Keith-n-Jill

We picked up our LE-2 (#1071) back in April. We currently keep it at an outdoor storage facility. The sun beats down on our solar panels, keeping the AGM batteries fully charged. A spot just came up for covered storage. It’s basically an open pole barn with a 14-foot ceiling so there is some daylight—more like shade. There are no 110-volt outlets at the storage facility so we can’t hook up a trickle charger. 1. Given that our Ollie will be under cover three weeks out of the month, should I disconnect the batteries? 2. Will I need to boot up and program the Zamp solar controller every time the batteries are disconnected?

It is absolutely a piece of junk--and potentially dangerous. My son would put chocks under the tires whenever we stopped. Don't use this alone. Fortunately, I bought it from Costco; hopefully, I can return it without any hassles.

I agree--totally misleading. I would like to see that 98 pound young lady in high heels move a 5,000 pound trailer on artificial turf--like that'll happen! I weigh 182 pounds and it took a good amount of muscle to steer that thing. My adult son was helping me and he was also breaking a sweat.

Here is a real-world review of the Trailer Valet XL dolly with the mounting bracket. My plan was to use it move my Ollie on my concrete parking pad, turning it 180 degrees so I could pull it straight out of the driveway instead of backing it out. The pad is very close to level-- a 2.5 percent grade which is minimal—primarily for water drainage. I bought the frame bracket since I didn’t have a lot of faith in using a 2-inch ball connected to the hitch as the only support to move a 5,000 pound trailer. I installed the bracket and torque it according to the instructions. Frankly, it’s a disappointment. It couldn’t move my trailer on a 2.5 percent grade. It’s rated for 10,000 pounds, well under the weight of an LE2. First, the dolly couldn’t get any traction so we put three 50-pound bags of sand on the tongue. The manufacturer recommends using an 18-volt cordless drill. I had two drills on hand; I burned out one of them. The mounting bracket rotated backwards under load. I also have plenty of beautiful skid marks on my concrete. Secondly, this thing is useless on anything other than a perfectly level concrete pad. A 2.5 percent grade isn’t steep. The manufacturer claims that it can handle an incline and it will work on grass or gravel. I have my doubts. Conclusion: I’m sending this one back. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. There are bigger, more robust trailer dollies on the market. I’m willing to spend the money to get one that actually works. If anyone knows of a good dolly that will handle a 2.5 percent grade then please let me know.

We trimmed out our Ollie with Foy Sperring's bodacious mahogany counters and the table top for the dinette. We also got a bunch of the drawer inserts. We ordered almost everything in his catalog. It makes a huge difference.

At last, we have taken delivery of #1071. Watson, the three-legged wonder dog, tagged along for the big adventure. After a night at the Oliver camp grounds, we made our way to Fall Creek Falls State park for a couple of days, then back to home in Atlanta. As total newbies, we're still amazed that we didn't blow up our rig. The best part was pulling the Ollie up our driveway without dragging the concrete.

Greetings to all. We are picking up our brand new LE2 in April. We are newbies and have much to learn. One of our biggest concerns is refrigeration. We've rented RVs in the past and it seems that the fridges on these (abused) rentals are inconsistent at best . Questions: 1. Will the fridge keep food cold while driving down the road? 2. Is it worth the investment of a 12-volt fridge/freezer to keep in the truck? If so, what brand to you recommend?

Dave: I'll let you know. If it works then I'll bring it to the rally in Guntersville so you can play with it. I agree with buying the bundle through Costco. It was about $100 less than buying directly from Trailer Valet. Factor in Costco's refund policy and it's a no-brainer.

I took your advice and purchased the Trailer Valet XL from Costco. I've also ordered the bolt-on frame bracket since it appears to be sturdier than the ball mount. We're picking up our LE-2 in April. I have indoor storage in what is essentially an aircraft hangar with a level concrete floor. I can pull my truck within ten feet of my parking spot. I just need this thing to move the Ollie the rest of the way. I'll post a progress report with pics and video.

Here is a possible game changer for the Trailer Valet. They now offer a mounting bracket that bolts to the frame. From the pics it appears to be more stable than just using the ball.

For what it's worth, we stayed at a nice Airbnb loft/apartment that my wife found in Mt. Pleasant, about 24 miles east of Hohenwald. There are some good restaurants, a coffee shop downstairs--and the town looks like it's out of a Hallmark movie. Here is a link if needed: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/29821566?source_impression_id=p3_1636060214_pcwrkn01so5nwryl&guests=1&adults=1

Wow. I just purchased a new 2021 Tundra last week. I'm sticking a fire extinguisher under the seat today.

