The end of demand for Caravans and motorhomes following Covid

[Emmit]

I do not own a crystal ball and I have no personal viewpoint on this but today I recovered our van from its temporary home of two weeks while we have had work done on our drive.
I was able to place the van at a storage facility we used many years ago. It is on a farm and has 200 places.

The owner and I got chatting. He told me that ever since the pandemic kicked in he's been flup with a waiting list.

There was something he said that was very informative. He stated that the vast majority of newbies had told him that as soon as they felt comfortable in getting into planes once more, they would be ditching the caravan or motorhome and going back to to the airport terminal.

I appreciate that some of them might get the bug and keep the wheels but it would seem that the high demand will either fall off next spring or the following year.

 

[SteveRallye]

I tend to agre the sooner life gets back to something like normal the better.

 

[Tombola]

Yes I agree, there will be a glut of 2nd hand appearing at a dealership near you soon? BUT will that have any effect or will they sell quick enough anyway if the manufacturers are still struggling to get new ones over from the factories that are behind ?

 

[androidGB]

I've already noticed there are now motorhomes available at realistic pre covid prices. Of course, some people are still advertising at inflated prices, but I feel they may have missed the boat.


Andrew

 

[RogerIvy]

but I feel they may have missed the boat.

Boat? I thought we were talking Motorhomes?

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[Blue Knight]

IMO the next few months is potentially going to cause a fair few financial issues for certain people so I can see some high value or non essential items being sold or returned.

 

[Boris7]

hopefully I’ll get a new “almost new van” at the right price sometime soon then.

 

[Crazylegs]

We went to view a twin bed jobbie at Alan Kerr’s in Devon last week, they said they had sold 100 vans in August and it was looking like they would sell a similar amount in September, so I don’t think the bubble has burst just yet. I work within the motor trade and I know Franchised main dealers that can only dream of selling 100 cars in a month.

 

[Jim]

For sure lots will come up for sale, late this year early next. But, just like we did, many thousands of new motorhome owners have just discovered how much fun motorhomes are; and I don't think they will be giving them up anytime soon.

 

[Keep Right On]

I think there will be people like us - buy a first van and enjoy it enough to upgrade.
Probably being a Funster helps too ;-)

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[Tigger-Tim]

The restricted supply of new vans/motorhomes will keep the nearly-new prices high for some time yet.

 

[Southdowners]

The restricted supply of new vans/motorhomes will keep the nearly-new prices high for some time yet.

I think this will be the case too.

A week or so ago we went direct to two manufacturers and were told the wait for a new vehicle from them is approx 18 mths. In the UK the wait is 2 years.

 

[Ivory55]

If someone has to pay for storage and has finance on it then it might add up to sell now and buy if needed again in the spring.

 

[Clipgate]

As stagflation bits many will be forced to reconsider there financial commitments urgently. It will not just be motorhomes, it's going to be an interesting time, remember the 70s?

 

[Mikey RV]

What goes up must come down. Prices on motorhomes.

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[carolyn]

I think there’s still a few years of retirees with the good pension lump sums left who may well think “sod it” let’s spend it whilst we can which which will help keep prices up. We were parked up next to an old couple near York this week who had picked up a brand new S&L Apollo the day before and couldn’t work out the cab remis blinds so I helped. S&L have 10 vans on order but don’t know when they will get them. We know IH are taking orders for 12-18 month build slots! There’s plenty of money about for luxury items.

The current worries about fuel, turkeys, gas, and christmas prices are going to affect a lot of people sadly but I expect it will effect the two week foreign holiday type of thing more than motorhome buying. It may even help sustain the motorhome industry. Just a thought, haven’t got my crystal ball out either.

 

[sallylillian]

For sure lots will come up for sale, late this year early next. But, just like we did, many thousands of new motorhome owners have just discovered how much fun motorhomes are; and I don't think they will be giving them up anytime soon.

Well, you hope so, to keep the till ringing

 

[Jim]

Well, you hope so, to keep the till ringing

Not particularly, we don't really have room for these newbies. A large increase in motorhomers impacts us all, Pitch numbers are flat or in decline, this will only get worse as the country scrambles for brownfield sites to give easy house building permission, pitch fees are going to be even worse next year. Less people going abroad will add more pressure. Add to that the van-lifers killing the wild spots we've used for years. So I don't hope so at all.

The pre 2019 status quo was perfect as far as I'm concerned. As a motorhome enthusiast, I'm not hopeful about our hobby looking forward.

 

[Lenny HB]

Our Belgium dealer ordered 650 new vans, Hymer cut his order back to 350 he has already sold half of them. Once the 120 he has left are gone it will be orders for 2023 model vans with delivery next September onwards.

