What is the competition up to?

Well, the way the world is going down the tubes (according to the newscasts), it's a good thing we own campers we can dry camp in. I guess we just need to load up on some good solar panel chargers. That way we can have a way to recharge our batteries during armegeddon.

Of course getting propane is a different story.

[Bill]

Meriflower -

I think you're right that the Hi-Lo 15T is a better comaprison to the Trail-Mini. Although the TrailMini and the Mojo came out at about the same time, they really don't address the same market.

Bill

[B_and_D]

Seriously, is Camping World going under? I have $100 in gift certificates that I'm now worried about.

Doesn't appear anything official yet regarding Camping World closing just whispers of it. It appears the Affinity Group is having financial trouble as Dave (Shrimp Burrito) found earlier. So who knows? I guess now would be a good time to stock up on needed RV supplies and/or use any CW gift certificates you may have.

Affinity also owns other RV ventures including a couple of magazines I subscribe to, Trailer Life and Camping Life. Camping Life has done some good write-ups on TM as well as Hi-Lo.

http://www.rvenews.com/News/tabid/57...ing-World.aspx

[Bill]

According to a number of published sources, including the one WMTire mentioned, it is Affinity Group that has been put on Moody's Likely-To-Fail list. Affinity Group owns a whole lot of RV-oriented companies, including Camping World and Good Sam.
http://rvtravel.com/affinity-moodys.shtml

It was not clear to me whether "failure" in this case meant Chapter 7 or Chapter 11. It was also not clear whether Affinity Group as a whole would undergo a single fate, or if the individual companies within Affinity Group would be treated individually. As you probably know, Chapter 7 means that the company disappears and its assets are sold off. Chapter 11 means that the company stays in business and is protected from its creditors while it re-organizes itself into a form that might allow it to survive. A company that emerges from Chapter 11 will probably be a whole lot different from the company that entered.

My opinion is that it would be prudent to use that gift certificate. And although I've already paid for my Good Sam membership for the year, I won't sign up for any of the Good Sam insurance programs until this whole thing is straightened out.

Those with memberships in Coast-to-Coast Resorts (also Affinity Group) might also want to pay attention to developments.

And finally, remember that this is the potential for problems in the next year, not actuality. It hasn't happened, and it might not happen. But the risk is rising.

Just my opinion.

Bill

My understanding of this is that the Camping World stores that sell motorhomes is in trouble. The place we go to buy supplies and get repairs done is not in that category.

Until this issue came up on rv.net, I did not even know that CW sold MHs.

The Camping World in San Marcos (northern San Diego county) has stopped selling vehicles (they only recently started, but at their peak had at least 100 vehicles on the lot). Now, there is a large empty lot, but the store remains open for business as usual.

[ShrimpBurrito]

B_and_D - If you are really worried about the gift certificates, let me know. I will send you my address.

In all seriousness, I would just use them. You can always use TP and AquaKem.

Dave

[B_and_D]

Well, I wanted to buy a Honda 2000, and I think they are still on sale. I've been looking for one on Craigslist and can't seem to find one close by. There's really not much else I need/want from there.

I was at CW San Martin today, to pick up my TM. I had then fix the plumbing leak I caused when trying tor replace the kitchen faucet.

There was no sign of them being in trouble, but I did not ask.