I’d say we were pretty
typical. We did business on a handshake,
trusted our dealers and they trusted us. We
solved problems with a phone call. We did
business as if we were partners — in it
together, for better or for worse. We handled
retail customers’ problems the same way, by
working things out and moving on to the next
opportunity together. We likely stayed at each
others’ homes when in the area, and knew
one anothers’ family members, some of
which are the “new generation” we do business with today. Here is where a big U-turn
starts to happen, however.
Today, we are learning to know the dealership’s lawyer better than the dealership’s principal. “Indemnify me” is the new greeting
when we have a customer with a problem,
even when the problem is poor repairs
caused by the dealer’s own service department. “Give me money” is the new response
to the smallest mistake made on a unit, or to
nearly any other minor issue that comes up.
“Buy my inventory back” is the new response
in many states when a dealer is not performing in the sales area. In many of these areas,
the dealer has literally nothing at stake: If he
doesn’t do his job (hold up his end of the
deal), he simply says, “get this stuff off of my
lot.” Mr. Manufacturer can take the loss. Mr.
Dealer, meanwhile, will find another product
and is out very little, even though he didn’t do
his part. And “Send it back” is the new reply
we hear many times when a unit arrives with
even minor issues. “We are too busy to deal
with that now, so unless you pay us dearly for
that 30-minute repair, take the unit back. Too
bad the freight is $1500 one way; we don’t
have time to deal with it.”
Dealers from the “how it was” era would
never have considered any of the above
responses — but, of course, we were partners in those days. We worked things out
together to the benefit of us all.
How about $120+ per hour warranty
Entry-Level Winnebago Class A
Motorhomes Hit Marketplace
Winnebago Industries Inc. began shipping
new entry-level 2007 Winnebago Vista and
Itasca Sunstar gas-powered Class A
motorhomes to dealers in January with
base MSRPs of $81,484. “This gives us —
and the dealers — a brand-new price point
in which to sell product,” said Chairman
and CEO Bruce Hertzke during the
Vista/Sunstar debut at the National RV Trade Show in
Louisville, Ky. The new coaches are offered in 30- or 33foot floorplans on Ford F-53 chassis with GVWRs of
16
RVBusiness
Go To:
18,000 and 20,500 pounds, respectively. Standard features include fabric ceilings, laminated countertops,
shower skylights and powered bathroom roof vents.6
Once In A Blue Moon. Elkhart, Ind.based supplier Dometic Corp. has named Blue
Moon Mobile RV Repair, Carrolton, Texas, winner
of the Dometic T2000 MVP Service Center
award for, among other qualities, excellence in
customer service and warranty work. “Since our
first day we have purposely strived to be the very
best in RV service,” said Rodney Simmons, Blue
Moon president. “We are a small company, but
we want to make a big impact.”
Best Parks Gets The Spirit. Mesa
Spirit RV Resort, Phoenix, Ariz., has affiliated with
Best Parks in America, a 2-year-old marketing
network of independent RV resorts and campgrounds. Mesa Spirit is an 1,800-site, amenityrich resort catering to active adult RVers.
Covering more than 90 acres with nine miles of
paved streets, it offers on-site activities ranging
from a state-of-the-art computer lab to three
heated pools and five spas, a woodshop and
craft rooms and a 7,800-square-foot dance floor.
Frommer’s, ReserveAmerica Ink
Deal. ReserveAmerica and Frommer’s have
signed an agreement establishing Frommer’s
Best RV & Tent Campgrounds in the U.S.A., 3rd
Edition, as the official campground directory of
ReserveAmerica. The publication, available in
March, will include consumer-provided ratings,
reviews and testimonials of campgrounds
they have reserved and visited through
ReserveAmerica’s network of more than 3,000
parks and over 170,000 campsites and cabins.
Oregon Dealer Shuttered. A creditor
owed nearly $8 million has forced the closure of
Ingram RV’s two sales lots in Eugene and
Coburg, Ore., according to a report in the
Register-Guard. According to a complaint filed
by the GE financial firm RV Indio LLC, Ingram
breached the terms of the agreement by failing to
pay GE when it sold RVs, despite GE’s demand
for payment.
Sportsmobile
Goes
FourWheeling. Fresno, Calif.-based Sportsmobile
West has introduced a four-wheel drive option
for the Dodge Sprinter chassis. The system
includes a new transfer case for shifting power
to the front wheels in addition to the stock rear
wheel drive system; new front axle assembly
and steering system; new drive shafts; and a
rear axle kit. System options will include a permanent all-wheel drive system and a four-wheel
drive two-speed system.6
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
4:22 PM
Freightliner Adds
to Oasis Service
Page 17
the service center with the highest customer satisfaction rating as determined
by Oasis dealer surveys submitted by the
end customer.
Las Vegas Freightliner has seven dedi-
cated RV service technicians at its 24/7
facility, who service more than 40
motorhomes a month. The facility also has
a dedicated service-reception area, customer lounge and service advisors.6
RV LOGIC INC., CIRCLE 129 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp.’s
(FCCC) network of Oasis Service
Centers has increased from 65 to 82 outlets during the past year, according to the
Gaffney, S.C., firm.
In addition, the company noted that the
65 original centers continue to add trained
technicians to their work forces along with
improved amenities.
“More and more of our Oasis dealers are
realizing the payoff of providing the special services that RV owners appreciate,”
said Dennis Rastenbach, FCCC dealer
advisor.
He said amenities that enhance the
overall service experience include a dedicated waiting room for motorhome customers, special electrical hookups and a
staff of certified motorhome technicians.
In recognition of performance over the
past year, Freightliner named Las Vegas
Freightliner as the Oasis Dealer of the
Year. It marked the second time the center garnered the award, which is given to
)BWFZPVFWFSIFMEBTUVSEZ4UZSPGPBNDVQ &YBDUMZ5IBUTXIZZPVXPOUGJOE4UZSPGPBNJO
PVSUVCTBOETIPXFST*OTUFBEZPVMMGJOEXPPE
BOEGJCFSHMBTTNBUFSJBMTLOPXOGPSUIFJSTUSFOHUI
BOEEVSBCJMJUZOPUGSBHJMFDPGGFFDVQT4PXIZOPU
LYONS INDUSTRIES, CIRCLE 102 ON READER SERVICE CARD
DIPPTFUIFRVBMJUZDSBGUTNBOTIJQPG-ZPOTGPSUIF
TBNFQSJDFBTUIFPUIFSHVZT
3FNFNCFSXIFOJUTNBEFCZ-ZPOT
JUTNBEFUPMBTU
MZPOTJOEVTUSJFTDPN
UPMMGSFF
TJOLTTIPXFSQBOTCBUIUVCTTVSSPVOET
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
17
Contents
1/18/07
4:22 PM
Page 18
TOP OF THE NEWS
Coast to Coast Resorts Expands
Network With Five Western Parks
“We are pleased Holiday Trails has
expanded its relationship with Coast,”
remarked Marcos Strafacce, vice president and executive director of Coast to
Coast. “We are working to grow the
network with those RV resort companies whose goals closely match our
own. Holiday Trails is a progressive
leader in our industry with premier
resorts that offer outstanding hospitality, quality and value.”
Kevin Demers, president and owner
of Holiday Trails, noted, “It is vital that
we provide our members with the finest
experiences possible through our reciprocal network affiliation. We’re confident that when our members travel outside the Holiday Trails Resorts system
to other resorts in the Coast to Coast
network, they will have exceptional
experiences that underscore the value of
private membership camping.”6
from page 8
Dec. 20 due to Warrior’s inability to obtain
a timely financing commitment from its
lender.
First Industrial is an affiliate of First
Industrial Realty Trust Inc., a national
provider of diversified industrial real estate.
The new agreement, which contains no
third-party financing contingencies, will
infuse $31.75 million into National RV
Holdings and calls for the company to enter
into a 10-year lease arrangement with two
five-year renewal options. The deal is
expected to close on Feb. 15.
National RV Holdings builds Class A
motorhomes through two wholly owned
subsidiaries, Perris-based National RV Inc.,
which targets the mainstream market, and
Country Coach Inc. in Junction City, Ore., a
more upscale builder.
National RV Holdings has struggled
financially over the past six years. During
the past year, the firm’s cash flow situation
was further aggravated by the rebuilding of
76 motorhomes due to defective fiberglass
panels coupled with continued softness in
the motorized sector.6
ROADMASTER, INC., CIRCLE 110 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Englewood, Colo.-based Coast to
Coast Resorts announced in December
that five additional Holiday Trails
Resorts properties have joined the
Coast network of CampResorts and
Good Neighbor parks, bringing the
total to seven. Established in 1983,
Holiday Trails is Canada’s largest RV
resort system and its only multi-park
system.
The additional reciprocal-use properties include:
■ Camperland RV Resort, Bridal
Falls, B.C.
■ Country Maples RV Resort,
Chemainus, B.C.
■ The Cedars RV Resort, Ferndale,
Wash.
■ Dinosaur Trail RV Resort,
Drumheller, Alb.
■ Henderson Lake Campground in
Lethbridge, Alb.
Land Deal
18
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
4:22 PM
Page 19
Chariot from page 8
John Crean from page 7
blind salesman, then designed his own
blinds for use in trailers, starting Coach
Specialties Manufacturing Co., according
to the Orange County Register.
Crean and his wife, Donna, founded
Fleetwood to produce a small travel trailer. By the early ‘60s, the company was
exclusively producing mobile homes. He
re-entered the RV business, acquiring the
Terry Coach Co. in 1964 and Pace Arrow
Motor Homes in 1969. Under his leadership, Fleetwood went public in 1964 and
was listed on the New York Stock
Exchange in 1971. The company’s sales
first exceeded $1 billion in 1984. At the
time of his retirement in 1998, Fleetwood
was a $3 billion-a-year company, operating 18 recreational vehicle and 38 manufactured housing plants in 17 states and
Canada. That year, the company sold
69,494 RVs, 65,544 manufactured homes
and employed 19,000 workers.
When Crean left the company, at odds
with management’s direction, he retired
to his two-acre estate overlooking
Southern California’s Newport Bay. In
2001, the then-75-year-old Crean
re-entered the RV manufacturing arena,
teaming up with his son, Johnnie Crean,
at Alfa Leisure Inc. in Chino, Calif. The
company developed the Alfa See Ya!
diesel pusher, a mid-priced coach that
emulated the Fleetwood Bounder — a
motorhome Crean spearheaded in the
1980s that featured “basement storage”
and became the industry’s top-selling
Class A for a decade.
Crean’s entrepreneurial spirit transcended the RV industry. He ventured
into such diverse arenas as auto racing
and producing films that featured some
of Hollywood’s top stars, including Bill
Cosby, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard
Burton. More recently, Crean authored
an autobiography titled The Wheel and I,
and also teamed with a local TV personality to co-host a cooking show.
While Crean’s mark on the RV industry
was legendary, less known was his philanthropic side. The Creans built their lives
around the words of a Lutheran minister
who urged his congregation to tithe 10%,
saying that if you give without expecting
anything in return, you’ll get a tenfold
return in blessings on your investment.
Crean said he thought those were
“damn good odds.”
From then on, the Creans started giving away part of whatever they made,
starting with 10% and eventually donating half of their annual earnings to charity. Many of their donations were made
anonymously and Crean deftly side-
stepped queries about how much
money they gave away.
One of the couple’s most valuable
donations was the use of their 18,000square-foot mansion for fund-raising
events.
Crean was instrumental in helping
Dr. Robert Schuller establish the
Crystal Cathedral as one of the nation’s
largest churches in Garden Grove,
Calif., donating $1 million in
Fleetwood stock in 1976 to get the
project off the ground.
When constructions costs soared,
Schuller feared he would have to abandon the project and approached Crean
to return his donation, according to
Mike Nason, a spokesman for Dr.
Schuller. Crean’s response was simple,
Nason recalled. “Schuller,” Crean said,
“dig a hole, get started, the money will
follow. I don’t want my money back.”
Crean would go on to donate millions
of dollars to the church and become its
biggest benefactor, Nason said.
Services for Crean were held Jan. 18
in the church he helped build.6
$400,000 range.
The former Elkhart, Ind., van upfitter
expects the new coach to be priced in
the $200,000 to $250,000 range. “We
are building for the discriminating
buyer, and intend to continue in that
direction,” Wilosek said.
Existing Chariot motorhomes are
marketed in five floorplans with two or
three slideouts. The high-end units are
equipped with solid wood residentialstyle cabinets, granite countertops, allelectric appliances, washer and dryer,
king-size bed and cedar-lined closets.
“We designed and engineered the
coach for 11⁄2 years before we started
building them,” said Wilosek, who
added that the company intends to
ramp up production to 50 to 60 coaches
in 2007 compared to 10 during
Chariot’s first six months in the
motorhome arena.
Chariot motorhomes’ ability to tow
up to 20,000 pounds has been particularly appealing to the racing crowd,
Wilosek said.6
MaxxFanTM Is the ONLY RV
Ventilator on the market
with a Built-In Rain Cover! AND... It’s Fully Remote Control!
