TRAVEL RVs are no longer just for retired folk

RVs growing in popularity among 35- to 54-year olds.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
IRVINE, Calif. -- Forget about that old pop-up camper your parents kept in the back yard when you were a kid.
Janeen and David Bouslaugh, both 32, want a "toy hauler." They want one so bad that they've driven three hours on a hot Sunday morning to a place called Traveland USA in Irvine -- more than 38 acres with ducks, chickens, a pond and some shade trees -- and row after row of shiny recreational vehicles.
The Bouslaughs, from Buellton, Calif., want an RV with a back panel that drops down so they neatly can load two four-wheelers and their Jeep into what later will turn into living space during weekend outings.
They're looking at a vehicle in the 38-foot range and started the day out with a $20,000 budget in mind.
It's not top-of-the-line, luxury RV living, the kind that you would find in $500,000 coaches that boast 37-inch plasma televisions, tempered glass-encased showers, curly maple wood counters and engines that allow drivers to effortlessly power up hills at 80 mph.
But a good toy hauler can make camping comfy, with amenities such as air conditioning, a fully equipped kitchen, beds and a shower and toilet.
"We want something we can put everything in," says Janeen Bouslaugh, a restaurant manager who loves to head out to the dunes near Pismo Beach, Calif., for four-wheeling and camping.
She and her spouse aren't alone.
New market
The Bouslaughs represent a growing segment for RV makers: young consumers who are mobile, outdoorsy and have the means to finance a little home on wheels.
Thanks in part to these consumers -- and low interest rates -- the RV industry is booming and headed toward its biggest year since 1978, an industry group says.
Sales are up 20 percent for the first part of the year, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association.
The gains aren't fueled just from sales to newly retired baby boomers or the classic snowbirds -- retirees who might keep a home in Ohio but drive a coach to Florida in the winter.
"Sales are definitely trending toward a younger customer," says Chris Braun, a senior vice president with Fleetwood Enterprises, one of the largest makers of RVs.
"About 10 years ago, a lot of our product was sold to people who were in retirement or nearing retirement," Braun said.
Today, he says, the company's fastest-growing segment is the 35- to 54-year-old group. Nationally, that group owns about half of all RVs.
Why the interest?
RV dealers trace today's sales surge to Sept. 11, which abruptly cut short Americans' appetite for flying and kept consumers close to home with family and friends.
RVs, experts say, let consumers control their travel. No airport security lines, where shoes and bags are inspected. No hassles with getting a smoke-free hotel room or figuring out where to eat or how to find a bathroom. RVers simply pack their food and clothes and go.
"People want to eat when they want, sleep when they want and go when they want. You get to see America at your own pace," said Andy Coyle, president of Canyon RV Center in Irvine's Traveland.
Those who buy typically are homeowners who have money to spend on travel.
Business has been and is expected to remain steady -- despite rising interest rates and high gasoline prices -- because the economy is holding strong and consumers have money.
"This is discretionary spending," said Ron Muhlenkamp, whose Wexford, Pa.-based Muhlenkamp Fund owns about 2 percent of Winnebago shares as well as stock in Monaco Coach, another RV manufacturer. "These are things that people want now."
Even if interest rates rise, Muhlenkamp doesn't think it will slow sales much because about one-third of consumers pay with cash.
Others finance a purchase with a loan. Many can get a tax break and write off the interest on the loan if the RV meets the requirements for a second home. In general, the RV must be used as security for the loan and have basic sleeping, toilet and cooking accommodations.
For many consumers, the high cost of fuel isn't even a major issue. It's not like they're driving the vehicle -- which usually gets at most 10 miles per gallon -- every day.
As for the Bouslaughs and their shopping trip?
They wound up visiting all of the dealers at Traveland -- about 15 -- and came home with a ton of brochures.
The couple are trying to narrow down their choices.
Janeen wants something that feels "like a real house," while David wants to make sure he has enough space to carry the vehicles.
"We'll be back," she said. "I think we'll be spending close to $40,000 though."