Class B Market Share, Sales and Shipments

[avanti]

It costs a lot of money to develop a model on a new platform. Nobody's going to do it just to do it. As mlts22 suggests, it is not clear that there is enough daylight between the Sprinter and the PM to be worth the trouble. Now, if Toyota shows up...

[B Eventually]

If a Transit shows up at the fall RV shows, how long would it take to be available? A Transit Travato with 3 second row seatbelts would be very appealing.

[Davydd]

There shouldn't be any short supply right now at least for prototyping and announcing. I am seeing Transits all over.

[Jostalli]

I don't see the need for a Transit van conversion. It's got less cargo volume than both the Sprinter and Promaster. It's also more expensive than the Promaster but is no higher in quality to justify the premium.

The Transit benefits are better suited for other purposes (ie. cheap people hauling, towing, fast gas engine).

[wincrasher]

As I've speculated before, you'll see them in C class first. Isn't the current cut-away still available with the V-10? Until those are gone, I doubt you'll see a Transit.

Remember, R&D monies are budgeted like anything else, on an annualized basis. So if there was R&D money for 2015, it's probably been spent already. If you don't see anything at Hershey, it's probably not until Louisville next year before you see anything.

[rtz]

In Winnebago's case; they could offer the Travato in both the Promaster and the Transit just for a greater product offering.

--

I looked at their plant on google maps; they have railroad tracks running all over the place but they don't use them. Wouldn't it be cheaper to get a trainload of Promasters straight out of Mexico rather than have them trucked in 2 at a time? Kansas City Missouri is a lot closer to them as far getting Transits is concerned.

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by rtz

In Winnebago's case; they could offer the Travato in both the Promaster and the Transit just for a greater product offering.

--

I looked at their plant on google maps; they have railroad tracks running all over the place but they don't use them. Wouldn't it be cheaper to get a trainload of Promasters straight out of Mexico rather than have them trucked in 2 at a time? Kansas City Missouri is a lot closer to them as far getting Transits is concerned.

They get their Sprinters straight in from Germany. No stopping in South Carolina to be reassembled. (Foreign Trade Zone at the plant in Iowa) Volume buying does that.

The Transits will be delivered via truck. It's right at 340 miles to Forest City from Kansas City.
Personal opinion is Ford is not too interested at the moment in selling the Transit to RV builders, unfortunately. They are moving about all they can build now working 2 shifts 50 hrs per week plus some Saturdays.....

[markopolo]

July 2015 Class B Shipment stats have been published on RVIA's site The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association: RVIA Main Site Home

Shipments are down 8.9% compared to last July. They are still up 5.2% year to date.

July 2015 Class B Shipments.JPG

94 more Class B vans have shipped this year compared to same time frame last year.

[booster]

Dealer lots must be getting too full, with winter coming and all. I do look at the Lake Region RV site once in a while, and it sure seems like stuff is on their lot a long time. They still have a Zion in stock and it has been there since the early deliveries of them. RS Adventurous does seem to be the best mover in the Bs that they sell, if I had to guess. I think the Leisure Cs are also selling quite well.

[bobojay]

We visited a WGO dealer last Sunday to take a gander at a Travato 59K. Said it had been there 3 weeks with zero interest. Surprised me!!
She, (the dealership owner), said she could sell 3 or 4 59G's if she could get them

[Scottbaldassari]

Originally Posted by bobojay

....said she could sell 3 or 4 59G's if she could get them

I have been watching for a couple months for a 2015-1/2 or 2016 59-G to show up at my nearby dealers. They each have older 59-G's and newer K's. Probably won't order new G's till they get rid of old ones....

[Jostalli]

Originally Posted by bobojay

We visited a WGO dealer last Sunday to take a gander at a Travato 59K. Said it had been there 3 weeks with zero interest. Surprised me!!
She, (the dealership owner), said she could sell 3 or 4 59G's if she could get them

Not surprised. The 59K is an odd interior.

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by Jostalli

Not surprised. The 59K is an odd interior.

We both liked it and it would be our choice of the 2. Not very much storage at all though. Have to travel with minimal "stuff".
VERY open feeling inside. Liked the bathroom setup also. Plenty of elbow room to do paperwork....have to get used to the sink

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by Jostalli

Not surprised. The 59K is an odd interior.

Although I chose the "G", and it was the right choice for my wife and I, there's something very appealing, at a primal level, of sitting on the throne with the backdoors wide open watching the world.

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by eric1514

Although I chose the "G", and it was the right choice for my wife and I, there's something very appealing, at a primal level, of sitting on the throne with the backdoors wide open watching the world.

.....

[Davydd]

July is July. Circumstances are the same as last year but there were 20 fewer sold this year despite the assumed positive introduction of the Promaster to the mix. No matter how you cut it, it is not good news.

[wincrasher]

Not surprising. Fuel price is falling by the day. Stupid people are going back to huge gas guzzling rigs without concern about what will happen when prices bounce back. Sad, really.

I think the popularity of the 59G is apparent. That floorplan is more appealing to the sports-active demographic that the Travato is targeting.

[markopolo]

July 2015 Class B Sales stats have been posted on RV Business:
http://www.rvbusiness.com/2015/09/ssi-class-b-sales-increase-9-6-in-july-21-5-ytd/

Sales were up 9.6%

Year-over-year Class B motorhome retail registrations increased 9.6% in July and 21.5% for the first seven months, according to the latest report from Statistical Surveys Inc. (SSI).

Here's the Class B market share breakdown:

May 2015
Winnebago Industries Inc. 32.5% market share.
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. 27.8% market share.
Thor Industries Inc. 24.5% market share.
Pleasure-Way 10.7% market share.

June 2015
Winnebago Industries Inc. 33% market share.
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. 27.9% market share.
Thor Industries Inc. 24.5% market share.
Pleasure-Way 10.3% market share.

July 2015
Winnebago Industries Inc. 33.8% market share.
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. 27.6% market share.
Thor Industries Inc. 24.1% market share.
Pleasure-Way 10.2% market share.

Winnebago has increased their lead. Looks like they've all settled into their current positions.

[wincrasher]

My, my the gap between 1 & 2 is getting wider. Roadtrek better step up their game!

[markopolo]

and Hymer's still interested in this market: http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f5...ouse-3831.html

Full story on RV Business: Hymer to Exhibit Grand Canyon ‘B’ at Open House | RV Business