John Welte
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Posts posted by John Welte
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We have our pop up trailer insured with Progressive. What insurance company is everyone using? Pros and cons of certain companies?
I found covered RV storage with electricity 35-40 feet deep with open front for $250/month. Portland, Oregon area. These are the last few items my wife wanted to get answers to before we place our order. Thanks for any answers.
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On 11/12/2021 at 7:57 AM, DaveM said:
Sheesh gang I rely on you already Ollie owners to slow feed me the CoolAid while I await delivery in March 2022. Don't tell me camping is ruined even if it's true!
I am realistic that camping has changed and is now more popular. Sites will be more difficult to get and require planning. Since we are purchasing while still working, we will use our Ollie locally in Michigan and get used to all of the bells and whistles it offers. We also have not spent a lot of time camping for extended periods outside of our backyard so we don't remember the glory days when you could show up and find a site. Maybe that helps us have more realistic expectations?
I do hope and think the fervor will die down in the coming years and the camping life will still be appealing. Time will tell.
Good perspective. A quick analogy: I was a pharmacist for 40 years. For me the glory days were 20-40 years ago. Computers came and insurance companies realized that they could put all the billing on to us. The new pharmacists coming on didn't realize that it was ever not the insurance mess it is now. We hope to get our Oliver next year so we won't have any reference point to compare how things were. Best wishes to you and your new Oliver.
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On 11/11/2021 at 10:51 AM, topgun2 said:
HERE is a statistical study of camping in 2021 based on a reasonable sample of just shy of 4,000 survey responses.
Unfortunately, it does not address any information concerning the supply side of the function (i.e. additional camping sites).
Bill
That was very interesting. As far as additional camping sites, I see ads for Harvest Hosts and Boondockers (I think that was the name for the second one). Someone, or maybe a few, in this thread mentioned having plan B, C or D also. I am optimistic that we will be able to find spots when we do get out. For many years we just don't go out on Memorial Day or Labor Day weekends. Too crowded.
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My wife likes to cook with her cast iron Dutch Oven over the coals in a fire pit. Do any of you women (men cooks also can answer) use those and where would you stash that in the Oliver? Second question, how do you like the convection oven? Can you think of any unasked questions that you might have answers to? Is there anything that you found you liked especially or disliked in the trailer? Asking for my wife. Thanks.
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I have my build sheet figured out. Since it would be a new unit with many parts, is it worth it to get the extended warranty? I bought one for my washer and dryer and have used it when a computer board went out. I have one on my Ford Expedition which I have used a few times. Does anyone here have the extended warranty on their Oliver? Was it worth the cost? Thanks for all the times you all have responded to my many questions.
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I am just figuring out how to order my Oliver. I have decided on the Truma, lithium batteries and a street side awning. I am leaning towards the 30 pound tanks. I don't want to be limited by tank size. Does anyone regret getting the larger tanks? I figure with the Truma and lithium batteries I will save on total weight. Thanks in advance.
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Thanks so much! That looks perfect! I didn't want to lose out on the basement door or the bedside drawer. Great idea!
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On 10/23/2021 at 11:42 AM, Jim Y said:
Thank you all for this information. We pick up our new Oliver Legacy II on January 04, 2022. We purchased the Lithium Pro package with 390 AH.
I am absolutely the new guy that has no idea about power consumption, charging, solar, care and maintenance of batteries etc. Seems a bit overwhelming right now.
I'll continue to read/digest info in the forum. Suggestions on where I sould be starting? My pull vehicle is 2018 Expedition 4x4 Max. I'm hoping that is reasonable.
Jim
Hi Jim, I have a 2017 Expedition 4x4 EL with tow package so assume it's similar to yours. I think they changed the name from EL to Max for the longer wheelbase. I am a newbie without an Oliver on order yet. We hope to order soon, but haven't yet.
John
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16 minutes ago, Mattnan said:
We have the cell booster and it helps. We also installed a lagun table ourselves. We did the side mount option following Overland's directions. We had a custom top made by a local craftsman. We have the twin bed plan. The side mount allows for the basement door. Ours is in use all the time. We also have 6 inch mattresses from southern mattress. The side mount is also further off of the floor allowing for more height. There is a member on this forum, Foy, that could probably make a top to your liking. You can order the lagun parts directly from lagun. Check out Overland's posting for very good directions. You can also find pictures of our installation. Ours is up all the time. I just lower it on to the bed for travel.
"We also installed a lagun table ourselves."
