Mike and Carol

We got the traditional hot water tank because apparently the Truma wasn’t invented yet 🙄 and we’ve been happy with it. Works well on propane and on electric when we have hookups. I clean it out every year or so and have replaced the anode just once. I did have to replace the on/off switch this year. It was a $5 item on Amazon that took 5 minutes to replace. I like the idea of automatic awnings but I think without the support poles they can’t be used when the weather gets breezy. We use a sun screen that slides into the awning frame and then gets staked down with bungees. It is able to withstand quite a bit of wind and is easy and quick to drop if it gets too windy. The hand crank isn’t as exotic as a motor but it has proven to be reliable and durable.

Sometimes a little humor is good. Not every post will be serious and on topic. We have a number of members who like to inject some sarcasm or humor. Not a problem. As long as we don’t get mean, personal or too political we can read, smile and move on. Mike

The composting toilet wasn’t available for us. I can see that it would allow us to stay put longer while off the grid and would be an option I would also seriously consider. We are happy with our traditional set up. The only thing we add to the black tank is a detergent pod and a splash of Calgon water softener. No odor at all. When not in use I add Happy Camper. Mike

Options today are more than they were in 2015. We got solar, inverter, cell booster, 30lb propane and reading lights. We use them all. We camp off the grid more than we thought we would. We also camp year round in all kinds of weather. The solar, inverter and larger propane tanks have come in handy for that. Many of the national parks have campgrounds with no hook ups. Also, we’ve found some spectacular BLM, COE and FS sites off the grid. Mike

I’m on the roof at least several times a year, if I’m washing I start with the roof. Like Sherry, the roof is waxed when the trailer is waxed, a couple of times a year. I wash with the maxxfan cover open to get the area that is covered when it is closed. I check the AC to ensure no varmints have taken up residence up there. I also check the caulking around the fans and vent pipe. Washing includes under the solar panels. I like to raise the front so the rinse water flows off the roof and solar panels. Mike

Oh, I thought it was just me.

Once the Texas State Parks open for campers we will be there, probably just the local parks until this virus situation gets an improvement. We were thinking about heading to southern Colorado and NE Arizona (Payson area) in July and early August. I think Alabama is on the calendar for September. We’ll probably do some Midwest travel before/after the rally. I’m hopeful all this will be possible! Mike

We got this one just before we went to Hohenwald to pick up our trailer. About $40. We haven’t had to use it much, fortunately! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002DQY776/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That does look a bit different. Will be interested in what you find tomorrow. Good info. Mike

The refrigerator fan pulls air up through the vents on the outside of the trailer next to the door. I have a 2016 also, and I rarely turn it on. If it is hot (upper 90s here in TX) I will run it, especially if the sun is shining on the door side of the trailer. It dissipates heat generated by the fridge. Hope this helps! Mike

The short answer for me is yes. If I’m not happy with a product I am not inclined to keep it. There are now over 600 Oliver trailers out there. Periodically, someone posts about not being happy because something was wrong when they picked up their new trailer. So, my unscientific conclusion is that most folks are happy. If they have an issue they get it fixed and then go out an enjoy camping. I’ve been very open about the issues I had, how they were fixed, and the reliability since. It’s our own fault, the majority of owners rave about the quality and durability of their Oliver, and rightly so. Potential buyers then believe that they will receive perfection. If your “unhappy complaining” to “happy camping” ratio is skewed toward the “unhappy complaining” side then maybe it’s time to make a change. The vast majority are happy campers. My $.02. Mike

Yes, they were. From what I see over on Airforums it’s better to buy a used Airstream than a new one. The new ones come from the factory with issues then you’re reliant on your dealer which for some is okay but I see more instances of bad dealer support. Mike

OK, who else is in their league? Certainly not Airstream, a more premium priced trailer. Not any of the sticks and staples trailers. I know Black Series makes nice trailers, but they aren’t problem free upon delivery and depending on the dealer things may or may not get fixed. Bigfoot? I had a black vent pipe leak when I picked up (4 years ago) and had a couple of overhead doors that wouldn’t stay shut plus a short in my solar controller. Support from Oliver was great. Got all fixed locally paid for by Oliver. It’s been 3.5 years and 50K miles and no issues. Here’s my point - there might be some initial issues but the factory is quick to get them resolved and once resolved the trailer remains problem free even after a lot of miles. The long term durability is tough to match by anyone else in the industry. Unfortunately, folks read these forums and hear testimonials from owners and then expect perfection upon delivery. Mike

Well, yesterday was the first day Texas State Parks were open for day use only. We packed up the grill, chairs and a few other items and headed out to South Llano River State Park in Junction, TX. Grilled some lunch by the river and then walked through the campground to ID the best sites for when we’re back to camp. It was a semi-camp day! Mike

There’s some truth to that! We camp in the Fall, Winter and Spring. If we go out in the summer it’s to some place cool. Like others, camping in the teens has not been an issue. It’s a four season trailer. Mike

Good info, thanks Eddie. We thought we might need to stay off the park when we went last September but we were able to get a nice site at Two Medicine Campground. It’s good to know about the National Forest possibilities. BTW, Olivers love being in Montana! Mike

Had I known....! It could have been us in the Target parking lot, some of the supermarket, Target and Walmart stops run together. We stayed at a pleasant campground in the south part of town (Sunrise?). We’re usually park or BLM campers. I wanted to contact a real estate agent but someone in the truck said the winters would be too cold for her! Our Montana week week was pretty good weather.

Last September on our drive from Glacier NP to Yellowstone we stopped overnight in Bozeman for a look around. What a nice place to live! Mike

Josiah, welcome! You’ve got a classic. I think the doors look good but can see that they take up valuable space when open and if they don’t operate smoothly then they do need to go. Ours open down, I don’t know why opening up wouldn’t be just a good if there was a way to hold them up when opened. There are some owners of your generation trailer here, so I’m sure they will jump in to help. Mike

Day use only for now. ☹️ Will open for camping “later”.

You shouldn’t have any smell. I would check to make sure that vent pipe is securely connected to the rest of the plumbing under the sink. Our vent pipe was loose where it attached to the top of the black tank, which resulted in some smells our first couple of months. It was easily repaired. Try sending an email to Jason. I emailed him with a question this week and had a reply in about an hour. Mike

I agree that some of today’s youth fit in the category you describe. However, there are a bunch that don’t. My daughter and husband had an RV before we did. Her idea of fun is working in her large garden. My son and family in Durango spend most of their free time skiing in the winter and hiking and biking during warmer weather. They are looking at purchasing an RV soon. All is not lost!!

Governor Abbott just announced that Texas State Parks will open Monday. Social distance in effect except for family members. Masks must be worn (assuming when away from site). We might have to go visit a local park next week. 😁

I would guess 2,000-3,500 lbs. If the tanks were bigger that weight would need to be added. I would like a bigger Ollie but would not be able to justify much more than $80K.

In addition, sometimes city water will provide too much pressure in which case it’s handy to have a pressure regulator. One may come as an accessory with new Olivers these days. Mike