Its unique patented rain shield
moves into position, protecting
your RV’s interior.
Retracts securely at the touch
of a button. Low-Profile and
aerodynamic when closed!
One Touch Does It All!
• Remote control operates all fan functions
from the palm of your hand
• Easy to use Remote Control always displays
room temperature
• No more step ladders or stretching to reach the ceiling fan
See our entire line at www.maxxair.com
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
MAXX AIR VENT, CIRCLE 113 ON READER SERVICE CARD
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
19
Contents
020-RVB_0702_LO_2007Outloo.ps
1/19/07
2:13 PM
Page 20
OUTLOOK
By
Da
ve
Ba
rb
ule
sco
2007
With fuel prices and interest rates stabilizing, industry executives
project a “guardedly optimistic” attitude for the year ahead
20
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/19/07
2:14 PM
B
Page 21
olstered by an active Louisville Show
coupled with the continued influx of
prime-age consumers into the marketplace,
the recreational vehicle industry remains
guardedly optimistic about the prospects and
purchase patterns that will emerge in 2007.
A cross-section of industry professionals, interviewed by RV Business while working the floor of
the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) in late
November, reflected on an “erratic” 2006 that prolonged two persistent trends in recent years — a
resilient, though not impervious, towable sector and
a languishing Class A motorized market weighed
down by pressures on discretionary spending.
The list of variables that soured consumers toward
high-ticket buys last year is a familiar one to the
industry: volatile fuel costs and higher interest rates
mixed with signs of economic slowing.
“It was the proverbial perfect storm,” observed
Roger Martin, vice president of sales and marketing
for Forest City, Iowa-based motorhome builder
Winnebago Industries Inc. “Gas prices kept firsttime buyers on the sidelines and interest rates kept
away the seasoned buyer.”
Looking ahead, the majority seemed to agree with
the 2007 prognosis from University of Michigan
economist Richard Curtin, who foresees an 11%
decline in wholesale shipments, in part due to units
used for hurricane relief that boosted totals in the
first quarter of 2006 and skew year-over-year
comparisons.
But most also saw several positive signs as 2006
came to a close, with the prime lending rate holding
steady — and possibly retreating early this year —
while gas prices stabilized. And if those factors
remained benign, many felt “pent-up demand” could
trigger an upturn in sales starting in the spring — particularly in the inventory-rich A market — that could
push the industry beyond expectations.
The following offers a snapshot of the thoughts and
opinions of several industry insiders as their firms
formed strategies for 2007:
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
21
Contents
1/19/07
2:15 PM
Page 22
OUTLOOK 2007
Roger Martin, vice president of sales and marketing, Winnebago Industries Inc., Forest City, Iowa: “Overall, we think sales will remain fairly soft
through the winter and into early spring. We’re hoping that pent-up demand, particularly in the A business, will take hold and spike sales in the
second half of the year that will translate into a slight increase over last year’s shipment totals. One of our strategies was to introduce models that
move Winnebago, for the first time, into the more entry-level portion of the market; that seems to be where the most activity is at this point. But
in the long-term, we feel the motorhome market will be strong again. We have just hit another bump in the road ...The one variable in 2007 that
everyone is unsure of is how the new diesel-emission standards will affect the motorized market. It will definitely have a cost impact on those
power plants, which will be passed on to the consumer. But will it be enough of an increase to dissuade buyers? We’ll be watching that closely.”
Dave Altman, owner, Altman’s Winnebago and Altman’s RV Center, Baldwin Park, California: “Even though we’ve seen a downturn in
motorhome sales, I think we have also seen that the industry is much deeper and more solid than in past crises. I don’t think we’ll go through
those huge, sudden dips like we did in the past. Also, something I suspect is that we are currently experiencing the aftermath of those real boom
times in 2003 and 2004 when interest rates were so low. Those people who bought haven’t been flushed through the system yet, although
we’ve seen signs that the pipeline is filling back up. I’m looking for things to be fairly flat in 2007. Obviously there are things that can change
that one way or the other, but I don’t think it will change dramatically.”
Leigh Abrams, president and CEO, Drew Industries Inc., White Plains, New York: “I’m looking for the industry to be down a bit in 2007, and
actually flat when you take out the Katrina factor from the ‘06 numbers. And if interest rates and gas prices remain stable, we could start seeing
those buyers who have been in a wait-and-see mode ... Drew’s subsidiaries, Lippert Components Inc. and Kinro Inc., are more involved on the
towable side, which we do see as being a growth sector in 2007. The thing that people need to understand is that you can’t expect towables to
grow every quarter, like we have seen in recent years. I think the first and fourth quarters of 2007 could be tough. But the market is still strong.
As a supplier, one thing that we will continue to deal with in 2007 are the costs of raw materials. They’ve bounced around for the past several
years, so hopefully we’ll see some stabilization.”
Ron Fenech, president, Keystone RV Company, Goshen, Indiana: “We’re ramping up for a year that, in terms of retail sales, will be similar to
2006, which was good for us. As we head into January, we’re going full-steam and are hoping for a strong first quarter. That said, you can’t
make an intelligent assessment of the year until around March; that’s when you can start to see a pattern that makes sense, including regional tendencies. During the past year, the Northwest and parts of Texas were strong while the industrial states — especially Michigan and some
areas of the Northeast — were weak ... Three product segments that we see as particularly strong are lightweight and super-lightweight products, the lower end of the high-end fifth-wheel market, and the ramp business. What I find interesting is that the towable market as a whole
is becoming much less discretionary. Trailers are an integral part of people’s lifestyles, which may be why the towable market is no longer as
seasonal or cyclical as the motorized side.”
Gary Denton, vice president of sales and marketing, Weekend Warrior, Perris, California: “I think the towable market will be stable in 2007,
but it won’t show the tremendous growth that we have enjoyed in recent years. There are four or five things, particularly in California, that are
still affecting buyers: a drop in home equity, interest rates are higher, natural gas is up, and so is electricity ... Our bread-and-butter is still the
toy-hauler business, which we feel will continue to grow in ‘07 even though ATV sales have been flat. The end users are aggressive types and will
keep buying the latest product, which means we have to be aggressive on our end — we can’t stand still or we’ll get run over. That philosophy
is also how we’re approaching the motorized market, which we just moved into: Our goal is to initially grab a small share of that market, fueled
by our existing base of loyal customers who are looking to move up to a motorhome with the same type of innovation as our toy haulers.”
Mike Terlep, president, Coachmen RV Group, Middlebury, Indiana: “Moving into 2007, I think the first thing the industry needs to do is
correct the inventory levels on dealer lots. We need to focus more on product turns, which will happen when sales come back. Overall, we’re
looking at a relatively flat year, probably close to what RVIA is projecting. On the other hand, we’re confident that Coachmen will see market
share growth. There has been significant market share erosion in recent years, especially in towables. We have consolidated and defined our
entire product lineup to better meet specific segments of the market while also restructuring our sales teams and improving plant efficiencies
... What’s happening in the motorhome market, I feel, is more than cyclical: There is a lot of uncertainty out there. Again, we need to right-size
inventory to help move product. But we do see motorized sales improving as economic variables stabilize. On the towable side, lightweight units
— the true half-ton pickup travel trailers and fifth-wheels — are going to be key sectors in 2007, along with SURVS. The toy-hauler sector is
going to proliferate beyond its current customer because it’s so versatile.”
Randy Howard, general manager, Howard RV Supercenter, St. Louis. Missouri: “I don’t see a dropoff in ‘07. We’re looking for single-digit growth
for the industry, and we’re projecting our sales to be up 25% to 28%. The largest part of that growth will be in towables, although the dieselpusher business has been strong. Up until 2000 we were strictly motorhomes, but historically it’s been the most fragile portion of our industry.
Any type of volatility or instability, up or down, and motorhome sales — especially gas — go down. But people keep buying trailers. If things
stabilize, then motorized will come back, but I don’t see that happening ... Industrywide, there’s a real problem with inventory. The average turn
right now is 172 days, and it should be 90. That’s why a lot of the dealers got conservative in their buying. That needs to be corrected as we move
into the spring selling season.”
22
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
023-RVB02 PG 23 DTI.ps
1/15/07
7:08 PM
Page 23
DTI RV PARTS & APPLIANCES, CIRCLE 132 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/19/07
2:16 PM
Page 24
OUTLOOK 2007
Tom Walworth, president and general manager, Statistical Surveys
Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan: “The industry has gone through two
years of rapid interest-rate hikes, which had to happen, along with
severe spikes in fuel prices. Both of those factors impacted RV sales
— but I don’t see either of those trends resurfacing in 2007. Interest
rates have stabilized, at least for the near future. And, I believe,
something interesting occurred when crude oil went above $70 a
barrel: It spirited a lot of exploration in the U.S. There was a big find
in the Gulf of Mexico and we also started looking more at non-OPEC
nations that have larger reserves. When the price got so high, it just
made sense for us to look for new sources, including sand oil and shale oil, whereas it didn’t before. People
also started buying smaller cars. In light of all those things, I think OPEC will try to keep crude oil prices
around $60 a barrel in 2007, which will be great for our industry. It was those huge swings that really affected buyers. That said, my feeling is that the industry will start slow out of the chute, but finish OK for the year
— especially if you take the 2006 FEMA units out of the equation.”
John Sammut, vice president of sales and marketing, Newmar
Corporation, Nappanee, Indiana: “For the past couple of years, there
have been several factors in the marketplace that have affected
consumer confidence, which freezes people when it comes to buying
decisions. Those factors have mitigated, and we’re looking for a relatively flat market in 2007 without a lot of erosion or sizeable growth.
We have also seen the more entry-level portion of the motorhome market grow, and Newmar has developed products to compete at that lower
price point. We have been known as a high-end diesel builder, but in
2007 our goal is to gain a foothold in the gas market. There are two reasons why we need to be at that $175,000 to $200,000 price point: First, it will allow us to attract new customers,
and then move them up the ladder with our service and quality. Secondly, the new diesel-emission standards
will increase costs at retail for those units, pushing some people down into the gas marketplace. At the same
time, our high-end diesel buyer won’t be affected by that cost increase.”
Rich Florea, president, Dutchmen Manufacturing Inc., Goshen,
Indiana: “In the last part of 2006, it appears that manufacturers have
excess inventory as dealers haven’t been replacing product as quickly as normal. Our dealers haven’t been reordering one-for-one
through the last 90 days. In some respects, that’s fairly normal, but I
think the towable market did slow somewhat. Heading into 2007,
orders are beginning to pick up again, and inventories will level off.
Dutchmen is bullish on the first quarter, and our dealers are coming
on board. We anticipate a good spring season — not great, but
steady — and hopefully that will continue throughout the year. Our
goal is to increase market share in all segments ... I truly believe that RVing has become entrenched in our
culture and people are committed to the lifestyle. They aren’t going to stop RVing just because gas goes up,
they’re just going to change how they use their RVs. I think that factor will help towables continue to do well
in 2007, and in the long-term.”
MBA INSURANCE, CIRCLE 111 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Sid Johnson, director of marketing, Jayco Inc., Middlebury, Indiana:
“In the latter part of the year, the towable market tightened a bit. That
did two things. Dealers built up inventory, which is starting to clear
out. But it also meant that manufacturers had to be more innovative
by packaging more amenities into their product introductions. I think
that trend will translate into sales in 2007, especially with the huge
influx of buyers at the entry-level segment during the past four or five
years. Those owners are looking to move into a more amenity-filled
trailer ... Jayco has actually seen growth in Class C sales. We expect
that to continue as people downsize from A’s, along with the expansion of the toy-hauler units. Overall, barring any unforeseen circumstances, 2007 could develop into a pretty good year, despite the unfavorable comparisons on the towable side from hurricane sales in 2006.”
Brian Brady, chairman, Heartland Recreational Vehicles LLC, Elkhart, Indiana: “I suspect that 2007 will be
stronger than some of the pundits are predicting. Our feeling is that it will be as good a year as 2006 ... The
towable industry is becoming increasingly competitive, which is going to bring about some changes in the
24
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/19/07
2:17 PM
Page 25
OUTLOOK 2007
coming year. It’s apparent that dealers are taking a fresh look at OEM relationships: They are
asking tough questions, but they’re asking
appropriate questions. In essence, that means
the manufacturers have to make sure they’re
handling the right product lines as dealers
become more selective. The OEMs that can successfully define markets and build product at the
right price point will have a good year.”
Craig Jensen, president, RV Dealership Group, FreedomRoads LLC, Chicago, Illinois:
“We have forecasted 2007 to be flat, but we’re hoping for an uptick. I really don’t
believe the industry will be going backwards during the year. Instability is the thing
that kills consumers’ confidence, and going into
the new year things are moving in the right direction. The interesting dynamic is that towables
have become the industry’s hedge against those
big dips that used to hit the industry. Trailers are
going to sell. The motorized market is much more
elastic, and susceptible to those economic cycles.
If you’re dialed in right, then you’re in good
shape. If you missed by a bit, then you’re going
to be down a lot. We’ll have to see how things
shake out in 2007 for motorized.”
