elite 2 The wait

[Jason Foster]

After several unsuccessful camper trailers and the nightmare that went along with the experience, we finally decided to order an Oliver.  We made friends with an owner of an Oliver in a National Forest campground in Texas after seeing LE2 in person.  Ours is now on order, due December 19.  I have no idea what hull number it will be but we are certainly excited to get it.  The wait, however, is a bit irritating since this is our time of year to camp.  It will come soon enough.  We hope the wait will be worth it.  *Fingers crossed*

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Jason, congratulations and welcome to this benign cult of enthusiasm!

[Mike and Carol]

It was worth it for us.  Lots of miles on our old Oliver at this point.  Lots more to go!  Congratulations….  Mike

[ScubaRx]

First off, let me welcome you to the forum and tell you something you probably already know. You have chosen the best fiberglass trailer that has ever been built. You should get many trouble free years of use out of it.

This won't make your wait any shorter or any easier, but just a year or so ago the wait for an Oliver was over 12 months. The wait for an Escape trailer was 26 months and the only price guarantee they would make was that it would be several thousand more than it was the day you ordered it. They could not give you a final price on order day. Besides all that, when it was all said and done, you still only ended up with an Escape travel trailer. Not even a second choice for most of us.

These next two months will go by so fast you won't believe it.

[Jason Foster]

34 minutes ago, ScubaRx said:

First off, let me welcome you to the forum and tell you something you probably already know. You have chosen the best fiberglass trailer that has ever been built. You should get many trouble free years of use out of it.

This won't make your wait any shorter or any easier, but just a year or so ago the wait for an Oliver was over 12 months. The wait for an Escape trailer was 26 months and the only price guarantee they would make was that it would be several thousand more than it was the day you ordered it. They could not give you a final price on order day. Besides all that, when it was all said and done, you still only ended up with an Escape travel trailer. Not even a second choice for most of us.

These next two months will go by so fast you won't believe it.

Before we saw the Oliver, we were committed to purchasing an Airstream Globetrotter.  We went so far as to visit a showroom in Fort Worth, picked it out and settled on the trade value for our old camper.  The dealership turned out to be some of the biggest crooks I have ever had the displeasure of talking to.  While we were still grumbling about that, we saw an Oliver for the first time.  Our impression was that the build quality was exactly what we were looking for; However, it had a few negatives.  First, it was small.  This was good and bad.  We all know the tradeoffs here.  The other was that Oliver didn't take trade-ins.  This last one was a hard pill to swallow.  We are still trying to sell our other one. 

I am fairly confident that the Oliver will be the last camper we will ever buy.  We are fairly young so that is a bold statement.  We got almost all of the options including the full Truma upgrade and the Lithium Pro package.  It was expensive but cheaper than that ridiculous Airstream would have been after it was all said and done.

  

[SeaDawg]

28 minutes ago, Jason Foster said:

am fairly confident that the Oliver will be the last camper we will ever buy.  We are fairly young so that is a bold statement

We didn't make that "bold" statement in January,  2008, but we've been of that mind ever since pickup on February,  2008.

Happy camping. Looking forward to seeing your photos,  and reading about your adventures!

[Shawna and Scott]

Welcome and Congratulations !!!

We had a 9 month wait to pick ours up!! As many will tell you this forum is full of information. It has been a big help to us as "discovery" visits places closer to home for now.  Read, ask questions, watch the videos during your wait.

Safe Travels!!

 

[Ollie-Haus]

10 hours ago, Jason Foster said:

Before we saw the Oliver, we were committed to purchasing an Airstream Globetrotter.  We went so far as to visit a showroom in Fort Worth, picked it out and settled on the trade value for our old camper.  The dealership turned out to be some of the biggest crooks I have ever had the displeasure of talking to.  While we were still grumbling about that, we saw an Oliver for the first time.  Our impression was that the build quality was exactly what we were looking for; However, it had a few negatives.  First, it was small.  This was good and bad.  We all know the tradeoffs here.  The other was that Oliver didn't take trade-ins.  This last one was a hard pill to swallow.  We are still trying to sell our other one. 

