RV Accoutrements Go Upscale

By Dennis McCafferty

Posted June 24, 2008, at 1 p.m.

It may sound paradoxical, but the concept behind luxury RVs boils down to this: Get away from it all — but be sure to take "it" with you.

In this case, "it" refers to the comforts of home. Because there's no limit to what manufacturers can pack into an RV, these vehicles are more popular than ever. An estimated 8.2 million households own at least one RV, up about 18 percent from 2001, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association.

The typical RV owner is age 49, married and has an annual household income of $68,000, the association reports. The vast majority of owners also have a permanent home, meaning that the RV serves as a second living unit. A well-equipped, luxury motorcoach model can be bought for the low- to mid-six figures, but well-heeled consumers are willing to spend far more. At Lazydays RV SuperCenter in Tampa, for example, clients spent up to $4 million for RVs with amenities such as plasma-screen TVs with theater audio, Bose Wave sound systems, Sirius satellite radio, Bosch appliances and spacious bedroom suites.

"Today's high-end RV coaches can often be described as mansions on wheels," says Carol White, co-author of Live Your Road Trip Dream. "They're now built on sturdy bus frames to support the most luxurious rides. They allow rock stars, sports figures, retirees and business owners to travel without the hassles of airplanes, airports and luggage, with their own possessions around them. They come with every feature imaginable — in-motion satellite, big-screen TVs with DVR/Wii and even temperature-controlled wine [racks]. These amenities allow for a mobile lifestyle that accommodates wanderlust and exploration anywhere, anytime."

Once you get past the vehicle pricing and fuel cost, you'll find some economic advantages to the RV lifestyle: Campground fees can run as low as $5 a night, White says, although the ritzier sites are as high as $60. (This is still cheaper than many mid-priced hotels.) And, of course, you can often “camp” in a mall or store parking lot for free.

Wherever they park, owners spend much of their time enjoying their mobile luxury statements. Several top models, in fact, demonstrate just how elaborate RVs are getting these days, with descriptions that resemble those breathless real-estate brochures for country-club communities.

The 2009 Monaco Camelot features HD LCD televisions with screens as large as 52 inches, complete with Blu-Ray packages. There are also GPS touch-screen controls and hands-free Bluetooth capability. For the kitchen, there are granite countertops, a 21-cubic-foot refrigerator with ice/water and imported Italian tile to make for a luxury look-and-feel that matches any McMansion. The model also comes with villa furniture, comfort-air mattresses, Fabrica carpet and heated tile floors. (Pricing starts at $278,000.)

The 2009 Winnebago Adventurer certainly isn't your father's Winnebago. The standard-bearer of RV builders has come out with more and more upscale models in recent years, with the Adventurer being just one of a number of eye-catching models. It includes LCD TVs and 8.5-inch video screens in the bunk beds, Sirius satellite radio with a removable receiver that can be controlled through the dashboard, in-motion satellite system, theater-style seating, Select Comfort's "Sleep Number" beds and Belmont Maple cabinetry. (Pricing starts at $124,828.)

Electronics, of course, reign supreme. Once upon a time, RVs had one modest television in the cockpit. That's no longer the case.

Four Winds International, for example, has introduced a 2008 Magellan 36F Class A motorhome with LCD TVs in the living room, kitchen and bedrooms, including a set in the bunk area with game-console adapters for the kids. The Magellan also features a passenger-side workstation with computer hook-up. (Prices start at $129,710.)

At Lazydays and other upscale dealers, Garmin GPS is also becoming mainstream, as well as the Navion R5000 from Lectronix, which features AM/FM/WB tuner, CD/WMA/MP3 playback, Sirius satellite radio, a three-camera/monitor system, trip and vehicle computer, navigation system and tire pressure monitoring — all mounted in the dashboard. Plasma, LCD and DLP TV screens will reach up to 60 inches wide in today's RVs, with built-in HD/digital tuners, high resolution, anti-glare, surround sound and universal remotes.

RVs are also boosting their aesthetic appeal. For the Magellan owner, there are optional Infiniss leather seat furnishings, European-style cinnamon maple cabinetry with hidden hinges, double-door refrigerators with stainless-steel inserts and solid-surface kitchen countertops — all under an open-air-like 84-inch ceiling. Even less-expensive models like the Crossroads Seville (priced just over $50,000), feature a floor-to-ceiling fireplace with slate-like decor.

And now social networking — a mainstay these days on the household computer — is becoming part of the RV culture. Just ask entrepreneur Bill Harvey, who is developing a luxury park in Florida with a home page where RV owners will weigh in with "hot or not" ratings on motor homes owned by their fellow travelers. "Even though their lifestyle is about the freedom to get unconnected, RVers are great at forming communities on the fly," Harvey explains. "Tonight, at every RV park in the country, people who have never met are sitting together around a picnic table, trading stories and sharing a meal. Our new online community is a natural extension of this."

Given the wealth of innovations that industry leaders are producing, there's nothing stopping owners from importing the best of home into their RVs.

Bio: Dennis McCafferty is a freelance writer with extensive experience in the automotive field, as well as with NASCAR. He has written for Chrysler magazine, UAW-GM People magazine, Dodge Tomorrow magazine and Corvette Quarterly.

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