Thor Drops Axis/Vegas 25.2

[Chance]

Is anyone else as surprised? I thought the 24.1 and 25.2 floorplans were the most popular. Now they are only showing the original 24.1 plus the much newer 25.6 and 27.7.

Even more interesting to me is that Thor is presently down to 3 Axis/Vegas floorplans. At one point they had as many as 7 floorplans at once if I recall correctly.

What’s going on? Is original RUV fading, or are they making room for new floorplans?

[axis earl]

Speculation only, but I would guess that sales figures did not support that many options. They are going with what is selling the best.

[Long & Winding road]

I dont think the RUV is fading. To much demand for small A & C and B's right now.

I bet they will and one or two more floor plans (I hope).

I really like this RUV lineup - I hope it last for 20 + years!.

[JamieGeek]

Its a little late for Thor to do something but really they can do whatever they want whenever they want.

Perhaps there is a new floorplan in the works....

[Curbmaster]

Four + years into our Axis 24.1 and have found it to be the right unit for us. Always looking forward to the next trip

[safari]

Hope maybe they have not updated all the floor plans yet.same as with the Gemini & Compass.

[Thehobe1]

Originally Posted by Chance

Is anyone else as surprised? I thought the 24.1 and 25.2 floorplans were the most popular. Now they are only showing the original 24.1 plus the much newer 25.6 and 27.7.

Even more interesting to me is that Thor is presently down to 3 Axis/Vegas floorplans. At one point they had as many as 7 floorplans at once if I recall correctly.

What’s going on? Is original RUV fading, or are they making room for new floorplans?

The shortest RV in the lineup when the slideout is not extended. 2100 miles and I will sell it for only $73,000.

[JamieGeek]

Here is a wild thought: Perhaps Thor wants to make fewer floorplans for less variation on the factory floor and higher quality.....

LOLOLOLOL! Yeah Right...can't keep a straight face typing that ..!

[revjeffrey]

The improvement I would Love to see on the 24.1 is. Make the rear area a Horse Shoe Dining Area, that converts back into a full size bed. Would be nice playing cards, games, dinner?

[Chance]

I think the underlying problem may be manufacturing costs which puts too much pressure on profit margins.

Because they are smaller than a typical F-53-based Class A, buyers expect them to be significantly cheaper, but where can Thor really save on the build process?

The Ford E-450 Stripped chassis for the Axis/Vegas is listed about $2k higher than the larger F-53 (who knows what Thor actually pay for either of them). Then, Thor has to pay to get the chassis stretched, whereas F-53 motorhomes the chassis is already the right length.

Then there is issue of the front cab area of Axis/Vegas being tapered which must add cost due to additional manufacturing complexity. It’s always easier and faster to make things straight than to have to put a bend in a wall.

If the Axis/Vegas is priced lower than similar-size F-53 motorhomes, where is Thor going to make up the difference in order to make acceptable profit per unit?

[vkb]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Here is a wild thought: Perhaps Thor wants to make fewer floorplans for less variation on the factory floor and higher quality.....

LOLOLOLOL! Yeah Right...can't keep a straight face typing that ..!

Jamie...I was thinking the same thing....less quantity with more quality...why not fine tune the best selling models and make them the best of the best ! We continue to have a difficult time turning loose of the 24.1 … cannot find anything out there that comes close !

IN ADDITION...when we were looking at the Traverse, we liked the bed, the design is from Europe.
Last night I found the FROLI SYSTEM on the internet. I am going to lobby with Ron to replace our beds with this! It is amazing !

K

[Long & Winding road]

I guess 3 floor plans is not too bad... Small, Med and Large floor plans.

Personally I would like to see one more in the middle. Some folks like a couch/theather seating and others want a booth (like me).

Perhaps they will alow us to customized the floor plans some? Just switch out the dining setup for our needs. That would be sweet.

They can make a ton of money with options IMO. Auto makers have been doing for years.

If we could add an Inverter, Hydro levelers, or Solor system already installed etc. Many of us would have paid more up front for stuff like this (instead of installing ourselves).

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by Chance

I think the underlying problem may be manufacturing costs which puts too much pressure on profit margins.

Because they are smaller than a typical F-53-based Class A, buyers expect them to be significantly cheaper, but where can Thor really save on the build process?

The Ford E-450 Stripped chassis for the Axis/Vegas is listed about $2k higher than the larger F-53 (who knows what Thor actually pay for either of them). Then, Thor has to pay to get the chassis stretched, whereas F-53 motorhomes the chassis is already the right length.

