Sharks Circle Lippert: What the RV Merger Fight Means for You

RV PODCAST NEWS EDITION

Monday, November 2, 2026 | Episode #657

Publishes 6 a.m. ET

OPEN

Hello, everyone. I'm Mike Wendland, and this is the Monday RV Podcast News Edition for Nov. 2, 2026.

This is one of two RV Podcast episodes we do every week.

This one publishes at 6 a.m. every Monday with the biggest news stories affecting the RV lifestyle.

Then, on Wednesday, Jennifer joins me for our Stories from the Road edition, where we have interviews, share RV lifestyle tips and travel ideas, and answer your questions.

I'm a journalist by training. I spent more than 40 years working for big city newspapers, television stations and networks, and in that business you learn to source every story. That's what we do here.

We came up in the news business, and old habits die hard. We source our stories, we check the numbers, and we try to separate what actually happened from what the press releases want you to believe happened.

You'll find links to every story we report at the very end of the transcript for this episode at RVPodcast.com. Go to the show notes page, click the Transcript tab, and scroll all the way to the bottom.

Before we get started, let me invite you to sign up for our free RV Lifestyle newsletter.

We publish it every day, and it's filled with RV news, travel inspiration, campground information, practical tips and reports from the road.

It's free, and you can sign up at RVLifestyle.com/Newsletter.

Again, that's RVLifestyle.com/Newsletter.

Now, here's the RV news of the week.

STORY 1: SHARKS CIRCLE THE LIPPERT-PATRICK MERGER

Most RVers have never heard of a company called LCI Industries.

But if your RV was built in the last 20 years, you probably own a lot of what it makes. LCI is the parent company of Lippert. Frames. Axles. Slide-out mechanisms. Doors. Furniture.

Its Elkhart neighbor, Patrick Industries, makes a lot of what's inside your rig. Countertops, furniture and decorative materials.

For most of this year, the plan to combine those two giants has played out like a soap opera.

In April, the companies confirmed they were talking about a merger. That same month, Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who chairs the Senate antitrust subcommittee, sent both of them a letter saying the deal raised serious antitrust concerns.

In early May, the talks fell apart. The companies couldn't agree on terms.

A month later, Jason Lippert, whose grandfather founded the company, retired as CEO and left the board. LCI said his departure did not result from any disagreement. But for the first time in 70 years, there was no Lippert running Lippert.

Then, at the end of June, the merger was back on. Signed.

The industry's biggest customer didn't like it. THOR Industries, the largest RV builder in North America, buys from both companies. In its annual report, THOR warned that more consolidation among suppliers could raise component costs, reduce competition, and make RVs even less affordable.

And in October, the Justice Department ordered a deeper antitrust review, what's called a Second Request. That means more documents, more time, and no guarantee.

A deal that wobbly gets noticed. And when there's blood in the water, the sharks come around.

This past Wednesday, one showed up. LCI confirmed it had received an unsolicited offer from a private equity firm called Monomoy Capital Partners, to buy LCI outright for $101 a share, in cash.

Monomoy is no stranger to Elkhart. It already owns Thetford, the company behind a lot of RV toilets and holding tank treatments. Last year, Thetford bought a big distributor of electrical and plumbing parts for RVs.

So why now? Here's our read. The Patrick deal pays LCI shareholders in Patrick stock, and it isn't expected to close until sometime in the first half of 2027, if the Justice Department lets it close at all. Monomoy is betting some shareholders would rather take a sure thing in cash today.

On Friday, LCI's board said no. Unanimously.

The board said the Monomoy offer, in its words, "substantially undervalues LCI." It says its own internal plan puts the company's value at more than $150 a share.

Keep in mind, that's the company grading its own homework. Someone offered cash, and the board says the business is worth about 50 percent more. That's how these things usually go.

The board also points to about $150 million a year in savings it expects from combining with Patrick. In merger language, those savings usually come from cutting overlapping costs. The companies haven't said where those cuts would land.

Meanwhile, THOR says it has been absorbing higher supplier costs rather than passing all of them on to dealers and buyers. In THOR's words: "The cost of that choice is visible in our results."

And all of this is happening in a shrinking market. RV shipments fell again in September, down more than 9 percent from a year ago, according to the RV Industry Association. Every month this year has come in below last year.

What happens next? LCI shareholders vote on the Patrick merger Nov. 18. As of this weekend, we could find no public word on whether Monomoy will come back with a bigger offer. Once one shark circles, others sometimes follow.

