We'd love to own an Oliver...so what about this...?

[TrailKroozr]

First: I hope the "Topic Line" looks OK. I was typing in the blind with nothing being displayed in the Topic Line field.

 

So....Greetings from Boise, Idaho. My wife (Danette) and I wish to upgrade from the current travel trailer we own to something more capable of four-season excursions, as well as better build quality. Friends of ours recently passed through our neck of the woods with their newly-received Oliver, and we were impressed. The Oliver is obviously a beautifully built trailer, so our interests have more to do with the company itself, and warranty issues. If you will, please respond to the following:

 

-- With no real network of dealerships, how are warranty issues addressed? Of course, components such as refrigerators have a separate "manufacturer's warranty", but where would the work be performed? Does Oliver reimburse owners for warranty work performed by RV dealerships? What about frame, chassis and brake issues? This forum must be loaded with owners who have had issues. What are your warranty experiences?

 

-- What are your thoughts/feelings about Oliver's customer service in general?

 

-- Some of you have owned Oliver trailers for several years. Even in hard times, was the Oliver company able to assist you with service and repair issues?

 

-- Owners of the Legacy Elite (single axel): In your opinion, is the counter space adequate? Is the side dinette comfortable/wide enough? Is the sleeping area large enough for two? What would you do to improve the trailer?

 

-- If you purchased an Oliver within the past two years, how long was the time from money down to delivery?

 

Thank you for taking time to respond.

[Rumline]

The only thing I can speak to is time to delivery. We put our deposit down at the beginning of January with a mid-March production start date (because we wanted a later delivery) but the earliest production slot available at that time was mid February. From there it took 10 weeks for the trailer to be built and finish their QC process. So I'd guess you're looking at least at a 15 week wait from the time you put down your deposit and reserve a production slot, unless you get lucky and there's an earlier hole in the schedule that you can jump in.

[roguebooks]

Oliver has six trailers (all new) on their sales lot as of June 25. Four Elite II models and two Elites. No wait time at all.

[routlaw]

Why not just call the Oliver sales people to have most if not all of your questions answered. They always seem very honest and above board to me. Regardless welcome, especially if you decide on an Oliver.

[Overland]

Generally, I don't think anyone has had trouble getting reimbursed for repairs. I think how it's handled depends on the problem and how the owner prefers to deal with it. For example, the buttons on my MaxxAir fan stopped working on our last trip, and I asked Jason if they'd mind just shipping me the circuit board to swap out myself, since I didn't want to bother driving to Hohenwald or dealing with a service center for something that to me was easy to do. He said fine and I had the part in two days along with a box and prepaid label to ship the old one back.

 

We also had a situation on our first trip where our fridge went out and I didn't feel comfortable pulling it out to diagnose, so Oliver reimbursed me taking it to a repair ship where we were.

 

I'd say that the biggest issue in dealing with emergencies is in getting a prompt response. Sometimes it's great, and sometimes everyone is busy and you don't hear back. Or it's the weekend and all you can do is leave a message. But my impression is that things have gotten a bit more chill at the plant over the past 6 months and people aren't as overloaded as they were when we got our trailer. I also get the impression from the forums that overall initial quality has improved - at least I haven't noticed anyone complaining about issues like there was with the 200's.

[Spike]

What are your thoughts/feelings about Oliver’s customer service in general?

 

My experience has, overall, been very good. As far as I know, the company has not yet set up a high-tech way to communicate with its customers like one experiences with bigger companies. Sometimes communication needs to be clarified, or it takes a while to get to the person to whom one needs to speak.

 

However, I have appreciated the personal one-to-one communications I have had with Oliver employees. It has been pleasant to talk over the phone to employees whom I met in person when picking up our Oliver II (June 2017). It was also a bit of a surprise to receive hand-written notes and checks from the company to cover repair costs covered by the warranty.

 

We live in the West--far from the Oliver factory--and it is apparent that the company knows that its former customers are its best salespeople, whether or not they participate in the referral program (as we do). I have had free replacement parts sent to my local RV repair shop with no questions asked. One issue required that I speak to one of the owners, with whom we came to a mutual agreement on its resolution.

