Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Sunshine
You experienced one of the biggest 3 RV shows in the country, along with Pomona and Hershey. You must have seen almost all the rigs available that approach your wish list. I was astounded by the number of motor coaches one rep told me that their company had sold in the first two days.
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Of all the units at show, the two that came closest to our "wish list" were older models we've already seen many times over the last three years -- the Axis 24.1 Class A and Winnebago Travato Class B.
I was hoping Thor introduced a new Axis floorplan closer to what we want, but that wasn't the case. We also looked to see if any other manufacturer entered the compact Class A market with a (KISS) motorhome based on Ford E-Series stripped chassis, but that didn't happen either.
The show was great but a little too focused on selling units based primarily on (lower) price. There wasn't as much innovation as I had hoped. Price seems to drive transactions which probably explains manufacturers taking shortcuts that can affect quality. I was also a little disappointed with how the industry limits higher quality to larger motorhomes. Most Class A salesmen seem to think the only reason to buy smaller is if you can't afford a nicer larger MH. Class B salesmen at least understand that some buyers will pay a premium for smaller size when done right.
When I asked other manufacturers about whether they planned to have smaller motorhomes similar to Axis and Vegas, their responses were generally derogatory of Axis/Vegas, usually saying something about poor ride and handling. When I then asked why they sold Class Cs on identical chassis, they just sat there looking confused. I mentioned the E-Series chassis is actually more sophisticated than the F-53, but they didn't care. All they need to know is that the F-53 can support a BIGGER motorhome, which then makes it superior.
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