🛜Get high speed, unlimited internet on the road or rural with Connecten - Use promo code “DESIGN35” at checkout for $35 off your order! connecteninternet.com/ What are your overall thoughts about TH-camrs treating this RV supershows like it is the Oscars because THEY get in for free? Sound off below!
I agree with you… I went to the Tampa RV Show and seen for myself that the majority of the units had Cheep white and grey colored interiors… The majority had the same floor plan. I laughed to myself with the signage that said you save $43,000 today. Hell, I wouldn’t give them $43,000 let alone sticker price… I think the older used units are a better buy.
I camped at the Tampa RV show for 5 days and loved it. Went into the show every day and throughly enjoyed myself, crowds and all. Don’t care for the TH-camr look at me thing with meet ups and such but do enjoy looking around and supporting the vendors in the buildings. Had a good time with the wife and pup this year.
This is 100% why we said that part in the video that if you enjoy the show- have fun! We had a blast spending time with each other and walking through about 50 RV’s .. and it made for a cheap date 🤣🤣 unless we buy that Airstream !
Only problem I would have with fan meetups is if they charge and some do, although I am sure the show did not allow that. I like some sailing channels, but you must pay to meet them. Now per the free fan meetups, it is not really about "they look at me" as much as giving time to your fans to meet you, speak with you, etc. At least one of them that I know is how it is done, had a few possible "host" places get told no, because they wanted to charge a entry fee. But I am sure there are those that it is all about them, not their fans.
Some of these things you would only know if you actually knew the TH-cam group. We have been we several that as soon as they meet someone and take that picture, they trash talk the people they just met. Always amazed us when people think the personalities are the same on camera as off. Hell, there are several channels that won’t even acknowledge you if you are not part of their Paterion group. We hear that one a lot!
@@liferedesigned But why group them all together as if they are all bad? Yes some are bad, like those you noted, but I suspect they are the few, not the majority. I do know a few of them, one really well. While out with him & his wife another very poplar channel ran into him, had a photo with him, but did not want his wife in the photo with them and refused to even shake our hands, let alone talk to us. Our friend waited a day out of privacy before posting the photo. They never did post it and a week later their video came out and no mention of running into another TH-camr. That was the last I followed them. Our friend told us he knew they would not share the photo or mention him in their video as it is known they only promote themselves and one other close friend. A few months later our friend still mentioned them in a good way in his video. I am glad to say our friend now has higher numbers than they do. They shouted out to our friend while he was doing a live video at Tampa this year, wanted to make sure they got attention. Guess what again no mention of those they ran into. So yes there are bad ones, but there are a lot of real people to, you do truly get in person what you see in the video. I know our friend is seen as very real by everyone who meets him. He does not require money to meet him, he never asks for money and is still humbled by how well his channel has grown. He & his wife do meetups not because they think they are special, but so they can meet those who follow them, hear their stories. I am sorry but your grouping everyone together is just too negative. I am sure you will still think I have no real clue about how it really is and that is ok.
@@forry100 Jim, from our experience being on the road and being part of the "influencer" network - your experience with your friends channel is the exception. His experience with other channels is the norm. If you feel the truth that we present is too negative, then I guess our channel is not for you -- and that is okay as we never will pretend to be something we are not just to appease potential subscribers. Your comment about your friend still mentioning the rude TH-camrs in his video is interesting as it does validate our standpoint. We constantly promote smaller channels as a way to give back to the community. In fact there is another one scheduled to go live today at 5:00pm. As for meetups, we meet everyday with subscribers and spend a considerable time with each person we encounter - we listen to their stories, share emails and invites to our personal Facebook accounts etc. You would be hard pressed to find someone that met us and felt we were any different off camera as we are on camera. I will say this - this particular video resonated with over 20 companies that want to do business with us because they saw what we mentioned first hand. (To date, we have not accepted one offer) We wish you the best of luck in finding a channel that aligns with your views. lord knows there are plenty to choose from. Be Blessed. Bob & Karri life redesigned
A lot of people are also not buying new because the used prices are good. Better built also. Plus upgrades and tires have been replaced. Lots of good reasons to buy 2019 and prior.
Good points. It was very interesting talking to the dealer financing reps at the show that explained how many people are actually not trading in those units bought during the pandemic. They are too upside down and just decide to go camping more 😀
We bought a Forest River product from Bob Ledford RV in Greer Sc in 2018. Love our camper and had a great experience at the dealership. Always accommodating when we visit the store.
No way! We felt so bad that we couldn't remember names or anything - this is still all new to us being spotted in public 😂😂 If you shoot us an email at liferedesignedrv@gmail.com with your info - we will send you a sticker if you would like. We totally forgot about those as well! It was so nice meeting you both - Thank you for being awesome!
You guys hit the nail on the head, in todays "disposable" world, ALL RV manufacturers use the cheapest material and hardware they can find to build RV's. In 2016 we traded in a 2005 Mobil Suite for a brand new 2016 Voltage (We bought a Harley Trike, and at almost 20K dry weight there is no way I would try to pull a DRV Full House even with our 2015 dodge dually ) Even with the age difference of the two RV's the difference in the quality and workmanship between the two was night and day. RV shows are good to see what's out there and that's about it. Safe Travels!!
We went to a local RV show and it just confirmed our strong leanings towards a fiber glass trailer. You make a good point, do your research and work locally. Thanks.
I agree. We live in Tampa and we're at the Tampa RV show. We walked into several models of fifth wheels and the fit and finish was atrocious. Cabinets wouldn't shut doors wouldn't open. Trim was loose. The only manufacturer I saw there were everything was just absolutely perfect. The way it should be was east to west which ironically were some of the lowest price RVs out there. If you get a chance to check one out you really should. It seems like they paid a lot of attention to detail but they don't have a huge marketing budget and so they don't have any influencers giving them exposure.
Exactly!! We only went to prove a point about the Tampa and Hershey shows. The only advantage we see is being able to compare different models and different suppliers at the same time. The most disturbing part we noticed at the larger shows is how much BS is spread - some of the salespeople should win Academy Awards with the lies they tell 😀
We went to the Indy RV show last fall and they had one that had the hidden bunkhouse. I pulled the door open and the molding came off in my hand. There was no handle because the fridge and stove was part of the door. That's a lot of weight to be moving.
We went to a couple shows in Tampa and decided to not to go back. It is really crowded and the food is so expensive. I bought my camper in 2019 and it’s been great. We use it a 5-6 times a year. We plan to use it more next year. I am glad I bought pre-covid.
Thank you for this video, I was at the Tampa show Friday and Saturday and you are correct quality is not job one. As for parts think about the volume they buy just to put into the units, the price they list isn’t the price they pay.
I agree and had the same experience as you. I went to the Tampa show a couple of years ago and it was flooded with people, it is really hard to see the units with so many people around. Last year we went to the Austin RV Expo and it was great, much smaller, much less people and less crowded units, we were by ourselves in many units with a ton of time to see then in detail. The benefit of the big shows is the variety, you get to see much more brands and models, you have to go with a plan on what you want to see, because if you don't you are going to spend a couple of days there trying to see it all.
Sales are down due to interest rates. Prices are fropping because people are letting them go back to the banks. Banks cant get motorcycles, boats or RBs picked up on REPO because there are so many cars getting picked up. The sad part is a repoed 2 year old $70,000. toy hauler will go through whole sale auction at $35,000. The prrson will still owe the balance plus thousands in fees
We went our first time looking for our 1st brand new RV honestly so many to look at took 2 days to make our decision, so many nice RV to chose from so now with our new RV I researched them on reviews we already new what we needed and wanted we found it one on line. We ended up driving to couches RV sale in Ohio from Florida. GREAT people to deal with paperwork and all was done before we left Florida. Couches RV Ohio place to deal with.
Good stuff…. We shopped local here in Charleston, we are stuck in our “now overpriced “ Rig and have no choice but to ride it out ,, but we do love the rig so we are staying with it…good info and thanks for the honesty /….
My wife and I enjoyed going to the Pittsburgh RV show which was a few weekends ago while it rained for nine days we went on the first Saturday which was nice. There was a Steelers game and it snowed so no one was there so we had the whole place almost all to ourselves, we got to talk to the grand design people a lot, and find out a lot about the grand design trailers which we do have one
8% interest rate is a bit much. Unfortunately for the influencers, I don't listen to them much on products outside of awareness. I research everything before I make a purchase. Let the products stand on their own merits. Recently ordered a Brinkley G3500 for full-time living and not from an RV show. Did my own research and took the factory tour. I'm not planning on traveling much as I'm too busy running my small wood-fired pizza business. I needed a new home coming from a Lance truck camper, so I landed on Brinkley. No loan. I don't care about resale value as I never purchase anything based on that. I purchase based on what the item can do to improve my quality of life. How it fits into my lifestyle. That's the only value I care about. Enjoy!
