RE: Show Us Your Little Rig!
Your Shasta is amazing. I've seen so many in the last year, languishing at the side of the road. Your trailer is beautiful, and obviously, happily in use. Happy camping.... PS if you ever find time to post interior photos, we'd all love to see them... Vintage rocks!
RE: Show Us Your Little Rig!
Wow! That's a beautiful trailer. Can't believe it's almost celebrating its 40th birthday. Thanx for sharing your photos. You should be proud of that one!
Sherry
RE: unusual trailer
Cute trailer. Not a Casita, Scamp, or Oliver... they're all rounded. This one is vintage... And, what a lucky owner. Looks to be in beautiful shape. The molded fiberglass trailers hang around a long time!
RE: Looking for a good light trailer
Just like to keep the info straight. The Oliver's base dry weight is 2400 lbs,(including a full shower/bath)and plentiful standard equipment, with a 3500 GVWR. The rugged, all aluminum rust-free frame helps balance the extra weight of the double hull, and extra base features. A full bathroom, with shower, is included in that base weight, unlike the Escape 17, where adding just a shower adds 200 pounds to the "under 2000 pounds" advertised. Neither of these trailers, nor the Casita or Scamp, would be considered heavy trailers by most people.
Sherry
RE: Looking for a good light trailer
Though many young families have started their camping days with popups, I think you'll find more choices than popups available to you if you have the factory tow package on your Highlander, which increases your tow capacity significantly. (Check your manual and Toyota's website... they have a great online towing guide.)
A few people have already mentioned the small molded fiberglass trailers. Our Oliver is one, and there are several other current brands out there... Scamp, Casita, Bigfoot, Escape (Canadian made), etc. A number of them have a narrower footprint and (some, not all)have a more aerodynamic shape to makes towing a little easier, especially with an SUV. This, however, also limits your interior space a little, but is easier to set up at the end of the day than a popup or hybrid. By the way, many of the small molded fiberglass models weigh in at less than some popups and hybrids, and all of them have optional or standard bathrooms, kitchens, etc. There are also some small entry level conventional trailers that may work for you and your family.
We tow our Oliver with both our Silverado half ton and our Volvo all wheel drive Suv, which has a small 2.6 engine, but a decent tow capacity. Both vehicles have the factory tow package. We prefer the truck in the mountains, but for shorter trips or flatter terrain, the Volvo does just fine. The important thing is to get out there and get your daughter involved in the wonderful world of camping while she's young, right?
Sherry
oliverforums.com
fiberglassrv.com
RE: fibreglass "egg shaped" tt
Our Oliver has a little parking pad by the house... It gets a couple applications of a good marine wax for fiberglass a year. We also bought an inexpensive van cover for it, but haven't been home long enough to use it yet.... Oliver uses a high grade gel coat, so hopefully all will be well. So far, bugs, sap, etc., have hosed off easily.
The molded fiberglass trailers as a class have a great history of ease of use and durability. Hence, a great resale value, too. I'm sure you've seen the age of many of the MFRVs on fiberglassrv.com
MFRVs come in a variety of specs and price ranges. We chose the Oliver based on innovation and quality... tough aluminum frame, double hull plus modern insulation, easy care all gel coat interior, no rivets, no particle board or OSB, molded fg cowl for the LP tanks,electric jacks all around, large enclosed tanks... and so forth. Comes with a higher price tag than some of the others, though. Most of the MFrvs (the egg shapes) have a smaller footprint (length AND width) to allow easy towing on skinny roads, and many do not have quite the same headroom or the larger baths and closets of conventional trailers, although some of the more squared off designs offer a little more width, maybe with a little less fuel economy when towing.. My aunt and uncle enjoyed their Scamp for over 15 years, my best friend has a Casita... Good luck in your search. I hope you find the trailer you enjoy as much as we enjoy our Oliver!
Sherry
RE: Show Us Your Little Rig!
The Oliver is one neat little trailer. You could fall in love with that one.
Ken
Thank you. We do love our little trailer! Sorry so late in replying... we've been off camping in the mountains of TN & NC
Sherry
RE: Show Us Your Little Rig!
Our neighbor's jeep has been a reliable tow vehicle for over 60 years.... Here's a photo of Jim and my husband Paul behind the wheel of Jim's 1945 Willys Jeep with our 2008 Oliver Legacy Elte...
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/hylland/P6220057.jpg
No, we didn't even take it around the block, but it's a dreamy rig, isn't it?
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj200/hylland/P6220052.jpg
RE: What would you tow with a Toyota Tacoma 4x4???
