Fifth Wheelin'
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Thursday, April 19, 2007

Decline in 5th Wheel Sales Drags Towable Market

A Michigan marketing firm says sales of fifth-wheel trailers are down nearly 13% compared to sales for February 2006. Overall, "towables" are down 6.7% for the same period. Meantime, sales of motorhomes are actually on the increase.

Is there a paradox here? Maybe I'm a bit biased as a fifth wheel owner, but when I look at the prices at the fuel pump, I'm awful glad I don't have a motorhome to fuel. My 29 footer falls behind me and I'm plugging away at anywhere between 10 and 12 miles to the gallon. Since when does a motorhome that offers as much living space come near to that? And when I'm sitting in camp, my round-town tower mileage goes up from there--15 to 16 miles to the gallon. I know plenty of tow folks who get even better economy than I do, what with much newer, more efficient pickups.

So what gives here? Why the fall-off in the towable market? We're throwing this one open for your comments.

posted by Russ and Tiña De Maris at 5:00 PM

19 Comments:

  • Ohe answer might be that most and I say most motorhome buyers are of the older generation and they either sold their home or own their home outright but the towable type people are a lot of weekenders and younger people still working and paying for their homes and raising their children so times are getting rougher so need to reset priorities and not buy new toys.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:59 AM  

  • Makes no sense to me! I tow a 39' 5W toyhauler, get ~11mpg (18 not towing) and some friends are selling their 38' motorhome after seeing the advantages!
    CAS Full-timer

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:52 AM  

  • I agree that a 5th Wheel has a lot of room for the money but I prefer the Class A. If I stop to eat and its raining, I don't have to get wet. As for fuel economy, there isn't much difference. I had a 28' 1994 Allegro Bay (Chevy) that averaged 8 mpg; a 32" 1997 Vacationer (Ford) that averaged 8.7 mpg; a 34' 2002 Neptune (Cummins)that did 10.3 mpg and now have a 33' Ventana (cummins)that averaged 11.4 last year. I will admit that I drive slower than most RVs. I always cruised at 55 mph until the Ventana. It will not stay in 6th gear unless I drive 60 so I usually cruise at 62 mph.

    By Blogger Gerald, at 5:39 AM  

  • Our "new" economy has produced an upper class that can afford the motor homes and high fuel prices. The middle class is disappearing and along with them the overall purchase of travel trailers, 5th wheels, etc. Besides, when you're working your butt off just to survive, who's thinking of RV'ing?

    By Blogger Ted, at 5:50 AM  

  • I think part of reason is, even though you get better pulling mileage than the motor home drivers. Once parked you still have to use the same rig for getting any where else. They are difficult to park, they still consume a large amount of fuel. The M/H driver can tow a car that will give him 30 mpg. He can travel almost anywhere from his docked M/H for a reasonable cost. He can leave his rig parked and still explore at a reasonable cost. He can take people with him and usually does when your traveling buddies have 5vers.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:52 AM  

  • Some diesel coaches are getting near 10-11 mpg and when they're home or unhooked their toads get 30 mpg around town. For the co-pilots a coach is even better as it's not necessary to stop for a snack or potty break.

    By Blogger cliff goble, at 7:51 AM  

  • I think it follows the National trend of the Have & Have nots gap that is slowly widening. I pull a 32 FT TT

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 7:51 AM  

  • I would assume that because there is no national disaster and the federal government is selling not buying 5th wheels for those who lost homes in 2005 / 2006 that sales should be down. I am surprised that it is not more in the 17% range.
    M H

    By Blogger Mel, at 8:37 AM  

  • Trailer VS Motorhome, No right or wrong: We full time in a quality 40 ft non-slide motorhome that averages 8.2 mpg. We recognize that many 5th wheels have a slightly better floor plan. But our MH has 3000 lbs of CCC. Plus, we use our toad a lot once we arrive at our destination. We do a lot of back roads exploring in the 30 mpg toad. Using a large pu as a daily driver does not appeal to me.

    By Blogger 4trvlBOB, at 9:07 AM  

  • We've had 5er, Class C and Class A, gas and diesel. We have a toad for local sightseeing, always felt like "sitting duck" in trailer. Also easier to drop off toad than to back in, park, disconnect trailer. In MH I'm ready to go without exiting my security box.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:03 AM  

  • I think part of the reason is that 'quality' towables and fifth wheels are getting heavier and therefore requires larger tow vehicles. Some people do not want to sightsee in a one ton or larger truck that gets poor mileage when they can do it in the comfort of an automobile that gives excellent mileage.
    Jerry

    By Anonymous Jerry, at 10:17 AM  

  • I think Mel hit it right in the head there. I decided to keep a trailer on land I purchased but did not want to tie up my 5er for that purpose. We picked up a nice little single slide 1 conventional with a small bedroom for WAY less than I could have on the open market, right from the GSA auction, I showed up with my truck, and pulled it a couple days later. It had some minor cosmetic issues, and needed a matress. Whoopee, I hated the ones they deliver with them anyway.