New subscriber here, I like your straightforward normal person presentation. We just visited the local Grand Rapids show, which is all indoors (FREEZING outside). Only a handful of local dealers represented, and I really have to wonder how many sales they actually closed. The place was packed (again, indoors), but there were a lot of deal tables with the finance people sitting around with only each other to talk to. We're looking to downsize from our 33' monster (on a seasonal site) to one we can actually tow, but nothing grabbed us, so we're still looking. FWIW, we bought just BEFORE the pandemic hit, in early 2020, from the 2020 GR show.
Hey guys! Love your channel but I have to disagree with you. We've noticed a significant difference in prices at the larger shows (lower). Manufacturers are present and will often help to sweeten the deal. Also, we head to the large shows because we love touring RVs, seeing what's new and sharing with our viewers. We often take requests for tours from folks that can't normally make it to a show or see particular models in their area. Also, we've found our local shows carry a very limited number of models. Plus, never pay the show prices. Negotiate down. Tampa attendance appeared to be down this year. I believe its was a combination of weather, interest rates, and the overall economy as well as continued disillusionment with the RV lifestyle due to poor quality. As far as industry day its an opportunity to talk with the manufacturers and learn what's new. We didn't make it to industry day this year but were able to tour without crowds by arriving a couple of hours before the show opened to the public. You are right about Tiffin. We've seen a significant decrease in quality since they were acquired by Thor. Thanks for the vid.
Y'all are doing a great service to your viewers - keep it up! As we said in the video, if you enjoy the large shows , continue to do so and have fun! As for pricing, we stand firm on that one as others have stated as well.
Hi Bob & Kerri this is Lee & Sharon in northern N, Y. We have a 2019 Grand Design Imagine like you have & a2023 Ram 1500 truck . We are week end campers in our mid 70s .We camp in Northern Adirondack mountains N.Y.
My husband was in the Rv service industry and he always said it’s the customer service. If they will send you a part no questions asked. If they will allow a mobile tech under warranty etc RVs go in an earthquake every time you move it. They will al fall apart.
There is a lot of truth to this but a lot also has to do with inferior parts. They bank on most RV’er’s going out only a few times a year on a weekend trip. Gets them through the warranty period in most cases - just barely. The earthquake analogy is spot on but still doesn’t make poor installations excusable.
@@liferedesigned Too bad…it would have been awesome!! We are actively looking to buy a 5th wheel and Charlotte is a fairly decent show. Maybe one day we’ll get to cross paths in our travels!! Happy Travels!!💕
@@liferedesigned oh no I got my days mixed up we were there Saturday but i would have went back Sunday just to meet you guys !! Oh man hopefully soon you’re in my neighborhood now at Myrtle Beach we are only 2 hours away from there
I'm an RV tech and I went to the Tampa rv show on Tuesday aka industry day with all the youtubers. I will say that some of them act like celebrities and some people treat them like celebrities. However we're good friends with some influences who also went to the show on Tuesday. I know they met up and networked with several vendors that were there (as did I) so it's not just about thinking they're celebrities. Additionally some of them have contractual obligations to shoot some of those tour videos. Basically they're just doing their job and trying to make a living too.
Just lift the bed up, if the bed frame is made with wood it's usually an indicator of a poor-quality unit. One of the reasons we're going with flagstaff. In many ways built better then Brinkley when you really dive into the specs.
Agree for the most part. Especially the "buy local" recommendation. Worked out very well for us with our Winnebago Class B warranty service period. We've been to the Tampa RV show now 3 times, and I really have not seen the sales pressure you referred to. We have seen the "influencers" here and there. But usually, if we do see a salesman, a simple, "Thanks, we're fine!" sends them on their way. In fact, when we have had a question, it's often hard to find one to talk to because they're busy with other people. We've always found it to be a low stress, fun way to see entire lines of product. In contrast, the local shows tend to be extremely limited unless you want a travel trailer. We like Class Bs and small Cs, and are often very disappointed at the small shows here in Virginia. There might be one or two, but we've been to shows where no Bs were displayed - certainly no full product lines like you find at Tampa. Have also enjoyed the opportunity sit down and talk with factory reps. We even met some engineering staff from Winnebago recently, and had a great, relaxed discussion.
It is always interesting to hear about other people’s experiences. Our Facebook and Instagram inboxes have been flooded with people saying how Tampa felt like a meat market to them. But like we said in the video, if it is your scene and you enjoy it, nothing wrong with it at, go and have fun!
The biggest thing I noticed from Tampa was that the prices were at about 30 percent off not 20/25 from last year. Think about it, Tiffin is no longer family owned. Tiffin family may still be around but Thor owns them. Quality has gone down. Can be seen by looking at 20/21's and then look at 23/24's.
Im sick of hearing about that show. Cant wait till its over. Besides, Florida weather sucks and its over crowded. People dont go to Bucees for chicken, its the briscuit.
I have sold RVs after I “ retired “ from my corporate job until my wife was able to retire. I did it as I love to RV and wanted to help get people into without all the BS. The big shows ( I worked 3 ) I would get a group of interested people in a unit and explain the features and answer questions. I did not ry to sell units at the show but after. They all have “ show specials “ at really good prices and most dealers will honor them for a couple days after the show. If you find a unit you like get a price and ask how long it’s good for as many sales people know that the majority of people will not just dump $$$$ without thinking it over. If they won’t give you a price ( they fear you will shop,it ) or they say it’s only good at the show I’d move on. Make sure if you buy at the show is it the show unit or another? Remember if it’s the show unit many people have gone in and out of it , pulled on cabinets etc. also ask if they have the unit or are you having to wait weeks for it. I made many friends that I ran into at parks , gas toons etc and received many emails , cards etc. buying an RV should be fun. It’s a fun thing to do. Don’t let a bad salesperson or dealer ruin it for you.
We just went to the Providence Rv show on Saturday and we found the Brinkley Z2900 for $10,000 less than General Rv at the Tampa show. I contacted General Rv yesterday and have been doing the email game. The last email I got was let me show the price to my manager and see what I can do. Lol
Thank you for saying this! That was basically the same thing we found at Hershey - Thank the TH-cam crowd for this extra game being played. The shows let them in free, they hype the event and the dealers and show sponsors clean up with overinflated pricing. We were invited by no less than 6 companies to do "Meet and Greets" and turned them all down because of this extremely shady practice. be careful with General, We hear that they learned nothing from the lawsuits and are VERY influencer dependent.
Yeah Google it up - Major lawsuits against General RV for all kinds of fraud with loans etc. Rumor has it (just rumor) that is why their spokesperson on TH-cam stepped away from them for about a year and then went back once the news died down. We talk to a lot of people and are constantly told to stay clear of them.
Yeah, we don’t go to the big shows. We’ve got a couple small ones coming up. They’ve got the same Campers at the small shows that they do at the big ones. Safe travels
I like your honesty when it comes to new RV's. I bought a 2016 Thor Challenger about a year ago with 24k miles on it and got it at a great price. The only thing I have done to it was upgrade the radio to a 10 inch screen so I could see my cameras better. The only issue I had was the AC had to be recharged and my big slideout needed new motors. I put money into new tires as well as it had the original ones on it and I didn't want to chance a blowout on an old tire even though the tread was almost new. I won't buy a new motorhome anytime soon. Prices are way to high for inferior quality and safety.
I enjoy going to the small RV shows here in Nebraska. I have a 2017 Heartland Wilderness and haven’t found one yet that I would trade it in for although there are a few upgrades I would love to have.
We hear the Heartlands are great units. they is always a way to upgrade without buying a new RV, you name it and there is probably an aftermarket retrofit 😀
I ditched the show also. I only live 2 hrs away and I would like to buy a camper van. BUT judging on all the crap i hear on u tube, and thinking about all the scams that I have been screwed on, and all this bragging on how great all these RVs are.,, I am certain we would probably have bought something, sold our good trailer, and been VERY VERY VERY VERY UNHAPPY. About the onlly person I ttust is my wife, then my DOG comes next. You can not ttrust any body, any company, any warranty, at all any more. Sorry I sound nasty but this is just the way it is. We could also afford to pay cash for a new RV if we wanted to. These dealers are just plain crooked. They lie about the RV, they lie about the warranty, they lie about what the price would be. Maybe Lazy Days would be the ONLY company I would trust. All the rest, awful.
