March 2003

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) reports that March wholesale shipments increased 3.3% over the same month last year and at 28,100 units were 22% greater than February’s totals. The March success also marked the 15th consecutive monthly increase of RV shipments, a string of increases dating back to January of last year. Total wholesale shipments of RVs in March represented more than 282,000 units annualized, somewhat lower than the previous two months.

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Year to date, the first three months of 2003 have totaled 76,300 units, an increase of 7.8% over this same period one year ago. Seasonally adjusted, this represents an annualized rate of more than 300,000 units, slightly less than the prior year’s totals.

The Index of Consumer Sentiment, as measured by the University of Michigan’s Survey Research Center, dropped again in their March survey, sagging to 77.6 and more than 18 points lower than this same month last year. The Index has been highly uneven given current consumer economic as well as political concerns.

“The current state of confidence remains volatile given the widespread anxiety about how long the war will last,” said Dr. Richard Curtin, director of the survey in his March write-up. “While it is too early to provide any assessment of how much optimism will be restored by the successful conclusion of the war, the likely impact will be limited by wide spread concerns of terrorism and by future job and wage prospects,” he said.

Consumers continue to purchase RVs at near record levels as witnessed by the manufacturer’s reports of final sales. Sales of conventional travel trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, type A and type C motorhomes were well above the 12-month moving total of March last year. In fact, sales of conventional travel trailers were at their highest level of any March since the retail survey began more than 20 years ago.

Towable RVs

All towable RVs totaled 22,500 units in March, up 3.7% over this same month last year with conventional travel trailers, including hybrid trailers, carrying the load. Year to date, shipments of 61,600 units were up 8.6% over the first three months last year.

There were 13,100 units of conventional and hybrid travel trailers reported shipped in the March survey of manufacturers, an increase of 20.2% over one year ago. Conventional trailers over 30 feet with slideouts were the most popular in March.

Motorhomes

Motorhome shipments were up 1,8% in March, compared to the same month last year. All the growth this month was in conventional type A motorhomes that shipped 3,900 units. The 1,500 units of type C motorhomes were even with this same month, one year ago, but have made giant gains over the past year and a half.

Year to date, motorhome shipments have improved nearly 4.3% so far this year on totals of 14, 700 units. Type A motorhomes represent more than two-thirds of all motorhome shipments with 10,000 units in the first three months this year, an increase of nearly 5.3% over the same quarter last year. RVIA

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Total RV Shipments 1990-2003
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