Hi, Julie,
Our 17' Oliver is a really easy to tow, easy to setup molded fiberglass trailer. 2400 dry, 3500 gross. Lots of personalization possible... Great storage and tankage for its size. My favorite for ease of use...electric stabilizer and tongue jacks... The website doesn't show the new twin bed plan that offers a little more storage and walk-around space... but there are some photos on the forum.
www.oliverforums.com www.olivertraveltrailers.com
We tow with a Silverado, but one of our forum members tows with a Tacoma and is very happy with the combo.
Sherry
RE: New TT's designed like Airstream
Actually, the Oliver and Escape dry weights are pretty close, and they're both real winners, weightwise. 2400 lbs. for the Oliver, just under 2000 for the Escape, 2100 if you opt for a shower... Even though the Oliver has a double hull, the lightweight, tough aluminum frame keeps the weight down. Molded fiberglass trailers, as a whole, are quite light for their size.
RE: How Small is a "small" TT?
Sunbird, I love your definition... I think we're all struggling on what is a "small" travel trailer given the variety of sizes and perceptions of trailers out there....
Pete D... I also love your description of our special circumstances as "life in the small lane".... so very apt...
I'm so glad we have our own sub-forum. We do have special problems... small quarters, small storage, small tankage..... oh, gee, no bathtub, ... OK... but we have a lot of positives too....
Small trailer people tend to spend a lot of time outside, like tent campers... and isn't that what it's all about?
Thank you to the moderator for helping us create this subforum...
Sherry
RE: small light weight tt
Tough decision, there are a lot of great trailers out there (and we looked at a bunch of them). We boondock for a week or two at a time in our Oliver, and love it. Dry weight is about 2500, tows really easy, super easy cleanup with zero carpet and gelcoat interior. Lots of tankage for its size, (around 35 each fresh and grey, 20 black) gives you freedom to stay out a little longer than many of the other small, lightweight trailers. 6'1" headroom, abundant interior storage, comes standard with shower, toilet, and sink in bathroom. We got the bigger tires and 4" lift. It's only 17', and the narrower width is really nice on skinny mountain roads with steep ditches & dropoffs.
Good luck with your search! Feel free to PM if you have any questions for an oliver owner, or check out our user forum, Oliverforums.com
Sherry
RE: Small Trailer Forum?
I agree, Essi2Go. And, I think with gas prices ratcheting up, more people will be interested in small travel trailers.... not just those of us who already own them, but those who are considering downsizing for practicality. I'd love to see a category for the 21' and under group....
Sherry
RE: Does "lite" = cheap quality
Not all "lightweight" trailers are very light. Check carefully. Some are aluminum cage, some part wood, some, like Scamp, Casita, and Oliver are molded fiberglass. IMHO, molded fiberglass will probably get you lighter weight and less likelihood of leaks in a used trailer under $6000. Very durable, lots of longevity. Oliver is too new to be available yet in that price range... Lots of used Scamps and Casitas out there, as well as other brands. You might want to check the used trailers for sale on fiberglassrv.com, casitaclub.com and casitaforum.com forums. Most are 17 foot and under, however.
RE: Any Oliver owners here?
Hi, Bella,
You ask such good questions. Let's see... on a series of cold, icky, rainy days when everyone is stuck inside for more than we like... a second story loft would be nice... ;) Oh, well....
Actually, upon discussion and reflection, I don't think either of us would look for changes in our Oliver. We spent a long time looking (as I'm sure you have), compared it to a lot of brands... stick built, alumicage , other molded fiberglass,... and reflecting, and the Oliver is what we chose. Everyone has special personal needs, different camping styles, different goals. We wanted small, lightweight, tough, sufficient storage & tankage, easy to tow, easy to store, easy to set up, easy to maintain... Gosh... I seem to be big on easy, huh? (Actually, I'm not that lazy... I just like to spend my free time on things I actually enjoy doing...) We looked, made notes, collected brochures & specs, looked again at the ones we liked, reflected on past camping experiences (good and bad), made our spreadsheets. We made the big leap a day after spending three and a half hours in the Oliver factory.
Little molded fiberglass trailers aren't for everyone. But we love the outdoors, & wanted to get away and see some more of these great United States, as well as more of our own area. We wanted to accomplish this using the tow vehicles we already owned. No big trucks or motorhomes for us. It just isn't who we are, never to knock the people who choose that course. Many of our friends and relatives have them, and they're equally happy. Different goals, different choices.
We like to use what we have, economically. It's nice to be able to hitch up the Oliver and go exploring on a whim with just a free day or two, or better yet, a week or month or two. We fit almost anywhere, we can cope with our without hookups. We also wanted to take a little of our own environment, lifestyle, and creature comforts with us. We think we've found that in our Oliver. We're comfortable, we have a little luxury while "roughing it", and we're very happy. I only hope for you that whatever camper you and your husband choose after your own personal investigations and reflections, that you're as happy as we are.
