Winnebago Industries to Receive 14th Consecutive RVDA Quality Circle Award

Winnebago Industries, Inc. recently received notification that its Winnebago brand earned the prestigious Quality Circle Awards from the Recreation Vehicle Dealers' Association (RVDA).

Photo Credit: Winnebago

The Itasca brand also received Honorable Mention. These awards are scheduled to be presented at a ceremony conducted at the 47th Annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, KY on November 30, 2009.

Photo Credit: Winnebago

"It is a tremendous honor for us to receive the Quality Circle Award again this year," said Winnebago Industries' Chairman, CEO and President Bob Olson. "To have earned this award since 1995, an accomplishment no other motor home or travel trailer manufacturer in the industry has been able to attain, is a real tribute to the hard work and diligence of our employees who are dedicated to building high quality products, while providing first-class programs and services to our dealer partners."

Source: Winnebago

RV Parks Welcome Dog Owners

Photo Credit: RVIA

The Los Angeles Times features a story by Rosemary McClure about her travels with Darby, a wheaten terrier, on a trip in search of dog-friendly RV parks.

According to the story, 50% to 75% of RVers travel with a pet. RV park owners are responding by offering pet-friendly campgrounds.

Some parks are even building special areas where dogs can roam unleashed and climb doggie-agility courses.

Source: The Los Angeles Times

Crossroads RV Expands Production

CrossRoads RV has announced it will step up production to keep pace with consumer demand by re-opening an additional production plant and increasing its workforce.

“Our dealers are reporting strong retail sales over the last several months and positive results from Fall shows. Although the rest of the industry may be experiencing a seasonal slowdown, we’ve chosen not to participate,” states Mark Lucas, President of CrossRoads RV. Re-opening Plant #2 will enable the company to shorten lead times and provide faster delivery of its products.

Plant #2 will be used to manufacture CrossRoads' re-designed SlingShot travel trailers, Sunset Trail Ultra Light travel trailers and the newly introduced expandable floor plans. The company also plans to hire an additional 125 workers.

“Both dealers and retail customers are noticing and responding to the changes we’ve made across all product lines. We currently operate six production facilities totaling over 400,000 square feet of manufacturing space and we will be using it all as dealers prepare for what should be a great spring selling season,” comments Nate Nickell, VP of Sales and Marketing.

Source: Crossroads RV

Fleetwood RV, Inc. Rolls Out limited Edition 2010 Quest Class C Motor Home

Fleetwood RV, Inc. has announced the launch of its limited edition 2010 Quest, a value-priced Class C diesel motor home built on the fuel-efficient Dodge Sprinter chassis. This limited production run of 150 units will be available at select Fleetwood RV dealers nationwide.

Photo Credit: Fleetwood RV

According to Fleetwood, the 2010 Quest is available in two 24-feet, single slide-out models: a rear bath floor plan with opposing sofa beds (24E); and a rear gaucho dinette with sofa sleeper and optional Queen air mattress sofa bed floor plan (24L). Low profile cap and overhead 26"LCD TVs are standard on both models. Customers can also select the optional cab-over bed with 19" LCD TV and DVD player.

"The 2010 Quest combines the fuel-efficiency of our Icon and Pulse motor homes with the value pricing of our traditional Class C motor homes," said John Draheim, president of Fleetwood RV, Inc. "The market's response to Quest has been better than expected. Our entire production run sold out in two weeks, and dealers are retailing them as fast as we can deliver them." "Our customers love the 2010 Quest," said Loren Baidas, owner of General RV, located in Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Utah. "Both models are equipped with a multitude of standard features and increased sleeping capacities - even without the optional cabover bed, plus its price point makes it difficult to ignore."

Source: Fleetwood RV, Inc.

Freightliner Custom Chassis Gets North America Travelers Moving With Free Fuel

Freightliner Custom Chassis wants to help out RVers who have waited out the bumpy road of a rough economy with some free fuel.

Called "Fueled By Us," Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation (FCCC) is offering a $1,250 USD fuel card with the purchase of any qualifying new motorhome built on a Freightliner chassis from dealers in the United States and Canada. The Fueled By Us offer is available from Oct. 15 - Dec. 31.

According to Freightliner, the following manufacturers are participating in the Fueled By Us program: Damon, Entegra Coach, Forest River, Gulf Stream, Itasca, Jayco, Four Winds International (formerly known as Mandalay Coach), Newmar, Sportscoach, Tiffin, Triple E and Winnebago. FCCC's Fueled By Us offer applies to new 2008, 2009 and 2010 model-year retail-sold motorhomes built by the aforementioned participating manufacturers on FCCC chassis.

FCCC manufactures diesel powered chassis and even offers the first-of-its-kind hybrid-electric version called ecoFRED, designed to increase fuel economy while delivering optimal power.

Qualified Fueled by Us participants receive a Visa debit card pre-loaded with $1,250 that can be used at any diesel fueling station across the country where Visa is accepted. For more information and details about the Fueled By Us offer, visit www.freightlinerchassis.com/fuel.

Source: Freightliner Custom Chassis

Airstream Increases Production and Market Share

Airstream recently announced that it has increased production by 30 percent over the last six weeks to meet a growing wholesale and retail demand for its trailers.

Photo Credit: Airstream

According to Airstream, the RV industry has taken a major hit because of the economy. Airstream has not been immune from the downturn. However, in recent weeks the company has seen a strong uptick in retail and wholesale demand.

According to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), overall RV sales in July ran at the strongest annual rate since October of 2008, signaling an overall industry turnaround. Airstream has grown its production backlog from an all-time low of three weeks to a high of 11 weeks, and as a result is expanding its staffing to support the production boost, something that the company has not done since late 2006.

Photo Credit: Airstream

“The RV industry tends to lead the general economy both in and out of recessions, so our growth spells good things for the economy as a whole” said Bob Wheeler, CEO of Airstream. “In the course of 78 years, Airstream has encountered numerous ups and downs, and as a result we feel that we are well-positioned to recover quickly. We are prepared to embrace what will hopefully be a very successful 2010.”

Airstream also reports that sales in its primary European markets of England, Germany and Holland are also experiencing a marked recovery.

Source: Airstream

Staying Connected to the Internet While RVing - What are the Best Options?

Internet access is important to many RVers as having access to electricity, but how do you stay online as you travel across the country? RV campgrounds often have Wi-Fi services or network connections, but what about the great stretches of road between campgrounds?

A post on the site Slashdot.org asks the question of what is the best way for RVers to get roaming internet access.

The question comes from an RVer who runs a web-based business and needs a reliable service. Options for RV internet connections range from 3G data plans to satellite dish services. Which one is the best for RVers? The discussion reveals a number of options and their benefits and drawbacks.

Source: Slashdot.org