Rv Industry Collapsing ?

Rv Industry Collapsing ?


Last year several Rv builders went out of business and this year things aren't looking any better. So far, Country Coach, Monaco Coach and Fleetwood have all filed bankruptcy (of one kind or another). Who's next? That's become the name of the name.

Both Monaco and Fleetwood were "delisted" from the New York Stock Exchange before their collapse, which greased the skids for their downhill slide into bankruptcy, but it undoubtedly was only part of the problem.

Quality control, warranty lawsuits, Katrina-trailer litigation --- even employee litigation was taking its toll. Pile on a few creditors, then toss in some corporate officers that dump some of their stock, mix with a generous portion of recession doldrums and unemployment blues and it's no wonder bankruptcy darkened the horizon.

The moral of the story? If you've got an Rv with problems, now is the time to get it in the shop for warranty work while you can and while there's still someone willing to honor the warranty, if there still is. Who would have thought that Fleetwood, with all its size, would ever be standing in bankruptcy court? And Monaco and Country Coach with them.
If you're thinking of buying a motorhome, be careful. Make sure you get a warranty from the selling dealer with it too. Not just one of those over-priced service contracts from some "post office" box company either (they don't call them a collander warranty for nothing, folks, and if you don't know what that means just ask any cook). Make the dealer write on the sales contract that they will back the original factory warranty too. Otherwise, what the dealer is telling you is "good luck, buddy."

Take care of your money. No one else will do it for you.

Burdge Law Office
Helping consumers protect themselves since 1978.

Share this:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Known nationwide as a leading Lemon Law attorney, Ronald L. Burdge has represented literally thousands of consumers in "lemon" lawsuits and actively co-counsels and coaches other Consumer Law attorneys. From 2005 through 2018, attorney Ronald L. Burdge has been named as the only Lemon Law Ohio Super Lawyer by Law and Politics magazine and Thomson Reuters Corp., Professional Division. Burdge restricts his practice to Lemon Law and Consumer Law cases. The Ohio Super Lawyer results are published annually in the January issue of Cincinnati Magazine. Ronald L. Burdge was named Consumer Law Trial Lawyer of the Year 2004 by the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the nation's largest organization of consumer law private and government attorneys. "Your impact on the auto industry has been magnified many times over because of the trail you blazed for others," stated NACA's Executive Director, Will Ogburn. Burdge has represented thousands of consumers in Ohio, Kentucky and elsewhere since 1978 and is a frequent lecturer to national, state and local Bar Associations and Judicial organizations. Burdge is admitted to Ohio's state and federal courts, Kentucky's state courts, and Indiana's federal courts. Other court admissions are on a "pro hac" temporary, case by cases basis.