Current models, and features and options spreadsheet

[derangedhermit]

I'm a bit confused by the Oliver site. Are there 3 current models (Legacy, Legacy Elite, and Sport) or only two (Legacy Elite and Sport)?

 

There are so many standard features and options and prices. Has anyone put together a spreadsheet to make it easier to compare/contrast the models, and to total up the MSRP given option x, y, and z? Like when you try to decide which version of TurboTax you need, with those little checks in the boxes

[dougi]

I have no spreadsheet but I can tell you some things I feel are important.

 

(1) The difference between the sport and the Legacy is the frame. The Sport frame is made of steel, while the Legacy frame is made of aluminum. The aluminum frame was very important to me because I wanted the lighter weight and no rust. The Sport model is the base entry level trailer and has the fewest options.

 

(2) The difference between the Legacy and the Legacy Elite is simply the option levels. The Elite has more and upgraded options. However, you can add options to the Legacy and delete options from the Elite and could end up with essentially the same trailer.

 

(3) Oliver trailers now come in two sizes, 17 and 22 foot models.

 

Your camping preferences (full hookups or dry camping/ eat out or cook-inside or outside) will tend to determine which options you need. Your desire for space and your tow vehicle will determine which size is best for you.

 

Tell us more about how and how often you plan to use your trailer and we can give your our recommendations and opinions on trailers and options. I have never seen the 22 foot model and it is brand new. I don't think anyone on the board owns a 22 foot model.

 

Each trailer is built according to the needs and desires of each individual Oliver Owner. Oliver is outstanding at working with you to get your trailer built with the equipment and options you want.

[mountainborn]

Well done Doug !

[derangedhermit]

Tell us more about how and how often you plan to use your trailer and we can give your our recommendations and opinions on trailers and options.

 

I am one half of a mid-fifties empty-nest couple of 25 years. My wife loves to travel, and to camp. For years we lived in Europe and for many more years we traveled the world (separately) on business. For the past 10 years or so, my wife has become increasingly affected by a couple of chronic debilitating diseases. She had to stop working in the late 90's. The health situation is unlikely to stabilize, or improve.

 

I will soon be released from my corporate duties in the telecom industry as a cost-saving measure. I am contemplating using the Oliver to "full-time" so my wife can once again travel, and can find more enjoyment, stimulation, and relaxation with a minimum of exertion. We will need to sell our home to economise.

 

We would spend a lot of the time parked near family across the eastern half of the US, visiting, and a lot of time in various mild, pleasant climates in the US, at locations where I can find a couple of needed amenities. I would try to keep generating a little income as we went, to keep a restless mind active.

 

We would much prefer the 22' since I am 6"2 220, and not as flexible as I used to be. I am a little concerned that even the 22' is "too small".

 

We like the design of the Olivers more than anthing else we have seen. My wife spent pleasant time in her youth on a 30+' family sailboat, and the Oliver reminds her of that. We would have to trade vehicles to get a TV for it, since now we have two Honda Pilots (3500 lb tow capacity). (Wait - maybe they could pull in tandem, like train locomotives ) I had hoped to avoid a trade, but maybe it cannot be helped.

 

The only other option we are currently considering is a Sprinter-based Class B,like a "Sportsmobile". It could also be used as a TV if we needed the room, but that's not my preference at this early point.

 

Other family members have owned RVs, and we have enjoyed sharing them, but we have never owned or operated one. I have driven school buses and pulled boats enough in the past so I'm not concerned about learning to drive / pull an RV.

[ScubaRx]

I believe you are on the right track. You are correct in assuming that the Honda may not pull the Oliver well. I have a 2008 Jeep Wrangler (as does Mountainborn) with a similar tow capacity. I find that I am not comfortable with the capabilities of the Jeep. I am having a Tahoe delivered tomorrow and will be "trading" the Jeep. Tali and I have had Yukons in the past and I know what they are like. We feel this vehicle will be the best for us.

 

At your height, you will probably feel the need to stoop in the Oliver 17'. The 22 footer is some 6 inches taller. If you can go thru a standard doorway without feeling like you are going to hit your head, you would probably feel OK in it. It is also wider and (of course) longer. I have seen the only 22 footer that has been built so far and I can attest to how nice it is.

