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Old 03-23-2016, 01:27 PM   #1
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Leap of Faith

This is a big deal. I am flying up from Salt Lake City to Vancouver on March 31, renting a car, and checking into a motel for two nights to drive out to Chilliwack on April 1. There will be no factory tours that day and Sarah will only have a limited amount of time to spend with me. I have to make a very important decision involving a substantial (for me) amount of money regarding my future life based on very little first-hand information. My faith is supported by all the positive comments I have read on these pages about the Escape and the people who make and sell them. I am fairly certain about the 17B, after the new price increase and the prospects for the improving strength of the Canadian dollar, and I feel the 17 will be fine for me. Going into this I have a good feeling for the whole process. Thanks to all for your informative comments and the responses I have received from Tammie and Sarah. I will let you all know how this turns out in two weeks!
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Old 03-23-2016, 01:35 PM   #2
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John:
We purchased our 17B last year--our pick-up date was Aug. 14th. We used the trailer last summer/fall for nearly ten weeks and are really enjoying it. If it would help you to see a 17B, we would be happy to show you ours. We're located in Sandy, so should not be too far from you. Send me a personal email if you're interested in arranging a time to see ours.
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Old 03-23-2016, 01:38 PM   #3
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John,
It appears that you spoke with ETI. Did you ask if there is anyone around you that has a 17B, or for that matter any other Escape. This can give you an idea of the quality of the build at the very least. If not enjoy the time and the look at the newest models. I for one am looking to get a 21 and have seen the "classic" version and am very impressed. Reace says no major changes to the inside and that's enough for me. I like what I have seen of the 19 exterior photos.

Take care and welcome to the group.
Steve M

edit: Well it appears thee is someone near you willing to have you look at their Escape. Again good luck and enjoy. Steve M
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Old 03-23-2016, 01:46 PM   #4
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Thanks you guys! This is what I am talking about!
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Old 03-23-2016, 02:30 PM   #5
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Vermille has a fun blog with his 17b cross country adventures if you have not already seen it. Cheers!
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Old 03-23-2016, 02:48 PM   #6
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Hmmm, visiting the factory with ALL the trailers there to see. Careful, you might come away with a 19 footer ...
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Old 03-23-2016, 02:49 PM   #7
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John, I think that your faith in this decision is well founded. As you can tell on this forum, Escape has made a lot of "happy campers." I have always felt that instead of "satisfied customers," Escape has made "Raving Fans." We have had our Escape 19 for 2 years and are really happy to have made the decision when we did. (Despite the increased value caused by the depressed Canadian $) If you go into this with an open mind, I think you will be happy with your purchase.
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Old 03-23-2016, 04:44 PM   #8
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John, my just out of storage 21 will be at either a Bellingham WA or Everett WA casino when you are passing through. If you want a nickel tour, gimmie a PM.
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Old 03-23-2016, 04:44 PM   #9
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That's how you do it John. No substitute for seeing them in person, and you do learn more at ETI than by touring an owner's trailer.
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Old 03-23-2016, 07:44 PM   #10
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A picture is worth a 1000 words, but touring the factory is even better as you go inside and see the trailers at various stages of construction. You also get your questions answered by the most knowledgable people. When we toured the factory I had a few questions that the person wasn't able to answer so she tapped Reace, the owner, on the shoulder. He spent about 15 minutes giving us an in-depth answer, including taking us to look at the Dexter suspension system I was trying to understand. On other occasions I have asked Reace about issues that were in discussion on the forum and he was able to give me very solid reasons for following a specific direction. If you like the Escapes, I can't emphasize enough the value of having access to the owners/developers of the Escape. They are constantly listening to their customers and making improvements. In response to a concern I and a few other people had about drawers lost due to moving the furnace in the Escape 21 (necessitated by change in furnaces size by manufacturer), Reace redesigned the cabinet overnight. He added a few inches in height to give back one of the two drawers lost. Talk about listening to one's customers! Just one of many examples on this forum.

At the same time, flying to Vancouver to see the trailer sure adds to the cost. You could get a look at the trailers and ask your questions on this forum and save a bundle on air fare. If you can find another reason to visit the area, by all means do so. You won't regret the factory tour.

