Airstream Extream Basecamp Pushes The Envelope

The new “Basecamp” by airstream has an attached tent extension that complements this travel trailer’s low profile stance. This ultra-light has wrap around windows and a skylight for a great view of the stars while you’re falling to sleep. You can store your surfboards, kayak or motorcycle in this trailer and still have fully functional living quarters when you set up camp. The base price is $22,995.00. It has 20” wheels and the axles can be adjusted for more rugged off road conditions. Everything about this Airstream “Basecamp” is multifunctional! Check out the videos at their website:
Airstream Basecamp

Tolls or Trolls? Mixed Bag of Pay Road News

Utah--Utah Department of Transportation officials recently looked into dipping drivers for dollars to bankroll Interstate 15 construction in Utah County. The state’s Transportation Commission was told tolls could front 13% of the $3 billion cost for interstate reconstruction. The Commission took the matter under advisement, but took no further action.

Massachusetts--Any thoughts of having the tolls come off the Massachusetts Turnpike west of Route 128 are apparently vapor. State Governor Deval Patrick didn’t see eye-to-eye with the local turnpike board, who suggested tolls should be lifted.

Indiana--Last June Indiana’s Toll Road was privatized (read, "leased out") and taken over by ITR Concession. Not everyone was moved by the change--about one in seven toll road employees opted not to work for ITR and took positions in other state government jobs.

New Jersey--While "Joisy’s" governor hasn’t made a formal proposal, he is considering a move that would lease out the New Jersey turnpike to private interests, this to make a few bucks for the state. But residents would like to put the brakes on his plans before they even get rolling. Surveys by state AAA clubs show that over half of respondents would rather toss their money in state-owned baskets than to pass them over to private interests.

Ford Recalls 2008 Super Duty Trucks

Is it proper to speak of flaming tailpipes in polite company? Truck maker Ford says about 8,000 customers of new F-Series Super Duty pickups need to bring their big pullers back to the barn for a bit of an adjustment. Seems as though some of the Soopers with the 6.4 litre Navistar diesel engines have been getting themselves into trouble: With tailpipes literally spittin' fire, in one instance a grass fire was started.

The trouble appears to originate in a chip programing problem. A free software upgrade to be installed by Ford will theoretically extinquish the trouble. Now if we could just get you to stop playing with matches.

Plans for Bigger RVs Launch Industry Squabble

Earlier this month we posted an item on the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association’s (RVIA) talk of "upping" the allowable size of towable RVs. Currently, towables are kept down to 320 square feet of floor space, and fifth wheels to 400, lest they want to be considered "manufactured homes." But in February the RVIA floated a trial balloon of interest, suggesting it would like to explore ‘upsizing’ both classes. Call them "Mc-Rec Vs"?

Reaction in the industry has been swift. The Recreation Park Trailer Industry Association (RPTIA), who represents "park model" manufacturers, would like to take the air out the tires on RVIA’s plans. In an industry magazine article published by RV Business, RPTIA’s executive director Bill Garpow fired the first salvo: ""My executive committee has indicated that we probably will do everything we possibly can to stop this. "We don't think this is in our best interest or in the industry's best interest."

Other factors come into play. Federal law changes would be required to "up" the size of fifth wheel trailers. Other industry standards, like the National Fire Protection Association requirements would also need to be tinkered with, and yet these can’t be altered until at least 2011. Want a bigger RV before then? Consider modifying a semi-trailer.

FEMA, RV Dealers, Head-On Over Surplus Sales

This blog has noted the sale of "surplus" travel trailers by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the concerns raised by the Recreational Vehicle Dealer’s Association (RVDA). Earlier we noted that RVDA had fired off a letter to FEMA, asking them to reconsider the sale of RVs.

While we have yet to hear back from FEMA on the issue, the pot is definitely still boiling. Seems RVDA ‘can’t get no satisfaction’ from the agency, they’ve taken their case to Congress. On Tuesday, Mike Molino, RVDA’s director, testified before a congressional subcommittee. Molino repeated his call for action to be taken to force FEMA to sell travel trailers in large "lots" as opposed to the sales of trailers to individuals.

Once again putting the "public safety" spin on his comments, Molino told congress, "The practice of selling directly to consumers also raises significant public safety implications," he said. "Consumers could face many problems unless the vehicles are thoroughly checked out, serviced, repaired and reconditioned by qualified technicians. Is there a plan to educate consumers buying these units at GSA auctions?"

