Hard to find vans
Unattractive financing
Lack of qualified mechanics
Units pricier than ever..
Election year
Plenty of used machines available
Here in the Northeast/Midwest where I sell truck mounts, it seems to be the following:
Expensive vans, and/or hard to find vans. Guys that have to make the choice between a van in bad condition or a truck mount that they should replace are replacing the vans. Both costs are prohibitive, but a truck mount can be fixed for less money, and while important, its appearance isn't as important as the van's appearance.
Guys who should have replaced vans 5 years ago are having us fix up and switch units out of vans with severe body rust, holes in the floors, etc. One had the sides so badly rusted that the wrap billowed in and out like a sail on a boat.
Given the choice, the van gets replaced; often with a newer used van.
Election Year.....I've watched this every year since Carter/Reagan. It has nothing to do with the parties, politics, the candidate, or the times lived in at the time. Every four years, the cleaning market (which means the major purchase market) tightens up.
Many are buying used machines. Most are in worse condition that promised. We spend a lot of time fixing things that were either neglected by the original owner and hidden from the uninformed buyer.