 

I would be rather surprised to learn of an Oliver owner who did not have at least one issue to deal with during the warranty period; despite the high quality of its product, issues are likely to arise. All of our issues--rather minor--that were covered by warranty (I think they added up to four) were dealt with to our satisfaction. I think that Oliver anticipates spending a significant amount of money in warranty issues when pricing their pricey product.

 

Other than Oliver's rather clunky system of communication, I--for one--have only good things to say at this point about Oliver's customer service.

[Mike and Carol]

I’ve had repairs done locally and was promptly reimbursed by Oliver. I’ve also just asked for repair parts for things I could do myself and they were promptly shipped. Customer service has been excellent.

 

We ordered in 2015 so I can’t offer a current wait time estimate. As Roguebooks mentions above, they have some available. I’d call Anita or Heather in the sales office for more information. Mike

[KountryKamper]

We have had a couple small problems (switch, water heater board) that I was able to get Oliver to ship me the parts and I replaced them myself. They have always been quick to respond to my questions.

 

It was 8 weeks from when we put down our deposit down before production started. It was 10 weeks for delivery once we entered production. This was last September. I think delivery times have improved since then and they even have some available now.

[John E Davies]

We have had a couple small problems (switch, water heater board) that I was able to get Oliver to ship me the parts and I replaced them myself.

 

This is unusual. I was unable to get them to ship me a board when mine burned out. I was told that I would have to deal with a local shop, to have them work with Suburban directly. The local shop, after my waiting three weeks to get in, diagnosed the bad board, and told me the factory part was going to take up to six weeks to arrive, which in mid-summer is an intolerable wait time. They were ready to install an in-stock aftermarket board at my cost (at 20% over MSRP) plus charge me an additional shop labor fee. I paid for their diagnosis (I had already told them the exact problem) and installed a used board myself.

 

Sometimes things just do not work out. It was no fault at all of Oliver, but the ideal situation for an owner is to be able to visit the factory for service and repairs. They try very hard to accommodate, but the further away you live from TN, the more likely you will encounter predatory RV shops who just want your money.

 

After the warranty period for the appliances, one to two years, you are on your own. I am sure a claim for a significant hull or frame repair would be a major hassle, one best carried out by visiting Hohenwald. I do all my own servicing. I cannot imagine traveling long distances and being tied to shops en-route and paying $100 per hour for the easy stuff like lubrication or winterization. It simply boggles my mind.

 

This is not meant to warn you away from Ollies, they are great trailers, no doubt about it. You just need to be aware of the sometimes frustrating logistical issues you might face. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, it can really simplify things.

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[John E Davies]

Greetings from Boise, Idaho. My wife (Danette) and I wish to upgrade from the current Travel Trailer we own to something more capable of four-season excursions, as well as better build quality.

 

The Ollie is capable of cold weather use, no problem there, but I STRONGLY discourage its use in areas where highly corrosive deicers like magnesium chloride are sprayed on the roads. They will disfigure and wreck your beautiful frame and wheels. Mine gets parked from the time the snow flies until March, when the nasty stuff has been washed away into the ground water. If you have an indoor heated storage area with water and drain, you might be able to keep the frame from corroding, but you won’t stop the cosmetic damage, which occurs within days or hours of exposure to road spray! When traveling, you just can’t rinse it off fast enough to stop the damage, since most outside car washes are closed.

 

If you want to visit the ski areas, you need a four season fiberglass truck camper like a Northern Lite. Your four jacks will turn nasty, but unlike your trailer frame, they are easily refinished or replaced.

 

I do wish the factory advertising mentioned this; “Four Season” can be highly misleading. OTH they don’t show any pictures of an Ollie moving down a winter highway.

 

According to a study funded by the Federal Highway Administration, corrosion costs U.S. businesses an estimated $276 billion each year. It is estimated that the costs associated with corrosion caused by anti-icing chemicals have increased more than tenfold in recent years. A University of Idaho study indicated that the U.S. transportation industry spends more than $23 billion annually addressing the problem. For any company hauling freight, this equates to unacceptable costs for repairs attributed to corrosion and the potential for premature retirement of equipment..