Build-Quality is very much different (better) in SpaceCraft, Luxe, DRV, & New Horizons (in my "humble opinion"), virtually ALL of the other brands are seriously very sub-standard. YES, you move into a different price bracket, to buy a brand that is very unlikely to "BREAK" !!
Great brands but affordability for the average camper is an issue. Remember, the majority of RV owners are not full time and only get out a few weekends a year.
Yep, can even read all by myself 😂😂 and they had the same Lippert plumbing fixtures as Grand Design. Heard the same things from people that attended other shows.
@@liferedesigned I know they use brass fittings and PEX, GD uses plastic fittings and flexible hose line which has a different "ID" Inside dimension that the actual fittings which would fail any building inspection. I think the only area Brinkley uses flexible hose line is the master bedroom slide for the bathroom. Im an Airstream lifer but Brinkley was very impressive. No trim along the ceiling, no nail holes, dust etc..
While Brinkley is better than most, in the models we have seen - they are definitely not even close to an Airstream. Just our opinion. We are just regular people with a camera and a voice - far from experts. For the money though, I expected better.
So here is what we seen. Design and Aesthetics are unbelievably well done. Components are the same Lippert components that we see everywhere else. For the money, I honestly expected more that the same components that are in out Grand Design XLS (Faucets, thermostat etc) . Fit and finish was the same mediocre build quality that we see everywhere else. Mismatched moldings, crooked installs of cabinet doors etc. We will say this, absolutely beautiful rigs from a design standpoint, very well done. But at the end of the day when you put all that aside - nothing different than everyone else except they are flooding social media with influencers. Same thing Grand Design did - which makes sense as they have executives that were from GD
Well, I was upset that I didn't know you were going to be in Columbia today; that's just 90 minutes south of me! However, it wouldn't have mattered because I discovered this morning this cold weather has caused one of my tires to go completely flat which I won't be able to get it looked at/fixed until tomorrow. And then you mentioned the $10 fee to get in...for real? "Hey come look at all these things we are trying to sell you and hey, pay $10 for the privilege to do so!"...uh, no thanks. Where did you get that Adidas shirt/pullover? Looks great. I'm trying to break in to the RV life thing for less than $10,000; just want to try it out for a year to see if I like it without making a huge financial commitment.
@@liferedesigned Guess I'll pass on going to any RV shows then...I'm not looking to buy new anyways. There's another Adidas outlet store near Spartanburg, SC, just north of I-85/I-26 interchange...well there was one there 20 years ago when I bought some stuff there...just FYI in case you're a 'collector' like me and are heading in that direction next. Take care and be safe!
We went for the first time to the Tampa RV Show and we’re very disappointed with the RVs. I also saw y’all there but was to shy to approach. Saw some other TH-camrs too but didn’t care to go say hi. I didn’t see any deals and found I could get better deals with a local dealer. Some of those RVs I would not even put out for the show with the all the bad quality workmanship they had displayed. Doors weren’t lining up, laminate already peeling, etc.. I also found that the dealers there were not to keen on answering questions or ver informative about their products. I will say that Ember were the best at sitting and answering thoroughly any and all questions and they knew their products inside and out. Very impressed with the Ember team. We did love the new off road Airstream. Had to keep going back multiple times to awe at it. I do think the airstream should have used a better solar system on top.
So post 2008 down turn companies made many short cuts to build cheaper and sell at industry set prices... then 2020 pandemic hit and now they need to make up losses again... the thing is they just don't seem to care that they could build great RV's at slightly higher prices and make the same corporate profit margins... they took the low road.. i have a 2018 RV and it is built OK.. just OK.. it uses light weight wood and typical LCI components and it was nearly a $400,000 class A when new (thankfully we bought it used) we've replaced and fixed a few things, what RV owner hasn't? some have been RV side and some have been on the freight-liner chassis side :-( we'd love a super C, but we have no confidence in the manufacturers... it's such a shame...
Absolutely! The newest trend (think Lippert) is to hire “influencers” to build community as opposed to just putting out quality products- going to get worse before it gets better
The Airstream is pretty, but everyone I follow who has one seem to be losing their loving feeling for that trailer. Any coach or trailer you decide on you just have to really spend time learning the pros and cons, of course. With that said, there is NO perfect coach or trailer, they all have issues. I am still unable to make a choice on what to purchase to this day now that I am retired. It still seems like there are so many negative comments and so few positive. They look pretty and it's all downhill from there. I think that if I go to one of those shows it would just be too much, overwhelming, and maybe way too disappointing. I will just keep searching and hope it happens for me... or not.
We love our 22MLE - so far nothing has caught our attention to actually make a switch! RV shows can be extremely overwhelming. If you go, stick to smaller ones!
You mean you are not selling any prime poop positions, or poop fluid, or leveling pads, free passes to thousand trails, time shares, running boards, diesel def. etc
😁 Not gonna lie, it was 25 degrees yesterday morning and it sucked! We scrambled on Friday afternoon trying to find pants to wear there. Everyone we talked to thought we were crazy for not being dressed warm enough - high was only 34 while we were there. That is ARTIC weather for them here in SC 😂😂😂
We are going to have a heatwave here in Nebraska in the mid 30s. Several days of subzero temperatures and windchill advisories, watches and warnings. Insulated bibs, long underwear, heavy winter boots are standard outfits. About a foot of snow. Dogs are loving the snow.
This is the second video am watching. the truth about people quitting rv life, and you say about people doing advertising at the beginning of the video.... then this was the second video... lol
I really think you "missed the boat" about the Tampa RV Show. The Tampa RV Show is more than just new rigs, it also includes 2 large buildings of vendors showcasing the latest in RV accessories and Campgrounds. The Tampa RV show has a large selection of free seminars. The Tampa RV Show has a great energy being with fellow minded people. And yes, there are multiple TH-camrs promoting themselves at the Tampa RV Show, but you don't have to participate in that if you are not interested. Small RV Shows are great, but until you have experienced the Tampa RV Show for any period of time, I wouldn't be slamming it. Plus, I believe that the manufacturers are doing a better job with the build quality on the new Rigs when compared to the COVID RVs (can it be better? YES!). The manufacturers have to get better or they will be out of business. BTW - Any industry that relies upon cheap loans are suffering the same as the RV industry (Boats, powersports, new home sales, etc). So, to say that the RV Industry is in a downturn due to the number of people buying coaches during COVID is not the full story. Plus, the discounts you are seeing today from Dealers and Manufacturers is very close to what "normal" used to be prior to COVID.
HI Nick: First, thanks for taking the time to comment. Second, these are just our opinions as well as facts from industry insiders as to the state of the RV industry. As we said in the video - If you enjoy it, you do you! But since you took the time to write such a long comment, We will address a couple of your points: The fact of the matter is, Tampa attendance was down 5% YOY - this was validated by event coordinators. Yes, we have experienced both Hershey and Tampa RV shows. They are just that, an RV show - pretending they are anything other than that is kind of foolish. It is a sales event plain and simple. Everything from the large amount of "Influencers" who were admitted for free, down to the events and "seminars" are all designed as a huge sales pitch. Again, if that is your thing - go for it. As for downturn, this has been discussed by every single "insider" and "influencer" this is nothing new. There was a HUGE amount of purchases made during the pandemic and to think that those people are not stuck in loans and sticking with what they have is foolish as this comes directly from numerous F&I departments from across multiple vendors. Build quality, I won't even touch that subject because it is covered everywhere how bad these units are being produced. Read the comments from actual owners who testify to that. One last parting point. We have heard from at least 5 vendors who left the event early to head to Quartzsite because the vibe of the show has drastically changed from prior years. Hard sales pitches and heavy sales pressure was the biggest complaint we heard from attendees - none of which we experienced at the numerous smaller regional shows that we attended. We see that you are extremely passionate about this particular RV show ... that is a great thing, if you enjoyed it - then you apparently got your entry fee's worth of entertainment. We respect your passion and position on this show - hopefully you can respect ours.
@@liferedesigned Thanks for the response! We have been attending the Tampa RV Show for the past 5 years, and each year have participated in the Supershow Rally. This allows us to spend 5 days attending the show at our leisure. We have made some good friends at the Rally, and the Tampa RV Show is one of our RVing highlights each year. Not quite sure why you are telling folks not to go. I am not advocating for anyone to go the show and buy an RV, but with over 1,000 different RVs, if you are in the market, the Tampa RV Show is definitely the show to attend to decide which rig is right for you! We walked through literally over a 100 different RVs and never were pressured. Plus, at the Tampa Show, virtually every manufacturer has reps on site to explain their RVs and offer insights. You don't get that with a small show. On some of the models, the pricing may be worse at the Tampa Show and with other models it will be better. It really is dependent on the Dealer that is showing. At the end of the day, you are buying from a dealer. And always remember, the "Show Price" is where you start your negotiations, not where you end them! We were there all 5 days, and the vendors and dealers seemed to be pleased with the results. We did not see any vendor left early. Who left early? There were no empty tables in the Vendor area (The Tampa RV show has a long wait list to get vending space). BTW - Alliance sold A LOT of RVs! Some vendors sold out of all of their product that they brought to the show. I appreciate your opinion, but just because many TH-camrs are at the Tampa RV Show, that is not a reason to avoid it.
