We at RVtravel.com continue to receive reports from traveling RVers that they are seeing “plenty” of new RVs sitting on dealer lots across the U.S.
That anecdotal information runs counter to the official public statements of big RV manufacturers such as Thor Industries and Winnebago, as well as Camping World Holdings, the largest system of RV dealerships in the U.S. Thor and Winnebago are both reporting billions of dollars in order backlogs for “already sold” RVs. Both manufacturers said it could take months and up to a year or more to fulfill those back orders.
So, what’s going on at the dealer lots?
We decided to ask Phil Ingrassia, President of the RV Dealers Association (RVDA). Ingrassia told us that his organization conducts a survey of RV dealers each month. The July RVDA survey reported that 100% of towable RV dealers and 92% of motorhome dealers said their lot inventories were “too low.”
Ingrassia said he suspects that the “full lot” reports from RVers could stem from the fact that many dealers have multiple new “pre-sold” units on their lots that are either awaiting owner delivery or (much more likely) were delivered from factories missing a key part or two and are on the lots waiting for the proper parts to catch up before the new owner can drive away. International supply chain woes have made it difficult for factories to complete RV units due to a lack of parts. RVer-owned units that are just sitting on dealer lots waiting for repairs due to those aforementioned missing parts may also be adding to the illusion of a full lot.
Ingrassia said another factor could be more RV dealers storing units for their customers (because they have the room right now due to – you know – low inventories), thus giving the appearance of a full sales lot.
It’s doubtful that many RV dealers would willingly fess up to the fact that they don’t have much on their lots for sale right now. The only people who really know how tight inventories are would be the folks who have their hearts set on purchasing a particular model.
So, potential new RV buyers, how hard is it to find that RV of your dreams? Let us know in the comments section below.
##RVT1012b
I couldn’t walk in a take a unit home today if I wanted to. Virtually evey unit we looked at had to be ordered. The exceptions were a few Super C units in the 400K + range and higher mileage A units that the dealership was trying to unload.
We have visited four RV dealerships in Georgia recently and there is no evidence of any shortage. There were plenty of units to choose from readily available. Ultimately, rather than buy a poor quality manufactured Type A, we found a beautiful MCI E-4500 converted bus and are very happy with its structural integrity, ride and amenities. as an aside, our bank called us and mentioned that they had four repossessed units that are less than one year old available.
We do see many RV’s on the lots so it’s good to hear some explanations. Here are two other related observations:
Anyway, just some anecdotal food for thought.
New trucks are more expensive than the first three homes I bought all together. SIL just bought a ‘21 GMC 1500 4X4 $64,000, he said dealer had two 2500s and one 3500 on the lot and he didn’t even ask what the prices were because the salesman said they were special ordered by the dealer with every option because they new they would sell within a month. I’ve seen a few ads in local papers for new trucks advertising $800-$950 a month on a 3 year lease. That’s more than my mortgage payments on the last two homes combined. How do they afford it?
I was at a Ford dealer a month ago and they had two F150 Hybrids and wanted $5000. over sticker. Seem like Ford sent each dealer Two new F150’s. Yesterday the GMC Dealer had a new Sierra 1500. the window sticker showed in the options -$50. less for Dynamic Fuel Management (DMS). Basically it’s to do with switching the truck from 8 cylinders to 4 cylinders to get better milage since it didn’t have the short computer chip. It had the same engine as my Silverado, but a 8 speed trany and higher higher ratio. Basically it mans the truck gets 2 miles per gallon less than my Silverado which has the DMS.
All of the above mentioned issues are “factors” in the perceived shortage. We should also add; demand is high due to new generations of RV buyers, RV lifestyle hype from TV and other media, and possibly available labor to RV manufacturers has been impacted by the pandemic and government-subsidized wages.
Remember Harley Davidson in 90’s when you ordered a bike a year in advance?
Harleys were in short supply that drove up demand and price. They held their value on trade-in or resales. Today a used Harley isn’t any different than any other vehicle. And today Harley dealers negotiate not like then when you paid what they were asking.
I do believe more people bought RV’S during the pandemic but also feel dealers are telling that story to get people into their dealership. I hear they aren’t making deals and telling those interested they better jump on that particular model or otherwise someone else will.
