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We landed a beautiful site and are still here at Chantilly after a week. Got in a great visit with family and explored around beautiful Floyd County. The temps were just perfect. The Ollie has performed seamlessly, can’t ask for more than that.

Hello, I have attached a letter of Exemption. All LiFeBlue Batteries sold by Oliver include all the benefits of the 10 Year Limited Warranty. Oliver TT LiFeBlue warranty exemption.pdf

Bill, We love camping out west and love the Blue Ridge Mountains, too!

I've been curious about towing mileage of various vehicles. So, I did a search for gas, diesel, and mpg in the forum archives for reference since 1/1/16. The graph below shows the minimum mileage, average (mean) mileage, maximum mileage, and the number ("n") of references. For vehicles with only one reference, the maximum, average, and minimum values are the same. The references that I found cover a range of conditions (speed, terrain, temperature, etc.). Because of this, and because of the small number of listings for most vehicles, the results are anecdotal and not statistically significant. Nonetheless, in aggregate they provide some indication of what one might expect for towing mileage. The results are probably not surprising: (1) half-ton diesels (e.g., ecodiesel) or diesel SUVs did best, (2) gas generally engines fall into the 10-13 mpg range, (3) 3/4 ton diesels seem to get 13-16 mpg. And, of course, towing mileage is only one consideration for selecting a tow vehicle. It is unlikely that I found all mileage references in the forum archives -- the search function doesn't seem to be entirely consistent in picking up the same references over multiple searches. I can expand this mileage compilation with additional data if the results would be useful to enough of you. If you'd like to submit mileage, please respond with the following information: trailer (i.e., LE1 or LE2), tow vehicle, year, engine, gas/fuel mileage while towing, gas/fuel mileage while not towing, the number of miles over which you are estimating the gas/fuel towing mileage, typical travel speed, and the region of the country in which you travel (e.g., NE, SE, midwest, west). I realize that there are lots of other variables (e.g., transmission, axle ratio, vehicle modifications, etc.), but accounting for these becomes too complicated.

I don't have definitive answers for you, but just want to say, we were in the same position a couple of months ago when we decided to sell our 25 ft class B+ Leisure Travel Van. We decided not having a way to explore in remote areas was to restrictive and we didn't want to tow another vehicle. Also the additional cost to maintain and insure a vehicle that sits most of the winter because it isn't 4-season. Well, enough of that, here's why we decided on Oliver. Having owned a couple of wood framed, entry level trailers, we know how poorly they are built,besides being a big step down from a high quality motor home. So, Airstream was the first thing we looked at. Found out, real quick, AS just isn't made as well as we thought. Yes, we liked the twin floor plan. But after hearing tales of cabinets falling off the wall, high maintenance exteriors, and the fact that they are mass produced for a market that demands luxury over quality, we decided to look at other options. Durability and function are more important to us than all the "bells and whistles" and "like home amenities". Not sure how we stumbled onto Oliver, but once we watched the factory tour video, we were very interested. After contacting Oliver, we were set up to meet an Oliver in person, since we are 26 hours away from Hohenwald, TN. I suggest you do this before deciding between the two. A nice couple from Central Oregon met us and welcomed us, amid the pandemic, to tour their Oliver twin bed. We had pretty much decided it was a good choice, but wanted to make sure it "fit" our needs. Ironically, this couple had considered an Airstream. When they went to the dealership, with the intent to purchase, low and behold, as the salesperson was showing the trailer, the oven fell out of the wall! Not my idea of a $100,000 RV and certainly shows how little the dealers care about their product. Oliver cares. I also like that with Oliver, you have a choice on a lot of features that other brands install as standard, whether you want them or not. Less motorized accessories to maintain/malfunction. We don't watch TV while traveling . . . . . so we don't have to have the big TV antenna on the roof. Our microwave gets used very little when we camp . . . . . we can delete the microwave and have a large storage cabinet instead. Don't like swirly graphics? . . . . . you can order your Oliver in a plain white wrapper, or choose the color(s) for their more subdued swooshes. And the integrated fiberglass cabinets are not going to fall off the wall! Sure, there is always going to be something that needs attention, but buying directly from the manufacturer problems are well taken care of. Oliver has pride in their product that the mass produced market cannot match. My suggestion for you would be to contact an Oliver agent. He or she will be more that happy to answer your questions. If you are anywhere near the plant, schedule a tour.

