August shipments of all RVs improved nearly 9% from the previous month but were still off 7.3% compared to this same month last year (see page 3). Totals of 30,400 units this August brought the year to date sum to 254,300 units, behind the 2006 pace by 11.8% as towables were down 13.7% while motorhomes posted a slight gain.

Consumer confidence has also slipped, as measured by the Index of Consumer Sentiment which dropping from 96.9 in January to an eight month low of 83.4 reading this month. Most of the recent decline appears to be concentrated among households with incomes below $50,000. Because of this, we can expect any future slowdown in overall consumer spending to favor up-scaled products.

According to Dr. Richard Curtin, director of consumer surveys at the University of Michigan, “a rebound in [consumer] confidence will depend on three factors: job and wage prospects, food and fuel prices, and the impact of the sub-prime meltdown.”

Towable RVs

In the latest survey of manufacturers conducted by RVIA, wholesale shipments of all towable RVs dipped by 2,300 units, declining 8.3% as compared to a very strong August last year. For the year, towables were off 13.7% from 249,600 units through August of 2006 to 215,400 units so far this year.

Conventional travel trailers remain the category’s largest product type with shipments of 15,700 units in August, but remain behind last year this time by 7.6%. Fifth wheel travel trailers also slipped, dropping from 7,700 units to 7,100 in the latest monthly survey.

Motorhomes

Wholesale shipments of all motorhomes were reported at 4,900 units in the August survey, off just 2% as shipments this August were a mere 100 units less than a year ago. Both type A and type B motorhomes were up slightly while type C motorhomes declined just 300 units.

Year to date, all motorhome shipments have been reported at 38,900 units through August, up 0.5% compared to the same period last year.

Conversion Vehicles

All conversion vehicle shipments totaled just 1,500 units in August of this year, down 11.8% compared to the same month last year (see page 17). Year to date, all conversion vehicles shipments total 12,500 units through August, off 34.9% compared to this same period last year.

Special Note: Actions taken by RVIA’s conversion vehicle members to affiliate with the National Truck Equipment Association prompted the RVIA Board of Directors to suspend reporting of conversion vehicle shipments effective with the September 2007 monthly report.