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hardrock

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Everything posted by hardrock

  1. Hello ReconDon First, welcome to the Oliver Forum. I will try to provide you objective answers to your questions. Oliver is not perfect, but when a problem is encountered, they will bend over backwards to work with you, correct the problem and learn from design/installation issues. To answer your question regarding the refrigeration in desert heat, I camped in Monument Valley, Utah as well as several locations in AZ and NM. many days were 110+. Like you I do very little boondocking. In these locations I was in a campsite with full hookups. I had no problems with the fridge, AC , hot water or other utilities. The Coleman Mach 8 is noisy. I was unaware of this when I bought my Elite. I contacted Oliver and they agreed to swap out the unit for a Dometic Penguin. Much quieter. I paid for the Dometic and a small amount for labor. I easily sold the Coleman so the different in cost was about what the amount wold have been to upgrade to the Dometic. The cost of Oliver is higher but I can tell you that the high quality will be easily maintained so the resale value is high. Other fiberglass units are definitely cheaper. However, I read about all the modifications that new owners must do just to reach minimal performance. The Oliver comes fully functional for 4 season camping, needs no modifications and is well designed. The new production line at Oliver has a "Plug & Play" capability. Buy what you absolutely need and if later you decide you want additional amenities (solar, stereo, etc) can be later easily installed. I have enjoyed my Oliver Elite. It is a quality unit with no significant issues Best Wishes coy
  2. Is your Tow vehicle equipped with a brake control unit for your trailer? Also, I prefer to scotch my wheels front and back so I suggest an extra set of wheel chocks. You will need a white fresh water hose. Most all parks require a "donut" for your sewer connection. This is a adapter that prevents overflow and escaping sewer gases, in theory. I like using the plastic or rubber coated ties to secure cables, chains etc on the trailer. Be sure to have an assortment of fuses on hand. Walmart across the street from Oliver carries them, the ties, water hose, etc. Your wife will encourage you to get the black tank treatment packs to make the bathroom smell fresh. Again, sold at Walmart. Be prepared to have many stop you along the way to see your trailer so have Anita to give you some brochures. Happy camping and be safe Coy
  3. The Airstream Forum has several threads on hail damage. They advise to leave it alone and the sun will bring the sheet metal back in place. I have not owned an Airstream but my father was in the military and we lived in a trailer because we were constantly moving. I have seen dings "disappear" over time, especially one from my baseball.,...but not the pain from the tanning I got for hitting the trailer !
  4. Have you considered a portable panel with a 50+ ft cable so you can park in the shade on a blistering day and still have some charging? john Furion supplies a number of electrical devices for Oliver TT. They sell a portable solar unit that plugs directly into the Furion outlet. My point is I do not need it. I have camped for days using my electrical amenities with the exception of AC & microwave. At the end of 3 days in the desert, my batteries were still at 12.5. I do not need solar panels. Recognizing we are all humans with different needs and desires, I find the Oliver to be a great value WITHOUT solar panels. I did check with Oliver 2 years ago and was told that to make the solar panels portable, Oliver would need to use a different company, their current vendor product did not lend itself to portability. The recommended company said that the longer the cable, the longer time it takes to charge the system. I worked with several senior electrical engineers and they agreed that to gain portability would be offset by efficiency. It seems counter intuitive to put solar panels on the roof and to park in the sun to charge my batteries in the summer. I could buy the Furion solar charger, but do not need it. My batteries stay charged and I do not want to haul things I "might" need. I am sure many others may need such items, but I purposely chose the smaller trailer. I want to travel light, travel often and not be incumbered by things I do not need. If a person wants all of those trappings, the larger Oliver may be appropriate, but an unfair comparison to the smaller airstream.
