RV Industry Faces Worst Spending Slump Since The Great Recession

[TheLooks]

You make some good points @Underboss, especially regarding production volume. But I'm not convinced that building a well-assembled RV would require an $800,000 to $2 million coach.

Many of the issues owners complain about aren't engineering challenges, they're basic workmanship and quality-control issues. Loose plumbing fittings, missing screws, poorly adjusted cabinet doors, sloppy sealant, unsecured wiring, and similar defects don't require a million-dollar coach to prevent. They require better assembly practices and a better final inspection before the coach leaves the factory.

I don't expect Lexus quality in an RV. I do expect all the screws to make the trip from Indiana.

As a mobile tech that got to poke around in the hidden areas of all different kinds and prices of rigs, this is the truth. I have explained in previous posts about meeting 2 guys that worked in the manufacturing side and what they said about the why of poor quality. They just don't care because they have not had to care. That may be finally changing. But I won't hold my breath.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

As a mobile tech that got to poke around in the hidden areas of all different kinds and prices of rigs, this is the truth. I have explained in previous posts about meeting 2 guys that worked in the manufacturing side and what they said about the why of poor quality. They just don't care because they have not had to care. That may be finally changing. But I won't hold my breath.

In My research assembly workers don't care, for most it's a pay check. How then does the auto industry get better numbers on their products?

Test tracks are designed to tear their test vehicles apart. All auto manufacturers have these test tracks, and most of the industry takes the results seriously. The question becomes is the completed RV ever subjected to a test track? The chassis manufacturers have likely tested on a track. But the RV is not their problem.

I know what My uncle told me about why RV production was cancelled by the Dodge nameplate many years ago. My guess is it's the same reason GMC came to the same conclusion.

It had nothing to do with the economy of scale.

As long as the risks are manageable you will likely find a manufacturer selling RVs.