Our honest take: neither path is clearly better for RV owners. One road leads to fewer independent suppliers. The other leads to private equity ownership, which often means cost cutting and debt. We'll keep following it.

So what does this mean to the average RVer?

First, nothing changes in your rig today. Your warranty and your parts sources stay the same.

Second, take a few minutes and write down the model numbers on your Lippert components. Your leveling system, your slide-out motors, your awning. When companies combine, product lines get trimmed, and older parts can get harder to find.

Third, if you're shopping for a new RV, understand that the builders are eating some of these supplier costs right now. THOR says so. That won't last forever.

Fewer suppliers rarely means lower prices.

STORY 2: A LAW FIRM GOES FISHING FOR HARVEST HOSTS AND GOOD SAM MEMBERS

You may have seen headlines this week about an "investigation" into Harvest Hosts.

Let's look at what that word is doing.

On Oct. 22, a Washington, D.C. law firm called Migliaccio and Rathod put up a page on its website announcing that it is "investigating" whether Harvest Hosts follows California's automatic renewal law when it renews memberships.

That sounds official. It isn't.

This is not a government agency. No regulator is involved. No lawsuit has been filed. Not that we can find.

What it is, is an advertisement. The page is labeled attorney advertising, and it asks California members who were surprised by a renewal charge, or had trouble canceling, to fill out a contact form and get in touch.

In plain English, the firm is looking for a client to sue with.

In the old days, we had a name for lawyers who showed up looking for business. We called it ambulance chasing. Today it's a web page and a contact form.

And here's how you can tell this is about finding business, not about RVers.

The very same day, the firm posted a nearly word-for-word page about Good Sam, covering the Good Sam Club and its roadside assistance plans. Same wording. Same pitch.

Then look around the rest of the firm's website. It's running the same kind of auto-renewal "investigation" on Costco. McAfee. Canva. Ancestry.com. YouTube Premium. STARZ.

That's not a firm that heard from a lot of angry RVers. That's a firm working its way down a list of membership programs, hoping somebody raises a hand.

To be fair, it's a real firm. Migliaccio and Rathod is an established plaintiffs' firm that files class action lawsuits, mostly over data breaches, auto defects and consumer complaints. What it's doing is legal, and it's common.

And the law it cites is real. According to the California Attorney General, when a subscription runs a year or longer and renews automatically, the company has to send you a notice 15 to 45 days before it renews, and give you a simple way to cancel.

Are there complaints? A few. On one RV forum, a Harvest Hosts member called turning off auto-renewal "a nightmare." Good Sam's own community forum has an older thread from a member who didn't remember signing up for auto-renewal. Those are anecdotes. They are not evidence that anybody broke the law.

So, let's be clear. Nobody has proven Harvest Hosts or Good Sam did anything wrong. A law firm put up an ad. As of this weekend, we found no public response from either company.

One more thing, in fairness. RVOvernights sponsors our Wednesday show, and it competes with Harvest Hosts. We want you to know that. Our advice here applies to every membership you have, including that one.

So what does this mean to the average RVer?

First, don't hand your information to a contact form on a law firm's website because of a headline. If you have a real problem with a charge, start with the company.

Second, log in to every RV membership you pay for. Harvest Hosts, Good Sam, Thousand Trails, all of them. Find the renewal date and put it on your calendar. Harvest Hosts says you can turn off auto-renew on the Membership Management page of your account.

Third, when you cancel or switch it off, take a screenshot. If you get charged anyway and the company won't fix it, dispute it with your credit card company. That's faster than any class action.

An "investigation" with a contact form is a sales pitch.

MIDROLL: SHOP.RVLIFESTYLE.COM

The holidays are coming. And if there's an RVer on your gift list, or you just want to treat yourself, we can help.

Our online store is at shop.RVLifestyle.com.

You'll find our newest travel guides there, including The Ultimate Canadian Maritimes RV Road Trip that Jennifer and I just released, plus guides to Route 66, North Carolina, New Mexico and many more places.

You'll find our RV apps, too. The Packing List, CampBuddy, Budget Buddy, the Maintenance Tracker and the Trip Dashboard.

[RECORD ONLY IF HOLIDAY PRODUCTS ARE LIVE BY MONDAY 6 A.M.] And with the holidays coming, check out our new section on decorating your RV for the season. [NAME TWO OR THREE ACTUAL ITEMS, FOR EXAMPLE: ITEM 1, ITEM 2 AND ITEM 3.] Everything you need to make your rig feel like Christmas, wherever you park it. [END CONDITIONAL]

There's cozy RV Lifestyle gear for the cold months, like hoodies, beanies and coffee mugs. And if you're not ready to put the rig away, there's our Winter RV Camping Guide.