It looks like Marco will hit the coast of LA, maybe some in Houston. About 48 hours or so later, Laura comes in, larger storm right now and will also land a little east of us. We’re just hoping to get some rain from either of both of the them.

OK, you guys, you are making me homesick. I'm presently overnighting at the St. Joe, MO Cracker Barrel on my way towards home - 16 miles from the Pisgah Inn. After two months of Wyoming mountainsand night temps of as low as 33 degrees, the current temp of 89 degrees at 8pm is a bit of a shock to the system! Bill

We just just spent a week at Bear Den CG just North of Spruce Pine, NC. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ with Hull# 634 which performed flawlessly. It was a well needed vacation post our blueberry harvest. We took time and spent a lot of time learning our Ollies systems- Love Love the Truma, long instant hot showers a win.I think it took like 6-8 seconds for us to have constant hot water at the kitchen sink and sink/shower. Microwave convection oven a must have for us. We were easily able to quickly cook/heat meals during a heavy storm one evening. Full hook ups allowed us to use our black and gray tanks seamlessly. The generator tray was extremely useful for a number of tasks. (We did not take our Honda generator this trip). Our AC kept us cool and cycled as it should. We did run the Dometic furnace on a cool 60 degree morning and it performed great. All in all a great safe week! A few photos....of our great State of North Carolina! 😊🇺🇸 Our Tundra CrewMax and it’s reliability delivered and performed outstanding. Check out Bear Den if your ever traveling the gorgeous elevations of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Happy Camping! Patriot

I drive steep grades all the time, it is hard to escape them in this part of the country. When you see a percent listed on a sign it is the average “top to bottom” value. On Interstates and major highways that may be fairly accurate. On back roads, it is a fantasy. There is a popular bicycle road going from the bottom of the Columbia Gorge near Lake Chelan, to the high rolling wheat fields up top. I have driven it several times in both directions. It is posted as 7.5%. In reality it has 15% stretches. It is a first gear, pedal to the floor experience going up with my Land Cruiser, and a first gear, sphincter tightening descent with way too many brake applications. My GPS is set to show elevation and grade all the time. When it gets over 16% I start to get pretty darned concerned. Diesel trucks with engine brakes rule in this area. For your entertainment, Harry Chapin 30,000 Pounds of Bananas .... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OGldNpngDws John Davies Spokane WA

I trust all in the path of the hurricanes bearing down on the Gulf Coast are ready to weather the storm. Or, perhaps you've secured your homes and are heading inland in your tiny home on wheels. Stay safe!

Thank you for taking the time to put this together. We're sold on the pro package now 🙂 Do you know if Oliver is using the heated batteries or the standard ones?

Well I'm always willing to learn, and yes there's all kinds of misinformation on the internet. However, I don't think that companies like Victron are ones to spread it. If you can provide some links to better information I'd be thrilled to read it.

