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Use my Elite II almost exclusively for Boondocking, even when at campgrounds I prefer the undeveloped sites because of the Oliver capabilities (composting toilet, solar, batteries(6V AGM) and boondock port.. Re: leaks? I have been on the site now for several years and have read most if not all of the forum posts about leaks you reference. My take is that many posts incorrectly conflate a potential leak with condensation due to lack of ventilation. Have not had any issues with leaks and don't anticipate any as I will maintain the caulking and roof openings. Ventilation is your friend. Good luck with your research and potential purchase.

Our relationship with our Lance 1985 began in March 2017 and we enjoyed many good times together. But recently, and I must be honest, we began to see a better life with the Oliver Elite II. We haven't told our Lance (affectionately named gemütliches Wohnmobil) but will have that talk next month, as we're gussying her up for sale. It will be bittersweet but I'm thinking she'll be happier too. I like to think that anyway. Looking forward to this new, exciting trailer relationship and eager to meet other Ollie enthusiasts here! Denise

This is horrifying, but I am so glad to hear that you are all well and that you want to continue adventuring! EDITED TO ADD: You've also inspired us to pick up a dash cam....thank you.

We originally loved the floor plan and big bathroom space. But after using the trailer for a few years, we have come to hate the dinette (you have to step up to get in and it's not very comfy) and having the queen bed always there front and center - it's not a fold up/murphy bed/couch combo. We like to camp in winter and it's just not comfortable if we're inside for a long stretch during the day. Other than that- we have had zero issues with the trailer itself. It's very well built and maybe if we bought a different floor plan, we may not have strayed over here. I have to say the Ollie twin bed that can be outfitted as two couches is a big draw for me - i can see us hanging out inside with the doggos watching rain outside while we read or play games.

Switched from an airstream to an Elite 2. We picked up our unit 9 days ago and have had everything from 90mph winds in Alabama to driving rains on 5000km worth of Interstate driving. As I type this we are sitting a the border waiting for import into Canada @-4c and we are nice and toasty off grid as nothing is open this time of year. All that mileage made use realise we made the right decision to switch💯

If you can see the point and can reach it with something like a small disposable paintbrush you can paint some of the dish soap plus water on the area and if there's a leak you'll almost certainly see bubbles appearing fairly quickly there, and they will keep appearing even if you brush them away so long as the area stays wet.

Great ideas from everyone on how we might track this individual down. I even tried driving around on Google maps to see if I could see it parked in someone's driveway. No such luck yet. I am going to keep trying even if my wife thinks it is way out there. Thanks again to everyone's support for us during this unique event. My wife, Midnight the cat, and I continue to feel fine with no physical trauma other than the mental part of replaying the rollover in our minds. I have had several of my co-workers contact me and let me know they have purchased a dash-cam after hearing our story. I can't stress enough how much it helped with the police report and the insurance companies so far. Mark, Cyndi and Midnight the Cat

Zoom in and enlarge the picture on the truck. The "Dodge" graphic on the top of the windshield. Easy to single out if the police were looking. The dashboard full of stuff, with the black book, and some other white paperwork on the dash. His backseat looks like it is full of crap behind him. Then look at his truck bed... full of boxes and stuff. A contractor? Work site dude? I just hope you find this guy; they take his driver's license and more, and this person is off the road. This could have been a more disastrous outcome.

Have you also posted on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc and asked folks to share the picture of the truck? It’s amazing how quickly some criminals have been tracked down after sharing a picture on social media sites. The way the world is connected these days, it’s likely that someone will share and someone else will recognize that truck as belonging to a neighbor or co-worker. If you can provide a nice sharp image file and give permission, everyone on this forum could repost on other social media sites. That would be a huge team of eyes looking for that a**hole.

Liked others have said, all RVs leak. We are buying an LE2 for that exact reason. With our previous RVs there was always fear of the dreaded delamination of the walls because of a leak somewhere. That's not possible with an Oliver. As my wife keeps telling me, "no RV is perfect." I don't care for the sliding windows on the Olivers, would prefer swing-out. I wish the LE2 was 8' wide instead of 7'. I wish the black tank was a little bigger. But overall, the Oliver scores more points for us than it misses, and number 1 of those is the general water resistant nature of its construction. As others suggested, browse some of the other manufacturer's forums and owner YouTube videos. So much water damage and so many cracked frames, even on the supposed "full-timer" rigs. No wonder they lose value so quickly!

