I agree with Nick. RVs are more of an expense in my view than even a car primarily because the market for them is much smaller. The real difference is that you can actually deduct interest on an RV as a second home. You can't with a car.
As to the RV industry, the reason they are going out of business is typically American in the sense that they plan for the very short term. Who would have thought that gas prices would rise? (right). The ones that will survive are the ones, like TM, that actually do some clever engineering instead of trying to paste an engine on a house. That said, there probably will always be one or two provost bus type RV manufacturers for those that want to do it full time.
One last point that I think someone made already is that the demand for a TM is predicated on the perceived and real value of it compared to the buyers objective/needs. That works to a point. As Nick points out, buyer will continue to buy RVs until the cost interferes with "necessary" expenses.
Phil
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