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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
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Callen Campers - Going out of Business???
Just heard on the news here in San Diego that Callen Campers phone number in El Cajon has been disconnected and that they may be going out of
business. Anyone else heard about this?
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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bent-rim
Nomad
Posts: 294
Registered: 7-31-2007
Location: Marin County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Living la vida mota
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That's a bummer. They've been building Campers since the late 60's, probably earlier.
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bent-rim
That's a bummer. They've been building Campers since the late 60's, probably earlier. |
The report said they've been in business for over 30 years. Phone number is dead and that they are considering their options on what to do.
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
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Their web site is still up and running. Not sure what's going on. They always seemed to have plenty of business. If there's a reason, it might be poor
management. In the past I had trouble getting them to call me back or follow through on requests.
Miguelamo  
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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The RV industry has one foot in the grave.
Many, many more than just Callen campers have ..or are..going out of business.
I have personally been involved for the last 3 months looking for a good deal on another RV. This one will be another Fifth Wheel...or maybe not?? I
have done a LOT of research and am disappointed about what I found...and a whole lot alarmed. A little disappointment to me is irrelavant, but
owners and workers losing their lifelong careers and businesses is a national trajedy.
Have you noticed how many RV builders have gone out of business in the last couple years? Here's just a few from a 2008 listing by a RV
blog...remember...these are from way back in 2008.
Bankrupt RV Manufacturers
by: Don
The current 2010-2011 accelerated recession has again taken a toll on the RV industry. Quite a few more RV manufacturers are out of business, and
every big RV manufacturer is either laying employees off or cutting back on production.
Here's the list that I am aware of. If anyone knows of others please comment.
Out of Business RV Manufacturers:
Alfa Leisure
Ameri- Camp
Bigfoot
Chinook
Country Coach
Dolphin
Extreme RV
Heritage One RV Inc.
Hi-Lo Trailer Co.
King of the Road
National RV
Pilgrim International
Sun Valley Inc.
Sunline Coach
Timberland Rv
Trail Wagons
TravelSupreme
Weekend Warrior
Western RV Inc
Bankrupt RV Manufacturers or cutting back:
Fleetwood filed bankruptcy..was recovering slowly, but now..who knows?
Monaco and Country Coach have stopped production
Teton has cut back in production
The price of oil is a major factor...and our idiotic practices of not drilling for the oil we have offshore and underneath us. We seem to be cutting
our own throats...or exposing our necks to those who want to..remember? Wonder what ever happened to common sense?
With the price of gasoline soon to reach $5 per gallon, the American RV industry will be all but dead, or at least in hibernation.
Any RV from manufacturers who have gone out of business are referred to as orphan RVs. If you are considering purchasing one of these because they
are being offered at rock bottom prices now, I'd be careful to get all warranty information in writing.
If you already own an orphan RV contact the manufacturer and see if they are still honoring the warranty contract.
Be aware there is a difference between the manufacturer's warranty, and an extended warranty or service plan through a third-party. If your purchased
a third-party or extended warranty and the company is still in business they should be honoring repairs.
$5 gallon?..Aye Carumba!! Anybody want to buy a nice 35ft motorhome?? Cheap! I'll throw in a freezer of fillets..some Red Truck vino,
a co-pilot, etc.
(Southwind by Fleetwood) that makes an embarassing 6 miles per gallon. Cheap!
Wanted: Does anyone have on of those VW campers left? Makes about a zillion mpg?
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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monoloco
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6667
Registered: 7-13-2009
Location: Pescadero BCS
Member Is Offline
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It's a whole lot cheaper to drive a Prius and stay in motels.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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monoloco...somewhow the thought of driving a Prius and staying at Motel 6 in Mulege just is not the same as RV camping on a Conception Bay beach...
..of course, that could be just me. 