That accident is terrible, I cannot image going through this. So glad you, your wife and cat are o.k. I am just throwing this out there, so don't you all attack me. I have looked at these pictures for a couple days, and something just keeps bugging me. I keep going back to the man in that truck and looking at his head cocked to the side and looks tilted back slightly that just looks odd to me. And is his left arm draped over the steering wheel or holding the steering wheel? I showed these pictures to my husband, and I said why is his head cocked to the side like that and look at his left arm on the wheel. And he immediately said, look at the cell phone. What cell phone? If you look under his chin, you see the sliver of black that looks like the top of a cell phone. I said that may explain why it has been bothering me about why his head is cocked that way. Does anyone else see to top of a black cell phone (look right under his chin)? Is holding that cell phone up with his right arm, across his chest, to read it? His head cocked at that angle to read a text, and head slightly back like you would do to focus his eyes on what he is reading? Did he have his cell phone in his right hand, held up, against his left arm that is on the steering wheel? Is it possible for the police or Insurance company to get cell tower records that would have a record of cell phone activity in that exact location, at that exact time of the accident? I know they can track pings if they have a cell phone number. But not sure if they can do this without a cell number to track. If so, there is your guy. Or if by chance he is caught, check his cell phone records putting him at the place of the accident. Hope you recover quickly.

Had a thought.... If you have not found this guy yet. You might want to post on the Oliver FB group and ask members who live in the area this happened in to post and share the crap out of the photo of the driver. Give the PD information / phone number / case number. Someone in that area will know this guy and just might drop a dime on him. Again, very glad you are ok. Best of luck in finding a new Oliver and getting out there again. Scotty

This is one of my worst nightmares! I am so happy you and your loved ones are alive! I have noticed in recent years how many people are distracted and crossing the centerline. I see it and am on the lookout all the time, even within five miles of my house! I can't even imagine the terror of rolling with camper in tow. Blessings to you and your search for a new Ollie 🙂 ♥️

Topgun2 and all others that responded, Thanks for your kind words and support. My wife and I are truly blessed to have the Oliver community's support and guidance. We are still feeling great with no lasting issues or pain. I do wake up each morning replaying the incident in my mind. I am sure it will take awhile for this to go away. I still feel confident that I made the right decision to avoid the other driver as we are both still here and able to let others know about our incident. The Oliver trailer handled perfectly throughout the event but the gravel combined with some signs and obstacles I think initiated the rollover. I agree it was surprising to see the trailer separate at the seams but at travel speed I am sure there were extreme stresses put on the fiberglass shells. I think our desire to seek out another Oliver is a testament to our thoughts on how we feel about the overall quality of the Olivers and how they handle when towing. We were able to find us a replacement used truck here at a local Ford dealer as they informed us that Ford was no longer taking orders for Super Duty trucks as of April 1st. This will allow us to move up to the Oliver LE2 as we think we will want to take longer trips. Our LE1 was perfect for us and had we not been involved in this accident, we would have kept it for many more years before even considering moving up to the 2. Also, When we came to a stop after the rollover, our truck and trailer was facing the opposite direction (East) from our West bound travel. We were still on the shoulder of the West bound lane. Attached is the video from the people following the East bound Dodge truck before the incident. Please note that they were recording him as he was driving all over the road prior to coming at us. Sadly, they were tryin to stay far away from him so as not to be in an accident and therefore you really can not see a license plate on the rear of the truck. It does offer support for the driver of the Dodge not being under control of his vehicle. As for my micro SD card in the dash cam, it appears we corrupted it when trying to download the files to my iPhone using a cheap adapter. We dowloaded t the video of right up until the incident but not the actual crash and captured some screen shots of the phone of the crash video attached above. I should have just used the wifi connection to the dash cam but I was not thinking clearly right after the wreck. Sincerely, Mark and Cyndi + Midnight the Cat IMG_0007.MOV IMG_0008.MOV

