While RV manufacturers continue to put a positive spin on the future of the industry, RV dealers are in the real world. And the real world isn’t looking so good. An RV sales meltdown is the order of the day, as August retail registrations—the true indicator of new RV sales—show some of the worst numbers.
RV sales meltdown
There were 32,317 retail registrations recorded in August 2024, a 13.6% decline compared to the 37,407 total in August 2023. This information comes from Statistical Surveys Inc., the key number cruncher of consumer information for the RV industry. Compare this to July 2024’s numbers, when we reported 35,988 retail registrations recorded, showing only a 9% decline compared to the 39,580 total in July 2023.
While year-to-date numbers aren’t quite as bad, they’re nothing for RV dealers to cheer about. This year there have been 260,289 retail registrations in 2024. That’s a 10.1% decrease versus the 289,690 total for the same time frame in 2023.
Report omits important details on manufacturing
The report is quick to compare manufacturers to dealers, reporting this: “The RV Industry Association (RVIA) reported 29,105 wholesale shipments in August 2024 and 231,817 units shipped year to date. Wholesale shipments have had a year-over-year increase for 10 consecutive months, it should be noted, going back to November 2023.”
Interestingly, what the reporting on manufacturers fails to note is that “10 consecutive months” of year-over-year increase isn’t built on all RVs. Towable units, particularly travel trailers, and to a much lesser degree, 5th wheels, are keeping those positive numbers afloat. Motorhomes are diving like a torpedo-struck submarine.
Here are the finer points of August 2024 retail sales
Towables:
- Travel trailers – 19,530 in August 2024, versus 22,393 in August 2023; a 12.8% decline.
- Fifth wheels – 5,096. Compare to August 2023, 5,693; a 14.5% decline.
- Camping trailers – 413. In August 2023, 602; off a huge 31.4%.
- Park models – 254 this August, 312 in August 2023, a fall-off of 18.6%.
Motorhomes:
- Class A – August 2024, 734. Compare to August 2023, 913; down 19.6%.
- Class C – 1,541 this August. August 2023 saw 1,738 sell; off 11.3%.
- Class B – This August, 858, compared to August 2023’s 1,137; a whopping decline of 24.5%.
It has to be tough-slogging for mom-and-pop RV dealers. It wouldn’t be surprising to see some fold or get gobbled up by chain operations.
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Thank you for keeping track, Russ and Tina! 🙂 I wonder how things will be in a couple of years? I guess I’ll wait and see. Thanks again, have a great day, and safe travels! 🙂
Cycles happen. I remember when I bought a custom order Newmar Baystar in early Spring 2009. The plant was only operating a couple days a week and it was still delivered in only 6 weeks. Much different than the pandemic when Newmar would sell out for the year at its annual dealer meeting and delivery times were several months at full capacity!
While no one (except apparently RVIA 🙂 has a crystal ball for impacting world and U.S. events that might impact the industry, I suspect history will continue to cycle. 🙂
Thank you, Mikal! Have a great weekend and safe travels!
Considering the current build quality of RV’s I would be looking for a “pre covid” used unit that has a verified maintenance and or upgrade history. In particular Class A’s and C’s.
The price of RV’s being up or cutback in some options with high interest and the cost of everything. People have to cutback buying some luxury items like RV’s. Plus the price of insurance going up. Don’t buy Erie Insurance with the rate lock.
What is the difference between a camping trailer as opposed to a travel trailer, does anyone know? Like a pop-up or something?
Yes…popups.
It’s time for the greedy RV manufactures to pay the fiddler. If people would just stop buying their cracker box junk…the better builders would wash out the cheap companies. It has happened before. Stick with a product like Nash, Arctic Fox or Outdoors RV for quality.
Anything with an engine is struggling for sales right now. The automotive and boating industry are lamenting the current economic climate as is the trucking and aircraft industry.
The biggest difference seems to be the spin.
Where others are staring at the decline with a grimace, the RV industry seems to be saying, “What problem”?
I was really hoping that the build quality would get better after Covid when sales went down, but from everything I read online, it hasn’t happened
HI Russ/Tina: If you want to do some research… I wonder how many Rv’s, by type, are currently or annually registered or re-registered in the US and/or Canada as well? And how many by state?
“Mom and Pop” operations usually don’t have non-family stockholders to keep happy. They can hang on longterm.
They also don’t have the capital to weather a prolonged sales decline. In order to have inventory to have a hope of selling they have significant floor plan expense (cost of carrying inventory).