It won’t be long that RV’S will be collecting dust in someone’s yard when those owners are back to work and have no time to travel while still owing on their units.
It’ll be just like Harley except worse since RV’S depreciate quicker!
we visited a dealer the other day. They had very limited supply (no new class As – just used). They had used on the lot and a few they were holding for customers. A few new fifth wheels and a smaller class C. You definitely don’t have a consumer choice to find a style/layout you prefer. I’m waiting
There’s two dealers around my area and both of the lots are full with new units. Mostly TT’s and fifth wheels. They also have used A’s and C’S. No plates on vehicles so we know that they are not storing customers unit. I’m curious so I’m going to visit them and see what the salesman try to sell me. I’ll add a comment later on my findings.
So who do I believe, a car salesman or my lying eyes?
I drive by one local dealer frequently and they usually have a dozen rPods and a handful or other trailers on the lot. Over the last few weeks, there has been the same lonely rPod and a couple of used trailers. The dealer now fills the lot with used pickups for sale. So, I would say there looks like a shortage of popular RVs to me. Note that we do live near the Northern California fires, which could be driving up demand.
Living on the northeast .ca and another Country Camper have lots mostly full. So I think unless you are are making a special there are plenty of new campers around here. The bigger question is how many orders will be canceled since people are headed back to cruises and resorts. And back orders I’m sure have to do with staffing and I would think since unemployment stopped more will be looking for jobs and the shortage that the companies are claiming will be filled. Nice way to drive up RV cost but that soon will come to an end as well over the year. Just picture how much junk Tv’s will be on the roads.
We bought a brand new fifth wheel last December at an RV show. It was the exact model we wanted and the only one like it for miles. When we took delivery we found out so many things wrong with it. Our options were to bring it make and let them have it for 6 months to fix it or my husband would figure it out. Thanks to YouTube and a friend in the business guiding him he fixed everything himself. The friend in the biz said the warehouses don’t have enough people there with experience and they were just slapping them out the door in any condition. Very sad.
When searching for “the floorplan” & trailer weight that worked for us, we searched online as far away as 4 states and used prices were higher than new for the exact same units 3, 4 even 7 years old. We found a dealer close and was able to buy a unit right off the lot. Any issues/concerns that needed addressed did not keep us from using the camper. When the parts came in, it was fixed in a matter of days and available for our next excursion.
I do believe there are shortages of key components but I also think that some scrupulous salesmen might exaggerate shortage just to encourage sales to some possible customers.
I think you nailed it with salesmen exaggerating the shortage. I often wonder how long an artificial shortage will go on after the pandemic is officially over? Not only RV’s but in the boat market also
What I see around Maryland and Delaware is a lot of 5th wheels and motorhomes sitting on what used to be very crowded lots. There aren’t many bumper pull models available.
I am in a motorhome, but what I see driving across the US, are dealer lots full of trailers, not motorhomes.
It’s difficult to find and walk through specific models. Buying them is impossible unless you purchase sight unseen and preorder to arrive months from now. Drove from North Carolina to Minnesota calling dealers along the way and never found the 4 coaches of interest. Finally drove to Elkhart, Indiana and still nothing.
We are in Pennsylvania by the way, forgot to mention that.
Some dealers have lots of inventory….but not particularly what you’re looking for. Seems mostly 5th wheeler, large trailers and some motor homes.
We have been on the road for over 8000 miles now. We see lots full of RVs in every state. Some are used but many are new. They appear to be mostly larger travel trailers and fifth wheels. Rarely see any small TTs or pop ups. We also pass many new vehicle sales lots that look very sparsely populated with trucks. We suspect that the lack of availability for large pickup trucks due to the chip shortage = lots of availability for large towables.
Here in Ga. you can’t find a Rockwood Minilite 2205S. At least not with the options I’m looking for. And the 2021’s (other models) are selling at or near MSRP. Same with ordering. Da*n near MSRP on price, and a 6 month wait or longer on the build out. Definitely NOT a buyer’s market.
They shouldn’t be delivering RVs to the dealership when they know it needs repairs.
