RV Weekly

By Erica Schulz

On Sunday, February 5, 2008, nearly 148.3 million viewers tuned in to watch part or all of Super Bowl XLII (The second highest number of audience members ever to tune in at the same time, behind the final episode of M*A*S*H* in 1983). On that fateful day, something happened that most people didn’t expect: The New York Giants beat the New England Patriots, 17-14.

Isn’t victory even sweeter when the underdog unexpectedly defeats his opponents? With all of that scrutiny, the winner can stand up and say, “We told you so… and you didn’t believe.”

The same scrutiny occurs when small businesses compete with the “big dogs.” If a business only focuses on the seemingly impossible odds against his competition, poor mentality follows, with the idea “It can’t be done.”

So, what makes the G-Men so much less “qualified,” or undeserving of a title, than the renowned Pats?

First off, the Patriots can already boast three rings in the last six years, showing their ability to consistently come out on top.

If that weren’t enough, their leadership and star player, quarterback Tom Brady has proven himself to be a crucial asset to the team’s makeup.

Now compare this stallion to the seemingly under-developed and over-scrutinized QB, Eli Manning. The New Orleans-native already had legendary shoes to fill next to his father Archie; and brother, Peyton (Not to mention, Peyton’s “commercial” success).

With the past experience and proven leadership already favoring the Patriots, it seemed a safe bet to go with a team that has the history and numbers, to back up the win. It seemed inevitable the Patriots would be going for their fourth Lombardi trophy. The Super Bowl, after all, is a test to determine the best of the best.

But that’s not what happened.

With teamwork, communication, a full knowledge of their opponent’s plays and the skills to back it up, the Giants were able to take home their first Super Bowl ring in almost 20 years.

And – come on – what QB can get out of a three-man sack, only to advance 32 yards with a pass off the helmet of his wide receiver?

The only way to reach the end zone is one down at a time.

With ample preparation, an extensive knowledge of your lineup and your opponents, and the experience on and off the field, even small businesses can achieve big results.

After all, America roots for the underdog.

In the last few months, Ford introduced and began an advertising campaign for its 2008 vehicle models, including the revamped 2008 Ford Escape SUV hybrid. The auto manufacturer boasts that next year’s model is “the most fuel efficient SUV on the planet,” with an estimated 34 miles per gallon.

But, what the new SUV models might make up for in fuel efficiency and environmental standards, they lack in power and towing capacity.

According to Cars.com, the new four-cylinder Escape hybrid tows a limit of 1,000 pounds, compared to its big brother, the 3,500-pound towing capacity, non-hybrid V-6 Escape.

RV manufacturer’s have just begun to tap into mini-van and SUV towing capabilities, but a hybrid Escape can’t tow too much more than the Aliner Alite, with a weight of 400 pounds.

With ever-growing concerns of fuel efficiency along with truck and SUV CAFÉ standards still debated, Chevrolet has also introduced its own version of a hybrid SUV.

The 2008 Chevy Tahoe might not have the same MPG standards as the Escape, but what it lacks in more fuel efficiency, it makes up for in more power.

With rave reviews, Edmunds.com voted the Tahoe one of the best hybrid vehicles for 2008. Cars.com also explains that the Tahoe still fits the description and criteria of a full-sized SUV, making it more suitable for outdoor enthusiasts versus commuters. One of the unique features being the V-8 engine, that when say, traveling on the highway, will deactivate four of the eight cylinders to preserve power. It’s also able to run solely on electric power.

Limited to a rated maximum of 22 mpg, the Tahoe can still tow much more than the Escape– a little over 6,000 pounds.

Hybrid sport utility vehicles will run consumers anywhere between $3,000-10,000 more, compared to their gasoline-only counterparts. Will they buy it?

And, will hybrid SUVs stick around, or will they still leave avid RVers scraping for more power and towing capacity (or even lighter trailers)?

I’ve heard people say that the operation of the RV industry is about ten years behind its automobile counterpart. Some examples are the functionality and maintenance of dealership Web sites, personnel training, customer service, consumer interest of products – the list goes on and on. I think ten years might be an exaggeration; but right now, we can only look forward to other industries’ examples.

So when I was checking the millions of news releases I receive each day, this one in particular caught my eye.

A reminder was issued last week by the RVIA stating that the provision on the California franchise law will become effective January 1. The law will require manufacturers to offer the option of a written agreement between themselves and the dealers with which they conduct business. According to the release issued by RVIA, the agreement must at least include:

“…Provisions regarding dealership transfer, dealership termination, sales territory, and reimbursement for costs incurred by the dealer for work related to the manufacturer’s warranty for each line-make of recreational vehicle covered by the agreement as required in the California RV franchise law.”

