HDRider
-
Posts
398 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
2
Posts posted by HDRider
-
-
This will be my first Oliver winter. I want to use the camper through the winter to visit warmer climes.
Does an Oliver need to be winterized if it is plugged into shore power and the furnace is on?
-
Welcome to the Oliver family.
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, MobileJoy said:
Hopefully the remote did the trick, and there is nothing wrong with your unit.
I'll be able to tell after our next trip.
It seems most humid in the cabin a few hours before we start out day
I went out and fiddled with the remote. It seems like a big difference than just using the control panel.
Is using "Auto" on the CP about the same as putting it on dehumidify on the remote?
-
Thanks @MobileJoy
I just got my Oliver. The dummy I am, I did not even know I had a remote for the AC.
I have been fighting with the AC. It does not seem to dehumidify right. I will see if I can tune it using the remote. I have been trying to do everything with the control panel on the wall.
-
10 hours ago, Steph and Dud B said:
Airstream quality has slipped since Thor bought them out. Can't personally say if that's true or not.)
It is very true
-
4 hours ago, Cameron said:
It might be interesting to consider the Airstream model. Airstream is one of the biggest competitors to the Ollie. They don't sell from the factory. They do have independently owned authorized dealers who only sell Airstreams.
We gave strong consideration to AS. It was like visiting a used car lot.
-
4
-
-
We are going to DeGray State park tomorrow. The heat has relented so it is time to move around again.
https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/parks/degray-lake-resort-state-park
We are planning a trip to Maine this year. What is the latest possible date you would advise we visit?
-
1
-
-
What is the number one thing that most RV buyers (not Oliver buyers) complain about?
When I was doing my research it was "dealer support". A close second was build quality. Oliver will be a standout if they can overcome the bad dealer experience.
-
6
-
-
More from the same link
In addition to the dealer network, Oliver is also expanding its manufacturing capacity. The company is investing in new equipment and facilities to increase its production output. This will allow Oliver to meet the growing demand for its travel trailers.
“We are excited about the future of Oliver Travel Trailers,” said Oliver. “We believe that this dealer network and our investment in manufacturing will help us to continue to grow and succeed.”
-
I guess the questionnaire to us was only perfunctory.
The article from August 24, 2023
“We are excited to embark on this new chapter and expand our reach through our Dealership Program,” said Scott Oliver, CEO of Oliver Travel Trailers. “We believe that this is the best way to ensure that our customers have a positive experience with our products and services.”
The dealer network is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year. In the meantime, Oliver is accepting applications from qualified dealers.
https://www.rvtravel.com/oliver-travel-trailers-establish-dealer-network-1119b/
-
1
-
-
3 hours ago, MAX Burner said:
Do like what @Geronimo John does (which I will also do) and digitize those OTT manuals so you can read them from your iPhone, laptop, or pad... That way, you can read them anytime - anywhere, not just sitting in your new Oliver...
They gave me a USB drive with soft copies.
-
3
-
-
35 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:
I recommend Sriracha
Funny. I just made a batch of garlic Sriracha
-
2
-
1
-
-
We picked our Oliver up in Hohenwald on August 9. It was a dark and stormy night. Actually both nights and the day was rainy. That is my excuse for not posting pictures on the day we picked it up. The real reason was simple anxiety about the overwhelming amount of info pointed at me during the trailer handoff. Another reason is my wife is camera avoidant if she does not have ample prep time. 😉
Anyway, a friend installed a 30 amp outlet yesterday so now I can go hide in Ollie as I study the components. It is hot here right now and having the AC on is a must.
I contracted for a simple cover due within a few weeks to shade the trailer.
We really need to name the trailer and decide its gender. I do feel like it is a "she". We are noodling on a name.
I fixed the only flaw found so far. The black tank pull wire was not properly placed in the plunger.
The info given to me about the ball height (24") was wrong. I had it at 24" but it was too high. I flipped the hitch and it is about an inch too low (that is a six inch swing considering the hitch had a 3" drop). It ain't bad now, but I think another inch up will be perfect.
I feel comfortable dumping the tanks now. No fuss, no muss. I know how to drain the fresh water tank now after looking everywhere for the valve. The manual sent me on a wild goose chase. It is always the last place you look. 😉
I understand the TV and the phone apps now, (Lithionics Battery, Victron & ProSMART).
I am starting to research the Xantrex Freedom X panel. That should be easy. We did find a typo in table 2 on page 375 of the Optional Features manual. It says the panel functions is described on page 52, when it is really on page 396. I am sure this was because Oliver lifted the info from a Xantrex manual. I am not sure why Oliver supplied all the installation info to me. Maybe someone needs it, but I don't. I just want to know how to use the stuff that Oliver installed.
To be continued. Let me know what I should study next based on your experience.
-
4
-
-
I would love to see Oliver owned and operated dealers and service centers here. Key phrase "Oliver Owned and Operated"
-
5
-
-
Before I bought Oliver I looked at other trailers that did not have a wide dealer network. They certified service centers across the country and enabled that model to work.. That is a good thing.
Another trailer sold through a few select dealers. The story I heard over and over was that every trailer coming was already sold. The manufacturer did not sell direct.
Dealers' emphasis is on selling. Dealers view service as an afterthought, or a necessary evil to sell trailers.
I can see Oliver wanting to sustain a certain volume during this downturn. Using dealers is certainly the first idea one might have to do that. Dealers will push whatever trailer gives them the greatest margin. Oliver will either languish on dealer lots, get even more expensive with dealer margin tacked on, or Oliver will have to lower the cost to dealers to move units.
-
3
-
-
My first reaction was negative. I can't lie. Oliver is very expensive now. Dealers have to make money. The price will go up even more for dealers to make their margin on top of the profit Oliver makes.
