For many of today’s shoppers, it
clearly
is—including those looking for recreation
vehicles (RVs). As a result, lightweight travel trailers are
becoming one of the RV industry’s hottest trends. Driving the
popularity of lighter towable RVs is the recent surge in family
ownership of minivans and sport utility vehicles—now constituting
over half of the market for U.S. automobiles. Lightweight RVs are
easily towed by these popular family vehicles, making an RV
purchase even more attractive and affordable.
"We’ve found that families love
lightweights," said Rich Allen, communications director, Coachmen
Industries, Inc. "There’s been a growing demand for them and we
think they’ll become even more popular over time."
"This segment of the market will
continue to grow," said Bill Prinz, vice president of sales and
marketing at Jayco, Inc. "They’re more than a passing fad;
lightweight RVs are definitely here to stay. "Typically,
lightweight towables are under 26 feet in length and weigh less
than 4,000 pounds—light enough to be towed by most six-cylinder
vehicles. RV manufacturers remove 600 to 1,200 pounds of
construction materials from conventional travel trailer and
fifth-wheel trailer designs to produce a lightweight version,
while retaining all the modern conveniences of the traditional
vehicles—fully equipped kitchens and baths, queen-sized beds,
central heat and air conditioning.
Some lightweights even include the
popular slideout feature, which allows travelers to expand the
living, dining, sleeping or kitchen area by as much as three and a
half feet each for almost twice the floor space. Lightweight RVs
typically retail from about $8,000 to $15,000. RVIA, P.O. Box
2999, Dept. P, Reston, VA 20195. RVIA , www.rvia.org, is the
Recreation Vehicle Industry Association.
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Is
Lighter Better?