 

[jezport]

Bare in mind less motorhomes came off the production line during Covid. So its more a case that people who were not using their vans and saw the inflated prices just sold them. Plus showroom stock also sold.
Many will like the motorhoming life, some will just hang on to them due to indecisiveness and others will be stuck in a negative equity situation if they paid a silly price.

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[Lenny HB]

Also a lot certainly ones bought by younger people will be on finance so they might be struggling next year with payments as life gets back to normal.

 

[dunnah01]

Probably no huge change in the situation from this summer. 50% will love their new motorhomes and keep them, 50% will realise that it's not like they show on the telly and sell up. The shortage of new vans will be fed by the bulging secondhand market and with so few new vans arriving these secondhand ones will effectively replace the vans going to the great aire in the sky. The infrastructure will eventually catch up with the demand for spaces.

 

[MisterB]

i am a bit surprised that anyone renting storage would be that naive and tell the 'landlord' they are planning to sell soon. if i was the landlord i would be thinking of taking on new clients if any pop up, i would have thought their 12 month lease might not be available next year if someone else comes along. my other thoughts are why would the landlord 'go the extra mile' for someone who is clearly not going to support his (or her) business long term ....

 

[busby]

I do not own a crystal ball and I have no personal viewpoint on this but today I recovered our van from its temporary home of two weeks while we have had work done on our drive.
I was able to place the van at a storage facility we used many years ago. It is on a farm and has 200 places.

The owner and I got chatting. He told me that ever since the pandemic kicked in he's been flup with a waiting list.

There was something he said that was very informative. He stated that the vast majority of newbies had told him that as soon as they felt comfortable in getting into planes once more, they would be ditching the caravan or motorhome and going back to to the airport terminal.

I appreciate that some of them might get the bug and keep the wheels but it would seem that the high demand will either fall off next spring or the following year.

It's a big investment if you are on limited holiday entitlement.BUSBY.

 

[Emmit]

i am a bit surprised that anyone renting storage would be that naive and tell the 'landlord' they are planning to sell soon. if i was the landlord i would be thinking of taking on new clients if any pop up, i would have thought their 12 month lease might not be available next year if someone else comes along. my other thoughts are why would the landlord 'go the extra mile' for someone who is clearly not going to support his (or her) business long term ....

Storage isn't like house rent.
There is minimal advertising required to get punters through the door because the way the UK housing is developed, there is little opportunity to park a caravan or Motorhome within one's home.

The punters pay 12mths, usually in advance with built in conditions that their payment for the following year is paid up front and not in arrears.

In my case, even though I am on first name terms with the owner and his family and have known them for twenty years plus. I still had to put my hand in my pocket at more than the yearly rate to park the van on his site for 13nights.

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[AlunandFelicie]

hopefully I’ll get a new “almost new van” at the right price sometime soon then.

Same for us ,late May is our deadline so hope we can hold our nerve

 

[PhilandMena]

Its not unusual for seniors to buy a motorhome then realise its not for them and they end up on sale within a year of being purchased. This has been going on for years. The pandemic has effectively scared the bejesus out of owners when it comes to travelling, weather new or own owners and storage facilities will have been rammed as a result.
We see more and more new Motorhomes on the road every year and I cant see this trend stopping.

 

[DBK]

I was chatting to the warden of the CMC site we are on this morning and he said they had been told the CMC have had more people staying on their sites this year than in the whole of 2019. This is despite being closed for 100 days this year and the year isn't even over yet. The site here (near Whitley Bay) is currently full and though a lot left this morning they are expecting another 30 arrivals this afternoon.

 

[Nanniemate]

Storage isn't like house rent.
There is minimal advertising required to get punters through the door because the way the UK housing is developed, there is little opportunity to park a caravan or Motorhome within one's home.

The punters pay 12mths, usually in advance with built in conditions that their payment for the following year is paid up front and not in arrears.

In my case, even though I am on first name terms with the owner and his family and have known them for twenty years plus. I still had to put my hand in my pocket at more than the yearly rate to park the van on his site for 13nights.

there are no 'friends' in business ........................as the saying goes

Many of my business acquaintances that I have not heard from during CORVID lockdown are now starting to make contact & checking on my availability, ask how many of these business 'friends' made contact when they did not need my services during lockdown just to say 'hi how are you?'

Many I have had association with for 30 years+


Will I take their money, if if is convenient for me to right I will

 

[martin2603]

My Storage Compound charges £60.00 per month which equates to £2.00 per day.
They invoice monthly and no discount for yearly payment. I have used them for 6 years now and the charges have only just overtake the rates charges by the previous Cassoa Gold site when we left 6 years ago. Hard Standing 25/7 Access and 25 /7 security gate, We are looking to move house to be able to keep the MH at home, no luck as yet.Can’t decide where to move to!!

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