August 2003

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) reports that wholesale shipments of all RVs totaled 27,500 units in August, down slightly from last month and off just 4.2% from this same month last year. Year to date, totals have now reached 219,300 units, up 1.9% over this same eight-month period last year. Gains this year have been greatest for conventional travel trailers and type A motorhomes. The Index of Consumer Sentiment, as conducted by the University of Michigan’s Survey Research Center, was reported at 89.3 in the August 2003 survey, largely unchanged over the past four months. This month’s reading was nearly identical to the reading one year ago. 

“Consumers have shown a remarkable degree of resilience during the past several months,” said Dr. Richard Curtin, director of the survey. “Importantly, the prevailing level of consumer confidence is enough to insure a continued and robust expansion during the year ahead.”

Relatively low interest rates and low inflation can be anticipated for the near term which should rekindle faster economic growth. Speaking before congress, Alan Greenspan said, “The Fed stands prepared to maintain a highly accommodative stance of policy for as long as needed to promote satisfactory economic performance.”

Towable RVs

Shipments to retailers of all towable RVs slipped to 22,700 units in August, down 4.2% compared to this same month last year. Year to date, all towable RV shipments are now at a total of 179,200 units, up 2.5% compared to the same period last year.

Conventional travel trailers (including hybrid trailers) have improved the most so far this year, up 14.3% on shipments to retailers of 103,600 units, representing nearly half of all RV shipments so far this year. While hybrid trailers have certainly added to this growth, it has been conventional trailers over 25 feet in length that represent the greatest improvement over last year.

Motorhomes

Wholesale shipments of all motorhomes were at 4,800 units in August, off 4% from this same month one year ago. Both type A and type C motorhomes were off just 100 units compared to this same month one year ago while type B motorhomes were even.

Year to date, all motorhome shipments have been running about level with the year before and at 40,100 units through August this year, are off less than 1% compared to the same period last year.

Conversion Vehicles

Conversion vehicle shipments were off 25.4% in August as all categories of vehicles reported fewer units shipped than one year earlier. Van conversions remain the category’s largest product type, representing nearly two-thirds of all conversions. Totals through August show wholesale shipments of all conversion vehicles to be at 40,800 units, 11.1% less than this same point last year. RVIA

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Total RV Shipments 1990-2003
New - Only Recreation Vehicles