I am fairly confident that the Oliver will be the last camper we will ever buy.  We are fairly young so that is a bold statement.  We got almost all of the options including the full Truma upgrade and the Lithium Pro package.  It was expensive but cheaper than that ridiculous Airstream would have been after it was all said and done.

  

welcome to the family. I'm sure you will be pleased with your experience with Oliver the company and the camper they are building for YOU! That's the hardest thing to realize when going through this process, that you placed and order for a camper and Oliver has your name on it from the moment you sign your agreement, and that lasts for as long as you own your Oliver. This is hard to grasp especially if you've had multiple poor experiences with campers and dealers in the past. Either unfortunately or fortunately most Oliver owners have had many of the same experiences, or know of them first hand, and that's why they are now Oliver owners. They didn't give up on camping and their dreams, they just figured out the best way to make it a rewarding experience. 

BTW, if you have paid your initial installment and they have you on the build schedule, you have a VIN and a Hull number. Ask your sales rep to get that information for you. We worked through Josh White and he forwarded those numbers to us as soon as we were added to the build schedule. This is useful as you can get insurance quotes and other important information if you have the VIN. 

It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment come delivery day. Just try to stay focused, there's actually much to do now until that date arrives. And go in knowing that these are still built by people trying to keep up with a production schedule. Mistakes happen and flaws get missed during QC processes. Oliver will make anything that needs attention right, and you will be their priority when you are there to pick up your camper. Try to allow time in your schedule to go through a good shakedown while in Tennessee. And anything that is found later is still important to them. Also remember its a high quality camper but they still have to rely on the quality control of their suppliers. Things still break. Oliver will help make it right if it does. Congratulations and enjoy the experience. It's unique to the industry just as the camper is unique in every way. Make sure to sign up for the owners rally in mid May. It's a great experience and you will make a lot of friends. 

 

[topgun2]

Jason - 

I'll add my "welcome" to this growing list.

Yes, you have bought a camper.  But, you have also "bought" a company that is more than likely actually different from any other company you have dealt with in the past.  So many companies simply give lip service to things like quality and customer service but if your experience is like mine - that is all it is, "lip service".  Yes, Oliver is not perfect.  But, they will do what they say they are going to do, when they say they are going to do it.  And, they will keep at it until any "problem" they created is fixed - not with a Band-Aid but actually fixed.

The next couple of months is actually a very short time.  You have a bunch to do.  It is very helpful that you appear to be experienced campers with an RV.  But, while the basic systems in an Oliver are much like those in other campers, there are nuances that are different enough that knowing about them prior to taking delivery should make your early experiences much easier.  This Forum and the Oliver University are your friends and you should make yourself very familiar with them prior to delivery.

We are here to help you!  Just shout.

Bill

[HDRider]

12 hours ago, Jason Foster said:

Before we saw the Oliver, we were committed to purchasing an Airstream Globetrotter.  We went so far as to visit a showroom in Fort Worth, picked it out and settled on the trade value for our old camper.  The dealership turned out to be some of the biggest crooks I have ever had the displeasure of talking to.  While we were still grumbling about that, we saw an Oliver for the first time.  Our impression was that the build quality was exactly what we were looking for; However, it had a few negatives.  First, it was small.  This was good and bad.  We all know the tradeoffs here.  The other was that Oliver didn't take trade-ins.  This last one was a hard pill to swallow.  We are still trying to sell our other one. 

I am fairly confident that the Oliver will be the last camper we will ever buy.  We are fairly young so that is a bold statement.  We got almost all of the options including the full Truma upgrade and the Lithium Pro package.  It was expensive but cheaper than that ridiculous Airstream would have been after it was all said and done.

  

First, Congrats

Second, Welcome

 

Your story sounds a lot like ours

[Rivernerd]

2 hours ago, Ollie-Haus said:

It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment come delivery day. Just try to stay focused, there's actually much to do now until that date arrives.

