Winnebago Introduces Fourth Sightseer Floor Plan
Winnebago Industries Inc. recently unveiled the new double-slideout Winnebago Sightseer 30A for 2012.
The Sightseer 30A features a sectional U-shaped dinette that extends to take seating from two to six in a matter of minutes. Add in a 42-inch LCD TV that can be repositioned for optimal viewing when the slideout is not extended, a Corian countertop and backsplash, MCD roller shades, and a new interior design, and the Sightseer has the style and function found in larger, more expensive motorhomes. Additional interior features include swiveling Ultraleather cab seats; a fully equipped in-line galley with two pantries; an enclosed bathroom; and a rear bedroom that offers a roomy wardrobe, a chest of drawers, and a walk-around queen-size bed.
The motorhome also offers new exterior styling, as well as side-hinged compartment doors and an electric patio awning.
Besides the 30A, the Sightseer is available in three other floor plans for 2012: the triple-slideout 33C, which offers a large driver’s-side slideout that expands the entire galley and includes the option of a buffet-dining table module with a 42-inch LCD TV; the family-friendly 35J, with bunk beds and sleeping space for up to seven; and the double-slideout 36V, which includes an extendable sectional sofa and a midcoach 42-inch TV.
For more information about the 2012 Winnebago Sightseer line of motorhomes or to find a dealer, visit www.gowinnebago.com or call (641) 585-3535.
La Mesa Rv Center Expands Into Albuquerque
La Mesa RV Center recently celebrated the grand opening of its new sales and service facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The sales facility features new motorhomes and towables from manufacturers including Heartland, Open Range, Carriage, Fleetwood RV, Coachmen, and Leisure Travel Vans. In addition, La Mesa RV Albuquerque offers a large selection of certified preowned motorhomes from companies such as Winnebago Industries, Tiffin Motorhomes, Monaco RV, and Fleetwood RV.
With the opening of the Albuquerque facility, La Mesa RV Center now has nine sales locations across the United States. The company was founded in 1972 in La Mesa, California, and has other dealerships in Davis and Dublin, California; Tucson, Yuma, Mesa, and Quartzsite, Arizona; and Sanford, Florida.
La Mesa RV’s Albuquerque sales facility is located at 8603 Lomas Blvd. N.E. For additional information about the company, product offerings, and locations, visit www.lamesarv.com or call (888) 509-4199.
New Research Highlights Continued Popularity Of RVing
The recent RV Consumer Demographic Profile released by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) indicates that RV ownership has reached a new peak and also offers promising news regarding future RV purchase intentions.
The research, conducted by Dr. Richard Curtin, RV industry analyst and director of consumer surveys at the University of Michigan, reveals that the number of RV-owning households has grown to 8.9 million, up from a high of 7.9 million in 2005. Nearly one in every nine U.S. households, or 8.5 percent, owns an RV, up from 8.0 percent in 2005.
When RV purchase intentions are combined across current owners, former owners, and new market entrants, 21 percent of U.S. households surveyed stated intentions to purchase an RV. This is on par with the 23 percent rate in 2005 and ahead of the 16 percent rate in 2001.
“Overall, the results clearly indicate continued strong demand for RVs in the years ahead,” said RVIA president Richard Coon.
In addition, 70 percent of current RV owners planned to purchase another RV to replace their current unit. Among new market entrants, defined as households that have never owned an RV in the past, 14 percent planned on purchasing an RV in the future, with more than a third of them intending to purchase a new RV.
Of all former owners, 27 percent planned to purchase another RV in the future. Here age was a determining factor, with younger former owners (age 18-34) more likely than older former owners to purchase another RV.
Another survey released by RVIA, the biannual Campfire Canvass, found that 34 percent of RV owners planned to travel more during the fall and winter months of 2011-2012, 43 percent planned to travel the same, and only 11 percent planned to travel less. Survey respondents cited seeing America and the affordability of traveling by RV as the main reasons for staying on the road during the fall and winter months.
RVIA is the national association that represents manufacturers and component suppliers that produce approximately 98 percent of all RVs manufactured in the United States.
United Shade Adopts New Child Safety Standard
United Shade LLC, an affiliate of the Dicor Corporation, recently had its corded shade products certified by the Window Covering Manufacturers Association (WCMA) to comply with new industry child safety standards the association has adopted in consultation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. According to company literature, United Shade is the only window coverings supplier in the RV industry to be certified.
“Concern about child safety around window covering cords has always been an issue, and we are taking a proactive approach to ensuring the ongoing safety of our products,” said Braden McCormick, United Shade president. “We’ve taken the guidance provided by our WCMA membership and ensured that our product meets all necessary specifications.”
National Parks Senior, Access Passes Available By Mail
Lifetime passes to America’s national parks for seniors and Americans with disabilities may now be ordered by mail.
National Park Service Senior and Access passes provide admission to, and use of, federal recreation sites that charge entrance or standard amenity fees. Pass users also receive a 50 percent discount on some amenity fees for activities such as camping and launching a boat. The passes are available to citizens and permanent U.S. residents age 62 or older, or those who have permanent disabilities regardless of age.
The Senior and Access versions of the America the Beautiful Pass — the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass — are good for a lifetime. The Access pass is free, and the Senior pass costs $10. A $10 processing fee is charged to send either pass by mail.
To get your Senior or Access pass through the mail, print out the application from http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html and mail the completed application plus proof of residency; age (Senior) or permanent disability documentation (Access); and $20 (Senior pass) or $10 (Access pass). Once the application package is received and the documentation verified, the pass will be mailed to you.
Both Senior and Access passes will continue to be sold at national parks.
For more information about the National Parks passes, visit www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm or http://store.usgs.gov/pass/index.html.
Pilot Flying J Unveils New iPhone App
Pilot Flying J has launched “My Pilot,” a free iPhone application designed to assist professional drivers and motorists as they plan trips and stop to refuel and refresh while on the road.
Pilot Travel Centers launched its first iPhone app for users of the popular mobile handset in spring 2010, and Pilot and Flying J merged shortly after in June 2010. The new My Pilot app provides location and trip features for all of the more than 550 travel centers and travel plazas across North America in the Pilot Flying J network.
“We’ve designed the My Pilot app to serve as a one-stop solution for any road trip,” said Ken Parent, senior vice president of operations for Pilot Flying J. “We believe the new and improved features of the app will provide helpful information, added convenience, and peace of mind for our customers, whether you’re a professional driver checking loyalty points or a family looking for a nearby place to refuel with a restaurant that everyone can agree on.”
Using the My Pilot app, customers can find the closest Pilot or Flying J location and see its current fuel prices. The app provides a bird’s-eye view of all locations in the nearby area and allows users to set them in a traditional map, satellite, or hybrid view. Professional drivers and motorists also can plan a trip by entering their start and end points, and the app will show all of the Pilot and Flying J locations along the way.
Customers using the new My Pilot app will be able to contact any location from the app listing via one-touch calling; find a location with specific amenities using the search function; check and compare fuel pricing for all grades at every location; rate their visit and let Pilot Flying J know how well the company is doing by using a simple five-star rating system; connect with Pilot Flying J on Facebook, Twitter, and the company’s Web site from within the app; and contact the Pilot Flying J customer service team.
In addition to these features, drivers can use the app to check individual account information such as Frequent Fueler points and Coffee Club status, and search for all locations that have diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) at the pump.
The company plans to launch an Android platform version of the My Pilot app as early as January 2012.
For more information about the app and a link to download it from the iTunes store, visit www.pilotflyingj.com/mypilot.