Then, things shifted. People did not want to be locked down, and saw the RV lifestyle as a means of escape. According to stats from the RV Industry Association, sales of began to take off in June, which had the most RV sales in over two years, and by fall motorhome and RV sales were so robust that by October Barrron's was writing about the best RV stocks to buy during this travel revival.
According to the RVIA the RV industry makes a big footprint in our economy. More than 25 million Americans go RVing each year and we spend more than 60 billion dollars on maintenance and services. With sales of RVs and all that is involved in providing campgrounds and accessories, it's a 114 billion dollar industry. And 98% of all RVs are made in the USA. It's nearly a unique industry in that way.
Here's an excerpt from their October 2020 Market Report:
The RV Industry Association's October 2020 survey of manufacturers found that total RV shipments finished the month with 47,326 units, an increase of 21.4% from the 38,972 units shipped in October 2019. This represents the second highest October on record.
Towable RVs, led by conventional travel trailers, totaled 42,854 units for the month, an increase of 22.9% compared to last October’s total of 34,866 units. Motorhomes finished the month with 4,472 units, up 8.9% compared to the October 2019 total of 4,106 units.
I've always know that diesel engines were a big part of the power in motorhomes and RVs but I was surprised to learn that only 50% of motorhomes are diesel. For sure diesels will give you more power if you're climbing through the Rockies, but there are evidently pros and cons to everything in life. Here is a great debate about Gas vs. Diesel when it comes to RVs.
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| Vintage camper trailer. Wanna get away? |
If you're tired of being cooped up and feel a need to get away, motorhomes and RVs have given lot of people wings to fly with the breeze when the urge possesses. If this is all new to you, here is a blog post at KOA that serves as a Beginner's Guide to Buying an RV or Motorhomes.
Pusher motorhomes are sometimes referred to as Diesel Pushers and have a diesel engine mounted at the rear of the vehicle. Pushers are usually more luxurious, larger, and built on a bus chassis.
ReplyDeleteFor those traveling in groups of large families it is worthwhile remembering that pushers are more powerful and they are more fuel efficient than pullers. If you are traveling long distances then it is good to have a larger than average sized tank that a pusher offer as well as the strength to tow while maintaining low fuel costs.
Running costs are higher in pushers and getting in and out of restrictive areas can be difficult at times. However, most owners of diesel pushers are aware of these things before they buy and often place more importance on the luxury, desirability and durability of their RV.
The basic difference with a puller motorhome is that the engine is at the front of the vehicle. Pullers are usually lighter and are usually built on a van chassis.
Diesel engines are, by definition, noisier than petrol engines and this noise is sometimes more audible at the front of your motorhome. The look and design of a puller is defined by its truck-like appearance at the front.