All, We are down but not out with our RV travel plans going forward. This weekend, we were on day three of our planed 3 week trip to Southern Utah to enjoy the National Parks. We stopped off on Friday night (day 3) at a nice little NM State Park (Oasis State Park). Our morning was relaxing and we had plans to travel to Fort Sumner to see Billy the Kids grave. Our truck and camper at Oasis State Park. Not to much into our morning drive somewhere between Clovis, NM and Fort Sumner, NM, we were faced with a truck coming into our lane at the last moment. We were not sure if it was a game of chicken for him or someone having a medical emergency. My dash cam caught the approaching truck and driver. In a split second I had to decide to have a head-on or try to avoid. I chose to avoid the head-on option as my years as an EMT is etched into my brain. As a result of the rapid turn to the right and the upcoming curve, the truck/trailer exited the roadway and started to slide. No control at this point! We rolled approximately 3 times and came to rest on the driver's side. The side airbags deployed and my wife and I (and the cat) were unharmed. Sadly, the guy who ran us off the road kept going and almost took out the young family traveling behind us according to the driver.... So glad he missed them! There was a nice young couple with a baby that had been following us for the past 10-20 miles and he was successful in breaking out the back glass for us to exit the vehicle. We also met a couple that had been following the driver of the dodge truck and were filming him as he as driving all over the road. Thankfully, they stayed with us to provide the video and make a statement to the Sheriff Deputy that responded. As stated earlier, both my wife, cat, and I were unharmed as we must have had angels watching over us. The responding EMS and Fire crews from Fort Sumner were exceptional, in that, they really went above and beyond in helping us with getting us storage bins from a local dollar store and driving my wife back to Clovis to get a U-haul truck for us to drive home. One guy drove home to get us a cat carrier for our 17 year old cat who was quite scared at this point! What an awesome individual. We were at the scene about 5 hours as the drive back to Clovis was 40-min each way and we had to pick up all our belongings. It was a long 700+ mile trip back home in a less than comfortable U-Haul truck. We are actively seeking to locate a used Ollie LE II for us to purchase as we LOVED our trailer and we are ready to get back out and enjoy life seeing our wonderful country. Based on our experience, I would highly recommend you get a dash camera as it has really made the investigation and insurance discussions go much smoother. Safe travels to all the Ollie owners out there this season and be on the lookout for this Dodge truck!. Mark and Cyndi

BJ - Its hard to read but if you look closely at the pics posted it appears that the MPH is either 55 or 65. Bill

Thank you for sharing this. Good on you for getting back in the saddle again. It’s hard to imagine that this wouldn’t give you some nightmares. Just out of curiosity, do you have an idea of how fast you were going when this happened? How about the other guy? I apologize if you already discussed this and I missed it. The bottom line is that you weren’t injured. Something to be said for newer vehicles with extra air bags.

Are you using any type of propane leak fluid or just the sniffer and your nose? I test with a mix of dish soap and water and there are commercial products available. These options will allow you to pinpoint the leak, where as either of your sniffers will just get you in the neighborhood. Mossey

I think many RV owners expect our RV to operate to our home standards, but they do not, never have and probably never will, trainman

Did you verify the rear quick connect inside the rear bumper is closed and not leaking? If you don’t have a rear quick connect, there should be a plug in the the last fitting of the gas line running down the curb side of the trailer into the rear bumper area that is worth testing. Either of those items are very close to your the furnace. Mossey

We will absolutely have it serviced. I worked with various hazardous gases as a grad student and have a healthy respect for their lethality/toxicity. I'm pretty sure that at most we reduced the leak. We aired the cabin out thoroughly. Re-tested with the tanks open, leak detected. Aired out again, then retested with the tanks closed. No leak. I guess it is possible we were detecting residual gas trapped low under the bed. I can do the experiment again, in reverse, when I get home. thanks!