Stan Sunshine, CEO, Stag-Parkway Inc., Atlanta, Georgia: “We are reasonably optimistic about 2007. Hopefully, interest rates will begin to come down sooner than
later. There has been an inverse relationship between interest rates and RV sales for
many, many years. As a prime example,
motorhome sales began to decline in July
2004, which is when interest rates started to
climb ... From a consumer perspective, there is
a substantial amount of people enjoying the
RV lifestyle. As an industry, we have to ensure
that they have an enjoyable experience. The
demographics truly favor sustainable growth
for our industry in the long-term, so we have
to make sure we continue to take care of the
customers when we hit these short-term economic realities.” 6
AQUA HOT, CIRCLE 105 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Ron Neff, owner, American RV, Grand Rapids, Michigan: “Needless to say, Michigan’s
economy has been a challenge for our business. In a recession, people are wondering
if they will have a job versus whether or not they want to buy an RV. But we are enter-
ing 2007 with a progressive but conservative
approach. We’re going into the season with a
full inventory. How deep we go will depend on
the turns. We’re hoping that pent-up demand
will help drive sales. I feel strongly that
Michigan consumers still have the desire to RV,
so if the economy picks up, then we’re going to
pick up ... In 2006, we had good sales in Class
B’s, travel trailers did well and we doubled our
fold-down sales. The two biggest drops were in
fifth-wheels and motorhomes, and maybe that has to do with price and fuel costs. But
being slow gave us an opportunity to concentrate on those basics that you tend to
forget when things are going great, like sales and service training. You want to make
sure you’re prepared once the market comes back.”
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
25
Contents
026-RVB_0702_LO_Slideouts4.ps
1/18/07
4:45 PM
Page 26
As seen inside Monaco’s Signature Series
luxury Class A, full-wall slideouts allow
coach designers a wide-open pallette
when drafting new layouts. Compared to
multiple-slideout floorplans, full-wall
room extensions only add about 15
square feet of living space — but the
net effect can be quite dramatic.
SLIDING
INTO HOME
26
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
4:47 PM
Page 27
HOW QUICKLY THINGS CHANGE.
t’s been only three model years since Fleetwood Enterprises Inc.,
outfitted a 36-foot Pace Arrow motorhome with a 23-foot slideout
that extended nearly the full length of the coach.
Since then, “full-wall slideout” floorplans have proliferated. Monaco
Coach Corp., Coburg, Ore., produced full-wall slideout floorplans the
next year. Then came the rush.
At RVIA’s 2006 National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Ky., in fact,
no fewer than five companies — Newmar Corp. and Gulf Stream
Coach Inc., Nappanee, Ind.; Coachmen Recreational Vehicle Co.
LLC, and Thor’s Mandalay Luxury Division, Elkhart, Ind.; and
National RV Inc., Perris, Calif. — debuted full-wall slideouts.
“We all know that Fleetwood started it by being the mainstream
manufacturer who brought the full-wall slideout to the public,” said
Jon Krider, Mandalay national sales manager. “We looked at it and
said that they had something there, but we thought we could improve
on it.”
Full-wall slides clearly have changed the way coach interiors are
laid out.
Mandalay used the additional space offered by installing a 29-foot,
full-wall, hydraulic slideout in a 39-foot Presidio diesel-pusher Class
A to enlarge the hallway and bathroom and add closet space. “The
full-wall slide allowed us to open up the floorplans,” Krider said.
“Instead of having to pinch the hallway with a 24-inch-deep slideout,
you can increase the width of the hallway by almost 25%.”
Luc van Herle, motorhome product manager for Fleetwood, stressed
that changes brought on by full-wall slideouts are not insignificant.
“The difference is between day and night,” said van Herle, whose
company now offers full-wall slideout floorplans in eight of its nine
diesel brands in addition to the gas-powered Pace Arrow. “The big
change is that the floorplans are so open. Even when you go into a
quad-slide motorhome, you still have the hourglass effect where all the
slideouts join. No matter how wide it is in the front to begin with —
or even in the rear — it closes up the feel of the coach.”
Not having to deal with that narrowing hallway also makes a major
difference for engineers, according to Bill Martin, marketing manager
for Coachmen. “It changes the overall layout,” Martin said. “You start
thinking about the floorplan in a different way.”
I
The Development of the Full-Wall Slideout
Has Yielded Many Dramatically Different
Floorplans — But Not Everyone Is Ready
For a Completely Open Coach
BY BOB ASHLEY
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
27
Contents
1/18/07
4:48 PM
Page 28
National RV’s Pacifica diesel pusher is
the only Class A to offer a curbside fullwall slideout. The company solved the
potential problem of incorporating too
much plumbing in the slideout by creating a dual lavatory — the commode,
shower and a third sink remain stationary in the streetside of the coach.
“Full-wall slides are a great concept, but you have to
be careful with what you do with them.”
– John Sammut, Newmar’s vice president of sales
For the most part, however, manufacturers didn’t have to
make major structural changes to accommodate the larger
slideouts. “We did two things,” said Jason Rumschlag,
Coachmen’s engineering manager for gas motorhomes.
“We beefed up the sidewall a little more than we usually
do, and we held up the roof on that side of the coach by
incorporating a steel bar into the cabinets to add strength
there.”
According to Van Herle, Fleetwood’s standard “Power
Platform” chassis — wherein twin parallel I-beams are
mounted lengthwise on the chassis rails — made it easier
to engineer large slide rooms. “It’s given us a platform to
build a house that is much less reliant on the structure of
the box for its strength,” van Herle said. “For us, cutting
massive holes in the sides of our motorhomes was less of
a problem than it might have been.”
Fleetwood’s full-wall slides — operated by three synchronized electric motors — range from 26 to 30 inches
deep and 24 to 29 feet long.
The amount of additional square footage that a full-wall
slide provides compared to a motorhome with four slideouts is minimal — less
than 15 square feet, in
RIGHT: Monaco’s 2007 Monarch is
available with two or three slideouts
most cases. The effect,
— or the company’s PanaSuite fullhowever, is surprising.
28
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
At Monaco, designers used the extra space to add storage and cabinets. “Our smaller gas-coach models have
especially benefited from full-wall slides,” said Mike Snell,
Monaco vice president for sales and marketing. “For the
RV consumer, these innovations have created compelling
reasons to trade up.”
At the same time, though, according to Pat Carroll,
Monaco vice president for product development,
motorhomes with four slideouts remain Monaco’s most
wall slideout that incorporates the
sofa, dinette, refrigerator and bedroom closet and wardrobe.
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
4:51 PM
Page 29
ABOVE: As seen on the Fleetwood Providence,
the design of the full-wall slideout may incorporate access doors to some storage bays as a
further convenience to the coach owner.
RIGHT: According to Fleetwood, the full-wall
slideout in its 39V Providence adds nearly 380
square feet of living space to the coach.
popular floorplans. “Full-wall
slides are a new concept for the
buyers, and we learn as we go to
the retail shows and find out what
they like and what they don’t
like.”
Structurally speaking, Monaco’s
full-wall system operates with a
hydraulic flow divider that synchronizes the three rails that
extend and support the slideout.
As full-wall room extensions in
some cases have become top sellers, some industry executives are
cautious about their potential
even as their companies offer fullwall layouts.
“Full-wall slides are a
great concept, but you
have to be careful with
what you do with
them,” observed
John
Sammut,
vice president of
sales for Newmar,
which added a fullwall slideout to its
2007
gas-powered
Kountry Star Class A
motorhome lineup.
“Some floorplans
BELOW: Holiday Rambler’s Admiral line of gas Class A coaches
includes a full-wall slideout floorplan on the 33 SFS.
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
29
Contents
Page 30
SOFA
SOFA
QUEEN BED
SH
OW
LOVESEAT
ER
OHC
OHC
MICROWAVE
NIGHTSTANDS
ABOVE: A 29-foot full-wall slideout runs the length of the Mandalay Presidio, opening
up the hallway between the front room and sleeping quarters. Opposing front and rear
curbside slides allow designers to create a floorplan that maintains privacy.
30
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
OHC
TV
ROUND
FREE-STANDING
DINETTE
OHC
VANITY CLOSET REFER.
ROADMASTER, INC., CIRCLE 109 ON READER SERVICE CARD
work out and others don’t. There are still some
people who want to have different zones in a floorplan, and multiple slideouts certainly accomplish
that,” Sammut noted. “The good thing is that
OEMs are trying a variety of things, and the
customer ultimately will be the winner.”
Van Herle, too, points out that an expansive fullwall configuration isn’t for everyone. “We always
are hedging our bets,” he said. “If you like it, you’ll
buy it; if you don’t like it, you’ll buy a triple slide or
a quad slide.”
Continued on page 32
PANTRY
4:52 PM
TV
1/18/07
WARDROBE
031-RVB02 PG 31 CROSSROADS.ps
1/15/07
7:06 PM
Page 31
CrossRoads travels the landscape of quality, value and service in towables.
Experience consumer-focused products with no double-penetration of product lines,
exclusive sales territories, and one of the best warranties in the industry.
CrossRoads is proud to introduce the NEW Cruiser Sport offering versatile towing with a
2” receiver hitch.This innovative new line was featured at the 2006 RVIA Show in Louisville.
W W W. C R O S S R OA D S R V. C O M
8 8 8 . 2 2 6 . 7 4 9 6
CROSSROADS, CIRCLE 106 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Other CrossRoads winning brands include:
INQUIRE ABOUT CROSSROADS DEALER PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/19/07
2:49 PM
Page 32
ADCO PRODUCTS, CIRCLE 116 ON READER SERVICE CARD
ABOVE: According to Jason
Rumschlag at Coachmen
RV, adding a full-wall slideout to the Aurora 36 FWS
gas Class A only required a
bit of strengthening to the
sidewall and roof.
RIGHT: Monaco’s Safari
motorhomes offer full-wall
room extensions in its
Cheetah, Simba SVE and
Simba Gas models (shown).
Slideouts from page 30
Damon Motor Coach President Bill
Fenech makes that same point by
half-jokingly characterizing his company’s new Tuscany slideout floorplan
as the “anti-full-wall slideout.”
Damon currently has no full-wall
floorplan offerings.
“People want some separation in the
living areas,” said Fenech, while noting that his company may yet add a
full-wall slide floorplan. “The problem with one big slideout is that you
walk in and you see all the way into
the bedroom. I don’t think that’s what
people want.”
At National RV, designers solved
that particular problem by installing
two sets of pocket doors that can
separate the bath or the bath and bedroom from the rest of the coach.
Go To:
.com
National RV’s electric full-wall
slide — a 28-footer supported by four
rails beneath the slideroom with a 20foot attached awning — is situated on
the passenger side of a 40-foot
Pacifica diesel pusher to accommodate two other street-side slideouts.
“If you were to flip this around and
put the two slideouts on the passenger
side and the full wall on the driver
side, you’d be breaking up the patio on
the door side with two slideouts,” said
Brian Glass, National RV’s director of
product development and marketing.
National also dealt with the problem of what to do with the bathroom
— to avoid incorporating too much
plumbing in the slideout — by creating a dual lavatory. Two sinks and
medicine chests are in the slideout,
while the commode, shower and a
third sink remain stationary on the
street side of the coach. 6
User Guide
Contents
033-RVB02 PG 33 GIRARD.ps
1/15/07
7:08 PM
Page 33
WHEN IT COMES TO
SHADE MANAGEMENT,
WE’VE GOT YOU
Girard Systems Combining tomorrow’s technology with
today’s best quality and service
There’s a reason why more RV manufacturers choose Girard awnings over any other brand:
better quality, superior service and a limited lifetime warranty. Girard makes a variety of
superior RV products and accessories, and is continually developing new comfort and convenience products to provide our customers with the ultimate in weather protection.
Here are a few good reasons to get covered by Girard:
G-2000 PATIO AWNING
AUTO
MATI
C!
Girard was the first in the industry to develop an automatic lateral
arm retractable awning. Reliable, versatile & weather protected, the
G-2000 has up to 3-lateral arms for superior strength. Easy pitch
adjustment (from 5º to 35º) prevents water build-up during heavy
rain. Up to 4 awnings can be roof-mounted creating a seamless
integration that hides all other rooftop equipment.
G-1500 DOOR AWNING
AUTO
MATI
C!
G-2085 WINDOW AWNING
AUTO
MATI
C!
With more projection than any
other window awning, it extends to
a maximum 90º angle, providing
complete privacy. Strongest & most
durable in the industry. Wall switch
with optional remote control for automatic operation.
G-5000 SLIDE-OUT AWNING
NEW!
New & better than ever, the G-5000
is mounted on the coach, not the
extending slide room, providing more
pitch than any slide-out awning on
the market. This ensures smoother & tighter fabric while preventing
water buildup over the room. A built-in brush self-cleans debris
from the awning while retracting, completely protecting fabric &
eliminating billowing during transit.
A perfect complement to the
G-2000 Patio Awning, the G-1500
is fully automatic, providing shade
& rain protection at the touch of a
button. Practical & attractive, especially when installed with decorative farings.