You can also take a look at the California RV franchise law document by clicking here.

Many dealers already have written agreements with their manufacturers. Although some businesses still operate under a “handshake agreement,” and California dealers have a right to refuse the written contract, this law can offer dealers protection and an opportunity to have legal documentation for questions or problems they might run into.

In the long run, dealers could have more protection against manufacturer issues, including warranty compliance. But right now, their may also be issues with the initial written agreement, including refusals or revisions.

Will the details and legalities bog down business owners, or help point in the direction of a more professional attitude for the industry?

And, is this a California fad or will other states follow suit?

By: Bob Zagami

Once again dealers and manufacturers are back at their desks after the industry’s premier marketing and sales event held annually in Louisville, Kentucky.

One of the most amazing things to me in the RV industry is the ability to attract thousands of professionals to a breakfast meeting at 6:30AM on the opening day of the show. The staff at RVIA does an incredible job of providing an interesting and motivational program to launch the big event. I know of no other industry that can pull off a similar type of meeting and get the top corporate executives, and their customers, all in one room as the sun is just coming over the horizon! Did you attend the meeting this year? What did you think of it?

On the show floor, the traffic appeared lighter than in recent years and I’m guessing that many dealerships cut back on the number of people they allowed to attend the show this year. I have not seen attendance figures yet, but would be surprised if attendance actually increased this year over the 2006 show.

Most of the industry veterans that I spoke with in the press room also felt traffic was lighter. However, traffic doesn’t always equate into dollars so it may not have any bearing on the amount of new business manufacturer’s wrote or the number of new dealerships they signed up to carry their products. Even when dealerships cut back on people, the owners are there with the checkbook and they are buying. Most reports were positive, although many preferred to say they were cautiously optimistic with their purchase decisions as they wait to see what the economy does during the holiday season. They purchased plenty of stock for their winter and spring shows and rallies and are hoping that will be the springboard for a reversal of fortunes in 2008 that will send RV statistics in an upward direction once again.

Some highlights from the show are noted below, but the real input should come from the readership of this blog. Collectively, all of you have more eyes and talked to more people than all the trade press in attendance at the show. So we are counting on you to provide us with your comments, good or bad, about what you liked about the show, what you didn’t like about the show, and what new products really caught your attention – so don’t be bashful, let us hear from you now!

Some highlights and lowlights from Louisville:

• A lot of great new products built on the Sprinter chassis showed up on the floor. This has got to be one of the hottest products that consumers will be looking at in 2008, whether they are first time buyers or veterans that are ready to downsize.
• The most innovative technology I saw at the show was the Winnebago double-slide (on the outside) that gives you a full-wall slide appearance on the inside. This wins the creativity and great engineering award in my book!
• I was impressed with the Dura-Hull design introduced by National RV on the new Riptide and Nautica models introduced at the show. The company may disappear but somebody is going to want to pick up the assets that include many devoted employees and some interesting technology that other motorhome manufacturers could use.
• The Keystone Loft was an excellent use of upward mobility with an additional room at roof level, accessed through internal stairs.
• Host Campers, following in the footsteps of their fathers (Hogue and Storch) that founded Beaver, showcased a quality four-wheel drive Type C motorhome (four seats and four doors upfront) and a three-slideout truck camper that attracted a lot of attention back in Broadbend Arena.
• Speaking of Broadbend, did you happen to see the architectural masterpiece, The Cottage, which was introduced by Breckenridge as an ultra-modern park model? That has a lot of potential in our industry, and may also to get the attention of real estate developers looking for the next big thing in vacation homes.
• The new American Coach Allegiance was the hottest thing in the Fleetwood display, giving their dealers a new entry level luxury motorhome – if you can call $340,000 an entry level unit!
• Late to the table, but worth the wait, was the new front kitchen motorcoach unveiled by Country Coach – an outstanding addition to their luxury lineup.
• Pop-ups keep popping up. The rumors of their demise are obviously false. This category of RV continues to show its staying power and may even show increased sales this year as consumers still want to enjoy the lifestyle, even if they have to do it on a reduced budget.

I could go on and on but a blog is supposed to entertain you and inform you and the most important part of this blog will be your comments about your show experiences this year and what caught your attention. Let’s see what you have to offer for the readers of the blog.

Go at it!