 

http://www.fleetequipmentmag.com/chemical-attack-preventing-corrosion-caused-by-road-de-icers/

 

Good thread: .... http://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/cold-weather-winter-camping-tips/

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[Mainiac]

I have 'hooked up' near the end of February in Maine. That was after cutting a road through two feet of snow with the tractor. 4:30 the next morning we were on our way. We were very comfortable inside when we stopped. But a couple of things we did NOT do, we did not flush the antifreeze from the system, nor did we fill the water tank. We did use the toilet and we flushed with RV antifreeze. We also had a case of bottled water. Everything else was as normal. We were dodging 3 more "NorEasters" as we headed toward the Mason-Dixon Line. Once we were safely into warmer weather (still damn chilly last year), we flushed the lines, filled the tank, and slowed our pace. We were looking for Roses to stop and smell...

[RodgerS]

I don't own an Oliver and have only been on this forum a short time.

 

The owners seem pretty happy, more than other forums I have been on, lots and lots of forums, and I think it fair to make an assumption that you can successfully and happily work through any "questions."

 

I started more from the reverse as I'm planning on buying an off-road truck and was thinking about whether an Oliver would be a good match...as always a combination of experience, technical issues, and judgment. Since I have a hybridized concept of my tour/destination travel plans and I don't plan to commit until 1st quarter 2019, this gives me a bit more time to consider this idea or instead buy a Van and an off-road truck I don't plan to dingy. Being that my wife may only join me occasionally, that confuses the issue a bit.

 

You may wish to look at and visit with the owner of a very slightly new/used Oliver listed for sale in this forum.

[KWRJRPE]

Not yet a travel trailer owner, but plan to purchase in one year upon retirement.  My main considerations are ease of towing, parking, setup, use.  In other words, my thinking large, spacious 5th wheels and slide outs too much handling and increased opportunity for problems.  So, my research has pointed me toward Oliver Legacy Elite II or a moderate size Airstream (26ft or so).  Would appreciate hearing from you experienced travelers.  I have no problem paying extra for less hassle and few problems - my vision for retirement is calmness and relaxation - hope to leave aggravation behind.   Living in the South, AC is important.

[topgun2]

KWR….

 

Since you have a bit of time, I'd suggest that you make arrangements to either visit the factory and/or visit with a current owner so that you can see and touch an Oliver. In addition, I'd read virtually everything I could on this Forum and search for any and all You Tube videos showing Olivers.

 

Good luck in your search!

 

Bill

[KountryKamper]

Not yet a travel trailer owner, but plan to purchase in one year upon retirement. My main considerations are ease of towing, parking, setup, use. In other words, my thinking large, spacious 5th wheels and slide outs too much handling and increased opportunity for problems. So, my research has pointed me toward Oliver Legacy Elite II or a moderate size Airstream (26ft or so). Would appreciate hearing from you experienced travelers. I have no problem paying extra for less hassle and few problems – my vision for retirement is calmness and relaxation – hope to leave aggravation behind. Living in the South, AC is important.

 

If you are not close enough to the factory to make a visit and go on the tour, a good start would be to contact Oliver who will put you in contact with a owner that you can visit with and see a Oliver for yourself.

 

http://olivertraveltrailers.com/see-an-ollie/

[KWRJRPE]

As I research and get closer to pulling the trigger on my first travel trailer, the Oliver Legacy Elite II, I am struggling with upgrades and add-ons.

My tow vehicle will be a 2015 Toyota Tundra, Limited, 5.7L V8, 4WD. I am confident this will pull the trailer but I do not know if the optional Anderson No-Sway Hitch is needed. As a newbie to the travel trailer scene, I have no experience with swaying and bouncing of this trailer in tow. Please offer advice if the Anderson No-Sway Hitch is something I should include. Thus far, I have selected options that potentially add almost $15K to the base price of $53,900 (see attached Excel sheet). I welcome comments and suggestions pertaining to all items on my upgrade "wish list". Will be retiring next year and hope to hit the road shortly after. To minimize aggravation and lessen worry in my retirement, I am willing to purchase upgrades if makes sense to do so. Also, I am looking for recommendations to remove upgrades from my list that do not make sense. For example, I removed the Lagun Table from my wish list after reading a regret about that particular upgrade and the possibility of a folding table being a better option. I am not particularly "handy" so some home-made solutions to avoid upgrades may not be in my bag of tricks. I really do appreciate the videos from you expert trailer folks - almost makes this do-it-yourself stuff look fairly easy and doable.

