Question about TrilliumRV & Tom - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-07-2016, 09:51 AM   #1
Member
 
Name: Gail
Trailer: 1975 Trillium & 2013 Escape 17B
North Carolina
Posts: 81
Registry
Question about TrilliumRV & Tom

In May 2013 I ordered some Trillium parts from Tom (?) of TrilliumRV.com in AZ. I sent him a check; he sent me the parts; everything seemed good. Time passed and he never cashed my check. I even reminded him of that fact in October 2013 and got no response. Now, 3 years later, I just had an email from him saying that he still has my old check and wants me to write him a new one.
I believe he deserves to be paid, but before I write a new check, I want to ask if anyone knows what's going on here. It's just unusual, to say the least!
Thanks!
Gail H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2016, 01:40 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Borrego Dave's Avatar
 
Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
Posts: 3,738
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gail H View Post
In May 2013 I ordered some Trillium parts from Tom (?) of TrilliumRV.com in AZ. I sent him a check; he sent me the parts; everything seemed good. Time passed and he never cashed my check. I even reminded him of that fact in October 2013 and got no response. Now, 3 years later, I just had an email from him saying that he still has my old check and wants me to write him a new one.
I believe he deserves to be paid, but before I write a new check, I want to ask if anyone knows what's going on here. It's just unusual, to say the least!
Thanks!
Hi Gail, it is a bit out of the ordinary but I've had the same thing happen once. I believe that personal checks are only good for 6 months. But that's not to say that someone wouldn't cash it with out looking at the date. Ask him to send the old one back and write a new one.
Borrego Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2016, 02:16 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Alf S.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: 2007 19 ft Escape 5.0 / 2002 GMC (1973 Boler project)
Posts: 4,148
Registry
Send a message via Yahoo to Alf S.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gail H View Post
In May 2013 I ordered some Trillium parts from Tom (?) of TrilliumRV.com in AZ. I sent him a check; he sent me the parts; everything seemed good. Time passed and he never cashed my check. I even reminded him of that fact in October 2013 and got no response. Now, 3 years later, I just had an email from him saying that he still has my old check and wants me to write him a new one.
I believe he deserves to be paid, but before I write a new check, I want to ask if anyone knows what's going on here. It's just unusual, to say the least!
Thanks!
Hi: Gail H... Seems his bookkeeping was just as loose as his trailer finishing!!! There must be some curse attached to the Trillium. It is our Provincial flower and illegal to injure it.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
Alf S. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2016, 03:53 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Name: Kelly
Trailer: Trails West
Oregon
Posts: 3,047
There is a simple solution, be kind and write the check without making any more fuss about it.

There is absolutely nothing unusual about someone being absent minded.
k corbin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2016, 11:28 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
As others have indicated you got what you paid for so why question it.

But my guess as to what is going on is, Tom sold his Trillium US rights to another company that his since run into trouble as well. As a result it is very probable he is formally closing down what was his company and as a result has had a professional auditor go through the books and noted he never cashed your cheque for what ever reason.
Carol H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 07:45 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Jon in AZ's Avatar
 
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
Registry
I think asking for the old check to be returned is very reasonable in the circumstances, otherwise I would deduct the bank fee for a stop payment. If you have to do the latter, I would include a cover letter explaining the reason for the reduction. (And I would do the stop payment.)
Jon in AZ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 09:07 AM   #7
Member
 
Name: Linda
Trailer: Boler 17 ft
Ontario
Posts: 83
Stuff happens. People get busy, things can get misplaced. Life can at times get out of control.

Why wouldn't you ask this man why it has taken this long before posting this query?

It is my belief that If the old cheque is cashed it is the bank's responsibility.

Ask him to write cancelled on the check, send you a pic over your phones then do an email money transfer. It can all be done in about ten minutes if you take your time.

Re insurance on a Trillium or any other vintage trailer in Ontario. As long as it is hitched to your Tow V it is insured under your vehicle insurance. My insurance company will insure it separately if there is a formal appraisal done on it.

Only we collectors and users and restoration types understand the value of our trailers. So where does that leave a formal insurance appraisal?
Linda Stewart is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 09:12 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Name: kootenai girl
Trailer: 1976 Trillium 1300
British Columbia
Posts: 1,411
Gosh, was he apologetic?
I would be totally embarassed to do that to someone and unless it was a large sum of money I would write it off. Six months is more than enough time for someone to cash a cheque in my opinion and obviously the banks.
kootenaigirl is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 09:49 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by kootenaigirl View Post
Gosh, was he apologetic?
I would be totally embarassed to do that to someone and unless it was a large sum of money I would write it off.
:lout But your not a professional audit accountant
Carol H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 09:57 AM   #10
Member
 
Name: Henry
Trailer: Intend to buy one day.
Florida
Posts: 39
It's an easy legal question, easily resolved. I agree with those who suggest asking him to mail you the old check, and then send him a new one. Simply destroy the old check and note its destruction on your records. There's no need to put a stop payment on it. I agree also with those who've said "things like that happen." I've done it myself...I think.
Henry Smith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 10:07 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Linda Stewart View Post

Re insurance on a Trillium or any other vintage trailer in Ontario. As long as it is hitched to your Tow V it is insured under your vehicle insurance. My insurance company will insure it separately if there is a formal appraisal done on it.

