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They have proven that they can make the tough choices and as long as they continue to make the necessary changes, they will survive.

Bobby C, excellent input. I concur with your comments. Monaco Corp., will survive just repackaged all over, or they'll go down swinging/trying. DocUSAF

Actually, I have to agree with Bobby and Doc. I come from a personal perspective... Tony has had his grading and trash company since 1995, and has been built around residential new construction, which has been plentiful in Arizona. When the market started to tank, we did everything to enter new markets, find new business, cut costs, save the business. Today's very harsh reality, folks, is... the business ain't there. You can borrow, and borrow, and borrow to stay afloat... a wise executive starts cutting costs as needed (never an easy choice, lives are changed)... you do all you can to try to survive. We closed Tony's company last month, after having invested (probably too much) money, after money, after money, hoping for a turnaround in the market. Sometimes you don't see it coming (anyone remember 2006? Ahh, the good old days...), but we had a well established, well respected company. Fact is we still had well over a million dollars in contracts, but there is no demand, so production is slowed so much that the overhead eats you up alive. So it is with the RV industry... we all know it will come back, but the cost of maintaining a business and hoping for a turnaround when none is in sight is exhorbitant, especially on the scale of a company the size of Monaco. I truly hope Monaco survives, and ultimately can hire back those that have lost their jobs, but for those of you that are fortunate enough to be retired happily, thank your lucky stars. I tend to be the incurable optimist, but if fuel prices don't stop increasing, this economy hasn't even begun to see it's darkest day.

Historically, the housing market has helped our country's economy stay stable, and in the last two decades, it has allowed many of us to "find wealth" in our equity (okay, how many of you used some of your home equity to buy your coach?)... I agree that the market may improve for lower end RV's, as it is still an economical and oh so pleasant way to travel, but it is quite predictable that the mid to lower-upper end will suffer. The Prevost owners probably aren't affected too much... but ya' never know. We're seeing more foreclosures in the higher end of the real estate market here in AZ... Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, all of the highest of the high end.

IMHO, Monaco execs are doing all they can to stay afloat. It may or may not work.

Sorry, I try to never be a kill-joy, but things need to turn and turn soon for most high end RV manufacturers to make it through the storm.

Okay, now somebody cheer me up!!

Brenda, of...

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Sorry, I try to never be a kill-joy, but things need to turn and turn soon for most high end RV manufacturers to make it through the storm.

Well Brenda, don't know how to say this but you're exactly right. I hope Monaco really considers refitting large RV DIESEL units with natual gas type options. There is natual gas all over America. We are the Saudi of the world with clean natural gas. We already have RV camp sites all over, why not tap them as a base-line for refills w/natural Gas tanks. Small repair stations can even install natural gas tanks. Many large city bus lines already run on natural gas. We should take the same approach with large RV's. Smaller cars can follow the process but larger fuel consuming RV's/Trucks need to refit Today.
High end homes forclosures is really bad, kinda like the coal miners' bird effect. Money getting short even for the rich. I think the RV company who can offer to step up and lead the way with natural gas just make be the only one who survives it. I plan on driving my coach as lone as I can, so I'm just waiting for a natual gas retro-fit appointment. Keep on Trucking. Doc USAF

Brenda, A piece of good news is that MNO stock was up today. The will have their earnings call tomorrow. That should be interesting!!!!

I listened to their earnings call last quarter. Whow! I have never heard investment firms ask the questions and use the tone of voice like I heard them asking Kay and his team. Our Company has had tough times but never have we been questioned like MNO did last quarter. The investment community ask why the continued efforts and money spent on the MI resort and other nondeveloped property owned by MNO. Kay shielded his response by trying to talk about new Class C's MNO would introduce later in 2008.

If I may ask from an earlier message. Did you father do any of the woodwork in your MH, or is that all MNO???? It is beautiful!

No, Bobby, all of the woodwork in our coach is factory installed. Beaver coaches have always been known for their woodwork. Monaco bought Beaver somewhere around 2005 (someone correct me on that timeframe if I'm wrong). In fact, Monaco has replaced about $9,000 worth of it because many cabinets started to delaminate... and we were not in warranty. The new cabinetry is beautiful, and better than the original, by far. It took a couple of phone calls and emails, but they stepped up and replaced it all at their cost. That's good customer care.

Brenda, of...

