RV Lifestyle Podcast — Monday News Edition

July 13, 2026

OPEN

Good morning, welcome to the RV Lifestyle Podcast, Monday News Edition for July 13th. I'm Mike Wendland.

If you're a regular listener, you know my background. Forty years as a journalist, big city newspapers, TV stations, and a major network. My wife Jennifer and I thought we were retiring when we bought an RV and started traveling the country. That turned into a blog. The blog turned into this podcast. Then a YouTube channel. Then we started writing books. And here we are.

I still report the same way I always did. I tell it as it is, good or bad. And at RVPodcast.com, after every one of our Monday News Editions, we list every single source we used, so you can go verify the facts yourself. No smoke, no spin.

Before we get into it, if you're not already signed up for our free newsletter, go do that right now at RVLifestyle.com/Newsletter. It's the best way to keep up with everything we cover here and more, delivered straight to your inbox.

Today's episode has some tough stories in it, I won't pretend otherwise. But we've also got some good news to end on, and a couple of brand new luxury Class C motorhomes worth talking about. Let's get into it.

STORY 1: THE CAMPGROUND NIMBY WAVE, IT'S REAL, AND IT'S SPREADING

You know the story by now. Data centers. Battery plants. Communities across the country standing up and saying: not here.

Well, add one more industry to that list. Campgrounds.

That's right. The same NIMBY wave, that's Not In My Backyard, that's been stopping data centers and battery plants in their tracks has found a new target: RV parks and campgrounds. And if you've been scrolling your news feed the last few weeks wondering if you were imagining a pattern, you weren't. I went and counted.

In just the last two months, at least a dozen communities across the U.S. and beyond have pushed back hard against new campground and RV park development. Most of those projects got killed outright. A couple got withdrawn before a final vote. And a few fights are still active, right now, this week.

Here's the thing driving all this. Developers see what we already know: camping is booming. Retirees, remote workers, road warriors, they're all looking for a place to land. So investors are buying up land, old mobile home parks, farmland, forest fringe, anywhere they can put wheels and hookups. But the communities on the receiving end are saying: wait a minute.

Let's run the list.

In Abilene, Texas, a 149-site RV park near Lake Fort Phantom Hill just got recommended for denial, five to two, after neighbors said it would kill the rural character of the area. That one still has to go before the full city council for a final vote.

In Chaffee County, Colorado, commissioners voted unanimously, unanimously, to deny a 36-site campground near Pine Creek. Every single public commenter, in person and online, spoke against it.

In Marthasville, Missouri, the town's own board of aldermen killed their own city-backed RV park project, after a board member said flat out: my constituents are not interested.

In Fayette County, Ohio, commissioners denied a zoning change for a new RV park on Prairie Road, capping off a process where the project had actually cleared earlier approval stages before local pushback killed it at the finish line.

In Washington County, Tennessee, just this week, the regional planning commission denied a rezoning request for a new RV park outside Jonesborough.

In Wildwood, Florida, a proposed 99-site RV park was pulled entirely by the developer after a planning board recommended denying it.

And in Jefferson County, Missouri, near the town of Imperial, the county council deadlocked three to three on a proposed RV park, and the council chairman broke the tie by voting to deny it.

And it's not just here. In Roscommon, Ireland, county planners just refused a glamping pod development near Lough Ree, citing wastewater and rural character concerns, part of a pattern officials there are seeing across Ireland and the UK.

Meanwhile, a couple of fights are still playing out in real time. In Allen County, Indiana, neighbors are actively organizing against a proposed RV resort, with a zoning hearing scheduled for next month. And up in British Columbia, a proposed RV park at Mabel Lake is still working through the approval process, with more than two hundred letters of opposition on file against it, even as the developer points to hundreds of letters of support. That one's not decided yet, so we'll keep an eye on it.

So what's the common thread? Listen close, because it's the same thread every single time. Traffic. Noise. Septic and water capacity. Wildfire risk. Roads that can't handle it. And that phrase you'll hear over and over in these meeting minutes: "changes the character of the neighborhood."

Sound familiar? It should. It's the exact same language being used to fight data centers and battery storage plants nationwide. Different industry. Same fight. Communities are done being told growth is coming whether they like it or not.

Now, to be fair, this isn't a nationwide moratorium on campgrounds. Plenty of parks are still getting approved elsewhere, in fact Rockford, Illinois approved a mobile home park conversion into an RV community just a couple weeks ago, even over resident objections. So make no mistake, this fight is going both ways. But something is shifting. Developers chasing the camping boom are running headfirst into communities that have had enough of watching decisions get made without them.

