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The
National
RV
Dealers
Association
reacts
to
FEMA
auctions
of
RV
trailers
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RVDA
President
Mike
Molino
is
urging
the
federal
government
to
consider
the
impact
its
RV
travel
trailer
auctions
will
have
on
local
dealers,
the
RV
industry,
and
public
safety.
Federal
Emergency
Management
Agency
(FEMA)
officials
announced
the
agency
will
begin
auctions
in
March
to
reduce
its
inventory
of
RV
trailers
used
for
emergency
temporary
housing
in
the
aftermath
of
Hurricanes
Katrina
and
Rita.
The
auctions
are
run
through
the
General
Services
Administration
(GSA).
In
a
letter
to
FEMA
Director
R.
David
Paulison,
Molino
urged
the
agency
to
carefully
consider
the
impact
public
auctions
of
large
number
of
trailers
will
have
on
the
retail
market
for
RVs
–
especially
in
the
Gulf
Coast
States.
“The
practice
of
selling
directly
to
consumers
also
raises
significant
public
safety
implications,”
Molino
stated
in
the
letter.
“These
vehicles
appear
simple
but
are
really
rather
complicated
with
electrical,
plumbing,
and
propane
gas
systems
that
power
sophisticated
heating
and
cooling
units,
fire
safety
equipment,
and
gas
leak
detectors.
There
are
a
myriad
of
potential
problems
consumers
face,
unless
the
vehicles
are
thoroughly
checked
out,
serviced,
repaired,
and
reconditioned
where
necessary
by
qualified
technicians.”
Molino
said
one
way
to
protect
the
public
could
be
to
offer
the
units
in
lots,
instead
of
auctioning
each
trailer
individually.
“Requiring
sales
in
lots
of
5
or
10
units
would
make
it
more
likely
that
the
vehicles
get
back
into
the
stream
of
commerce
through
a
licensed
dealer
who
is
capable
of
ensuring
the
safety
and
serviceability
of
the
unit,”
he
stated.
“The
issue
of
unfair
government
competition
with
small
business
obviously
concerns
all
of
us.
However,
safety
is
also
an
issue.
By
selling
these
vehicles
through
dealers,
FEMA
and
GSA
would
be
providing
the
public
with
a
greater
assurance
of
safety
and
reliability,”
Molino
concluded.
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Readers
comments:
Latest
shown
first
Al H.
:
Some of the wholesale RV auctions have had a few FEMA units recently. Remember these are not really RV's. Most I have seen are very basic, few windows, not in great shape. But the major consideration is no holding tanks. Direct waste flow to sewer or septic, no fresh water tank. Toilet is standard house type. This is not something you can tow to your friendly campground and hook up for a weekend.
Hank
:
The FEMA rv trailers have already been purchased at full retail, so businesses do not deserve another bite at the apple. Second, I live in an rv and they are not complicated at all. Over a million Americans live in rv's. There is no public safety issue at all here as the dealers allege. It is no different than buying an rv from a private individual. It also is no different than purchasing an rv "as is" from a dealer who makes no warranty that the vehicle is safe. Thanks for listening. Hank
DISSAPOINTED
:
Well,after viewing all the online GSA AUCTIONS AND GOING TO THE VIEWING SITES ALL OVER THE SOUTH I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND A TRAILER WORTH BUYING. BY THE TIME THE OVER EAGER BIDDERS HAVE BID THE TRAILERS SO HIGH THAT IF THEY TOOK THE TIME TO LOOK AT DEALERSHIP'S FOR ABOUT $4000 MORE THEY COULD HAVE A NEW ONE THAT WAS NOT LIVED IN FOR A YEAR OR MORE. I THINK I WILL BUY A NEW ONE MYSELF. I THOUGHT A DEAL FOR MOST OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN WOULD BE $5000 GIVE OR TAKE. NOT THE $10000 + -
coachman99
:
The RV manufacturing companies sure didn't worry about this when they sold all those trailers to the government at a hefty price, and they want us to scrap them so they can sell more!!!!
Rudy L
:
I happen to be a dealer 50 miles north of new orleans. So far I have seen no affect on our daily sales by FEMA auctions or the sale of government owned trailers. The majority of the FEMA trailers were purpose built, with not many options, basic, with no frills, and were not built with a lenghty life expectancy in mind. Those are the ones that you will find the camping community is not interested in. Buyers of that product are looking for something cheap to put out at hunters campsite or for company use. I think that many in the industry are "over thinking" the issue and worrying way too much. I am right in the thick of it all here and again, I say it has had no affect on my everyday business at all. I hope many can find a good deal and get good use out of one if they can get one.
Eat more Q
:
The dealers are upset because they can't make money on the deal. The average joe can buy these trailers and get a bargain. Safety? The trailers are no more complicated to operate, service and maintain than the trailers we buy from the dealer that cost three to four time more than the fema trailers.
Trying to make a buck by misleading the public. Sounds like a republican to me!
Just Me
:
All the dealers that sold trailers for LIST price were happy to take the money!! Now the public is gettin bargins and they cant stand that!! O well !!
Ken A
:
When FEMA bought the trailers the manufacturers were very happy of course. But now they're selling them the dealers have problems. I think the manufacturers need to support the dealers somehow.
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