Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Tiffin layed-off about 25% of its employees last November as sales slowed, and now they are announcing further cut-backs.
Along with everything else, Richardson Bike Mart in 2019-20 had, and I'm not lying probably by much, literally 500 bikes in the shop for repairs. It was freaking unbelievable. Department store bikes were sold out, couldn't buy a kayak anywhere. People were out on the walking trails in droves, no traffic on the local streets. Couldn't go visit relatives and they couldn't come visit. Best excuse ever " You know I would, but there's that covid thing".Newmar is offering cash incentives on new rigs. That's shocking.
Interest rates are what they are, and the RV market as a whole appears to be cooling considerably. This is the other side of two years ago when RV's were selling like hotcakes.
Roger that, the economy is cyclical, as in, what goes up must come down. In the Tiffin case they apparently hired on for the gold rush, and when the mine plays out, don't need so many miners.Agree... it's the "covid thing." It's taken a little time, but I think the repercussions are just NOW beginning. It wasn't so horrible during that time. But now, the true fall out is happening.
Tiffin still will work on any rig less than 10 years old, but only warranty workin the first year gets a free campsite. They also restrict how big the repairs/updates/mods can be by allowing only an Express Bay visit every so often (2 techs, 3 hours). I really think this is Tiffin surviving. Less than a year ago they had hundreds of units sitting around completely finished except for a part or two. The costs must have been staggering. Then the market fell apart. Hard times.Tough times! Is it Thor hungry for profits, or is it Tiffin surviving? I heard they have slowed production to 5 units a day, keep close track of dealer inventories and pushing for ordering your new coach rather than buying from some dealer stock. Also have dropped service in Red Bay to all but warranted units.
American Coach too, and that's purely a luxury class product line.Newmar is offering cash incentives on new rigs. That's shocking.
Likely more conjecture than actual fact. Two years since the Thor deal isn't enough time to implement design & production economies or to assess their impact on overall quality. It's just human nature to assign the blame for any newly-discovered defect to the latest management or procedural change.I've read several different articles that the quality went to pot after the Thor buyout.
Last month I did a walk thru of a 2023 Tiffin Allegro Bus. Cost was just under $500,000.00. Show special.In addition to what's already been discussed concerning interest rates and the pandemic, I've read several different articles that the quality went to pot after the Thor buyout.
Nobody wants to pay for a high dollar name on a low dollar rig.
Post hoc ergo propter hocLikely more conjecture than actual fact. Two years since the Thor deal isn't enough time to implement design & production economies or to assess their impact on overall quality. It's just human nature to assign the blame for any newly-discovered defect to the latest management or procedural change.
A term they use for a special rip-off at any type of "show".Show special.
New owners often get blamed for the changes after a buyout but many of those changes were planned and ongoing in a desperate effort to survive before selling. When in trouble, the first things companies do, the bean counters do, is cut the staff with the highest cost. Then they get the lower paid staff to start buying inferior, less costly components. Then the bottom feeders come in buy the company, restructure and gut the whole thing. Gotta live to fight another day. All industries do it.