Near the end of last month, statistics for March 2024 wholesale shipments from RV manufacturers to dealers showed a slight uptick. Shipments were up 1.2 percent over March 2023. This led to a statement from the RV Industry Association: “Our cautious optimism for the year continues.” Okay, that’s one way to see it. But it seems RV buyers didn’t get the memo, because actual RV retail sales tumbled in March.
Overall, RV retail sales down
Retail RV registrations for March 2024 were down 17.3% year-over-year. Sales dropped from 37,586 last year to 31,066 this year. This, according to Statistical Surveys Inc., a compiler of retail and consumer data for the RV industry.
Year-to-date, there have been 74,192 retail registrations through the first quarter of this year, which is 12.8% less than the 85,975 figure over the same period in 2023.
Towables thumped
Who took the hits in the March sales lineup? Among towables, it worked out this way:
- Travel Trailers – 19,567 retail registrations in March 2024 (vs. 23,735 in March 2023; a 17.6% decrease).
- Fifth-Wheels – 5,020 (6,003; -16.4%).
- Pop-ups – 438 (629; -30.4%).
- Park Models – 126 (244; -48.4%).
Motorhome sales bleak
As might be predicted by the actual wholesale movement to dealers from builders, Class A and Class B motorhomes fared the worst. Class C units did better than all the towable field contenders.
- Class A – 696 (1,155; -39.7%).
- Class C – 1,774 (1,904; -6.8%).
- Class B – 822 (1,223; -32.8%).
Worse than February
How does this all stack up when compared to February retail sales? As we mentioned then, “Retail RV registrations in February 2024 were down 8.9% year-over-year, with 23,706 units reported for this year compared to 26,037 reported in February 2023.”
Put another way, the overall sales statistics for March were about 93% worse than in February, a traditionally slow RV sales month. March was not a good month for a commissioned RV salesperson.
##RVT1156b
A sad state of affairs for the RV industry, but maybe good news for those looking for campsites.
“What you sow ye shall reap”. Another old saying stands the test of time.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! 🙂 Looks as though we bought two years too soon. 🙁 Oh well, we have had a nice two years of travel in #2. I wonder if some of the many Thor brands will be jettisoned to save costs? I guess we’ll see. Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
We checked out a RV show back in February and our take was “RVs are way over priced.” Manufacturers and retailers are doing it to themselves.
I’ve been watching prices on rvtrader for Class As. I think the sellers still think the pandemic is going on with their asking prices. Good luck with that.
I notice RV manufactures are making cheaper model TT’s. Not as much fancier accessories.