Winter/Spring RV Shows

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by rluhr

Other than the Airstreams, the show seemed dominated by monstrosities. My favorite was the 40 ft fifth-wheel that cost $150,000. It featured a fireplace, 27" TV, full size domestic refrigerator, four slide-outs, and a basement bigger than a college dorm.

It's interesting Rich, that the biggest and most expensive units at the STL show usually are sold by Sunday night. The pop up's sell also. Everything else usually is not. Most dealers dislike the show because of the expense, but the key is to get the folks back to the lot to see the rest of the inventory, and that's where the sales happen.

Jack

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by cosmotini

Jack,

I'm planning on going Friday with some friends. Hope to see you there.

Dennis

Move in starts tomorrow with most RV's coming in Wednesday. I'll go down to the floor and report back what he is bringing in.

Jack

[sovereignrwe]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Last year they had three Airstreams on the floor.

Who was "they"? Shorewood RV, or another dealer?

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by jcanavera

Move in starts tomorrow with most RV's coming in Wednesday. I'll go down to the floor and report back what he is bringing in.

Jack

Ok here is the Airstream line up for the St. Louis show. All are 2005 models:

Safari 25SS
Westfalia
Interstate
19' Bambi CCD
28' Classic

Jack

[jcanavera]

Spent some time with the Airstream rep at the St. Louis RV show on Thursday. Things apparently are moving along on the new Aluminum clad motor home. The new plant being built behind the current one will be the home for this unit. Apparently there is also discussion going on as to the future of the current line of motor homes as to which will be dropped in favor of the new one. Power plants offered will be diesel and gas.

Airstream sales are apparently still going strong and are better than expected. Dealers are reporting healthy winter sales. My dealer here in St. Louis reports that January sales are equivalent to what he has seen in March, usually the time where the bug bites here.

I worked the WBCCI booth yesterday, which I have done for the past 3 years. Something is going on because I talked to more folks than ever who plan to purchase an Airstream. I've never seen this type of interest before. The CCD's seem to be the hot button for a lot of these folks.

While standing next to a Classic trailer yesterday I started smelling smoke. We started looking around and eventually someone pointed inside the trailer and said its in here. Apparently some kids turned on the microwave and started the printed manual on fire. I pulled it out and stomped it out on the convention center floor. I turned on the fantastic fans to vent the smoke and then spent the next hour assuring those touring the Classic that yes, I know something smells like it is burning, and yes it was taken care of. Another reason that I knowingly would never buy an RV shown at a show.

Jack

[flamingo-kid1]

There is an RV show coming to Rockford, Il, 90 miles west of Chicago. I think it's next weekend.

We have gone the preceding two years, but there are never any Airstreams, and it's actually a pretty big show, so I don't know why there aren't any.

Last year, a monstrosity of a 5th wheel with a fireplace and inside "amphitheatre" was featured.

We went there with a friend who had just bought a VERY large and VERY heavy 5th wheel, but he is never happy with what he has at the moment.

I don't plan to go to any more shows... because we're pretty happy with our old girl!

[till]

There is a RV Show in Rosemont Illinois (out by O'Hare Int. Airport) in February.
The dates are Feb 16th through the 20th. R&R RV the "local" dealer will be there. Can't wait to go.

[PWRSTRK]

We went to the Chicagoland show today. It is a great show indeed--hundreds of units, all types (couldn't find any teardrop trailers).

Airstreams by R & R:

31' Classic Dinette
30' Safari Bunk
16' Bambi CCD
16' Bambi Safari
28' CCD
25' Safari AB
Interstate Van

In general I find R & R disappointing. The woman I talked to knew very little about Airstreams. Also disappointed that they had two 16' models instead of a little more diversity represented.

There was no sign of WBCCI at all -- and, by the way, R & R was buried as far from the entrance to the show as possible, among the boat dealers. We need better Airstream representation around here (Airstream of Indiana is my dealer, by the way -- but they're four hours away).


Tom, and Frank

[silver 67]

Went to the KC Show yesterday. Sounds as though Chicago had more models, but we had Bill Thomas and the gang. There was a 30 foot Classic, a Bambi Safari, 25 foot CCD, Westphalia (?), another van, a small motohome with no slides and the HUGE motorhome with slide (obviously I wasn't too interested in the motorhomes).

The Thomas gang as usual were very knowledgeable and eager to help and the display wasn't very far from entrance. Our WBCCI unit was represented with a big table full of scrapbooks, Blue Berets and lots of applications.

Enjoyed looking at the new stuff.

[Silvertwinkie]

Originally Posted by PWRSTRK

We went to the Chicagoland show today. It is a great show indeed--hundreds of units, all types (couldn't find any teardrop trailers).

Airstreams by R & R:

31' Classic Dinette
30' Safari Bunk
16' Bambi CCD
16' Bambi Safari
28' CCD
25' Safari AB
Interstate Van

In general I find R & R disappointing. The woman I talked to knew very little about Airstreams. Also disappointed that they had two 16' models instead of a little more diversity represented.

There was no sign of WBCCI at all -- and, by the way, R & R was buried as far from the entrance to the show as possible, among the boat dealers. We need better Airstream representation around here (Airstream of Indiana is my dealer, by the way -- but they're four hours away).