 

Steve

[derangedhermit]

I have seen the only 22 footer that has been built so far and I can attest to how nice it is. I posted some pics that I took at the factory during construction on this forum.

 

Steve

Hi Steve. Yes,I did find and look at each of your pictures - thank you for posting them.

 

I cannot find a floorplan with dimensions for the 22 (or the 17) on the Oliver website. Am I missing something? It's not in the new brochures or spec sheets, or under "floorplan".

 

I did leave something out in my post above. I first looked (online) at Airstreams as well, since I remembered one fondly from my childhood, and they are still appealing to me. I spent some weeks over a couple summers in a small rented Airstream parked by a river.

 

It looks like new lower-spec Airstreams (Safari or Sport lines) are priced in the same general ballpark as Olivers. Given the state of the economy, I would be foolish to not at least consider the potential for a great deal on a new or recent model gently used Airstream, maybe 25' or so. I'll have to look more into a detailed comparison on quality and construction with Oliver, though. I don't know of any others I would consider.

 

Would someone please tell me what "FB" stands for in the RV industry? I see it in model names of different lines. I've ordered a couple of RV "overview" books from Amazon, but in the meantime, thanks for the help.

[technomadia]

Welcome derangedhermit! As a couple full-timing in a 17' Oliver, I can't tell you how happy we have been with it and Oliver! We're anxious to see the new 22', but we're really quite happy with the 17' for our needs and doubt we'll be temped to upgrade anytime soon. (Of course, we're in our mid-30s and previously full timed in a 16' clamshell).

 

 

Chris and I had also looked at the smaller Airstreams - and quite frankly, their quality just isn't what they used to be. And given the financial state of Thor Industries and the terrible customer service we received with our T@b (also owned by Thor), the newer Airstream became quite unappealing. (The older ones are so gosh-darn awesome !)

 

Aside from the very high quality of the Oliver - it was the people at Oliver that made the decision obvious to us. Sure.. things have broken and gone wrong (I suspect they would have with any choice we made) - but the folks at Oliver have gone out of their way to help and make them right. For example, we had to have some repairs made at Camping World a few months back. The service rep there was astounded that Oliver paid for it over the phone themselves - instead of having us pay for it and be reimbursed (which is the norm for RV repairs).

 

When you're full timing.. making sure your *house* is going to be taken care of becomes a very important decision point. It's not like a vacation camper, where if something is delayed getting fixed you put off a camping weekend.

 

- Cherie

[SeaDawg]

Derangedhermit,

You'll find the floorplans in the brochure download, and specs in the specs download on Oliver's website. It takes a little while for the flooplans to load because of the graphics, I guess, on my laptop.

 

"FB" means forward bed or bedroom in most of the industry brochures, as "RB" will mean rear bed, FK forward kitchen, etc. In the Oliver, the bed is always at the rear, unless you do the twin beds, because the entire interior hull is molded in two pieces, as is the exterior. (This makes cleanup so very easy... I use a spray bottle of vinegar windex and a soft cloth, and everything is clean in a matter of minutes.) I understand the new 22 has north-south sleeping, and a queen or king bed, which you taller folks might appreciate, along with the increased headroom. Unfortunately, I've not seen one in person, just photos. Our 17 has 6'1" headroom, a lot for a small trailer, but you'd have to decide on that at 6' 2". Most of the time in the trailer is spent sitting or laying down, after all.

 

Not surprisingly, there are quite a few of us on the forum who looked at Airstreams before we chose our Olivers. Adding to what Cherie said, I don't think anyone in the industry, aside from perhaps a select few manufacturers of high-end motorcoaches can match the Oliver family in customer service and willingness to customize the trailer for your specifications. Other reasons for our choice over the AS were: fiberglass is much easier (and cheaper) to repair than aluminum, ground clearance, the all fiberglass gelcoat interior, and the extreme ease of setup at the campsite. It's very cozy in cold weather, as well. We love to take the trailer off the highways and into the mountains, and although not full-timers, we towed our Oliver over 17,000 miles last year, and loved every mile. It's a very easy tow behind any of our three tow vehicles listed in my signature.