Nick, it seems that no matter what we say - you are extremely passionate about this show. In fact, we personally have never met anyone so passionate about something they didn’t have a vested interest in. If you are this passionate about Tampa, you must be even more of a fan of Hershey - did you know they are the largest RV show in the country. Tampa is a distant second. I even must applaud you for knowing vendor tables and what manufacturers sold what - quite impressive. Maybe the event coordinator should hire you for PR instead of giving “influencers” by the hundreds free admission to plug the show for them! We support small businesses. Small regional shows even have the same salesperson you would be working with at the dealership instead of bussing them in from out of state. We recommended an alternative to the mega events - if you don’t like small local businesses and prefer the large show spectacle - again, we have no issues and respect your opinion. Apparently our opinion since it varies from yours is not respected? I invite you to read all the comments on this video - seems like a lot of people do not feel the way you do either.
@@liferedesigned Lol. "The sarcasm is deep with this one" No insult intended. Just an observation - if you just drive to the event (like the Tampa RV Show) for one day and walk around, you may not have a good time. When you participate and enjoy the event over multiple days with no deadlines, it can be a really good time being around like minded RVers. We lover RVers! I never said small shows aren't fun. I love everything RV! And yes, we talk to vendors and we can see the results with our own eyes. Sorry if this doesn't agree with you.
Nick - not sarcasm, you just seem to be pushing something with the same rhetoric the “influencers” use and avoiding the counterpoint. Again, we have attended both large shows and this was our opinion - BUY LOCAL - if you enjoy all the workshops, dry camping and etc- that is great and we are cool with that. Personally, if the event was all that - you would not need to flood the scene with influencers. Seems like the regional shows are more about RV life as opposed to the circus. We stand by our video and the comments from people that attended.
They try to force you to selll your new rig with in ten years and buy a new model, by having every rv park deny any vehicle over 10years. Oh and they know there quality of work is shite, would fail the slowest level of the crash test and wont last ten years..
That 10 year RV rule is grossly over exaggerated, just an FYI. That rule exists in RV parks for a couple of reasons: 1. So people don’t rent a night and dump their old RV there (this happens way too often) 2. It keeps the RV parks clear of old neglected units that are eyesores. If you have an old rig in good condition- we have not been to one RV park that would deny them.
Should keep your eyes on the road more while your driving for it is just a matter of time before your last video gets uploaded by someone other than you, just saying.
homeless kids that dont want to work in RVs not kewl. its ugly. Broken frames. Fires. homeless, only difference is income and then they put kids & pets in this homeless life. brutally honest, the ol days watching retired was kewl, but these broken down homeless UGLY
You truly are something if you believe all the ignorant dribble you just spewed. Spoken like someone that clearly has zero experience in this lifestyle- move on troll
sorry Im saying what your family& friends wont tell you. But to my credit i was talking to the millions of kids who want to hippie around homeless. The public is sick of homeless, invaders, and RVers who wont work and RV homeless scattered all over cities its pure ugly (its not kewl anymore) and youre at best case scenario looked at as contributor but most see the sick pets, disfunction of homeless kids, trailer park trash sucks, there just no way of glorifying it, peeps getting wise to YT media shams but you got a view and a comment out of me @@liferedesigned
@@liferedesigned hahaha... so true in tdays world.... Wouldn't it be great if just one of these egg headed companies would offer an empty shell??? I guarantee there's a market out there to let us complete the build...
We are wanting to RV in the future,what I see is super overpriced crap, They look pretty but an RV should not be as expensive as a real house. These are kindling on wheels ,just add an electric Truck or Suv and you have rolling bonfire waiting to be !
Just an FYI - this was on an empty road with no other vehicles for miles. We would never record with other vehicles on the road. Thanks for the concern- safe travels
Ah guess we truly are not professionals 😂 Just average people. Wasn’t meant to be a RV review, sorry. Thanks for engaging with our video, it really helps the reach of the video as well as our channel. Appreciate you!
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What are your overall thoughts about TH-camrs treating this RV supershows like it is the Oscars because THEY get in for free? Sound off below!
I agree with you… I went to the Tampa RV Show and seen for myself that the majority of the units had Cheep white and grey colored interiors… The majority had the same floor plan. I laughed to myself with the signage that said you save $43,000 today. Hell, I wouldn’t give them $43,000 let alone sticker price… I think the older used units are a better buy.
Couldn't agree with you more. Some of the "discounts" that we saw coming out of Tampa were laughable at best.
Would be hard to tow that log home behind the Ram though :) But truth for those that are okay with being stationary! Those log homes are amazing!
I camped at the Tampa RV show for 5 days and loved it. Went into the show every day and throughly enjoyed myself, crowds and all. Don’t care for the TH-camr look at me thing with meet ups and such but do enjoy looking around and supporting the vendors in the buildings. Had a good time with the wife and pup this year.
This is 100% why we said that part in the video that if you enjoy the show- have fun!
We had a blast spending time with each other and walking through about 50 RV’s .. and it made for a cheap date 🤣🤣 unless we buy that Airstream !
Only problem I would have with fan meetups is if they charge and some do, although I am sure the show did not allow that. I like some sailing channels, but you must pay to meet them. Now per the free fan meetups, it is not really about "they look at me" as much as giving time to your fans to meet you, speak with you, etc. At least one of them that I know is how it is done, had a few possible "host" places get told no, because they wanted to charge a entry fee. But I am sure there are those that it is all about them, not their fans.
Some of these things you would only know if you actually knew the TH-cam group. We have been we several that as soon as they meet someone and take that picture, they trash talk the people they just met. Always amazed us when people think the personalities are the same on camera as off. Hell, there are several channels that won’t even acknowledge you if you are not part of their Paterion group. We hear that one a lot!
@@liferedesigned But why group them all together as if they are all bad? Yes some are bad, like those you noted, but I suspect they are the few, not the majority. I do know a few of them, one really well. While out with him & his wife another very poplar channel ran into him, had a photo with him, but did not want his wife in the photo with them and refused to even shake our hands, let alone talk to us. Our friend waited a day out of privacy before posting the photo. They never did post it and a week later their video came out and no mention of running into another TH-camr. That was the last I followed them. Our friend told us he knew they would not share the photo or mention him in their video as it is known they only promote themselves and one other close friend. A few months later our friend still mentioned them in a good way in his video. I am glad to say our friend now has higher numbers than they do. They shouted out to our friend while he was doing a live video at Tampa this year, wanted to make sure they got attention. Guess what again no mention of those they ran into. So yes there are bad ones, but there are a lot of real people to, you do truly get in person what you see in the video. I know our friend is seen as very real by everyone who meets him. He does not require money to meet him, he never asks for money and is still humbled by how well his channel has grown. He & his wife do meetups not because they think they are special, but so they can meet those who follow them, hear their stories. I am sorry but your grouping everyone together is just too negative. I am sure you will still think I have no real clue about how it really is and that is ok.
@@forry100 Jim, from our experience being on the road and being part of the "influencer" network - your experience with your friends channel is the exception. His experience with other channels is the norm. If you feel the truth that we present is too negative, then I guess our channel is not for you -- and that is okay as we never will pretend to be something we are not just to appease potential subscribers.
Your comment about your friend still mentioning the rude TH-camrs in his video is interesting as it does validate our standpoint.
We constantly promote smaller channels as a way to give back to the community. In fact there is another one scheduled to go live today at 5:00pm.
As for meetups, we meet everyday with subscribers and spend a considerable time with each person we encounter - we listen to their stories, share emails and invites to our personal Facebook accounts etc. You would be hard pressed to find someone that met us and felt we were any different off camera as we are on camera.
I will say this - this particular video resonated with over 20 companies that want to do business with us because they saw what we mentioned first hand. (To date, we have not accepted one offer)
We wish you the best of luck in finding a channel that aligns with your views. lord knows there are plenty to choose from.
Be Blessed.
Bob & Karri
life redesigned
A lot of people are also not buying new because the used prices are good. Better built also. Plus upgrades and tires have been replaced. Lots of good reasons to buy 2019 and prior.
