5 New r-pod floor plans for 2010…

Here are the 5 new floor plans from Forest River, including the new ‘expandable’ line … rp-176, rp-177, rp-173T, rp-176T, rp-172T.

r-pod 176

r-pod 177

r-pod 172T

r-pod 173T

r-pod 176T

  

r-pod goes eco-friendly

The r-pod logo has been changed to reflect Forest River’s green movement.

Apparently they are eco-constructed now, whatever that means…

For a comparison between the leading ultra-lites go here http://blog.wholesalervclub.com/post/2010/03/25/Forest-River-r-pod-vs-Heartland-MPG-vs-Gulfstream-Visa.aspx

New R-pod Fabrics for 2010 / 2011

Forest River has changed their fabric options for the end of 2010 and into the 2011 models. Gone are Sandstone, Cypress and the others, the new fabric names are Earth, Cinnamon, and Saffron & Green weave…

Earth

Cinnamon

Saffron & Green Weave 

These fabrics will be available on the current r-pod models and the (2) new models – rp-176 and rp-177. The two 16’ models, rp-151 and rp-152 are being phased out and no longer produced. Forest River has also halted all production of the white cabinet interior options on the r-pods and Surveyors.

Forest River r-pod 176 and r-pod 177 Prices

Forest River has scheduled the tow newest r-pod floorplans for production in October. We will have 5 of each plan arriving in late Oct/Early Nov. Price has been set at $13,295 for the rp-177 and at $13,595 for the rp-176.

The rp-176 has the bunk beds, entertainment center with 19" TV, rear dinette and a slideout that contains all the kitchen appliances.

New r-pod Models Due in Nov rp-176 and rp-177

Forest River has scheduled to release two new r-pod models this November, the r-pod 176 and r-pod 177. Both are slideout models with the kitchen located in the slideout area. Expect pricing to be approx. $300 higher than the current rp-174, rp-175 units. Reviews at www.rpod-owners.com
Here is a floor plan diagram of each:

MAP Pricing

Forest River has instituted a new internet dealer protection policy that will force all dealers to only put the ‘Minimum Advertised Price’ on-line. They call it MAP.

The question is, does MAP have a place on the Internet and why would a manufacturer want to force their dealers to hide their pricing from the consumer?

An RV Manufacturer (RVM) has to have a fairly large base of RV dealerships across the US and Canada to take care of service and warranty issues. The RVM grants the dealership a territory and product line that they will not permit any other dealer within the region to market or sell. This allows the dealer the opportunity to harvest the market and invest in local advertising and marketing to drive business. Traditionally if was difficult for the consumer to go outside their demographic area for pricing – but the internet has changed that. Consumer’s can search, view and price a camper from a dealer located anywhere in the world. The regional boundaries have been effectively removed.

Brand Value

In the marketing world “Brand” is the perceived value of your product or service by the consumer. A strong brand is built by factors such as quality, price, materials, marketing and corporate perception. Often a manufacturer will impose MAP pricing on their premium product line to keep the consumer perception of the Brand high. For example, Cadillac. GM will never produce a $12,000 Cadillac for fear that the image/Brand that Cadillac is a premium auto will be tarnished. Conversely, GM will also demand a higher sticker for the Cadillac line of cars to maintain the premium perception.

The same can apply to the RV market. A Forest River Cedar Creek camper is the top of the line RV product with high quality design, parts and build. To maintain the overall Brand of Cedar Creek FR prices it accordingly and must maintain a price gap between Cedar Creek and the other non-premium brand RV lines. In theory, this is all in the best interest of the manufacturer, dealer and the consumer. The consumer benefits because the camper will hold it’s value on re-sell, the dealer gets a nice profit and the RVM can build a premium camper with quality parts and appliances.

Where MAP starts to fall apart is when dealer’s begin to take advantage of the program by pricing the camper too close to the MAP price to make a higher profit. They can do this because the actual price other dealers will charge for the identical product is ‘hidden’ due to the RVM’s MAP policy. The consumer ends up paying thousands more than they could have and the real problem comes in 3-4 years when they decide to upgrade to another camper. They are so far upside-down on the camper value that they can’t possibly trade it or sell it above what they owe. This shows the short-sighted approach the RVM and dealers are taking and how they are shooting themselves in the foot.

