Winnebago takes #2 spot for June sales

[markopolo]

Winnebago has moved into the #2 spot for June retail registrations according to this report on RV Business: http://www.rvbusiness.com/2014/08/ssi-c ... p-of-42-3/

I'd love to know the breakdown by model to see which units are selling. Of the top three Class B manufacturers only Winnebago currently offers models based on the Ram ProMaster chassis.

As a side note: Safari Condo, Sportsmobile and Great West Vans also offer models based on the Ram ProMaster chassis.

I can't wait for the fall RV show season to start. I expect to see more or revised units based on the Ram ProMaster chassis and maybe a Ford Transit based unit or two

For anyone interested, I try to keep an ongoing archive of the market info published on RVIA and RV Business each month in the Industry News section here: http://www.classbforum.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=13

[gerrym51]

Marko- i have a question. i always take these sales numbers with a grain of salt.

My question. how are b sales classified. if a maker makes what they call B+. is it counted as a C or B.

some examples. Pleaure way makes the pursuit-but on paper it's a B.

winnebego makes several B+. are they counted as c or b.

Most leisure travel vans are actually C(or b+).

are the figures given really accurate for B.

[markopolo]

I take the reports at face value. B's are B's and C's are C's etc.

The same company tracks Class C and Class A sales. It is doubtful that anyone would undercut a Class C total to enhance a Class B total as Class C's are the larger market place.

This question came up often when Thor edged out Pleasure-Way for 2nd place and here's an exact copy paste quote of a portion of SSI's reply to my inquiry re: Thor:

we only count Airstreams in the class B report for Thor

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by markopolo

I take the reports at face value. B's are B's and C's are C's etc.

The same company tracks Class C and Class A sales. It is doubtful that anyone would undercut a Class C total to enhance a Class B total as Class C's are the larger market place.

This question came up often when Thor edged out Pleasure-Way for 2nd place and here's an exact copy paste quote of a portion of SSI's reply to my inquiry re: Thor:

would you say a Pleasure way prestige is a c or b. a poster on rv.net insists it's a B because pleasure way call it a B and has B on the bill of sale.

Leisure Travel Vans are most;y C's. how are they listed

[Davydd]

RV.net has a lot of trolls in the Class B forum. That forum clearly states a Class B is a van conversion of some kind. RV.net has even gone as far as to provide a B+ subforum in the Class C forum for them yet they still persist. Marko here calls this board Class B Forum but has never excluded small Cs or B+s from participating and the discussion has seemingly been smoother here.

[markopolo]

To me, the Pursuit, Prestige & the new Plateau XL are all Class C's.
I like the B+ description for some units but I still put B+ in the Class C category.

The experience with a small Class C or B+ will be similar to Class B so it makes sense for owners to participate and follow Class B forums and groups. For some repair advice or construction questions they get a broader range of advice from Class C forums.

[bobojay]

PleasureWay has really muddied the waters lately with some new offerings. Their Ascent, Lexor, Plateau FL & TS are true class B's built on a van. The new Plateau XL, Prestige & Pursuit are class C's, built off cutaway chassis, but PW calls them all B's.

PW is really falling behind some others on their niceties, sticking with the basic older equipment levels on their offerings.....

[gerrym51]

firstoff- i amnot here to dis on any rv. what i am interested in is how an rv is classidied on sales lists. I f a maker-well say pleasure way as an example. if they says the prestige is a b-and puts it on paper as a b-is it counted as a b even if a c.

just about a leisure travel vans are C's. however if Leisure travel vans put B on the sales papers-is it counted as a B.

I think some of these companies -winnebago for one-puts B+ in the B catagories.

[Davydd]

Maybe those stats are Class Bs (or vans) only because Mercedes Benz claims they delivered 6,000 "Sprinters" to the North American RV market last year. So, since they said Sprinters and not vans I have to take it that it meant cutaway chassis as well in that number. Most all Sprinter cutaway Cs are in the B+ sphere of jargon.