  5. If you are going to compare units, AS Basecamp to an Ollie, keep your comparison to the Oliver Elite. While similar in size, amenities and price (base price) there is no comparison on quality. Oliver is superior. I would advise revisiting the need for a solar powered unit. I have a 2015 Oliver Elite. After purchasing it, I drove over 4 k from coast to coast. Although I struggled with solar or not, in the end I am glad I did not have it installed. I spent 3 days in Monument Valley, Utah with just battery power, gas water heater and my fresh water tank full. After 3 days, my electric monitor displayed 12.5 batter life, despite running the fan day and night, lights, water heater, everything except AC and Microwave. My style of camping is staying in a park for no more than a few days. The ability to camp using battery power, pulling my trailer that is more aerodynamic and no drag from a solar unit (more MPG vs. solar power) much better fits my needs. The electrical, plumbing, wiring, water tanks, etc is all contained WITHIN the hull, with nothing hanging down, exposed to the elements of weather, etc, makes the Elite a true 4 season camper. Also, do not overlook Oliver's new approach to upgrades. The new wiring harness is built as a "Plug and Play" capability. In the event you are unsure that you may /may not want the upgrade, you can add so many other amenities later on post purchase, with little trouble because the unit is prewired. As a owner of a Oliver Elite, I too compared the AS Basecamp before purchasing my Ollie. My Elite meets all my needs and exceeds many of my expectations. Look at what your NEEDS and EXPECTATIONS are before purchasing. Do a fair comparison, not larger to smaller a satisfied and Happy Camper Hardrock
  6. Bill that last photo, Ollie and the Saturn 4 Rocket, should be titled "Beauty and the Best"
  7. I am not having problems with Internet / website speed. That part is fine f
  8. Me too I use a Mac and an I pad. Wonder if it is our equipment. Same issues as described above
  9. David Thanks for your in depth research and sharing your review with the Ollie community. Having the on line resources and guides may assist others in evaluating thier needs thank you coy
  10. Randy Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I say "thoughtful" because your comments were so thought provoking I contacted my insurance company to verify my coverage. I have home, auto, life and motorcycle coverage with them. I was able to confirm that I indeed do have coverage while detached from my tow vehicle. Also, my daughter and her husband occasionally use my Ollie to go to football games so they (daughter and Ollie) are covered while using my trailer. The yearly coverage for my Ollie under all of these circumstances is an additional $240 per year. I requested a seperate binder coverage and policy document with all of the declarations (types of coverage), so the insurance company is sending it to me. They did tell me there are additional charges for items such as Satalite TV, solar Panels, etc. Bill thanks for your reply on your Kansas trip. Fortunately, I have not had any problems with my Ollie while on the road. This is why I was wondering about others experience with Good Sam, AAA, and other travel club membership coverages. My experience with AAA was the same as yours, they are not so helpful when you need them. Coy
  11. I have a two part question 1. How do you cover your insurance for your Oliver? My insurance company (auto, home, etc) covers my Oliver as a part of coverage of my tow vehicle. To do so, they did not increase the cost of my coverage and it is covered for the full amount. 2. What travel club do you subscribe to? I am a member of Good Sams and have the Platnium plan. It offers coverage for all of my vehicles for road assistance and travel assistance. I do other types of travel (airline, cruises etc) and it covers me for both national and international travel. I am not advocating one company over another, just want your degree of satisfaction especially if you have had to use thier services. Coy
  12. The "see an Ollie" tab indicates there are 3 in the Dallas Fort Worth area. It does not indicate if they are Elite or Elite II . Suggest you contact Anita in the Olivwr Sales Dept and she can assist with a look see. Coy
  13. I remember as a young child living in California and camping in Yosimitie and Sequoia National Parks. My mother put a pot of Pinto beans on to boil in the morning and that evening, they were still hard. We had to buy a pressure cooker to boil things. Great article coy
  14. Annie Regardless of being male or female, the Oliver is built for comfort, ease of handing and low maintenance. If you have a physical disability or impairment that would cause you to be unable to complete a necessarily task, you will find the folks at Oliver very accommodating. As an example, I had Polio as a child and have limited use of my right arm. The standard features of an Oliver are considered luxuries on other trailers and unavailable or many others. I do not have to go under the carriage to level my trailer. I can stand in one place and level the entire trailer by pressing three buttons. I could have paid less $$$$ for a trailer, would have been able to use it less and it would have been much more work. I would advise you to contact the sales office and get a brochure and price list. I was able to have my trailer built with everything I needed to travel cross country and return for 4+ weeks on my maiden voyage. Ollie is well built, easily maintained and very easy to pull. I have the Elite, the smaller unit and love it. Good luck coy