For the sake of the short term ‘kill’ they are killing the future RV market by selling campers at a price that will prohibit the consumer from making a future purchase in the next 5-7 years. We take calls every day from owners looking to trade up their RV and what they still owe exceeds what we are selling a ‘new’ camper for. It is then that they realize that they were taken advantage of by their ‘local’ dealer.

The fact is that the internet changes everything and any dealer or manufacturer that believes that they can ‘hide’ from the consumer is mistaken and will pay the price in the long run. The consumer is smart and the smart dealers will find ways around the MAP policy. It is in everyone’s best interest to price new RV’s at a price point that allows the dealer a fair profit and return on their investment. What the MAP policy does is protect the dealer that does not want to invest in internet marketing, price their product aggressively, and compete in the quickly changing internet market. Even GM is now getting it – they have begun to allow their dealerships to sell auto’s on eBay.com … opening up the market to allow their more successful and forward thinking dealers to thrive.

As a final point what the manufacturer’s don’t realize is that unless every RV manufacturer instituted MAP pricing they are putting their product and dealers at a competitive disadvantage. There will be RVM’s that will not burden their dealer network with MAP policies and the consumer demand will shift over to their RV’s provided the quality, service and other factors are on par with Forest River’s. This shift in consumer preference for brand will continue to accelerate as more and more internet savvy consumer’s enter the RV market.

I spent two years working with Cintas, developing their website, Cintas.com to promote their products and services over the internet and support their ground logistics efforts. Through the internet Cintas has been able to expand their market efforts and grow / maintain service lines through what has been a difficult economic period. The same factors are working against the RV industry and unless the RMV’s work with the internet to grow their consumer base, they will find themselves behind their competition quickly.

Next: What Forest River should do, how their dealers are implementing MAP pricing on their web sites and how you can find the best deal on the internet…

MAP Pricing

Forest River has instituted a new internet dealer protection policy that will force all dealers to only put the ‘Minimum Advertised Price’ on-line. They call it MAP.

The question is, does MAP have a place on the Internet and why would a manufacturer want to force their dealers to hide their pricing from the consumer?

An RV Manufacturer (RVM) has to have a fairly large base of RV dealerships across the US and Canada to take care of service and warranty issues. The RVM grants the dealership a territory and product line that they will not permit any other dealer within the region to market or sell. This allows the dealer the opportunity to harvest the market and invest in local advertising and marketing to drive business. Traditionally if was difficult for the consumer to go outside their demographic area for pricing – but the internet has changed that. Consumer’s can search, view and price a camper from a dealer located anywhere in the world. The regional boundaries have been effectively removed.

Brand Value

In the marketing world “Brand” is the perceived value of your product or service by the consumer. A strong brand is built by factors such as quality, price, materials, marketing and corporate perception. Often a manufacturer will impose MAP pricing on their premium product line to keep the consumer perception of the Brand high. For example, Cadillac. GM will never produce a $12,000 Cadillac for fear that the image/Brand that Cadillac is a premium auto will be tarnished. Conversely, GM will also demand a higher sticker for the Cadillac line of cars to maintain the premium perception.

The same can apply to the RV market. A Forest River Cedar Creek camper is the top of the line RV product with high quality design, parts and build. To maintain the overall Brand of Cedar Creek FR prices it accordingly and must maintain a price gap between Cedar Creek and the other non-premium brand RV lines. In theory, this is all in the best interest of the manufacturer, dealer and the consumer. The consumer benefits because the camper will hold it’s value on re-sell, the dealer gets a nice profit and the RVM can build a premium camper with quality parts and appliances.

Where MAP starts to fall apart is when dealer’s begin to take advantage of the program by pricing the camper too close to the MAP price to make a higher profit. They can do this because the actual price other dealers will charge for the identical product is ‘hidden’ due to the RVM’s MAP policy. The consumer ends up paying thousands more than they could have and the real problem comes in 3-4 years when they decide to upgrade to another camper. They are so far upside-down on the camper value that they can’t possibly trade it or sell it above what they owe. This shows the short-sighted approach the RVM and dealers are taking and how they are shooting themselves in the foot.

