Posted by RV Pro on Jan 29, 2010
Move over gramps! That sharp-looking motorhome that just cruised into the space next to yours is more likely to be owned by someone in his 30s or 40s than a retiree enjoying his golden years. RVs used to be associated with the silver-haired set, but no more. Today, it’s folks in their 30s and 40s who are driving up RV sales.
RV buyers under age 35 are the fastest growing segment of America’s RV Nation. RV owners in their 40s now outnumber RVing seniors who have passed their 55th birthday. While Baby Boomers have been swelling RV ownership ranks for years, nearly 1 in 9 American families led by 35 to 54-year-olds now owns an RV. High RV ownership rates extend across the 40-year age span from 35 to 75. The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) estimates that America’s RV Nation is 30 million strong and growing!
It’s not surprising then that RV sales rose 23% last year despite the country’s economic problems and are predicted to increase by 27% this year. No wonder investment guru Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. invested $40 million in RV manufacturer Coachmen Industries when stock prices hit a recession pothole in 2008. Buffet’s faith in the future of the RV industry has certainly paid off, and your investment in an RV will too. Online RV sales offer plenty of variety and excellent prices. Isn’t it time you joined the RV Nation?
Posted by RV Pro on Jan 27, 2010
Gardeners may spend their winters pouring over seed catalogs, but RVers spend their winters pouring over maps and travel brochures. Of course, many RVers plan their next trip while enjoying their current travel destination. But a fair number of RVers tied to school and work schedules store their RVs during the winter and wait until spring to hit the road.
Whether you plan on the go from your RV cockpit or from the comfy confines of your living room sofa, there are a few planning tips guaranteed to make your next RV trip enjoyable:
> Get out the maps. Maps give you an instant bird’s eye view of possible routes making trip planning easier. Use regional multi-state maps to plot main routes, but don’t neglect to check state and local area maps. State and local maps provide greater detail and pinpoint local attractions, scenic byways, parks and campgrounds.
> Use the Internet. The Internet is a great resource for finding areas that promote an activity you’re interested in; for instance, finding bike trails or canoe liveries. You can check out area attractions, including hours and prices and even make reservations and print directions.
> Visitors centers. Always stop at the visitors center when you cross a state line. You’ll find lots of great brochures and money-off coupons for popular attractions. Some visitors centers are staffed and will help you locate activity information and plot directions.
> Word of mouth. Don’t be shy about asking other RVers about what to see and do. You may discover a rare gem.
Posted by RV Pro on Jan 25, 2010
Consider it a testimony to the popularity of RV travel. Love-lorn bachelor Jake Pavelka, star of the fourth season of ABC’s popular The Bachelor series, loads up this season’s bevy of beautiful hopefuls tonight and strikes out on a week-long RV tour. Temporarily trading in his pilot’s wings for keys to a luxury RV, Jake and the gals sample RV life in a rented de luxe Class A motorhome.
Admittedly, the group will be experiencing the high end of RV life. The Bachelor, after all, is known for immersing its contestants in the finer things of life. But it should be interesting to see where they go — producers promise that the gang will tour “some of the wildest places imaginable” — and whether RV travel helps the group pull together or whether the closeness tears them apart. RV travel is known and enjoyed for its ability to bring families together, but Jake and his beauties certainly aren’t your typical “family.”
Teasers for the show do make it sound like RV travel manages to advance the cause of love. Producers did say that some of the comments overheard from the back of the RV were enough to “make these grown men blush.” Check out the new episode tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern on your local ABC station.
RV rentals are a great way to checkout different RV models and see if the RV lifestyle is for you. Find RV rentals and great buys on new and used RVs on RVT.com.
Posted by RV Pro on Jan 22, 2010
RVs are going green. Consumers are scaling back on their expenses but not their lifestyle. RV buers want comfortable spaces and great features tied up in an energy-efficient, fuel-efficient package that’s cheap to operate – and RV manufacturers are working hard to deliver. In the last week we’ve talked about new energy-saving construction techniques and materials, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. New technology and innovative ideas are finding their way into mainstream RV design and construction. Here are some of the new green RV features to watch for:
> LED lights are being featured in both exterior and interior lighting applications. LED lights consume just one-quarter of the electricity required by conventional lighting, and lamps last more than 10 times as long.
> Fuel cell technology manufactured in Germany is getting a test run in the U.S. Light-weight, compact fuel cells have the potential to replace generators as an RV energy source.
> Energy Star appliances are becoming standard.
> Light-weight composites and sustainable materials like bamboo are being used in the construction of counters, cabinets and flooring.
> Light-weight aluminum frame/foam cushion furniture and beds are being created especially for RV use.
> Double-pane, tinted acrylic windows with integrated roller blinds keep RVs cooler on hot, sunny days.
> Integrated solar energy roofs will eventually replace mounted solar panels.
> Retractable wind turbines that can be raised onsite and lowered during travel will provide an additional RV energy source.
Posted by RV Pro on Jan 20, 2010
In addition to light-weight composite construction, RV manufacturers are introducing more aerodynamic designs, lighter-weight exterior and interior components, feather-light foam insulation and a host of other improvements to decrease the weight of RVs. Fuel and energy efficiency certainly head the list of goals, but some RV travel trailer manufacturers also aim to create RVs light enough to be pulled by the average 4-cylinder family sedan — and they’re getting closer.