See Girard’s full line at your local dealer or go on-line at:
www.girardrv.com
ACS System
GIRARD SYSTEMS
The Future Is Today
1361 Calle Avanzado,
San Clemente, CA 92673
Toll Free: 800.382.8442
Fax: 949.276.5500
NEW!
Girard’s Awning Control
System offers worry free
fully automatic weather
protection
GIRARD SYSTEMS, CIRCLE 101 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
034-RVB_0702_LO_OEM_Showca.ps
1/19/07
2:27 PM
Page 34
OEM
Newell’s Focus on Innovation and
Amenities Cements Its Position in
High-End Motorhome Marketplace
OKLAHOMA COMPANY CONSISTENTLY RUNS A BACKLOG OF ABOUT A YEAR
hen it comes to building upscale Class A
motorhomes, few manufacturers reach the level of
Newell Coach Corp., which builds and services
diesel pushers that cost $1 million-and-up in
the small northeast Oklahoma community of Miami
(pop: 13,000).
“We are the most expensive true Class A motorhome in
the business,” Newell President Karl Blade proudly states —
and with good reason. Newell builds its coaches from the
chassis on up, then fills them with unexpected features
and amenities.
“The one thing that has kept the company at the top
through the years is its history of innovation,” Blade said. “In
real estate, it’s location, location, location. In the motorhome
business, it’s product, product, product. If you’ve got someone
who is going to pay $1 million for a motorhome, it’s what
is in it that causes them to get excited and trade up from
another motorhome — or even from a 2-year-old Newell.”
W
34
RVBusiness
Go To:
Newell coaches, for instance, boast 90-inch-high ceilings
that allow for the installation of a Murphy bed. “Nobody else
is doing it,” Blade said, “because a bus doesn’t have enough
headroom. It’s like having a den in the coach.”
Looking back, L.K. Newell first broached the motorhome
business in 1967 after buying a then top-of-the-line
Streamline motorhome. Returning to Streamline’s California
factory from his Oklahoma home for a few corrections, he
shared some suggestions to improve the coach with the company’s owner, who posed a challenge: “If you’re so damned
smart,” he opined, “why don’t you buy the motorhome
operation from me?”
The deal was struck within hours, and L.K. Newell founded Newell Coach Corp., moving it to Miami, Okla.
Streamline, meanwhile, evolved into a towable-only manufacturer before going out of business in the early 1970s.
Newell, for his part, claimed credit for designing the first
rear-engine motorhomes and for introducing diesel engines
Newell coaches are available in lengths from 39 to 45 feet; proprietary chassis
boasts rear-steer tag axles that increase the motorhome’s maneuverability.
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
5:15 PM
Page 35
to the motorized RV arena.
According to the company, Newell built the first rearengine Newell coach in 1969 on a Madson gas-powered bus
chassis. A year later, L.K. Newell designed and built his own
from-scratch diesel pusher featuring a semi-monocoque
chassis that eliminated frame rails between the front and rear
axles, maximizing under-floor storage space.
“He (L.K. Newell) had a lot of street smarts,” said Blade.
“He figured out long before anyone else did that a diesel
pusher was far superior than any other configuration.”
Newell coaches commanded premiums from the very
beginning. “Back in the late ‘60s, when you could buy a
Winnebago for $5,000, a Newell would cost $15,000,” Blade
said. Blade contends that because Newell coaches are built
from the ground up on the company’s own chassis, they
differ substantially from their closest competition, pricewise — Prevost bus conversions and Bluebird Wanderlodges.
“The most important difference today is that we can offer
larger slideouts which can be positioned and sized to achieve
the floorplan that our customer wants, instead of trying to fit
the floorplan around pre-existing slideouts,” Blade said,
while noting that factory-built bus shells are limited to a
maximum of two pre-configured slideouts.
The Newell chassis also is equipped with 23-degree, rearsteer tag axles that increase the coach’s maneuverability.
Blade became Newell’s owner almost in the same way that
L.K. Newell founded the company. A Chevrolet dealer in
Mt. Vernon, Wash., Blade also sold motorhomes because
they were his hobby. While driving through Oklahoma in a
Karl Blade, Newell’s president, takes pride in the fact that the company
builds the most-expensive Class A luxury coaches in the industry. The
front and rear caps of the P2000i were designed by Porsche Engineering.
VITAL
statistics
COMPANY: Newell Coach Corporation
LOCATION: Miami, Oklahoma
FOUNDED: 1967
KEY PERSONNEL: Karl Blade, president; Sam Robinson,
vice president/general sales manager; Boyd Vanover,
vice president of engineering; Scott Lawson, vice
president of manufacturing; John Clark, vice president
of customer service.
PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Factory-direct, high-end P2000I diesel-
pusher Class A motorhomes with base prices starting at
$1 million.
PHYSICAL FACILITIES: 120,000 square-foot factory with head-
quarters, sales offices, 12 production stations, chassis, body,
furniture and sewing shops and a 20-bay service center.
EMPLOYEES: 200
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
35
Contents
1/18/07
5:16 PM
Page 36
Left: Newell’s 90-inch-high ceilings enhance
upscale impression and allow use of a
Murphy bed. Bottom: Built in Miami, Okla.,
Newell requires four months to complete a
coach and claims no two are totally alike.
new Bluebird in 1979, Blade stopped to visit Newell’s factory. “The Newell was not a bus,” he said, “and it offered
features that I’d never seen before.”
Three months later, he bought the company.
Blade said that he’s never considered moving the factory
from Oklahoma. “By the time that I got involved,” he recollected, “the workforce here was so well-trained that it would
be virtually impossible to duplicate if I tried to pick this up
and move it somewhere.”
Although it may appear otherwise, Blade also noted that
there is no downside to being isolated from the general RVmanufacturing communities in Indiana, California and
Oregon. “We can afford to pay the highest manufacturing
wage in the business and other RV companies can’t raid us
for employees,” he said.
Employees at Newell work four 10-hour shifts per week.
“Employees love to have the three-day weekend, and it gives
PRODUCT
PRODUCT PROFILE: Newell P2000i motorcoaches are built
during four months using the company’s own 59,580-pound
GVWR bridge-style, hand-welded chassis, with rear-steer tag
axles powered by 625-hp Caterpillar C15 diesel engines.
Available in lengths of 39 to 45 feet with up to four flushfloor slideouts, Newell coaches are built with aircraft-style
aluminum superstructures and skin. Reinforced fiberglass
front and rear caps (with roof parapets that hide the air
conditioner and satellite TV dome) were designed by
Porsche Engineering.
Because of extensive customization, no two Newell coaches
are exactly alike. For instance, customers can chose front- or
mid-coach entry doors, add a half-bath, chose their own paint
design or order a special engine.
Amenities run the gamut, from lush fabrics to customcrafted leathers, exotic marble and granite floors and solidsurface countertops.
36
RVBusiness
Go To:
us a lot more flexibility if we need
to work overtime when something comes up,” Blade said.
Blade spends the winter selling
Newell coaches while staying at
Outdoor Resorts in Indio, Calif.
“There are 800 sites in two
resorts across the street from each
other, and all of them contain
expensive motorhomes,” he said.
As you might suspect, Newell
coaches are popular on the
NASCAR circuit, where Newell
owners include NASCAR luminaries Jimmy Johnson, Dale
Earnhart Jr. and legendary team
owner Roger Penske.
Although the RV industry — particularly the Class A
motorhome sector — has been a little rocky lately, the soft
market hasn’t affected Newell. “We run a backlog of about a
year — always,” Blade said. “We also build some stock
coaches to put on the lot for the spot buyer, and we also
usually have 15 used coaches in stock — we couldn’t sell
the new ones if we didn’t take trade-ins.”
Newell sells factory-direct because of the close communication necessary between manufacturer and end-user when
building and servicing a $1 million-plus motorhome. “The
communication needs to be very good to figure out what the
customer wants within our capabilities,” Blade said. “We
can’t have misunderstandings where the dealer tells the client
we’ll build a coach a certain way and it doesn’t show up at the
dealership the way the client wanted it built.”
Although Newell can build coaches as short as 39 feet,
most Newell motorhomes are 45 feet long because of weight,
powertrain and cost considerations.
Meanwhile, Blade said the Jan. 1 transition to cleanerburning diesel engines won’t cause Newell major concerns.
“The exhaust is hotter, that’s for sure. We will deal with it,”
he said. “We don’t know what all the challenges are yet. Still,
every time there has been a change in engine technology,
there has been some fear about the effect, but we’ve always
been able to accommodate it successfully.” — Bob Ashley
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
PUBLIC DOMAIN
4:17 PM
Page 37
BY BOB ASHLEY
Stress-Relieving
‘RV Friendly’ Signs
Popping Up Along
America’s Highways;
Nine States Adopt,
Others to Follow
A
merica’s highways are getting more
and more friendly for RVers. That
primarily is a result of the industry-supported “RV Friendly” program
that identifies retailers along interstate
highways that are suited to handle RVs.
For the Recreation Vehicle Industry
Association (RVIA) lobbying team, in
fact, it has been a legislative priority for
the last couple of years.
Nine states already have approved the
program, although Matt Wald, RVIA
director of government affairs, said only
four — Oregon, where the program started, plus Washington, Florida and Iowa —
have actually posted “RV
Friendly” logos thus far
on the blue information
signs near exits along
the interstate highway
system.
Other states where
“RV Friendly” signs are
going through the local
regulatory process and
should pop up soon are Texas, Louisiana,
New Mexico, Tennessee and Michigan.
Additionally, Wald said, five more states
are expected to consider approving “RV
Friendly” signage during the winter
legislative season.
Along with Oregon, Louisiana was a
leader in the movement until Hurricane
Katrina struck 11⁄2 years ago, bringing its
program to a screeching halt.
Wald credits organizations such as the
Good Sam Club and the Family Motor
Coach Association (FMCA) for promoting the “RV Friendly” concept in their
home states. “RVers that I’ve talked to say
they absolutely love it,” Wald noted.
FOLDING BED SYSTEMS
The ULTIMATE way to transform
WASTED SPACE into Usable Living Area!
“They see it as not only a benefit in terms
of their being able to get in and out of a
retailer’s parking lot, but they also see it as
a quality-of-life issue.
“It reduces their stress when they are on
the highway,” he added. “They don’t have
to worry that if they get off the interstate
whether they are going to have trouble
finding a place to turn around so they can
get back on.”
The Federal Highway Administration
(FHwA) already has tentative guidelines
for the states to follow, which are expected to be finalized later this year.
Facilities must have paved surfaces free
of potholes and overhead
wires, with a minimum
swing radius of 50 feet to
allow RVs easy entry and
exit. Restaurants and
other businesses requiring
short-term parking must
have two or more spaces
that are 12 feet wide and
65 feet long. At fueling
facilities, pump lanes must be at least
12 feet wide and overhead canopies a
minimum of 14 feet high.
“The big thing is being able to get in
and out of a retailer’s parking lot without having to unhook or to back out,”
Wald said.
Depending on the state, retail locations
that meet the criteria pay between $25 and
$150 a year to affix the round “RV
Friendly” logo to the blue informational
signs posted near interstate highway exits.
Wald said he’s been told by boaters that
they, too, watch for the “RV Friendly”
logos. “They figure that if a retailer can
Full/Twin Combination
Twin Bunk Bed
• Most compact height in the market. Will fit in
most travel trailers and motorhomes.
• Optional safety rails available for non-RV use.
• Folds up against the wall for the most compact
depth available in a folding bed system.
• Designed for inner spring mattress comfort.
• The most versatile folding bed system in
the market.
r New
u
o
r
o
f
k
As
LINE
M
A
E
R
T
S
tem!
Bunk Sys
Toll Free 800-4 LIFTCO (454-3826)
24076 Reedy Dr. • Elkhart, IN 46514
Phone (574) 266-5551
Fax (574) 206-9296
www.liftcoinc.com
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
37
Contents
LIFTCO, CIRCLE 126 ON READER SERVICE CARD
037-RVB_0702_LO_Pub_Domain.ps
038-RVB_0702_LO_Diesel_Tec.ps
1/18/07
2:44 PM
Page 38
Clearing The
Air on Diesel
Emissions
Regs
by Chris Hemer
2007’s New Diesel Rules Will
Dramatically Reduce SmogProducing NOx and Particulate
Matter – But It’s a Change
That Won’t Come Cheap
38
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
2:44 PM
Page 39
BLUE SKIES AHEAD: Fleetwood’s American Eagle Class A diesel pusher is among the diesel motorhomes that utilize power plants
that have been affected by the diesel regs, in thise case, Cummins Caterpillar engines running from 400 to 600 hp.
For decades, most of the clean-air legislation has
been directed at gasoline engines. Unleaded fuel,
catalytic converters and electronic fuel injection are
major technological milestones in the effort to clean
the air we breathe. Now, it’s diesel’s turn.