For the sake of the short term ‘kill’ they are killing the future RV market by selling campers at a price that will prohibit the consumer from making a future purchase in the next 5-7 years. We take calls every day from owners looking to trade up their RV and what they still owe exceeds what we are selling a ‘new’ camper for. It is then that they realize that they were taken advantage of by their ‘local’ dealer.

The fact is that the internet changes everything and any dealer or manufacturer that believes that they can ‘hide’ from the consumer is mistaken and will pay the price in the long run. The consumer is smart and the smart dealers will find ways around the MAP policy. It is in everyone’s best interest to price new RV’s at a price point that allows the dealer a fair profit and return on their investment.

Next: How dealers are implementing MAP pricing on their web sites and how to find the best deal on the internet…

r-pod 175 ... the new r-pod Hit!

It seems like American has finally found the r-pod 175 camper. For May and June the rp-175 has been our most popular 2010 camper ordered. The rp-175 features the large rear queen bed, 55" sofa and table and front kitchen. The entertainment center is mounted about the queen bed for easy access and night viewing.

RV Nation's price for the fully loaded r-pod 175 travel trailer is $12,995. This includes the convection microwave, outside screen tent, LCD TV, HD Antenna, heavy duty marine deep cycle battery and box, and Air Conditioner.

New r-pod Owners Forum comes online

R-pod owners everywhere now have a new owners forum to share their r-pod travel trailer experiences - http://www.rpod-owners.com/! This new site is run and managed by r-pod owners like yourself.

Here you will find discussion on all the r-pod models, prices, dealers and accessories. Post your pod-mod online for everyone to see as well....

New r-pod Cover Available from Forest River

Forest River now has a cover designed specifically for the r-pod available. It is formed to fit the r-pod snug, water-resistant and available in 2 colors – taupe and camo!

See your local dealer to purchase. RV Nation will have them for $300 as an option and for previous customers wanting to order.

r-pod

The folks over at rpod-owners.com have posted some information on the emissions standards that the r-pod travel trailers are being built to.  http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=33&PN=1
Basically, the r-pods are F-Four Star low emission compliant.

r-pod Production

We are getting reports that folks are having a hard time finding the r-pod floorplan they want in stock at the dealer and the average wait time on an order is being quoted at around 4-6 weeks. The reason the order time is in this range is due to how Forest River is building the r-pod. They are being constructed on the same line / facility as the Surveyor and right now Forest River is alternating production between the two product lines. It appears that production is rotating between the brands every 2 weeks or so depending on demand.

r-pod LP Tank Service Recall

Forest River has issued a service recall on the r-pod LP Tanks. They have added a tie down strap to better secure the tank to the frame. It is a simple install that can be done in minutes at your local dealer.

The Myth behind Wholesale RV dealers

For many folks the purchase of an RV or motor home is one of the biggest purchases they will make in their lifetime with only their house exceeding it.
We recently posted an article on what the RV Wholesale Dealer myth really is here: http://forest-river-campers.blogspot.com/2009/02/wholesale-rv-dealer-myth.html#comment-form
Check it out and save some money…

Check out http://www.wholesalervclub.com/ - they are the lowest priced, reputable dealer we have found.

r-pod 174 by Forest River

We finally got the rp-174 r-pod in last week and sold several within a day.They are going to be a popular r-pod, perhaps the most popular.

At our open house last weekend everyone commented on the ‘hard’ slideout and the big increase of room inside. We sold 8 r-pods Saturday at the open house. We had buyers drive in from St. Louis, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

If you would like to take a look at our detailed slideshow simply click here.

