Legacy Elite Owners?

[DavePhelps]

I have been waiting for news on the 18.5' Legacy Elite, but nothing yet on the website. AFAIK, they are in production but I have not been able to find any pictures or hear comments from owners. My wife and I recently looked at a LE2 (thank you Dave G.), we it, but thought it would be a little too large (long) for us, although the interior width and the height were perfect. Early on when the folks at Oliver were planning the smaller Elite's comeback, there was talk of increasing its width and the height to match the Legacy Elite 2. Had this come to pass, I would have money down on this trailer as we speak. As it is, I am a little concerned that the 5" less headroom (6'1") and 5" less width (extrapolated from exterior dimensions) will be a little tight. If there is anyone out there who has been in both trailers who has any insights on how the feel of the two spaces compare, it would be much appreciated. A dedicated trip to the factory would be a great way to compare the two, but it is an expense I would rather put towards buying the actual trailer. So far, there are no owners of the 18.5 Elite out West as far as I can tell. I'm 5'10" tall, and 150 lbs. We are very excited about the Olivers, having looked at many different models out there. They truly stand apart as a well thought out and constructed trailer. We're hoping that the smaller Elite will still be comfortable given its reduced width and height.

Thanks.

Dave

[allenpamela]

Where are you located Dave? We have a 2008 Oliver and live in Crescent City, CA and I think someone still has one in Sacramento. We have no issues with the height; but my husband is 5'8". They are a wonderful little trailer.

 

Pam

[bugeyedriver]

I know many couples who enjoy the pleasure of traveling in some of the smaller fiberglass trailers. They manage to learn how to maneuver together inside and enjoy the ease of maneuvering the small trailer all over the country. Over on the FGRV forum at Fiberglassrv.com you can read of the travels by Norm and Ginny from New Hampshire. They are on the road with their 16' Scamp over half of the year. They have been doing this for over 15 year! It's a mindset . . .

[DavePhelps]

Pam,

I live in Portland, OR. Others have mentioned that they didn't feel too much of a difference in the space. I am beginning to think that one must instinctively adjust to the space that they are in. At 5'-10", I'll have 3" of clearance, probably less in the Bathroom. I think in the end that a factory tour will be necessary unless one of the Elites makes to Oregon somewhere. Very glad to know that yours is working well for you!

 

Bugeyedriver,

I've been watching the FGRV forum for info on the Olivers and FG trailer life in general. I have always enjoyed Norm and Ginny's posts over there and I'm very glad you brought them up because as I recall, Norm is a pretty tall fellow, over 6' if I'm not mistaken. So that they could spend as much time as they do in a small trailer and be comfortable is good for me to remember. We're coming from tent camping so we're used to small, and want to keep it small with our trailer. Like you say it's a mindset. The more I think about it, the more apparent a Factory tour is in the cards for us.

 

Thanks for the thoughts!

Dave

[marsharini]

I would highly encourage a visit to the factory. Definitely worth the time; in fact we spent almost an entire day there talking and touring the factory. Needless to say, after touring the factory there was only one outcome - we pick up our Oliver in early June.

[DavePhelps]

....after touring the factory there was only one outcome.

LOL. I know, how could there be any other?

[trumpetguy]

Dave,

 

My wife and I upgraded from a Casita SD17 to the Elite II last December. It was the best thing we could have done. We loved the Casita, but just got weary of having to move things from place to place on a continual basis. Some would say we carry too much stuff, but that is our style. The Ollie has allowed us to feel at home, with a place for everything.

 

One suggestion. On your way to the Oliver factory for a tour swing near New Orleans. You can rent a 17 foot Casita for $75 a day and get a good feel for how the size works for you. After spending a few days in one you may want to invest in the larger Oliver.

[SeaDawg]

We've had the original Legacy for seven years. My husband is also around 5 ft 10, and the interior height is good. Shower, too. No issues.

The biggest difference I can see for us in the bigger Legacy II and the original Oliver is the bed size and configuration. I would love to have the king sized bed of the bigger new trailer, but the rest of the trailer suits our needs, so we will stay with what we know and love for now.

We have ample storage for what we carry, either in the trailer for everyday use, with the big overhead cabinets, and the drawers and closet, or, in the truck bed for the items we don't want in the trailer, or don't use at every stop.

I hope you will get a chance to take a look at one of the original Olivers in the west. We've taken several trips of 60 days or more, and have been very happy with our Oliver. (Doesn't mean I can't appreciate the larger new ones... they're beautiful. We've seen both the king and twin configs in the new trailer, and they are very, very nice.)

What's true with Oliver is whichever size you pick, the build quality is the same great standard, and the customer service is amazing. We are still welcomed as old friends in Hohenwald, seven years later.

Paul and I are so happy we happened upon Mountainborn's youtube post in the early days. We were about to buy a Casita, but went to visit the factory in Hohenwald in early 2008.. The rest is happy camping history.

Sherry

[DavePhelps]

Thanks Sherry for the encouraging post. That kind of experience is what I have been looking to hear about.

The bed size/configuration, while maybe a bit tight, will be fine for us as I rarely need to get up in the middle of the night, so my wife can take the outside spot. I love the compactness of it all really. Kind of like being in a boat more than a trailer. And of course, the darn thing is built like a boat as well (well, maybe yacht is a better word...!) Love the details and the quality and thoroughness of construction. Just patiently waiting for updates and pictures from Oliver. Hopefully, they will be updating their website soon. Thanks again.

 

trumpetguy, I've been looking to find a local Casita to check out (for size comparison). But I must say I'm feeling better about the smaller Oliver. In the end, the factory tour will make the decision for us. Thanks for your input.

 

Dave

[bugeyedriver]

Dave,

 

The Casita Spirit Deluxe floorplan is very similar to the Legacy Elite. Many of my Casita friends comment on how the fiberglass interior, mirror on the bathroom door, lack of wall between the dinette and bed, and slightly wider isle makes the Ollie "feel" larger on the inside. I attribute it to the magical pixie dust they use at the Oliver factory.

 

Pete

[DavePhelps]

Pete,

all those things you mention about the Casita really make sense to me. One of the many reasons I love the design of the Oliver is that there are no bulkheads or bathrooms stuck in the middle of the trailer which create a strong visual and physical block, making everything seem smaller. Sitting at a dinette with a bathroom wall crammed right next to you is not so cozy. I've been in much larger trailers where this has been a real deal killer for me. Everyone is different but for me the design of the Oliver is tops. Plus that little sprinkle of that Pixie dust doesn't hurt either!

 

Dave