 

Sherry

[derangedhermit]

Cherie, I applaud you and Chris for going your own way early in life. I I was a regular reader of Chris' "boot" magazine. That magazine set some trends in personal technology writing style and format that many others later emulated. It was about as hip as we geeks can get.

 

Sherry, I did find the floorplans in the brochure. I would like to see actual dimensions in the floorplan, like the size of the beds, tables, countertop, bath area, etc. I think the 6'1" ceiling would be fine for vacations for me, but I would tire of it over time with a lot of use. I am right there with you on the ease of cleaning the Oliver offers, since I would be doing most of the housekeeping. I'm not fond of it, but I appreciate a sparkling clean space! And thanks for the "RV 101" acronym tutorial.

[SeaDawg]

DerangedHermit,

You're welcome.

I know a few dimensions you asked for, since so many people who have toured our Oliver had the same questions.

Bed in the 17 is 54 x 75 full size bed. I use full size mattress feather bed, and mattress protector. Queen size sheets & comfortor for extra ease.

Side table, is close to 24 x 24. Each small dinette seat is about the same... 24 x 24. The big dinette table is 54 x something.... about 2.5 feet (never measured it). Big dinette seats are, of course, bigger.... 25 x 54 or so, each.

Shower area (the pan) is about 24 x 24, and is plenty. My husband is a big guy too... I don't know the dimensions of the total bath, and it's curved because of the hulll lines. My husband finds the head room in the shower comparable to the trailer salon, so he can stand up and shower. Actually, we often shower outside, since we boondock a lot, to save grey water tank space... In my parents' old 26 ft Winnie, even I had to sit down to shower, at the great height of 5 ft 4.,,. And I lived in that for one summer in my younger days.

The kitchen counter in the 17 is small, but functional. I use a dishpan and cutting board over the sink to expand prep space at meal time. I don't like packaged food (I'm a farm girl...), and the two burner SMEV stoe is wonderful... best I've ever worked with in an RV. Very hot, fast, and efficient and easy to clean. Our Norcold refrigerator allows me room for 10 to 14 days of food... gracious plenty. Lots of cabinet space, as the full surround affords some very deep overhead cupboards. Every seat has storage beneath, molded inserts to keep that storage clean and separate from the working parts of the trailer below.

 

Everything, I guess, is just bigger in the 22 .... More counter space, bigger bed, north south instead of east west. But, we already own the 17, and it suits us fine. Many happy miles to go....

Sherry

[noneoftheabove]

Cherie: I own a Airstream - 2007 Safari SE/LS - and I agree with you completely when you say that Airstream's are not what they used to be when it comes to quality. But I am very confused by one of your comments - that you were concerned about the financial condition of Thor. How could you possibly be concerned about that when Thor is one of the few companies in this country that is completely debt free and has about 350 million in the bank? It is one of if not the best positioned RV manufacturer to ride out the present difficulties and be very profitable in the future if the RV market ever comes back.

 

Saw the Oliver 22 in Quartzsite. Spent about 2 hours looking and talking to the folks there and was very impressed. I'm a fulltimer and am seriously thinking of dumping the Airstream and getting one. They were supposed to be at a rally a few weeks ago in Johnson City, TX. I was in the area and had hoped to get a chance to look at it again. Unfortunately they didn't make the rally. Am generally heading East now and will likely stop by the factory in a few weeks. Will make a final decision then.

[SeaDawg]

Welcome to the forum, noneoftheabove. Hope you have safe and happy travels as you continue eastward.

 

Buzz on the web is, many analysts agree that Thor is in a unique position to ride these tough days out with their enormous cash reserves, even with their plummeting rv sales. Sadly, Thor posted their first loss in over a decade last week.... However, with competitors' factories closing across the country, Thor's still solid enough to help bail out some of their dealers with multi-million dollar loans.

 

Personally, I don't think either Thor or Oliver owners need to worry about becoming "orphan owners" as has happened to so many others in the last few months. At opposite ends of the spectrum, both companies are diversified and in good positions to ride out the storm. For this, I am grateful, for we have met many of the wonderful people who work for Oliver in their several plants, and are happy for the diversified markets that Oliver serves in travel trailers, mobile homes, and bathtubs/shower systems. The commitment of a small skilled workforce shows in the quality of our little Oliver trailers.