Agree with Bob Parish, it’s a “head swimming” situation. But, RVs delivered to dealers needing repairs is standard operating procedure. My wife is an RV tech, she worked at Camping World for a few months (another story) several years ago. Units would come on to the lot with sconces dangling from the wires, shower doors hanging off one hinge, parts missing from appliances etc. That’s just the way it was RV after RV came in with enormous problems. Every missing part had to be ordered and it often took weeks to get the parts in and on the RV. Now with supply problems and rushing manufacturers that ‘normal’ situation must be exacerbated beyond imagining. This pandemic is going to be felt in the RV world (and everywhere else) for years to come, as others have remarked here.
I was looking in March in Oregon. I had been searching lots all over the west coast. I booked into a campground in Junction City, Oregon that was attached to an RV dealer. When I pulled into the lot, I thought they had SO many Class Cs. Instead it was 15 small class Cs that they’d gone to Canada to bring back for sale; all from a rental lot. 1 2021 in the showroom. That night I saw a bigger C on the lot & called my salesman. I bought that one the next morning. Right place at the right time. The new one in the showroom was also sold that day. There were no new Class As on the lot, about a dozen used ones. I was downsizing from a Class A, someone bought that while I was still living in it on the lot, waiting for my C to be prepped for delivery. Once I’d moved my belongings into my new to me Class C, my now traded in Class A was immediately driven to the prep area, never being on the for sale lot. My experience was that there are very few Motorhomes available.
As a mobile Rv repair tech I’m seeing things in new units that make my head swim, I decided to visit a Rv dealer to get a look at their inventory, “which is definitely low ” just nosing around these units, a manufacturer that I believe has good quality, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and finding without even looking hard, I pointed out a couple of obvious flaws to the salesperson and he just brushed them off, I then went over to a couple of over priced used units and it was obvious that they didn’t even try to make any repairs or at least try to clean them. I would never buy anything made during this pandemic and I believe this is going to haunt the industry in the future.
Yep…Totally agree.
Thank you for sharing that. I am pondering waiting to purchase a towable for that very reason. I also dismissed buying a used unit since they are overpriced and repairs would be difficult given the shortage of service techs.
Have you considered purchasing a bare cargo trailer or van and self-converting? You’ll get a much higher quality end product that is attuned to your needs for a lower price. Plus you’ll know exactly how to fix it when it malfunctions.
You forgot school bus.
One of the problems with school buses and other self made is most RV parks will not allow entry. I have had that problems also pulling a 125K horse trailer style toy hauler/living quarters. Not all but most is a turn away.
Don’t be a slave to the RV parks. Solarize and Generator
👍✋😢
This is what happens when you outsource all your parts manufacturing to China. Bring manufacturers back to America now!
Amen.
Are RV’s in Short Supply?
Hell NO!
Drove from Nashville to Newnan GA and back last week. Drove by at least 10 or more RV dealers on the way there and back.
They ALL had one thing in common.
Their lots were FULL of new RV’s looking for new buyers!
Class A, Class B, Class C, Class Z? Motorhomes, 5th wheels, and tags.
Take your pick!
The bubble might just be about to BURST!!!
The dealers I have seen in my area their lots are half-empty, and all they have is larger units. I’m looking for a smaller one, and have had no luck. Some said delivery in 18 to 24 months for the unit I want.
I live in Ontario. In March we ordered and LTV Unity and was told it wouldn’t be delivered for 18 to 24 months. We were able to see a similar model on that the dealer had just received for a customer that placed his order about a a year and a half ago. There were quite a few towables on the dealers lot. The dealer told us that they were not for sale. They were demo units they’re keeping on the lot to show prospective customers. It is pretty much the same at other dealers we’ve visited.
The real shortage is in competent repairmen and technicians. Inventory is not the issue as everyone of us who has driven the country has seen. This is indeed another manufactured crisis.
Amen to that!
Yes…more mobile technicians please!
Agreed this is a huge issue!
We bought our Accolade in Phoenix, during a show, last Thanksgiving. Seemed like inventory was a little low even then. The coach we got, arrived at the dealer from Indiana on that Saturday. So we didn’t have to buy the show model.
We must be in the lucky few, I was surprised by how few warranty problems we had. I took care of all, I’m not letting those buffoons touch our coach.
We have been looking for a PleasureWay Ascent. Amazon buying up so many Sprinters isn’t helping. We are going to the RV show in Hershey next month, wondering if there will be any on display at all!
