Class B Market Share, Sales and Shipments

[michaelingp]

My impression (a few years old) is that despite their million dollar inventories, most RV dealers are run like Mom and Pop shops, hiring a lot of relatives, not investing in training, little management and loath to fire anyone. My favorite experience was at a Maryland dealer we visited. The only salesman in the showroom was fast asleep at his desk! We were fine with that, because we could browse the vehicles without being bothered, and he was still asleep when we left!

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by michaelingp

My impression (a few years old) is that despite their million dollar inventories, most RV dealers are run like Mom and Pop shops, hiring a lot of relatives, not investing in training, little management and loath to fire anyone. My favorite experience was at a Maryland dealer we visited. The only salesman in the showroom was fast asleep at his desk! We were fine with that, because we could browse the vehicles without being bothered, and he was still asleep when we left!

You and kite-rider just need to have some dealings with Lichtsinn RV in Iowa. Their sales staff is trained several hours throughout the week on all their units, and can answer most any question about their inventory. If not they find out and get back to you. Everything is up front and 100% honest dealing. Their service writers and some of their service guys are hired from Winnebago, most with more than 10 years WGO service. Not like most of the RV dealers out there you are talking about for sure....
Am I biased? For sure. We've had 3 no less than perfect deals with them up there along with the delivery experiences

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by michaelingp

My impression (a few years old) is that despite their million dollar inventories, most RV dealers are run like Mom and Pop shops, hiring a lot of relatives, not investing in training, little management and loath to fire anyone. My favorite experience was at a Maryland dealer we visited. The only salesman in the showroom was fast asleep at his desk! We were fine with that, because we could browse the vehicles without being bothered, and he was still asleep when we left!

True for the majority of dealers but there are exceptions. For Class Bs there is Van City in St Louis and their associated dealers elsewhere, Sunshine State RV in Florida, and there was American RV in Grand Rapids MI which has been bought by Camping World so who knows what has happened there, just to name a few...

[bobojay]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

True for the majority of dealers but there are exceptions. For Class Bs there is Van City in St Louis and their associated dealers elsewhere, Sunshine State RV in Florida, and there was American RV in Grand Rapids MI which has been bought by Camping World so who knows what has happened there, just to name a few...

Van City is now part of a dealer group with zero ties to the previous great owner. I had recent dealings with both St Louis and Colorado. Neither were nowhere what the previous experience was with the "old" Van City.
They have become a major Leisure Travel dealer and are now leaning towards class C's