RCREYES
Senior Member
Some of the former dealers quit selling Hi-Lo's quite awhile before Hi-Lo closed shop. My brother bought his Hi-Lo in 07 in Wentzville, MO and when they went back in 2009 to have a few things checked they were no longer selling Hi-Lo's. Salesman said they just weren't selling them as before. Salesman said people were buying the cheaper travel trailers. He said they had sold Hi-Lo's for 20+ years but had to give up because of economy. Noticed the dealer in Council Bluffs, Iowa was no longer on the list either. We picked up parts there on several occasions over the past 20 years. Also the dealer in Topeka, Kansas is no longer on the list. Have gotten a few things there also. I do remember the dealer list on the website being very long guess alot of them left when the economy turned.
RCREYES
Senior Member
I'm sure the list is a little dated but it's a start.
Deb,
You have probably hit on exactly the reason Hi-Lo went under. My experience is very similar. Dealers couldn't sell them in a bad economy, so they gave up carrying them.
Example: The closest dealer to us was in Tualatin, Oregon, a burb of Portland. We stopped to check out the 2009 model line and he told us he was giving up the Hi-Lo franchise because Hi-Lo required them to buy a certain amount of inventory (like other brand lines) and he felt stuck with them because they were more expensive than other brands of the same length and were therefore a tough sell. The Idaho Falls dealer quit Hi-Lo even earlier, for basically the same reasons.
I still think its handy to have a list of past dealers. We live about 2000 miles from J & R Repair in Butler, OH! If a closer ex-Hi-Lo dealer still has a mechanic or shop manager who worked on Hi-Lo's, it could be a big help if I ever need a more serious repair to the cable system.
Jim
You have probably hit on exactly the reason Hi-Lo went under. My experience is very similar. Dealers couldn't sell them in a bad economy, so they gave up carrying them.
Example: The closest dealer to us was in Tualatin, Oregon, a burb of Portland. We stopped to check out the 2009 model line and he told us he was giving up the Hi-Lo franchise because Hi-Lo required them to buy a certain amount of inventory (like other brand lines) and he felt stuck with them because they were more expensive than other brands of the same length and were therefore a tough sell. The Idaho Falls dealer quit Hi-Lo even earlier, for basically the same reasons.
I still think its handy to have a list of past dealers. We live about 2000 miles from J & R Repair in Butler, OH! If a closer ex-Hi-Lo dealer still has a mechanic or shop manager who worked on Hi-Lo's, it could be a big help if I ever need a more serious repair to the cable system.
Jim
Jim,
I know the feeling we don't live close to J&R Repair either appx. 1,200 miles away. We did make a trip with friends with our hi-lo's to the amish country in Ohio this past fall. We did stop and see the Hi-Lo buildings. Then went on to J&R Repair picked up a few spare parts just incase cables for one. Rob & Jim gave us a tour of the old hi-lo building where they are now located. They have quite a stock of parts. We did stop at a Hi-Lo dealer in Eugene Oregon a couple years ago when we were visiting son & family in Seattle making our way down the coast to Ca. to visit brother & family. Don't know if it is still there or not but planning on stopping there again this year when we make the same trip to Seattle and down the coast to Ca. in June & July. We will also be in your neighborhood this time around as were going to go to Vancouver also. Planning on being gone for 2 months this time around. Any suggestions on places to stay & see in your neck of the woods?
Deb
I know the feeling we don't live close to J&R Repair either appx. 1,200 miles away. We did make a trip with friends with our hi-lo's to the amish country in Ohio this past fall. We did stop and see the Hi-Lo buildings. Then went on to J&R Repair picked up a few spare parts just incase cables for one. Rob & Jim gave us a tour of the old hi-lo building where they are now located. They have quite a stock of parts. We did stop at a Hi-Lo dealer in Eugene Oregon a couple years ago when we were visiting son & family in Seattle making our way down the coast to Ca. to visit brother & family. Don't know if it is still there or not but planning on stopping there again this year when we make the same trip to Seattle and down the coast to Ca. in June & July. We will also be in your neighborhood this time around as were going to go to Vancouver also. Planning on being gone for 2 months this time around. Any suggestions on places to stay & see in your neck of the woods?
Deb
If all of us can go together and make a list of the known "past" Hi-Lo dealers and make it part of the library it could be valuable information for us all. I have information for four dealers in PA, two in OH, one in NY, and one in WV. These dealers may still have trailers, parts, and/or servicing for Hi-Lo.
This list is a little old but might still be helpful. Go to: http://www.hilotrailerforum.com/f49/owners-manual-95-96-towlight-621/
Page 30 of 38 of the manual has a list of dealers.
Rich,
Good idea. There were so few Hi-Lo dealers in the Pacific Northwest, I'll just call them all and find out if they still have parts and/or repair expertise. I'll start an Excel spreadsheet to keep track and publish to the HTF.
I do know that the dealer in Idaho Falls has gone out of business. So if they show up on any lists, its a scratch.
Jim
Good idea. There were so few Hi-Lo dealers in the Pacific Northwest, I'll just call them all and find out if they still have parts and/or repair expertise. I'll start an Excel spreadsheet to keep track and publish to the HTF.
I do know that the dealer in Idaho Falls has gone out of business. So if they show up on any lists, its a scratch.
Jim
RichR,
You'll get a kick out of this. I was looking through my old 1969 Hi-Lo paperwork and found a partial list of Hi-Lo Dealers from 1969. On the one page I have, carried over from a previous page (which I don't have) listed eleven dealers just for Ohio! Wish I still had the complete list... be fun to know the total number.
So once upon a time the Snyder / Hi-Lo Trailer Company had a huge distribution system!
Jim
You'll get a kick out of this. I was looking through my old 1969 Hi-Lo paperwork and found a partial list of Hi-Lo Dealers from 1969. On the one page I have, carried over from a previous page (which I don't have) listed eleven dealers just for Ohio! Wish I still had the complete list... be fun to know the total number.
So once upon a time the Snyder / Hi-Lo Trailer Company had a huge distribution system!
Jim
Here is my very delayed response.
Hi-Lo was doing very well for a number of years when the economy was going well. When the economy went so did their business but that was not the only cause. Hi-Lo suffered from poor management and lack of proper marketing.
Hi-Lo was doing very well for a number of years when the economy was going well. When the economy went so did their business but that was not the only cause. Hi-Lo suffered from poor management and lack of proper marketing.
Rich R,
You are correct. I have a very dear friend that was a hi-lo dealer and they're very dear friends & golfing buddies with Jim Snyder and others. I have heard all the stories. It's really a very sad story what all happened there and I'm not going to go into any details just wish things could of turned out differently.
You are correct. I have a very dear friend that was a hi-lo dealer and they're very dear friends & golfing buddies with Jim Snyder and others. I have heard all the stories. It's really a very sad story what all happened there and I'm not going to go into any details just wish things could of turned out differently.
TrulyOregon
Advanced Member
Sutton RV in Eugene, Oregon did sell HiLos until the company closed. In fact, we were there getting our end cap replaced shortly after rumors appeared on the forum that the company was closing. The salesman who sold us our used HiLo a year earlier had not heard the news.
At that time they had quite a few new HiLos left, mainly the models smaller than the 22 ft. Don't know where they all went.
Carol
At that time they had quite a few new HiLos left, mainly the models smaller than the 22 ft. Don't know where they all went.
Carol
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