Stalled economy hurting Florida RV industry

The recession that refuses to go away is causing problems for the Florida RV industry.

"People are still camping, people are still spending their winters in Florida to escape the northern winters," said one KOA worker in Stark, FL.

But, alas, Florida parks are not as packed as they used to be. That means better prices for vacationers and seasonal snowbirds.

Motor homes and other recreational vehicles are often considered an extravagance. Plans to replaced older models or to make first purchases is taking the back seat to paying home mortgages and routine living expenses. Too many people today are window shopping at RV lots rather than plunking down hard cash.

Sales of RVs have slowed as consumers take the cost of fuel and loans into consideration.

Although the expense to operate an RV has risen, there's still a substantial savings for a family when they travel by RV. "You don't have to pay for a hotel, flight, eating out every time," said one salesman. "People adjust and take shorter trips closer to home."

While sales are slightly up in the automotive industry, the numbers are down for recreational vehicles. Shipments of new rigs dropped, but there is still a market out there. Also, some experts say, more owners are doing their own maintenance rather than paying $100 or more an hour to have professionals do routine maintenance.

"People do still want to enjoy themselves and what is a better way than in a motor home," said one RV salesman. "Driving a motor home on a vacation saves on hotels and the hassles of airline travel."