  15. Bill I called today to register. Anita says we have 8 signed up so far coy
  16. Marc you are probably taking the pictures with a Mac, iPad or similar device. You may be left handed and turn the device upside down from a right handed person. try using the right hand approach to push the shutter button. It should then appear right side up coy
  17. Mike thank you for the information. I plan to have this on my bucket list coy
  18. When traveling with my Ollie, I like to attend special events. On August 21, 2017 another event will be occurring that should last approximately 2.5 minutes. A solar eclipse will occur and according to NASA, the “Sweet Spot” or optimal eclipse effect will occur near Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The land Between the Lakes National Recreational Area is only a few miles away and should offer an excellent location for viewing the eclipse and camping. Solar eclipses are a sight to beheld but caution should be used to utilize appropriate eye protection. Here is a website with location information. http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html As another example of my interest to attend special events, I planned a trip in 2016 to watch the “Blood Moon”. I wanted to go somewhere the scenery would be great to frame the Blood Moon as it came over the horizon. I wanted to travel Route 66 and I thought that Monument Valley would be a great side trip that would provide excellent lighting and scenery. There are a number of holes in rock formations that afford picturesque shots of the sky. These are a part of the Navajo Indian tours offered to the public. However, I learned that these sites are considered sacred and that night special ceremonies were planned and not open to the public. I situated myself near the Park Welcome Center a few feet from the Monument Valley RV Campground. Below are some pictures of the moon as it rose between two monuments. As the moon came over the horizon, it was at its height in red color. After a few minutes, it faded to a natural white. click on the images below and they will enlarge
  19. Approximately 5 feet My daughter and her family are camping in it now so I do not have it here to measure
  20. John The nuts used to hold the tongue on, is a one time use as told to me by Oliver engineers. They too, use the nuts one time only. I purchased the nuts from Fastenall. They too have told me that the nuts are a one time use only. The chains, not cables, are easily removed much like the tongue. It has been my experience that most, not all thieves are not too bright and do not think too far ahead. I put my removed parts in my truck and am not gone too long, a few hours at most. Never had anything to go missing coy
  21. Hello Tom Welcome to the Oliver Forums. We are proud owners of the best built Travel Trailers anywhere. You can find some TTs more expensive, but Oliver will work with you to satisfy your requirements as much as reasonably possible. Many of us began "lurking" on the forum but soon learned it is filled with owners that want to assist you in becoming a Ollie family member. You can learn much from reading the posts so enjoy. Put stuff in your profile to also help us to understand who you are. Good Luck coy
  22. My 2015 Elite has a removable tongue. On more than one occasion, I have pulled the bolt out and put the tongue in my truck. Not foolproof, but the thief will need to be inventive to haul it off. I keep a extra bolt and a packet of nuts in my tool box. The nuts are 1 time use ScubaRX (Steve) has a good handle on electronic monitoring devices.
  23. It would be great for those that plan to attend to post their affirmative plans. I want to attend but will not pull my Ollie up. I live nearby and will do a day trip. My trusty app shows there is construction going on between Hohenwald and Columbia. When I was there recently I was rerouted to a bypass around the construction that was not easily traveled. You may want to plan your route based on information Tennessee DOT puts out on road blocks and construction. It vwould be extremely helpful if we knew the agenda for the weekend. This would assist me in determine what day I come up. I would really like to meet my fellow Ollie owners Coy
  24. Bill Congratulations !! You made a wise choice. I have a 2003 Tundra I purchased new and it has pulled my Ollie from the east coast to the west coast. You will have more than enough power to pull your Ollie anywhere you want to go. I am envious Coy
  25. I have a hard shell fiberglass cover for my Tundra truck. It is colored the same as my truck. Immediately after I got the cover , I noticed my gas milage increasing significantly. My cover is an ARE and looks great. All of that being said, I would prefer the fold up kind Buzzy is referring to. The biggest limitation to my cover is everything must fit within the height of the cover. Lumber, camping supplies etc no problem. However, I needed to take my daughter's chair to her new home, would not fit without leaving the fiberglass top up. For hauling larger items such as bikes ( Harley rider myself) I would go with the fold up kind. My son in law has one and it is great
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