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The Recreation Vehicle In-dustry Association reports that deliveries to retailers of all RVs totaled 37,900 units in October, up slightly from last month but down 6.9% from this same month, one year ago. Seasonally adjusted, shipments in October rose to an annual rate of 454,500 units, up little more than 1% from last month. Year-to-date, wholesale shipments of all RVs have reached 405,800 units, down just 1.1% from this same period of 1995. The Index of Consumer Sentiment climbed to 96.5 in the October survey, according to the University of Michigan's Survey Research Center. This is the highest level for this measure since its cyclical peak of 97.6 recorded in January 1995. The majority of the October gain was recorded in consumer's assessments of current economic conditions, while prospects for future economic conditions remained largely unchanged. "Consumers expect the modest growth rate of the economy this year to continue and that inflation and unemployment will remain favorable," reported, Dr. Richard Curtin, director of the survey. "Rising interest rates were the only anticipated change in economic conditions that consumers viewed with some concern." Retail sales of travel trailers, fifth-wheel trailers and type A motorhomes were again ahead of
last year's results in October. These retail sales improvements have helped provide for wholesale
shipment improvements for these products and in particular fifth-wheel travel trailers and type A
motorhomes with slideout rooms.
Towable RVs Deliveries to retailers of all towable RVs were measured at 15,900 units in October, up 10% over last month but down 3% from this same month last year. Year to date, all towable RV shipments have now reached 168,400 units, down 2% from this same period last year. Shipments of 4,700 fifth-wheel travel trailers this month helped to improve this category's year-to-date total to 42,400 units. Already the third best year ever for fifth-wheels, 1996 may yet prove to be an all-time high for these products. Travel trailers also improved, up marginally this month to a year-to-date total of 66,900
units, closing the gap on last year's total to less than 1%. Folding camping trailers and truck
campers have not fared as well, falling 9% and 6.7% behind, respectively.
Motorhomes All motorhome deliveries continued to improve in October, up 11.1% over this month last year, to finish at 5,000 units for the month. October's success has raised the year-to-date total for motorhomes to 46,900 units, a 3.3% improvement over this same period last year. Type A and type B motorhomes increased once again while type C products continue to chase
1995 levels. Type A motorhomes moved over the thirty-thousand unit mark for the fourth
consecutive year and should challenge 1994's cyclical high total of 37,300 units.
Conversion Vehicles Total deliveries of all conversion vehicles were reported at 17,000 units in October, down 6% from last month and off 14.1% from this same month last year. While van conversions were nearly the same as this month last year, pickup trucks fell 40% to just 4,600 units. Sport utility vehicles (SUV) improved again in October, but on smaller volume. After having started the year so strongly, pickup trucks have fallen well behind the
year-earlier totals. SUVs have shown remarkable growth this year, rising 73.8% on shipments of
10,600 units and van conversions off slightly on deliveries of 126,600 units, year to date.
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