A detailed walkaround of my 2023 Oliver Legacy Elite II travel trailer. Oliver Travel Trailers: olivertraveltr... Link to my Substack post about this episode: open.substack....
Hull 423 here. Mine is going on 5 yrs old now, 40k miles. Rock solid. Your points are spot on. I have agms and they are still going strong. I think alot about upgrading to lithium. Cant get over the $, so i bought couple portable panels from zamp (obsedian 200w with charge controller) and i have all the power, battery i need. I run everything you do plus starlink and get by just fine. For the occasional cloudy days, just fire up the generator. I have been camped in quartsite for last month, have only had to fire up generator couple of times. As for the keyless lock, i keep spare to truck in camper and spare to camper in truck. I have learned my lesson as well. Btw, used to pull it behind tundra. Horrible gas milage and always shifting gears. Upgraded to 2500 gmc diesel. Much more comfortable knowing you have more truck than you need.
Hi Jack, Glad to hear your Oliver is still doing great. I may look into a portable panel to augment the top panels, especially being able to angle it to the sun. Have though about Starlink but waiting for now- I have heard it is harder to get a good signal here in the east with all the trees. I think a bigger truck is probably in my future, but for now I'll stick with the F150- I'm getting about 12-13 MPG with the V8. I appreciate you subscribing and watching!
Excellent video, superbly done, it was fun and informative, im looking forward to seeing the interior review. Thank you. I also enjoyed seeing your little companion 🐶walking around while you were videoing.
Fantastic, Thanks Steve. Been looking for an in depth owner review for quite some time. Looking forward to the next video. My wife and I are in the market. Always a pleasure to get honest feedback from existing owners.
Thanks for the walk around. I'm fascinated by the Oliver trailers. I'm an Airstream guy for life, but I can appreciate the quality and thoughtful design of these units. You probably have the keyless entry on your Ford, Steve. I just keep my trailer keys in the truck when I go out for a spin on the bike or a hike. I'd also recommend a set of Rock Tamers for your hitch shank to prevent the stone chips. Those batteries are impressive! Agree "buy once, cry once" definitely applies
Yep, I'm keeping the trailer door key in the truck now, for sure. I'll have to consider the Rock Tamers, although they are really huge! Better than dings in the fiberglass, for sure! Thanks for watching!
Paint Perfection Film: For those who have yet to learn what PPF is, I looked it up. Thank you for your walk around outside of Oliver. I am looking forward to your inside. I have had my sites on an Oliver. The lithium package is expensive, but I might go with it.
Great trailer, it’s easy to see why they’re popular. My only “beef” is the tiny bathroom; at this price point, add another 1-2 feet and create a bathroom with more room. I’m not talking about a cavernous space, just something that doesn’t have me fighting with the toilet for apace.
I guess it's really all about what you want in a camper. For me, I'd rather not sacrifice the main cabin space to have a larger bathroom, but everyone has their own needs. Thanks for watching!
Those keyless door locks are notorious for having the same issue you had caused by failed circuit boards. It should be covered by your warranty, including a refund for the locksmith charge. I speak from my own experience.
Interesting-- I did check the batteries when I got home and they were dead. I just expected to have more of a warning. I'll keep using the keyless lock, but I will also have the key in my tow vehicle, just in case. If I have any future problem with the lock, I'll be looking into that warranty, for sure! Thanks for watching!
I had mine less than a year and it failed twice. It was under warranty so they sent me replacement parts. If it fails again, I’ll remove it and put a regular door lock/handle because I have to carry a key anyway…😅
I hope you still upload your interior review. I think the Oliver is an amazing trailer, but I was worried about the amount of storage it has in the inside since there is not a lot of storage on the outside. I would love to see a users point of view about this.
It is my plan, for sure. Sneak preview: lots of interior storage, more than I need as a solo week-long camper. If you’re a couple living in it full time, it might be cramped. Thanks for commenting and watching!