The r-od 174 weighs 2400 lbs, sleeps up to 4, and has 36 gallon tanks, 6 gallon hot water tank… small camper, big features!

r-pod 151 Review

he r-pod 151 is the smallest of the r-pod floor plans at 16 foot – yet ironically it has the feel of more interior space than the 18 foot models. By moving the kitchen area to the front and the dinette to the rear, the floor space is extended by about 25%.
 
r-pod 151 floorplan
The Details:
Unloaded Weight: 1937
Hitch Weight: 241
Load Capacity: 1304
Exterior Length: 16’ 2”
Width: 8’ – pod is 6’ 5”
Exterior Height: 8’ 8”
Propane Cap 20lbs
Fresh Water Cap 36 gal
Grey Water cap 35 gal
Black Water cap 35 gal
Tire Size 205/75/R14
Hot Water Tank 6 gal
Wall thickness  2” laminated fiberglass
Notable Features:
11k BTU Air conditioner
20k BTU Furnace
Independent ‘Torsion’ suspension
4.2 cu ft Fridge
2-burner range top
LP, smoke, and CO detectors
Exterior 120 volt receptacles
Monitor Panel
Convection Microwave
Mini blinds
Rear stabilizer jacks
Detailed r-pod 151 Slideshow

Towing a r-pod travel trailer

We get a lot of questions about what it takes to tow one of the new r-pod’s. As a refresher, the rp-151 and rp-152 models are 16” and weigh in around 1950 lbs, with a hitch weight of under 200 lbs. Most  smaller SUV’s or Van’s require a towing package similar to what is show here:

4-Cylinder Towing Prep Package -- includes 3500-lb. towing capacity, heavy-duty radiator, 160-watt fan coupling, transmission oil cooler with water and air cooler, 150-amp alternator and prewired harness.

Here is a short list of vehicles capable of towing the r-pod: (vehicles in ‘teal’ require towing package)

BWM X3	Grand Caravan	Town & Country
Ford Edge & Escape	Dodge Magnum	Hyundai Odyssey
Hyundai Veracruz	Honda Pilot	Honda Ridgeline
Infiniti FX	Isuzu I290	Jeep Liberty
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited	Kai Sorento	Lexus RX 350 and RX 400
Mercury Mariner	Mitsubishi Enclave	Pontiac Torrent
Mazda B-400, CX-7, CX-9 and Tribute	Mitsubishi Outlander	Volvo S60, S80 & V70
Saab 9-3, 9-5	Saturn Outlook & Vue	Suzuki XL7
Suzuki Grand Vitara	Toyota Sienna	Toyota Highlander
Chevy Blazer/Trailblazer	Pontiac Envoy	Pontiac Aztec

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RV Nation is first dealer to get r-pod’s with slide outs!

Couch’s RV Nation received our shipment of the first r-pod models with slideouts to come off the Forest River production line.

The rp-174 and rp-175 models have ‘hard shell’ slideouts that extend the interior open floor space by over 25%!

These r-pods were the hit of the Cincinnati RV Show last weekend. The two slideout models are the r-pod 174 and r-pod 175.

r-pod 174 travel trailer with slideout!

 
r-pod 175 travel trailer with slideout!

---

How to price an r-pod

Need help figuring out what options are available on the new r-pod travel trailers? No worries, we are here to help you. The r-pod comes in 16’ and 18’ lengths. The 151 and 152 r-pods are the 16’ models, all others are 18’. The other unique feature is the side slide outs found in the r-pod 174 and r-pod 175. Manufacturers MSRP rp-151 $17,331 rp-152 $17,331 rp-171 $17,630 rp-172 $17,566 rp-173 $17,630 rp-174 $18,153 rp-175 $18,153 Every r-pod travel trailer comes with this ‘standard’ equipment list:

Chassis / Running Gear Powder Coated Steel Frame 2" Coupler Electric Brakes LED Tail Lights Independent "Torsion" Suspension System Aluminum Split Spoke Wheels 14" Goodyear Radial Tires Spare Tire Super-Lube Hubs Rear Stabilizer Jacks Dual Battery Rack Rotocast Holding Tanks Rotocast Fresh Water Tank	Appliances / Equipment Gas / Elec. DSI Water Heater Water Heater By-Pass System 3-Way Refrigerator - 4.2 cu. ft. Two Burner Range Top 20,000 BTU Furnace 12V Water Pump Monitor Panel 55 AMP Converter with Charger Detachable Power Cord Air Conditioner Ready 3 Speed Fantastic Fan Adjustable Shower Head Thetford Toilet
Safety Breakaway Switch Fire Extinguisher LP Detector Smoke Detector Carbon Monoxide Detector Safety Chains Dead-Bolt Door Lock Ground Fault Protected Electrical Circuit Exterior Custom Tinted Safety Glass Windows 20 lb. LP Tank with Cover Aluminum Wheel Fenders Patio Light with Amber Lens Exterior 120 Volt Receptacle License Plate Holder with Light Welded Aluminum Sidewalls and Floor Laminated Sidewalls, Floor and Roof Seamless Roof Lamilux 1000 Gel Coated Fiberglass Radius Entry and Baggage Doors Folding Assist Grab Handle Entry Door Step	Interior Wet Bath with Integrated Toilet No-Wax Seamless Vinyl Flooring Solid Lumber Core Cabinet Fronts Assembled with Screws Raised Panel Cabinet Doors with Glazed Finish Hardwood Drawer Fronts with Metal Guides Decorative Window Treatments Decorative Shower Curtain with Tieback Mini Blinds Where Applicable Bedroom Pocket Organizer Bathroom Pocket Organizers

The only “true” available options are:

r-dome Awning with Screen Room

Convection Microwave

11K BTU Low Profile Air Conditioner

White Sand Interior Wood Package.

Axle Riser

Dolby Digital AM/FM/CD/DVD/ TV Combo

TV Antenna / booster

Two Chairs IPO Sofa - Model RP-173 Only
That’s it. When you are comparing dealer pricing make sure you note which ‘options’ they are including in their offer. Check out a good review of the latest ultra-lite campers here: click here

Forest River r-pod 152

The Forest River r-pod Model 152

The 152 was one the first 16' r-pod models to come off the Forest River production line in November of 2008. The floor-plan includes a large 42x74 dinette set (makes into a bed) in the rear and dual sleeper bunks in the front.
MSRP $17,331.

Floorplan:

(Click floorplan to enlarge)

Photo slideshow:



The RV Nation price $10,910 INCLUDING the r-dome awning:

• Rustic Interior Decor
• Interior Luxury Package
• Exterior Luxury Package
• 11,000 BTU Low Profile A/C unit
• Convection Microwave Oven
• Dolby Digital AM/FM/CD/DVD/TV Combo
• TV Antenna with Booster
• CO Detector

RP-152 Specifications

• Unloaded Weight 1972
• Hitch Weight 144
• Load Capacity 1185
• Exterior Length 16’6”
• Exterior Pod Width 6’5”
• Exterior Overall Width 8’0”
• Exterior Height 8’8”
• Exterior Height with A/C 9’2”
• LP Capacity(lbs.) 20
• Fresh Water(gal.) 36
• Grey Water(gal.) 35
• Black Water(gal.) 35
• Tire Size:205/75/R14 STD.

A note to our Canadian r-pod Customers

We have had several inquiries from our friends north of the border on the r-pod. We ship a dozen or so campers into Canada every month. We take care of all the paper work and details but in order to help out our customers we have compiled a short list of steps and details that will answer any of your questions.

Here is a list of items required to import your RV into Canada:

1. Recall Clearance Letter - we provide this to you. The recall clearance letter allows you to pass Federal Inspection. Recall clearance indicates the absence of any safety defect on your vehicle that would be identified by the manufacturer as posing a potential safety risk to the vehicle’s operator, occupants and public at large unless corrected. You must have this document in order to pass the federal inspection.

2. Buyers Order - Suppied by RV Nation and given to you during the paperwork process.

3. Title. Ohio law requires the dealership to take the Manufacturers Certificate of Origin (MCO) to the Title Bureau and have a Title issued which is given to the buyer. We will supply this for you.

4. All fees at the Canadian border will be the responsibility of the buyer. The Canada Border Services Agency will NOT accept cash or checks for the fees. The Canada Border Service Agency will inform you of any and all requirements that need to be taken care of upon arrival in Canada.

