ScottyGS

Anita sent us a package of samples recently and it arrived in 2 days. TN to WNC, about a six hour drive. Surprisingly fast service from USPS these days.

Thanks for a great towing report. You have truly set the bar high for this type of feedback. I agree with John Davies on travelling speed. IMO.. the biggest not talked about problem with Oliver trailers it how easy they tow and how that can lead us to travel at higher speeds than we might with a less forgiving trailer. We tow our LE2 with a 2016 F150. I use cruise control a LOT on the highway because it keeps me at or under 65 mph. Under manual speed control you often look at the speedo and see that you're going over 70 and didn't even know it. I always check my tires and do a complete walk around at rest stops, but you never know. And, there is no shortage of idiots out there who for some reason love to cut in front of folks pulling trailers. Best of Luck to you with your new rig and welcome to the family. Hope to see you on the road someday. Scotty

Apologies in advance for taking this in a slightly different direction. My thoughts are: If you have the 630 ah package a solar suitcase would be a very good addition to have. Math without additional solar would be: 630ah of batteries X 12v = 7560 watt hours X 90% = 6804 usable watt hours. Divided by 340 watts of Solar. 6804 / 340 = 20.01 Hours to recharge from 10% to full. Or roughly TEN hours to charge from 10% to 55% OR 45% to 90%. Add a 230 watt suitcase and charging from 10% to full could be done in one long sunny summer day. I realize a LOT of other factors go into this but would appreciate a sanity / reality check on this as to the assumptions / math / etc. I have been used to our AGM's topping off by 10 am or so. Just want to be ready for what the expectations performance wise will be with 630ah of Lithium. Thanks in advance to those that don't view electricity as a form of witchcraft. Scotty

We have a mat like this one. It's poly pro and folds up like a map. I use a broom to sweep off anything that collects and store it in the truck bed. There have been times when it's rained and I've just folded it up dirty... then you just have to sweep it off when you put it back out. It's breathable so doesn't hurt grass if left down for a day or so. Also it's a good idea to have a mat. You'll be glad of it when you have to camp in a grassy area that has not been mowed recently. Helps keep dirt and pebbles from getting into the camper too. And you can kick your shoes off and leave them near the door before going in. Not too expensive and should last a good long time. https://www.campingworld.com/reversible-rv-patio-mat-octagon-design-670190.html?dwvar_670190_color=cerulean

There are three free campgrounds along the Natchez Trace. Merriweather Lewis near Hohenwald at mm 385, Jeff Busby at mm 193, and Rocky Springs at mm 54. I have camped at Busby and Lewis and would expect Rocky Springs to be similar. No hookups. No Showers. Campground is a bit rough but because of that you don't need a reservation and its free. I like FREE. In November you can probably find a campsite in the middle of the night but I would arrive so you can level and do whatever needs doing before full dark. There is a nice hike at Jeff Busby that goes to the top of a overlook with a view. You could drive up there too. All campsites are patrolled by the park service and I can't imagine you would have any trouble that was not self inflicted. The drive along the parkway is slow and curvy but fairly relaxing even if you are pulling a trailer. I would imagine 2-3 days for the length depending on how many stops along the way. Enjoy.

So you'll have about 20 days between getting your new truck and picking up your Oliver? Including a drive from Tampa up to Hohenwald... If I have that correct the first plan would be to read your manual and plan those 20 days to break your new truck in. Whatever they say, you should do even if it involves driving around town every day for a week. If your backing skills are new or non existent, you should look to reserve campgrounds with a pull through site. You can stay at Wal-marts and if the lot is big enough practice your backing there. Is your TV an F-150? Pro Backup Assist is very helpful to newbies. Huntsville has the space museum if you are looking for entertainment. The parking lot has RV spaces that are pull through. Not too far from Hohenwald All Stays App will help find campsites and other stuff you will need. Cheap at $10. (at least that's what I paid years ago.) Pulling an Oliver forward is very very easy. Just make sure to make your Right Turns on the late or wide side to give clearance for the trailer. In other words... when turning right hug the cetner line of the road you are turning on to.... and keep an eye on your trailer wheels in your passenger side mirror. And if you have to go on the interstate... 62-65 mph is the sweet spot. All for now... You'll do fine. Good Luck and have fun.

I got a feeling they might be planning that for the new Elite.... maybe hits the street in 2023.

Rear ceiling has 120v over the curb side bunk and USB over the street side. 120v under the forward dinette seat. 120v and USB over the kitchen. There may be more but those are the ones I am sure about.

YES! Get the Larger Ecoboost engine! You won't be sorry.

Yep... One of the reasons for standardizing and eliminating outlets was that customers tended to want a lot of additional outlets and Oliver realized that they had too many outlets in some trailers.

Do the research. Understand the terms. Read the manual. Do the math. This will provide comfort when the terrain, the weather, and darkness all conspire against you... and they will.