New emissions regulations have changed the formulation of diesel fuel, as well as the engines that use
it. And although there have been some doom-andgloom predictions on the subject — mainly based on
rumors of poor fuel economy and low power, and
high cost considerations — all indications are that
the new regulations will have little impact on
current and future diesel motorhome owners.
A Regulation Rundown: The Emergence of ULSD Fuel
The “2007 Heavy-Duty Highway Engine Rule” (2007
Highway Rule) as it is referred to by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), wasn’t established overnight.
Like most emissions regulations, it represents yet another step — albeit the biggest one so far for diesel engines
— to clean up the air.
In 1990, the Clean Air Act of 1970 was amended to
include provisions for controlling ground-level ozone,
carbon monoxide and particulate emissions (also known
as particulate matter, or PM), from diesel engines. By
1993, Low Sulfur Diesel fuel had been introduced with a
maximum sulfur content of 500 parts per million (PPM),
also known as S500, enabling catalyst technology that
would reduce PM emissions.
Numerous revisions were to follow, but the next big
step came in December of 2000, when the EPA
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
39
Contents
1/18/07
2:45 PM
Page 40
announced a comprehensive national program that would regulate
a heavy-duty vehicle and its fuel as a single system, starting in model
year 2007. The 2007 Highway Rule was born.
Much the way lead can damage the
emissions equipment on contemporary gasoline engines, sulfur can
harm the new emissions equipment on diesels, hence the introduction of Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel
fuel (ULSD, or S15). ULSD cannot
contain more than 15 PPM of sulfur, one of
the soot-producing agents in diesel fuel.
According to the EPA, the combination of new
emissions equipment and ultra-low sulfur fuel will reduce PM
emissions by 90%, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 95%. As a result,
the 2007 Highway Rule will provide annual emission reductions equivalent to removing the pollution from 90% of today’s trucks and buses —
about 13 million of them — when the current heavy-duty vehicle fleet has
been completely replaced by 2030. When that happens, the EPA estimates a reduction of 2.6 million tons of smog-producing NOx emissions
and 111,000 tons of PM each year.
Refineries were required to start producing ULSD as of last June, and
retail stations were required to carry the new fuel as of mid-October of last
year. Unless RVers put their coaches away for the winter in September, the
odds are good that ULSD is in their RVs’ tanks right now.
Caterpillar’s C15 engine
with a Diesel Particulate
Filter (DPF) attached to
the exhaust
How the Regulations Will Affect RV Consumers
The introduction of ULSD has created two key concerns on the part of
motorhome owners:
First: How will the new fuel affect his current engine? And secondly,
how different will the new engines be? Since the majority of motorhome
owners have a pre-2007 coach, we’ll start with RVers.
As mentioned earlier, reducing the sulfur content in diesel fuel results
in lower PM emissions, but it also reduces the lubricity, or the lubricating quality, of the fuel. However, from everything we’ve been told,
ULSD will neither harm RVers’ current engines, nor require expensive
modification. While it is true that lubricity will be reduced at the
refinery level, the American Society for Testing and Materials adopted a lubricity specification for all diesel fuels that will compensate
for the reduced sulfur level at the terminal level.
RVers may have also heard or read that ULSD might reduce
fuel economy and even cause fuel leaks in their pre-2007
engines. According to Chevron Corp., the processing required
to reduce sulfur to 15 PPM does, indeed, reduce the aromatics
content and energy of the fuel, resulting in a reduction of energy
content (btu). However, the expected reduction in energy content
is only about 1%, which is predicted to cause only a
1%-to-2% loss in fuel economy. In other words, RVers will probably
not notice any apparent decline.
Depending on the engine and its age, fuel leaks are also a possibility,
according to the Clean Diesel Fuel Alliance (CDFA). “A small number of
vehicles may require preventive maintenance in the form of upgrading certain engine- and fuel-system seals that may not perform well in the transition to the new fuel and could leak,” a statement from the CDFA noted.
“Studies of test fleets have indicated that fuel system leaks
are not exclusive to a particular engine type … it is anticipated that only a small fraction of the (pre-2007) vehicles will be affected,” the report added.
According to a statement by Chevron Corp., fuel leaks
were also an issue when Low Sulfur Diesel was introduced in the early 1990s. Those leaks “ … occurred at
points where elastomers (O-rings) are used to seal joints in
the fuel system. During the 1993-1994 period, the most common
occurrences were injector-pump leaks.” But like the CDFA, Chevron’s
findings are that the problem is not exclusive to one engine type, fuel type
or geographic region. “It is anticipated that only a very small fraction of
the vehicles may be affected,” said Chevron.
40
RVBusiness
Go To:
Cummins ’07 ISL Engine
Cummins’ Particular Filter (CPF)
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/15/07
7:06 PM
Page 41
Introducing Tempest, The Next
Generation From Staron Surfaces.
NOW AVAILABLE IN 10 INSPIRING COLORS,
Tempest offers designers a look that rivals natural
stone and quartz. Yet it has all the features and
benefits of solid surface, such as a seamless
appearance, nonporous, hygienic properties,
and virtually unlimited design possibilities.
Tempest features a larger, translucent
particulate that gives it amazing depth
and a unique appearance not before
seen in solid countertops and surfaces.
To learn more, visit www.staron.com
or call 1.800.795.7177. © 2007 Cheil Industries Inc.
© 2006 Cheil Industries Inc.
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
SAMSUNG STARON SURFACES, CIRCLE 118 ON READER SERVICE CARD
041-RVB02 PG 41 SAMSUNG.ps
1/18/07
2:45 PM
According to Cyndi Nigh, on-highway communications
manager for Cummins Inc., Columbus, Ind., there have
been a few instances of minor fuel leaks due to gaskets
and seals shrinking.
“In most instances, replacing the part eliminates this
issue,” she said. “We have seen only a few cases of this
and are treating it as a warrantable failure.” In summary, ULSD has been designed to be backward-compatible with the millions of diesel engines that are
already on the road, and will probably not have any
affect on RVers’ engines. However, because a fuel leak
can be a potential fire hazard, it’s not a bad idea to have fuel
systems inspected once RVers start using ULSD, especially in older or high-mileage engines, and at routine maintenance intervals after that.
There also is a misconception that the 2007 engines will
be different from the engines they replace. While in some
instances that may be the case, the changes are not necessarily
required by the use of ULSD. In fact, most of the changes are to
the emissions system, also known as the “after treatment system,”
and have little, if any, effect on the design of the engine itself.
Though they may vary in design, function and trade
name, the after treatment system on the new engines
consists of an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system
and a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), in addition to, or in
place of, a diesel-oxidation catalyst. The DPF replaces the
muffler assembly and continually undergoes what is known
as “regeneration.”
“When operating conditions maintain sufficient exhaust temperatures, the
diesel particulate filter is continually being cleaned,” noted Nigh. “This is
known as ‘passive regeneration.’ Active regeneration occurs when there is not
sufficient heat in the exhaust.” In such instances, Nigh explained, exhaust temperatures are raised by injecting a small quantity of fuel upstream of the diesel
oxidation catalyst. This process, known as “dosing,” raises the exhaust-gas
temperature high enough to oxidize the carbon from the filter.
“Active regeneration will occur very infrequently in a motorhome application
and is totally transparent to the operator,” said Nigh. “There is no smell or sound
associated with regeneration.” Each manufacturer will also employ its own technologies to reduce emissions. For example, Cummins has introduced a highefficiency crankcase ventilation system, which removes oil residue associated with
engine “blow-by” (atmospheric pressure that squeezes past the piston rings and
enters the crankcase, forcing oil vapor up the breather tube).
Peoria, Ill.-based Caterpillar Inc.’s C7 and C9 engines feature variable-nozzle
turbocharging to control the air volume required at various engine loads and
speeds for more complete combustion. And Michigan-based Detroit Diesel has
designed its Series 60 engine with Monotherm pistons that, combined with
changes in oil-ring geometry and a smoother bore finish, are said to reduce oil consumption by almost 40%. The Series 60 will also incorporate a variable-geometry turbocharger, new fuel injection system and new engine management system.
Detroit Diesel’s Series 60
engine will use Monotherm
pistons, said to reduce oil
consumption
TERMS OF
THE TIMES
DPF: Diesel particulate filter
NOx: Nitrogen oxide
PM: Particulate matter
PPM: Parts per million
The only real downside of the 2007 regulations will be higher cost.
S15 (Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel):
Diesel fuel with no more than 15
PPM of sulfur
Though none of the engine manufacturers would be specific, our research indicates that after treatment systems will spur a price increase of $4,500 to $6,000
for medium-duty engines, and $7,000 to $10,000 for a heavy-duty engine. The
DPF will also require periodic cleaning, but that may never have an impact on
RVers’ wallets since it is only required every 200,000-400,000 miles in a typical
motorhome application. Even then, Cummins estimates cleaning will take only
30 minutes, not including removal and re-installation, while CAT has its own
system of cleaning the DPF without removing it from the vehicle; it claims service will take about as long as an oil change.
Speaking of oil changes, they’re going to cost more, too, because they require a
new low-ash oil (designated CJ-4). According to Fleet Owner magazine, the new
oil will be 30% to 40% more expensive than current CI-4 blends due to extraordinarily high development costs. Everything else, however, including service
intervals, coolant and lube filters, will reportedly remain the same.
Indeed, the 2007 Highway Rule has changed diesel engines and fuel forever.
Just like the gasoline-engine emissions regulations that preceded it, it may take
some getting used to — but it will do a lot of good in the long run. 6
S500 (Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel):
Diesel fuel with no more than 500
PPM of sulfur
S5000: Diesel fuel with no more
than 5,000 PPM of sulfur
42
RVBusiness
Go To:
Page 42
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
043-RVB02 PG 43 TEXTRON.ps
1/15/07
7:07 PM
Page 43
The right financing for
WHATEVER SIZE
your business is.
At Textron Financial we know success comes in all sizes. For more than 40 years, we have been providing innovative
inventory financing solutions to a diverse mix of distributors and dealers across the US and Canada. Whatever your size,
we’ll provide the financial tools to help you achieve success
• Revolving Lines of Credit with up to 100% Advance Rates
• Flexible Terms to Address Seasonal Sales Cycles
TEXTRON FINANCIAL, CIRCLE 107 ON READER SERVICE CARD
• Dedicated, Knowledgeable Account Representatives
• State-of-the-Art Online Account Management
• Strength & Resources of a Fortune 200 Company
We’re here to help you grow.
Call Textron Financial today at 1-866-844-8398
www.textronfinancial.com
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
Page 44
ASA Electronics recently introduced two new
JENSEN wallmount stereos to the RV industry:
the AWM910 AM/FM/MP3/CD and AWM960
AM/FM/MP3/CD/DVD. Both run on 12-volt
power. The 50-watt AWM910 features a
US/Euro AM/FM tuner (with 30 station presets)
and a vertical CD mechanism that plays CD,
CD-R, and CD-RW compatible CDs. The unit is
also designed with a front headphone output as well as a front
aux audio input for use with an
iPod or MP3 player.
The AWM960 features a fully
suspended slot-type DVD mechanism that withstands the bumps
and jolts of mobile applications.
It, too, features 30 programmable
station presets, along with a preset scan, automatic memory storage, a headphone output, and a
unified wireless remote control
that is fully compatible with all
JENSEN LCD TVs. Other features include modern blue backlit controls, an auto-dimming display, an alarm
clock, and an aux audio/video input for those who choose to enjoy their iPod or MP3 player tunes.
ASA Electronics, 53200 Marina Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514; (800) 688-3135; FAX (574) 266-1533;
[email protected]; www.asaelectronics.com.
A N D
P R O D U C T S
2:46 PM
ASA INTRODUCES 2 NEW
JENSEN WALLMOUNT
STEREOS
S E R V I C E S
CUT TING edge
044-RVB_0702_LO_CuttingEdg.ps
SOUTHCO’S E-KEEPER OFFERS AFFORDABLE ELECTRONIC SECURITY
T R E N D S E T T I N G
Southco officials say their compact new electronic E-Keeper offers the ability to add convenient, affordable electronic
access security to a wide variety of enclosure applications. Its ability to accept electronic signals from a variety of
sources — including RF key fobs, numeric keypads, mag-stripe card readers and even battery-powered remote access
systems — gives users maximum flexibility for integrating specific levels of secure access control. The novel design of
the Southco E-Keeper incorporates the electronic access action within the keeper instead of the latch, and fits into both
new and existing installations with a
variety of mechanical door latches.
When matched with a manually operated latch, the E-Keeper offers the
flexibility of using either the
electronic signal or the manual latch
mechanism to disengage the door.
Available
in
multiple
sizes
and formats. Southco, 210 N.
Brinton Lake Road, Concordville,
PA 19331; (610) 459-4000, FAX
(610) 459-4012; [email protected];
www. southco.com.
44
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
045-RVB_0702_LO_CuttingEdg.ps
1/18/07
2:47 PM
Page 45
BUSINESS PROFILE
‘Decorator-Oriented’ RV Industry
Proves Integral to Growth of Interior
Soft-Goods Supplier Fabric Services
D
iversification is not a new concept to John G. Regan, founder
and CEO of MPR Corp., dba
Fabric Services, which prepares fabric,
leather and vinyl for recreational vehicle OEMs and suppliers.