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The investment community ask why the continued efforts and money spent on the MI resort and other nondeveloped property owned by MNO. Kay shielded his response

Wow, Kay's not gonna be able to do that to many more times and keep his head on his shoulders. Investors want to know how's he gonna get this bus outta of the ditch.
Forget about not being able to see that bad days were ahead, no forget that, we all got run over by that one. Try reading the real tea leaves (MC stock is hanging on the rim of the toilet). Try going to a normal mom and pops camping ground and talk directly with Monaco owners, get your hands greasey, bust a knuckle, cut a finger once and a while. It keeps you humble.
This Signature resort joke when the company is bleeding, and firing the guys and gals with the dust mops and buckets is crazy/nut. Investors aren't gonna like the next report. It's not the actions you take when you're up that people remember, it's when you're down and just rolling over. Come on Kay, get up and fight 'em, We'll support you!.. Oh no, but Killing off the roadmaster chassis, Wow.
Can you say "natual gas powered RV diesels" are here to stay, with a hugh nation-wide vehicle fleet waiting to be retrofitted.
I smell a "fleet size vehicle natual gas congressional bill" coming soon. Brighter days are ahead! Clean buring natual gas!.. just like the metro bus system. Man over-board.

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Can you say "natual gas powered RV diesels" are here to stay, with a hugh nation-wide vehicle fleet waiting to be retrofitted.
I smell a "fleet size vehicle natual gas congressional bill" coming soon. Brighter days are ahead! Clean buring natual gas!.. just like the metro bus system. Man over-board.

hold on Doc you might be self-medicating too much... CNG, LNG, Propane, will not be part of the motorhome future... my figures suggest mohos do not make even a tiny blip on the fuel use chart. the average moho is only driven 5K to 6K miles per year... our industry is hardly a fuel use problem... fuel usage should not be a worry for the average motor home owner... since we fill up so seldom, what's the dif between a tank costing $200. or $400 to fill-up?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Majeasy,

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our industry is hardly a fuel use problem... fuel usage should not be a worry for the average motor home owner...

You are exactly right. We don't use much, but we are big units just like large diesel tractor trailers. Large Class A RV's can be an excellent "sort of test bed" for a fuel source conversion. Anyway, just trying to look outside the box. Now where my Med's. Anyone got a lighter.
What would the math say regarding how many diesel trucks are on the roads, including city, county, state, federal and (construction type) fleet rigs out there. Sorry but I think fuel useage/pricing is a concern, even for RV drivers. If it wasn't, we would/should be seeing new RV models falling off the shelves and thet's not happening. RV plants are closing faster than a crack house in Alaska. Have you noticed Highway rest-stops all over are starting to fill up during "the day-time" with diesel rigs. They aren't sitting there waiting aroud to catch Ophra on TV. I still need a lighter.

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Originally posted by bsavage:
No, Bobby, all of the woodwork in our coach is factory installed. Beaver coaches have always been known for their woodwork. Monaco bought Beaver somewhere around 2005 (someone correct me on that timeframe if I'm wrong). In fact, Monaco has replaced about $9,000 worth of it because many cabinets started to delaminate... and we were not in warranty. The new cabinetry is beautiful, and better than the original, by far. It took a couple of phone calls and emails, but they stepped up and replaced it all at their cost. That's good customer care.

Brenda, of...

Monaco bought Beaver, which was owned by Safari, in 01. We attended the last Safari rally at Harrisburg when the muckies from Monaco had to drive a MH from Ind to Or to attend the rally and meet their new "subjects". They had to drive the MH because air travel was shut down on Sept 11, 2001, the day the rally started.

Although there are some diesel busses that operate on CNG it will never come to pass for RV's. The fueling stations are extremely expensive.It would require a lot of stations. Who would pay for these? All of the alternative fuels have drawbacks. One big one that many have not considered is the loss of tax revenue. Gasoline and diesel are taxed at 2 or more levels. Supposedly that $ goes for road repairs. But even if it just goes into general revenue where do the governments get the tax $ if people are using fuels that preently are not taxed? The answer is tht they would have to tax these fuels just like gasoline thus eliminating all the advantages of the new fuel. Aside from the above comments a Company the size of Monaco does not have the $ nor the R & D depts. to initiate anything radical ike Doc suggested. But lighter more fuel efficient vehicles that are similar to todays is doable. The class A's in Australia get 15 mpg.