Archive for the ‘RVs’ Category
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008 |
Tiffin RV is a family owned and operated RV manufacturer operating from Red Bay Alabama since 1972.Originally founded by Bob Tiffin when in 1972 the Commodore Co. left Red Bay leaving behind several motor home chassis which would become the foundation for the first Tiffin RV.
From its beginning Tiffin RVs have stood for quality. Bob Tiffin was convinced that a motor home is a home away from home for its owners and should therefore be built as solidly as a home.
Tiffin-RV-Allegro
Tiffin RVs were first in the industry to use a structural steel skirt. Tiffin RV was also the first to offer a motor-home basement which provided much more storage room and allowed for larger water, sewage and fuel tanks.
Quality and customer service are hallmarks of the Tiffin RV culture. To this day, at rallies for Tiffin Allegro owners, the Tiffin team goes door to door offering to service any of the RVs they’ve sold.
The most well known and popular Tiffin RV is the Allegro. Even the base model Allegro offers amenities assuring you comfortable travel for years to come.
Some of the standard features include:
* Standard cloth sofa with optional Flex Air Hide-a-Bed
* Large pull-out storage drawers in booth dinette
* Decorative wall hanging
* Standard cloth swivel chair with ottoman
* Kitchen with high quality appliances
* Double bowl kitchen sink
* 3-burner cooktop with oven
* One-piece windshield
* Spacious instrument panel
* Designed with ergonomics and comfort in mind
* Comfortable swivel seats
At the top of the line is the truly first class Zephyr. With a palatial interior and fit and finish worthy of intercontinental first class, you will travel in the lap of luxury in a Tiffin RV.
For touring in style the Tiffin RV line has no peer.
For experienced Tiffin RV for Sale, visit Bankston RV an authorized RV dealer with years of experience and a wealth of knowledge on the Tiffin RV and many others.
And, because of our proximity to the Tiffin RV manufacturing plant, we can assure you of the best prices and world class service for your Tiffin Motor Home.
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Monday, October 13th, 2008 |
As with any type and style of used RV for sale, camper, orused travel trailer for sale, a usec 5th wheel for sale has its advantages and disadvantages. Its main advantages are:
Easy Towing because of the gooseneck hitch.
Spacious and roomy inside. A 5th wheel has lots of room inside. If the weather outside is inclement, there is plenty of room for everyone to be inside enjoying the amenities.
Fifth wheel for sale can be detached at destination which frees up the towing vehicle for excursions and trips around the area.
The main disadvantages are:
A towing vehicle, outfitted with a special package to house the gooseneck hitch is needed. Because most 5th wheels are heavy, the towing vehicle needs to be heavy duty. But, on the bright side, manufacturers of rv have begun to introduce lightweight 5th wheels that can be pulled by smaller trucks.
The steps. Some people don’t like the bi-level design of a 5th wheel travel trailer and don’t like having interior steps that lead to either the master bedroom that is typically housed in the area of the trailer that sits over the bed of the towing vehicle (although this area is also sometimes the living room area). If interior steps are a problem, you may want to consider a travel trailer or consider a motorized RV.
The cost. Fifth wheel campers are the most expensive of the towable RV’s which can make them too expensive for entry level buyers. If you really have your heart set on a 5th wheel, consider purchasing a used 5th wheel. There are some very good deals available on “previously road tested” 5th wheels.
Fifth wheel campers are personal favorite type of towable camper because of the ease of towing and the incredible interiors. If you haven’t looked inside a 5th wheel, go to your local 5th wheel dealer and ask to look at one. You’ll be amazed at how nice and how spacious they are on the inside. One popular floor plan, my sister-in-law’s favorite, has a master bedroom at one end of the camper and a room with three bunk beds at the other which is perfect for her three kids. personal favorite floor plan has the master bedroom at one end with a king size bed in it (and an optional washer dryer) and a living room area at the other end with a large bay window and two leather recliners.
Another thing love about 5th wheel campers is their awesome kitchens. They are surprisingly room, with ample cabinet space, the availability of solid surface countertops, the availability of stainless steel appliances in some models, slide out pantries, microwave, kitchen islands (again, depending on the model and manufacturer), and snack bar area.
Remember, when looking for a fifth wheel, first and foremost on your mind should be the towing capacity of your vehicle unless you are buying a different towing vehicle. Once the towing concerns are out of the way, you can concentrate on the style, color, and amenities you want most in your new home away from home.
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Wednesday, October 1st, 2008 |
Camping in a tent or sleeping on the hard ground isn’t everyone’s idea of a meaningful experience with nature. Nowadays, a camping trip often means roughing it in a recreational vehicle or what most people call an RV. It makes sense. The baby boomers hit 40 years ago and a slab of uneven, rocky soil isn’t as forgiving as it once was. Many campers today are looking for something a little more comfy.
