Oliver Elite Trailer

[Dwainkitchens]

I have been doing research, and I was leaning towards an Airstream 16 Sport, but then I searched about hail damage and is was scary.



So, I am now leaning towards an Oliver Elite, and was wondering two things:


1. Can hail damage them also?
2. Since they are not as wide as an Airstream, is this beneficial for towing?


Thanks for info.


Dwain

[Darral T.]

While going down the road, hold your hand with it facing the wind. Then turn it sideways and feel the difference in the "drag". So yes, width makes a difference, howbeit, the difference between width of the AS and Ollie would probably be negligible when pulling.

ANYTHING nearly will damage from hail including your vehicle, house roof, etc. It would be interesting to see an Ollie and an Airstream side by side and watch a "hail test" using difference size "balls" and stepping up in size each time to see which one will "go" first. I would say it would be the Airstream. Any volunteers? Kidding!

BUT, this we do know from the experience from others. The repairs on the aluminum on the Airstreams are VERY expensive! Cant give you dollar values but just from what I've heard owners tell me....because the alum. panels have to be replaced. The replacements HAVE to be "formed" (corners) in order to match. So...factory repair only? I'd go with the Ollie hands-down if I had the money to invest. Plus they're 35 miles from me and have been through the factory- their quality is SUPERB! The wiring/hosing layouts looks like a work of "art"...seriously! No I dont get paid for this...

[tractors1]

Hailstorms bounce nicely off fiberglass trailers, but they can crack or wipe out the plastic vent covers and A/C housing on the roof. Easy to replace compared to aluminum that's riveted in place!

[skalywag]

Dwain,
1) For visible damage, The fiberglass construction of the Oliver does offer better damage tolerance than the Aluminum skin of the AS. There may be insurance data to verify this.


2) In my experience, The narrow width of the Oliver LE1 allows better visibility and maneuverability (ie. gas stations etc), that an 8 foot wide TT. I do not need or am not required to use mirror extensions.


I too was looking at the AS and had the same trepidation about hail storms. I decided that I wanted quality time to camp and not do constant repairs. We are very glad we found our Oliver.
Best of luck in your search.

[Carol and Mike]

We’ve been in two hail storms. Once while parked and once while towing. Marble sized hail, not too big. No damage to trailer or solar panels.

Our Oliver is the same width as our truck. Standard mirrors work fine, I can see down both sides of the trailer. I know if my truck fits through, the trailer will too. This has come in handy in a couple of tight situations!

[WendyW]

I, too, wanted an Airstream until I found out they are stick-built and subject to water damage, mildew and rot. I bought a Casita ‘17 instead, and I’ve had no hail or water damage after full-timing for 2.5 years.

Wendy W.

[txtim]

We were pounded by a violent hail storm in Central Texas while towing our Escape 21. There was zero damage to the Escape trailer but $6,000 in body damage to our tow vehicle, a Chevy Tahoe. So, the Fiberglass Escape is a lot tougher than a Chevy Tahoe.

[trainman]

Being a retired body shop mgr. for over 35 years in the DFW area, I can tell you fiberglass is the way to go. I own a Casita, but we are now thinking a larger trailer, Oliver will probably be our choice in the future.

trainman

[thrifty bill]

We got caught in a strong hail storm in Kansas a couple of years ago, with our Honda Element. The body panels on the Element are a mix of steel, aluminum and ABS plastic. Every steel or aluminum panel was badly damaged to the tune of $4500 in damage. The ABS survived without a scratch.

[J Selleck]

Escape 17 or 19 spacious and well built.

[bjp447]

I had a Casita 17 - great trailer and moved up because we wanted to stay F/G but more room. We looked at the Oliver - impressive and costly. Than found the escape. Bougyt an Escape 21 and tow with a 2017 Toyota Tacoma . The Escape is hands down over both the Oliver and the casita. We have plenty of room, enough room that both of us can be up and about without getting in each others way. Full size permanent bed, table that converts to a bed (it stays as a table , LARGE frig plenty of storage. Check the Escape out before you make any decisions.

[FlyGuy]

Back ~ 2013, I had a 2010, 17' Casita Spirit Deluxe. A hailstorm hit while I was inside the Casita while parked at a SD campground. NO damage to my Casita but, I now know what it sounds like if you were in a corn popper!