Not sure what to get? There are gift cards.

That's shop.RVLifestyle.com.

Again, shop.RVLifestyle.com.

STORY 3: SNOWBIRD SEASON MEETS RECORD-SEASON FUEL PRICES

If you're heading south this winter, start with the fuel budget. Because last year's number won't work.

According to AAA, the national average for regular gas this past week was $4.22 a gallon. That's down a nickel from the week before. But a year ago, it was about $3.04.

AAA says crude oil above $100 a barrel is keeping prices from falling further.

Diesel is worse. The Energy Information Administration puts the national average at $6.35 a gallon. That's up for the second week in a row, and not far below the all-time record set in late September.

A year ago, diesel was about $3.72.

Let's make that real. Say you drive a diesel pusher that gets 8 miles a gallon, and you're going 1,200 miles, roughly Michigan to Florida. That's about 150 gallons. At today's average, that's around $950 for one leg of the trip, about $400 more than the same drive last fall.

Now, some good news for snowbirds.

The cheapest gasoline in the country right now is in the South. North Carolina, Georgia, Texas and South Carolina are all at the bottom of AAA's list. Up north, Michigan and Illinois are near the top.

So for a lot of us, prices get better the farther south we go.

So what does this mean to the average RVer?

First, do the math before you leave. Miles, divided by your real-world miles per gallon, times about $4.25 for gas or $6.35 for diesel. Write that number down and plan around it.

Second, don't top off on your way out of a high-priced state if you can safely reach a cheaper one. Use a fuel price app and plan your stops.

Third, slow down. The Department of Energy says fuel economy usually drops quickly above 50 miles an hour. In a big, boxy RV, a few miles an hour less can mean real money over a long trip.

Last year's fuel budget won't get you there this year.

STORY 4: WINTER STORAGE SEASON, AND A STACK OF ELECTRICAL FIRE RECALLS

A lot of RVs are going into storage right now. Before yours does, check this week's recall list.

Camper Report rounded up the latest RV recalls from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fifteen recall campaigns, covering close to 8,000 RVs.

And a lot of them have the same theme. Wiring that isn't properly protected. Fuses that don't do their job. The risk listed, over and over, is fire.

A few examples.

Heartland is recalling several fifth wheels, including some Torque, Bighorn, Cyclone, Gravity and Road Warrior models, because the fuse on the power cord for the seating isn't adequate. That can lead to a short and a fire.

Alliance has the same kind of problem with power seating cords in some Valor and Delta models.

Forest River's Cedar Creek fifth wheels have a slide-out switch wired without proper overcurrent protection. Some of its Pause travel trailers have a bad connector on the solar panel wiring. And some KZ SportTrek fifth wheels have a charge line with no circuit protection.

Not all of it is electrical. Some older Highland Ridge and Starcraft travel trailers have fresh water tanks that can come loose and fall onto the road.

In every case, the repair is free at the dealer.

So what does this mean to the average RVer?

First, run your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls before you put the rig away. It takes a minute.

Second, if you bought your RV used, call the manufacturer and register as the owner. Recall letters go to whoever is on record, and that may not be you.

Third, until a fire-risk recall is fixed, don't leave the rig plugged in and unattended in storage. Unplug it, and disconnect the batteries.

A recall letter doesn't help if it never reaches you.

STORY 5: AMERICA'S NEWEST NATIONAL PARK IS A WONDERLAND OF ROCKS

We end this week with a new national park. The first one since New River Gorge in West Virginia, back in 2021.

On Oct. 20, Chiricahua National Monument, in the southeast corner of Arizona, officially became Chiricahua National Park. It's the 64th national park in the country, and Arizona's fourth, joining the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest and Saguaro.

This one took a while. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly first introduced the bill back in 2021. Rep. Juan Ciscomani carried it in the House. It passed with support from both parties, and President Trump signed it into law.

So what's there?

Rock spires. Tall columns of volcanic rock, many with boulders balanced right on top, like somebody stacked them. They call it the Wonderland of Rocks, and the name fits.

It's about 12,000 acres, with hiking trails, a scenic drive, good bird watching, and dark night skies. It was a national monument for more than a century, so the boundaries don't change. Just the name, and the attention.

And attention is the thing to plan for. National park status usually brings more visitors.

So what does this mean to the average RVer?

First, know the size limits before you go. The park's only campground, Bonita Canyon, has no hookups, and vehicles and trailers must be under 29 feet, including racks. The scenic drive beyond the campground is limited to vehicles under 24 feet.