UPDATE: Operator error. Apparently hubby pulled the hose out of the liquid in the bucket while in boondocking mode, with the pump running. This caused vapor lock that could only (and easily) be solved by hooking up city water to the boondocking port. This “flushed” the system and the pump works just fine. We still plan to travel with a spare pump. It’s kind of critical to boondocking for us. Now to find and correct our propane leak…

Dry Camping vs. Boon-docking are maybe two different things....which are you planning? DEFINITION: Boon-docking - No Hookups, no designated campsite, go off road to find a spot in a desert/forest/mountains with some ruts etc to get to the chosen site. The road may be a fire service road that is pretty bumpy, rutted, not maintained. Dry Camping - No Hookups , paved or maintained gravel road getting to and even at the campsite. May or may not have water near by, pit toilets. Site has a designated number or space with markers (rocks/boulders/posts) for where to park the trailer. Maybe a fire pit and table. Considerations: For Boon-docking: In an Oliver Size & Ground Clearance: The Oliver is perfect fit as it's width and length make it very agile even in older small campgrounds. Ground clearance is very good with no plumbing hanging down below the trailer to snag You still need to be careful for rocks and steep slope changes mostly for the back bumper The suspension for the Oliver is pretty good for moderate off road use. *(There are better suspensions on other types of trailers) Water & Sewer: Water tank and Grey Tank are both limited to 30Gal, but has a standard boondocking port to suck in water from a bladder or tank. Black Tank is 18gal which is about 5 days for 2 ppl Option of a Composting Toilet for an Oliver to make off Boon-Docking a much longer experience. Electrical & Solar: With our Dual Lithionics 315 Batteries (630AH Total) and Solar we've gone 8 days without any sun and still had power. New Trailers are shipping with more solar wattage and use new Victron control systems Hope your search is useful and let us know what you decide. Our Blog is here if you are interested in use cases, pictures etc. https://4-ever-hitched.com Craig Short

Oliver is upping their game as far as off grid / boondocking ability are concerned. Mostly due to improvements in solar / battery / components etc. I think they can nibble around the edges of the overland market. Not the hard core expedition guys... who will go the 4x4 van, Earthroamer, jeep with rooftop tents, and the like. But the folks who want to get out into BLM land away from the crowded campgrounds. And still have the creature comforts that the Oliver brings to the table. Serious off grid / road capability puts you into a whole new category of vehicle, with a whole new price tag. Any choice you make will involve compromise as to capability, components and price. Do your research. Read and consider everything. I think you'll find yourself coming back to Oliver.

TomW - a personal tour, or better yet, a factory tour, will show you how fine these Ollies are. Water leaks happen, but on a scale of 1-10 they are a 2 at most. More a minor annoyance, to be fixed when you get back home, rather than a “OMG a leak, the walls are going to rot, we have to stop this right now!” Which is a 10, and very common to 99% of the other trailers in the market. Even the glass egg trailers like Casita have major worries, because they use SO much wood for the interior. Do read other brand forums for a true perspective !!! There are so few truly big problems with our trailers that we have to talk about the little stuff to stay busy…. Do keep in mind that most appliances in all trailers will not be remotely up to the standard you expect from your home units. Which is a shame, but to be expected for their cost, and the fact that the whole trailer gets rattled and shaken over tens of thousands of miles. Your home furnace could not withstand that. BTW there are a few Ollies with way more than 100,000 towing miles. Stick and staple trailers fall apart long before that. Often on the first trip. Google this term: “travel trailer broken frame tongue” or “Airstream popped rivets” or “Airstream hail damage” and weep. John Davies Spokane WA

TomW - I would urge you to start reading a bit more. Not only about the Oliver - but - about other campers. Yes, ANY structure that has holes in the roof can develop leaks but with the solid fiberglass construction of the Oliver, the number of holes are generally less, the ability to relatively easily fix those holes is generally much easier and potential of damage beyond the leak itself (i.e. rotted wood, rusted frame and even mold) is virtually non-existent. Olivers have vent holes at the bottom of the camper that allow for air circulation and drainage (in the event of a leak and/or condensation). This combined with the use of materials that are mold and rot resistant further mitigate issues associated with water leaks. As a general statement - once an Oliver is properly sealed (i.e. caulked along with the use of gaskets) and maintained the likelihood of leaks is extremely small. With regards to nimbleness and maneuverability - just compare its size to other campers. Note the Oliver's width. Note comments about the Oliver's stable tracking and look at its aerodynamic shape. Bill