Then there is issue of the front cab area of Axis/Vegas being tapered which must add cost due to additional manufacturing complexity. It’s always easier and faster to make things straight than to have to put a bend in a wall.

If the Axis/Vegas is priced lower than similar-size F-53 motorhomes, where is Thor going to make up the difference in order to make acceptable profit per unit?

The front cap is all fiberglass so it just comes out of a mold. Once the mold is made they can just crank them out (I'm sure all the other Class A's that Thor makes are manufactured in a similar fashion).

The question is: Is it cheaper to make a fiberglass front cap from a mold than it is to build the cab over bunk (which, in many of Thor's cases, is also in fiberglass from a mold).

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

I guess 3 floor plans is not too bad... Small, Med and Large floor plans.

Personally I would like to see one more in the middle. Some folks like a couch/theather seating and others want a booth (like me).

Perhaps they will alow us to customized the floor plans some? Just switch out the dining setup for our needs. That would be sweet.

They can make a ton of money with options IMO. Auto makers have been doing for years.

If we could add an Inverter, Hydro levelers, or Solor system already installed etc. Many of us would have paid more up front for stuff like this (instead of installing ourselves).

Many of those options the dealer can do for you. Its just that the dealer's really don't tell customers that they can customize the coach for them. (Of course many of the dealers just want to sell the coach and run in the first place...do extra work? why?)

[Chance]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

The front cap is all fiberglass so it just comes out of a mold. Once the mold is made they can just crank them out (I'm sure all the other Class A's that Thor makes are manufactured in a similar fashion).

The question is: Is it cheaper to make a fiberglass front cap from a mold than it is to build the cab over bunk (which, in many of Thor's cases, is also in fiberglass from a mold).

I was refering to cab, not cap — as in cabin. I know the front cap is molded in one piece like other motorhomes, but one thing that jumped out at me as I passed an Axis on the highway is that the side walls are not straight. I’ll take a closer look this afternoon when I visit local RV Show, but I’m pretty sure the Axis/Vegas body starts to narrow ahead of the entry door (when door is located just behind passenger seat as in 24.1).

It would be very interesting to see how much cheaper Thor could build an entry-level Axis/Vegas if they tried; and what that would do to their RUV marketing. I think they are pricing the Axis/Vegas right out of the market as they keep making them larger into F-53 territory.

Like Long & Winding road, I too would like to see more floorplan options, but I’d like to see at least one smaller than the 24.1. A little smaller like the Winnebago Reyo and Via Class As may interest some of the “B” buyers. It would have to be significantly cheaper, slightly more fuel efficient, and small enough to not require a toad.

[Long & Winding road]

Yeah the Axis/Vegas is much cheaper than the B's I see advertised. I dont know if its because most of them are based on the MB spinter with a diesel motor and that cost that much more? Or if the B market somehow commands a higher price?

IMO they are not worth the price unless the were around the $69,999 mark (starting point). They are just a van with stuff added to them.

[JamieGeek]

Yeah the front end is tapered--its even on the floorplan images on their website if you look closely enough.

[Long & Winding road]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Yeah the front end is tapered--its even on the floorplan images on their website if you look closely enough.

Yep, thats just one of the many styling cues I like about the Axis/Vegas RUV lineup. Very unique .... but I get bugs that splatter on the side windows - Oh well.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

Yeah the Axis/Vegas is much cheaper than the B's I see advertised. I dont know if its because most of them are based on the MB spinter with a diesel motor and that cost that much more? Or if the B market somehow commands a higher price?

IMO they are not worth the price unless the were around the $69,999 mark (starting point). They are just a van with stuff added to them.

“Bs” cost more to manufacture than “As” of similar size, so that limits their market share. Most buyers seem to prefer larger size for a given cost. Having said that, it’s interesting that Thor Airstream Class Bs are some of the most expensive; with high cost limiting then to just above 10% of all van campers.

Class Bs also tend to push limits of technology to a greater degree. This afternoon I got to see the Winnebago Travato with Lithium package. That alone adds about $20k. That’s the kind of option you won’t see in entry As or Cs. Same can be said for solar — Class Bs were at forefront of factory solar systems.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Yeah the front end is tapered--its even on the floorplan images on their website if you look closely enough.

I looked at it closer at RV Show, and it definitely has to add some cost versus straight walls. If you recall, the original Class A built on an E-Series Stripped chassis (it was not the Axis/Vegas) had straight sidewalls, which made it look a little goofy. Other than looks, it was more spacious and probably cheaper to build.