Or,,,
Let's not think about the other possibility. Perish the thought.
And even worse than the perished thought, the next thing we will hear is that Warren bought Oliver.
-
1
-
2
-
-
41 minutes ago, Townesw said:
You’ll really like that Duramax / Oliver combination. We started out with a 1500 using the Andersen hitch and running right at max GVWR then switched to the 2500HD and quit using the Andersen. It made traveling so much more comfortable.
Hollar back at me if you’re coming back through Union City some time.
As for that particular dining establishment, we don’t know how they are staying in business.
The truck was in its element. Perfect match. Got about 15 MPG pulling... Get about 19 normally..
I will hollar at you sometime. We are on high alert for trips so let me know if you guys are hitting some cool spots or if you come by my way. We are in Rector (NE) Arkansas.
-
4
-
-
2 minutes ago, Steve Morris said:
Or, fortunately, for those of us who need some white noise to block out loud snorers. 😂
That would be the snorer option.
I just thought it was odd that the fan could not, or would not match the compressor.
-
1
-
-
34 minutes ago, Cameron said:
Another option might be a series of trainings combined with a two day stay at the Oliver campground. The first walkthrough would happen at pick up time and take an hour or more. Then they could have smaller trainings at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on day one and day two of our campground stay. It would be easy for staff to walk over and easy to get the trailer into service if something needs a technician. I remember that no matter how much I tried to prepare with questions and checklists (and I was there for close to 3 hours with Hanna) it was just too much for my brain. It wasn't until I was at the Davy Crockett campground (and other campgrounds far away in the following days) that I really felt I could test out all the bells and whistles. That's when the questions and confusions really started piling up (and the calls to OTT for help).
We did two days at Camp Oliver. I think good documentation and practice are key to overcome info overload. I admit to being nervous risking damage when I don't have confidence in my actions, especially considering the cost of the Ollie.
I wish the dump station at Camp Oliver was better. It is right on the street, and it does not have water. Our first dump was at the Piney campground in Tennessee. We found a bug, and a call to Oliver offered a work around. It is something I can repair myself once we get the part from Oliver.
Two years from now the unfamiliarity will be nothing but a fond memory.
Hanna is great BTW.
-
2
-
-
28 minutes ago, topgun2 said:
Many of these manuals are not produced by Oliver but are supplied to Oliver along with the equipment that is installed.
Certainly to the degree that these manuals are dated doesn't make the learning process any easier.
Some of us learn by "doing", others by repetition, others by detailed explanation and others only by visual means, or by some various combinations of the multitude of learning methods. In my experience, the best teachers constantly search for a way of presenting the information to the student in whatever way works for the student.
Yes, "how training is conducted and measured is a management decision" and at Oliver you get something other than the one hour "walk through" that seems to be the industry norm. No matter - drinking from a fire hose usually doesn't result in quenching thirst.
The three (one thin, two thick) glossy manuals our closer gave us appeared to be Oliver produced manuals. The manuals were "Standard Equipment", "Optional Equipment" and the "Owner's Manual". They were info rich manuals. The indexing could be improved (there is no index).
As time goes by the fact that the walk through was ineffective loses its sting.
I do think Oliver should consider some method (kaizen, mission debrief, red team, etc.) of process improvement to improve the effectiveness of the walkthrough.
-
1
-
-
On 8/3/2023 at 10:15 PM, hgreen said:
When you do the walk-through, have them really go over the inverter and demonstrate running AC, for example, off of the lithium batteries if you are getting that package. Even with owning lots of campers, that part was all new to us. Almost a year later, the lithium package is still a learning curve, lol.
The young lady that did our walk-through was very knowledgeable and thorough. It is an impossible task to retain enough to consider yourself informed. The paper manuals they provide are dated.
I suggested Oliver use subject index cards and have the Oliver agent use the cards and let the customer do the button pushing.
I used to train people on fairly complex tasks and having STEP by STEP instructions are crucial if one expects the user to really learn. Searching a bunch of soft file PDFs is not the answer. Neither is a bunch of short videos. I understand how keeping printed manuals updated would be onerous and expensive.
I know the idea of index cards will not gain traction, so I guess I will open a million tickets. The people at Oliver are wonderful. They truly do care, but how training is conducted and measured is a management decision.
-
2
-
-
That note was a bright spot after a less than thrilling meal at Applebee's. We were on our way home after picking up our new trailer.
The Oliver sure garners attention.
We made it home fine after two days at Camp Hohenwald and a night at Piney campground in Dover, TN. It is part of the Land Between the Lakes in Tennessee and Kentucky.
-
4
-
-
Am I correct thinking one cannot set the AC fan to only run when the compressor is running, like a home unit?
-
23 hours ago, topgun2 said:
In 1423 during the Hundred Year's War, the English defeated the French!
I have no idea of what that means but it certainly is exciting. Delivery day will go by soooooo quickly and you will be getting more information than you can possibly absorb. However, relax, take in what you can, ask questions (the Oliver folks are very patient and understanding). Get a good night's sleep both before and after delivery day. If you've not taken the factory tour, see if you can arrange it to take the tour the day before delivery and take pictures of everything. Enjoy yourself! This IS FUN!
Bill
I was somewhat saddened it wasn't 1492, but I can now take comfort in the English victory. Oh, wait, I do like France.
We did take the factory tour. I'd say it was the final nudge to go with Oliver. Honestly, and I looked hard and really studied RVs, I can't say anyone comes close to Oliver in many respects.
-
3
-
Winterizing
in Mechanical & Technical Tips
Posted
Where do I turn off the water going to the outside shower?
It seems like I should be OK (someone correct me if I am wrong) if I turn off the water to it and drain the water out. I assume I can drain it by simply turning off the outside shower water source and open the shower spigot until no water comes out. Is that right?