Do you use it for your meals? Can the table be raised and lowered or is it at a fixed height? I couldn't find pictures of your table. I thought the lagun mount had a 50 pound limit. Maybe because it's mounted to fiberglass?
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1 hour ago, topgun2 said:
I always carry one to two gallon jugs of water in the Oliver next to the toilet primarily to be used for flushing.
This practice started out during cold weather camping but during the past several years I've found it to be useful even during the warmer weather months.
Bill
Is that to minimize the draw from the fresh water tank? Maybe the normal flush is more water than is needed especially if it's only pee. I don't know how the toilet works in the Oliver. On my tent trailer, it's easy to just twist once or several times on the knob to regulate how much water is used
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Hi all, I am looking at the list of options and wonder if the 4G cell phone booster and Lagun table are items that people wish they had or sorry they bought them. My wife looks at the dinette table and thinks it's small, so I told her there's an optional Lagun table. I believe that's adjustable for height as I plan to go with the KTT mattress. I picture eating meals at the Lagun as it appears bigger. I am guessing it can probably store in the closet. Second item, is the cell phone booster useful? We will be retired by the time we get the trailer so won't need internet connection for work. Thanks for any assistance as we dial in the options.
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On 10/12/2021 at 1:21 PM, Shawna and Scott said:
About four years ago I found Oliver and these forums while browsing the Airstream forums looking for our 1st Travel Trailer (some tenting camping). The next four years consisted of mostly reading these forums, sending for brochures, to "unofficially" spec'ing out ours (dreaming), to using the referral program to see one in person, and to finally scheduling a tour this past Monday. I was impressed with the detail and thought that Oliver puts into these but not surprised since so many on here had prepared me without any of you knowing it.
We sat down with Jason and went thru all the options then the question came, "do you want to secure a production date?". I couldn't have been more happy to tell him absolutely. So we now have a delivery date next July (15th I believe).
We are newbies to the travel trailer scene and look forward to meeting many of you over the next few years.
I will continue scouring these pages to help me finalize the options before April and to help prepare us for alittle life on the road.
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On 8/10/2021 at 7:01 PM, dewdev said:
When I first got the Ollie, I used to raise the RV, when attached to the TV, with the trailer jack to put some slack in the chains as others have said above. This did not work all the time and I usually had to loosen the chains connected to the whale tale and then retighten the chains after hooking up.
Now before hooking up to the trailer, I raise the trailer bull dog up high enough so I can back up (the 2" ball) past the bull connector of the trailer. This gives plenty of slack in the chains so I can hook up the whale tale with no problem. I then slowly drive the TV forward enough to when the chains are tight and I can then lower the trailer onto the 2" ball.
That makes a lot of sense to me. Do you do the same in reverse when disconnecting the trailer?
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I wonder if there is a great atlas to get that might warn of road grades or unsuitable roads. I bicycle and when planning a route I will check road grades when possible. Is there an atlas that you use that you find very useful. One video I saw said to have a paper atlas as you don't always have connections.
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On 5/17/2016 at 6:20 PM, Mike and Carol said:
This is at Table Rock Lake State Park just outside of Branson, MO. This is a great campground and just minutes from Branson and all the shows and activities. We had a good visit to Silver Dollar City during their BBQ and Bluegrass week. The park is right on Table Rock Lake for those who like water activities.
Do you lock the hitch when leaving? Does OTT have those for the bulldog?
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3 hours ago, SeaDawg said:
Two weeks ago, we had 12 inches of rain in 28 hours. No issues with the weepholes, perhaps because a few weeks before we a had had a brief rainstorm, a clogged weep wept a little into the side wall, and I cleaned them all. For the second time this season.
Imo, This isn't really an Oliver issue. It's an rv window manufacturer issue, and not a huge one, just a pesky maintenance issue.
I wouldn't enlarge the weepholes. I'd definitely add the vinyl gutter over the windows, as many of us have done.
Do you have the name of that vinyl gutter? I think that I have seen a reference to that before. It sounds like that gutter goes over the top of the window to direct water away from the windows.
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I was reading a few posts about the weep holes and how they don't always drain well. I am not an engineer, but I would guess that if they could be made larger to allow water to pass through the holes and not be blocked by surface tension along with some treatment to the weep hole area to make them more hydrophillic, that that may help drainage. I would imagine that OTT is aware of the problem. Has anyone tried to enlarge the weep holes? The thought of buying an expensive trailer with this issue is a bit troubling. I live in an area that has light rain for the most part. A heavy day in Oregon is 1/2 inch in 24 hours! An inch and we think we'll all be flooded.