Welcome to the forum, ask away! If you have not already, watch some RV factory tour videos FIRST, to get a feel for how regular "stick and staple" trailers are made. Airstream is no different in construction, other than their VERY high maintenance aluminum shell. Everything else in an AS is standard RV issue.... Google "RV Factory Tour" Here is a good one (good in a bad way) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWokMmlKmT8 AFTER having watched those, watch this factory Ollie tour. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2rnZgn7-Xg A light bulb will illuminate inside your brain and you will understand why they are very special. That will answer a whole bunch of your questions, and you will understand why it takes literally months from the beginning of the build to the half-day delivery walk through, John Davies Spokane WA

There are a number of Oliver owners that had airstreams. I've never owned one. My familiarity with Airstream is limited to the two owned by my brother's in-laws, and what I've seen at shows. We've owned our Oliver Elite since February, 2008, hull #12, so I can speak to Oliver longevity. The shell is very thick, and quite durable. And pretty, with shiny marine grade gelcoat. Keep it waxed, and it stays shiny. Ours has been through a major hailstorm, (steely marble size), with no damage to the trailer nor the solar panels. An airstream would undoubtedly have been severely dimpled. Repairs to the fiberglass hull can be done by Oliver, or, I suspect, many boatyards. We've never needed any, other than filling a couple rock chip dings that Oliver did for us when we took the trailer in for some upgrades. We have over 100,000 miles and countless nights of travel on ours. No. Just keep it waxed. We use a quality 3m marine wax, with uv protection. If you don't keep it waxed, it can chalk or haze, just like a fiberglass boat hull, over time. Our trailer has never been covered, or in a garage. In the sun, 24/7/365 for 12.5 years. It looks great. No windows in the front. The bath and closet are at the front. Some people have taken theirs to Alaska, and have used a variety of mats or foam sheets on the front to protect the hull from Alaska's gravel chips. A few have added a rock guard coating, like Vortex, as permanent protection to the front. I've seen Pete's, and it looks great. But, we've not seen the need in the last 100,000 miles. We have mudflaps on the trailer and tow vehicle, rock tamers on the truck, and keep a reasonable distance following anyone on gravel roads for the sake of out truck windshield. I thoroughly expect that our Oliver will be looking good, and on the road with someone else, hopefully our daughter, long after we're gone. You'll see Bolers that are single shell, thinner Glassworks, that are 50 years old at rallies. Our fiberglass sailboat is over 40 years old, and still looks great. It's a long lasting material. No. They sit pretty high as it is. That's why it comes with a folding double step. They didn't originally, and we added the one Oliver builds now. No rivets. No wood in the interior (except the drawers.) So nothing to rot should moisture find its way in. No. The seam of the two hulls is permanent, and protected by the overlapping lip. You will need to reseal/recaulk windows, vents, and other hull pebetrations from time to time, but that's true with any rv, made from any material. Oliver uses a high grade aluminum. I don't remember the number. We've had no issues. Of course, it's prudent to check any frame, at least annually. I'm much happier to have the beefy aluminum frame than a steel frame, living in Florida, on the salt water. I'm sure others will offer other ideas and opinions. If you have other questions, fire away. You've come to the right place. Sherry