Pricing-Oliver-Legacy-Elite-II.xlsx

[Raspy]

As I research and get closer to pulling the trigger on my first travel trailer, the Oliver Legacy Elite II, I am struggling with upgrades and add-ons.

 

Why would you shoot your trailer? It's an inanimate object and means you no harm.

[Mike and Carol]

Ken, I understand the trepidation about the decisions you need to make for you trailer purchase. I can’t open your spreadsheet so I’ll just offer some comments in general. You have plenty of truck for a LEII. Some will tell you that an Andersen hitch is not needed and there are those who tow without one and have no issues. I got the Andersen because my initial truck was a Toyota Tacoma. I use it with my Ram now and am still happy with it and the extra margin of error that it provides.

 

Other options we have that I can comment on:

 

-Solar and AGM battery upgrade. Well worth the investment. We boondock about 25% of the time and it sure is nice to have.

-Cell booster. We have ATT unlimited data so our iPhones are hotspots. The cell booster has come in handy.

-Propane quick connects: we have one in the front and use it all the time. I will probably have one added in the back.

 

We like the look of our fiber granite option, but it is a matter of personal taste. The composting toilet and tankless water heater weren’t available for us when we ordered in 2015. Our toilet works fine and dumping isn’t an issue. Our hot water heater is fine.

 

If there are specific options you have questions about list them in your post and I’m sure you’ll get lots of advice! Don’t worry about pulling the trigger (even though it’s an inanimate object!), you’ll have many miles of fun and adventure. Mike

[KWRJRPE]

Added a PDF version of my MS Excel LE II upgrade wish list and welcome opinions regarding items on this list. Seems I have pretty much added all the possible upgrades to my "wish list".

 

Definitely sold on the solar and battery upgrades, cell and WiFi boosters, propane attachments, and upgraded countertops. Now leaning toward Anderson hitch for added safety, unless it introduces unwanted hassle (I am not familiar with how they operate but will certainly research them - forums, YouTube and internet make research so much easier).

Oliver-LE-II-uprade-wish-list.pdf

Pricing-Oliver-Legacy-Elite-II1.xlsx

[Rumline]

My tow vehicle will be a 2015 Toyota Tundra, Limited, 5.7L V8, 4WD. I am confident this will pull the trailer but I do not know if the optional Anderson No-Sway Hitch is needed. As a newbie to the travel trailer scene, I have no experience with swaying and bouncing of this trailer in tow. Please offer advice if the Anderson No-Sway Hitch is something I should include.

According to page 161 of your owner's manual, a weight distribution hitch is required for trailers weighing over 5000 lbs. This is a common restriction for all 1/2 ton trucks so don't feel like your truck is inadequate in any way.

 

Some people believe strongly that manufacturer guidance such as the above is hogwash and just lawyer-ese. I do not subscribe to that theory but you are of course free to reach your own decision.

 

Ollies are pretty well balanced (from my reading here as well as my experience taking mine to a CAT scale) but you still need to ensure you're not exceeding either of your gross axle weight ratings (GAWR) as listed on the sticker in your driver's door jamb. A weight distribution hitch will help with this. The Ollie on its own is unlikely to push you over any limits, but if you also plan to take an ATV or other heavy stuff in the bed of your truck it could quickly become an issue.

[Mike and Carol]

Now leaning toward Anderson hitch for added safety, unless it introduces unwanted hassle (I am not familiar with how they operate but will certainly research them – forums, YouTube and internet make research so much easier).

 

Once you know how to use the Andersen it only adds a minute to the hitching and unhitching process. If you do get it, just ask Jason or whoever does your orientation about it. It’s not a big deal. Mike

[Raspy]

If you are struggling with your decisions about all the options, I suggest taking a break from it for a bit. Your new trailer will be lots of fun for years. Often, if I can't decide on some options, I figure it doesn't matter which way I go.