You will received training on all of the systems in the trailer the day you take delivery.  Although excellent, it is like "drinking from a fire hose."  To get better prepared to absorb all of that important information, review all of the videos available online in Oliver University in the meantime, until you could "teach the class." 

Also, plan to spend at least 3 days after pickup inspecting the trailer and testing all of the systems.  We live in Idaho, so we spent 3 days at David Crockett State Park (had to do that, as my middle name is Crockett) thoroughly inspecting and testing everything we could before beginning the return trip to the West.  We found a few defects, which the Oliver Service Department jumped on immediately after we arrived back in Hohenwald.  We considered their response exemplary.

We took delivery on our Elite II exactly one year ago today, November 10, 2022.  The Oliver Service Department has honored the 1-year warranty better than any company with whom I have ever dealt.  And, although after expiration of the warranty Oliver is no longer responsible to pay for parts or labor, they will still provide valuable advice in response to a service ticket.  I have particularly high regard for Jason Essary, Oliver's Service Manager.

[MAX Burner]

Jason:

Good morning, welcome, and CONGRATS on your decision to join the Oliver Family.  Not using the term, "family" lightly, you'll learn and experience that owning an OTT opens up a true "family-oriented community" to you and your spouse.  

IMO, Oliver Owners are a wonderful group of consumers with a long laundry list of common behaviors, attitudes, expertise, and above all - the love of seeing our country from what you refer to as a small (we call it "cozy") camper.  Many enjoy that view from a commercial campground, Harvest Host site, a USFS area, or a non-designated public land boondocking location.  At the end of the day, it doesn't matter, as every Oliver Owner has their own and unique style/interest in "camping mode" - but we typically all come together and make new friends, share experiences, work out challenges, fix systems, and modify our trailers through these Forums.  As noted above, don't be shy, ask questions, use the Oliver University link often, and expect that "The Wait" over these next two months will fly-by at Mach speeds.

We all look forward to hearing about your "pick-up day" experiences and the many "Oliver Travels" you'll log in the future.

Cheers,

A & D

[Mike and Carol]

14 hours ago, Jason Foster said:

However, it had a few negatives.  First, it was small.  This was good and bad.  We all know the tradeoffs here.  

This is very true.  The size of our Olivers can be a positive - it tows effortlessly and is very well behaved.  If the truck fits through, so will the trailer.  Smaller campsite?  No problem.  Tight turn to get in?  No problem.  Tight gas station?  Less of a problem.  Extended rainy weather?  Now we’re talking a negative.  We’ve been cooped up inside for a few days and it can be frustrating.  Fortunately those times get greatly outweighed by the non-rainy days.  Also, for cold weather camping we’ve been very happy with our Clam and firepit, as do others.  We can sit outside in cold weather with the firepit in the Clam and enjoy some room to spread out a bit.  Mike

[Geronimo John]

6 hours ago, Ollie-Haus said:

Try to allow time in your schedule to go through a good shakedown while in Tennessee.

...It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment come delivery day. Just try to stay focused

Being prepared for picking up your new OTT is essential.  This starts with being here on the Owner's Forum.  Learning all you can from the videos and other owners' suggestions on their visits.  One checklist from such experience was very extensive and worth having a copy of in hand.  Search the forum for any topic you can think of and likely you'll find more than a few excellent responses.

4 hours ago, Rivernerd said:

You will received training on all of the systems in the trailer the day you take delivery.  Although excellent, it is like "drinking from a fire hose."  To get better prepared to absorb all of that important information, review all of the videos available online in Oliver University in the meantime, until you could "teach the class." 

Also, plan to spend at least 3 days after pickup inspecting the trailer and testing all of the systems. 

Rivernerd's statements above are GOLDEN:  As a senior Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Engineer I had an advantage on pick-up day.  Our acceptance process inside their Sales Building took most of the day as I generated many scores of questions in depth on how the systems worked and were interconnected.  Our Ollie is a 2018, and is a simpleton compared to the electronics and systems integration of the new ones.  It for sure pales in comparison.  So "Drinking From A Fire Hose" today is a huge understatement. 