So if you're an RV park developer, or an RVer hoping for more places to park it this year, keep an eye on this one. Because the fight over where America camps is just getting started.

STORY 2: SALES DOWN, AND THIS ONE'S BAD

Let's talk sales numbers, and I'm going to be blunt with you here. The RV industry has been reporting bad sales month after month for so long now that another bad number barely qualifies as news anymore. We've become numb to it.

But this latest report deserves your attention, because it's not just another soft month. It's the worst one yet.

Statistical Surveys, the outfit that tracks retail registrations for the industry, just released May numbers, and dealers took a real hit. Year over year, new RV sales fell hard, worse than any month we've seen in this long, grinding slump. This makes it nine straight months of year over year declines, and seventeen of the last nineteen. Only two months in that entire stretch saw any growth at all.

Break it down by category and the picture is uneven. Motorized RVs held up somewhat better than towables. Within that, smaller Class B and Class C motorhomes fared best, while big Class A diesel pushers took the hardest hit of any category, badly underperforming the rest of the market. Travel trailers and fifth wheels landed somewhere in the middle, still down sharply.

Here's the one bright spot, and it's worth noting: used RVs are telling a different story. Used sales actually improved year over year, with Class B and travel trailers leading that used market recovery, even posting small gains.

So what does this tell us? Buyers are still out there. They're just increasingly choosing used over new, and they're choosing smaller, more affordable rigs over big Class A motorhomes. If you're shopping right now, that's leverage. If you're a dealer sitting on new inventory, especially big diesel pushers, that's a warning sign you can't ignore.

We'll keep tracking this. Full sourcing is in the show notes at RVPodcast.com

STORY 3: TWO BIG BUILDERS BET ON LUXURY CLASS C, AND THE TIMING TELLS YOU SOMETHING

Right on the heels of that ugly sales report, we got two announcements last week that I think are connected, whether the manufacturers say so or not.

Grand Design just rolled out the newest addition to its Lineage motorized lineup, the Series E, built on the Ford E-450 chassis. Now, Lineage itself isn't new, Grand Design launched that line about two years ago. But this is the most upscale, most feature-loaded version they've built yet, with a residential-inspired interior, a king bed, and serious attention to storage and ride quality. First units start hitting dealers this month, and Grand Design hasn't announced pricing.

In the same week, Coachmen brought back a nameplate a lot of longtime RVers will remember: the Concord. This is Coachmen's premium Class C line, also on the Ford E-450, and they didn't just dust it off. Air ride suspension, dual air conditioners, a power reclining king bed, thick Azdel-reinforced walls. Coachmen hasn't published official pricing either, but early units are already landing on dealer lots with asking prices right around the upper 150,000 to mid 160,000 dollar range, so this is not a budget rig by any stretch.

Here's my read on this. You just heard the numbers. Class A motorhomes, especially the big diesel pushers, are getting hammered worse than any other category in this slump. Meanwhile Class C, especially smaller and mid-size units, has been holding up noticeably better, and used Class C is actually growing.

So when two major builders launch premium Class C models in the same week, right after a report confirming Class A is the weak link, that's not a coincidence. That's two companies reading the same data we just talked about and pivoting toward where the buyers actually are. Instead of trying to sell people on a six figure diesel coach in a shaky economy, they're offering a smaller footprint, easier drivability, and still loading it up with luxury touches, residential beds, premium cabinetry, air ride suspension, so buyers don't feel like they're settling.

If you're in the market for a Class C, this is a good year to be shopping. You've got real competition now at the upper end of that segment, and that usually means better features and sharper pricing as these two go head to head.

Full details on both rigs, and current dealer pricing where available, are in the show notes at RVPodcast.com

STORY 4: JUST WHEN GAS PRICES WERE GETTING BETTER, IRAN THREW A WRENCH IN IT

If you've been feeling good about gas prices lately, enjoy that feeling while it lasts, because it's reversing.

According to AAA, prices had been falling steadily since late spring, giving RVers a little breathing room heading into peak travel season. That streak just broke. The ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is looking shaky again, and the moment that uncertainty crept back in, pump prices turned around and started climbing.

We're still well below the spring peak, so this isn't a full return to the worst of it. But crude oil is already moving upward on the fear alone, and if tensions along the Strait of Hormuz escalate any further, expect that trend to keep going the wrong direction.