Good points. It was very interesting talking to the dealer financing reps at the show that explained how many people are actually not trading in those units bought during the pandemic. They are too upside down and just decide to go camping more 😀
We bought a Forest River product from Bob Ledford RV in Greer Sc in 2018. Love our camper and had a great experience at the dealership. Always accommodating when we visit the store.
We ALWAYS recommend a local dealer - great info and will add them to our list!
Hey! That was me and my wife you met at the show. Very cool to meet you.
No way! We felt so bad that we couldn't remember names or anything - this is still all new to us being spotted in public 😂😂
If you shoot us an email at liferedesignedrv@gmail.com with your info - we will send you a sticker if you would like. We totally forgot about those as well!
It was so nice meeting you both - Thank you for being awesome!
no eagle that was me and my husband
@@Brianne-kr4kslol😂
I love that you guys continue to improve EVERYy aspect of your videos, and you always give great information!
Thank you!
You guys hit the nail on the head, in todays "disposable" world, ALL RV manufacturers use the cheapest material and hardware they can find to build RV's. In 2016 we traded in a 2005 Mobil Suite for a brand new 2016 Voltage (We bought a Harley Trike, and at almost 20K dry weight there is no way I would try to pull a DRV Full House even with our 2015 dodge dually ) Even with the age difference of the two RV's the difference in the quality and workmanship between the two was night and day. RV shows are good to see what's out there and that's about it. Safe Travels!!
Well said!
We went to a local RV show and it just confirmed our strong leanings towards a fiber glass trailer. You make a good point, do your research and work locally. Thanks.
Those fiberglass units are definitely nice
Thank you for your honesty. It should be mandatory to speak with a psychiatrist before purchasing an RV.
That would be an interesting conversation 😂😂
Im just a blue collar worker that pulls my RV on the weekend… I appreciate you! 👍
Thank you! We started the exact same way which is why we 100% feel obligated to give our honest assessment and opinion.
There’s still making crap thinking people are gonna buy it
They sure are! That’s where doing your research comes in and not just listening to others.
Thank you for watching and commenting! Have a great day! 😀
I agree. We live in Tampa and we're at the Tampa RV show. We walked into several models of fifth wheels and the fit and finish was atrocious. Cabinets wouldn't shut doors wouldn't open. Trim was loose. The only manufacturer I saw there were everything was just absolutely perfect. The way it should be was east to west which ironically were some of the lowest price RVs out there. If you get a chance to check one out you really should. It seems like they paid a lot of attention to detail but they don't have a huge marketing budget and so they don't have any influencers giving them exposure.
We have seen them before but will check them out again
Love your videos never will understand why you have to pay to SEE something they want you to buy thanks
Exactly!! We only went to prove a point about the Tampa and Hershey shows. The only advantage we see is being able to compare different models and different suppliers at the same time. The most disturbing part we noticed at the larger shows is how much BS is spread - some of the salespeople should win Academy Awards with the lies they tell 😀
We went to the Indy RV show last fall and they had one that had the hidden bunkhouse. I pulled the door open and the molding came off in my hand. There was no handle because the fridge and stove was part of the door. That's a lot of weight to be moving.
WOW!!!!! It is so nice to see a video that isn't like the rest of the lemmings. You guys are great.
Thank you- appreciate it!
New Hampshire gal here, we love our Airstream!! I too love the look of the Pottery Barn, but the wait time to get one a few years ago was crazy!
I remember that! Crazy
I love how you two keep it real. Thank you.
Thanks, appreciate it!
We went to a couple shows in Tampa and decided to not to go back. It is really crowded and the food is so expensive. I bought my camper in 2019 and it’s been great. We use it a 5-6 times a year. We plan to use it more next year. I am glad I bought pre-covid.
Thank you for this video, I was at the Tampa show Friday and Saturday and you are correct quality is not job one. As for parts think about the volume they buy just to put into the units, the price they list isn’t the price they pay.
well said!
I agree and had the same experience as you. I went to the Tampa show a couple of years ago and it was flooded with people, it is really hard to see the units with so many people around. Last year we went to the Austin RV Expo and it was great, much smaller, much less people and less crowded units, we were by ourselves in many units with a ton of time to see then in detail. The benefit of the big shows is the variety, you get to see much more brands and models, you have to go with a plan on what you want to see, because if you don't you are going to spend a couple of days there trying to see it all.
Absolutely!
Sales are down due to interest rates. Prices are fropping because people are letting them go back to the banks. Banks cant get motorcycles, boats or RBs picked up on REPO because there are so many cars getting picked up.
The sad part is a repoed 2 year old $70,000. toy hauler will go through whole sale auction at $35,000. The prrson will still owe the balance plus thousands in fees
We went our first time looking for our 1st brand new RV honestly so many to look at took 2 days to make our decision, so many nice RV to chose from so now with our new RV I researched them on reviews we already new what we needed and wanted we found it one on line. We ended up driving to couches RV sale in Ohio from Florida. GREAT people to deal with paperwork and all was done before we left Florida. Couches RV Ohio place to deal with.
That is awesome!
Good stuff…. We shopped local here in Charleston, we are stuck in our “now overpriced “ Rig and have no choice but to ride it out ,, but we do love the rig so we are staying with it…good info and thanks for the honesty /….
Thank you for saying this as that is what we heard from a lot of people we talked to!
My wife and I enjoyed going to the Pittsburgh RV show which was a few weekends ago while it rained for nine days we went on the first Saturday which was nice. There was a Steelers game and it snowed so no one was there so we had the whole place almost all to ourselves, we got to talk to the grand design people a lot, and find out a lot about the grand design trailers which we do have one
That is awesome! Would love to have that experience !
Our feed was definitely flooded with the Tampa RV show videos!
Facebook for the past 2 weeks OMG .. enough! lol
8% interest rate is a bit much. Unfortunately for the influencers, I don't listen to them much on products outside of awareness. I research everything before I make a purchase.
Let the products stand on their own merits.
Recently ordered a Brinkley G3500 for full-time living and not from an RV show. Did my own research and took the factory tour. I'm not planning on traveling much as I'm too busy running my small wood-fired pizza business.
I needed a new home coming from a Lance truck camper, so I landed on Brinkley.
No loan. I don't care about resale value as I never purchase anything based on that. I purchase based on what the item can do to improve my quality of life. How it fits into my lifestyle. That's the only value I care about. Enjoy!
Same here, paid cash and bought what suited our needs!
New subscriber here, I like your straightforward normal person presentation. We just visited the local Grand Rapids show, which is all indoors (FREEZING outside). Only a handful of local dealers represented, and I really have to wonder how many sales they actually closed. The place was packed (again, indoors), but there were a lot of deal tables with the finance people sitting around with only each other to talk to. We're looking to downsize from our 33' monster (on a seasonal site) to one we can actually tow, but nothing grabbed us, so we're still looking. FWIW, we bought just BEFORE the pandemic hit, in early 2020, from the 2020 GR show.
We saw the same thing in SC, empty deal tables. It was nice that we were clued in a bit as the insight was great
I agree. Pure pressure for pricing you know you can get it better somewhere else. Get a brisket sandwich! To die for!
Ended up with a grilled cheese, actually not bad BUT those chicken sandwiches would have been better!😂😂
🌷Thank You🌻
I really like the Lance, Imagine, and Airstream brands for Trailer RV's.
We were there on Sunday. The only unit that I really liked was the Brinkley 2900, only ? Is why no cup holders on the stadium seat!
Yeah that doesn’t make any sense!
Hey guys! Love your channel but I have to disagree with you. We've noticed a significant difference in prices at the larger shows (lower). Manufacturers are present and will often help to sweeten the deal. Also, we head to the large shows because we love touring RVs, seeing what's new and sharing with our viewers. We often take requests for tours from folks that can't normally make it to a show or see particular models in their area. Also, we've found our local shows carry a very limited number of models. Plus, never pay the show prices. Negotiate down.
Tampa attendance appeared to be down this year. I believe its was a combination of weather, interest rates, and the overall economy as well as continued disillusionment with the RV lifestyle due to poor quality. As far as industry day its an opportunity to talk with the manufacturers and learn what's new. We didn't make it to industry day this year but were able to tour without crowds by arriving a couple of hours before the show opened to the public.
You are right about Tiffin. We've seen a significant decrease in quality since they were acquired by Thor. Thanks for the vid.
Y'all are doing a great service to your viewers - keep it up!
As we said in the video, if you enjoy the large shows , continue to do so and have fun!
As for pricing, we stand firm on that one as others have stated as well.
Hi Bob & Kerri this is Lee & Sharon in northern N, Y. We have a 2019 Grand Design Imagine like you have & a2023 Ram 1500 truck . We are week end campers in our mid 70s .We camp in Northern Adirondack mountains N.Y.
