Hi-Lo has ceased operation and going out of business

[Grizzly]

I just received this bulletin from RV Consumer Group and thought it may be of interest to some;





e-BULLETIN:

Hi-Lo Trailer Company Folds





After 55 years in business, Hi-Lo Trailer Company has ceased production and is in the process of liquidating its assets. Management claims that Hi-Lo -- one of only two existing manufacturers of telescoping trailers -- is the latest casualty of the Great Recession of 2008-2009. The company drastically reduced its product offerings to only four models for 2010, in the hope that streamlining could keep them afloat, but to no avail.



We can only speculate that the telescoping trailer design, at a price point higher than that of a conventional trailer of comparable size, lacking slideouts and some of the amenities expected by much of the RVing public, did not find enough favor at a time when consumers were looking for lightweight, but cheap, RVs. Nevertheless, RVCG has always favored the road-hugging telescoping design for its unbeatable safety in towing. That, plus the easy push-button control, unique to Hi-Lo, for raising and lowering the RV made the trailer a good value for the price.



Historically, Hi-Lo provided the original seed for the formation of RV industry giant Thor Industries when the late Wade Thompson and his partner, Peter Orthwein, bought the company in 1977. It was only in 2003 that Thor resold Hi-Lo to its original owners.



TrailManor, now the only surviving telescoping trailer manufacturer, will undoubtedly benefit from Hi-Lo's demise. In fact, they recently announced expansion of their dealerships to encompass not only the Midwest and both US coasts, but to international markets in New Zealand and Switzerland as well.



Nevertheless, those who enjoyed the telescoping trailer type will mourn the passing of the venerable Hi-Lo Trailer Company and its products.

 

[DGamelin]

That's interesting. I hate to hear stuff like that. When you think of that type of rv you think Hi-Lo. I have worked on a few of them not sure what kind, lots of cables in them. Maybe when things come back around they will come back.

 

[Grizzly]

That's interesting. I hate to hear stuff like that. When you think of that type of rv you think Hi-Lo. I have worked on a few of them not sure what kind, lots of cables in them. Maybe when things come back around they will come back.

It is too bad because they are a well made 3. 5 star rated trailer.



george

 

[HBarlow]

I hate to see any company that has been in business that long fail but can't say I will mourn the passing of Hi-Lo. I have a good friend who owned two of them over time. I couldn't believe how impractical they were. Too expensive to buy, too complex in design, too much wasted space, and little to no fuel economy advantage was my opinion. Yeah, I guess they were well built but I didn't see any advantages.

 

[Grizzly]

I hate to see any company that has been in business that long fail but can't say I will mourn the passing of Hi-Lo. I have a good friend who owned two of them over time. I couldn't believe how impractical they were. Too expensive to buy, too complex in design, too much wasted space, and little to no fuel economy advantage was my opinion. Yeah, I guess they were well built but I didn't see any advantages.

My brother had one for many years. He didn't seem to have any real problems with it, but he finally got tired of having to crank it open in the rain and in the dark. He gave it up a bought a cheap 21' 5th wheel.



george

 

[Tractorat]

I talked to a salesman at a show here once. The whole idea seemed pretty slick. Lower wind resistance, easier to see around, etc. Then he showed me how to lower it back down. I asked him what you would do if it was raining. (I live in Seattle). He said you would get wet. (as well as the inside of the trailer). I then left his booth, followed by a crowd of other folks that weren't interested in getting wet either.