Hey Steve... Would you still feel the same way with the 630ah Lithium package? I am thinking the extra power would run that fridge for a long time. Granted there would be other draws from the battery bank and the solar would have limited replenishment (thinking 2-300 amps in a sunny day). Would that change your mind? BTW... asking for an "in real life decision" not just wondering... and I would value your opinion. Hope you are well and look forward to seeing you in May. Scotty

On the topic of "Do I need the Anderson Hitch with a half ton pick up?" IMO... Nope.. you don't need it. A half ton will pull and Oliver just fine without a WDH... But change the wording of the question a bit to: "Is a WDH required with most half ton pick ups?" or "Is a WDH a good idea for most half ton pick ups?" I would answer with a resounding YES! Thought you all might find this article interesting. https://www.hardworkingtrucks.com/vocational/article/15047718/get-sued-the-easy-way-tow-trailers-with-pickups

I haven't really run the numbers over the years.. but it seems to me that the last big jump in price was 2015 to 2016. About 10k for a well equipped LE2. The price of the thermoplastics in fiberglass must be a big driver of this increase. Plus the OEM components have gone up during the 2022 order cycle and I don't think those increases were passed on. I really don't believe we are seeing opportunism with this increase. Everything is getting more expensive. I guess that's what happens when you print a bunch of money. Let's say that Oliver has capacity to build 400 trailers.... I know... it's probably a bit below that but it's a nice round number. Demand has been high and shows no signs of stopping. We could increase capacity and increase profit dollars by selling more trailers... but that comes with costs and risk. You'd have to expand production space and labor, which is expensive. OR... you could raise the price until you start to see demand drop... then you could gauge what price the market would bear and maximize profits. You still make more profit dollars but can more easily handle a downturn like the 2008 situation. To be clear... I don't believe that Oliver is engaging in a profit maximization strategy. I think they are truly walking the tightrope with profitability on one side and a possible decline in business (due to increased price) on the other. I want the company to be successful. That's how we get the support we need for maintenance and upgrades. The good news for current Oliver TT owners is...... Our trailers just went up in value. Plus FB travel trailers have always had a special / niche spot in the market. They may take a hit when the economy turns south.. but will bounce back when it recovers. Anyway... sorry for getting so long winded. Happy Camping!

Truma Aqua Go and Aventa A/C are packaged at $3500. The reason for the bundle is to have a single controller. (I believe the Aventa also has a remote control unit) Truma Vario Heater may be added to the package but the jury is still out on that. No upgrades available with the Aventa A/C because Truma only sells them for new installs, not for replacement units... That may change in the future but I wouldn't hold my breath. That's all for now.

I was surprised to see the 9.4 / 9.6 / 10.5 amp draw numbers for the Aventa. I had downloaded the European version of the manual and found 4.2 amps at 240 volts. I assumed (yes.. I know the pitfalls of that) that 4.2 at 240 would rough out to 8.4 at 120, giving us 1008 watt hours. Even after doing the math that would mean a 5 hour run time (vs. 5-3/4) with no other draw and no solar input. We are not big on A/C but the ability to run it for a short period of time is a plus. Hmmm .... Thinking again the ability to withstand the noise of running it at all is a bigger plus. Can't wait for the real world tests!

Another test

Wow... You said a mouth full.

This is what I see in my profile... after saving.. and the above map is what I get... Think I'm going to give up now.

Test.

Thanks for the link Sherry. (and DaveAndBecky) Lots of good tips and I am grateful for all of them...... But...... Donna wants to go to Quartzite in 23. So y'all <-- see how southern I am becoming.. know it wasn't wasted, I've already got a lot of this info on my google maps. Much thanks again. Scotty

I set my cube heater on the kitchen counter with a cutting board underneath. Even when it gets hot the bottom of it is cool enough that I probably could put it right on the counter. But why take a chance.

One thing I wish I had known more about when we picked up was the difference between "Camping" and "Traveling". We spend too much time getting into and out of a campground where we only spend one night. Now when we are "Travelling" (heading to a place where camping will happen) we meander along and see the sights during the day and then find a wal-mart, Sams, Craker Barrell, etc. to overnight in. I don't know how long your drive to and from will be but don't feel you have to stay in a "campground" every night. The All Stays app is easy to use and has great info on places to stay and stuff you will need on the road. Good Luck and Happy Camping.

I think a lot of factors went into this price increase. Gas and petroleum products go up in price….so does fiberglass. Plus all the OEM products are going up with inflation. So is it worth it? Compare a Winnebago Mini Winnie FLX at 50k vs an Oliver LE2 at 100k. What is the resale comparison in 5 years? I would take a swag at 25k vs 90k, so a 15k delta. That roughs out at 5k vs 2k per year not counting the time value of money. I think a lot of people would make that tradeoff. And talking about resale……. Seen quite a few more Used Oliver’s hit the market this year. And they sell quick. So I think demand will stay high. And yes I think those that got in on a 22 model had good timing. Will be interesting to see where this goes.

Hey Gang, Started doing some advance planning for a 2-4 week Florida trip (from WNC) thinking that about a year out would be good. But... guess I have to think again. We are pretty flexible about where we go... just want to get away from the cold a bit. Time frame would be Feb 2023. I find that just about every state park I look at is booked 11 months in advance. Any advice on how to navigate the state reservation system... Tips... Tricks... other sites or resources to explore would be much appreciated. Thanks in Advance, Scotty