May Not Be True!

PLEASE check directly with your auto insurance company on that!!!!

NOT ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES in Canada insure the trailer just because it is hooked to the vehicle. In recent years many of them do not!!! Take it from someone who discovered that fact the hard way!

Read the fine print... in some cases they will cover you on the vehicles liability (even though the trailer by law has to have its own - at least here in BC it does) but the vehicles collision insurance for example does not transfer over to the trailer should you damage it in an accident.

In BC there is currently only 1 insurance company (government owned) for example that still cover the trailer when attached to the vehicle BUT only if the vehicle and the trailer have all their legally required insurance with them.

I appreciate that your talking about Ontario but I would be very surprised if the insurance companies who are in many cases Nation wide do not have the same policies.
Carol H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 10:16 AM   #12
Junior Member
 
Name: Michael
Trailer: Trillium 1300
Oregon
Posts: 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol H View Post
But my guess as to what is going on is, Tom sold his Trillium US rights to another company that his since run into trouble as well. As a result it is very probable he is formally closing down what was his company and as a result has had a professional auditor go through the books and noted he never cashed your cheque for what ever reason.
When I last corresponded with Tom, he indicated that he'd sold the Trillium business to Great West/Sterling and was now working for them, probably overseeing production of the rebranded Trillium Sidekick. But as Carol H noted, that company ran aground last year:

https://rv-pro.com/news/great-west-v...get-back-track

And it looks like the whole company will be on the auction block next week:

May 14, 2016

(Note several photos that appear to be Trillium chassis.)

So it might be that Tom is scrambling to reclaim his part of the business. Or maybe he just needs the money.

Z
mzuzel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 10:29 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Name: Gordon
Trailer: Scamp
Idaho
Posts: 223
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alf S. View Post
Hi: Gail H... Seems his bookkeeping was just as loose as his trailer finishing!!! There must be some curse attached to the Trillium. It is our Provincial flower and illegal to injure it.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
The Trillium is a revered and protected flower everywhere I've lived. Attached please find a recent Idaho photo that I captured about 2 weeks ago.

As for the little trailer named Trillium...., I want those nice windows on my Scamp! I also want Boler tail lights, and I want the fenders from the Happier Camper, but I don't think those things are going to happen anytime soon.

I'm sorry to stray from the topic, but sometimes I can't help it.

But let me get this straight: You got the product, and in reality, you didn't pay for it. That's a nice problem to have.

But what if you didn't have the funds today to write a new check? What then?

Gordon
Attached Thumbnails
trilium.jpg  
Gordon in Idaho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 11:10 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Roy in TO's Avatar
 
Trailer: 1972 Boler American and 1979 Trillium 4500
Posts: 5,137
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gail H View Post
I believe he deserves to be paid, but before I write a new check, I want to ask if anyone knows what's going on here. It's just unusual, to say the least!
Thanks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Linda Stewart View Post
Stuff happens. People get busy, things can get misplaced. Life can at times get out of control.
I'll agree with Linda.

Every couple of years we have to remind the community that Tom selling parts for our old beasts is not his mainstay business. If you consider it to be a part time aftermarket quasi support venture based on a cost recovery mindset, the pieces fall together. It is a one man operation secondary to his mainstay sources of revenue.

If you realize this and put up with the various delays you can get some items for your trailer that you may not have been able to easily source otherwise.

After having worked with Tom to do some "special order" group buys for the community. He is doing a lot of work for little in return. My suggestion is to cut him some slack and cut him a new cheque.
Roy in TO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 12:05 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Trailer: 2008 17 ft Casita Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 235
Registry
Gail, I know you didn't ask what to do about the old check, but since you now know the whole story, I've got to ask why WOULDN'T anybody ask for the old check back before writing a new one??!! Unless you're running a charity, this is everyday business. Yes, we've heard good things about Tom, but the only one taking a chance of getting two checks cashed doesn't know him.
Tom is a businessman; he'll understand and probably smack himself on the forehead for not thinking of it himself. If he refuses, then I say you dodged a bullet and move to Plan B--deducting the stop payment fee from the total.


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV
Ruth C. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 12:39 PM   #16
Commercial Member
 
Name: Mike
Trailer: Boler13/trillium4500/buro13
Ontario
Posts: 1,138
I'd agree with Roy,although dealing with tom can be fleeting at best I think being fair with him will only help us with future dealings for aftermarket products.
Mikmay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 05:29 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
Carol H's Avatar
 
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth C. View Post
, I've got to ask why WOULDN'T anybody ask for the old check back before writing a new one??!!
I do not think anyone is suggesting that the OP does not ask, as Tom has indicated he still has the old one he probable will have no issue with sending the old one back.

The question the OP asked is if they should write him a new one and the resounding response is YES. The how come and why really does not matter..
Carol H is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
trillium


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
little trilliumRV news tid-bit here Ken C General Chat 5 01-02-2010 09:47 AM
TrilliumRv in Chilliwac, B.C. Alex C Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 7 09-05-2009 06:12 AM
TOM TOM Robin G General Chat 15 06-16-2008 08:56 PM
TOM TOM Robin G Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 0 01-01-1970 12:00 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:40 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.