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beeser

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Posts posted by beeser

    BLASPHEMOUS QUESTION

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    The Oliver along with Bigfoot, Casita, Scamp, Escape, etc. are commonly referred to as molded fiberglass trailers. There are other fiberglass trailers that use sheets of fiberglass over framing made of a variety of materials, wood and aluminum being the most common. The Eco, Fun Finder are examples of the this type. I suppose all travel trailers can be broken down into two basic types, molded fiberglass and framed or stick built. That's my understanding for what it's worth.

    What's the hardest part, folks?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Beeser, when you say "revisiting" the Bigfoot, do you mean thinking about it as a good alternative or being more aware of the shortcomings? I only peeked into one guy's Bigfoot that he was thinking about selling, but didn't really check it out much. He had some kind of strange arrangement in the back with a bunkbed that did not appeal. They are a bit pricey, aren't they?

     

    CarolAnn

    I was referring to the Bigfoot as an alternative. Pricey? Yes, but the recent downturn in the economy, fuel prices, etc. have put a pinch on dealers with existing inventory, especially any remaining 2007s. Specifically, there is a 17.5CB in Mesa, AZ that the dealer is selling for a substantial discount. I don't think Oliver, Casita, or Scamp are in this tenuous situation because of their build to order sales concept. So, it may be a good time to at least take another look at the Bigfoot. Their 17.5 ft. model comes in 3 floorplans, none of which has a bunk bed. If you do a search in this forum you'll find my comparison between the Bigfoot and Oliver. I think it was an honest evaluation that eventually led to a thumbs up for the Oliver.

    What's the hardest part, folks?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    CarolAnn - If you planned to tow with a larger vehicle than the Subaru Outback I would suggest revisiting the Bigfoot 17.5 especially if you're a solo traveler. The sleeping accommodations are less than ideal for partners but very adequate for a single person. It's what we have now and love it for just about every other aspect especially its spaciousness. Regardless, the Oliver is a terrific trailer and you would not go wrong with one. In fact, it just may be our next purchase. Good luck with whatever you decide.

    Is an Oliver a 4-season trailer?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    I have no special desire to subject myself or trailer to the cold. It was just idle curiosity that prompted me to ask the question after reading the Eggcampers thread and realizing that the Oliver has many of the features that makes my Bigfoot a 4-season trailer. The only difference I see possibly is that the Bigfoot has forced air heat applied to the interstitial space where the plumbing is located. Seems that the Oliver is part way there based on technomadia's comments.

    Aerodynamic Oliver?

    in Towing an Oliver

    Posted

    Thanks again Seadawg and tumbleweed for responding! What got me thinking about a new TV, besides the slow mountain climbs during our last trip, was the early preview of Ford's new F150. Particularly interesting were the electronic sway control and integrated brake controller being offered. I'm sure the other truck manufacturers including Chevy will have something similar in their 2009 lineup.

    Aerodynamic Oliver?

    in Towing an Oliver

    Posted

    Sherry - Thanks for the information on your Silverado (5.3 V8). I'm leaning in the direction of replacing my TV and it looks like a V8 is the way to go. Question now remains, which size V8? No doubt your 5.3 is plenty strong enough and the tow mpg appears reasonable. But what kind mileage do you get without towing?

     

    Tumbleweed - How does your smaller V8 handle steep grades? Are you able to maintain speed?

    Aerodynamic Oliver?

    in Towing an Oliver

    Posted

    Thanks bugeyedriver! Interesting results with your Tacoma. I assume you have the V6?

     

    The current issue of Trailer Life has an article about the Hi-Lo trailer and Dodge Dakota (V8). It states that the Dakota gets 18.5 mpg solo and 13.2 while towing the Hi-Lo. I wasn't surprised about the Dakota's solo performance but was a little taken back by the significant drop in mpg towing the trailer. I would've expected a narrower gap in the figures with a V8. My most recent outing towing a Bigfoot 17.5 with a Tacoma Prerunner (V6) was about 20/14 mpg - solo cruising at 75 mph with cruise and towing at 55 mph without cruise. I was seriously considering moving up to a V8 but based on the Trailer Life report I'm beginning to ask the question why. The only thing that would be gained is better hill climbing ability. It wasn't very satisfying chugging along at 30 mph up an 8% grade.

    Aerodynamic Oliver?

    in Towing an Oliver

    Posted

    The July issue of Trailer Life mentions that the Oliver is aerodynamic and "for the fuel-conscious". No doubt that it's more aerodynamic than the wider box style trailers of equal length but just how much fuel can be saved towing an Oliver? Let's say we're pulling both type trailers with a Toyota Tacoma (V6). What would the mpg be for each?

    Larger Oliver?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Well, since a larger Oliver is in the preliminary stages how about if we provide some suggestions or items we would like to see included?

     

    Larger bed oriented front to back

    Front window or generally more windows

    More outside storage - maybe something like the new Bigfoot front mounted storage unit

    On board generator or something built-in to accommodate one

    Dual axles

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