Where oh where have the 5th wheels gone?

[Peteandsharon]

Well, we took in the Chicago RV show this afternoon. Met Jim B. for the first time and had a good time. However, I was completely shocked by the lack of good sized 5th wheels. Outside of two Bighorns and a scattering of other rigs, the 5th wheels were almost extinct. Smaller travel trailers, popups, the new teardrop shaped mini trailers....... they were all there. Big motorhomes..... they were there too. But somebody lost the 5th wheels. That show used to have Holiday Ramblers, Mobile Suites, King of the Roads etc. etc. Now..... nade, zilch zip. I almost thought I was at a European RV show.

First a Swedish style banking system and now a German style RV show. God help us! Last one out of the USA bring the flag.

 

[SmokeyBare]

They all decided to do the Tampa Florida Show... Could it be they decided it was warmer ? The over all show claimed to have 1,200 RV's... but It sure seemed like more... Jim B was one busy guy while there... people were waiting in line to have a chance to get to chat to Da' Boss !

 

[jbeletti]

Hi Pete and Sharon,

Neat to meet you at the Kramer's display. I got a chance to swing through the whole show. Seemed to be about 25% light on RVs from past years. DRV did have a Mobile and Select Suites at the show. I toured the Mobile Suites.

Jim

 

[Peteandsharon]

Thanks, Jim. Good to meet you too. After posting earlier I went back and looked closely at the floor plan for the show and I did see a section where we might have missed some rigs. Holiday Hour was tucked back in a corner and they typically have the Mobile Suites and Titaniums etc. Even still, we did go through some dealers such as Colliers from Rockford who almost always bring Montanas, Presidentials etc. Not a single fiver in their stable. If you assume that a typical show in the past had maybe 20% fivers out of all the rigs (just a wild guess and probably low) I'd bet this years show had less than half of that. We typically grab a brochure from any nice fiver, regardless of manufacturer, just as a souvenier and something to look through. My bag was almost empty this year.

 

[jbeletti]

I went into a Titanium for the first time. I don't care for the bed in the cab-over area. That's a big step down from the bed for a pet too.

Went into the two Excels by Peterson. Nice. And $$.

Jim

 

[Peteandsharon]

Well I got a little bit of validation today that I'm not totally crazy. Not in this area anyway. I spoke to my dealer today who was at the Chicago show and asked him if he thought the show was "light" on 5th wheels. He totally agreed and named a few dealers who normally bring 5th wheels and who this year brought none. He also mentioned the absence of toy haulers which I hadn't noticed but in hindsight he is absolutely right. His feeling is that that niche is a dying niche. I guess with people having fewer toys, the need for toy haulers is not as great.