Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Jennifer and I just spent a week doing hands-on reviews of six small motorhomes - Class Bs and compact Class Cs. And I have some things to say about what they cost. Strong things.
Things that have been building for a while. We are going there today - including a hard look at the manufacturers who are trying to capture the low end of this market with rigs that are, frankly, not worth what people are paying for them.
Then - tariffs. On April 6th, new steel and aluminum duties took effect. And if you thought that Winnebago or that Newmar was already out of reach - this story is not going to make you feel better.
And we close with a story about 193 million acres of public land and a federal agency reorganization that could change how - and whether - you access your favorite camping territory.
► If you want help planning and organizing your own RV trips, we have put all our guides, tools, RV travel apps and checklists together in one place.
You will find it all vlifestyle.com/plan
* **00:00** - Introduction & Journalism standards at RV Lifestyle
* **00:50** - Overview of today's news stories
* **01:51** - RV Community & Masterclass announcement
* **02:54** - Story 1: Why campervans cost a quarter-million dollars
* **03:54** - Reviewing specific rig prices (Coachman, Winnebago, Newmar)
* **05:21** - 5 Structural reasons for high Class B prices
* **08:39** - Market failure: Pricing real people out of the lifestyle
* **10:48** - Industry data: Shipment declines vs. segment growth
* **11:58** - The "Race to the Bottom": Quality issues with entry-level rigs
* **14:00** - What is "De-contenting"?
* **16:03** - The choice between unaffordable quality and affordable junk
* **17:43** - Story 2: New steel, aluminum, and copper tariffs hitting RV costs
* **20:41** - Story 3: US Forest Service reorganization and Salt Lake City move
* **21:52** - Concerns over closing research stations & loss of knowledge
* **25:15** - Natchez Trace Parkway detour & safety barrier project
* **26:51** - How to support the podcast (Reviews)
* **28:11** - Managing your budget: RV Lifestyle Web App Bundle
* **30:12** - Wrap-up & Wednesday episode preview
Join our community: rvcommunity.com
Free camping guide: rvlifestyle.com/freecampingguide
RV Podcast: rvpodcast.com
Plan an RV trip: rvlifestyle.com/start
#RVLife #RVLiving #RVTravel #CampingLife #RVLifestyle
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and click the bell icon to be notified of new videos and our YouTube Live special reports from the cool places we visit on our RV adventures.
Please note this channel is for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV experts and are not simply sharing our opinions and what seems to work for us. You should do your own research and make your own decisions.
Jennifer and I just spent a week doing hands-on reviews of six small motorhomes - Class Bs and compact Class Cs. And I have some things to say about what they cost. Strong things.
Things that have been building for a while. We are going there today - including a hard look at the manufacturers who are trying to capture the low end of this market with rigs that are, frankly, not worth what people are paying for them.
Then - tariffs. On April 6th, new steel and aluminum duties took effect. And if you thought that Winnebago or that Newmar was already out of reach - this story is not going to make you feel better.
And we close with a story about 193 million acres of public land and a federal agency reorganization that could change how - and whether - you access your favorite camping territory.
► If you want help planning and organizing your own RV trips, we have put all our guides, tools, RV travel apps and checklists together in one place.
You will find it all vlifestyle.com/plan
* **00:00** - Introduction & Journalism standards at RV Lifestyle
* **00:50** - Overview of today's news stories
* **01:51** - RV Community & Masterclass announcement
* **02:54** - Story 1: Why campervans cost a quarter-million dollars
* **03:54** - Reviewing specific rig prices (Coachman, Winnebago, Newmar)
* **05:21** - 5 Structural reasons for high Class B prices
* **08:39** - Market failure: Pricing real people out of the lifestyle
* **10:48** - Industry data: Shipment declines vs. segment growth
* **11:58** - The "Race to the Bottom": Quality issues with entry-level rigs
* **14:00** - What is "De-contenting"?
* **16:03** - The choice between unaffordable quality and affordable junk
* **17:43** - Story 2: New steel, aluminum, and copper tariffs hitting RV costs
* **20:41** - Story 3: US Forest Service reorganization and Salt Lake City move
* **21:52** - Concerns over closing research stations & loss of knowledge
* **25:15** - Natchez Trace Parkway detour & safety barrier project
* **26:51** - How to support the podcast (Reviews)
* **28:11** - Managing your budget: RV Lifestyle Web App Bundle
* **30:12** - Wrap-up & Wednesday episode preview
Join our community: rvcommunity.com
Free camping guide: rvlifestyle.com/freecampingguide
RV Podcast: rvpodcast.com
Plan an RV trip: rvlifestyle.com/start
#RVLife #RVLiving #RVTravel #CampingLife #RVLifestyle
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE and click the bell icon to be notified of new videos and our YouTube Live special reports from the cool places we visit on our RV adventures.
Please note this channel is for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV experts and are not simply sharing our opinions and what seems to work for us. You should do your own research and make your own decisions.