[markopolo]

In the Class C arena it's:

#1 Forest River 35%
#2 Thor 26.9%
#3 Winnebago 22.9%

through the first 6 months of this year. Link: http://www.rvbusiness.com/2014/08/ssi-m ... 4-in-june/

Winnebago clearly lists the Trend and View etc. as Class C http://www.gowinnebago.com/
Their Class B's have their own website: http://winnebagotouring.com/

The Class C category is just as or even more competitive as the Class B category and 6+ Class C's ship for every 1 Class B.

10,459 Class C's shipped through the first 6 months. http://www.rvia.org
1,595 Class B's shipped through the first 6 months. http://www.rvia.org

I'll add that, when I queried Winnebago directly about the Trend and Viva on the Ram ProMaster chassis for info for Class B Forum, they indicate it shouldn't be in a B forum. They pointed out that their Travato was a Class B on the Ram ProMaster chassis not the Trend or Viva.

I'm just pointing out why I think B's are in the B report and C's are in the C report. I guess the only way I'd be convinced otherwise is to see incorrectly categorized units on the actual reports.

[bobojay]

The class C numbers are somewhat a misnomer too. I'd like to see the actual made for retail numbers of the 3 biggies. I'd bet the % would change to Winnebago's favor. They don't make very many RV's, if any for rental companies like FR & Thor do with the Ford chassis all day

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by bobojay

The class C numbers are somewhat a misnomer too. I'd like to see the actual made for retail numbers of the 3 biggies. I'd bet the % would change to Winnebago's favor. They don't make very many RV's, if any for rental companies like FR & Thor do with the Ford chassis all day

some body on the Roadtreking website-who is supposedly in the know-claims Airstream(owned by thor) shifts class B+ to the B catagory. I really have no clue.

[wincrasher]

well that makes no sense. What b+ does airstream make? All they have is the B class Interstate.

Now Thor, the parent company, may do that, as they make many different varieties.

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

well that makes no sense. What b+ does airstream make? All they have is the B class Interstate.

Now Thor, the parent company, may do that, as they make many different varieties.

I phrased it wrong-Thor-shifts some B+ numbers to airstream-thats what they implied

[markopolo]

The reports come from Statistical Surveys Inc. http://www.statisticalsurveys.com/
Contact them directly if you have any questions. Skip the middleman & get the info you want direct from the source

I've already asked Statistical Surveys Inc. about Thor numbers and their reply to me could not be any clearer. Direct copy paste from an email from Statistical Surveys Inc. to me:

we only count Airstreams in the class B report for Thor

[gerrym51]

Originally Posted by markopolo

The reports come from Statistical Surveys Inc. http://www.statisticalsurveys.com/
Contact them directly if you have any questions. Skip the middleman & get the info you want direct from the source

I've already asked Statistical Surveys Inc. about Thor numbers and their reply to me could not be any clearer. Direct copy paste from an email from Statistical Surveys Inc. to me:

Marko-but what does thor tell them.

[markopolo]

Statistical Surveys gets their info from vehicle registration data

http://www.statisticalsurveys.com/rv-motorized.aspx

Maybe people are mixing up Statistical Surveys retail registration reports with RVIA's manufacturer shipment reports.

Manufacturers like Thor or Pleasure-way for example would purchase Statistical Surveys retail registration reports to see how their competition like Winnebago or Leisure Travel is doing.

Roadtrek relies on the data from Statistical Surveys and uses it to promote their brand: http://www.roadtrek.com/are_we_number_one.aspx So they obviously think the data from Statistical Surveys is meaningful and reliable. If it was questionable data then I doubt they'd use it.

Let's keep this topic on track about Winnebago's current success. It's been a steady year of progress for them.

Here's the topic for discussing market share of other manufacturers and shipment info etc.: http://www.classbforum.com/phpBB2/vi...hp?f=13&t=2498