This is such a very sad case. I read about the wife climbing the hill with her walker, to scoop snow with her mask, for water. My heart broke, thinking of my mom and her limited mobility, using a walker. So incredibly sad. And, dangerous, for her. Also extremely dangerous, to abandon the rv with no supplies in the little car. I would agree, they'd have been better off in the rv. Advice on abandoning ship is always to stay with the boat, if it's floating, even if it's turtled. Tough to spot people bobbing about at sea, as well. A friend of mine learned that many years ago, when their boat rapidly sank. They huddled together (6 people, three life jackets grabbed as the boat went down) around an igloo cooler. No epirb. They all survived, after 14 hours in the water, but several boats passed them, not seeing them in the distance. They had no "float plan" with friends or relatives. No one looking for them. Cell phones destroyed by immersion. No waterproof lights, no flares, no mirror, no waterproof communication, no ditch bag, no life raft, nothing. They were just going out for an overnight trip. Finally their group was rescued when a palm frond floating by was grabbed, a t shirt stuck on top, and a fishing boat in the distance saw them waving desperately. Their story still makes me shudder. So, don't blindly trust gps directions. Look ahead on maps. Think it through. Carry enough stuff to keep alive for awhile. And, consider emergency waterproof beacon/communication gear. These incidents don't have to end in tragedy. And they shouldn't. But, sometimes they do. I know others have talked about emergency evacuation strategies, for fire and storm. That's important, too. If you want to camp in the boonies, you do need strategies. And a satellite communication device can be a big help. At the least, file a plan with a friend or relative. Heck, I have orders from my mom to call her when I get home, 6 miles away. It's not unreasonable. And, its about the love, and safety.

I will add that you should contact a news tv station in Alberquerque, usually the bigger city stations have a consumer advocate reporter that might be happy to post a story with your dash cam picture and very dramatic rolled Ollie images. The odds are VERY high that the guy is local, and somebody will see the pic and notify that news station. Nobody likes hit and run drivers, especially the ones that flee a potentially fatal accident scene without even stopping... By getting away, he most likely will re-offend, meaning the high likelihood that he will kill some people. Have the police made any progress, or have they given up? It is time to get mad about this, and actively pursue leads. Did you see this story from exactly a year ago from Idaho? Unfortunately, dramatic crashes are newsworthy. I think yours is too. Good luck. John Davies Spokane WA

Great driving! We are thankful that you are both OK. Our best wishes to you both.

Wow! What a nightmare, so glad you came out without any serious injuries or worse. Unbelievable.

First of all... so thankful that you are physically ok! Everything else pales in comparison. That said I have also wondered why states (Ohio included) have done away with the requirement for the front license plates? Good luck on your search for a quick replacement. They aren't easy to find... but I've a sneaking feeling that the same God that protected you in that crash... will bless you in your replacement search as well. You will probably find yourselves in a late model LEII all tricked out with the best mods, improvements and gizmos... all ready to hit the road again....but hardly used! 🙂

We've seen stick-built campers that rolled. Nothing left but debris and the frame. I was looking at that, too. Looks like the mass of the interior shell popped the outer belt seam open like a plastic Easter egg during the roll. Wondering if the inner shell also separated into its two halves, or stayed together? @QuestionMark I hope your insurance comes through quickly and you can get back on the road in an LE2 soon.

We live in Oregon where it's required to have both front and rear license plates. I think it's crazy to not have both ends with license plates. The dash cam would catch the number on the plate in this case and make it easier to catch the guy. Now all they have is the truck appearance and if the driver had his mouth open, then maybe the images of his surprised wide open mouth would help identify him through dental records.

That's terrible...it is amazing you are all ok!!! What a blessing! Thoughts and prayers are with you, as you deal with this and begin to start your new camping journey.