RV Insurance: Finding the right recreational vehicle insurance can be a difficult task. If you need help finding the right motorhome insurance company, you might try calling RV America Insurance. RV America writes all types of insurance for RVs, motorhomes, travel trailers, and more. RV America can be reached at 800-400-0186. RV insurance from RV America can include Total Loss replacement, Emergency Expense Coverage, and more.
A motorhome, travel trailer, or other RV is like a small cabin on wheels, usually complete with stove, oven, refrigerator, shower, toilet, beds, heater and 12-volt electrical power. Smaller units may not have bathrooms or hot water. Some rigs, though, have lounge areas, air conditioners, bathtubs, microwave ovens, built-in color televisions, and generators for extra power.
When asked why they like the RV lifestyle, RVers cite the convenience of cooking their own meals, sleeping in their own bed, and taking a hot shower at anyplace, any time, even in a remote campground. They also mention that with an RV they are always packed and ready-to-go.
Compared to automobile travel, where motorists eat at restaurants and sleep in motels, vacationing in a RV is economical. Gasoline and campsites are the major expense. Food costs the same as at home because you cook your own meals. Overnight accommodations are reasonable, usually from about $5 to $25 a night. A surprising number of public campgrounds are still free.
There is, of course, an initial investment. Motorhomes, the most expensive RVs, sell from $25,000 to $250,000, with most between $35,000 and $80,000. Low-priced units are usually not as well constructed as the high-priced models, although it may not be apparent from outward appearances. The over $80,000 units are favored by full-timers, mostly retired couples who live in their rigs much or all of the year. Less expensive motorhomes, $20,000 to $50,000, are best suited for part-time RVers. These units may not have wet bars, trash compactors or built-in televisions, but they’re ideal for weekend camping trips and summer vacations.
Among the least expensive motorhomes are those built on the chassis of small trucks. The advantage of these micro-minis, besides price tags often under $25,000, is their gas mileage, typically around 15 miles per gallon. The disadvantage is that space is often limited, and the units may be underpowered.
Van and Truck campers are more compact than motorhomes, but offer many of the same features at a lower price. Travel trailers, tent trailers, and fifth wheele (trailers with a raised forward section) have no engines and are therefore less expensive to purchase than motorhomes. They may, however, require a special tow vehicle, which can be costly if a would-be RVer doesn’t already own one.
A good idea for many first-time RVers, or buyers on a budget, is to start with a used unit. Second-hand trailers are often available for less than $10,000; used motorhomes sell from $10,000 and up. But be careful when buying a previously owned rig: get a lemon and you’ll likely spend a wad getting it into shape.
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Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 |
Diffendal declined to speak for the record, but forwarded a note he sent to investors in which “the market is not paying proper attention to the accelerating deterioration in Class A motor home retail numbers for Monaco.”
The company’s sales declined more than 10 percent after reaching nearly $1.4 billion.
[Monaco Coach] is having a difficult time along with every other industry participant, with maybe the exception of an analyst for Portland-based Robins Group. “The industry’s statistics show that … Class A sales are down and the towables have started to decline. It’s a big macro issue.”
Class A motor homes are the largest recreational vehicles on the road. Towables are units that must be hauled behind a truck.
Baby boomers aren’t buying large motor homes, gas prices have discouraged consumers and too many manufacturers operate in the space.
Not to mention, the Federal Emergency Management Agency probably won’t be buying another 70,000 trailers for hurricane victims this year.
“It’s hard to make money when your industry is not doing well”.
Yet while sales are down, inventory is skyrocketing. Manufacturers shipped more units in the first six months of 2006 than in any year since 1973, according to the Recreation Industry Vehicle Association, a Reston, Va.-based trade group. Annual shipments should make 2006 the second-best year for shipments since 1978.
Monaco has recognized the strength in the segment. That’s why the company purchased the Indiana-based R-Vision group of companies, which specializes in towables, last year. The company reported that 15 percent of its 2005 sales came from towables, up from 7.6 percent in 2003.
Because of the slump, some analysts say it’s the perfect time to gas up on Monaco stock.
“This is a really good deep value,” said Mike Roarke, a research analyst with Seattle-based McAdams Wright Ragen, a brokerage and investment advisory firm. “It’s not too glamorous … because the business climate isn’t too good, but if you buy it … and tuck it away, you’ll be happy you did, unless people stop buying RVs and Winnebagos.”