UPDATE: We purchased a 2021 Toyota Tundra 4X4, 5.7 V8. I found a dealer (AutoNation) that did not add a "market adjustment fee" or charge $5,000 for floor mats. I never thought that we would pay sticker price for a vehicle and feel like we negotiated a good deal. This is the last of the Mohicans. Toyota is ending V8 production and the engine is known for reliability. Gas mileage isn't the greatest but there are always tradeoffs. I would love a diesel TV (any make) but there are none to be found on the dealer lots. We are living in strange times. Anyway, this is our first TV and RV. We have much to learn. We thank you all for your advice and guidance.

I agree. There are more than a few Ollie owners who happen to be excellent photographers--plenty of great images to choose from. Thanks! I'll do it.

Maybe the folks at Oliver could produce a photo calendar featuring the fine photography of Ollie owners? I believe that everyone on this forum would want one. It would also make a great marketing tool. I slapped this together in Photoshop as an idea.

A big thanks for Foy & Mirna Sperring for hosting the rally in Jacksonville. I've posted some pics for your viewing pleasure. We've ordered our LE-2 with an expected delivery date of next April. Jill and I appreciate all of you folks who showed us your Ollies and gave us advice. We have much to learn. . .

You can't make this up. The sales guy at the dealer had emailed me the sticker on a 2021 Tundra: about $49K which included the dealer prep BS fees. I figured that if I had to pay sticker price then I would bite the bullet and buy the thing. Anyway, I get to the dealership this morning. The sales guy pulls out his paperwork. They had added a $5,000 "Dealer Markup" as a nice little line item. I reminded him what he said about "coming off of the sticker price a bit" to have it sold before arrival. He offered to throw in floor mats. I walked out. I've bought from Marietta Toyota before. They will never get my business again.

We've owned Toyotas over the years and loved every one. We ran them into the ground--logging well over 100K miles--and they just keep on going. Not too fancy but we like that bullet proof reliability. If we get this Tundra then it will stay in the family. My son is ready to take it when we're done with it.

Trainman: I'm with you on that one. My father-in-law has the Ram 1500 Hemi and he loves it; nicest interior of any truck that I've come across. I dig the Ram and I love the Hemi. . . but my bride doesn't like the looks of the grill. She thinks the Toyota is "cute." If the wife ain't happy then nobody's happy. . .

I'll typically keep a vehicle for a minimum of 80K miles before buying the next new automobile. Odds are that I'll keep this one for a while or pass it to my son. Let's face it--automobiles are a losing proposition. The big question is how badly you're getting screwed by the dealer. Due to the chip shortage, we are in a strange market. Used, three year old Tundras (out of warranty) are on the dealer lots priced about 12% below the sticker price of brand-new 2021 Tundras. New trucks are selling above sticker price with thousands added in dealer fees and useless dealer installed options. It's the same with any other truck brand. Ford and GM have storage lots full of 2021 trucks that were manufactured months ago waiting for chips to arrive from Taiwan. It appears that the chip shortage may last another year. Demand outstrips supply. I don't expect prices to drop substantially in the next six months.

Yep. I'm shocked that used vehicle prices are close to new. Lately, some dealers are advertising year-end sales. They're still marking up vehicles with a few thousand dollars then knocking off a few hundred. I hate buying cars. . .

I'm now looking at the last of the 2021 Toyota Tundras. Specifically, a 4x4 Double Cab SR5 5.7L V8. It's tricked out nicely; tow package, bed liner, etc. My bride likes the color and we've always had good luck with Toyotas. It's scheduled to be delivered to the dealer at the end of October. The sales guy claims that he will "come off of the sticker price a bit" to have it sold before arrival. This will be among the last of the 2021's to roll off of the line. It seems attractive, given the short supply of trucks and crazy-stupid markups among all of the dealers. Any thoughts?

I've always been a sucker for Italian cars. I know of the Alfasud. The flat four with fuel injection was a big deal at that time. Now, we have a 1971 Fiat 500 in our garage. Two cylinders, 24 horsepower, 9 feet from bumper to bumper at 1,100 lbs. You can't get a WDH for one of these either. The parts falling off of it are among the finest in Italian engineering. Anyway, it's more reliable than any Alfa I've ever owned.

Years ago, I was stupid enough to own--not just one--but two Alfa Romeos. Why two? You need one to drive while the other is in the repair shop. I still lust after those cars. Someone please kick me hard if I'm ever tempted to do that again.

Thanks for the info. Wow, I had no idea that Titan market share was that small. Alfa Romeo sells more cars in the US than the Titan brand. I'm stunned.