 

A couple of comments though: I bought mine used and ended up the with options it came with. It was so close to what I would have chosen that it is fine, but I do wish it had the cell phone booster and I'll probably install one. You might consider the upgraded matresses that I think they offer as the stock ones can get a bit hard after a week or two out somewhere. I personally think the Faux granite counter tops aren't worth the cost. They are fiberglass and no more durable than the standard tops. I installed a stainless steel countertop in mine and I love it (you can see pictures in "Modifications to Hull 92). The standard wood tops are nice and so is the standard textured dinette table.

 

The propane quick disconnects are a nice thing. I had to install them on mine. Great for outdoor stoves or a propane firepit. The 30 lb propane tanks are also nice. Reading lights and extra plugs are also very useful.

 

Solar is a wonderful option in some cases, but it's not all rosy. If you need a lot of power while boondocking, fine, but you'll also have to clean them and always park in the sun, instead of the shade. I have a suitcase setup that fits in the closet and I think it will be just fine, at a much lower price. I personally just don't like the idea of more and more stuff on the roof and they cannot be tilted to give maximum performance. Just a thought, as it's a popular option.

 

I have the standard water heater and I'm glad I do. It is simple and reliable. The instant water heater might be better if you wanted longer showers, but that will only work when you have shore tie water and sewer.

 

If you are planning to get the tongue box and you are towing with a pickup, try to make sure you can open the tailgate without interference. One of my pet peeves is not being able to open the tailgate without disconnecting, and that was the way it was on my other trailers. Olivers have very long tongues and it is really nice to be able to open the gate anytime.

 

Mine came with an Anderson hitch and I've never used it. I tow with a full size Ram and it is completely stable. You may feel you need it for peace-of-mind, or for towing with a lighter vehicle, so make up your own mind. I think it's a waste of money for a full sized truck. There have even been cases where trucks had issues with the stability system when using the Anderson hitch and Anderson told them to shut off the stability system in the truck! Others have had the friction system replaced because it gets so noisy and others complain that the ball wears too fast. Unfortunately, the Anderson is the only load leveling hitch that I know of that can fit an Oliver without modifying the forward fiberglass fairing. If you want load leveling, you get a pre-set sway control too. If you want sway control, it's not adjustable. The adjustment is for the load leveling. Your ready to go tongue weight will be around 485 lbs plus what is in the tongue box, if so equiped.

 

I have the four Trojan deep cycle 6 volt batteries and they are very nice. AGMs would probably be even better.

 

I don't have a built in inverter, but I plan to put one in. Meanwhile I carry a 3000 watt one in the truck. It connects with jumper cables to run a compressor, power tools or other heavy loads in an emergency. We use several small cigarette lighter style inverters to charge the phones and the laptops. These are very cheap and efficient, but won't run the microwave. Our DVD player is moody, so I run a player and a Bose speaker off one of the little inverters.

 

Another very handy little add is an 8" deckplate in the front of the propane cover to allow you to simply reach in and turn the tanks off or on. Intalling one in the closet as an access to the sink faucet and shower hose fittings would be nice too, as there is no way to get to them without removing the glued in shampoo rack.

 

I would mention to them, and have them show me when I picked up the trailer, that the trailer batteries charge from the seven pin plug. This has been an ongoing conversation and I've fixed two of them that were wired differently from each other, but neither one charged the trailer batteries. It was brought to Oliver's attention, but you should make sure.

 

Finally, the King bed vs the twins. I wanted the King setup and was a bit disappointed when I found mine with the twins. Now, we both really like the twins. With twins you have a longer hallway and a nice dresser/table. They are fairly wide at 30" and long enough for my 6'3" frame. Getting up in the night does not disturb the other and you might want to go on a trip sometime with someone you don't want to share a bed with.

 

Then just pick the interior and exterior color schemes, the toilet design (we have the standard setup and it's fine), the overhead cabinet material (we have mirror and like it), the cook stove orientation and you're outta here!

 

Have fun!