1. And certainly by far this IS #1 - Glad everyone is OK! Given the pictures, the alternative(s) could have been sooooooo much worse. 2. Given your description - that Ford and that Oliver did remarkably well. Can you imagine what a stick built camper would have looked like after that accident? 3. Big props to the responders (let alone those traveling behind you) for all the help. Obviously this was not simply another case of them just doing their jobs as they went well above and beyond. 4. When things get settled a bit you might want to forward any pictures you have of the truck and camper to Oliver. I'm certain that the entire Family would be interested but, in particular the engineering staff would want to see a real life destroyed Ollie. Its interesting to me how the top three shells separated from the bottom outside shell. 5. If there is anything that I can do for you - please do not hesitate to let me know! Bill

Wow! That is a terrible accident. Glad you are ok. Hope you are able to find a replacement trailer and can continue with your travel plans in the future. And I hope the video is enough to help the police identify the other vehicle & driver.

Glad you're ok, best of luck finding your next Oliver! John

Hello Mark and Cyndi, I am glad that everyone (including the cat) made it through uninjured. I hope that they put out a warrant for this person! Best of luck in finding an Oliver replacement. Dale & Sara

Mark and Cyndi, Oh , wow. I am so very thankful that all of you, including the couple and baby behind, survived. Angels were watching over you, I am sure. As I fight back tears, I'm so very happy no one was seriously injured. What a difference seconds can make.

So glad you and your cat are unhurt. So sorry your current travels ended that way. Best of luck as you regroup and get back to your lives.

Holy cow, you are so very lucky to be alive. Good luck with your search for a new truck and a new Ollie. Stuff can be replaced, lives cannot. I installed a dash cam several years ago, I have recorded lots of stop sign and red light runners, but thankfully there hasn’t been a collision. Did the guy ever get arrested? I think your insurance companies will want a word or two with him. John Davies Spokane WA

If diesel gets rationed there will be more problems than just for RVers! Long haul trucks and trains live on diesel so supply chain issues will shut down the country. I’ll pay the extra amount to travel. Let’s hope there continues to be some supply for all the serious users. Mike

Higher fuel prices should dampen a lot of the new RV enthusiasm. Folks that have been at it a while will probably just suck it up and drive on. I’ll be driving a little slower to bump up mileage, but we will still be on the road. Mike

I have owned my 2020 LE II for 18 months and towed about 10,000 miles including 2,400 miles from Hohenwald to Oregon when I picked up the trailer. My vehicle is rated to tow 7,000 lbs. Horsepower is about 245 and torque about 320. Payload is a dismal 1,120 lbs. I couldn't afford a new tow vehicle and the Oliver at the same time I have been mostly satisfied with my towing experience but certainly look forward to getting a beefier tow vehicle at some point. I definitely feel safer towing the LE II with my current vehicle now than I did towing my former 3,000 lb tent trailer with terrible towing manners. If you can afford more tow vehicle, then don't hesitate to get a new one. If it comes down to no Oliver, then you can start out with your Tacoma with the Anderson hitch and upgrade your tow vehicle later. It seems that many have done that. Oliver will set up the Anderson hitch properly when you pick up the trailer. If you pay close attention to loading and leave the toys at home to stay within all specs, you will not be unsafe on the road. The double axle LE II tows extremely well without sway. Look to adjust tongue weight to no more than 9% and plan on a mostly empty truck bed. Pack any extra weight in the Oliver on the floor or bunk centered over the axles as much as possible. Move this weight to the pickup when you set up camp. And don't travel long distances without first emptying the blackwater tank which adds considerable tongue weight. When loaded for a week of camping, my LE II weighs about 5700 lbs with 520 lbs tongue weight (plus 60 lbs for the Anderson hitch) and my tow vehicle is usually pushing its GVWR of 5,700 lbs. I limit tow vehicle payload to one driver, one passenger, one dog and less than 100 lbs of cargo. (If I had young children, it wouldn't work). And yes, I need to stop for gas every 200 miles or so. Note that to achieve the full GVWR safely, it is critical that the weight be properly distributed over the front and rear axles of the tow vehicle. That is what the Anderson hitch is for. My current tow vehicle is a 2004 4Runner V8 Limited with 220,000 miles. The 2004-2006 V8 4Runner is the only 4Runner ever built with a V8 engine and a towing capacity of more than 5,000lbs. I am the original owner. Eying the 2023 Sequoia as a possible replacement.

Where do you guys store/carry the cases of wine? ☺️