Hi Lee and Sharon! That’s awesome! Beautiful scenery in the Adirondacks!
Take care!
My husband was in the Rv service industry and he always said it’s the customer service. If they will send you a part no questions asked. If they will allow a mobile tech under warranty etc RVs go in an earthquake every time you move it. They will al fall apart.
There is a lot of truth to this but a lot also has to do with inferior parts. They bank on most RV’er’s going out only a few times a year on a weekend trip. Gets them through the warranty period in most cases - just barely.
The earthquake analogy is spot on but still doesn’t make poor installations excusable.
Hopefully you’ll go incognito at the Charlotte show next weekend and we’ll get to bump into you!!!💕
Unfortunately we can't make that one. It really is rare that we go to these
@@liferedesigned Too bad…it would have been awesome!! We are actively looking to buy a 5th wheel and Charlotte is a fairly decent show. Maybe one day we’ll get to cross paths in our travels!! Happy Travels!!💕
Hi guys! It's great to see ya!
Hey! Nice to be seen 😂
South Carolina is not getting any snow? It looks dry and sunny. My state is cold and icy this time of year.
Nope! No snow here in SC
Is there a consensus on a time frame say pre-2018... as an example or particular brand i can look for. Needing a small class A for work for 12 stint
Best advice would be to check out Facebook groups or Reddit. Lots of great resources there for people
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
We were there i can’t believe we missed you guys!!! 😢
OH NO!
@@liferedesigned oh no I got my days mixed up we were there Saturday but i would have went back Sunday just to meet you guys !! Oh man hopefully soon you’re in my neighborhood now at Myrtle Beach we are only 2 hours away from there
We live in West Columbia. Normally we go to that show but this year we never heard anything about it. Go tigers
It is a great little show. The dealers that setup there were actually very nice and zero pressure. Quite a change from what we are used too!
I'm an RV tech and I went to the Tampa rv show on Tuesday aka industry day with all the youtubers. I will say that some of them act like celebrities and some people treat them like celebrities.
However we're good friends with some influences who also went to the show on Tuesday. I know they met up and networked with several vendors that were there (as did I) so it's not just about thinking they're celebrities. Additionally some of them have contractual obligations to shoot some of those tour videos. Basically they're just doing their job and trying to make a living too.
Again, if it is your thing - no worries
"Basically they're just doing their job and trying to make a living too." This sums it all up
The best vehicle is the coachman Euro, though i would like a shorter version with a second slide out in the living room area
Beautiful Rig for sure!
Just lift the bed up, if the bed frame is made with wood it's usually an indicator of a poor-quality unit. One of the reasons we're going with flagstaff. In many ways built better then Brinkley when you really dive into the specs.
Great advice!
❤like your video. Small. Dealer and showes do make a difference, and love Buc ees
Agree for the most part. Especially the "buy local" recommendation. Worked out very well for us with our Winnebago Class B warranty service period. We've been to the Tampa RV show now 3 times, and I really have not seen the sales pressure you referred to. We have seen the "influencers" here and there. But usually, if we do see a salesman, a simple, "Thanks, we're fine!" sends them on their way. In fact, when we have had a question, it's often hard to find one to talk to because they're busy with other people. We've always found it to be a low stress, fun way to see entire lines of product. In contrast, the local shows tend to be extremely limited unless you want a travel trailer. We like Class Bs and small Cs, and are often very disappointed at the small shows here in Virginia. There might be one or two, but we've been to shows where no Bs were displayed - certainly no full product lines like you find at Tampa. Have also enjoyed the opportunity sit down and talk with factory reps. We even met some engineering staff from Winnebago recently, and had a great, relaxed discussion.
It is always interesting to hear about other people’s experiences. Our Facebook and Instagram inboxes have been flooded with people saying how Tampa felt like a meat market to them.
But like we said in the video, if it is your scene and you enjoy it, nothing wrong with it at, go and have fun!
I’ve always said that just because something is cute or pretty doesn’t make it go vroom vroom. The same thing applies to rvs
Well said
The biggest thing I noticed from Tampa was that the prices were at about 30 percent off not 20/25 from last year. Think about it, Tiffin is no longer family owned. Tiffin family may still be around but Thor owns them. Quality has gone down. Can be seen by looking at 20/21's and then look at 23/24's.
Definitely quality was an issue across the board
Im sick of hearing about that show. Cant wait till its over.
Besides, Florida weather sucks and its over crowded.
People dont go to Bucees for chicken, its the briscuit.
Yeah no chicken anymore
I have sold RVs after I “ retired “ from my corporate job until my wife was able to retire. I did it as I love to RV and wanted to help get people into without all the BS. The big shows ( I worked 3 ) I would get a group of interested people in a unit and explain the features and answer questions. I did not ry to sell units at the show but after. They all have “ show specials “ at really good prices and most dealers will honor them for a couple days after the show.
If you find a unit you like get a price and ask how long it’s good for as many sales people know that the majority of people will not just dump $$$$ without thinking it over. If they won’t give you a price ( they fear you will shop,it ) or they say it’s only good at the show I’d move on.
Make sure if you buy at the show is it the show unit or another? Remember if it’s the show unit many people have gone in and out of it , pulled on cabinets etc. also ask if they have the unit or are you having to wait weeks for it.
I made many friends that I ran into at parks , gas toons etc and received many emails , cards etc. buying an RV should be fun. It’s a fun thing to do. Don’t let a bad salesperson or dealer ruin it for you.
Very solid advice! Thank you for sharing this!
Even the Brinkleys? WOW!
Yeah, Quite a few people at the show said the same thing
We just went to the Providence Rv show on Saturday and we found the Brinkley Z2900 for $10,000 less than General Rv at the Tampa show. I contacted General Rv yesterday and have been doing the email game. The last email I got was let me show the price to my manager and see what I can do. Lol
Thank you for saying this! That was basically the same thing we found at Hershey - Thank the TH-cam crowd for this extra game being played. The shows let them in free, they hype the event and the dealers and show sponsors clean up with overinflated pricing. We were invited by no less than 6 companies to do "Meet and Greets" and turned them all down because of this extremely shady practice. be careful with General, We hear that they learned nothing from the lawsuits and are VERY influencer dependent.
@@liferedesigned lawsuit?
Yeah Google it up - Major lawsuits against General RV for all kinds of fraud with loans etc. Rumor has it (just rumor) that is why their spokesperson on TH-cam stepped away from them for about a year and then went back once the news died down. We talk to a lot of people and are constantly told to stay clear of them.
@@liferedesigned thank you for the info because I like watching their spokesperson.
we watch as well :)
Yeah, we don’t go to the big shows. We’ve got a couple small ones coming up. They’ve got the same Campers at the small shows that they do at the big ones. Safe travels
Exactly how we feel! Safe travels!
I like your honesty when it comes to new RV's. I bought a 2016 Thor Challenger about a year ago with 24k miles on it and got it at a great price. The only thing I have done to it was upgrade the radio to a 10 inch screen so I could see my cameras better. The only issue I had was the AC had to be recharged and my big slideout needed new motors. I put money into new tires as well as it had the original ones on it and I didn't want to chance a blowout on an old tire even though the tread was almost new. I won't buy a new motorhome anytime soon. Prices are way to high for inferior quality and safety.
Yeah for the pricing, quality needs to go back to better than pre-pandemic levels
My opinion the air stream is great the shell last forever the price on them are crazy a shell can cost you 500 to a 1000 to remodel just the body.
We don’t have any real plans to make the jump from our beloved Humphrey but boy was it tempting 😂😂
good content, thanks
Glad you liked it!
I enjoy going to the small RV shows here in Nebraska. I have a 2017 Heartland Wilderness and haven’t found one yet that I would trade it in for although there are a few upgrades I would love to have.
We hear the Heartlands are great units. they is always a way to upgrade without buying a new RV, you name it and there is probably an aftermarket retrofit 😀
Y’all should pair up with Josh or Matt at the RV shows!
We tend to stick to ourselves. They do a great job and we would just be in the way 😂😂
I ditched the show also. I only live 2 hrs away and I would like to buy a camper van. BUT judging on all the crap i hear on u tube, and thinking about all the scams that I have been screwed on, and all this bragging on how great all these RVs are.,, I am certain we would probably have bought something, sold our good trailer, and been VERY VERY VERY VERY UNHAPPY. About the onlly person I ttust is my wife, then my DOG comes next. You can not ttrust any body, any company, any warranty, at all any more. Sorry I sound nasty but this is just the way it is. We could also afford to pay cash for a new RV if we wanted to. These dealers are just plain crooked. They lie about the RV, they lie about the warranty, they lie about what the price would be. Maybe Lazy Days would be the ONLY company I would trust. All the rest, awful.