Regan founded the Bristol, Ind., company in 1988 to distribute fabric to the
van conversion industry. Several years
later, as the Big Three automakers
began limiting distribution of their conversion vans to control quality, Regan
turned to products for the RV industry.
“That was a pivotal point for me,”
Regan said. “I knew from the beginning that I wanted to diversify, and I
started right then. The RV industry is in
my backyard. It was obvious.”
In addition to products for van converters, Fabric Services today counts
among its clients auto-, heavy truckand bus manufacturers. RVs, however,
are key. “During the last 10 years, our
biggest emphasis has been RV products,” Regan added.
In the RV arena, Fabric Services sells
prepared, interior soft goods to OEMs
and tier-one parts suppliers, and
claims to be the top supplier of soft
vinyl for RV ceilings. “In the RV industry, so much of the focus is on the
interior trim,” Regan said. “It’s a decorator-oriented industry.”
Fabric Services, at the same time,
represents Guilford Mills, Wilmington,
S.C., which makes material for pleated
shades, and distributes storage compartment-liner material for Milliken &
Co., Simpsonville, S.C.
RV MIRRORS GET MEMORY
TECHNOLOGY
Hadley, a leading manufacturer and marketer
of truck, transit and RV products, has
launched the production of the “Memory
Mirror,” an RV class of mirrors that includes
memory function — a feature drivers already
enjoy in their luxury vehicles that recognizes
the driver, a convenience if another person
frequently drives the vehicle.
Powered with an Eaton computerized motor,
the Hadley mirror is actuated through the
memory circuit board built into the mirror
component. Inside the RV, drivers identify
themselves using the Teltex touch-pad control
panel that provides the electronic interface to
the mirror as well as to the driver pedals, seat
and steering positions.
The Memory Mirror makes its debut on
the Country Coach Rhapsody Class A
motorcoach which is being launched for
the 2007 model year. Additionally, the
Memory Mirror being used on the Rhapsody
includes a through-the-glass camera option
that sends an image to a monitor display
inside the RV. This upgrade feature
adds another level of safety and security —
providing on-screen surveillance for
both sides of the motor coach.
Hadley Products, 4600 Wyland Drive,
Elkhart, IN 46516; (574) 293-5669;
www.hadley-products.com.
In 2005, Fabric Services acquired
Flame Treat Inc, Elkhart, Ind., and now
can treat fabrics to meet federal flameretardant standards.
Most recently, Fabric Services bought
controlling interest in privately owned
Abercrobmie Textiles LLC, a 60,000square-foot textile mill in Shelby, N.C.
“When I started, I didn’t buy anything
from overseas,” Reagan said. “Now,
besides mills in the U.S., we buy products from Asia and South America.”
The North Carolina mill allows Fabric
Services to provide some products
more quickly, which enables OEMs to
react with more immediacy to market
changes. “Products that come out of
Abercrobmie will cut the lead time in
half and be competitively priced,”
Regan said.
Fabric Services employs 80 people in
Bristol and 30 in North Carolina. The
company’s 80,000-square-foot Bristol
factory contains two fully automated
adhesive lines, a flammability testingand certification laboratory, a lab to
test material for abrasion and tear
strength and a di-electric sealing
system.
A member of the Recreation Vehicle
Industry Association board, Regan
maintains that manufacturers, dealers
and suppliers in general have made
substantial progress during the last two
decades. “Through the years, the RV
industry has become much more professional,” Regan said. “That’s a positive, because that fits in with our direction as a company.” 6 — Bob Ashley
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
Contents
45
046-RVB_0702_LO_Ad Index.ps
1/18/07
2:43 PM
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
Page 46
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on products and services advertised in this issue, circle the number on
the attached Reader Service card corresponding to the number of the company that interests you, and mail.
RS# Advertiser
116 ADCO Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
RS# Advertiser
Pg.#
113 Maxx Air Vent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
105 Aqua-Hot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
112 Monaco Coach Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
103 B W Custom Truck Beds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
120 NedCan Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
117 Brake Buddy by Hopkins Mfg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..47
121 Onan Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
131 Canvas Replacements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
115 Pollmeier, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Classifieds
Pg.#
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52-53
106 Crossroads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
132 DTI RV Parts & Appliances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
114 Dicor Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
108 Flight Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Freightliner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
123 GE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
127 GE Money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
104 Progressive Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
129 RV Logic Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
128 RVBay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
122 River Park Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
109 Roadmaster, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
110 Roadmaster, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
118 Samsung Staron Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
101 Girard Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
130 Systems 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
124 Good Sam Authorized Dealers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
107 Textron Financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
126 Liftco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
The RV Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
102 Lyons Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
119 TrailManor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
111 MBA Insurance, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
125 Xantrex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
While every effort is made to maintain accuracy and completeness, last-minute changes may occasionally result in omissions or errors.
D]Yjf^gjqgmjk]dô`q
:mkaf]kkak_gg\$
ZmlKm[[]kkakZ]ll]j
LiZ]^kFZgZ`^f^gm@khnil
LiZ]^k+)@khnif^f[^kl]bl\ho^kg^pb]^ZlZg][^mm^kpZrl[r
phkdbg`mh`^ma^kpbmaZm^Zfh_ma^bki^^kl'
GhfZmm^kahp`hh]rhnk[nlbg^llblghp%ZLiZ]^k+)@khni
bgrhnkbg]nlmkr\Zgaêirhn`^mmhma^g^qmeôêh_ln\\^ll'
Ma^k^lnem8LfZkm^k%_Zlm^k%[nlbg^llfZgZ`^f^gm'
LiZ]^kFZgZ`^f^gm@khnill^ko^
]bo^kl^bg]nlmkb^l&\hgmZ\mnlmh]Zr
mhchbgZ`khnibgrhnkbg]nlmkr'
;Yddlg\Yqgj[`][cgmjo]Zkal]
^gjegj]af^gjeYlagf
1))&00+&,,00
ppp'liZ]^k'\hfbg_h9liZ]^k'\hf
46
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/19/07
2:25 PM
Page 47
TOP OF THE NEWS
Opinion from page 16
rates? There is something wrong when that is
necessary to make ends meet in the service
area. It seems that paying that rate would preclude the dealer from needing help from the
manufacturer to solve problems. It would indicate a very professional, well-trained service
area, able to take care of things on the first try,
not get us into “three tries and you’re out”
Lemon Law issues. Raising rates to cover up
other shortcomings in the management of the
dealership should not fall on your “partner.”
I wonder how much thought is given these
days to where the funds come from to pay for
some of these things. In the end, Mr. New
Generation, you are extracting it from your customers. You simply force the manufacturer’s
price to you to be higher.
Get your RVDA groups to lobby for as many
pro-dealer state laws as you can — then ask
your manufacturer to help you with problem
dealers that steal your business from your
backyard. Laws that protect the consumer and
are fair to both manufacturer and dealer are
fine. Just be careful what you are asking for —
you may not like it when you actually see these
things in action.
It starts to look like there is an adversarial
relationship developing in the RV industry
between dealers and manufacturers. Only the
ignorant can believe that that is a good thing.
Win the battle and lose the war!
My friends on the RVIA side of things are so
proud of their “GO RVing” efforts, they are giving up control of their own destinies. “GO
RVing” is a good thing, but at least half of that
budget should be spent on state lobbying for
fair rules — rules that in the end are truly
healthy for both groups as well as the retail
customer.
Yes, I am very familiar with manufacturers
cramming too many dealers into the same market areas. I am also familiar with manufacturers
duplicating their products so that they can double their penetration in the same market areas.
Some of the largest and most successful manufacturers, both past and present, have done
just that. It has always been a mystery to me
why a dealer would buy from such manufacturers. They certainly wouldn’t want to be partners with someone like that, would they? In the
“how it was” days, it took only a simple phone
call to your partner to take care of such issues.
I’m leaving the business a few years earlier
than I might have otherwise simply because it’s
not any fun, anymore. I’m tired of listening to a
record with the needle stuck in the same old
groove. It is sad to see things getting like they
are, to see what potential there is — and how
disappointing not to see it realized.
I can’t help but give you a few names of dealers that understand what it means (or meant,
some are deceased) to be partners with their
manufacturers. Mel, Sue and Randy Shipp of
Tennessee; Fred and Leland Wagner of
Tennessee; Bob Clark of Florida; Burgess
Peters of New York; Jack Thurman of
Oklahoma; Johnny Sloan of Oklahoma; Randy
Ketelsen of Colorado; Ken Downing of
Arkansas; Don Williams of Alabama; Larry
Bromme of Minnesota; John Sirpilla of Ohio;
Bob and Jerry Spier of Michigan; and Bob
Horsey of Delaware.
I started this letter asking “What are you
thinking about?” and I’ll leave you with that.
The RVDA side is not honestly thinking about
the future of the industry, except for its own
selfish interests. The RVIA side is getting blindsided, looking to promote the industry’s
lifestyle and not thinking about protecting its
future. You all need to be looking for solutions
that are mutually beneficial. You all need to be
talking to each other objectively about growing
the industry. You all need to look each other in
the eye, say it like it is, clear the air and start
solving problems together — giving a little,
taking a little, with an open mind. That is what
successful partners do.
One committee is being created after another. You all need a committee to work on how to
work together!
Good-bye RV industry. You have been very
good to me.
— Denny Bailey
BRAKE BUDDY BY HOPKINS MFG., CIRCLE 117 ON READER SERVICE CARD
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
47
Contents
048-RVB_0702_LO_Pub_Domain.ps
1/19/07
2:19 PM
Page 48
FLIGHT SYSTEMS, CIRCLE 108 ON READER SERVICE CARD
DICOR, CIRCLE 114 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Public Domain
RVBusiness
48
FEBRUARY 2007
Has the tools to make servicing
ONAN ® RV GEN SETS easy and
low-cost improved replacement
controls to fix them right!
The
Control
Circuit
Boards
Test,
Troubleshooting
& Service
Tools
Voltage
Regulators
From the leader in Generator Controls:
FLIGHT SYSTEMS
505 Fishing Creek Rd • Lewisberry, PA 17339
• LOW Prices
• 2-Yr. Warranty
• Tech. Support
w w w. f l i g h t s y s t e m s . c o m • To l l - F r e e : 8 0 0 - 4 0 3 - 3 7 2 8
48
RVBusiness
Go To:
continued from 37
handle an RV, it can also handle a pickup
truck pulling a boat trailer,” Wald said.
• • •
Although you haven’t seen it much in
print because it’s not a popular topic,
diesel Class A chassis and motorhome
manufacturers estimate that new diesel
emissions which went into effect Jan. 1
will add $5,000 to $10,000 to the cost of a
motorhome.
The RV consumer, at that, may be
getting off easy.
According to an estimate from the
trucking industry’s Diesel Technology
Forum, diesel-engine costs for that sector
will increase by $12,000.
That’s the main reason why a record
373,000 diesel big rigs were built in the
U.S. last year, as over-the-road haulers
ordered new trucks before prices went up.
As everyone in the RV industry knows,
the effect on sales was different in the
motorhome sector. According to the
RVIA, diesel motorhome shipments
through October were down 3.4% for the
year compared to 2005, but not down as
much as gas.
• • •
A lawmaker in Tennessee has come
under criticism for a TV ad he recorded
promoting Music City RV in Nashville,
where he bought an RV a couple of
years ago.
Recently, the elected Tennessee House
minority leader, Republican state rep.
Harry Brooks, said he did nothing wrong,
but nonetheless would ask the Tennessee
Ethics Commission for an opinion.
Brooks said he taped the commercial,
which identified him as a state representative, at the request of Music City General
Manager Gary Armagh, whom he said
was a friend that he met when Armagh
worked for another RV dealership.
Brooks said he was not paid for the ad
and among the stipulations was that the
dealership and its employees would
make no contributions to his re-election
campaign.
• • •
Florida, a key state for RV sales, can
look forward to four more years of fiscal
conservatism, according to Marc Dunbar,
a legislative consultant to the Florida RV
Trade Association (FRVTA). The election
of Republican Gov. Charlie Crist and
conservative legislative leaders “bode(s)
well for a positive business climate in
which small business owners are able to
grow and thrive without significant government intervention or oppressive taxation,” Dunbar wrote in an FRVTA
newsletter to members. 6
RV Business Senior Editor Bob Ashley
is an Indianapolis-based freelance writer/
editor and a 25-year newspaper veteran. He
focuses on the RV industry and national
recreation issues.
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
049-RVB02 PG 49 AGI DEALER.ps
1/15/07
7:08 PM
Page 49
A million RVers rely on the Good Sam
name when they’re on the road.
So, it’s not surprising that they also
rely on it when they’re in the market.
For a proven way to increase RV sales
and profits, put the Good Sam seal of
approval on your dealership.
GOOD SAM AUTHORIZED DEALERS RECEIVE:
From the sales office to the service bays, you can
use the power of the Good Sam name to drive
business to your dealership. It’s the most powerful
business-building program we’ve ever offered, from
the most recognized name in the RV industry.