What are the pros/cons of Oliver vs Airstream? (I know a broad subject.) Airstream advantages: Size - the extra foot in width and greater choices of lengths mean that the Airstreams can offer a bit more space and floor plan options. And there are larger Airstream models that work well for families, whereas the Olivers mainly appeal to couples or single owners. Finishes - I think that most Oliver owners would agree that the finishes in an Airstream are nicer and offer more choices whereas the Oliver interior is more utilitarian, though attractive. Prestige - Let's face it, Airstream is the classic to which all others are compared. Oliver advantages: Size - the narrower Olivers are easier to maneuver and can fit places an Airstream cannot - and you don't need towing mirrors with an Ollie. Ease of towing - I've never heard of anyone complain of sway or other instability with an Ollie, even when towing with less than ideal vehicles. Toughness - The fiberglass shell on an Ollie is heavy and durable. No popped rivets, no seams to seal, no fear of hail, and generally just more resilient. Since the interiors are moulded fiberglass as well, you can bounce an Oliver down a rough gravel road without worrying that your cabinetry will fall apart. Easily modifiable - you'd be surprised how readily some of us will pull out a saw. Super easy to maintain - the finishes inside can be quickly wiped down after a trip and the exterior is equally as easy to keep washed and waxed. Great service and an amazing family of owners - you'll see us question some Oliver decisions, designs, etc. from time to time, but one thing I think most everyone agrees on is that Oliver will stand behind their product and if things go wrong, they'll make it right. And if you ever need help with anything, there's always another owner willing to share their experience, offer solutions or advice, and even lend a helping hand. I was wondering about the durability of the shell and the ability to get the shell repaired? Also Major vs minor repairs to shell? Any marine fiberglass repair shop can repair damage to an Oliver shell, as can the factory. The shell itself is surprisingly tough - we've seen one Oliver in a major accident where the trailer slid in the snow, hit a bridge railing, and flipped, but the shell remained in tact and was repairable. I know of another owner who I think backed into a low tree branch and put a hole in the back corner on the curve and Oliver repaired it so that you couldn't tell it ever happened. Airstream has guards all around the front end to protect the alumiinim body and glass. Any problems with the Oliver in this aspect? Some, but there are a handful of solutions that people have come up with to deal with it. Since there's no window in front to worry about, I think the easiest and most durable solution is to coat the lower half of the front with a clear 3M film. That's something that can be done yourself or at most any detailing shop. What is the the longevity of Oliver? (20year old Airstream is still young) Who knows? We plan for ours to last at least that long. I've seen many of the earliest Olivers and they all look great. Just thinking about "restoring" a 50 year old Oliver - no wood to rot, all the components are standard and easily replaced, rust free frame, no cabinetry to rebuild, easily accessed plumbing and electrical, etc. Does the shell degrade with longterm exposure to the environment, ie weather, UV,...? Sure, if not taken care of. Oliver has a couple of the first Ollies that they've left sitting outside without much care and they're starting to look a bit dull. But I think a good polishing would freshen them up. All of the older Ollies I've seen apart from those still look shiny. Same as a fiberglass boat, I guess. We've also had owners paint or wrap the exterior, because they wanted a different color, so that's always an option down the road even if the finish on the shell were to deteriorate to the point that it couldn't just be polished. Does the shell have seems that need to be sealed, if so how often? No seams, but some penetrations like the plumbing vent and windows will need to be recaulked every three or four years. I just did mine for the first time (they didn't really need it) and it was an easy afternoon's job. One thing about the Ollie is that if there ever is a leak, it's easy to spot and there's very little damage that can be done. People put lift kits on the Airstreams because they sit soo low, Does Oliver need this or is a lift kit available? Olivers do sit noticeably higher. It isn't at all necessary, but of course some of us have looked into various methods to raise them even further. The older Elite 1's, and maybe even the current ones, had the axles mounted under the springs which gave them about 4" more clearance. I asked Oliver to do that to my E2, and it was just too high - looked silly and I was worried about stability. But because the suspension is built on a removable subframe, you could really take it off and do whatever you want. My own experience taking my E2 offroad is that the clearance is actually pretty good as it is. I've yet to drag the bumper or high center the tongue. I banged the steps on the pavement once, turning off of a paved road with a very low shoulder but the asphalt took the brunt of that encounter. The biggest issue is that just like the Airstream there's not a lot of suspension travel, and on the Ollie, that means that the axles can bang the steel subframe. That's never caused any damage, you can just tell looking a the subframe that it's been knocked a few times. I've looked into installing a Lippert Centerpoint airbag kit to mine, and I think it would work - that would give a couple extra inches of clearance and a softer ride on rough roads. The Airstream has steel frames that are prone to rust if care is not taken with them. I Oliver use aluminum which can corrode and can be prone to repetitive stress fractures. Are there any precautions/worries that you need to worry about with the frame of the Oliver? I have seen one Oliver frame failure from stress cracks, which Oliver replaced for free. That was one of the earliest E2's, which had a much lighter aluminum frame with a different design than the current one, and it also had many miles on it. The frame was reengineered at some point early on in production and the current one is much beefier - I haven't heard of any failures or stress cracks on one of those. I know this is a bunch of questions. Sorry. That what this forum is for. Welcome - please stick around and ask many more.