    So for a bit over 5K I bought an almost new trailer that I put on the land, and before I could even use it, my neighbor heard about how much I paid and bought the thing out from under me for 3K more than I paid, and he also reimbursed me for gas and registration fees.

    Two lessons, look at the factors affecting towables on a national scale.....
    and never tell your neighbor how much you paid....

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:14 AM  

  • Gee you think maybe people are buying used? With all the horror stories I have heard about dealer problems on trailers and fifth wheels, people probably don't want the hassle of fixing the mfrs mess before enjoying thier rigs. Also, Inventory of MH has a number of items affecting it such as pre-orders and build times for custom units,
    There may be a dealer incentive to sell the previous year of MH becuase the state may tax or inventory them differently, and the 2007 diesel laws are coming into effect, which makes people wonder what is going on in the towable market. Now in CA you have to SMOG your 2008 diesel pickup.

    Add to that MH dealers are offering HUGE discounts to get inventory off their lots, which I don't see happening in the towables, (at least not to the degree I see it on MH's).

    I think the Gas prices are going to make a major difference in sales for all RV's and MH sales numbers are just lagging the towables for now.

    The number one issue I think is the ton of relitively cheep Katrina trailers out there. If your quick, you can get one for less than half the cost of one on the used market. Why would you buy new?

    I would be really interested to know if the REGISTRATION of used trailers 2004-2005 model years went up? With THOUSANDS of these units pouring into the market it is absolutely no wonder new sales are lagging.

    By Anonymous Matt, at 10:29 AM  

  • A few have mentioned it, but I'll say it again: Convenience! In a MH (Class C and A), the spouse and kids can go to the bathroom when they need to, can grab a soda/water, etc. As nice and "spacey" as the 5th wheels are, you still have to stop for the above and for lunch.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:37 PM  

  • I have had trailers; motorhomes; and currently have a fifth wheel. Gas powered motorhomes ofcourse will never get good milage. We travel frequently with our neighbours who own a 34 foot motorhome with 1 slide and a 300 horse cummins. They consistently get between 13 to 15 mpg. I average 13 to 14 mpg towing a 28 ft. fifth wheel with 2 slides with a Dodge cummins. We usually travel 58 miles an hour. Empty, I get 25 mpg. I can live with that mpg when we are unhooked and using the truck for sight seeing.

    By Anonymous Peter D., at 7:05 PM  

  • I drive a Class C motorhome for primarily one reason: Safety, Mine. I can stop, and use the facilities, have a snack, and never leave the security of my locked rig, if I feel so inclined in certain locations. I am a single woman traveling alone, and there are times when getting out would be the risk. I can go from driver's seat to sofa for nap, to bed, without even tipping my hand to the outside world who is inside.

    I also like the flexibility of having a short, nimble, higher-gas mileage toad for driving at my destination. It's all easy to park, and easy to hook up and unhook alone.

    But for sheer floor plan desireability...I love 5ers. Can't have everything, I guess.

    Pat in Minnesota

    By Anonymous Pat, at 10:12 PM  

  • We're tickled pick with our new motorhome, a Winnebago View that averages 17 miles to the gallon. For a 24 foot motorhome that is surprisingly comfortable inside that is phenomenal. Last summer we drove the Alaska Highway, 6000 miles, and our actual overall average was 17 miles to the gallon. Our worst day was 15.5 mpg and our best day was 19.5 mpg. Our View is powered by a Mercedes Benz turbodiesel that does a great job keeping up with traffic.

    By Anonymous AK Sailor, at 11:49 PM  

  • With the deluge of used RV's coming out of the Katrina hit, the towable market will be down until a majority of those units are no longer available.

    A declining housing market also implies less $ available for the average consumer. The average house today is worth less so towable sales are down because the average person has less cash available to withdraw from their equity.

    Motorhome sales are moving up because more boomers are beginning to retire. This trend will continue as most folks who get into RV'ing do so without doing a great deal of research, purchasing the "typical" RV style - a bus. As many will learn (as many do today), the class A may or may not suit their needs. We'll see more resales of newer units in the coming years as folks discover what they like, dislike, or leave the RV market.

    There is no widening of incoming classes in this country. With the folks in the bottom 50 percentile only paying 3% of the total federal income tax revenue, the 51-90 percentile 4%, and the 91-100 percentil the remaining 91%, we're actually seeing a broadening of the income ranges versus 30 years ago where a greater portion of the taxes were paid by the two lower income brackets combined. Just have to know a bit of history.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:22 AM  

  • Nobody mentioned the new FRED; FRont Engine Diesel Class A motor home. These things get 12/13 miles to the gallon and the ability to tow a fuel efficient car/truck. After much research of 5th wheel toy-haulers, we decided to go the Class A route. I drive a F350 in my profession and would not really want to spend alot of time in one going cross country. Our new FRED is comfortable, economical(sort-of), convenient and we can still bring a toy with us in the bed of our small P/U.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:42 AM  

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