For RVers, this is the same story we've been telling you all year. Fuel costs are one of the biggest levers on whether a family decides to take the big road trip or stay closer to home. Every time gas prices tick up, we see more RVers shortening their routes, camping closer to home, and thinking twice about that long haul out west.

My advice, same as always. If you've got a trip planned this summer, don't wait around hoping prices drop further. Fill up when you can, and keep an eye on this one, because the geopolitics driving it are completely out of any of our hands.

MIDROLL

Quick break here to tell you about something we built ourselves, because we needed it and figured you probably do too.

It's called Budget Buddy, and it's built to solve exactly the kind of problem we just talked about with gas prices. When you're out on the road, expenses come at you from every direction, fuel, campground fees, propane, groceries, that unexpected repair. It's easy to lose track until you get home and realize the trip cost way more than you planned. Budget Buddy tracks every expense as you go, so you always know exactly where you stand, no surprises waiting for you when you get back.

Check it out at RVLifestyle.com/BudgetBuddy. Take control of your RV budget, and travel with a little more peace of mind.

Now, back to the news.

STORY 5: GOOD NEWS SPOTLIGHT: A SMALL COLORADO BUILDER SOLD OUT FOR THE YEAR

Let's end on something smaller in scale but still worth a mention, because it's a nice change of pace from the headlines we've covered today.

DM Vans, a small direct to consumer camper van builder out of Rifle, Colorado, announced they've sold out their entire model year production, three months ahead of schedule. Now, I want to be straight with you here. This is not a big player. They've delivered a little over seven hundred vans total since they started building back in 2018, so we're talking about a modest, steady operation, not a major manufacturer moving the needle on national numbers.

But there's a real story behind this small company. It was started by a former Wall Street executive and a former teacher who thought there was a better way to sell a camper van. They build everything by hand in their own Colorado shop, sell factory direct with no dealer markup, and their pricing starts under a hundred thousand dollars, complete, with no hidden add-ons for the chassis or the build. That's genuinely competitive. Compare that to some of the luxury coaches we talked about earlier this episode, and you can see why a buyer looking for a well-built, honest, off-grid capable van would take a serious look at these guys instead of a bigger, pricier rig.

Every van rides on the RAM ProMaster chassis, comes with solar and lithium power built in, and carries a multi-year craftsmanship guarantee. A lot of the team actually lives in these vans themselves, which tends to show up in the small design details.

In a year when even the big brands are struggling to move inventory, a company this small selling through their entire planned run ahead of schedule says something about what buyers are responding to right now. Transparency, trust, and a builder who stands behind their own work. They're already taking deposits for next year.

It's not an industry turnaround story. It's a reminder that even in a rough year, honest, well-built products from companies that treat customers right can still find buyers.

Source info is in the show notes at RVPodcast.com

CLOSE

That's it for this week's News Edition. Before you go, I want to ask a favor. If this show has been useful to you, take thirty seconds and leave us a review wherever you listen. It genuinely makes a difference, and it helps other RVers find us.

I want to read one we got recently, from a listener named JPSherm. He wrote: "These folks know the score and lay it out in truth. No smears nor sugar coating. My source of RV what's up."

I can't tell you how much that means to us. That's exactly what we're trying to do here every single week, tell you the truth about this industry and this lifestyle, good or bad, no filter. So thank you, JPSherm, and thank you to everyone who's left a review.

And one more time before we go, if you haven't checked out Budget Buddy yet, head to RVLifestyle.com/BudgetBuddy and start tracking your trip expenses the easy way. No surprises, just clarity on where your money's going.

Thanks for listening. We'll see you Wednesday for Stories from the Road. Safe travels.

SHOW NOTES / SOURCES

Story 1: Campground NIMBY Wave

●      Abilene, TX (Lake Fort Phantom Hill) — KTAB/KRBC, "Proposed RV park near Lake Fort Phantom Hill faces neighborhood opposition" — https://www.bigcountryhomepage.com/news/proposed-rv-park-near-lake-fort-phantom-hill-faces-neighborhood-opposition/

●      Chaffee County, CO (Pine Creek) — Chaffee County Times, "Chaffee commissioners deny permit for Pine Creek campground" — https://www.chaffeecountytimes.com/news/commissioners-deny-permit-for-pine-creek-campground/article_d8006f94-7e7a-41c3-b661-17af74487307.html