No reason to apologize - preach on!
Build-Quality
is very much different (better)
in
SpaceCraft,
Luxe,
DRV,
&
New Horizons
(in my "humble opinion"),
virtually ALL of the other brands are seriously very sub-standard.
YES, you move into a different price bracket, to buy a brand that is very unlikely to "BREAK" !!
Great brands but affordability for the average camper is an issue. Remember, the majority of RV owners are not full time and only get out a few weekends a year.
Are y'all coming to the 2024 Houston RV show ?
Unfortunately we won’t be 🙁
I haven't been to the Tampa RV show in 4 years. The cost just to get in and park is ridiculous. Why do people camp there?
We would love to know that also 🤣🤣
Hello from Puerto Rico friends
Hello Back!
Brinkley fit and finish is pretty solid...you sure you were in a Brinkley?
Yep, can even read all by myself 😂😂 and they had the same Lippert plumbing fixtures as Grand Design. Heard the same things from people that attended other shows.
@@liferedesigned I know they use brass fittings and PEX, GD uses plastic fittings and flexible hose line which has a different "ID" Inside dimension that the actual fittings which would fail any building inspection. I think the only area Brinkley uses flexible hose line is the master bedroom slide for the bathroom. Im an Airstream lifer but Brinkley was very impressive. No trim along the ceiling, no nail holes, dust etc..
While Brinkley is better than most, in the models we have seen - they are definitely not even close to an Airstream. Just our opinion. We are just regular people with a camera and a voice - far from experts.
For the money though, I expected better.
@@liferedesigned Agreed! Airstream is the best and will be the only one standing 20-30 years later. Almost future proof. Appreciate yall!
Nice me a my son was at the Columbia show also!!!
Great little show! Hope Y’all had a great time!
What was your opinion on the Brinkleys? you said they were all built the same, but I've been in one and that wasn't my experience.
So here is what we seen. Design and Aesthetics are unbelievably well done. Components are the same Lippert components that we see everywhere else. For the money, I honestly expected more that the same components that are in out Grand Design XLS (Faucets, thermostat etc) . Fit and finish was the same mediocre build quality that we see everywhere else. Mismatched moldings, crooked installs of cabinet doors etc.
We will say this, absolutely beautiful rigs from a design standpoint, very well done. But at the end of the day when you put all that aside - nothing different than everyone else except they are flooding social media with influencers. Same thing Grand Design did - which makes sense as they have executives that were from GD
The same people tell you how poor the quality of RV'S are then shill for those same companies.
That is a topic for a whole other video BUT you are 100% correct!
Well, I was upset that I didn't know you were going to be in Columbia today; that's just 90 minutes south of me! However, it wouldn't have mattered because I discovered this morning this cold weather has caused one of my tires to go completely flat which I won't be able to get it looked at/fixed until tomorrow. And then you mentioned the $10 fee to get in...for real? "Hey come look at all these things we are trying to sell you and hey, pay $10 for the privilege to do so!"...uh, no thanks. Where did you get that Adidas shirt/pullover? Looks great. I'm trying to break in to the RV life thing for less than $10,000; just want to try it out for a year to see if I like it without making a huge financial commitment.
Actually, $10 for these RV Shows is cheap compared to some we have been to! The Adidas pullover actually came from the Adidas store in Myrtle Beach 😀
@@liferedesigned Guess I'll pass on going to any RV shows then...I'm not looking to buy new anyways. There's another Adidas outlet store near Spartanburg, SC, just north of I-85/I-26 interchange...well there was one there 20 years ago when I bought some stuff there...just FYI in case you're a 'collector' like me and are heading in that direction next. Take care and be safe!
Tiffin is now owned by Thor and we all know that Thor has the worst quality for some reason
that explains a whole lot!
We went for the first time to the Tampa RV Show and we’re very disappointed with the RVs. I also saw y’all there but was to shy to approach. Saw some other TH-camrs too but didn’t care to go say hi.
I didn’t see any deals and found I could get better deals with a local dealer. Some of those RVs I would not even put out for the show with the all the bad quality workmanship they had displayed. Doors weren’t lining up, laminate already peeling, etc..
I also found that the dealers there were not to keen on answering questions or ver informative about their products. I will say that Ember were the best at sitting and answering thoroughly any and all questions and they knew their products inside and out. Very impressed with the Ember team.
We did love the new off road Airstream. Had to keep going back multiple times to awe at it. I do think the airstream should have used a better solar system on top.
We saw the same thing in SC ( sorry, but we were not at the Tampa RV show) 😀 maybe we have clones?
Most definitely! Glad I m shy and didn’t approach them 😅
So post 2008 down turn companies made many short cuts to build cheaper and sell at industry set prices... then 2020 pandemic hit and now they need to make up losses again... the thing is they just don't seem to care that they could build great RV's at slightly higher prices and make the same corporate profit margins... they took the low road.. i have a 2018 RV and it is built OK.. just OK.. it uses light weight wood and typical LCI components and it was nearly a $400,000 class A when new (thankfully we bought it used) we've replaced and fixed a few things, what RV owner hasn't? some have been RV side and some have been on the freight-liner chassis side :-( we'd love a super C, but we have no confidence in the manufacturers... it's such a shame...
Absolutely! The newest trend (think Lippert) is to hire “influencers” to build community as opposed to just putting out quality products- going to get worse before it gets better
your correct
The Airstream is pretty, but everyone I follow who has one seem to be losing their loving feeling for that trailer. Any coach or trailer you decide on you just have to really spend time learning the pros and cons, of course. With that said, there is NO perfect coach or trailer, they all have issues. I am still unable to make a choice on what to purchase to this day now that I am retired. It still seems like there are so many negative comments and so few positive. They look pretty and it's all downhill from there. I think that if I go to one of those shows it would just be too much, overwhelming, and maybe way too disappointing. I will just keep searching and hope it happens for me... or not.
We love our 22MLE - so far nothing has caught our attention to actually make a switch! RV shows can be extremely overwhelming. If you go, stick to smaller ones!
Boston was very disappointing this year.
OMG, I am so tired of all the Tampa RV Show videos.
My issue is that my local show is Hershey. It's another TH-camr haven.
ah Hershey - the "TH-cam Celebrities" are already counting down the days to September.... Spoiler ... we won't be at that one either 😂😂😂😂
LOL @@liferedesigned
You mean you are not selling any prime poop positions, or poop fluid, or leveling pads, free passes to thousand trails, time shares, running boards, diesel def. etc
lol, we only accept sponsorships from honest companies for products we ACTUALLY use! We are the rare breed of TH-cam!
not into RV shows.. too many ppl.. and I like my 5 window skoolie everything I need it at my fingertips..
Nothing wrong with that at all!
Enjoyed, notice Bob wearing long pants, no shorts😊
😁 Not gonna lie, it was 25 degrees yesterday morning and it sucked! We scrambled on Friday afternoon trying to find pants to wear there. Everyone we talked to thought we were crazy for not being dressed warm enough - high was only 34 while we were there. That is ARTIC weather for them here in SC 😂😂😂
We are going to have a heatwave here in Nebraska in the mid 30s. Several days of subzero temperatures and windchill advisories, watches and warnings. Insulated bibs, long underwear, heavy winter boots are standard outfits. About a foot of snow. Dogs are loving the snow.
oh my!
Reseach research never go in without doing your own reseach this is not my first trip around the block
We are strong advocates for researching everything! Well said!
This is the second video am watching. the truth about people quitting rv life, and you say about people doing advertising at the beginning of the video.... then this was the second video... lol
Exactly- except we do it the way it should be done. Honest and without promoting products we don’t use. Huge difference
I really think you "missed the boat" about the Tampa RV Show. The Tampa RV Show is more than just new rigs, it also includes 2 large buildings of vendors showcasing the latest in RV accessories and Campgrounds. The Tampa RV show has a large selection of free seminars. The Tampa RV Show has a great energy being with fellow minded people. And yes, there are multiple TH-camrs promoting themselves at the Tampa RV Show, but you don't have to participate in that if you are not interested. Small RV Shows are great, but until you have experienced the Tampa RV Show for any period of time, I wouldn't be slamming it.
Plus, I believe that the manufacturers are doing a better job with the build quality on the new Rigs when compared to the COVID RVs (can it be better? YES!). The manufacturers have to get better or they will be out of business. BTW - Any industry that relies upon cheap loans are suffering the same as the RV industry (Boats, powersports, new home sales, etc). So, to say that the RV Industry is in a downturn due to the number of people buying coaches during COVID is not the full story. Plus, the discounts you are seeing today from Dealers and Manufacturers is very close to what "normal" used to be prior to COVID.
