What Makes Lazy Daze RVs Different?

History of Lazy Daze 

 

In the 1950s two Pomona High School shop teachers, Paul Newton and Harold Hamm built a slide-in truck camper for themselves. . It was so well done that they soon had others asking them to build one for them. Business was so good they quit teaching and moved into the RV business. After Hamm died suddenly in the 1960's, Paul's brother Ed joined the firm, thus making it a family owned company.  That continued later with Steve Newton, the next generation of Newtons to lead the company.

 

Birth of the Class C.  In the mid-1960's Ed had the idea of cutting down a standard van and building a camper body on that. This is generally considered to be the birth of the Class C.

 

Although we did not know at the time Ed was the "father" of the Class C, we had the good fortune of touring the factory with Ed and ordering Silver from him in 2007.

Touring the Lazy Daze factory (i.e. the "Mothership") and examining the showroom models in March, 2007, with Ed Newton on the left.

End of an Era. Despite continued heavy demand, Lazy Daze suddenly shut down in May, 2022. The reasons for the closure have never been stated publicly, but factors likely included supply chain issues made worse by the pandemic and retirement of key personnel. 

  

What Makes Lazy Daze Different?

 

Quality. The main difference between Lazy Daze and most other RV manufacturers was the build quality of Lazy Daze RVs.  They are made to last.  How did they do it?  Lazy Daze's unique philosophy among RV manufacturers was to build a small number of Class C motorhomes each year and build them well.  As stated in their brochure: 

Our Number one objective is to build the best possible RV, not the greatest number. We utilize quality components, not the cheapest. This, in combination with our excellent manufacturing staff, has created a Lazy Daze Motorhome with outstanding durability. Unlike the "mass producers" whose primary objective is to build their coaches faster and cheaper. Here at Lazy Daze we strive to build "high end" quality coaches at an extremely competitive price.

Factory Direct  Lazy Daze business model was to make their motorhomes only available direct from the factory.  Also sales depended heavily on word of mouth.  Without a large advertising budget or a dealer as a middle man they could keep prices down while still providing first rate quality. 

 

We were fortunate that we took delivery on Silver only six months after placing our order.  Wait times sometimes were as long as two years. 

 

Plaque on Silver next to the door with our name since we are the original owners.

Some Specifics of Lazy Daze Quality

 

Frame.  The motorhome framing for the coach, located between the inside and outside walls, is particularly sturdy and was backed with a lifetime warranty to the original owner. There have been multiple anecdotal reports of how the frame held up even in violent collisions, thus protecting the occupants.

 

Aluminum Sidewalls -  Exterior walls are smooth, aircraft-grade aluminum siding.  This not only gives Lazy Daze a distinctive look but adds to their longevity.    

  

Roof.   The roof is one piece of heavy gauge painted aluminum.  

 

Some of the High End Standard Features on All Lazy Daze RVs   Examples of standard features on all Lazy Daze RVs include real wood carpentry, insulating thermal pane windows, tinted windows, and thick block foam insulation in the floor, sidewalls, and roof.   Several of these facilitate use in both hot and cold temperatures.  We have enjoyed camping in both high temps and below freezing temps in Silver.

 

Cult Following/Family Culture.  Due to their unique approach and high quality product, Lazy Daze enjoys a dedicated customer base and strong family culture around the brand.  There has always been lots of information online about using, maintaining, and modifying Lazy Daze RVs. This is not from Lazy Daze but from the owners.  The Lazy Daze community remains strong, with multiple active Facebook pages and the Lazy Daze Owners Group website.

 

Future for Existing Lazy Daze RVs. 

Lazy Daze RVs have always maintained a strong resale value due to their long term durability and the relative ease in maintaining the Ford E-Series chassis. Unlike most other RV brands, there are Lazy Daze RVs even from the '80s and '90s still on the road. 

Lazy Daze RVs remain in high demand. There is some indication that without new models being built demand for the existing rigs will only increase in the future.