Second, the campground is reservation only, through Recreation.gov, and it's often full from January through April. That's prime snowbird season, so book early.

Third, if your rig is bigger, stay at a campground outside the park, near Willcox, and drive in with your tow car or truck.

Chiricahua is a perfect stop if you're wintering in Tucson or heading across I-10. It's been there all along. Now everybody knows it.

CLOSE

That's our RV news for this week.

Thanks for being with us. I appreciate the time you spend with this show.

If you have a comment on anything you heard today, or a question you'd like me to answer, use the Contact link at RVPodcast.com. It comes straight to me, and I read every one of them.

We'll be back with another episode Wednesday, when Jennifer joins me for our Stories from the Road edition, with interviews, RV lifestyle tips, travel ideas and answers to your questions.

If you haven't already, please sign up for our free RV Lifestyle newsletter. We publish it every day with RV news, travel ideas, campground information, helpful tips and reports from the road. You can sign up for free at RVLifestyle.com/Newsletter.

And if you enjoy this podcast, would you please leave us a rating and a review?

It only takes a moment, but it helps other RVers discover the program. We read those reviews, and we sincerely appreciate every one of them.

One more reminder: if you're starting your holiday shopping, stop by our store at shop.RVLifestyle.com.

And a quick personal note before I go.

This Tuesday, Nov. 3, is publication day for my first novel. It's called The Tenth of Av.

It's the first book in a five-part series about a reporter named Ray Mercer, who is sent back in time to Jerusalem in the year 70, while dangerous forces here in the present are chasing something from that era that nobody alive today has immunity to.

After more than 40 years of chasing real stories, I finally wrote one of my own.

It's out Tuesday in paperback and on Kindle. You can read the first chapter and find all the details at LastReporterPress.com.

Again, that's LastReporterPress.com.

I'm Mike Wendland.

Thanks for listening, and Happy Trails!

Story 1: Sharks circle the Lippert-Patrick merger

LCI Industries, receipt of Monomoy proposal, Oct. 28, 2026 (Business Wire via Yahoo Finance):

https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/lci-industries-confirms-receipt-unsolicited-100000475.html

LCI Industries, board determines Monomoy proposal is not superior, Oct. 30, 2026:

https://www.stocktitan.net/news/LCII/lci-board-determines-that-the-unsolicited-non-binding-proposal-from-s1dvco5cb7xz.html

Patrick Industries, reaffirms merger agreement with LCI, Oct. 28, 2026:

https://ir.patrickind.com/investor-news-events/press-releases/detail/317/patrick-industries-inc-reaffirms-merger-agreement-with-lci-industries

LCI Industries 8-K, DOJ Second Request received Oct. 9, 2026:

https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/LCII/8-k-lci-industries-reports-material-event-7f73bf0e6a52.html

RV PRO / Inside Indiana Business, THOR expresses concerns over Patrick-LCI merger:

https://rv-pro.com/news/inside-indiana-business-thor-expresses-concerns-over-proposed-patrick-lci-merger/

Camper FAQs, merger terms and Sen. Mike Lee letter:

https://camperfaqs.com/two-of-the-biggest-rv-parts-suppliers-are-merging-and-it-could-reshape-the-rv-industry

Transport Topics, Patrick and LCI end merger talks, May 2026:

https://www.ttnews.com/articles/rv-patrick-lci-end-merger

LCI Industries 8-K, Jason Lippert retirement, June 3, 2026:

https://www.streetinsider.com/SEC+Filings/Form+8-K+LCI+INDUSTRIES+For%3A+Jun+03/26611271.html

RV News, Hall of Famer Jason Lippert retires:

https://www.rvnews.com/?p=217169

Sen. Mike Lee, letter questioning the RV supplier merger, April 2026:

https://www.lee.senate.gov/2026/4/lee-questions-rv-company-merger-on-antitrust-concerns-to-protect-american-travelers

TipRanks, merger closing target and DOJ review:

https://www.tipranks.com/news/company-announcements/lci-industries-merger-faces-extended-doj-review

Business Wire, Monomoy-backed Thetford acquires Dave Carter and Associates, Oct. 6, 2025:

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251006213306/en

RV Industry Association, September 2026 shipments report:

https://www.rvia.org/reports-trends/rv-shipment-reports/2026-09/23230-shipments-recorded-september