Okay, once again, I go on and on.... I'll stop now. Happy camping!
Regards,
Sherry
RE: Any Oliver owners here?
You're welcome, Bella. We have 110 outlets in abundance in the Oliver... but we're off the grid often, and need a few more 12-volt outlets for computer inverter, phone chargers and a drip coffee maker I think I may buy. (I don't like perked coffee.) Lighting is all 12-volt, and again, abundant, individually switched to reduce power waste, with the option of turning everything off at the door. I also like the little courtesy step lights in and out, and there is a light in the closet and even in the slide-out battery compartment. I believe these are all standard, tho you'll want to check. There are a number of thoughtful standard touches that make life easy ... like the porch light that turns on from the inside just like home. Another favorite (standard) is the shower drain antisiphon valve located IN the shower instead of outside. Ok, I've gone on too much again. Good luck with your selection process. These guys put a lot of thought into the product, and yet are open and responsive to individual needs. I'll be happy to answer anything I can for you about our Oliver experience if you have more questions. Sherry
RE: Any Oliver owners here?
Bella, Thank you for the welcome.I've "lurked" on here a lot and learned much, but never joined till now. All the tanks on the Oliver are enclosed between the two hulls, nestled in recesses of the outer hull, resting on the frame. We asked about the factory about repair access when we visited... Connections are reachable through the storage/seating area. The tanks can be slid out (after disconnect) through the back of the camper (the bumper is hinged and drops down) should replacement or repair become necessary. Pretty cool, actually. The location of the tanks, long and low, between the hulls provides extra protection from bumps and weather, etc.
My husband enjoys the fact that he can actually stand up and take a shower in the Oliver's bathroom. He would have to sit down to shower in a number of other trailers we looked at. Headroom is good throughout the trailer for us.
If we were to order a new Oliver, feature by feature, we'd leave off the satellite TV King dome. TV isn't a big deal for us --on the road or at home-- (We do enjoy the DVD player once in awhile, though.) I upgraded the microwave to a convection/microwave, and I haven't used either function much, but I like to cook, and thought I'd want an oven of some kind. I might not do that again, we'll see. I do love the upgraded two-burner stainless stovetop.( I think this is standard on the Elite, and an option on Classic. )It heats up super fast, and is very easy to clean. The smoked glass cover is not only pretty, but functional and level with the countertop. (Everything in the kitchen area cleans up easily and quickly...all fiberglass, stainless, and chrome, so splatters are no problem.)
Now that we've used the camper awhile, we're having a couple extra 12-volt outlets added, one under the kitchen cabinet, and one under a side dinette seat for our computer. (I've posted some pictures of my kitchen on oliverforums.com on the "suction cup 101 thread".) We would definitely , absolutely order the 4" lift, extra shocks, and 15" tires again, not just for backroads and boondocking, but bumpy highways and steep access ramps to some gas stations and stores... a little extra peace of mind and clearance. Love the electric jacks, but I think those are standard. Really good questions, by the way. Hope I didn't go on too long... Sherry
RE: Any Oliver owners here?
We've towed our Oliver Legacy Elite for over 4,000 miles, camping mostly in state and county parks with few or limited facilities. We are not RV park folks. We are very happy with the storage (tankage and dry) capacity of our trailer. It tows extremely well, and takes minutes to set up. (Love those electric jacks.)
The glossy, gelcoat plus chrome and mirrors is my dream come true. Cleans up after a muddy day in a matter of minutes. I have a lot of allergies, so this is especially important to me. No particle board, no carpet. With colorful cushions, it's homey and bright. But then, I'm a mid-century modern fan... not so with everyone. The rear bed model IS truly a full size bed, and high density foam cushions plus a quality mattress pad make it a comfy resting place. We leave the rear bed set up when we travel most of the time.
There is a new twin bed model being made since we bought ours. A link to the pix is on the Oliverforums.com site, search "twin bed". I haven't seen it in person, but it looks like added storage and floor/turning around space are a bonus with this model.
We're very happy that we got to tour the factory and see various trailers in various stages of completion. It allowed us to look at everything and survey the engineering and attention to detail... from the strong aluminum frame up. We buy for the long run (we've owned one of our fiberglass boats since it was built, thirty years ago...), and feel we got a good value, though we spent a little more than we originally planned. At 5'11" and 5'5", headroom is good, even in the shower.
We are not affiliated with the factory, just happy owners.
Sherry