I recommend that you down load and study all the owner's manuals, equipment installation and user manuals, and watch all those videos "Until you could "teach the class" as Ralph has indicated.  

There is zero exaggeration in his suggestion of allocating three days for your acceptance process. In fact, I would call it three full days!  One for the process, and two more camping and using ALL the systems of your OE2.  While camping off site, write down every possible question you both even think about.  Then go back to the Mother Ship armed with that list.  

If you live a far distance from the Mother Ship, I recommend that you schedule your visit on a Monday or Tuesday.  This would give you the three days ending up before Friday thereby maximizing your ability to call or revisit at the factory.  It also gives OTT time to for any adjustments or warranty topics to be addressed while you are in town. 

Since you refer to "We" in your post, I strongly recommend that both of you go to get your new Ollie.  Since schedules of a couple may vary, if you are a long distance traveler to the Mother Ship, you may want to bring two vehicles just in case it is necessary to stay  for any reason.  If on the other hand, both of you have flexibility then traveling together is for sure best.

Finally, know that between the unbelievable knowledge and experiences of the OTT camper owners, the quality of the OTT product, and their amazing staff across the board; you have made a great decision.  And every purchase comes with a lifetime warranty for asking and getting answers to questions!

“Laissez les bons temps rouler”

Geronimo John   

 

 

[tallmandan]

Just joining in to say welcome!  Your decision and your wait will most definitely be worth it!

In the Summer of 2020, my wife and I were barely enduring a Colorado hailstorm in our pop-up trailer and decided it was time to upgrade.  As I researched RV options, I found reports and stories of problems after problems.  One of the guys I talked to said he wished he had just paid the money and waited for an Oliver.  I said "what's an Oliver" and that was the begining for us.  In a near-miracle, a 1-year old Oliver showed-up for sale in Denver.  We bought it and have enjoyed it very much even though we only have time for  shorter trips each season (still working full time).  For us, the size is just right because it can fit in the National Park and National Forest campgrounds for boondocking, yet we have all the comforts in amazing, remote places without ever needing hookups.  We've taken it to Canyonlands, Arches, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Custer SP, Badlands, Gunnison Gorge, Great Sand Dunes and Rocky Mt National Parks in addition to numerous tucked-away, awesome national forest campgrounds.  Absolutely no regrets in buying it and look forward to adventures with it for years to come.

Maybe use the wait time to research and plan cool new places to take your Ollie 🙂

[Jason Foster]

16 hours ago, Ollie-Haus said:

welcome to the family. I'm sure you will be pleased with your experience with Oliver the company and the camper they are building for YOU! That's the hardest thing to realize when going through this process, that you placed and order for a camper and Oliver has your name on it from the moment you sign your agreement, and that lasts for as long as you own your Oliver. This is hard to grasp especially if you've had multiple poor experiences with campers and dealers in the past. Either unfortunately or fortunately most Oliver owners have had many of the same experiences, or know of them first hand, and that's why they are now Oliver owners. They didn't give up on camping and their dreams, they just figured out the best way to make it a rewarding experience. 

BTW, if you have paid your initial installment and they have you on the build schedule, you have a VIN and a Hull number. Ask your sales rep to get that information for you. We worked through Josh White and he forwarded those numbers to us as soon as we were added to the build schedule. This is useful as you can get insurance quotes and other important information if you have the VIN. 

It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment come delivery day. Just try to stay focused, there's actually much to do now until that date arrives. And go in knowing that these are still built by people trying to keep up with a production schedule. Mistakes happen and flaws get missed during QC processes. Oliver will make anything that needs attention right, and you will be their priority when you are there to pick up your camper. Try to allow time in your schedule to go through a good shakedown while in Tennessee. And anything that is found later is still important to them. Also remember its a high quality camper but they still have to rely on the quality control of their suppliers. Things still break. Oliver will help make it right if it does. Congratulations and enjoy the experience. It's unique to the industry just as the camper is unique in every way. Make sure to sign up for the owners rally in mid May. It's a great experience and you will make a lot of friends. 