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Sunman
Nomad
Posts: 400
Registered: 6-22-2007
Location: Oxnard
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One positive note in the RV biz is that Four Wheel Campers is actually expanding up in Woodland and with that expansion they are bringing back the
Six-Pac Camper which got sidelined when they closed the down in Riverside many moons ago. So for you Six-Pac fans, they will be resurrected in the
very near future.
[Edited on 2-23-2011 by Sunman]
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
Member Is Offline
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Good report Pompano ....very good.
I got rid our Fleetwood Pace Arrow back when gas hit $2.50
And you are right Pompano.....Motor home business will certainly be not the same animal in 5 years from now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline_and_diesel_usage_and_p...
Now...boats are on the cheap right now too. Another item to hit the wall at 80 mph
[Edited on 2-23-2011 by mcfez]
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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bigzaggin
Nomad
Posts: 441
Registered: 5-27-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: way too ites
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Callen good, Caravan better...the quintessential "you get what you pay for." I've had mine for ages - countless Baja runs - and not so much as a
chattering screw.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Thanks, BigZaggin--------I had never heard of CARAVAN campers. This is really good info to know.
Like I said before, my CALLEN is 28 years old, but it won't fit the newer trucks as they have smaller beds, so I may need a new one one of these days.
Sounds like CARAVAN is the way to go, now with Callen maybe going down.
Barry
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bigzaggin
Nomad
Posts: 441
Registered: 5-27-2004
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Mood: way too ites
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Honestly, I spent YEARS (and $$$$) looking for a Baja-worthy camper shell with no luck - parts rattled loose, doors broke, screens ripped, roofs
sagged, cracks let in dust, etc...
Caravans are strong as anything (roof capacity of 2,000lbs), have tons of options (rear roller bar for boat, internal fan, BRIGHT rear lights, etc)
and the most crucial element - the rear doors - are literally unbreakable. Ambulance doors in essence. The guys who build them - by hand - take
serious pride in their work and their subsequent service (not that you'll need any). And they're a riot too...very very old skool.
However, they're expensive, take a while to build and they do not deliver...so it's Reno or bust (unless you can find one used and good luck with
that). My suggestion, make it a weekend with a bit of poker and few dozen c-cktails.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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It's seems like deju vu all over again. (apologies to Yogi). What with the Middle East going nuts overturning Western-friendly dictators all over the
place, the price of crude just topped $100 per barrel. Just seems to me that this happened before. And when it did, the RV industry took a dump. And
the small car segment, despite the fact that most of them felt like an old rusty tin can, took off. Stay tuned.
But, I just cannot close without mentioning that the three biggest producers of crude in the world are Russia, China, and The USA, none of which are
members of OPEC.(Neither is Mexico) The sad fact is that it's the commodity speculators that drive up prices. Regular is poised to hit $4.00 per
gallon. The US exports oil. Think about that.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 19921
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
The price of oil is a major factor...and our idiotic practices of not drilling for the oil we have offshore and underneath us. We seem to be cutting
our own throats...or exposing our necks to those who want to..remember? Wonder what ever happened to common sense?
With the price of gasoline soon to reach $5 per gallon, the American RV industry will be all but dead, or at least in hibernation.
$5 gallon?..Aye Carumba!! Anybody want to buy a nice 35ft motorhome?? Cheap! I'll throw in a freezer of fillets..some Red Truck vino,
a co-pilot, etc.
(Southwind by Fleetwood) that makes an embarassing 6 miles per gallon. Cheap!
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bajawood: commodity speculators do not set price, they speculate on price. 7 billion consumers and their respective governments and energy producers
set supply/demand in the market.
Drilling under ANWR and our national parks and beutiful so cal beaches won't solve squat. The unfortunate fact is that the cost of energy production
is increasing, the "easy" oil is gone, and there are 7+ billion people in the world consuming energy (not to mention the middle east is about to boil
over with bubbly good vibes of democracy thanks to Al Gore's invention of internet)
The days of cheap energy are gone -- those days will never return. The easy oil is gone, the remaining oil is expensive and consumed with fervor by
your 7B bros and sisters. Time to retune your lifestyle for greener footprint on this mother earth.