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36 minutes ago, Teri said:
Hi John, we also looked at the R-Pod and the Minnie Winnie but then my boyfriend decided he wanted to take the trip to the Oliver factory. Luckily it's just a state away from us so it was easy even during these times. The tour was fabulous and seeing their manufacturing process sold us on how well built this travel trailer is. We toured the E I and E II in the showroom, where I told him I was concerned about the small galley area. Well as we sat down to get a price quote I made a run to the bathroom and came back to witness him signing the paperwork and making the down payment. Although I was thrilled to know that we were finally making a move toward our retirement dreams I was wondering how was I ever going to cook in that kitchen. Our pick up date is June of 2022 which has given me lots of time to practice in my kitchen at home. That's exactly what I'm doing now. At first I set up a small area to prep that represented the dimensions of the counter space in the Ollie, including the dinette table. It really is doable. I've since bought a pot and pan that are much smaller than what I use at home, which will fit perfectly on the stove top in the Ollie and I've been cooking with them. I'm also playing with our at home convection oven which I had never used before. I think if you look at the dimensions of the counter space you'll find in the owner's section, let your wife set up a little prep area and cook area up, she'll find it's more than doable, it can even be fun. Being that she likes to cook, she'll be great a pre-prepping at home which will save her on a lot of the prep space needed while traveling. Well that's my 2 cents worth and so far practicing is helpful for me. Good luck.
Thanks Teri. That's quite innovative to practice like that. Your boyfriend is much more decisive than my wife. I am more like him. She mulls things over much more than me. I was hoping to order it very soon as there's about a ten to eleven month wait after placing an order as you probably know. Thanks for writing with your two cents worth which was more like at least two dollars worth if good advice. Congratulations on your purchase.
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12 minutes ago, Ray and Susan Huff said:
I feel the price is sooooo worth the quality, compared to mass produced RVs. We looked at the R-Pod, several years ago . . . . nothing about it screamed quality; cute, maybe. In our throw-away world, I appreciate Oliver for giving us a better option.
We are in the same place as you . . . . just went over threshold to our 70's. We prefer to enjoy our remaining RV travel years without fixing, repairing, and replacing an RV at regular intervals. I have little to complain about after 9 months with our Oliver. As a bonus, you get valuable support from other Oliver owners, and, more importantly, the amazing lifetime customer service/support from Oliver.
I'd venture to guess that, once you make the move, your wife will be thrilled!
I prefer to buy fewer things, but buy quality. Thanks for the vote of confidence with my wife coming around to the idea. Thanks for your message.
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On 7/11/2021 at 4:45 PM, SeaDawg said:
I don't think that's silly at all.
Young friends of mine had a beautiful sob camper pretty much destroyed by rodents, in a very short time.
If they can't get in, they can't chew up the wiring.
We had a mouse in our pop up trailer this past June at the ocean. I finally got it on our last night with a mouse trap. The third night he/she was running around while we played a game of RummyKube. I guess after spending two nights with us it felt like family.
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1 hour ago, Ray and Susan Huff said:
The answer to your questions depends on how your wife perceives meal prep when camping. Does she have visions of "like at home" meal prep or is she willing to make concessions?
That being said, at home I am an avid cook/baker. Our kitchen is spacious and outfitted with all the "necessary" tools that make meal prep and baking easier and more enjoyable. It would be disconcerting, to me, if I were to compare it to the Oliver kitchen. I am happy to shift my mind-set, when camping, and have found the smaller Oliver galley to be well organized, as efficient as prior larger RV kitchens (such as our 5th wheel), and an improvement over the like sized galley in our Leisure Travel Van.
One trick I employ:
We have a wooden bread board (a recycled pull-out board from my HS Home Ec Dept). My husband installed rubber feet on the bottom so it fits snuggly over the stove top. We actually made this for previous RVs and were able to reposition the feet to fit the Oliver. It protects it glass top of the stove, when not in use, extending counter space. When using the stove, I place the board on the bed next to the galley and use it to set things out of the way, until needed (if that makes sense). I also use the small counters (pantry and microwave cabinet areas) extensively during meal prep; the dinette table, not so much.
We do not have the microwave, but rather carry a small toaster oven for cooking. I use the nightstand for it.