 

Thanks for the tips and warm welcome.  I will definitely get in touch with my sales rep.  In my case it was Chase Inman, but it looks like he handed me off to Josh since the last few emails I received were from him.  Chase's wife is sick so I'm sure he has his hands full.  I planned to spend at least one night at the Oliver shakedown CG, though I took the entire week off, so I have the option of staying longer if needed.  I'm not a newbie to camping, so I'm aware that even with the incredible build quality that goes into an Oliver, it is still a complex beast full of outsourced equipment.  I am hoping this will be an amazing experience for me and my wife, but I'm going into this with a headlight and wrenches on standby. 

[Jason Foster]

15 hours ago, topgun2 said:

Jason - 

I'll add my "welcome" to this growing list.

Yes, you have bought a camper.  But, you have also "bought" a company that is more than likely actually different from any other company you have dealt with in the past.  So many companies simply give lip service to things like quality and customer service but if your experience is like mine - that is all it is, "lip service".  Yes, Oliver is not perfect.  But, they will do what they say they are going to do, when they say they are going to do it.  And, they will keep at it until any "problem" they created is fixed - not with a Band-Aid but actually fixed.

The next couple of months is actually a very short time.  You have a bunch to do.  It is very helpful that you appear to be experienced campers with an RV.  But, while the basic systems in an Oliver are much like those in other campers, there are nuances that are different enough that knowing about them prior to taking delivery should make your early experiences much easier.  This Forum and the Oliver University are your friends and you should make yourself very familiar with them prior to delivery.

We are here to help you!  Just shout.

Bill

Thanks, and yes, I am experienced.  Not only with campers, RVs in general but backpacking.  I would consider myself the intrepid outdoors enthusiast who generally gets so caught up in work I have to remind myself to get out of the house.  To be honest, I'm not sure why I got so caught up in Oliver that I threw a lot of cash at them.  Perhaps I recognized the quality when I saw it.  Maybe it was the massive number of positive reviews.  It could be the trail of worthless campers and RVs littering the highway of my past.  Maybe I'm just crazy.  Whatever it is, I am planning to enjoy this.  In fact, I already have.  This forum and Oliver University, as you have said, is quickly becoming my friend and a source of great knowledge.  I have already watched almost every video I can find.  Some, I have watched multiple times.  Now I am delving into the forums.  Great stuff here.  Thanks for the welcome.

[Jason Foster]

15 hours ago, HDRider said:

First, Congrats

Second, Welcome

 

Your story sounds a lot like ours

Thanks for the welcome.  It is sad that this story should not happen to anyone.  Though some call the Oliver an egg, I have a lemon sitting outside my house right now that I will have trouble selling.  I will more than likely sell it at a loss just to see it get out of my life.

[Jason Foster]

15 hours ago, Rivernerd said:

we spent 3 days at David Crockett State Park (had to do that, as my middle name is Crockett)

Lol.  Sounds like something I would do.

[Jason Foster]

13 hours ago, MAX Burner said:

Not using the term, "family" lightly, you'll learn and experience that owning an OTT opens up a true "family-oriented community" to you and your spouse.  

IMO, Oliver Owners are a wonderful group of consumers with a long laundry list of common behaviors, attitudes, expertise, and above all - the love of seeing our country from what you refer to as a small (we call it "cozy") camper.  Many enjoy that view from a commercial campground, Harvest Host site, a USFS area, or a non-designated public land boondocking location.  At the end of the day, it doesn't matter, as every Oliver Owner has their own and unique style/interest in "camping mode" - but we typically all come together and make new friends, share experiences, work out challenges, fix systems, and modify our trailers through these Forums.  