My wife and I, and two small dogs, can easily pack for a month in the LE2. You have to learn to eliminate all the unnecessary stuff that folks think they need. We restock food locally, and wash cloths rather than packing the whole wardrobe. We do keep a portable 12v freezer/fridge in the bed of the truck for extra cold storage. Between the Ollie and the pickup, there is storage space to spare. People that aren't familiar seem to have and aversion to composting toilets, but this is the best choice we have ever made. Very easy to maintain, never have to wait in line at a dump station, no stinky slinky and all that. Best part is you stretch your fresh water availability by not dumping half your fresh water down the toilet.
Ever think about having LineX sorted on the front of your camper for chip protection? I know with LineX you can get colors , if done in white it wouldn’t be very noticeable. The front area of my 5thwheel has a spray on protection.
Interesting ... but toward the end, I noticed the screws for the vent and fan need to be re=sealed. Cleaned off with heat gun to make dicer soft and then check the screws for rust or looseness and replace if need be and put at least a quarter sized dab on the screw head and around it on the vent ...use dicor self leveling ... not the non sag. don't use silicon as it is hard to remove and have the good sealers to seal. If I had relatively no money constraints, I'd go with the Oliver too... thanks. Nice 9BB solar panels.. very economical and great producers.
Yes Steve you kind of got a little off subject here, I'm 66 and thinking of buying an Oliver and I thought you might be the man I need to listen to. I thought you were going to point out the good/bad and the in and outs, not a complete overview of every single feature of the Oliver...I was expecting to hear how it performs, how it holds up, the conveniences and the inconveniences a man experiences while living in his Oliver, but I appreciate the time you put into this and I'm sure people that didn't know anything about an Oliver are grateful to you and are certainly well-informed now... have a good journey maybe I'll see you down the road
At the 29 minute mark I was waiting to hear if you opted for the 30 pound tanks. It is near the end of April 2024 and I'm 840 miles from the factory. I intend to take a trip within the next few weeks and perhaps put in an order. I have been hesitant for nearly two years because of health reasons. But it's now or never!
Yes, I went for the 20 lb. tanks, just because they do last so long. The real limit for me boondocking is probably the holding tanks, so I can refill propane as needed. Hope you are able to make the decision and put in the order. It is not an easy one to make! Thanks for your comment and for watching!
Thank you for your video, I am looking at campers now and especially looking for owners reviews. Sure some points overlap but your opinion is what is important. Had not thought of the battery security, or the issue with the leaves, forest litter. Have you used the solar with AC running? What kind of work do you do (like is it computer use, how many hours per day, do you use Starlink, cellular, or anything for connectivity). I am asking to determine power consumption on non-ideal days? How long do you believe the 800ish watt hours would last living in a warmer environment. Perhaps you can experiment and create a follow up video with those details. You mentioned a generator, how many kw is your generator and how long does it take to replenish your batteries. Also glad you mentioned the CPAP, do you run it on AC or DC?
My Oliver has a 3000W inverter and I can run the AC from battery. I typically only do that when I might be on the road, I will turn on the A/C just to make it comfortable while I have lunch in the camper. The batteries would probably only power the AC for about 6-8 hours, depending on the outside temps. I am a software engineer, so I'm using multiple laptops for many hours, maybe 16 hours or more, depending on what I'm doing. I have a WeBoost Destination RV cell booster that I use if signal is poor. I only have a 2500W generator that I can't run the A/C from directly- if I find that I need that, I may get another 2500W and run them in parallel for 5000W. I originally used the inverter with the CPAP and then I got a 12V DC power adapter for it from Amazon. It is a Resmed Airsense 11. Thanks for subscribing and watching!
@@StevesRoadTripChronicles absolutely excellent answer for me. I am a software developer also and this multiple computer scenario was my exact interest. I am considering the unit with the large table in back instead of the twin beds for that reason, I believe I would just use the dinette as my primary bed but unsure of the length of it being taller than 6’ and or the comfort factor there. Alternately I am considering the dinette to work at and mounting monitors / modifying the booth some kind of way to get two monitors wide ( then use the twin bed instead). Perhaps you go into why you picked the twin bed option in your second video, I’ll have to wait to see…. Thanks again.
If you’re over 6 feet, the dinette sleeping will be too short. Remember if you plan on spreading out on the large table in the rear, you have to break it down to sleep. You could definitely mount a monitor on the forward bulkhead near the dinette since it is flat. I chose the twin bed because I don’t need much space and I wanted to use the other bed as a couch and the bed can stay ready to go without setup/tear down each night.