Regarding meal prep outdoors: I do very little outside. I like being in the kitchen, where everything is handy and I don't have to carry a lot in and out of the trailer. Also, at certain times of the year, bees/yellowjackets/hornets can be very annoying when preparing food, and eating too, outdoors. Cooking outdoors is too much like tent camping; we have a great indoor kitchen and choose to use it.
When downsizing from a larger RV (30ft 5th-wheel) I quickly learned a valuable lesson: in the smaller space, it is important for everything to have a place and keep things put away. This makes any task more manageable and reduces stress. I pack things so items oft used are easy to get to (without having to empty the contents of a cabinet/drawer to get them. We utilize the tow vehicle to store items not often needed to conserve interior storage.
Just a few ideas . . . . . hope this helps.
Thanks Susan, that was very helpful. My wife has a very organized kitchen and everything has its own spot. Your comments made a lot of sense and hopefully will have an impact on whether she sees an Oliver like I do. She takes a while to make a decision. I think it would be a very comfortable trailer. The price is the stumbling block. We're both nearing 70 so I imagine that at best we have 15 years to use it then sell it. I just don't want to own a trailer that will fall apart during that time. Her first choice is an R-Pod, but when I looked at reviews of those, they had a lot of problems. "But, they're cute!" I don't want cute, I want dependable. Thanks for your message.
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1 hour ago, Overland said:
This may interest you -
I think that most people would describe the counter space as minimal but adequate. Certainly we could get by without the extension, but it's one of those mods that we'd have a hard time giving up now that we have it. But people manage to cook in the small Ollie, and I've prepared plenty of meals on a rock next to a campfire, so really, you just adjust to what you've got and discover that it works fine.
An option you might consider is the Lagun table but with one of the folding marine tops rather than Oliver's standard. They are typically lighter, larger, and more versatile. Sadly, the place where we got ours has closed, but if you google for 'folding marine table top', you'll find quite a few choices.
We find that we're more likely to use the dinette table as additional counter space, particularly for staging things coming off and on the grill, drinks, etc. We use the Lagun for dining, which frees up the dinette for that purpose. You'll also find that the small counters at the fridge and pantry are surprisingly useful. This is our setup, and we're pretty happy with it - it's downright luxurious imo:
That looks very nice! I didn't know you could have Oliver add that extension. I see that your table didn't sacrifice the basement door. Do you have a picture of the underside of that table and how it attaches to the trailer? What is the dimension of the table when it's open? Are those the KTT mattresses? I see that you secure the drawers with a rod. As I understand it, the drawers can now be pushed to close in a more locked fashion. They're a soft close now with a final push to lock them in. Lots of questions, but you have a great set up that addresses the issues my wife has brought up. Thanks!
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1 hour ago, LCTraveler said:
We picked up our LE2 this summer and have camped 20 days thus far. We have the twin beds and no lagun table. I too was worried about the meal prep space, 2 burner stove and no oven. We purchased a Weber Q2000 series to use outside when it’s not raining and frigid (we live in Vancouver WA). I have been happily surprised how functional the kitchen has been to use. The counter space for prep is better than the larger trailer we rented in the past. I utilize the covered area on the stove and the dinette table to place items when I’m doing the prep. (I do protect the stove cover from scratching with a cloth). Personally, I prefer the cooktop orientation sideways but that’s a personal opinion.
PamThanks Pam. We live in Beaverton. My wife may retire in May or December of 2022. I know, weird choices, but she has reasons for both. She will be 70 in December, 2022. She is having a problem with the price even though our financial planner said we could afford it. She just mentioned meal prep issues so I wanted to get opinions on that. Thanks for your comments. Personally, I want to order it now knowing that it takes nearly a year to get it.
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So I had "the talk" with my wife after our financial planner meeting yesterday who said it was possible, and my wife said she's not sure the counter space is adequate for making meals. She thinks the two stove top burners that are perpendicular to the alley with the hinged cover also might be a problem. I had thought the Lagun table might be a solution for meal prep and eating, but from what I have read, people find the table heavy, not that large, and hard to store. My question is has anyone wished there was more room for meal prep or is that done outside at the picnic table. On the plus side, after reading the R-Pod forum posts and watching review videos, I have convinced her that we don't want an R-Pod. The warranty on the seals on the R-Pod is 90 days! People who buy those swap out the supplied tires, the faucet, and caulk everything immediately. That's not what I want to do.
Have Oliver delivered?
in General Discussion
Posted
I checked with the cost to tow it to Portland, Oregon and it was something like $1.65 per mile which brought it to over $3000 if I recall. I thought no thanks.