Roarke has held a buy rating on the company since May and retains a $17 price target. The company’s stock is trading around $12, but Roarke expects it to climb as fuel prices level out.
In addition to the R-Vision acquisition, the company has also closed its Royale Coach operation in Elkhart, Ind., which manufactured high-end bus conversion motor homes that cost in excess of $1.4 million but were difficult to sell.
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Monday, September 22nd, 2008 |
Inside the door of their 36-foot-long RV is a map that shows the route Bob and Linda Timko have pulled their “fifth wheel“With fuel prices at record levels, they allow that the trips may cover shorter distances – especially when they get 10 miles to the gallon. There will be some sacrifices for the retirees: perhaps fewer meals out, maybe working a part-time job.
But they can’t imagine giving up the RV lifestyle: a sense of freedom and adventure mixed with close friendships developed over years of traveling around the country. They don’t plan to turn in their wheeled home for a condo.
For millions of Americans, towing the vacation home or traveling around the country in an RV is a way of life, even with soaring fuel prices. This time of year, for example, thousands of “snowbirds” are working their way north after spending the winter in Florida – as the Timkos are doing. By Memorial Day, many parks and campgrounds will be full of RVs. In fact, one indication that the RV crowd still considers the price of fuel secondary: Slots in campgrounds and RV parks are filling up fast.
According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), some 8 million households own an RV. One in every 12 vehicle-owning households owns one. About 80 percent are “fifth wheels,” the variety that is towed.
Cabela’s anticipates some spillover effect on its sales. “Some customers travel 500 miles to come to the store to shop,”"A good gauge will be after Memorial Day to see if people will jump in the car or RV to visit us.”
The Pine Hill RV Park in Kutztown can attest to the incoming tide of RVs. Most of the RV park’s 123 sites were taken for Mother’s Day, especially after the offer of a free breakfast Only a few slots are left for Memorial Day weekend,
“This summer, we’ve booked a lot of clubs like the Kangaroos, the Shriners, the Campers for Christ.
Just down the road from Cabela’s, the Boat-N-RV Superstore offers buyers 30 acres’ worth of RVs for sale. The business is expanding, adding a fourth location, Some of the business includes RVers who are downsizing and buying vehicles that use less fuel.
Filling up an RV can be a wallet-sapping event. A Winnebago rv Destination, which has a $164,752 price tag, carries 90 gallons of gasoline. At today’s fuel prices, it would cost $332 to fill it up – an event that occurs relatively frequently since the vehicle gets seven to 10 miles per gallon.
RV manufacturers are trying to produce vehicles that get better fuel mileage. “We’re now building vehicles with a smaller chassis and lighter materials and utilizing engines with better fuel efficiency”.
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Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 |
Used motorhomes are in huge demand lately since it is ideal for vacations or extended land trip, all for much less than the price of a new vehicle. Motorhomes are an excellent option for long trips by land. They help you save money spent on motels or hotel stays and since you can cook your own food, you save from spending at restaurants.
Although, excursions and long trips are appealing to many, most would prefer a more convenient and comfortable way to outside camping or stay at hotels with limited freedom and facilities. It is here where the Motorhomes comes handy. The only glitch is that they are real expensive, so you can go for the “Used Motorhome” models which are cheaper. However, they are costlier than simple cars but are more suitable as they come with the basic requirements needed for long trips/vacations. Moreover, used motorhomes are costlier in the holiday period, so you should try to buy them during the lean period.
Used RVs For Sale for a lot less than brand new ones. These resold motorhomes are sometimes more convenient than brand new ones because the previous owners might also include some of the supplies and equipment that they have bought for the used motorhome. Some previous owners usually sell or give these away to buyers for free just to be able to get rid of them. Knowing the value of these add-on supplies and equipment can be important because they can be used when you go on your own land trip.
Other features that previous owners may have integrated into the second hand RVs are gas tanks for cooking, electric stoves, dishes and utensils, connections to waste disposal units and many others. Motorhomes need to be comfortable for the people who use them. Therefore, you need to feel at home with your new accommodation when you think about purchasing it.
There are numerous sites (both online and offline) where you can find a used motorhome for sale. These motorhomes may have descriptions such as slightly used, or practically brand new or even lady driven but the important thing is to really see it for yourself. Taking the seller’s word regarding the condition of the used motorhome can be foolhardy. You need to check out the state of the engine and the condition of the interior as well as the exterior.
As mentioned earlier, you need to inspect a Used Motorhome and might lack the knowledge and the skills to do so, especially regarding the engines. Therefore, you shall require the help of a mechanic or someone you trust to help you out in the inspection. If you do not feel comfortable buying Used Motorhomes from any RV dealer, you can always inquire for the names of good and reliable dealers dealing in them. Then, you may check out with them and purchase from them.