●      Marthasville, MO (Wessel Park) — Woodall's Campground Magazine, "Missouri City Votes Down Planned RV Park Development" — https://woodallscm.com/missouri-city-votes-down-planned-rv-park-development/

●      Fayette County, OH (Prairie Road) — Record Herald, "Zoning change denied for proposed RV park" — https://www.recordherald.com/2026/06/23/zoning-change-denied-for-proposed-rv-park/

●      Washington County, TN (Jonesborough) — Woodall's Campground Magazine, "Tenn. Commission Denies Rezoning for Proposed RV Park" — https://woodallscm.com/tenn-commission-denies-rezoning-for-proposed-rv-park/

●      Wildwood, FL — Villages-News.com, "Unpopular plan for RV campground withdrawn from consideration in Wildwood" — https://www.villages-news.com/2026/05/11/unpopular-plan-for-rv-campground-withdrawn-from-consideration-in-wildwood/

●      Jefferson County, MO (Imperial) — myleaderpaper.com, "Imperial RV park denied in close County Council vote" — https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/county-council-denies-imperial-rv-park-in-close-vote/article_8a799021-3938-4f79-abfe-763116f488de.html

●      Roscommon, Ireland (Lecarrow) — Modern Campground, "Roscommon Council Rejects Proposed Three-Pod Glamping Development Near Lecarrow" — https://moderncampground.com/europe/united-kingdom/roscommon-council-rejects-proposed-three-pod-glamping-development-near-lecarrow

●      Allen County, IN — WANE 15, "Developer defends proposed southwest Allen County RV resort as neighbors continue to push back" — https://www.wane.com/top-stories/developer-defends-proposed-southwest-allen-county-rv-resort-as-neighbors-continue-to-push-back/

●      Mabel Lake, BC — Vernon Morning Star, "Community divided on proposed Enderby RV park" — https://vernonmorningstar.com/2026/06/24/community-divided-on-proposed-enderby-rv-park/

●      Rockford, IL (approved, counterexample) — WIFR, "Rockford approves special use permit for RV community" — https://www.wifr.com/2026/06/30/rockford-approves-special-use-permit-rv-community/

Story 2: SSI May Sales Data

●      SSI: May Retail Registrations Decreased 19% Year-Over-Year, RVBusiness, July 8, 2026 — https://rvbusiness.com/ssi-may-retail-registrations-decreased-19-year-over-year/

Story 3: Grand Design Lineage Series E / Coachmen Concord

●      Grand Design Reveals New Lineage Series E, RV PRO, July 8, 2026 — https://rv-pro.com/news/grand-design-reveals-new-lineage-series-e/

●      Grand Design RV Unveils the All-New Lineage Series E (official release), GlobeNewswire, July 8, 2026 — https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/07/08/3324216/0/en/Grand-Design-RV-Unveils-the-All-New-Lineage-Series-E-Redefining-Innovation-in-Motorized-RV-Travel.html

●      Coachmen Bringing Concord Premium Class C Back to Market, RVBusiness — https://rvbusiness.com/coachmen-bringing-concord-premium-class-c-back-to-market/

●      Coachmen RV Reintroduces Concord Class C, RV PRO — https://rv-pro.com/news/coachmen-rv-reintroduces-concord-class-c/

●      Dealer pricing reference: RVUniverse.com Concord 321DS listings — https://www.rvuniverse.com/listings/for-sale/coachmen/concord-321ds/rvs

●      Dealer pricing reference: RVT.com Coachmen Concord listings — https://www.rvt.com/buy/m-coachmen/o-concord/

●      MSRP not announced confirmation: Camper Report — https://camperreport.com/grand-design-rv-launches-lineage-series-e-class-c-motorhome/

Story 4: Gas Prices / Iran Ceasefire Uncertainty

●      AAA: Gas Prices Rising Again Due to Latest Uncertainty in Iran, RVBusiness — https://rvbusiness.com/aaa-gas-prices-rising-again-due-to-latest-uncertainty-in-iran/

●      Gas Prices Reverse Course and Start Rising Again, AAA Newsroom, July 9, 2026 — https://newsroom.aaa.com/2026/07/gas-prices-reverse-course-and-start-rising-again/

Story 5: DM Vans Sellout

●      DM Vans Sells Out Entire 2026 Model Year Ahead of Schedule, RVBusiness — https://rvbusiness.com/dm-vans-sells-out-entire-2026-model-year-ahead-of-schedule/

●      DM Vans company site (pricing, van count) — https://dmvans.com/