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Old 03-23-2016, 07:57 PM   #11
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Leap of Faith

Along with all of the info available on this form good to hear this. We will get our 5.0TA on Aug 12,'16. We have our first contacts with ETI people as we approach a May deadline for our build list. We are in So Ca and considered a quick trip to Chilliwack for a look see but so far we are accepting this great leap of faith with ETI.
If any one is interested, Southwest has $69 one wayfares available right now; $150 or so and night or two for a motel isn't too bad. (a good word for my son-in-law SW Captain...)
-Ethan
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Old 03-23-2016, 09:44 PM   #12
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John - Linda and I live in Cottonwood Heights and would be glad to run you through our 17B and answer any questions you might have. We purchased it in 2014, have spent nearly 40 nights in it so far and absolutely love it! I did have an opportunity to visit ETI at the tail end of a business trip to Seattle prior to finalizing by build sheet and it was a great experience, but 90+ percent of my questions were answered here on the forum and by visiting a 17B owner in Park City. Message me if you're interested in dropping by.
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Old 03-23-2016, 10:59 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan4 View Post
That's how you do it John. No substitute for seeing them in person, and you do learn more at ETI than by touring an owner's trailer.
Depends on the owner!

We learned lots and lots from the owners of the 4 trailers we viewed. One couple were on their 4th (I believe) Escape trailer - going up in size each time. They were a huge bundle of information on the different sizes of trailers. What was also helpful was getting the owners' first hand experiences at actually using the trailers. We didn't get any of that type of information when we were at the factory. Nor did I expect to.

One of the owners traveled with their cat, so that was quite helpful. Such as, if you have a table mounted, get a flush mount for the supports, otherwise you get wads of cat litter in there that might not be easy to clean out.
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Old 03-23-2016, 11:12 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by ethanallen2 View Post
Along with all of the info available on this form good to hear this. We will get our 5.0TA on Aug 12,'16. We have our first contacts with ETI people as we approach a May deadline for our build list. We are in So Ca and considered a quick trip to Chilliwack for a look see but so far we are accepting this great leap of faith with ETI.
If any one is interested, Southwest has $69 one wayfares available right now; $150 or so and night or two for a motel isn't too bad. (a good word for my son-in-law SW Captain...)
-Ethan
We went to escape last August to visit the factory and make our first deposit. We flew into Vancouver and rented a car through Costco and stayed at an Air BnB in Abbotsford. $49/night it was brand-new and private basement suite with a window overlooking the backyard. The hosts were very nice and accepted our last minute request. No TV but Internet was good. We also took time to visit Vancouver on the hop on hop off bus. We got a lot in a couple days!
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Old 03-25-2016, 05:00 AM   #15
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Dave & Penny Smith were kind enough to show me their 17B yesterday. This was a truly pleasant experience. Thank you all for your positive comments. I can't help but feel that I am moving in the right direction. A couple of days in Vancouver would be worthwhile under any circumstances, but I also have a personal reason for being there next week. For me personally seeing the factory first hand, comparing showroom models, and having a face to face with ETI people will make a big difference. I will share my report when I return.
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Old 03-25-2016, 05:07 AM   #16
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Thanks Scott. I will be in touch.
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Old 04-04-2016, 04:12 PM   #17
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Just got back from a whirlwind trip to Chilliwack.Things were not as chaotic on Friday as I expected them to be. Met Reace and had an informative and pleasant conversation with him. Fortunately there was ample time for Sarah to answer all my questions and address all my concerns. I decided to go with the 19. The deciding factor was being able to stand up in the shower. The additional 3 inches of headroom in the living area was important as well. I think I will feel more comfortable with the extra space. I will feel more secure with tandem axles. And I did the math, and I can actually afford it. Especially if I pay more off on it now than later. All in all a very pleasant experience. Chilliwack is a nice place. I look forward to returning. Exceptional weather, too, by the way. Thank you all for you positive comments. I am on my way!
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Old 04-04-2016, 04:17 PM   #18
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Congrats on your decision, John. You will be very happy.

And you even got time with that busy Reace fellow, nice.
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Old 04-04-2016, 04:20 PM   #19
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Congrats John. It's funny how similar many of our experiences are. I too took a special flight to Canada so I could visit the factory, talk to Reace, and get my questions answered before ordering. Before I went, I was settled on the 17. After my visit, it was the 19 for sure. Haven't regretted purchasing for one second.

Hope to see you out there on the road someday. Cheers!
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Old 04-04-2016, 05:36 PM   #20
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Having now had both, I call the 19 "the 17 on steroids."
Congrats on your order and a successful trip.
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