Dear Friend,
If you read yesterday’s blog post, then you know that my family is in the process of purchasing an RV to drive across North America for the first leg of our Families Without Limits adventure.
We have a larger than average family. This has made our choice of an ideal vehicle much more difficult than we ever imagined.
If you have ever thought of buying an RV then you need to know the information I am including below. It just might save you years of research. If RVs just ain’t your thing, well, sorry! ;-))
First, a little background. The term “RV” is the abbreviation for “recreational vehicle.” It’s a broad term that covers everything from a tiny one person pull-behind trailer to a multimillion dollar Hollywood star’s tour bus. And in between, there’s a lot to choose from. Unfortunately, all of that lot is pretty much the same.
The RV industry, practically all of which is based in or near the small northern Indiana town of Napannee, seems to build for exactly three markets. Every single RV built is configured solely to meet the needs of these three groups.
The first market includes anyone with big bucks. And I mean big. If you have half-a-million dollars or more to drop on a mobile palace then you don’t need my advice. Just call up one of the leading RV builders or bus conversion outfits and they’ll be glad to empty your wallet. Customization is no problem for you. Or them.
The RV industry also builds models targeted at two other markets. These other RV models are standardized on canned designs and range in price from $10K to $250K plus.
The second market the RV industry builds for is “grandma and grandpa.” You see, grandma and grandpa are retired and bored. So they take their nest egg and buy a big RV, buy a permanent parking space in an RV park in Arizona or Florida, park it there every winter, and sit out front next to the plastic flamingos, waving to the neighbors who are walking their poodles.
The third market the RV industry builds for is Bubba and his wife Doris (sorry if I offend anyone with these names). You see, Bubba works hard down at the plant, and on weekends he likes to do two things. First, during racin’ season, Bubba takes his crew in the RV down to the NASCAR races. He sits with the family amid the incredible noise and exhaust while watching the race on his outside-mounted mega-screen TV (with earphones so he can hear over the race car engine noise behind him). When racing season is over, he gathers the gang once again and heads out into the desert with his four wheelers and motorbikes to get good and dirty.
I have absolutely no problem with any of these fine people or their hobbies. But I do have a problem with the apparent fact that everyone in Napannee, Indiana, seems to think that these two distinct constituencies make up 100% of the population of RV users worldwide.
Here’s some insight into how the “Nappanee Mafia” have designed RVs for their second and third RV markets.
First, the granny models have a delightful “doilie” decor. One queen-sized bed, and a nice sitting area. The sofa folds out into a bed for those rare occasions when the grandkid stops by for a visit and needs to take a nap. If your family needs more sleeping space, you’re out of luck. Also, there are few seat belts, and none are configured to handle modern car seats.
Next, the “Bubba” models typically have a racing stripe decor, and a big “garage” in the back. They even have an on-board fuel tank so you can refill your bike on-the-go! Again, seat belts are haphazardly arranged and are rarely appropriate for car seats. Some of these designs are quite modern, but the focus if definitely on the needs of the racing crowd.
Since I’m tight, I don’t ride a bike, I don’t hang out at NASCAR events, and I don’t care for doilies, My family and I have to adapt. There are ways to turn these limited designs into comfortable living and travel quarters for a decent-sized family. You just have to get creative.
Tomorrow I’ll talk about how we plan to do just that.
See you then!
Hugh
