RV Lifestyle is Going Strong!
Thursday, December 18th, 2008While we hear so much in the news about the gas price woes, we also know that the RV lifestyle has great appeal to millions of Americans. Some thoughts about this subject were addressed by one of our Excel dealers in Florida when he wrote a letter to the Gainesville Sun. Russ Perkins, owner of Tri Am RV Center in Ocala, Florida wrote:
“The article ‘Gas prices drive RV sales down’ (May 25) is just the experience of two dealers in a region of many, many more.
Our conversations with other dealers in the area indicate that the industry is doing fine and we can speak for ourselves, and say that we are doing better than merely surviving.
People are still buying RVs and they will continue to do so.
The campgrounds in the area are full, the RV resorts are booked well into late summer and when you compare the fuel mileage on an SUV versus driving or pulling an RV, there isn’t much difference.
Many of our customers figure the increase of fuel costs on a 1,000-mile trip will average an additional $100 over last year. You will have at least that much of an increase in other travel expenses. Factor in driving your car, higher cost of eating out and hotel rooms, Rving is still the most economical way to take a vacation.
After over 40 years in business, we have seen many ups and downs, and the RV industry is not dead.
It isn’t driven by gas prices; it is a lifestyle that people choose and enjoy. For every dealership that is doing poorly there are three or four doing well. The media should report on some of the many things that are positive instead of the doom and gloom that we are constantly bombarded with.”