At December’s National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Jayco showed off a new, aerodynamic, V-n0se front profile for its 2011 Skylark travel trailer. Jayco further streamlined the RV trailer by moving the air conditioner off the roof and repositioning it at the floor line. In addition to increasing aerodynamics, this lowered the trailer’s center of gravity, allowing Jayco to use a single axle system that further lightens Skylark’s load.
New RVs feature light-weight aluminum shell and frame construction instead of heavier wood. Some manufacturers are moving to even lighter-weight composites and experimenting with a variety of recycled content for exterior and interior features. One manufacturer is constructing shells out of a new durable Fiberglas.
RV manufacturers are also working to cut construction (and sales prices) by recycling and reusing construction materials. Construction scrap is being recycled into RV components like storage unit doors and light-weight cabinet doors.
With marketable hybrid RVs still in their infancy, decreasing RV weight seems to be the most effective way to increase RV fuel efficiency.
Posted by RV Pro on Jan 18, 2010
The RV industry is going green. Many of the most exciting innovations on display at the annual RV show in Louisville were aimed at making RVs more energy efficient and even more environmentally friendly. Since most RVers are already tuned into the environment, it seems to be a good fit. Crowds were particularly attracted to many of the new green RVs on display that featured solar panels, wind turbines, sustainable interiors, light-weight composite construction (see our January 15 post), hybrid fuels and other eco-friendly innovations.
So much interest has been generated in producing green RVs that T.R. Arnold and Associates, a respected international accredited certifier of quality management systems, is rolling out a green certification program for RVs. Similar to the LEED green building certification program sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council, the new TRA Green Certification promises to apply green building standards to RV manufacturing, particularly the manufacturing of park model RVs.
The company is currently working with the RV industry to develop reliable standards that can be applied not only to the construction of RVs and more fuel-efficient engines but to RV products like awnings, appliances, light fixtures, etc. A TRA Green Certification designation will guarantee RV buyers that the RV they are purchasing has (1) been constructed using green building materials and techniques that create minimal impact on the environment and (2) that its operating systems, appliances and special features are energy efficient.
Posted by RV Pro on Jan 15, 2010
Composite materials are one of the new innovations in RV construction that are revolutionizing the RV industry. Light-weight composite materials are one of the newest eco-friendly features driving the green revolution in RV construction. Composite materials are allowing RV manufacturers to build lighter RVs. Less weight translates into greater fuel efficiency and savings at the gas pump — a guaranteed selling point with RV buyers.
At the National RV Trade show in Louisville last month, potential RV buyers were wowed by EverGreen’s introduction of its new Ever-Lite fifth-wheel RV trailer. The first-ever all-composite RV, the 30-foot Ever-Lite weighs in at a slight 7,500 pounds fully equipped. Built using a new ComposiTek construction process originally developed for the military, the Ever-Lite features seamless, one-piece construction integrated onto an I-beam frame. Composite materials are vacuum laminated onto a structural frame made of double-welded aluminum. The result is an extremely light-weight yet durable RV that the manufacturer says will stand up better than traditionally-constructed RVs to punishing road conditions and constant travel.
Besides their lighter weight, composite materials offer additional important advantages. Composite materials are tougher and more durable than standard RV building materials. Totally wood-free exteriors and one-piece construction make these RVs impervious to moisture. No more worries about dry-rot, mold and mildew!
Composite materials are just one of the new green products that are changing the RV industry. Next week we’ll tell you what else is coming round the bend!
Posted by RV Pro on Jan 13, 2010
Listen carefully and you can hear America groaning! Income tax booklets have started arriving in the mail. Happily, there’s a bit of silver lining for RVers this tax season. Folks who vacation, live or work from a recreational vehicle may be eligible for a certain deductions on their federal income taxes. That’s good news for the thousands of folks who enjoy the comfortable, carefree RV lifestyle. This year’s RV tax deductions should make life a little easier for cash-strapped families who use their RVs for economical family trips, retirees on fixed incomes who have embraced the affordability of full-time RVing, mobile workers who enjoy the convenience of RV life, and the many other folks who enjoy RVing.
Check with the IRS or your tax consultant to determine your eligibility for specific deductions. Look for these RV tax deductions on this year’s tax return:
> An RV used as second home may qualify as an itemized deduction; but the RV must contain a toilet, cooking facilities and sleeping accommodations.
> If you purchased a new RV this year, you may be able to deduct the sales tax you paid.
> Many states allow deduction of a portion of RV registration fees.
> If you work from your RV or use it for business entertaining or transportation, you may be able to claim certain business deductions.
With the IRS lending a hand, it’s a great time to purchase an RV and take advantage of the incredible online deals available on RVT.com.
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1999 Monaco La Palma Scottsdale, AZ
2003 American Coach American Tradition 40Q 2 Slides Apopka, FL
2010 Forest River salem Paramount, CA
2007 Fleetwood 37C LaBelle, FL
2006 Itasca Suncruiser Peoria, AZ