 

Sherry

[bugz]

I must echo the words of others on the list. We own an Oliver Elite and it happens to be the very first trailer we have ever owned. As I have said before, we were not looking to buy a trailer, had never looked at trailers and knew nothing about them in the least. Jim and Evon happened to have some demo models parked on an empty lot near my office and it was complete dumb luck that I even saw them. I didn't even know what they were but something about the shape, color and size drew me over to them and when I stepped inside I just could not believe my eyes. For you Dr. Who fans "It's much bigger inside" It was beautiful and so well made. I told the salesman that it was if I had told someone exactly what I would want in a trailer and they made it just for me. I called my husband right away and made him come look at them. We put a deposit on one that night. We have not had one second of regret in purchasing our trailer so quickly.

 

All of that being said nothing has been as meaningful, surprising and important to me as the quality of the Oliver company. These are GOOD people. We knew we were getting a quality trailer but we had no idea the level of customer service and support we would get as well. It is pretty much unheard of these days. I am sure you will get a nice trailer if you go with Airstream but no way will you get the customer service and support you will get with Oliver.

 

We love that we can tow our very light and sturdy trailer up the side of a mountain if we want to and make our own path

 

Lisa

[technomadia]

While Thor may be in a better position financially than others.. it certainly wasn't our impression that they were on solid footing when we were trying to get customer service from them on the T@b back in July. We were told by several Thor employees that their hours had been drastically cut back due to the economy, and customer service lines only staffed a couple days of the week. It took us over 3 weeks to resolve what should have been a simple problem (getting a castle nut to reaffix the wheel to the axle), and that was only after a local RV repair shop went above and beyond to track down the part needed.

 

Your mileage may vary, of course.. and we only hope that our experience was an isolated one.

 

- Cherie

[noneoftheabove]

Not surprised to hear that Thor plants were closed or had short work weeks. Airstream has been closed for several weeks in the past few months including the entire month of Nov. Although its been mostly the production side the last 2 weeks in Feb everything was closed including the parts department. And Airstream has also had some pretty major layoffs I understand. But for Thor this is not a sign of financial problems - there is no point in building trailers if they can't sell them. And at the moment very few people are buying.

[derangedhermit]

To answer my own question in the original post: I passed some time today creating an Excel sheet comparing the Sport II and the Elite II based on the 2 specification pdf files from the Oliver web site. It contains 250+ rows and contains all the Sport II and Elite II features and options.

 

Most of it is as one would expect. For example: if you start with a Sport II, and add every option package and individual option, you end up with a base model Elite II, with an MSRP around $4000 higher. The Sport II individual options and option packages, taken together, pretty well define the differences between the two.

 

There are some outstanding questions, mostly due to uncertainty about whether slight differences in wording represent a real difference or the marketing people expressing themselves. But they are not significant enough for me to try to resolve immediately. A mildly amusing example: the Elite II is said to have an "oversized" emergency egress window. The Sport II emergency egress window is not listed at being oversized. So I assume the Elite II is for oversized people, but not the Sport II...

[SeaDawg]

Good question. Haven't seen the Sport yet, but the photos I have seen would indicate it probably has the same sized exit window.... Somedays, I feel "oversized", and it's a comfort to know I'd actually fit through the window in an emergency.

Sherry

 

PS From coversations with other owners, it looks like you'd be better off to start with the Elite, and negotiate out the price of the convenience items you don't want, as opposed to going the other direction....

[technomadia]

And Airstream has also had some pretty major layoffs I understand. But for Thor this is not a sign of financial problems - there is no point in building trailers if they can't sell them. And at the moment very few people are buying.

 

There may be good reasons for cutting back on production right now to match demand, but this is a horrible time to cut back on quality, customer service, and support.

 

Last July we experienced Thor's customer service to be in a state of complete disarray.

 

They may be in better shape now, but the lasting impression that they left me with was that Thor was a company I did not want to ever depend on.

 

- Chris