HI Nick: First, thanks for taking the time to comment. Second, these are just our opinions as well as facts from industry insiders as to the state of the RV industry. As we said in the video - If you enjoy it, you do you!
But since you took the time to write such a long comment, We will address a couple of your points:
The fact of the matter is, Tampa attendance was down 5% YOY - this was validated by event coordinators.
Yes, we have experienced both Hershey and Tampa RV shows. They are just that, an RV show - pretending they are anything other than that is kind of foolish. It is a sales event plain and simple. Everything from the large amount of "Influencers" who were admitted for free, down to the events and "seminars" are all designed as a huge sales pitch. Again, if that is your thing - go for it.
As for downturn, this has been discussed by every single "insider" and "influencer" this is nothing new. There was a HUGE amount of purchases made during the pandemic and to think that those people are not stuck in loans and sticking with what they have is foolish as this comes directly from numerous F&I departments from across multiple vendors.
Build quality, I won't even touch that subject because it is covered everywhere how bad these units are being produced. Read the comments from actual owners who testify to that.
One last parting point. We have heard from at least 5 vendors who left the event early to head to Quartzsite because the vibe of the show has drastically changed from prior years.
Hard sales pitches and heavy sales pressure was the biggest complaint we heard from attendees - none of which we experienced at the numerous smaller regional shows that we attended.
We see that you are extremely passionate about this particular RV show ... that is a great thing, if you enjoyed it - then you apparently got your entry fee's worth of entertainment.
We respect your passion and position on this show - hopefully you can respect ours.
@@liferedesigned Thanks for the response! We have been attending the Tampa RV Show for the past 5 years, and each year have participated in the Supershow Rally. This allows us to spend 5 days attending the show at our leisure. We have made some good friends at the Rally, and the Tampa RV Show is one of our RVing highlights each year.
Not quite sure why you are telling folks not to go. I am not advocating for anyone to go the show and buy an RV, but with over 1,000 different RVs, if you are in the market, the Tampa RV Show is definitely the show to attend to decide which rig is right for you! We walked through literally over a 100 different RVs and never were pressured. Plus, at the Tampa Show, virtually every manufacturer has reps on site to explain their RVs and offer insights. You don't get that with a small show. On some of the models, the pricing may be worse at the Tampa Show and with other models it will be better. It really is dependent on the Dealer that is showing. At the end of the day, you are buying from a dealer. And always remember, the "Show Price" is where you start your negotiations, not where you end them!
We were there all 5 days, and the vendors and dealers seemed to be pleased with the results. We did not see any vendor left early. Who left early? There were no empty tables in the Vendor area (The Tampa RV show has a long wait list to get vending space). BTW - Alliance sold A LOT of RVs! Some vendors sold out of all of their product that they brought to the show.
I appreciate your opinion, but just because many TH-camrs are at the Tampa RV Show, that is not a reason to avoid it.
Nick, it seems that no matter what we say - you are extremely passionate about this show. In fact, we personally have never met anyone so passionate about something they didn’t have a vested interest in.
If you are this passionate about Tampa, you must be even more of a fan of Hershey - did you know they are the largest RV show in the country. Tampa is a distant second.
I even must applaud you for knowing vendor tables and what manufacturers sold what - quite impressive. Maybe the event coordinator should hire you for PR instead of giving “influencers” by the hundreds free admission to plug the show for them!
We support small businesses. Small regional shows even have the same salesperson you would be working with at the dealership instead of bussing them in from out of state.
We recommended an alternative to the mega events - if you don’t like small local businesses and prefer the large show spectacle - again, we have no issues and respect your opinion. Apparently our opinion since it varies from yours is not respected?
I invite you to read all the comments on this video - seems like a lot of people do not feel the way you do either.
@@liferedesigned Lol. "The sarcasm is deep with this one" No insult intended. Just an observation - if you just drive to the event (like the Tampa RV Show) for one day and walk around, you may not have a good time. When you participate and enjoy the event over multiple days with no deadlines, it can be a really good time being around like minded RVers. We lover RVers! I never said small shows aren't fun. I love everything RV! And yes, we talk to vendors and we can see the results with our own eyes. Sorry if this doesn't agree with you.
Nick - not sarcasm, you just seem to be pushing something with the same rhetoric the “influencers” use and avoiding the counterpoint. Again, we have attended both large shows and this was our opinion - BUY LOCAL - if you enjoy all the workshops, dry camping and etc- that is great and we are cool with that.
Personally, if the event was all that - you would not need to flood the scene with influencers. Seems like the regional shows are more about RV life as opposed to the circus.
We stand by our video and the comments from people that attended.
I hope you don’t buy an Airstream
Nope - TH-cam doesn't pay that much lol
GO BUCKIES!
IDK - they didn't have any chicken sandwiches 😂😂😂
I stop for the Jerky, the kids love the soda wall, and my wife just likes shopping:)@@liferedesigned
I know that feeling - Never get out of there for under $80 😂😂
Most of those you tubers doing this are ambassadors and have to do it.
Exactly - it is their job.
Haters gonna hate
Absolutely
They try to force you to selll your new rig with in ten years and buy a new model, by having every rv park deny any vehicle over 10years. Oh and they know there quality of work is shite, would fail the slowest level of the crash test and wont last ten years..
That 10 year RV rule is grossly over exaggerated, just an FYI.
That rule exists in RV parks for a couple of reasons:
1. So people don’t rent a night and dump their old RV there (this happens way too often)
2. It keeps the RV parks clear of old neglected units that are eyesores.
If you have an old rig in good condition- we have not been to one RV park that would deny them.
Should keep your eyes on the road more while your driving for it is just a matter of time before your last video gets uploaded by someone other than you, just saying.
Empty road without another vehicle for miles - but great point and thank you for taking the time to comment as it really helps our channel grow!
homeless kids that dont want to work in RVs not kewl. its ugly. Broken frames. Fires.
homeless, only difference is income and then they put kids & pets in this homeless life.
brutally honest, the ol days watching retired was kewl, but these broken down homeless UGLY
You truly are something if you believe all the ignorant dribble you just spewed. Spoken like someone that clearly has zero experience in this lifestyle- move on troll
sorry Im saying what your family& friends wont tell you. But to my credit i was talking to the millions of kids who want to hippie around homeless.
The public is sick of homeless, invaders, and RVers who wont work and RV homeless scattered all over cities its pure ugly (its not kewl anymore)
and youre at best case scenario looked at as contributor but most see the sick pets, disfunction of homeless kids, trailer park trash sucks, there just no way of glorifying it, peeps getting wise to YT media shams but you got a view and a comment out of me
@@liferedesigned
250,000 moving parts and all built by the cheapest bidders.... Assembled by sober humans.... Hopefully!!
based on the hack jobs we seen across the board -- not so sure they were sober 😂😂😂
@@liferedesigned hahaha... so true in tdays world.... Wouldn't it be great if just one of these egg headed companies would offer an empty shell??? I guarantee there's a market out there to let us complete the build...
We just had that same conversation! give me an empty RV and i will build it out myself!
We are wanting to RV in the future,what I see is super overpriced crap, They look pretty but an RV should not be as expensive as a real house. These are kindling on wheels ,just add an electric Truck or Suv and you have rolling bonfire waiting to be !
Not sure I would go THAT far 🤣 we have a 2023 and are full time. You just need to be mindful of what you are buying and do your homework!
Don’t look at the camera when driving please. I really shouldn’t have to tell you that. Great content otherwise.
Just an FYI - this was on an empty road with no other vehicles for miles. We would never record with other vehicles on the road. Thanks for the concern- safe travels
Where do you see prices dropping?? You must be smoking something.
Nah, we just leave the RV and get out every once in a while
If you are showing an RV, then don't have most of the video area filled with your body. We don't have to see your head to hear your comments.
Ah guess we truly are not professionals 😂 Just average people. Wasn’t meant to be a RV review, sorry. Thanks for engaging with our video, it really helps the reach of the video as well as our channel. Appreciate you!
White n gray… makes me puke.. no other contrast colors…sorry. I want more color.
You can always have it painted.
Brinkley .im surprised anything is wrong with it
Other than design and color schemes - same Lippert components as any other manufacturer. They were slightly better but far from the quality expected
@@liferedesigned what do you think of a 2024 forest river xlr nitro 41g14
Don’t really have enough knowledge to chime in on that particular one
Hope you had a fun day. 💜💜💜🩵🩵🩵. Kari, i like the super C as well, but not the price tag.
Yeah that is a tough pill to swallow but what the heck - Bob can put in more overtime ... lol, it's okay 😂😂😂