• Exclusive Good Sam Extended Service Contracts
• National Advertising Support
• Good Sam Certification for Pre-owned Units
• Protected Territory
• Bonus Package for Every Customer
To find out more about joining the Good Sam
Authorized Dealer network, call 1-800-547-1948
or visit goodsamdealers.com
GOOD SAM AUTHORIZED DEALERS, CIRCLE 124 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
1/18/07
4:22 PM
Page 50
TOP OF THE NEWS
Florida RV
from page 14
had this been done before.
Featherlite’s board of directors rejected the
idea. But Clement, Spor and other Featherlite
insiders moved ahead, according to court
pleadings. They launched Universal from space
Featherlite was leasing in Sanford. Clement
was chairman and put up the seed money,
$257,000, according to court records. Spor
was president.
Two of Clement’s sons, Tracy Clement, 40,
and Eric Clement, 37, already executives of
Featherlite, also were officers of Universal.
Lipson filed suit in July against each of them
and Featherlite, accusing them of defrauding
time-share investors to prop up Featherlite and
its stock price.
Lawyers for Featherlite, in their court pleadings, say the company was not responsible for
what went on at Universal.
Three months after Universal’s receiver
sued, Conrad Clement sold Featherlite to a
Cincinnati corporation for $109 million. He
opted to keep the Sanford operation that manufactures luxury coaches. He, son Tracy, and
another investor are now its owners. 6
SYSTEMS 2000, CIRCLE 130 ON READER SERVICE CARD
The Turning Wheel RV Center
is a 5 location dealership
with 20 service bays and
15 manufacturer brands:
407.358.2000
One Software Package
From One Company
[email protected]
www.sys2.com
“Within one year of opening,
we reached $40 million
in sales, winning
‘Rookie of the Year’ with
both the Monaco and
McKenzie corporations.
Our success is driven by
hard work, proven business
strategies and the
use of System 2000’s
Dealership Management
Software for over 20 years.”
From left to right:
Roy Smith, John Murray,
Ray Martin, Mandy Alonso,
Marco Martinez
Sunline Coach
from page 14
“The travel trailer business wasn’t as robust as
2005, but we were still doing fine through
August,” he said. “We really saw a drop-off in
September in October. It all came down to Nov.
10 – that’s when we told the workers of the shutdown, although we had been cutting back
production for several weeks.
“It became apparent that, operationswise
and cashwise, it just wasn’t feasible to keep
the doors open. We realized that a deal would
not be consummated in the time frame we
needed.”
As a result of the closing, around 150 of
Sunline’s 170 workers were laid off. The company, operating with a few supervisory personnel,
began liquidating its finished goods inventory to
its dealer body and sold out of inventory in midNovember.
Bucara maintains that operations could be
completely reinstated within 60 to 90 days, if they
can find a buyer.
Bucara was part of an investment group that
included Paul Kozloff, Bruce Cobb and John
Whitehall, which bought the family-run business
in February of 2004. Cobb left the company in
March 2005.
Lewis M. Martin, Sunline’s chairman and a
principal of the firm since its founding in 1964, W.
Larry Lawrence Jr., the company’s CEO and part
owner since 1978, and John Zimmerman, chairman emeritus who had been involved with
Sunline since 1975, had decided to head into
retirement, and, at the time of the sale, described
the buyers as “hand-picked.”
Zimmerman’s son, Dale, stayed on with Sunline
as executive vice president of production. 6
New V-nose R-Vision Fifth-Wheel
Designed for Short-bed Pickups
Dekasyl MS–Polymer Sealants/Adhesives
NEDCAN PRODUCTS, CIRCLE 120 ON READER SERVICE CARD
x Complete range of MS-Polymers,
from highly flexible sealants. . .
to superior FMVSS 212 approved adhesives
x Environmental friendly replacement of PUR:
NO Isocyanate - NO Solvents !
x Well proven in the industry
x Available in white, light grey, black and clear
Since 1965, Diffutherm is a leading European manufacturer of a wide range of sealants,
adhesives, anti-corrosion & stone chip coatings and sound deadening compounds.
Customers include most of the major European RV, Auto and Truck OEMs.
Also available under Private Label.
50
RVBusiness
Go To:
R-Vision Inc., Warsaw, Ind., has added a fifth-wheel to
its 3-year-old Max-Lite towable lineup, suitable for
towing behind short-bed pickup trucks. The coach features a modified V-nose with a radius rather than a
sharp angle that, according to the company, reduces
wind resistance and increases interior space in the
cabover bedroom. “The whole idea was to move the
profile back to be able to put it in a short-bed truck,”
said Jeff Terhune, director of product development for
the Monaco Coach Corp. subsidiary. Available in five
24- to 28-foot floorplans, this new model weighs 5,900
to 6,800 pounds empty. MSRPs start at $16,000.
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
037-RVB_0702_LO_Retail tre.ps
1/19/07
12:28 PM
Page 37
TOP OF THE NEWS
BOAT, MOTORCYCLE & RV ADJUSTER
It’s a job that will put you
in the driver’s seat. Literally.
October ’06: Mid- to Large-sized
Dealers Report YTD New-Unit Sales Increases
Dealers in the under $5 million category reported new inventory levels up slightly above last year, but
sales and net profit down compared to ’05, according to data obtained by the Spader Companies, Sioux
Falls, S.D. In contrast, dealers in the $5 milion-to-$10 million and above-$10 million brackets registered
sales above last year’s levels; in the case of mid-sized dealers, new-unit sales are running 3.6% higher,
while total dealership sales are up 4.5% compared to last year. Annual net profits for all dealer groups
was down, but mid-sized dealers showed a net profit of 5.4% of sales at end of October. 6
$1 Million to $5 Million Dealers
OCTOBER YTD
New RV Sales
Used RV Sales
Total Dealership Sales
2006 AVERAGE DEALER
$1,838,369
$542,383
$3,148,913
2005 AVERAGE DEALER
14.8%
23.9%
$1,980,198
$625,889
$3,409,597
15.2%
24.2%
CHANGE
-7.2%
-13.3%
-7.6%
GROSS MARGINS
Total Company GM
$871,425
GM %
27.7%
$949,870
GM %
27.9%
-0.2 pts.
Expenses
Personnel Expense
Advertising Expense
Total Expenses
$419,132
$54,992
$759,068
% GM
48.1%
6.3%
87.1%
$432,025
$63,819
$776,299
% GM
45.5%
6.7%
81.7%
2.6 pts.
-0.4 pts.
5.4 pts.
Net Profit/Loss
Net Profit % of Sales
$112,357
3.6%
18.3%
-35.3%
12.9%
$173,572
5.1%
The Boat, Motorcycle and RV Adjuster investigates,
analyzes and determines the extent of Progressive's
liability concerning loss or damages specific to
Special Lines products, and attempts to effect
settlement with claimants. Now hiring for our
Buena Park, Riverside, Modesto, Santa
Clarita, Concord and San Jose, CA offices.
• Bachelor’s degree OR a minimum 5 years’
combined relevant work experience and
postsecondary education
• Relevant experience includes work as a
claims adjuster, a property damage adjuster,
or repair work within an automobile repair
and/or body shop OR work experience in a
position that developed or required the ability
to think critically, solve problems, effectively
communicate verbally and in writing, and
embrace new challenges.
• Ability to work a nontraditional schedule that
may include evenings and/or weekends
• Valid driver’s license with good driving record
For a full job description, visit our website at
jobs.progressive.com.
To apply, submit your resume to
[email protected].
e
Equal Opportunity Employer,
M/F/D/V©2006 Progressive
Resource Services Company.
Mayfield Village, OH
PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE, CIRCLE 104 ON READER SERVICE CARD
RETAIL TRENDS
$5 Million to $10 Million Dealers
2006 AVERAGE DEALER
2005 AVERAGE DEALER
15.4%
20.0%
New RV Sales
Used RV Sales
$4,493,594
$1,196,012
$7,193,148
GROSS MARGINS
Total Company GM
$1,822,736
GM %
25.3%
$1,723,057
GM %
25.0%
0.3 pts.
Expenses
Personnel Expense
Advertising Expense
Total Expenses
$790,169
$111,021
$1,436,427
% GM
43.4%
6.1%
78.8%
$739,041
$106,992
$1,328,545
% GM
42.9%
6.2%
77.1%
0.5 pts.
-0.1 pts.
1.7 pts.
Net Profit/Loss
$386,309
5.4%
22.9%
-2.1%
21.2%
$4,438,109
$1,165,897
$6,884,370
$394,512
5.7%
15.4%
20.0%
CHANGE
3.6%
2.6%
4.5%
CANVAS REPLACEMENTS, CIRCLE 131 ON READER SERVICE CARD
OCTOBER YTD
$10 Million and Higher Dealers
OCTOBER YTD
New RV Sales
Used RV Sales
2006 AVERAGE DEALER
$10,742,436
$3,171,547
$17,093,918
2005 AVERAGE DEALER
13.7%
18.6%
$10,634,239
$3,162,861
$16,831,982
13.5%
18.4%
CHANGE
1.0%
0.3%
1.6%
GROSS MARGINS
Total Company GM
$3,964,548
GM %
23.2%
$3,764,498
GM %
22.4%
0.8 pts
Expenses
Personnel Expense
Advertising Expense
Total Expenses
$1,806,150
$234,049
$3,222,167
% GM
45.6%
5.9%
81.3%
$1,684,634
$224,075
$2,926,102
% GM
44.8%
6.0%
77.7%
0.8 pts.
-0.1 pts.
3.6 pts.
Net Profit/Loss
$742,381
4.3%
22.3%
-11.5%
18.7%
$838,397
5.0%
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
51
Contents
052-RVB CLASS 2007-FEBRUAR.ps
1/18/07
2:47 PM
Page 52
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
BUSINESSES FOR SALE
SO. FLORIDA RV S/P/S. Been in bus 25 yrs
& wife wants to retire. Fantastic opportunity
to live, work, & fish in paradise. 300' on hwy,
paint booth, RV lift, 2 acres, 5 work bays, and
a 2-story sales, parts & service bldg. This is an
opportunity for you to walk into a business
& make money now! Reply: RVB-765, PO Box
8510, Ventura, CA 93002-9912. Email:
[email protected], with subject RVB.
CONSULTANT/TRAINING
JOHN MANCINELLI
35 year RV industry veteran
Consultant – to all RV retail segments
Trainer – 2 1/2 day sales training workshop
[email protected]
270-793-0509
DEALERSHIPS FOR SALE
COLORADO RV DEALERSHIP For Sale.
Fabulous Location and Facility. Huge Potential
for Growth in Rapidly Growing Area. Real
Estate Available. Call Paul at 303-499-6008 or
email at [email protected].
WWW.ROBERTSAGE.NET
The Career Site for the
Wheeled Products Industry
JOB HUNTING? NEED RV PERSONNEL?
Call Jerry Roach 800-546-5579
Robert Sage & Associates
Serving the RV Industry since 1969
www.rvemployment.net
HELP WANTED
EXPERIENCED RV LOT SALESPERSON
needed immediately for Five-Star Motorcoach
Resort in Pahrump, NV located in the vicinity
of Las Vegas. Contact Natalie at
[email protected].
SOUTHEAST’S FASTEST GROWING
FAMILY of RV Dealerships, seeks Master
Techs, Workhorse Certified Techs, and
RVIA Certified. Great pay/comm. Not
RVIA Certified? We’ll help you. Call Paul
(352) 804-0493.
©
SERVICE MANAGER/RV TECHNICIANS
Experienced Service Manager is needed for our
newly-expanded, 32-bay service department.
Applicant must have the ability to train and
develop people, expand our chassis and body
shop departments, and achieve a high standard
of customer satisfaction and profitability. Also
adding RV, chassis and body technicians.
Compensation package dependent on experience and potential. We’re only 30 minutes south
of Indianapolis, near a major outlet mall on
I-65. We represent several major manufacturers,
including Itasca, Holiday Rambler, and Four
Winds. Come grow with us at EDMUNDSON
RV SALES!! Send your resumé to Max Price,
Gen. Mgr., Fax 812-526-0834, or email
[email protected]
SALES/GENERAL MANAGERS
We are the fastest growing RV Dealer in the
southeast and need qualified Sales Managers
and General Managers to help us grow.
We offer an excellent compensation package for
the right individuals. Come join the team @
Suncoast RV. We offer a career not just a job.
Send resumé or call Matt Grimes 904-962-4646
Email: [email protected]
CLASSIFIEDS
Use this form or your own stationery to submit your ad copy!
Classified Ads — Priced at $16 per line, 40 characters and spaces per line, five-line minimum.
Ad closing for the April 2007 issue is February 6. This issue reaches subscribers March 30.
GENERAL INFO: Blind Box service is available at an additional cost of $15. Allow one line of billable space for Blind Box address.
For ad with photo, limited to RVs and real estate, please add $30. • For your ad to appear in red type add $25.
All classifieds are prepaid by check, credit card or money order. No agency commissions or cash discounts.