As is the case in all vehicles, some brands are more popular than others. Therefore, the Used Motorhomes of popular brands shall be costlier than those of other brands and are available for sale online. However, you must be careful before buying them online as “looks can be deceptive”. Their online pictures do not generally match their actual condition and looks. They may look great but are actually old or in poor physical state. So, you need to cross check before making any purchase.
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Monday, September 15th, 2008 |
There are two main categories of recreational vehicles (RV’s); motorized and towable. Motorized RV’s include Class A, Class B, and Class C motorhomes, along with truck campers.
Class A motorhomes for sale are the king of RV’s and are the most expensive. They can easily cost more than a house and can be very luxurious. I dream about owning one someday, but not right now. I’d have to sell my house to buy one and there’s no way all my stuff would fit in a Class A motorhome! But it doesn’t stop me from touring the inside of them at every camper show I attend.
Favorite Class A motorhome at a show earlier this year had all-leather seating, granite kitchen countertops, cherry cabinets, a lighted cherry hutch in the living area, a king size bed in the bedroom, a built-in tv, hardwood floors and an awesome navigation system that my husband nearly drooled on. It was a beautiful motorhome. It came with a beautiful price tag too. The “show special” price was nearly $300,000.
The biggest advantage of a Class A motorhome is that it is a fully functioning self-contained unit. There’s nothing to hitch to a vehicle and tow. It’s just a few steps from the driver’s seat of the motorhome to the living area of the motorhome. Class A motorhomes also have very little setup work when you arrive at your camp site. Compared to towable campers, they’re generally easier to maneuver into a camp site.
Class B motorhomes for sale are typically called camper vans or conversion vans. They are small compact units that usually sleep two or three people, sometimes a few more.Camper vans came into their own when people put bedding and other essentials in their vans so they could have a mobile lifestyle.
As a general rule, Class C motorhomes are smaller than Class A motorhomes but larger than Class B motorhomes. Does that seem confusing? It kind of is. But the easiest way to identify a Class C motorhome is that they almost always have the bed over the top of the cab of the vehicle, although there’s not always a bed in some of the new motorhomes. Sometimes it’s used for storage or for an entertainment center.
A truck camper for sale is the most economical choice for a motorized camper but it is also the smallest, although we might be surprised at how much function is packed into a small unit that fits on the back of a pickup truck.
Unlike Class A, B, and C motorhomes, you usually cannot get to the living area of the truck camper from the cab of the truck. Access is usually at the back of unit.
One of the attractive features of a truck camper is that it can be removed from the truck when you’re not camping so the truck can be used for regular driving and hauling.It’s unusual for the camper and the truck to be sold together. Usually people already have the truck and then find a camper to fit it.
Truck campers are very “cozy.” There’s not much room to move around, but all the functional items needed (sleeping and sitting areas, kitchen area, storage areas, and usually bathroom facilities).
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Thursday, September 11th, 2008 |
RVs and motor homes are suitable for people from very diverse backgrounds. The variety of sizes, features, and functionality is great with Class A, B, C, conversion vans, travel trailers and camper vans being available. Eighty manufacturers supply the RV dealers in the North America, making more than ten distinct classes of motor homes for consumers to consider for their open-road travels and secondary housing.
Following the devastation of areas of Mississippi, Louisiana, and the Gulf Coast in the aftermath hurricane season, thousands of domestic refugees found themselves living in RVs and motor homes as emergency accommodation. Motor homes and RVs fulfill this role perfectly, being suitable for mobile, temporary, emergency, and medium-term accommodation. For this application, any RV works well, although park models, Class B, and fifth wheel trailers are probably best suited to this task.
If your work takes on the road a lot, an RV may be a superior alternative to paying expensive motel fees, or maintaining multiple apartments. we can cook your meals at only slightly greater cost than in a house, and we have the comfort of sleeping in your own bed.
Motor homes and trailers can be suitable for living in while undergoing renovations or building a house, and save for the considerable cost of maintaining two houses while this continues. we need not move off site to do this, although we can choose to at any time should the realities of construction work prove too trying on your patience and nerves.
Depending on your requirements, either option of towing a hitched trailer or driving a fully integrated motor home can save money. In the case of motor homes, it is generally more cost-effective to buy the vehicle with the home built around it than it is to buy a trailer with all of the same features, as well as a vehicle suitable to tow such a load. Regulations vary between states and classes, but the rule of thumb is that your load should never exceed the weight of the vehicle pulling the load. To do otherwise is generally quite unsafe. On the other hand, a trailer-style RV has the advantage of letting you unhook the towing vehicle when you don’t wish to move your home about. This lowers driving costs, increasing your fuel efficiency significantly.