Last year we met Wayne and Gayle while camping at Mount Pisgah NC on the Blue Ridge Parkway. They were very interested in Ollie and we gave them a complete Ollie tour. Late last year they purchased a new LE2. While camping at Mount Pisgah this week, we saw another Ollie. It was Wayne and Gayle with their new Ollie. Congrats Wayne and Gayle on your beautiful Ollie! First time we saw an Ollie was also at Mount Pisgah during 2010 and the kind owners from Florida gave us a complete Ollie tour, too. It's $10 per night at Mount Pisgah with the geezer card. No electricity or water at the sites, but very nice campground at 5,000' with cool summer temps! Took this shot in the early morning clouds: B27 walkup site:

Bill, Great pics, Kathy and I may give Mt Pisgah a try soon. We need to roll on home in a few days, clean up, restock take care of a few things and get back out on the road. So glad y’all had a nice trip and visit. David & Kathy

Yukon, I didn’t replace my fuse. It was a different Oliver owner, ShallowGal. I’m interested to find out if your fans thermal fuse crimps are indeed magnetic. In the meantime, I ordered 50 of these. They won’t be in Florida until the end of the month. If you can wait until then I’ll send you a few. Anybody else interested? Just send me a PM with your address. Mossey

Sounds like a fine time and beautiful campground!

Be safe Mike were up in the NC western mountains staying away from storms and virus. Stay safe. Gary & Jona

It’s working so far....

Will have to wait a few months to report mileage with our F350 SD 6.7l Diesel 4wd, towing our yet to be built Ole2. When we towed a 30' 5th wheel, GVWR 10,400#, we got 12-15 mpg. Expecting around 14-16 with the much lighter Oliver in tow. Not towing we get 18-20 mpg.

Yes a good route you don’t want the more southern route through NY or Washington. A nightmare and expensive toll route.

Nice charting. You are on the money with 3/4 diesels mine, Chevy falls in that category 13- 16 mpg while towing 21mpg non towing. I just reset my trip indicator. At the end of the trip look at the results of performance and Mileage. There is always a plus or minus, depending on the trip.

High temp terminals are nickel plated steel and don't loosen with repeated temperature fluctuations like standard copper will. You'll find these in any UL household appliance where crimp terminals are used. They require a lot more force to crimp but result in a more positive connection where soldering isn't feasible. Big advantage of parallel over butt is they make for a shorter splice and work better in tight spaces. You can see this in Yukon's pictures. The white closed end crimps are internal fan wiring done by the fan mfg, not Oliver. Not being directly subject to heat from the motor, they are probably standard copper barrel terminals. Since the fuse is a thermal protection device, as opposed to current protection, it must be in direct contact with the fan motor.

On earlier versions of this fan there is a thermal fuse taped to the side of the fan motor. If the motor became jammed, this fuse should melt before permanent damage to the motor occurred. On the latest versions, this fuse has been replaced by a fusible wire for the positive pigtail. Either way, neither scheme is serviceable with readily available parts so the entire motor is replaced. Available replacements come with the newer style overload protection and directions that address either style. With an earlier version, you'll need to access the splice connection at the trailer wiring so the original motor pigtail can be removed and replaced. This means the entire assembly has to be lifted out of the hole. At least with an old versions one could MacGyver a replacement thermal fuse. Also, be aware that the plastic fan blade is pressed on the splined motor shaft. Getting it off requires substantial hand force. Best to plan on a replacement blade in case it gets damaged in the process.

Agree, we like hiking to local waterfalls, drives on the BRP, and cool temps in the summer. When it's 90's and humid at home, we go to Mt. Pisgah to find cooler temps and beautiful views on the BRP!

These measurements refer only to the area covered by the flooring of your choice. Mossey