Greetings from las vegas !

[Cruzrmm]

Hello All,

I found this site after becoming totally unimpressed with the quality control issues that Airstream has with their "modern" trailers. They certainly present themselves as the icon of RV trailers but I don't find the value in them that some others do.

With that said I am now looking for a quality-built fiberglass RV trailer. I prefer a smaller unit 13' - 17' . Just as in any industry, there are always certain manufacturers that stand out as having a superior product, and that is what I'm looking for. I can consider a new purchase or used in "like new" condition. I'm willing to travel for the right unit.

I am using the Search function to begin to familiarize myself with what is currently available. I welcome any leads, opinions, suggestions, and links to Threads that will help me make an informed decision. I do have cash-in-hand so that when I find what I'm looking for I can move forward without delay.

Thanks for any assistance.
Michael

[Ice-breaker]

There is a nice Escape 17' not too terribly far away from you. For Sale 2012 17b - Escape Trailer Owners Community

[Cruzrmm]

Originally Posted by Ice-breaker

There is a nice Escape 17' not too terribly far away from you. For Sale 2012 17b - Escape Trailer Owners Community

Thank you for the lead.
Looks like a pretty nice unit.

I've been studying up on the OLIVER trailers and I sure would like to find one of those. After contacting them directly it appears that they will start building the 17' again- but not until 2015. If I can find one of. The few 17' that were made during the last production cycle that would be great.

[Carol H]

Cant go wrong with an Escape and keep your eyes open for a Bigfoot 17.5 they come up fairly frequently in your area as well, although on the heavy side of the fiberglass trailer manufactures due to all the bells and whistles. Be prepared to do a little travel for the right trailer.

Fiberglass-rv-4sale.com

Currently a 17.5 Bigfoot 2007 for sale in Texas.

[Nut501]

Carol,
Can you offer your opinion on the differences between the Escape and the Bigfoot? Is one better than the other or they both about the same. I have been looking at both and can not tell which would be better? Thanks for any help!

[Cruzrmm]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Cant go wrong with an Escape and keep your eyes open for a Bigfoot 17.5 they come up fairly frequently in your area as well, although on the heavy side of the fiberglass trailer manufactures due to all the bells and whistles. Be prepared to do a little travel for the right trailer.

Fiberglass-rv-4sale.com

Currently a 17.5 Bigfoot 2007 for sale in Texas.

Travel for the "right" trailer is not a problem.

After researching the manufacturers, including quality control, service and support, amenities and options, style, etc I have decided to narrow my search to ESCAPE, BIGFOOT, and OLIVER.

My preference is the OLIVER, but because of the limited numbers produced in the initial offering years ago they are the most difficult to find. I'm a little hesitant to buy an ESCAPE or a BIGFOOT trailer now (unless it was priced where I just couldn't say no) and then have to sell it prior to having one built to spec when OLIVER starts production of the 17' sometime in 2015. Too bad I can't talk them into making a pre-production beta unit.......

Thank you for the links and keeping me in mind.

[Bob Miller]

What you can do is buy a used Bigfoot or Escape now, find out what you do and don't want/need in an FGRV and, when you place an order for an Oliver (which is like vaporware right now anyway) you will know what you want to order in options and other specs.

Then, someday, if/when the Oliver is delivered you can sell the used trailer, usually for at or near what you paid for it, and you got to enjoy the RV experience for 2 years that you will otherwise miss out on waiting for something that may or may not appear.

Witness what just happened to Trillium and what almost, and still may, happen at Parkliner.

BTW: What will you be towing your dream-machine with?

[Cruzrmm]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

What you can do is buy a used Bigfoot or Escape now, find out what you do and don't want/need in an FGRV and, when you place an order for an Oliver (which is like vaporware right now anyway) you will know what you want to order in options and other specs.

Then, someday, if/when the Oliver is delivered you can sell the used trailer, usually for at or near what you paid for it, and you got to enjoy the RV experience for 2 years that you will otherwise miss out on waiting for something that may or may not appear.

Witness what just happened to Trillium and what almost, and still may, happen at Parkliner.

BTW: What will you be towing your dream-machine with?

Yes, that is a legitimate consideration. Since it seems that OLIVER is back producing trailers again, and I'm told that the 17' is scheduled to start production in 2015, it is reasonable to think that there is a high probability that they will meet their projection. It does seem logical to begin production in phases with the 22' unit not having the same market competition that the 17' would have being first put back into production.