5. We will deliver the RV to the border. You will need to have the proper trailer hitching installed on your vehicle to tow it home.

The Canadian Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) has a great website outlining all the necessary steps and documentation required. Again, we will supply you with all the paperwork, you will have to cover the import fees.

The complete import process is outlined step-by-step here: http://www.riv.ca/english/html/how_to_import.html

Phone numbers to have on hand can be found here:

Registrar of Imported Vehicles
1-888-848-8240
Fax: (416) 626-0366
info@riv.ca

Hours of service
Mon. to Fri.: 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight (EST)
Sat. and Sun.: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST)

Canada Border Services Agency
In Canada: 1-800-461-9999 (English) ; 1-800-959-2036 (French)
Outside Canada: (506) 636-5064 (English) ; (506) 636-5067 (French)
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/

Transport Canada
In Canada: 1-800-333-0371
Outside Canada: (613) 998-8616
Fax: (613) 998-4831
http://www.tc.gc.ca/

Camo r-pod, a hunters dream...

We have been playing around with a camo wrapped r-pod option. We have a local graphics design firm that has mocked up a Camo-Pod for us. Oddly enough, we had a local hunter stop in today and ask if he could get the r-pod in white or a 'rougher' color. When I told him about the camo-pod we were considering, he wanted it yesterday...

Take a look at this Camo r-pod 152, what do you think - will this dog hunt?

r-pod 171

The Forest River r-pod Model 171
The 171 is the first 18' r-pod model to come off the Forest River production line in November of 2008. The floor-plan includes a large 60x74 queen size bed in the rear, and 42x74 dinette set in the front.

The tail-of-the tape: MSRP $17,630.

Specifications
Unloaded Weight	2121
Hitch Weight	181
Load Capacity	1060
Exterior Length	18’2”
Exterior Pod Width	6’5”
Exterior Overall Width	8’0”
Exterior Height	8’8”
Exterior Height with A/C	9’2”
LP Capacity(lbs.)	20
Fresh Water(gal.)	36
Grey Water(gal.)	35
Black Water(gal.)	35
Tire Size:205/75/R14	STD.

Floorplan:







Photo slideshow:


The RV Nation price $11,595 without awning but including:

• Cypress Interior Decor
• Interior Luxury Package
• Exterior Luxury Package
• 11,000 BTU Low Profile A/C unit
• Convection Microwave Oven
• Dolby Digital AM/FM/CD/DVD/TV Combo
• TV Antenna with Booster
• CO Detector

Awning option $500.

Introducing the 2009 r•pod travel trailer

Forest River has introduced the 2009 r•pod with the intent to provide the quality camping experience they are know for, in a low hitch-weight trailer. This opens up the world of luxury camping for families with small SUV's, Vans and trucks.

There are 7 floor-plans available, 2 with 16' exterior length, and 5 with 18' length. Two models, 174 and 175 have sliding sideouts, all modles have laminated exterior sidewalls, roof, and floor. Standard features on all models include:

• Queen sized bed, dual bunks, or dinette conversion bed depending on model
  
• Powder coated steel frame
• Electric brakes
• Rear stablizer jacks
• Fresh water holding tanks
• Independent "Torsion" Suspension System
• Gas / Elec. DSI Water Heater
• 3-Way Refrigerator - 4.2 cu. ft.
• Two Burner Range Top
• 20,000 BTU Furnace
• Wet Bath with Integrated Toilet
• Solid Lumber Core Cabinet Fronts Assembled with Screws
• 20 lb. LP Tank with Cover
• Lamilux 1000 Gel Coated Fiberglass
• Seamless Roof

Optional features available:

• r-dome Awning with Screen Room - 20 lbs.
• Convection Microwave
• 11K BTU Low Profile Air Conditioner
• Dolby Digital AM/FM/CD/DVD/ TV Combo

Hitch weights range from 180 - 240 lbs, making it the ideal small utility vehicle towable. If your family is looking for the ultimate in an affordable camper, look no further - the r-pod is here.