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February 1997 The Recreation Vehicle In-dustry Association reports that recreation vehicle deliveries to retailers of all recreation vehicles totaled 38,600 units in February, up 10.3% from last month and up 1.3% from this same month last year. Seasonally adjusted, shipments in February rose 7.7% over last month to more than 490,000 units annualized, the best such total since February 1995. The two-month total for 1997 rose to 73,600 units in February, off just 1.7% from this same period last year. The Index of Consumer Sentiment soared to 99.7 in the February survey, the highest level in ten years, according to the University of Michigan’s Survey Research Center. The recent gains were due largely to favorable assessments of future economic prospects as consumers see no near term end to the current economic expansion. "Underlying this surge in consumer confidence has been the growing expectation that unemployment and inflation would remain at their current low levels," reported Dr. Richard Curtin, director of the survey. "This in turn has led consumers to expect a lengthening of the current economic expansion." Traditional RV products with slide out rooms continue to perform well in our February survey, accounting for 3 of 10 conventional travel trailers and 8 of 10 fifth wheels. In motorhomes, gasoline engines predominate but in the larger type A units, those 38 feet and longer, diesel chassis accounted for nearly 97% of the February shipments.
Towable RVs Wholesale deliveries of all towable RVs rose to 16,700 units in February, up 7% over last month and up 9.9% from this same month one year ago. Year-to-date deliveries of all towables are now at 32,300 units through the first two months this year, up 7.7% from this same period a year earlier. Conventional and fifth wheel travel trailers improved most, rising 10.7% and 9% respectively through February. Having stumbled some the past two years, folding camping trailers jumped back up in February with deliveries of 5,100 units and the best two-month start since 1978. Motorhomes February shipments of type A motorhomes improved slightly over last month to 3,000 units, but were off 3.2% compared to February last year. Type B (van campers) were off as well, as were type C motorhomes, as all motorhomes finished February off 8.3% compared to this month last year and, year to date, were 4.4% behind the 1996 two month total. Conversion Vehicles February deliveries to retailers of all conversion vehicles increased 15.9% over last month but dipped slightly compared to this same month last year. Van conversions improved slightly this month while pickup truck conversions softened. Sport utility conversions did well but on much lower volumes. Source: RVIA |
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