Alloy
Well-known member
For comparison how many trains do you see that are full of campers?
New to campers and surprised by the high prices. How come a camper is half the cost of a car?
- Thread starter MM4Overland
- Start date
For comparison how many trains do you see that are full of campers?
Photobug
Well-known member
No they can't be mass produced. They don't need to be mass produced, not that many people are buying them. If a company were to invest in the equipment to automate the building of campers they would likely have to raise the price. The wiring, plumbing, cabinets and finishing still needs to be installed by hand by skilled craftman.
Photobug
Well-known member
You want sticker shock.
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The wiring, plumbing, cabinets and finishing still needs to be installed by hand by semi- skilled manual labor
Photobug
Well-known member
Agreed but there is a huge quality difference between the $20k camper and the $45k ones, might be a higher caliber of semi-skilled labor?
RJ Howell
Active member
As with everything, product pricing has gone through the roof! You won't see reasonable priced units until product pricing returns to a normal state again. No one can afford to build/sell low cost units. This is why you see such an up-tick in DIY builds! What I could have bought 2 yrs ago for $10K (and refused) now costs twice that with less features included.
MM4Overland
Member
When I say flatbed I mean flatbed only, the plain dumb platform not the camper on top of it which is larger than a regular slide in
tacollie
Glamper
An aluminum one designed for the overland crowd is a niche product and comes with a much higher cost. Flatbed typically fall under a commercial product. Commercial products cost more. A welder or farmer won't blink an eye at $10k for a flatbed.
The price of new campers isn't going to drop. Even semi skilled labor that is going to be reliable isn't cheap. I wouldn't want someone hungover running wiring and propane lines in my product.
There may be more deals on the used market in a couple years.
The price of new campers isn't going to drop. Even semi skilled labor that is going to be reliable isn't cheap. I wouldn't want someone hungover running wiring and propane lines in my product.
There may be more deals on the used market in a couple years.
MM4Overland
Member
I think it is going to drop like the lumber prices did when this pandemic is over or when more manufacturers will jump in.
It will become a lucrative business (it already is) to DIY and sell right after that, many are already doing this.
There is so much to unpack in your comments. I’ve had similar thoughts, I’m sure anyone on here involved in manufacturing has… then reality intrudes!
I suspect the only people who can successfully integrate flatbeds at a reasonable cost are the OEMs. If you think about the entire market for flatbeds, subtract current sales (there are already dozens of small manufacturers and maybe a few big ones), divide into truck brands (different frames), divide by bed lengths, divide by materials of construction…. you very quickly arrive at unit counts in the dozens or low hundreds, with dozens of variants. Now, spend some time reading through threads here and think about how many consumers feel ENTITLED to customization, and are unwilling to do any of it themselves. Add in complaints about everything from scratches in shipping to it didn’t survive when a giant Sequoia fell in it to it got rust after I parked it on a salty beach for 5 years…. Do you still feel like it is a feasible business model?
If I’m wrong, then awesome! You can go into business, great thing about America! You might be the right guy, at the right time, with the right resources…
All you need is working capital, shop space, insurance, employees, supplier credit relationships, design engineers, specifications for all trucks ever made, a web presence, someone to answer emails from customers, times three, insurance, business licenses, legal representation, etc…
I’m guessing that with hard work and dedication you might become a hundredaire in only a few short years.
Those who make it call it a labor of love for a reason. There are far more stories of business collapse and criminal theft of build deposits.
I suspect the only people who can successfully integrate flatbeds at a reasonable cost are the OEMs. If you think about the entire market for flatbeds, subtract current sales (there are already dozens of small manufacturers and maybe a few big ones), divide into truck brands (different frames), divide by bed lengths, divide by materials of construction…. you very quickly arrive at unit counts in the dozens or low hundreds, with dozens of variants. Now, spend some time reading through threads here and think about how many consumers feel ENTITLED to customization, and are unwilling to do any of it themselves. Add in complaints about everything from scratches in shipping to it didn’t survive when a giant Sequoia fell in it to it got rust after I parked it on a salty beach for 5 years…. Do you still feel like it is a feasible business model?
If I’m wrong, then awesome! You can go into business, great thing about America! You might be the right guy, at the right time, with the right resources…
All you need is working capital, shop space, insurance, employees, supplier credit relationships, design engineers, specifications for all trucks ever made, a web presence, someone to answer emails from customers, times three, insurance, business licenses, legal representation, etc…
I’m guessing that with hard work and dedication you might become a hundredaire in only a few short years.
Those who make it call it a labor of love for a reason. There are far more stories of business collapse and criminal theft of build deposits.
tacollie
Glamper
We bought our FWC in 2019 before covid messed everything up. Its a shell model with a couple options. With delivery, install, and tax it was $17k. There won't be a significant drop in price. Flatbeds with boxes were $10k in 2019.
Most the DIY builds are either cheap or have used parts otherwise they end up being a lot more money than you expect. I priced out building our own. With the materials and products I wanted it was going to be $5-7k and all my free time for at least a month if not more.
MM4Overland
Member
Time will tell
Right now we are in a bubble (inflation bubble and COVID issues)
Right now we are in a bubble (inflation bubble and COVID issues)
Todd n Natalie
OverCamper
Huh. The ones I've been in (including the one we own) must have been built on days the 'skilled' craftsmen were off, haha
MM4Overland
Member
I am seeing it still at 13K basics
What options did you get in 4K?
Fleet Shell Model
This is the Shell Model view of the interior, Siding, Fabrics, Floor Plans, and Options on Camper Model for you to Build.
fourwheelcampers.com
Photobug
Well-known member
Which model do you own? I think the industry has a wide variety of product quality. There are Palominos and there are Four Wheel Campers. I would hope at the prices FWC is charging the quality and workmanship are good.