Local RV dealers still see demand despite industry changes
Summer travel is well underway not just for the holidays, but for the average weekend getaway.
Roughly 37.1 million travelers hit the road this past Memorial Day weekend according to AAA, with many of them using recreational vehicles as a mode of transportation.
Jason Trettel, general manager at Butler RV Center in Butler Township, said the industry is looking “steady” after seeing high demand during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They wanted to continue to travel and were seeking a different type of travel than the past,” Trettel said. “Hotels were closed for a while so that spiked interest in people. People still wanted to have recreational fun and that’s what we sell.”
During 2020 and 2021, Trettel said demand for RVs went higher than previous years, despite the fact prices went up and the availability of parts was not ideal.
Shipments of RVs jumped 75.9% nationally from May 2020 to May 2021, according to the RV Industry Association, with the average price spent on an RV at about $75,000.
“We carry from the low $20,000 ones to the high end of $100,000,” Trettel said. “Right now, the average is between $30,000 to $35,000 is where most people are spending. Pre-pandemic it was around $25,000 to $30,000. We still have ones for sale that are in the low $20,000 range, that's just not what always sells.”
Bob Wolf, owner of B&R Camper Sales in Summit Township, said the average price of RVs sold at his business are around also around that $30,000 mark.
“The prices are a little higher than what we are used to in the industry, but at least now they are not continuing to go up,” Wolf said.
According to the RV Industry Association, 67 million people plan to take an RV trip in 2023.
The association also says that the highest interest in RV demand comes from younger age groups as about half of Generation Z and half of millennials said they plan to take an RV trip in 2023.
Trettel said he is seeing similar trends, but based on his observations it’s not just one age group who is giving him business.
“It's pretty all over the place,” Trettel said. “You have kids now coming in that were campers growing up. They were kids of families that camped. Now, they have their own kids, so they're coming out.
“Then, you have the future retirees coming in, and they want to travel. Then, you have the ones that have owned campers for a while, and they are looking for an upgrade.”
Wolf said during the pandemic most of his customers were of the younger generations, but now it is more level across the board.
For those customers who are unsure on whether they want to purchase an RV or those who only want to use them only a few times a year, renting is an option at Butler RV Center.
“We do have a rental program,” Trettel said. “It can all be done online. They are dealer maintained, so when they come back they get checked over. You also get a demonstration on how to use them.
“Rentals is a seasonal thing around here. It's a good opportunity for anybody who thinks they want to buy one. We have customers that always rent from us a couple times a year.”
Butler RV Center offers electric scooter and bicycle rentals on top of their other products, which Trettel feels is a nice complementary item to RVing.
Wolf is seeing an uptick in certain models which are meant to accommodate large families, but these models also have new features that are becoming more normal in all models.
“The most popular floor plans are the bunkhouse models,” Wolf said. “Solar panels are very popular now. Lithium batteries are coming into play.”
The RV industry was not exempt from recent supply chain problems, which according to Wolf, caused prices to go higher.
“During COVID, there were all kinds of supply issues in getting parts,” Wolf said. “Obviously, price increases were sky high. Now, it seems that things have started to level back out again. Getting product now isn't as hard as it was.”
Trettel also said that prices did jump a few years ago because of the pandemic, but he is confident that things will stay right where they are, especially because he thinks the demand will always be there.
“I think the pricing will stay pretty steady with a slight decrease depending on product type,” Trettel said. “We have seen a decrease with certain products. As far as sales, I think, it will stay steady. There are always going to be campers out there.”