Tom, and Frank

Saw your truck in the garage. We also went today. R&R is always a disappointment. There is a dealer in the Milwaukee area and I've heard mixed things...but I might give 'em a try for the warranty recall.

BTW, I thought I saw 2 19' Bambis...one CCD and the other standard 19' Safari.

We took a long hard look at the 31' unit as that was on our list....we were very disappointed with it...not at all what we expected. The coach is just too crowded w/ very little open space. Folks here said this, and I had orig dismissed it, but they were right on.

Going through all the various SOB trailers they had at the show, made me feel even more comfy with the decsion to get an Airstream....you forget sometimes what's out there and really puts things into perspective. Most couldn't hold a candle to our Safari.

[eljay]

The Kansas City show was pretty interesting but I wore out quick after looking at acres of SOBs. The Bill Thomas crew was very polite and helpful even when they knew we were vintage owners and not potential buyers.

[yukionna]

Pam and I attended the RV show yesterday at the Big E location in Springfield, MA. There were two Airstream dealers (one from NH and one from CT). Only the dealer from CT had five Airstreams trailers along with the new skydeck model (which was in the parking lot and could be viewed by appt. only). The remainder of the show was just "ok" with whitebox SOB's dominating the show. There were a few motorhomes sprinkled throughout the show but no high end brands.

[PWRSTRK]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

Saw your truck in the garage.

BTW, I thought I saw 2 19' Bambis...one CCD and the other standard 19' Safari.

WOW you're absolutely right. They were 2 19' Bambis, not 16'. I must have been tired when I typed that list! Simply typos, thanks for catching me! The record must be right!

Also, I'm glad you noticed our truck! Have you ever seen so many big-hauling vehicles at one time in the Chicago area?

You're so right about how seeing all the white boxes makes you feel about Airstream. There was not one other TT there I would own. Sure there are lovely coaches and amazing fifth wheels if you want to pull a small house behind you, but I feel really great about our Safari.

(We, by the way, really liked the 31' dinette, but then I came home and looked up its weight!)

Happy Sunday, friends.


Tom

[LowellN]

The RV show in Harisburg, Pennsylvania is the largest show on the East Coast. It's usually held in September though. The show is so large that I've found it impossible to see everything is one day. Acres and acres, of inside and outside displays, along with a very large section of product and promotions. I'll post the date when I find out.

Lowell

[Minnie's Mate]

Just returned from Georgia RV & Camper Show in Atlanta. Sagon RV of Jackson, GA had three Airstreams there. So far they were the most knowlegeable Airstream dealer we've talked to yet...or they were good at blowing smoke.

They had a 16' Bambi, 28' International CCD, and a 25' Safari. This was the third day of the show and it looked like they had sold about 25 or 30 Airstreams this weekend. The salesman we talked to was very nice and very helpful, not at all pushy. I look forward to working with him when its time to place our order.

[myboyburt]

We attended the New Hampshire RV show this weekend. It was small but the new Airstream dealer in Merrimack, NH was there with two trailers, a 25' CCD and a 28' Safari. Both trailers were miles ahead of anything else at the show in terms of style, fit and finish. Though lots of folks going through them were gasping at the displayed price tags and quickly moving to the less $$$ white boxes.

We talked to the folks representing the Airstream dealer about having "The Tube" serviced before the start of the camping season. I think I'll insist they let my husband back our trailer into their service bay as both of the brand new Airstreams at the show were dented. I don't know if the damage happened in transit to their dealership but I'm not willing to find out with our trailer if it was their help that crashed the units.

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

We took a long hard look at the 31' unit as that was on our list....we were very disappointed with it...not at all what we expected. The coach is just too crowded w/ very little open space.

It doesn't surprise me Eric. It's probably the dinette too close to the sofa that would be your major complaint? If so that's where the slide makes a big difference.

Jack

[Silvertwinkie]

Though the dinette near the couch is the main issue, I'm not sure the slide would help or would make a difference for us given our feeling of cost and added weight for a slide. I mean for what is being asked for a slide, one could almost get for the same price a 34' Classic which has even more space than either the 30' or 31' floorplans. The slide itself is a whole nuther conversation in and of itself which I'm not sure at this stage in our lives we're ready to tackle or really need at this point. I see slides personally being better for perhaps resale and/or fulltiming, though I am sure those that have them feel other perks for normal camping, those would be mine.

I think the better space use of the 30' is due to the shower on the curb, making a bit smaller wardrobe, but by doing this, the dinette is moved further back adding the needed space between the dinette and the couch. Add to the fact that the pass through bath is on the 30, looks like to us at least, the 34' is our beast on paper (which prob won't happen), the 30' gets a non pass through bath (like the 31') or the 31' gets a similar set up to the 30' floorplan, but keeps the non pass through bath. To us, that might be a good first step.

[sovereignrwe]

We've even had an agent of a dealer push us away from the slides, due to the significant premium, without the significant benefit. "Pure and simple there is a very low value add for the cost".

He didn't know we already owned one, and even commented that the other Airstream owners don't see the slides as being "real Airstream trailers". "Buy one of these and you'll be look at as a phony when you pull into the parks."

[DavidsonOverlander]

For a list of RV shows in Canada go to this link:
http://www.gorving.ca/rvshows.asp

Grant