Altruism aside, RVDA is extremely concerned that its dealer-members will watch their sales go down the drain if there’s too much of a good thing in surplus RV sales. Planning on picking up a FEMA bargain? It may be time to get a move on.

Thinking About Renting an RV? Act by End of March, & Save Money

Rental RV giant, Cruise America, has seen the handwriting on the fuel pump. With prices for petrol popping toward the Pearly Gates, folks are thinking twice about rentarigs. But Cruise America is not to be deterred: Reserve one of their rentals by March 31 for use anytime this year and they’ll drop the mileage charges on your rig in half.

Just in case we can’t do our own head-scratching, the promoters at Cruze do the math. A news release gushes: "The savings this special offers are significant, ‘A trip from Los Angeles to Yellowstone National Park -- a common family vacation spot -- is over 1,000 miles each way. That's a savings of $320, and that's just on RV rentals in Los Angeles.’" Those 1,000 miles each way will be discounted from the standard 32 cents a mile to 16.

Come to think of it, this might be a way to get Uncle Chester to try out the RV lifestyle. Have him point his browser at the Cruise America website for more information on the rig of his vacation dreams.

Fleetwood at it Again--110 More Workers Breadlined

After closing down three US plants, then announcing the opening of a new plant in Mexico, RV manufacturer Fleetwood has hit the news again. Friday the California based firm announced the "consolidation" of two Canadian manufacturing plants, both in Lindsay, Ontario. In a news article carried by RV Business, Fleetwood representative Heather Everett told a media member via electronic mail, "I can confirm that we laid off 110 associates from our Lindsay, Ontario manufacturing facility as a result of plant consolidation. While it was difficult for us to reach this decision, it is a necessary step in order for us to remain a viable competitor in the towable marketplace."

Fleetwood’s earlier decision to open an RV plant and pay Mexican workers $4 an hour to assemble RVs for US sale has infuriated readers of this blog. Dozens of readers say they will swear off future purchases of Fleetwood rigs.

Egg Camper No Yoke for RV Market

Fifth wheels. Class-A motorhomes. Travel trailers. Eggs. What do we all have in common? Well, now they’re all recreational vehicles.

It’s that old midwest innovation: Jim Palmer runs an autobody shop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who figured if he fiddled with the old teardrop design, he might make an improvement. Now his fiberglass "Egg Campers" show he may be onto something.

With a relatively thin shell, only an 1/8", common sense would suggest Palmer’s RVs would--well--just crack up at the least provocation. But Palmer’s not having a Humpty Dumpty day, it seems that he’s sitting pretty.

Palmer’s 17’ molded fiberglass travel trailers are not only innovative from the outside, they’ve got a whole new, sleek look on the inside. Added in is a relatively low price of $17,000, and Jim Palmer’s innovation is getting a lot of attention. He recently "broke out" of his shell by showing his Egg Camper line at a Grand Rapids RV show. And that’s no yoke. Check out the Egg Camper website for more information.

RVer Recalls Tornado Scare

Tornados in the eastern part of the US haven’t just brought recent devas-tation, they’ve stirred up memories in those who’ve lived through earlier twisters. RVer Judson Stevens recently had his synapses tickled and wrote about his experiences from a 1995 twister in Oklahoma.

Staying on at an RV park near Ardmore, Judson and his wife got five minutes warning to get into the "relative"safety of the RV park’s recreation center. He got out with a laptop computer and his wife’s purse--and after the tornado had come and gone, that was all they had left.
What made the difference? Read Stevens’ own account in the Orlando Sentinel.

Bunk beds making a comeback with Winnebago

Bunk beds are one of the hottest features this year in family-friendly RV travel. With that in mind Winnebago has added bunk beds to several 2007 model lines.

The Winnebago Sightseer and Itasca Sunova, Class A motorhomes feature the new 35J kid-friendly 30" x 73" bunk beds in the back of the 35-foot model. Plus, two 7-inch LCD DVD players with headphones and remote can be added. Both flip down for convenient use. A roomy drawer is found under the bunk beds that's well-suited for bedding and clothes. The Sightseer 35J also features a king bed in the rear, as well as a dinette and sofa in the front that provide even more sleeping space.