I’m curious, could you change the rear lights around yourself? they look identical therefore maybe the clear light could be placed in the uppermost position?
Yes, I probably could, assuming there was enough slack in the wiring. But I really try not to tow after dark, so it really isn't often a problem for me. Thanks for watching!
I guess you mean around the 26:00 mark? There are no water hoses in that area, so I'd guess it was from the rain that was falling earlier in the day. Thanks for watching! Edit: went back and watched again-- The aluminum basket has drainage holes in it and I think when I was moving the things around in there, water was coming off them and draining out of the basket...
I’ve also been looking for a thorough owner’s review. Excellent job! Do you think it’s big enough for a husband and wife full timing in it for 5 years traveling the U.S.? We’re also looking at the ORV 19MKS. Thank you.
I think that depends on your personality. There are folks that do it. Remember, the Oliver is 7 feet wide and has no slides. If you’re a minimalist and you don’t expect to spend a lot of time staying in the camper, it would probably be fine. But living full-time is a unique situation. Thanks for watching!
@@StevesRoadTripChronicles , that’s good to know, since Lippert has proven to be unreliable and the company doesn’t want to stand behind their product .
Very Interesting I have a LE ll Hull# 1198 2022 .....I have found the learning curve is more then my last two travel trailers.When it comes time to start Spring camping the list of remembering the system from front to rear is somewhat overwhelming.I had a Crappy walk threw when I picked up the Trailer at Oliver.They are not as helpful as every one claims? Now that the Company has gone to dealerships I do wonder what the furture holds for Oliver.I love the Trailer but there not as great as other Owners on face book would have you think.All campers have problems... Just saying their customer service has gone DOWN hill . Well done video!
Appreciate it! I have found they have a lot of good information on the Oliver website in the "Oliver University" section. I camped in mine throughout the winter so it's all just second nature to me now. As far as the dealerships, I'm not sure. You still have the option of getting service at the factory. If the dealerships help Oliver stay in business, then that's good for all of us! Thanks for watching!
Hi Steve - Fellow Ollie owners here. Question: What was your site # in Tuskgee NF? We’ve driven through there, but can’t figure out where you camped. Looked so nice. We do enjoy your videos! Martin & Shari
Hi!, Yes, it is a nice spot, it is campsite #5, which is directly across the gravel road from site #11. Here's a link: maps.app.goo.gl/XHXuCqvoGheibp2k7 Thanks for watching and subscribing!
@@StevesRoadTripChronicles Thanks for the quick reply. Site #11 looked like the “entrance” was really steep. It’s been a while, maybe I remember it correctly.
You're right, site 11 is very steep, I wouldn't try to get the Oliver up there. Here is a street view and you can see #11 to the left and #5 to the right: www.google.com/maps/@32.4576841,-85.6287855,3a,75y,250.73h,87.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shQkXwJjVOKfmQ6ZVaw402w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu
that water hose outside of trailer, I don't think it a outdoor shower water hose way to short ,I think it more for cleaning maybe big pots and pans and other stuff you don't want to being inside camping trailer.
Oliver calls it an outside shower. I noticed in Oliver's demonstration that the hose needed to be longer. I love to see an owner do the walk-around and inside videos. This is the first video I have seen of the Good, the bad, and the Ugly, and I appreciate it!
It is short, but if you had a hook to hang on the outside, it would probably be tall enough to shower under. Thanks for your comment and thanks for watching!
im not seeing proper ventalation under the solar pannels, That is very important...im an engineer helping engineer those pannels...meed at least 3 inches under those pannels in all directions
I could use some more panels, for sure! Not a lot of room up top, but I'm planning on augmenting it with a portable panel, at least another 200W, for sure. Thanks for watching!
The F150 strains a little more that translates to more wear and tear. Plus the F250 has a higher cargo capacity, which includes tongue weight and cargo in the truck bed.
You’re right- the Oliver is not so great for hanging out. But it is nimble and minimal and lets me go to the places I want to go. Everybody has something different they are looking for in a camper, for sure. Thanks for watching!