Always feel free to consult your RV dealer on what class vehicle best suits your needs, especially if cost is one of the major issues. The best dealerships are familiar with their products and client needs, becoming certified as reliable by manufacturers and consumer protection programs like the Better Business Bureau; they are awarded these qualifications for good reason.
For campers, college students on road trips, and retirees, staying in the camper van, conversion van, or motor home allows you to pack less and do more while staying safer, warmer, and dryer, taking all the creature comforts with you. Freedom of the road is more relaxing and secure than ever.
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Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 |
Each conference day is divided into four, one and one-half hour class periods. A variety of subjects are presented simultaneously during each of these class periods. Students select the classes they wish to attend by simply showing up. A half-hour break between classes and a one and one-half hour lunch break assures a relaxed, comfortable pace.
Individual classes are scheduled so a student can attend a series of programs and progress from the basics of RVing to more advanced and technical subjects. A prospective or novice RVer, for example, might start out by attending a class on how to choose an RV, and then go on to learn the basics of equipping, operating, traveling and camping in an RV.
An experienced RVer, on the other hand, is free to skip directly to classes on repair and maintenance, making money on the road, or how to travel in an RV for extended periods of time. Technically oriented individuals might be drawn to subjects that deal with solar power, inverter/chargers, satellite systems, or electronic communications. More general subjects such as RVing with computers, RV insurance, travel destinations, and travel writing are also available.
As an added bonus, conference participants are encouraged to camp in the comfort of their own RVs right on the campus of the university or college. Students arrive in truck campers, telescoping trailers, conventional trailers, fifth-wheels trailer, class A and class C motorhomes, van conversions and hi-line buses. As many as 300 RVs (and a few tents) have been known to set up camp on the University of Idaho’s campus grounds.
These college encampments provide plenty of opportunities to meet fellow RVers from various parts of the country. It’s not unusual for impromptu happy hours and potlucks to spring up on a nightly basis.
The students represent a cross section of RV lifestyles, age groups and backgrounds. While most are retired or about to retire, a good number of them are less than 50 years of age. And, not all of the participants are experienced RVers. Prospective, first-time RV buyers frequently make up to 30 % of the enrollment (they stay in nearby hotels). It’s not unusual for some of the basic classes to be repeated in order to accommodate the number of “newbies” who wish to attend.
The RV Life on Wheel Conferences do not have a scheduled entertainment program but local merchants and/or RV industry sponsors often put on a barbecue or some other food related activity. This is where novice RVers learn that wherever RVers gather there is usually something to eat.
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Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 |
There are 9 different classes for MotorHomes and RVs made by 80 different manufacturers in the United States in Canada. All of them have different characteristics but the main factor in all them is the price.
On the smaller side of the spectrum, Motorhomes and RVs can run from $5,000 but then on the other side they can get anywhere up to $300,000! There are some that can even store another smaller vehicle in the back but their hulls may cost upwards to a million to be installed. Check out which different types are produced and don’t be one of the misinformed consumers that spends way too much money.
As stated earlier, there are 9 different classes for Mobile type Homes. The first three can be called MotorHomes but also include a few RVs The Class A Motor Homes are usually the larger ones that span up to 30 feet in length. The used MotorHomes usually cost around $11,000 but Class A MotorHomes bought brand new will usually cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, so tread lightly when making a purchase.
It’s easy to see the Class B Campers and MotorHomes by their size which comes in at a smaller 14-20 feet. These come built around a typical Van body and cost from $11,000 to $30,000. These ones seem to be more popular for camping type trips.
The Class C MotorHomes are similar to A as they are built around a truck chassis and around the same price range as well. The difference is that an overhang is built over the top of the truck to maximize storage efficiency.
On the next largest step of the scale is what is called the fifth wheel trailer. What this is, is a trailer that is hooked up to be dragged behind a typical car or truck. Don’t attempt to drag these around with a typical car, you’ll need a good sturdy hook-up and a strong truck to pull these around. These are usually modified from the original truck and can range from 30 feet to 40 feet long fetching a price anywhere
from $30,000 to $100,000.
The nice things about these however is that you don’t have to take them everywhere you go, simply unhook them from the back and take your normal truck out for a spin. Just remember that any conventional vehicle can’t tow these, usually a commercial size truck is required for them.
These can be used for many needs including camping, moving in to other places such as college dorms, any type of road trip, or just getting out of the house for a while. There are a great number of them out there so look at your budget because they can range anywhere from $5000 to millions.
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