The fuel-efficient 2007 Winnebago View and Itasca Navion, Class C lineups include the all-new 23B. Bunk beds are found in the rear of the coach, with opposing sofas up front. The bottom bunk also flips up to expose spacious pass-through storage below.

Fleetwood to build RVs in Mexico

Fleetwood Enterprises Inc. will begin production in May in the border town of Mexicali, Mexico of two of its travel trailers sold in the Southwest. Fleetwood becomes the first U.S. company to make RVs in Mexico.

Assembly of two RV models -- Pioneer and Mallard -- will begin in an 80,000 square-foot leased facility with about 150 employees, Lyle Larkin, Fleetwood's vice president and treasurer told the Riverside Press-Telegram. "This will allow us to do one of two things, and maybe both: Price them more competitively or provide ourselves with a higher margin," Larkin said. Fleetwood reportedly pays full-time employees at its Southern California facility about $20 an hour in wages and benefits, but will pay $4 an hour in Mexico.

The news comes six days after the company announced plans to close three of its nine U.S. travel-trailer factories, including a 35-year-old plant in Rialto, Calif., with 429 employees.

According to the Press Telegram, Fleetwood has struggled since 2001 and has admitted to several strategic errors that resulted in losses totaling more than $728.8 million between 2001 and 2006.

Navistar Rolling Out Powerstrokes for Ford Again

In less time than it takes to warm up a glow-plug, Navistar International says it will start producing PowerStroke diesel engines for Ford pickups. Well, maybe a little more time--three days actually. Last week Navistar said it would stop shipping the little diesel engines after they and Ford got into a brawl over engine prices.

It took little time for a Michigan judge to order Navistar to start engine production back up. At the same time, Ford got a wrist-slap, essentially told by the court that they would pay the full price demanded by Navistar. Ford's contention has been Navistar has jacked their prices with out substantiation. More court time is in the offing.

Fleetwood Closes Plants--Hundreds Get Pink Slips

RV manufacturing giant, Fleetwood Enterprises, surprised employees late last week by passing out several hundred "pink slips." Fleetwood says it will close three trailer manufacturing plants, one in California, one in Maryland, and a third in Texas. Citing declining towable sales, the company is moving to shore up its assets in the light of low sales.

Friday was the last day of work for most employees at Fleetwood’s Williamsport, Maryland plant--253 employees seeing their jobs out the door. In Longview, Texas, employees received a letter which said, in part, "We want you to know that this business decision is not a reflection of your work performance. We are proud of the excellent quality product and service you have provided to our customers and dealers over the years. Despite the strong commitment that all of you have made, conditions in the travel trailer industry have changed to the point where our capacity exceeds the market needs." About 300 Texas workers will receive their regular pay up to May 1st, even though Friday was their last day on the job.

Meanwhile, at Rialto, California, an 18 acre facility dedicated to toy hauler manufacturing was idled, leaving 429 employees looking at the breadline. Fleetwood says it will try and find other jobs for some of the employees from the Rialto plant, and expects to continue making its toy haulers at plants in the Pacific Northwest where manufacturing costs are said to be lower.

The Fleetwood layoffs came just days before the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association announced that sales of "towable" units in January were about a third less than in the same month in 2006.

Ford, Navistar Reach Impass

Ford diesel fans, heads up! Navistar, the engine manufacturing company that puts the torque under Ford’s diesel pickups, has suspended production of the Navistar line. The well-known, 6.4 liter "Power Stroke" engine manufacturer and Ford have been duking it out since January when Ford sued Navistar International after the engine firm--alleges the Ford suit--began jacking the prices on the Power Strokes, "without adequate explanation or support for its actions."

Already Ford has shuttered one of its pickup manufacturing plants that Navistar previously shipped to. What the future holds for the troubled truck maker now is anyone’s guess.

Bigger 5th wheels on the horizon?

Fifth wheel trailers and traditional travel trailers may have a little more living space in the future. According to RV Business Magazine, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) board of directors decided at its Feb. 22-24 meeting in Scottsdale Ariz., to take the first steps in what could be a lengthly process to increase the maximum square footage for fifth-wheels and travel trailers. The association will pursue federal legislation allowing fifth-wheels to exceed the current 400-square-foot-limit. In addition, the RVIA would seek to raise the maximum square footage for travel trailers from 320 square feet to 400 square feet. But don’t hold your breath: if the new rules are approved, it likely won't be for years.