Pittsburgh RV Show sees high attendance, continued interest in recreational vehicles
Ken and Katie Wakal recalled their early days of camping.
“We put up a tent, which was fine 30 years ago. But now we have a recreational vehicle — which we love,” said Katie Wakal. “We don’t have to sleep on the ground anymore or worry about bears in the area.”
The couple from Penn Township was perusing the recreational vehicles Monday at the Pittsburgh RV Show at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.
The event runs through Sunday.
It features models from basic trailers to full-blown motor vehicles that have spacious living quarters and amenities found in homes.
More than nine acres of space inside the convention center is filled with these vehicles, which are being used for more than vacation getaways.
The Wakals own a Classic C model, which has a cabin chassis or half-truck and an over-cab sleeping area, that they purchased in 2017 for travel to Michigan. They are planning to take it to Maine. The couple, married for 36 years, came to the show to see what’s new.
And they weren’t alone.
Interest in this mode of transportation continues to grow, show manager Randy Giancola said. Opening weekend attendance was back to pre-pandemic crowds, he said.
A 2021 Tribune-Review story said the RV Industry Association reported that shipments of RVs nationally jumped 75.9% from May 2020 to May 2021, with the average amount spent on an RV hovering around $75,000.
RELATED: RV sales continue to surge for Western Pa. dealers, fueled by 1st-time buyers
“RVs are great because you can quarantine in them and safely socially distance from others, which is hard to do on a plane, bus or cruise ship,” said Giancola, a former recreational vehicle exhibitor. “Campgrounds are outside. You can disinfect your RV, and you can work from home whether you are parked in your backyard or sitting in Yellowstone National Park.”
The problem is they are sometimes tough to get. There has been a lag time to get vehicles because of supply chain issues. Demand is up and supply is down, Giancola said.
Sometimes it takes six to seven months for orders to arrive, according to John Park, general manager of Meyer’s Schreck RV Sales of Pittsburgh in Washington Township.
Meyer’s RV has the largest display at the show, which includes a Super C Diesel Integra Semi Truck that can tow 10,000 to 20,000 pounds. It has five televisions, including an exterior one. It has bunk beds, a master bed and sleeping area in the front, allowing accommodations for 8 to 10 people. Equipped with an induction cooktop, a full bathroom and a fireplace, the 42-foot-long vehicle has a show price of $259,997.
Park said many of his customers are trading up. The company has experienced a 300% growth in the past two years, he said. Park said that, similar to the auto industry, the RV business has had challenges getting inventory.
Park predicts they will sell between 1,500 and 2,000 recreational vehicles this year.
“I think people sometimes panic-buy RVs because they want something to do,” Park said. “They found out they really like it and they want to do it more and want something bigger and better. There is an RV lifestyle that more people are finding out that they enjoy being part of.”
Ken Wakal noted that, with having an RV, they don’t have to make a hotel reservation and the bed is always clean. He said they can pull over when they are tired and can travel on their own schedule.
“We love everything about our RV,” Katie Wakal said.
Low interest rates are attracting buyers, Park said. Most loans are in the 15- to 20-year range, and buyers can save hundreds of dollars in payments if they purchase now. It also gives companies time to get the vehicles.
“More and more people are living in RVs,” Park said. “And you can go on a trip when you want without having to plan on an airplane or bus or train and then worry about a place to stay.”
Paul T. Willis, general manager of Best Choice RV in Irwin, has been in the business for 39 years. He started as a wash boy for Tex RV in Arizona and also worked for Winnebago. The Penn Township resident said owner Greg Barrick knows the business.
Willis said part of the growth has been because people can’t get reservations for trips and an RV allows them the flexibility to take the trip they want when they want. They also are made to be driven deeper into the woods to socially distance from others.
Willis said families who saved money for a trip to Walt Disney World, for example, took that cash, added it to their stimulus money and put that toward a recreational vehicle.
One of the top-of-the-line models at Best Choice RV has a walk-in closet, infinity lighting, 1½ baths, full-size appliances, a 70-inch television and a desk for working remotely on the road, for a show price of $142,995.
Justin Hopkins of Hermitage in Mercer County stepped inside the plush recreational vehicle. He said he hopes to live in one like it one day.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “It has so many amenities. An RV like that is paradise.”
Steve and Lynn Kordyak of Carnegie have traveled to 30 states in their recreational vehicle. They go on the road for weeks at a time.
Lynn Kordyak said having an RV is great because they can visit family and friends and can just park in their driveway.
“It gives you freedom,” Steve Kordyak said. “And your bedroom is always with you.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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