Heartland RV aquires DVR

[0nTheRoad]

The BIG question to me on DRV...will Thor/Heartland leave them to operate as they do/build as they do or will they start making changes that will make them more like the other Heartland 5'ers?

We looked at DRV before deciding on our Redwood, the biggest thing they had going for them was customization, you can choose the wood, furniture, flooring, appliances, fixtures, etc. Of course there is a price to pay for all that customization.

[Dave&Ginny]

From what I read, it sounded like DRV was going to be Thors customized units. I believe that means they'll try to compete with companies like New Horizon. It's my understanding that this buyout will go in favor of Landmark which will blend their product with DRV.

In my mind this will hurt Redwood because they won't be able to keep up with the competition at that point. I was told Tom is going to end up being over the whole thing. Time will tell.

There are items starting to show on some of the older Redwoods that concern me like axles, bearings and some wall issues. Some of this could be from frame flexing and as was posted earlier DRV frames would be worth the weight.

[superduty glampers]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

What are you Guys talking about, what "Monster Truck" I've seen many DRVs behind 250/2500 Short bed Trucks, grossly over weight, but you know the saying "It pulls fine"

Anyway, yes we looked at DRVs before our 36RL and again before ordering our 39MB and they just didn't ring our bell or rock our boat as much as RW. And I went through all the upper end units with a Front Bath floor plan, and RW comes in with almost twice as much storage, so the rest is history.

All 3 of the big 3 have trucks in the 250/2500 that have tow ratings well over 16000 pounds, and stopping in emergency situation with tow/haul doesn't take standing on the breaks. Also not everyone wants a drw.

[JerryL]

Originally Posted by superduty glampers

All 3 of the big 3 have trucks in the 250/2500 that have tow ratings well over 16000 pounds, and stopping in emergency situation with tow/haul doesn't take standing on the breaks. Also not everyone wants a drw.

My 2010 Ram 2500, short bed, Quad cab, 3:73 gears, 6.7 Cummins, had a tow in the 13k range, with a payload of 2698.

[0nTheRoad]

Dave, good points on DRV, will be interesting to see where this goes. I personally believe the first thing that will happen will be the elimination of the DRV Tradition, it was supposed to be a competitor of the Redwood and I believe Heartland is using the Landmark for that market. The Tradition would be a competitor for Landmark so I can't believe they would do that.

Would make sense to have DRV compete with New Horizon and the other custom 5'ers.

Redwood does need to keep looking for improvements, our older coaches are showing areas of concern, will be interesting to see what, if any, structural changes they will make to address the issues that are developing.

One thing for sure...the high end fifth wheels are a viable business and the manufacturers are paying attention!!

[Dave&Ginny]

Today's trailers keep getting heavier and longer. I have a hell of a good truck but my next one will be bigger....... Probably a F450. I can't imagine pulling with a 2500

[Dave&Ginny]

It use to be......the big three trucks could only pull 15-17000 lbs. For that reason the manufactures had to keep the trailers around that weight or appeal to the MD trucks. Now with the trucks getting stronger I would hope that the RV manufactures would add some weight to the trailers meaning better built for the long haul. I would love to see about 3k added to the quality in the overall structure.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by 0nTheRoad

Dave, good points on DRV, will be interesting to see where this goes. I personally believe the first thing that will happen will be the elimination of the DRV Tradition, it was supposed to be a competitor of the Redwood and I believe Heartland is using the Landmark for that market. The Tradition would be a competitor for Landmark so I can't believe they would do that.

I don't think it would bother Heartland a bit to keep the Tradition and Landmark on the market. For some reason, having several identical trailers but different faces and names seems to improve business rather than hurt it.

You could say, Crossroads just introduced the same type of competition for themselves by paralleling the product lines between Crossroads and Redwood. Although I haven't walked in all of them, there doesn't seem to be a nickels worth of difference between the Redwood and Carriage, or the Cameo and Cypress.

Fleetwood did it for years with the Wilderness, Kit, Prowler, and Terry. Identical floorplans and construction, just different colors.

[Rick and Mindy]

I don't know if this still holds true or not, but years ago I was told that different areas of the country sold different brands and that all the dealers didn't want to compete with other dealers by selling the same brands so manufacturers sold like items under different names so they could get a larger share of the market.