You like traveling by RV? Learn to like car camping. You like fishing from your big stink pot? Better take up sailing and kayak fishing. You like
heating and cooling that 5,000 SF house for 4 occupants? I never understood that obsession for mcmansions, but those are passe too. Frugal hippy
green is the new vogue.
I already like car camping, kayaking, sailing and frugal living.
Yes we can!
Peace out!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65281
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Just on KUSI News' Turko Files (a consumer advocate)... Callen Campers came through to build a custom camper for a customer who paid a $2,000 deposit
last August... and then never heard back... They came through and built it and gave the customer a big discount... saying there was no excuse for what
happened.
However, Turko said the future looks pretty grim for Callen... that their phone is disconnected, etc. The company has been in business for three
generations.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigzaggin
...so it's Reno or bust (unless you can find one used and good luck with that). My suggestion, make it a weekend with a bit of poker and few dozen
c-cktails. |
And don't forget the Basque food!!!!!!
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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Good post about campers, David,
So sad....About 75% of the RV builders are gone..forever. Nothing deja vu about that..it's a first and final event.
I think the USA needs to hear that old cry.....It's a gusher! 
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
Member Is Offline
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They have been shaky since 3rd generation took over!
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
The price of oil is a major factor...and our idiotic practices of not drilling for the oil we have offshore and underneath us. We seem to be cutting
our own throats...or exposing our necks to those who want to..remember? Wonder what ever happened to common sense?
With the price of gasoline soon to reach $5 per gallon, the American RV industry will be all but dead, or at least in hibernation.
$5 gallon?..Aye Carumba!! Anybody want to buy a nice 35ft motorhome?? Cheap! I'll throw in a freezer of fillets..some Red Truck vino,
a co-pilot, etc.
(Southwind by Fleetwood) that makes an embarassing 6 miles per gallon. Cheap!
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bajawood: commodity speculators do not set price, they speculate on price. 7 billion consumers and their respective governments and energy producers
set supply/demand in the market.
Drilling under ANWR and our national parks and beutiful so cal beaches won't solve squat. The unfortunate fact is that the cost of energy production
is increasing, the "easy" oil is gone, and there are 7+ billion people in the world consuming energy (not to mention the middle east is about to boil
over with bubbly good vibes of democracy thanks to Al Gore's invention of internet)
The days of cheap energy are gone -- those days will never return. The easy oil is gone, the remaining oil is expensive and consumed with fervor by
your 7B bros and sisters. Time to retune your lifestyle for greener footprint on this mother earth.
You like traveling by RV? Learn to like car camping. You like fishing from your big stink pot? Better take up sailing and kayak fishing. You like
heating and cooling that 5,000 SF house for 4 occupants? I never understood that obsession for mcmansions, but those are passe too. Frugal hippy
green is the new vogue.
I already like car camping, kayaking, sailing and frugal living.
Yes we can!
Peace out! |
ol goat. finally i can call you out.....
check this out. sorry i can;t find the GOVT final report that is out there in the public domain.
http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news2.13s.ht...
drill, drill, drill. why is my generation being bent over when we have everything here, now? i'm sure there is a plan for when the arabs run dry, but
i won't be around then......
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toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: Skeptical
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Komfort is another RV manufacturer who is defunct. I found a used 1990, 24' Komfort motorhome that only has 3400 original miles. It is absolutely
cherry inside. Very comfortable! It was owned by an 80 something yr old couple and they hardly used it at all.
I paid $7500 for it and put in another $2500. I had some carburetor work done to get it to smog and I had to put in a new radiator core. It runs
beautifully.. It also makes a good guest house on my Nevada City property.
I didn't bring it to Mulege this year, but if there is another flood I will bring it down to stay in while cleaning up my casita.
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