Trump's tariffs trip up the all-American RV industry

[transporter]

Trump's tariffs trip up the all-American RV industry

About 85% of the recreational vehicles sold in the United States are built in and around Elkhart County, making it a popular stop for politicians to tout their visions for U.S. manufacturing – including President Donald Trump, who staged a rally here last May.

And yet this uniquely American manufacturing sector has been caught in the crossfire of Trump’s trade war, according to interviews with industry insiders and economists, along with data showing a steep sales decline amid rising costs and consumer prices. The industry has taken hits from U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum and other duties on scores of Chinese-made RV parts, from plumbing fixtures to electronic components to vinyl seat covers.

Shipments of RVs to dealers have fallen 22% percent in the first five months of this year, compared to the same period last year, after slipping 4% in 2018, according to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association.

The RV industry’s woes illustrate how even the most “American” of manufacturers, the kind of industries Trump has vowed to protect, can be heavily exposed to tariffs in a world of globalized supply chains.

Remember, trade wars are easy to win!!

 

[Hessian]

The RV market is saturated. The percentage of camping consumers shopping for new/more RVs has declined. The tariffs have a negligible effect on the health of the RV market. Try again.

 

[limblips]

Maybe now the manufacturers will start using quality components and not the cheap, failure prone Chinese crap. I am shopping for a new fiver and am not wowed with the quality of the units I have looked at. Maybe the market decline is partially attributable to lack of quality?

 

[Yooper]

The RV market is saturated. The percentage of camping consumers shopping for new/more RVs has declined. The tariffs have a negligible effect on the health of the RV market. Try again.

Maybe now the manufacturers will start using quality components and not the cheap, failure prone Chinese crap. I am shopping for a new fiver and am not wowed with the quality of the units I have looked at. Maybe the market decline is partially attributable to lack of quality?

Agree on all points (especially that which I "bolded"). The industry's business model is still stuck in the "1970s" (from manufacturing through dealers through sales through service). There's a whole heck of a lot wrong with the industry than simply tariffs. Tariffs may add to the problems the industry faces, but they're the least of them. And complaints about them, to my mind, are just attempts at deflection. (I'm speaking not from a distance, but as an involved owner of an RV.)

--- End of line (MCP)

 

[nutz]

Maybe now the manufacturers will start using quality components and not the cheap, failure prone Chinese crap. I am shopping for a new fiver and am not wowed with the quality of the units I have looked at. Maybe the market decline is partially attributable to lack of quality?

Have you looked at these?

https://www.granddesignrv.com/sites/default/files/brochures/Momentum-Brochure-062619lq.pdf

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[Yooper]

Have you looked at these?

https://www.granddesignrv.com/sites/default/files/brochures/Momentum-Brochure-062619lq.pdf

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Good post to discuss from further. Thanks.

I agree that there's a number of good units/manufacturers out there. But they're essentially boutique operations (very few locations requiring a resource investment of time and distance to purchase). I can handle the investment in time and distance, but what isn't a joy (and perhaps the industry's Achilles heel) is the service angle. Limited mechanics in both talent and numbers, huge wait times, and a (logical) system of servicing tickets of "everyone else" only after in-house buyers service needs are met.

--- End of line (MCP)

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Good post to discuss from further. Thanks.

I agree that there's a number of good units/manufacturers out there. But there essentially boutique operations (very few locations requiring a resource investment of time and distance to purchase). I can handle the investment in time and distance, but what isn't a joy (and perhaps the industry's Achilles heel) is the service angle. Limited mechanics in both talent and numbers, huge wait times, and a (logical) system of servicing tickets of "everyone else" only after in-house buyers service needs are met.

--- End of line (MCP)

All that, and it's still made with overseas material/components.

It's simply the world we live in.

 

[limblips]

Have you looked at these?

https://www.granddesignrv.com/sites/default/files/brochures/Momentum-Brochure-062619lq.pdf

Best Luxury Fifth Wheels & Best Fifth Wheel Toy Haulers

Luxury fifth wheels by Luxe are designed for the Full-Time fifth wheel living experience. We build the best luxury fifth wheels & luxury toy haulers

luxefifthwheel.com

Not yet but some friends just bought one. They just got back from their shakedown trip and are very pleased with it. They are pricey but friend claims the quality is much better than their old one.

 

[PsyOps]

The RV market????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[Chris0nllyn]

The RV market????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It's likely more important to those people working in that industry. I guess we can add them to the farmers and steel workers already affected by the tariffs.

But hey, we'll get there one day.

 

[PsyOps]

It's likely more important to those people working in that industry. I guess we can add them to the farmers and steel workers already affected by the tariffs.

But hey, we'll get there one day.

Keep dreaming of your perfect little world, that will never exist even if you get your bestest president.

 

[nutz]

Good post to discuss from further. Thanks.

I agree that there's a number of good units/manufacturers out there. But they're essentially boutique operations (very few locations requiring a resource investment of time and distance to purchase). I can handle the investment in time and distance, but what isn't a joy (and perhaps the industry's Achilles heel) is the service angle. Limited mechanics in both talent and numbers, huge wait times, and a (logical) system of servicing tickets of "everyone else" only after in-house buyers service needs are met.

--- End of line (MCP)

Hang around one of the service areas and take a look at the other side. The RV manufacturers dont necessarily place the same components in the same place on the same model. It can give even a great mechanic headaches looking for where something is.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Keep dreaming of your perfect little world, that will never exist even if you get your bestest president.

It sure won't because the world, nor any politician, is perfect.

What can be criticized is a president who clearly doesn't know what tariffs are and the fallout from his own decision. He can't blame this on Democrats, or Congress, this is on him.

But like I said, lets wait and see.