As I mentioned, I would initially consider an ESCAPE or BIGFOOT if the seller is very motivated and the unit is priced aggressively. I would not want to be caught short of funds if/when an OLIVER were to come on the market or the factory starts production of the 17'.

Unfortunately, I am just a working stiff that doesn't have pockets deep enough to own two trailers outright and then take the time to sell the one I'm not keeping. Trying to speculate what the market may, or may not, support for continued depreciation of a used trailer based on time of year and other market indicators is the reason I need to limit any near term purchase to being one made from a motivated seller- thus reducing my risk of loss, because when the OLIVER becomes available again I will then find myself as being the motivated seller looking for a quick sale. And as we all know, a custom spec built OLIVER will be pricey!

I have a couple of different trucks that I will be using for my tow vehicle. Trailer GVW up to 7500# is not a problem. I will still be below the CGVW rating for the tow vehicle.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Nut501

Carol,
Can you offer your opinion on the differences between the Escape and the Bigfoot? Is one better than the other or they both about the same. I have been looking at both and can not tell which would be better? Thanks for any help!

By suggestion would to be to go and look and sit in both! They are both great trailers but the Bigfoots are what I would describe as a bit more decked out finish wise, not to say that you can not get all the same features in an Escape or that they are not as well built.

A bit reluctant to say this as I know others will jump on this but as far as finishes go the way I see its a bit like comparing cars if you called the Oliver the Mercedes of Fiberglass trailers the Bigfoot might be the Audi and the Escape the Acura with the Scamp and Casita's being the Honda versions. :-)

Both the Escape and Bigfoot are very nice trailers but the Bigfoot is heavier than the Escape and a bigger trailer both length and width. If your a person who wants to leave the bed down all the time you may not like the Bigfoot rear goucho as much as you might like the Escape 17' layout which lends itself better to leaving the bed down but has a two seater only front dinette. Escape also has a 19' which has a bigger bed and a 4 seater dinette which is also a real nice lay out but again not as wide as a Bigfoot but that results in better fuel economy when towing. Once you jump into trailers wider than your tug the mpg's start to drop. I know its a tough choose between the two brands as I am considering upsizing and both brands of trailers are on my radar. One really needs to figure out what they can live with and live without and the only way to do that is go sit in each for awhile.

If you call Escape they will line you up with someone who owns one of their trailers near you so you can go see it. Pretty sure if you call Bigfoot they will tell you were the nearest dealer is as well.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Cruzrmm

I'm a little hesitant to buy an ESCAPE or a BIGFOOT trailer now (unless it was priced where I just couldn't say no) and then have to sell it prior to having one built to spec when OLIVER starts production of the 17' sometime in 2015.
.

I think you will find that used Escapes sell fast! Very Fast.... so reselling one should not be an issue, assuming of course you are able to actually find a used one in the meantime!

[Cruzrmm]

Originally Posted by Carol H

I think you will find that used Escapes sell fast! Very Fast.... so reselling one should not be an issue, assuming of course you are able to actually find a used one in the meantime!

I must say that I do prefer the ESCAPE over the BIGFOOT. Primarily for the exact reasons that you note in your previous post. My preference is for the streamlined profile and narrow width that the ESCAPE and the OLIVER share.

[Bob Miller]

As Carol mentioned, these trailer in general sell very fast. If Oliver is promising 2015 delivery, just schedule your delivery for June/July and put whatever you have up for sale a month before promised delivery time. That's the HOT buying season and it will be gone in plenty of time.... that's just the way it is with these rigs.

BTW: Your earlier comments about looking at Airstreams sorta suggested that money wasn't an object, a generally accepted requirement to even look at new Airstream trailers.

[cpaharley2008]

Oliver's are very heavy. The 17' Oliver weighs what a 21' Escape weighs. They have a lot of standard luxuries included and a new 22' will set you back around $40K, the 17' model will cost around $25K used. That said, Escape is a custom trailer maker, something Airstream and Oliver will not do. with the Oliver you have the bed in the rear and a side dinette. With the Escape you can make the front into a bed, the back in a bed, you can have both areas into beds or no beds but just dinettes. You want a "U" dinette versus the traditional dinette, they will do that also. They will make the unit the way you want it, not the way they want it. Try asking Airstream to add a 120v outlet someplace or to delete the aiconditioning!!

[Cruzrmm]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

As Carol mentioned, these trailer in general sell very fast. If Oliver is promising 2015 delivery, just schedule your delivery for June/July and put whatever you have up for sale a month before promised delivery time. That's the HOT buying season and it will be gone in plenty of time.... that's just the way it is with these rigs.

