ELKHART — Thor Industries says orders are up nearly 550 percent since the end of last April.

Local dealerships are noticing this trend for all RV companies. Buyers will need some patience because it’s hard to keep any trailer in stock right now.

Sales representatives tell us it’s common for the units to be sold before they even get to the dealership. So their lots are emptier than normal and the backlog for RVs just keeps growing.

Tiara RV Sales is usually stocked with a hundred trailers this time of year. Sales representative Tanner Livingston says there are only 12 trailers right now.

“If you’re a first-time buyer, haven’t really been looking, expecting to come out and buy something todayit’s not the case,” said Livingston.

Livingston says sales last year — and this year — have broken records.

Sales doubled last year and he says they’ve likely doubled already this year.

But demand is so high that people are having to place orders for the RVs they want, instead of buying from the lot.

“Instead of units that we’ll usually have on our lot, they’re coming in already with a name on it and then going out relatively quickly,” said Livingston.

Livingston believes a major issue manufacturers are running into is having the parts to complete the project.

The trailers could be almost done but missing certain parts.

“You’ll see units sitting in their lot with everything done but maybe a board over a window because they can’t get that window in or an A/C unit not there.”

“Everything we order we’re probably not going to see until next year,” said Scot Moody, Lazydays RV Rlkhart salesman. “It’s just a shortage of everything like wood, metal, generators, air conditioners, just anything that could go into the unit there’s a shortage on it.”

Moody says sale prices have increased 8 times in 2 months and he doesn’t know when prices will level off. He says buyers have to sign a waiver that they’ll accept a price hike up until the point it’s delivered.

“If it’s in stock you want to buy it. if it’s not in stock and you have to order it, it’s going to be a while.”

Tiara RV told us if you order an RV today, expect it to take two to four months. But Lazydays RV in Elkhart is saying it could take until the beginning of next year.

Source: WSBT