The "family experience" is definitely up my wife's alley.  She is an incredibly outgoing people person.  I, however, am opposite of that in many ways.   Regardless, we camp because of nature.  We enjoy peace and quiet, long walks in the woods, and the occasional Shiner Bock fireside with friends.  If you ever met us in person, you would remember my wife and our crazy little dog and maybe the quiet guy sipping his beer at the edge of the fire ring.  Happy trails.

[Jason Foster]

13 hours ago, Mike and Carol said:

This is very true.  The size of our Olivers can be a positive - it tows effortlessly and is very well behaved.  If the truck fits through, so will the trailer.  Smaller campsite?  No problem.  Tight turn to get in?  No problem.  Tight gas station?  Less of a problem.  Extended rainy weather?  Now we’re talking a negative.  We’ve been cooped up inside for a few days and it can be frustrating.  Fortunately those times get greatly outweighed by the non-rainy days.  Also, for cold weather camping we’ve been very happy with our Clam and firepit, as do others.  We can sit outside in cold weather with the firepit in the Clam and enjoy some room to spread out a bit.  Mike

You hit the nail on the head.  I absolutely believe the positives will outweigh the negatives when it comes to its size.  We love to disperse camp in hard to get to places and I think the Oliver will be useful in that regard.  We don't spend much time indoors, so the size shouldn't matter much in the long run.

[Jason Foster]

10 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

I recommend that you down load and study all the owner's manuals, equipment installation and user manuals, and watch all those videos "Until you could "teach the class" as Ralph has indicated.  

If you live a far distance from the Mother Ship, I recommend that you schedule your visit on a Monday or Tuesday.  This would give you the three days ending up before Friday thereby maximizing your ability to call or revisit at the factory.  It also gives OTT time to for any adjustments or warranty topics to be addressed while you are in town. 

Since you refer to "We" in your post, I strongly recommend that both of you go to get your new Ollie.  Since schedules of a couple may vary, if you are a long distance traveler to the Mother Ship, you may want to bring two vehicles just in case it is necessary to stay  for any reason.  If on the other hand, both of you have flexibility then traveling together is for sure best.

 

 

Downloading the Owner's manual and equipment manuals is a great idea.  I have already begun watching the videos.  Thankfully, there isn't much in the Oliver that differs from some of the other campers I have had in the past.

My wife and I enjoy a lot of flexibility so travelling together for extended periods isn't too difficult.  We have a Tuesday delivery scheduled.  Hopefully, Oliver can stick to the schedule, but like I said, we are flexible.  The mothership reference is quite funny.  When she hears it, m wife will start calling Ollie people aliens.

[Jason Foster]

3 hours ago, tallmandan said:

Maybe use the wait time to research and plan cool new places to take your Ollie 🙂

We've been doing this.  My wife also had a dream about camping in this trailer.  She's probably even more excited about it than I am, and that is saying a lot.

[Jason Foster]

On 11/9/2023 at 6:46 PM, Wandering Sagebrush said:

benign cult of enthusiasm!

LOL

Edited November 11, 2023 by Jason Foster
Clarification

[Ollie-Haus]

5 hours ago, Jason Foster said:

Downloading the Owner's manual and equipment manuals is a great idea.  I have already begun watching the videos.  Thankfully, there isn't much in the Oliver that differs from some of the other campers I have had in the past.

 The mothership reference is quite funny.  When she hears it, m wife will start calling Ollie people aliens.

Funny you mention the mother ship reference. You'll find a lot of folks have an appreciation for the Olivers, but don't get what kind of folks would spend so much on a "small camper with no slides". All I can say is if you haven't owned one you will never understand. It is a camper designed for a certain kind of camping couple in mind. That's why when you watch the testimonials, those that have an Oliver usually knew from the first sight of one that it was the camper for them. 

Just an FYI, you will find that some of the manuals posted on the Oliver University have updated versions available from the manufacturer web site. Just a few, but the few revisions contain import information. I wouldn't go looking at this point, but when you have your camper, if something doesn't make since in a manual, just look to see if there's an updated version available. Much of the tech equipment on board gets updated regularly by the manufacturer, so just be aware.