Friday, November 21, 2008

Sign of the Times Bigfoot RV Industries Closes its Doors



When I first started this blog is was mostly an commentary on a lot of subjects. One of the subjects was RVs (rigs). My plans for retirement included selling my home and buying a rig and doing full time traveling. I wanted not only to travel and explore this amazingly beautiful country of mine but also to determine just where I wanted to "hang my hat" permanently.

So I did what I do, which is a lot of research to educate myself on RVs. The first thing that needs to be determined is what kind of camping you want to do. Will you be mostly staying in camps and hooked up to electricity and water or do you mostly want to "boondock". Boondocking is not being in camp or hooked up and using either a generator or solar or a combination of both for your power. Boondockers usually want to be off the grid so they can be in more remote spots.

I wanted to mostly boondock so I knew I wanted a smaller rig that could get back into the more secluded places.

But what kind? A Class C, a fifth wheel or a travel trailer?

I went to an RV Conference in Bowling Green, KY to get some answers. Life on Wheels a popular educational series for RV enthusiasts held each year at college campuses across the United States which unfortunately has been discontinued after 14 successful years.

I also attended an Escapees Escapade in Van Wirt, OH. Escapees is the largest RV Association and the Escapade is a get together of RVers from all over the country and they also hold educational Seminars.

I joined several RV Forums, like iRV2.com and Escapees Forum and asked lots of questions also.

So I started out with thinking a small Class C and choose a LazyDaze because of their reputation and quality. However, I kept coming back to having to unplug the Class C if I was in camp before I could go anywhere.
And I knew I didn't want a toad (a toad is any vehicle you tow behind your rig)

So I started re-thinking and came back to what an RV tech said at Life on Wheels, "Complexity Kills". Travel trailer are the least complex of all RVs so you are less likely to have problems. Plus having a truck and trailer eliminates having to unplug at camp to go anywhere or having a toad.

So back to the drawing board. After researching out travel trailers I decided on a Bigfoot. Bigfoot is a Canadian company making high end quality molded fiberglass RVs. The shell of a Bigfoot is made by molds and then seemed together. The fiberglass makes the Bigfoot lighter but is also strong. The Bigfoot is also a "4 season" camper as it has extra insulation, heated enclosed holding tanks, and Thermal-pane windows. Perfect!

So I joined FiberglassRv.com a RV forum for other Fiberglass enthusiasts to learn AND look for a used 21ft Bigfoot rig. My dream rig!

Put my house up for sale and began planning.

Then the waiting,and then the housing bubble, then the recession, then a Marxist wins the election...then Bigfoot closes its doors.

Bigfoot a company who has been in business for thirty-one years.

What happened?

According to Beau Durkee, Sales Representative for Bigfoot Industries.

TCM: What happened at Bigfoot this morning?

Beau: The major crediting bank for Bigfoot shut the company down. The bank’s decision came as a surprise to Bigfoot. We were willing to ride out this economic storm and absorb some losses, but the bank was not.

TCM: Is the Bigfoot closure permanent?

Beau: Yes. This is a permanent shut down and closure. If the company ever does restart, it would be something completely new.

Another victim of the Democrat engineered economic meltdown.

What this means is that used Bigfoots, never easy to come by, will become even harder to find now as most people will hold on to theirs. Dealers will lower their prices however a new 21ft Bigfoot can run almost $45,000!

The only manufactures of molded fiberglass rigs now are the Escape a Canadian company, Oliver made in Tennessee and the Michigan made Egg Camper. All are high end, quality but newer manufacturers so used rigs are almost non-existent. New ones run from $17,000 for the Egg Camper, which is not intended in my opinion for full timing as the Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) is small and so are the holding tanks. To the more expensive Escape, BASE price of $23,900 for a 19ft and $26,900 for a fifth wheel and the Oliver, BASE price for 17ft around $30,000.

So my dream rig, my Bigfoot is gone, just like my dream of retirement travel, full timing across America.

Well maybe not gone, put on hold. But for how long? Its a question looking for an answer.

Seems like all the news nowadays is only bad *sigh*

These are times that try men's souls...Thomas Paine

But what can you do but press on and fix your eyes on Jesus?

Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cheer up, girl. If Bigfoot is gone, something else will come along. I tend to go to the Desiderata at times:
"No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should."

Sluggerz

apackof2 said...

Thanks Bruce

Very difficult month...

Anonymous said...

Please, friend, don't forget that God's love is for Obama, too, and will bless his Presidency. And yes! You will find a used Bigfoot--we found a used 21 foot last month and are outrageously happy with it! God Bless!

apackof2 said...

Thanks for your encourgement

And I know the Lord loves everyone. However He does not bless or love sin.

Abortion and the practice of homosexuality are sins according to His Word. B. Obama supports and promotes both of those sins

Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 13:34.

Anonymous said...

Prior to the Bigfoot shut down:

Because the economy was failing people stopped spending money on things like Bigfoots. The dealers could not hold out and wanted a massive buy back by Bigfoot. They did buy back hundreds of units but many dealers kept them. It was nice that Bigfoot was willing to do that for their dealers. Bigfoot was in fact trying to hold out until times got better but as you mentioned the bank decided otherwise.

Anyway, those dealers that kept the units are still out there and willing to do some dealing as I have read that some people are getting great deals!

I heard that "Kramer Kramers" is one dealer outside of the Chicago area that has them.

Best of luck my friend and stay off the grid and under the radar.

T


Our rig:

Bigfoot 2004 3000SL slide-in camper(1 slide-out) - 90% GREEN

Bio Toilet

No black tank. (no dumping your poo)

Catalytic Heater (No heat loss 100% efficient

80% solar panels on almost every square inch of roof space.

Passive solar hot water from coiled 100'hose on roof.

Large battery bank for boon docking for months

Ford 1999 F350 burns waste vegetable oil (WVO) sometimes one gallon cost 50 cents!

DanS said...

Bigfoot is Back! I knew they were too good a company to vanish. We own a '07 2500 TC and love it.

http://www.bigfootrv.com/bigfootrv_about_us.html

Dan
http://withChrist.org

apackof2 said...

I know, isn't it wonderful! I got a letter about it from a Bigfoot dealer in Casper, WY that was selling his 2008 inventory...some day I hope to say, "I am a Bigfoot owner"

Castle on the Mountain said...

Bigfoot RV is Back and I beleive that Mike Rosman RV in Vernon is already taking orders for new Campers!

Castle on the Mountain said...

Bigfoot is back for sure. I beleive that Mike Rosman RV is already taking orders for new campers.

w e burk said...

please advise me exactly what model the bigfoot is at the top of this blog, this is the 2nd green one i have seen, and think i would to have one if i can find one in the future i am a member of fiberglassrv and my id is web3221
is that paint scheme from the factory, sure looks like is
thanks
web3221