[lwg]

Originally Posted by Rick and Mindy

I don't know if this still holds true or not, but years ago I was told that different areas of the country sold different brands and that all the dealers didn't want to compete with other dealers by selling the same brands so manufacturers sold like items under different names so they could get a larger share of the market.

This was probably before people like me would travel anywhere in the US to what I want at the price I'm willing to pay.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Rick and Mindy

I don't know if this still holds true or not, but years ago I was told that different areas of the country sold different brands and that all the dealers didn't want to compete with other dealers by selling the same brands so manufacturers sold like items under different names so they could get a larger share of the market.

I think you are right - while looking at Trailers with my daughter, some trailer names were region specific. I don't remember the brands, but from CO there were only Dealers for about 1/3 or 1/2 of the brands they produced. To get the other brands, we would have had to buy from another State east of the Mississippi or up near the Oregon area.

[superduty glampers]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

Today's trailers keep getting heavier and longer. I have a hell of a good truck but my next one will be bigger....... Probably a F450. I can't imagine pulling with a 2500

Drv has one of there's hooked up to a srw on there home page. Oh and just wait till these new F-150 start pulling big trailers with 3300 pounds of payload and a tow rating of 12200 pounds.

[JerryL]

^I'd hate to be in that trucks way, going or trying to stop.

[superduty glampers]

Originally Posted by JerryL

My 2010 Ram 2500, short bed, Quad cab, 3:73 gears, 6.7 Cummins, had a tow in the 13k range, with a payload of 2698.

My 2012 F-250 short bed supercab 4:30 gears has a tow rating over 15k with a payload of 3185. Am I going to buy a new truck when the most my rw can weigh is 16k? NO not over a few hundred pounds.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by superduty glampers

My 2012 F-250 short bed supercab 4:30 gears has a tow rating over 15k with a payload of 3185. Am I going to buy a new truck when the most my rw can weigh is 16k? NO not over a few hundred pounds.

Jim, with my trailer you'd be well over 1000 lbs overweight before anybody got into the truck.

My pin weight is over 4000 lbs not counting my wife, myself or whatever she puts in the back seat. I had a 2011 F350 SRW that was over loaded. Since I was planing on pulling my trailer and not letting it sit, I had to replace the truck. I realize some people put very few miles on their trailers and those folks could probably get by with a smaller truck.

On a side note.....I've pulled the same trailer with a SRW and a DRW truck equipped identical with the exception of 2 wheels and a different differential (370 to a 350). There's a world of difference in the handling of the rig.

[superduty glampers]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

Jim, with my trailer you'd be well over 1000 lbs overweight before anybody got into the truck.

My pin weight is over 4000 lbs not counting my wife, myself or whatever she puts in the back seat. I had a 2011 F350 SRW that was over loaded. Since I was planing on pulling my trailer and not letting it sit, I had to replace the truck. I realize some people put very few miles on their trailers and those folks could probably get by with a smaller truck.

On a side note.....I've pulled the same trailer with a SRW and a DRW truck equipped identical with the exception of 2 wheels and a different differential (370 to a 350). There's a world of difference in the handling of the rig.

I have a FL not a RL all the weight in yours goes on the pin, all the weight in mine goes in the back reducing pin weight. We are weekenders a few times a month. Not everyone loads there camper with everything they own.

[JerryL]

Originally Posted by superduty glampers

I have a FL not a RL all the weight in yours goes on the pin, all the weight in mine goes in the back reducing pin weight. We are weekenders a few times a month. Not everyone loads there camper with everything they own.

Happy camping.

[mhs4771]

Just remember: A Tundra can pull the Space Shuttle and it Pull Fine!!

[danrn]

Originally Posted by mhs4771

Just remember: A Tundra can pull the Space Shuttle and it Pull Fine!!

Wonder if there are any KOA's on the moon.

[DLRAKOWITZ]

Yeah but you don't see the front wheel of the ship in the bed of the truck while doing it and if I had 5 years to get to me destination for the speed that tundra was going then maybe it sounds safer to tie a Toyota to a rw. But let's stop sniffing moon dust and leave the TVs to Japanese and maybe the taxi driver vehicles to them but when I comes to pure hauling and towing. I will stick with our big three diesel guzzlers for that