I Bought a new class C in April that was on order an due in June. It’s now projected to be October. Sold my class A in 8 days off Craigslist for more than I paid 3 years ago in anticipation of the new unit coming but didn’t. I found truck campers 6, 8, and 12 months out. Used units selling for more than new. Ford F 350 and 450 trucks used sell for more than they were new. Not many new available and the ones that are have ADM of $5000.
I visited the dealer who sold me my RV (LTV Unity) who told me he’s now taking orders for delivery in 2025.
I say someone trying to make something bigger than it is. I know several that went on lot and got one that same week.
I’ve been looking at small TTs and mid-sized TTs. I visited a CamperWorld lot to walk through several GeoPros and Keystone models. Their lot was not large but full. I also drove by 3 other Camper World dealerships and other RV dealerships and those lots appeared full. I do think the salespeople are inflating the prices on the units they have. I have to wait for my Ford F150 Hybid PowerBoost that I had to pay MSRP for to be delivered (Thank you Mike Sokol for your columns on this truck) in Dec so I am going to take my time. This will come back to bite the RV industry. Also, I believe there is going to be a glut of slightly used RVs of all kinds in a year or so.
I’d also like to say that my salesperson at Camper World was knowledgeable and helpful. I think the inflated prices are likely being mandated by management.
I’d also like to say my Camper World salesperson was knowledgeable and helpful. I think the inflated prices are mandated by management.
We ordered a Lance TT in January were told to expect delivery in May. It finally arrived in July but the wait was worth it. Thats ok, we didn’t have a trip planned and we know we will love our trailer made to the specs we wanted.
I think this article is inaccurate as well. I’ve seen lot after lot full of 5th wheels, trailers and class Cs. I see by dealer websites that super Cs are back ordered.
just as used cars, this is a great time to raise prices.
It is true about campers taking space on lots waiting on parts. We have been waiting since June. We decided to wait for “all of the parts” to be in before having the work done piece meal. Happily the last part , a new AC is due to arrive this week and we should be all set very soon.
Your article on lack of RV’s available to purchase may be somewhat inaccurate. This statement may apply to small dealerships, but the big dealers have multiple units on their lot for sale (used & new). I can make this statement from experience. I walked into a large RV dealer in NY, gave the salesman a rough idea of what I was looking for and was shown three or four variations, all new units. FYI – I did purchase a new 2021 Travel Trailer same day. Short Supply in my interpretation is False.
Based on the comments today, it appears the truth depends on the dealer, how many units they had on the lot when the pandemic started, what parts are still missing when the factory shipments arrive, metro areas vs, rural, big dealership vs small, etc etc etc. The comments here paint a fascinating picture of just how varied things are. it looks like you MIGHT get lucky on a lot, if you are satisfied with what they have parked there at the moment. If you want anything specific, you could be settling in for a multi-month wait. Supply and demand always determine prices. While it isn’t hard to believe that some unscrupulous dealers/salespersons would leverage “panic buying” by using the “better act fast” tactic, I find it harder to believe that they would tell potential buyers that they would face a multi-month wait (which appears to be reality for many buyers) just to run up the price if they truly had the desired units in stock.
Hi, Mike. I’ve been hearing an RV dealer ad on the radio this weekend where they say, “Come on in and pick out your RV. If we don’t have what you want in stock, we’ll custom order it for you.” But they don’t mention how long the wait would be to actually get it. Hmmm. Have a great day! 🙂 –Diane
Rv mfg’s would never tell a fib. So, maybe rv dealers are requesting more inventory and rv mfg’s are considering these as ‘sold’.
This shortage of the industry sound like a ploy to increase the prices of the units. (Supply & Demand). Grand Design has just raised their units by 6%, sounds like they are cashing in on this shortage BS.
Short supply could be a lot of things, Dealers who are interested in my used Aliner think I should sell it to them for 20% of the blue book value. Perhaps by purchasing your old unit, that can remove the parts they need to sell a new unit. Perhaps they have hundreds of RV models that no one wants. Or, as mentioned below, they are creating a crisis to raise the prices.