RV Travel, September RV shipments continue steady decline:

https://www.rvtravel.com/september-rv-shipments-continue-steady-decline/

Story 2: A law firm goes fishing for Harvest Hosts and Good Sam members

Migliaccio and Rathod LLP, Harvest Hosts automatic-renewal investigation, Oct. 22, 2026:

https://classlawdc.com/2026/10/22/harvest-hosts-automatic-renewal-investigation/

Migliaccio and Rathod LLP, Good Sam automatic-renewal investigation, Oct. 22, 2026:

https://classlawdc.com/2026/10/22/good-sam-automatic-renewal-investigation/

Migliaccio and Rathod LLP, firm attorneys:

https://classlawdc.com/team/

Migliaccio and Rathod LLP, Costco auto-renewal investigation:

https://classlawdc.com/?p=116281

Migliaccio and Rathod LLP, McAfee auto-renewal investigation:

https://classlawdc.com/?p=116739

Migliaccio and Rathod LLP, Ancestry.com subscription investigation:

https://classlawdc.com/?p=116748

Migliaccio and Rathod LLP, Canva Pro auto-renewal investigation:

https://classlawdc.com/?p=116736

Migliaccio and Rathod LLP, YouTube Premium, AMC+ and STARZ auto-renew promotions investigation:

https://classlawdc.com/?p=116657

California Attorney General, consumer alert on the Automatic Renewal Law:

https://oag.ca.gov/node/608083

Harvest Hosts support, how to avoid unexpected renewal charges:

https://support.harvesthosts.com/en/articles/13575057-why-am-i-being-charged-for-a-subscription-renewal-after-my-credit-card-expired-or-was-replaced

RVForums.com, member comment on turning off Harvest Hosts auto-renewal:

https://rvforums.com/threads/harvest-host.21800/post-147247

Good Sam Community, member thread on automatic renewal:

https://community.goodsam.com/discussions/getsupportaskquestions/gsra-automatic-renewal/2910075

Story 3: Snowbird season meets record-season fuel prices

AAA, Gas Prices Dip Before Halloween, Oct. 29, 2026:

https://gasprices.aaa.com/gas-prices-dip-before-halloween/

Logistics Management, EIA national diesel average for the week of Oct. 26, 2026:

https://www.logisticsmgmt.com/article/national_diesel_average_rises_for_the_week_of_october_26_reports_eia/lm_october_2026

Macrotrends, EIA weekly diesel series and Sept. 21, 2026 record:

https://www.macrotrends.net/3401/us-diesel-prices

U.S. Department of Energy, fuel economy and driving speed:

https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp

Story 4: Electrical fire recalls ahead of winter storage

Camper Report, NHTSA RV recalls for October 2026, Oct. 30, 2026:

https://camperreport.com/nhtsa-rv-recalls-for-october-2026-is-your-rv-on-the-list/

NHTSA recall lookup by VIN:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls

Story 5: Chiricahua becomes America's newest national park

National Park Service, Chiricahua National Monument becomes America's newest national park, Oct. 20, 2026:

https://www.nps.gov/chir/learn/news/chiricahua-national-monument-becomes-america-s-newest-national-park.htm

Deseret News, Chiricahua redesignated as national park, Oct. 21, 2026:

https://www.deseret.com/environment/2026/10/21/trump-redesignates-chiricahua-as-national-park/

AZFamily, bill sponsor and bipartisan support, Oct. 20, 2026:

https://www.azfamily.com/2026/10/20/chiricahuas-towering-spires-now-stand-arizonas-newest-national-park/

KJZZ, 12,000-acre site becomes Arizona's fourth national park, Oct. 21, 2026:

https://www.kjzz.org/tribal-natural-resources/2026-10-21/chiricahua-national-monument-is-now-arizonas-4th-national-park

Albuquerque Journal, first new national park since New River Gorge:

https://www.abqjournal.com/news/a-rocky-wonderland-in-arizona-is-poised-to-be-the-next-us-national-park/3139527

National Park Service, Bonita Canyon Campground length limits:

https://nps.gov/chir/planyourvisit/bonita-canyon-campground.htm

Recreation.gov, Bonita Canyon Campground reservations:

https://recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/250901

AAA TripCanvas, Bonita Canyon booking season:

https://www.aaa.com/tripcanvas/campground/bonita-canyon-campground-NPS8D97B7B6_3DB4_4355_8755_2248F20D2E30

Camper Report, RV access at Chiricahua, Oct. 23, 2026:

https://camperreport.com/rv-news-chiricahua-loves-essex/

Midroll: RV Lifestyle store

https://shop.rvlifestyle.com

Close: The Tenth of Av by Mike Wendland, Last Reporter Press

https://lastreporterpress.com