Oliver Factory Tour: Pls Help Interpret My Findings?

My best friend and his wife bought an Ollie and took delivery early this year. They have had it out a few times, and they love it. They were leaning towards an Airstream originally, but this appears to be a more modernized version of the Airstream line of thinking.

There's no doubt that the Oliver is well constructed - his Legacy Elite II is essentially the same length as the Lance 2155 that my wife and I bought this summer. However, the Oliver is considerably heavier, for much less interior space. It has no permanent bed, a two-seater dinette, and a wet shower. In contrast, with less weight, we have a permanent queen bed, full dinette and dry shower, with two slides.

The Ollie has great ground clearance, a plus for the boondocking we both like to do. I think their power management options are pretty decent as well, but you might still inquire about the manufacturers for the power charger converter, and options for power inverters, solar, solar controller, etc. They used decent stuff on my buddy's, but not what I'd select if I had full choice of components.

In short - I think my buddy has a nice trailer, for him. It's really overbuilt, which fits in with his style: he comes from a blue-water sailing background and his little sailboat (a Baba) is a marine tank. The Ollie is a tank too - but it's very expensive for what you get, and although mainstream manufacturer's are often derided for building "junk" - you can do a lot of custom work, fixing, and modding for the $70,000 price tag on a 24' Oliver!

Not sure, but I wonder if the rearward placement of the trailer axle makes anti-sway less necessary?

CoPilot,
Casita puts an anti-sway bar on almost every trailer that leaves their factory.

CopilotCompanion wrote:
I'd like to know whether they discourage anti-sway bars. I read somewhere that the stress points on a molded fiberglass coach are different from a boxy one. This poster said that anti-sway bars could actually cause damage to an eggshell-like camper. I'll find out.

The model I saw had an Anderson hitch on it, and that is what they sell them with. No bars, but a chain.

Sorry, dup post.

I have looked at Olivers and talked to a couple who own one. The fit and finish is amazingly good, with first class components.

BUT the couple I saw had spent the night in a thunderstorm, and were going back to the factory because they had a leak around an outside speaker. They were on a shakedown trip and only about 30 miles from the factory.

One concern I have is accessing the wiring, plumbing, and tanks. The salesperson told us it's all between the double lower shells. So take a hard look at that.

They are definitely designed for a single person or a couple who doesn't mind sharing a small space. Not for families.

We currently have a Class C, but I have given a lot of thought to the Oliver/Escape trailers.

BUT, the wet bath really causes me to pause.

So, I too, would say- could you ask the company if they plan to, or is there any way, to make a separate shower?

Thanks.

I'd like to know whether they discourage anti-sway bars. I read somewhere that the stress points on a molded fiberglass coach are different from a boxy one. This poster said that anti-sway bars could actually cause damage to an eggshell-like camper. I'll find out.

I have asked for a meeting after the tour with someone who is qualified to answer all the questions from this forum. So, please feel free to "pile on"!

CopilotCompanion wrote:
... I am also an engineer & intrigued by the thought that a fiberglass eggshell is less likely to leak?

marpel wrote:

- One of their marketing hypes is less propensity for leaking due to fewer roof seams (along wall/roof edges). However, they still have roof vents and A/C which breach the solid roof. Is the method of sealing the roof seams similar to conventional trailers and if so, how is this any better?

This intrigues me also !

The Jayco Magnum roof is arched to prevent any puddling, but it still has a seam along the edge and seamed are where most leaks occur. So flashing and caulking on Oliver roof vents and A/C unit is something to inspect carefully.