If RV retail sales are any indicator, there could be more campsites available this summer. The April statistics are in, and RV retail sales continue to sour across the board.
Registrations of new RVs for April (the most recent statistics available) show a drop of 9.8% compared to April of 2023. Market watcher Statistical Surveys Inc. didn’t paint a bright picture for most segments of the RV manufacturing industry—with one surprising exception. Here’s the breakout:
Towable market
Travel trailers, 21,412 in April 2024 (versus 23,781 in April 2023), showed a 10.0% drop. Wholesale travel trailer movements between manufacturers and dealers have been the only bright spot for manufacturers. Does this indicate the “Tesla Syndrome,” where large numbers of units are stacking up but not selling, is visiting RV dealers?
Fifth wheels—5,122 sold at retail in April. That’s nearly an 11% dive when compared to April 2023, where 5,750 units sold.
Pop-ups, aren’t rising, but falling flat. A mere 477 “camping trailers” moved off dealer lots, compared to 668 in April 2023, a whopping 28.6% decline.
Park model RVs are the major bright spot. 372 new units sold this April, up a gargantuan 93.8% from April 2023, when 192 units moved out.
And the motorized division?
Class A units continue to travel like a fishing lead. Only 685 of the big units sold in April, down almost 22% compared to April 2023, when 876 sold.
Class C rigs didn’t do much better. Still down, 15% with 1,782 sales, compared to 2,097 in April 2023.
Class B, “conversion vans” did almost as badly as their giant Class A cousins. Only 888 units sold, compared to 1,108 in April 2023, a decline of 19.9%.
The bigger picture
Year to date, there have been 110,796 retail registrations in 2024. That’s a 10.4% decrease compared to the 123,720 total for the same period in 2023.
For comparison, the RV Industry Association (RVIA) reported 34,197 wholesale shipments in April 2024, and 120,138 units shipped year to date.
RV retail sales continue to sour, leading to the question, “Why?” No doubt higher interest rates are taking the bite out of “discretionary” spending. But even for those who are buying, RV manufacturers and dealers are finding customers just aren’t interested in spending the huge sums that were part of the big COVID buying spree.
With fewer RVs sold and fewer on the road, it could spell an easier summer for RVers who are out there.
##RVT1161b
You do not have to be a rocket scientist to see this coming! Poor quality, dealer / manufacturers blowing off issues and warranty claims, Covid basically being over (in people’s minds), more air travel and motel / hotel stays. Top that off by this getting out of RV’s selling at discounted prices due to market being glutted and you have to ask the question; “why would manufacturers and dealers expect to see increase in sales”? It does warm my heart that Camping World is taking a bit of a bath as they are one of the worst to deal with. If I was in the market for an RV today, I would buy used, and it would be a pre 2020 model.
Buy Pre Def as we did-pre 2010. Yes, you have more “maintenance” issues , but the quality of the units is way superior and you don’t have long wait times without your coach for dealers and manufacturers to “fix” what should have been done right when it was built.
I’ve said it before. What’s bad news for the industry might mean good news for us campers and travelers with more campsites available for use.
Sales down. But prices not.
Still seeing used drivable, especially Class B, priced as if brand new.
Nope, not supporting price gouging.
And same for campsites.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! Rats! Such a great buyers’ market and DW wants to take RV #2 to Alaska before considering trading it. Oh well. Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
This will continue through the rest of the year and into 25. Need 3-4 interest rate drops which should hit next summer.
Fed Chairman Powell seems not to be Biden friend in this election year with high interest rates. Don’t seem like any end in sight. RV manufactures have to get like the auto manufacturers and provide consumers with low interest loans and better quality RV’s
Sagging sales does not equate to more CG availability. You’re still adding more RV’ers, just at a slower rate. CG overcrowding will still be present.