Please refer questions to Angela Pezzullo at (805) 667-4391, email [email protected]
Name:
Address:
Phone/Fax:
Credit Card Number:
Run for
Expiration:
issues
Category:
Signature:
Mail to RV BUSINESS Classifieds, P.O. Box 8510, Ventura, CA 93002-9912, or Fax to (805) 667-4379, Attn: Classified Ads Department
52
RVBusiness
Go To:
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
053-RVB CLASS 2007-FEBRUAR.ps
1/18/07
Due to growth, SURFACE SHIELDS, INC.
has Account Manager (Sales & marketing)
opportunities in Orland Park, IL. We specialize
in converting pressure sensitive films. Our high
quality products, expertise in merchandising, &
commitment to service, has made us the #1
provider to Flooring, Building, RV, Moving,
Auto, & Hardware mkts. Acct Mgr priority is
to grow sales w/in existing mkts by inside &
outside sales, support outside Reg Sales Mgrs,
new prod intros & mktg tasks. Resp: maintain
& strengthen relationships w/current & growing
customer base w/in a specific mkt, pro-actively
contacting exist/future customer to build
rapport, drive sales & optimize prod mix,
manage mktplace $, review profit & prepare
forecasts for inventory levels. Resources: dealers
& branch offices of exist accts, trade shows,
direct mail, rebates, phone, advertising, media &
website reqs. Req: exp in consultative/info
selling, sell over phone, prev B2B sales/mktg
exp, 3+ yrs pref, strong planning, process, org &
follow-up, integrate w/sales, ops & financial,
travel to 25%, MS Office & Outlook, team
attitude, flexibility, creativity & adaptability.
Benefits: solid earnings potential, base +
commission, med, dental, life, pd vac/holiday,
401k, profit sharing, bus casual envir.
Visit: www.surfaceshields.com Apply: email
resumé to [email protected] or Fax
708-226-9848. No agency calls. Resumés
MUST include salary history to be considered.
2:47 PM
Page 53
RV BUSINESS
MARKETPLACE
REAL ESTATE
AUSTIN WANTS YOUR RV BUSINESS
Perfect 4-acre parcel. High Visibility, Fenced,
Gated, 800 sq ft Office. Was originally a parkand-ride with spaces for 400+ cars. For Sale or
Lease. Partnership considered.
(512) 484-7664 or (512) 751-8960
For information on Advertising rates, write:
RV Business Marketplace,
P.O. Box 8510, Ventura, CA 93002,
or call (805) 667-4100.
SERVICE TRAINING
INCREASE PROFIT for your service department! Have your people certified as MASTER
RV TECHNICIANS. Call (941) 722-5256.
RV SERVICE ACADEMY in Palmetto,
Florida. www.rvsa.net
Licensed and approved for VA training
our
Make y
d ad all
classifie
RED!
re.
$50 mo
ly
n
o
r
o
F
Tank Levels
DC current and voltage
Generator control
AC current and voltage
Temperatures
Load control
Elwood Controls, LLC • [email protected]
www.ElwoodControls.com • 561-714-0883
PROPERTY FOR SALE
AUSTIN WANTS YOUR RV BUSINESS
Perfect 4-acre parcel. High Visibility, Fenced,
Gated, 800 sq ft Office. Was originally a parkand-ride with spaces for 400+ cars. For Sale or
Lease. Partnership considered.
(512) 484-7664 or (512) 751-8960
RV PARTS
www.WINNEBAGOPARTS.com
Parts for all WINNEBAGO/ITASCA products
including Renault/LeSharo. For personal
service at fair prices, call 800-933-7742
(641-896-2222 non USA) 8-5 Central M-F
Parts are our ONLY business
Coachmen Wholesale Parts Depot
An Authorized Coachmen Parts Distributor.
Call us for all your Coachmen Sportscoach
Shasta needs. Courteous, experienced staff.
Wholesale Pricing. Same Day Service. 8-5 EST
(866) 412-7936 www.coachmenparts.com
RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
WANTED
PACKRAT STORAGE — Consigns, Buys RVs
Class A, B, C Motorhomes
Not Picky! Cash for Referrals.
Nationwide Pickup. 1-877-520-MINI
www.packratsa.com
$ WE BUY $ MOTORHOMES
CLEAN—LOW MILES—NO SMOKE/PET
CASH Payment & NATIONWIDE Pick Up
Contact Bill Fishfader @ 1-509-993-0321
RVs NORTHWEST • SPOKANE, WA
FEBRUARY 2007
Go To:
.com
User Guide
RVBusiness
53
Contents
Calendar
054-RVB_0702_LO_Calendar4.ps
1/18/07
2:49 PM
Page 54
OF EVENTS
FEBRUARY 1-4
Ocala RV Show
Ocala Speedway; Ocala, Fla.
(813) 741-0488; www.frvta.org
FEBRUARY 7-11
Houston RV Show
Reliant Center; Houston, Texas
(361) 749-4436; www.houstonrvshow.com
FEBRUARY 8-11
Flint Camper & RV Show
Perani Arena & Event Center; Flint, Mich.
(517) 349-8881; www.marvac.org
FEBRUARY 8-11
Edmonton RV Exposition & Sale
Northlands Park Agricom & Sportex;
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
(780) 455-8562; www.rvda-alberta.org
FEBRUARY 14-18
FEBRUARY 16-18
Qwest Field & Event Center; Seattle, Wash.
(425) 277-8132; www.mhrvshows.com
Iowa Events Center; Des Moines, Iowa
(800) 985-2402;
www.desmoinessportshow.com
The North Atlanta Trade Center; Norcross
(770) 279-9899;
www.northatlantatradecenter.com
FEBRUARY 8-11
FEBRUARY 15-18
FEBRUARY 8-11
Seattle RV & Outdoor Recreation Show
Minneapolis/St. Paul RV, Vacation &
Camping Show
Des Moines Sportshow
The Georgia RV & Camper Show
Chicago RV, Camping & Boat Show
Minneapolis Convention Center; Minneapolis
(800) 848-6247; www.agievents.com
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center;
Rosemont, Ill.
(847) 934-8300; www.chicagorvshow.com
FEBRUARY 8-11
FEBRUARY 15-19
West Palm Beach RV Show
South Florida Fairgrounds; W. Palm Beach, Fla.
(813) 741-0488; www.frvta.org
FEBRUARY 8-11
Valley Forge RV Show & Sale
Valley Forge Convention Plaza; King of Prussia,
Penn.; (888) 303-2887; www.vfrvshow.com
FEBRUARY 9-11
Cincinnati RV Super Show
Wall 2 Wall Sports Complex; Mason, Ohio
(941) 827-7144; www.rvexpo.net
FEBRUARY 9-11
NC RV Camping Show
NC State Fairgrounds; Raleigh, N.C.
(336) 881-7143; www.applerock.com
FEBRUARY 9-11
Colorado Springs RV, Sport &
Outdoor Show
Phil Long Expo Center; Colorado Springs
(800) 756-4788; www.rjpromotions.com
FEBRUARY 9-11
Topeka Boat & Outdoor Show
Kansas Expo Centre; Topeka, Kansas
(800) 756-4788; www.rjpromotions.com
FEBRUARY 14-18
Detroit Camper & RV Show
Rockland Community College Field House;
Suffern, New York
(845) 343-2772; www.rocklandexpo.com
Indiana State Fairgrounds; Indianapolis, Ind.
(765) 641-7712; www.renfroproductions.com
Kansas Coliseum; Wichita, Kansas
(303) 892-6800; www.bigasalloutdoors.com
Volusia County Fairgrounds; De Land, Fla.
(813) 741-0488; www.frvta.org
Central Florida RV Show
FEBRUARY 22-25
FEBRUARY 15-18
Clark County RV Show
Clark County Fairgrounds Exhibition Hall;
Ridgefield, Washington
(503) 246-8291;
www.oloughlintradeshows.com
FEBRUARY 15-18
Calgary Boat and Sportsmen’s Show
Las Vegas Sportsmen’s Boat, RV &
Travel Show
Cashman Convention Center; Las Vegas, Nev.
(800) 877-3107; www.agievents.com
FEBRUARY 22-25
Ottawa Boat, Sportsmen’s & Cottage
Show
Roundup Centre, Stampede Park; Calgary,
Alberta, Canada
(403) 245-9008; www.sportshows.ca
Lansdowne Park; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
(905) 361-2677; www.sportshows.ca
FEBRUARY 16-18
Battle Creek Camper & RV Show
Granite State Camper & RV Show
State Armory; Manchester, N.H.
(207) 865-1196; www.americasbestshows.com
FEBRUARY 16-18
Maine Camper & RV Show
FEBRUARY 16-18
Pittsburgh ExpoMart; Monroeville, Penn.
(216) 529-1300; www.sportandtravel.com
St. Cloud Civic Center; St Cloud, Minn.
(763) 755-8111; www.cenaiko.com
Go To:
Indianapolis Boat, Sport & Travel Show
FEBRUARY 22-25
Kansas Sports, Boat & Travel Show
FEBRUARY 14 - 18
RVBusiness
Knoxville Convention Center; Knoxville, Tenn.
(877) 822-6402;
www.outdoorexpositions.com
FEBRUARY 15-18
Portland Expo; Portland, Maine
(207) 865-1196;
www.americasbestshows.com
54
Knoxville RV & Boat Supershow
FEBRUARY 16-25
Northeast RV Show
Rock Financial Showplace; Novi, Mich.
(517) 349-8881; www.marvac.org
Allegheny Sport, Travel & Outdoor Show
FEBRUARY 16-18
St. Cloud Sportsmen’s Show
FEBRUARY 22-25
Kellogg Arena; Battle Creek; Michigan
(517) 349-8881; www.marvac.org.
FEBRUARY 23-25
NC RV Camping Show
Charlotte Convention Center; Charlotte, N.C.
(336) 881-7143; www.applerock.com
FEBRUARY 23-25
Fredericksburg RV & Camping Expo
Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center;
Fredericksburg, Vir.; (540) 548-5555;
www.fredericksburgexpocenter.com 6
FEBRUARY 2007
.com
User Guide
Contents
055-RVB02 PG 55 TRAILMANOR.ps
1/15/07
7:10 PM
Page 55
“Instead of looking for customers,
what if they found you?”
We have a terrific product.
A great marketing team.
And over 1 million names of current RV buyers on our
mailing lists.
Visit the TrailManor booth in Louisville and in 3 minutes we’ll show
you why dealers can sell more than 60 trailers a year, at some of the
highest margins in the industry.
The New TrailManor. It’s something to see.
For your dealer pack and DVD, call 1-800-707-7061
www.trailmanor.com
T h e Tr a v e l Tr a i l e r T h a t To w s L i k e A P o p - U p
TRAILMANOR, CIRCLE 119 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
056-RVB02 PG 56 GE COMMERC.ps
1/15/07
7:09 PM
Page 56
Driving Growth
Our goal is to help drive growth for your dealership, no matter what the
future may look like. At GE, we’ll tailor financing programs so you can
maximize cash flow, stock more units and increase your sales.
Our financing solutions include:
> inventory financing > consumer financing > business credit cards
> equipment financing > real estate financing
To find out how to offer consumer financing, please call 866-838-0654.
To learn more about our inventory and other financing programs, call us
today at (800) 289-4488 or visit us online at www.ge.com/cdf.
Proud Supporters of
GE, CIRCLE 123 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
Welcome to our digital edition of RV Business Magazine. This format makes it easy for you to navigate the magazine and
provides direct links to Internet sites of our advertisers, our
RVBusiness.com Web site, and many Web sites to supplement our
editorial features.
Here are some tips on how to use Digital RV Business:
Go To:
.com
User Guide
Contents
• Click on the RVBusiness.com button to go directly to
our Web site.
• Click on the User Guide button on any page to bring
you back to this page.
• Click on the Contents button to take you to the Table
of Contents page from anywhere in the magazine.
• When the hand icon changes to a pointing
finger, it indicates a link to a Web site or to another page in
the magazine.
• Use the Zoom
tool to zoom in on the page. Use
the Zoom-out tool
and hold down the option
(Macintosh) or Windows key to toggle back and forth.
• Click and drag using the Dynamic Zoom
infinitely control the zoom.
tool to
We recommend a Page Layout view of Continuous - Facing, but
Adobe Reader provides several options you may prefer.
We hope you enjoy reading our Digital RV Business Magazine and
we encourage your comments and suggestions to our editor at
[email protected]

full wall slideouts full wall slideouts

Transcription

Similar documents

classifieds - MotorHome Magazine

2005 Haulmark This Motorhome is amazing as the pictures will

Trigano Tribute 650 - Tyne Valley Motorhomes

HARLANDALE KSHAC WALKATHON H.H.S. WALKATHON

2006 Country Coach 530 Intrigue

Douglas TBL200E – Electric Towbarless Tug

Southdowns Motorhome Centre

Southdowns Motorhome Centre

AIRPLAY - Working Class Hussys

Short Skirts, Frilly Knickers to Body Suits and World Champion