I think the length of distance traveled will change, but the increase in gas prices is causing everything to increase in price. So why would I stop RVing and spend money on a hotel/plane ticket??? Those prices are up too, so I'm still saving money and sleeping in my own bed by RVing. People may budget more, they may buy a second car for local driving, they might not go as far: stay at local campsites, but I think they'll still go.
One thing the OP mentioned was getting a small TV....this is really counter productive to the towing MPG. The smaller vehicle will have to work harder to do the towing and that usually yields a worse MPG.
For us, so far, we've cut out some dinner's out and do a bit more cost effective grocery purchasing. We've decided not to do the 12-15 hour drive vacation trip, but to stay within 3-4 hours of home. That's worked for us and we're still out there just as much, if not more.
Hugsfamily
(DH-Phil, DW-Mindy, DD-Amanda, DS-Spencer and our Shelties-Polly and Spirit)
Rickshaw attached to a bicycle. The rickshaw will have a tent roof and fold out sides! Considering I already own a bicycle for 2, I'm already half way there! I would then have a 2 people powered rickshaw RV!
DutchmenSport
2005 Chevy Silverado 3500 Dually Duramax 6.6L V8 Turbo
Century Truck Cap Commercial /Toolboxes
Northeast Outfitters Canoe
All industries seem to be affected by the gas price right now. The RV industry is no different. For me personally, I will not give up my tt. We will just curtail where we go with it. We will take shorter trips close to home.
We originally bought our tt because:
1. bad stay at a KOA cabin
2. got tired of sleeping on the ground
3. most hotel rooms are to expensive for our liking. If you stay in the cheep ones, you get what you pay for. I like having my own roof over my head, I know who has slept in my bed, and if I want to go back to my room I can enjoy my stuff.
There will be an adjustment in the market.........some RV manufacturers will be hurting for a while, and some will go under. The demand for lighter RVs suitable for towing with more fuel efficient vehicles will increase. Sales of larger and heavier RVs will drop off. Folks with cost concerns and limited budgets will stick with hybrids, pop-ups and smaller travel trailers. On the other hand, there's plenty of folks that have the money to continue enjoying larger trailers, motor homes and diesel pushers.
The RV manufacturers that come out with even more creative lightweight units will attract a lot of sales. I think there will be more companies looking at developing products to compete with Hi Lo trailers, Trail Manor trailers and other similar trailers that offer more room with less weight and less wind resistance when being towed.
A lot of young families will go back to the good ole PUP or smaller hybrids....units that can be hitched up to the family hauler and provide great camping experiences at a much lower cost. I've been concerned for some time about the number of young families taking on the costs of larger trailers and tow vehicles.
But...the popularity of RVing will continue. It can still be a more affordable way to camp/travel than staying in hotels and eating all your meals in restaurants. A lot of us will just have to do a better job of budgeting our funds and allowing for the extra fuel costs.....and stay closer to home if we have to!
2001 Dodge 3500 DRW V10 Magnum
2002 Sunline T280SR
Arrow Hensley Hitch
10' Porta Bote My photo galleries.
scbwr wrote: But...the popularity of RVing will continue. It can still be a more affordable way to camp/travel than staying in hotels and eating all your meals in restaurants. A lot of us will just have to do a better job of budgeting our funds and allowing for the extra fuel costs.....and stay closer to home if we have to!
I did a 1100 mile round trip last March to the NASCAR race in Las Vegas. Gas was $3.25/gallon. Now with gas at $4.50, the increase in gas cost is $150 or so.
$150 in increased gas costs did not stop me from renewing my RV spot and race tickets for 2009.
We currently have our TT stored at a RV Park/Marina about 60 miles away. They will take it out of storage and put it on a site for me this weekend. So I can drive up there without the TT and save a little gas.
MFinCA
2004 Homestead Settler 255RS
1999 Chevrolet Suburban 2500
lets see 8 mpg towing with F-150 gas burner at 3.99 a gallon or 14 mpg towing with F-250 diesel at 4.69 a gallon, which one do i use? lighter smaller tow vehicles dont always mean better fuel mileage, and we are still going camping, so far we have cut out only 1 trip this year
In our case we travel around 150 miles each way every 6 weeks for family and other commitments in Virginia Beach. Last year we stayed in a hotel 14 week ends, and boarded the two dogs each trip. We ate out most meals except breakfast, which was comp'ed by the hotel since I'm a frequent traveler.
With the new trailer we figure to cut the lodging costs significantly, avoid meals out, and keep the dogs with us. Even with 9 mpg towing we will be more than even, and get to enjoy the camping experience to boot. Not everyone has this situation, but for us, it works out even if gas goes up again.
the only thing any of us can say is what effect it has had on us to date...
if it were only the price of gas...
ever increasing food, utilities, taxes and the still falling dollar, will cost us more in the long run than the gas itself... add to that higher camping fees (their cost are skyrocketing also)...
all of these other cost will creep up on us as the gas goes up and down... even as sales decrease cost of RV's will increase once inventory is adjusted...
reducing other cost helps but there will be a point that you can't justify the reductions any more...
no it won't be the end of RV'ing... but RV'ing as we know it may look totally different...
the real question should be, when and how much will it effect my camping???
but it will effect it...
Love my mass produced, entry level, built by Lazy American Workers, Hornet
Last year we used our TT 4 times, so far this year, we have used it every weekend since April 15th. But then again, we have a permenent sight this year at a campground only 10 miles from home.
Since this is our first year in many years since previously owning a TT (PU), I don't know what will/might be normal for us. But, I already know that we shortened our first outing from a two-day one-way trip (733 miles) to 4.5 hours one-way (203 miles). Other than a planned trip to WV in August (772 miles one-way), our trips will probably be shorter within a one-day drive from home. We bought it to use it, and use it we will!
Arnie & Mary
2004 4WD Dodge Durango w/5.7L Hemi/3.55/Tow Package
Reese WDH w/Dual Cam, Prodigy Brake Controller
2008 Jayco JayFeather 25F LGT
USAF (Ret) 1962-84 B-52D/G & FB-111A
Ham - N1BAC My Traveling Web Page
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