In May 2021, we thought we wanted a Casita and were told by the manufacturer it would be at least a one year wait. Then we went to look at a show room model Sol that was just for looking at. While at the dealer we saw new Little Guy Mini Max trailers on the lot. We looked them over thoroughly and bought one on the spot. We love it. No carpet on the walls (Casita) and separate grey and black tanks which the Sol doesn’t have.
We take at least one trip each month mostly to places where we don’t have full hook ups. You know, those places with beautiful views, peace and quiet and dark skies.
Drove by Casita 2 weeks ago. There were at least 20 new units on the south side of the plant. Every time I drive by the plant there is plenty of new inventory to be purchased. Nice RV for the money.
Over the past 4 years, usually my dealer (Lazydays Tampa) has a handful (4-8 I’d guess) of new unsold Entegras on their lot. This past Friday there were Zero!
Drove through Indiana RV capital. More rvs sitting then you can can count. No shortage, manufacture/dealer created shortage
Or, as the article states, there is a shortage of some parts, making it impossible to complete the units. That is not a “manufacture/dealer created shortage”, but a supply-chain shortage. Why would a manufacturer or dealer create the illusion of a shortage? They want to sell units, so not shipping complete units is counter to what a manufacturer would want to do, and a dealer not ordering units for his lot runs counter to what they want to do.
We wanted to upgrade from our first 18 ft camper. We spent months searching for a particular model. That company has a backlog of orders. We found a similar camper that has the features we want plus extra perks making it pricier than we originally intended to spend. We’ve already purchased what we want, just waiting for it to be”born”. Due in a month.
We placed an order for a Forest River Flagstaff Epro E-19FD on March 3rd and were told 14 weeks to deliver. That was 5 months ago. We are now being told we may possibly receive it by the end of August. The demand for used trailers is unbelievable. We sold our 2019 Jayco in 5 days, for more than we paid for it new.
We saw a motorhome that we liked in Three Flags, Florida last year and it was the only one on the lot that we could tour because of low inventory. We were really just being looky-loos but we both loved so many of the features that we decided to upgrade this year. We have a deposit on a Thor Tuscany that won’t even be built until December 30th. Yes, there is a shortage.
I believe and have seen a shortage of RV’s at dealers. I think the units people see at dealers are not the type or style that campers are looking for. Same with tow vehicles.
I put an order in for a Tab400 on March 6, 2021 with a “late July to early August” delivery. No recent word on the latest status – I’m thinking by Halloween. One reason why there is such perception of inventory at manufacturer and dealer lots is: the manufacturers need a place to put unfinished RVs while waiting for parts. For my particular model, the manufacturer ran out of cushions as they’re all, seemingly, made in TX and the Great Ice Storm of 2021 wiped out the supply chain. Their factory lot got so full of un-cushioned RV trailers that they had to start shipping them to the dealers w/o cushions. Then they ran out of air-conditioners and had to wait for Supply Chain to get caught up. Now, the latest issue is: finding drivers to haul the finished product cross-country. Meaning: someone driving by an RV factory or a dealership and views lots of (what appear to be finished) RVs on the lot are seeing unfinished product awaiting parts or finished prod awaiting a willing hauler
The backlog of RV’s on order from dealers may be 100% accurate but the number is not real. As a former manufacturer, i know dealers order alot more than they can sell (when their is a shortage of supply) because they know they will only get shipped a small percentage of what they order. They also order from alot of different suppliers because it increases their chances of getting something to sell. Do you really think a customer is going to wait till 2025 for delivery of a 2021 model? Come on man! LOL No… as the “true” backlog starts to get filled in the next year or so… backorders will get cancelled and manufacturers will cancel old model backorders and take orders on newer models. Depending on how soon the “real” pipeline of backorders get filled, expect dealers and or manufacturers to have a glut of used and new RV’s available when that happens.
We bought our Lance 2465 at the Tampa RV show in January 2021. We were told at closing by the head of operations that we would get our trailer by April. We even had that in writing! We have checked in with the dealer every month now and have been given multiple dates that our purchase would be in for delivery. This is the end of August and we still don’t have an honest answer nor any decent communication from the dealer!!!!!! That’s 8 months. We have incurred expenses traveling to Florida to prepare to take delivery only to be told, “It’s still at the factory”. ARGH!!