BTW: Your earlier comments about looking at Airstreams sorta suggested that money wasn't an object, a generally accepted requirement to even look at new Airstream trailers.

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Oliver's are very heavy. The 17' Oliver weighs what a 21' Escape weighs. They have a lot of standard luxuries included and a new 22' will set you back around $40K, the 17' model will cost around $25K used. That said, Escape is a custom trailer maker, something Airstream and Oliver will not do. with the Oliver you have the bed in the rear and a side dinette. With the Escape you can make the front into a bed, the back in a bed, you can have both areas into beds or no beds but just dinettes. You want a "U" dinette versus the traditional dinette, they will do that also. They will make the unit the way you want it, not the way they want it. Try asking Airstream to add a 120v outlet someplace or to delete the aiconditioning!!

Very true about AS not building to custom specs. And the new production quality control is not what I would expect for a trailer that is over-the-top for pricing. I don't see the "value" vs the price that AS commands. And price should always equal value unless the buyer is looking for a status symbol or bragging rights.

I'm not too concerned about the empty weight of the OLIVER. As has been discussed in other Threads- Most of the weight is in the construction design and the standard equipment that are usually considered options for other manufacturers. I find that these components are what I would add to my custom build so I like the fact that they are already engineered into the design specs of the OLIVER.

If OLIVER is willing to built to my custom specs then I can anticipate a much higher empty weight than is already published. The custom trailer that I have penciled out will put the acquisition price in the same dollar expenditure as an AS but, in my opinion, I will get the value that AS does not deliver. So yes, money is always a consideration. What matters is the actual product received for that consideration.

[tractors1]

When I compared the structural design, fit & finish, and customizing of Oliver, Bigfoot, and Parkliner when upsizing from a Casita 17, I found the Escape 21 could be the best fit for our needs. Plus I can tow it with a Taco 4x4 V6 instead of a big truck.

All manufacturers will let you in to tour their factory and ask questions before you lay out serious $.

[Donna D.]

Remember please, no matter how much money you have and no matter what tug you own, the one thing you can never get more of or get back is TIME. Tick, tick, tick. Do NOT delay pleasure, make a memory every single time you can. Buy now... something that suits you, make those memories. NO ONE is guaranteed tomorrow.

Personal plus... I pickup my new Escape 5er one week from tomorrow.

[Cruzrmm]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Remember please, no matter how much money you have and no matter what tug you own, the one thing you can never get more of or get back is TIME. Tick, tick, tick. Do NOT delay pleasure, make a memory every single time you can. Buy now... something that suits you, make those memories. NO ONE is guaranteed tomorrow.

Personal plus... I pickup my new Escape 5er one week from tomorrow.

So very true!
Believe me, I know this so well.

The only regrets in life are not what you did do, but rather what you didn't do

Congrats on your new 5-er !!!

[Steve Outlaw]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

...Escape is a custom trailer maker, something Airstream and Oliver will not do.

Now Jim, you've seen our custom designed and built Oliver. They'll do whatever you want and can afford. Except maybe make it in another color than white!!!

[blodn1]

I went to the Oliver factory a month ago and talked to Robert about some custom work I want. He was up for it. The constraint is that the inside "furniture" is molded, so can't be switched around. But with the basic layout, he was willing to put in a composting toilet and an on-demand water heater, as well as some electric mods I want. I'm planning on a double bed at the back, instead of the king, but that doesn't change anything but the way the cushions are cut. Hope to be ordering soon, but have to sell the dang extra house!

[Cruzrmm]

Originally Posted by blodn1

I went to the Oliver factory a month ago and talked to Robert about some custom work I want. He was up for it. The constraint is that the inside "furniture" is molded, so can't be switched around. But with the basic layout, he was willing to put in a composting toilet and an on-demand water heater, as well as some electric mods I want. I'm planning on a double bed at the back, instead of the king, but that doesn't change anything but the way the cushions are cut. Hope to be ordering soon, but have to sell the dang extra house!

I wish you a quick sale on your "extra" house. I think if you are going to have an extra house then it should have wheels ! LOL

The custom mods that I have in mind are also mostly additional components and upgrades. There may be some FG modification and that is something that I'll have to address when the time comes....

Are you considering the 17' or the 22' ?
My recent communication with Robert led me to believe that the 17' would not be available until sometime next year.