RVers plan to travel and buy despite recession

An active recreational vehicle marketplace drives RV tire service requests along with replacement tire sales, and the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) is reporting that although consumer confidence may be down on the overall economy, confidence among the RVer community is camped at a high level of enthusiasm going forward into the spring and summer season.

“RV travel continues to appeal to people looking to save money and cut costs,” says Richard Coon, RVIA’s president. “By having their homes-on-wheels with them, RV owners receive a bigger bang for their buck than what other types of vacations offer.”

Tire dealers serving this segment are being urged by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and other industry safety experts to stress to their RVer customers the importance of maintaining proper tire inflation, vehicle-weight standards and load-distribution while on a trip.

RVing is expected to be on the move in 2009. According to RVIA’s biannual Campfire Canvass survey of RV owners, 55 percent of the respondents say they intend to use their RVs more this spring and summer than last year, and 45 percent are considering another purchase.

Only 4 percent say they’ll use their RVs less this year. Three-fourths say they plan to take more mini-vacations so they could escape stress, spend more quality time with family and enjoy nature and other outdoor activities.

A primary reason why so many RVers will be traveling – and even buying in this economy – is that they say they appreciate the value they get when compared to flying, driving in a cramped car or staying in hotels.

Eighty-six percent say RVing is an affordable way to travel. Three-fourths save at least 25 percent when they travel in an RV; more than a quarter of them save 35 percent to 50 percent.

These results echo the findings of a study by the international travel and tourism firm PKF Consulting, which found family RV trips are 27 percent to 61 percent less expensive than other types of vacations.

In what has to be a positive sign for the economy, according to Coon, 68 percent of RV owners say they believe this is good time to buy an RV, with 94 percent of those respondents saying great deals are available. Buyers who meet income requirements also will be able to take advantage of the new federal stimulus plan that provides for a deduction of sales and excise taxes on the first $49,500 of a new motorhome purchase.

The survey says 45 percent of RVers are considering another RV purchase. Twenty-four percent are looking to buy in the next year; another 48 percent within two years.

Thirty-four percent of survey respondents say they have attended RV shows this year, helping generate surprisingly robust attendance and strong sales at recent RV shows nationwide, Coon notes. More than 44,000 visited the Florida RV Super Show; 35,000 came out for the Utah RV Show; and 30,000 showed up for the Maryland RV show. Dealers at the shows report that people were not just looking at RVs, but buying them as well.

Tim DeWitt, executive director of the Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds, says attendance at the recent Flint Camper & RV Show was up 25 percent over last year. He attributes the increase to consumers recognizing that there’s never been a better time to buy an RV. “This is a buyer’s market,” he explains. “You can negotiate with dealers, who are discounting heavily.”

When RVers hit the road as the weather warms, state and national parks will be among the most popular destinations. Seventy-seven percent of the survey respondents say they’ll visit state parks, while 64 percent will visit national parks. Favorite activities while on the road include sightseeing, grilling/cookouts, hiking/walking, attending festivals and fairs, visiting theme parks and going to family reunions.

RVers also plan to be on the move during major holidays, with 58 percent planning to travel over Memorial Day weekend and 60 percent over July 4th.

All of these travelers will want to pay close attention to the condition of their tires, according to Gary S. Rothstein, president of Mobile Awareness in Solon, Ohio, which supplies a line of RV safety products.

“Tires play a critical role in the handling, maneuvering and braking of any recreational vehicle,” he says, recommending that an RV’s tire pressure should be checked at least once a month using a reliable tire gauge. Attempting this task by “thumping” is especially dangerous. “An under-inflated tire is extremely difficult to detect by visual inspection or by thumping. Utilizing either of these methods is an accident waiting to happen.”

Tires can account for as much as 36 percent of an RV’s maintenance cost, “yet this essential maintenance procedure – of regularly checking tire pressure – is one of the most difficult to enforce,” Rothstein reports. “In certain cases some tires are skipped, assuming if a few are good, the rest are as well. In other cases, this extremely important procedure is ignored entirely,” he points out.

“Recreational vehicles with dual tires have a hidden tire behind the outside tire,” Rothstein continues. “They are more difficult to reach and easier to neglect. Checking the air pressure of the inside tires is an utter necessity. Even if an inside tire is completely flat, it will be supported by the outside tire, making it appear properly inflated. In the case of a flat inside rear tire, which appears properly inflated, the outer tire is doing all the work. The result is a tire at major risk to overheat, rupture or if a retread, the possibility of the tread releasing from the casing – something that leads to major highway accidents,” he says.

As much as 90 percent of all RV tire-related breakdowns are the direct result of tire under-inflation. “Low tire pressure not only causes excessive heat build-up in the tire, creating dangerous RV driving conditions, but also shortens RV tire life,” says Rothstein. “Unwanted heat will rapidly increase treadwear and can even tear down retreads and destroy tire casings.”

Improperly inflated tires wear out more quickly because they put more drag on the road in the form of rolling resistance. “RV tire inflation also has a direct impact on RV fuel efficiency, since under-inflated tires can consume a greater percentage of each gallon of fuel, just because of rolling resistance,” he notes. The US Department of Energy advises that tires can account for as much as a 3.3 percent difference in fuel efficiency.

The RMA’s Tire Industry Safety Council urges drivers – and by extension their tire dealers – to pay close attention to the vehicle’s weight and load distribution in addition to the tire pressure before heading off on the next road trip.

The council, which provides a series of consumer and professional materials regarding RV tire issues, emphasizes that proper tire care is especially important within this segment because most RVs are out of service for long periods and then often used at near-maximum loads, particularly during the hot summer months.

“RV owners should check their tires at least once a month, and always before starting any extended trip. Inflation pressures should be checked when tires are cold, as heat generated during driving temporarily increases air pressure above the recommended cold inflation pressure. This is normal, so never ‘bleed’ air from a hot tire, as this could result in dangerous under-inflation. And because many gas station air dispensers can be inaccurate due to exposure or abuse, RVers are advised to carry their own tire gauges, calibrated up to 120 psi.

Once you are sure the tires are properly inflated, the next important thing is to make certain the RV is not overloaded, according to the council: “Vehicle overloading is a leading cause of RV tire failure.”