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Old 05-13-2017, 11:50 PM   #1
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Join Date: May 2017
Location: Rochester, New York
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A New Adventure Begins

Greetings all, from Western NY!

Hey guys, so glad I found this forum (as well as this RV manufacture). I came "yonder way" after spending hours pouring over RV options on the Internet.

And all this started with a certain 15 year old (my son) who recently said to me (in no shorter words): "Hey mom, I want to take a road trip to Alaska through western Canada!"

Well, that sounds like an intriguing journey (says momma) So needless to say; this started my Internet research project. See, it's been a rough couple of months. My estranged husband (and son's father) suddenly passed away about 2 months ago now and God willing, looks like the finances to be able to afford this wish are going to materialize. Our trip is tentatively scheduled for next summer.

So in light of looking at the most economical way of traveling, I decided we'll get the most bang for our buck if we buy an RV!

Easier said than done - I suppose. (Now there's too many potential choices and of course the first memory that comes to my mind is my father burning out the breaks of his motorhome driving up and down the Rockies back when I was in the Navy. We'll just say it made for an interesting trip!) So thus brings up all these issues about tow vehicles and trailer weights... "Let me find the lightest one I can" brought me to researching fiberglass trailers!

Now "Escape" of the fiberglass trailers!
We'd talked to some sales people and looked at different RV's on the Internet, of which brought up some issues. First off - the 15 year old boy is in excess of 6 foot now / banging his head on half the coaches we walked through. (so back to the Internet).

I learned 5th wheels usually have more head room. I've also read that they are more stable to tow. (OK that works - two plusses there!) Now I just need to find one that..... doesn't require it's own zip code. First I found the Scamp brand, showed a picture to the "discerning 15 year old" (had the set up we needed - two separate beds and certainly not... half the size of Canada). He looked at it and said. "Why would you want to buy that?" (he felt the interior left a lot to be desired) .... "Besides mom, we'd be bumping into each other." Which is true (2 of us and a 100lb dog) So, back to the drawing board looking for 5th wheels that wouldn't make momma feel like she was trying to haul an aircraft carrier out to sea! (Also took a little explanation of the intimidation of hauling a jumbotron across North America before the kid understood.) So when I found Escape's web sight and showed him the pictures (wha-la - 5.0's interior got a big thumbs up)! So, in enters Escape's 5.0.

So, I just spent a good chuck of time reading through posts on amenities and I will certainly say I am impressed with the options. A reasonable space efficient set up, as well as some "amenities" we really need. (My son has Autism and epilepsy, so he has to have air-conditioning.)

So I'm glad I found Escape on the web and I'm looking forward to putting in my order soon.

Got a question though? Can someone clarify for me the production / order date deadlines?

Thanks
Looking forward to some new adventures.
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Old 05-14-2017, 01:09 AM   #2
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Location: Ventura County, California
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Renee N. View Post
Greetings all, from Western NY!

Hey guys, so glad I found this forum (as well as this RV manufacture). I came "yonder way" after spending hours pouring over RV options on the Internet.

And all this started with a certain 15 year old (my son) who recently said to me (in no shorter words): "Hey mom, I want to take a road trip to Alaska through western Canada!"

Well, that sounds like an intriguing journey (says momma) So needless to say; this started my Internet research project. See, it's been a rough couple of months. My estranged husband (and son's father) suddenly passed away about 2 months ago now and God willing, looks like the finances to be able to afford this wish are going to materialize. Our trip is tentatively scheduled for next summer.

So in light of looking at the most economical way of traveling, I decided we'll get the most bang for our buck if we buy an RV!

Easier said than done - I suppose. (Now there's too many potential choices and of course the first memory that comes to my mind is my father burning out the breaks of his motorhome driving up and down the Rockies back when I was in the Navy. We'll just say it made for an interesting trip!) So thus brings up all these issues about tow vehicles and trailer weights... "Let me find the lightest one I can" brought me to researching fiberglass trailers!

Now "Escape" of the fiberglass trailers!
We'd talked to some sales people and looked at different RV's on the Internet, of which brought up some issues. First off - the 15 year old boy is in excess of 6 foot now / banging his head on half the coaches we walked through. (so back to the Internet).

I learned 5th wheels usually have more head room. I've also read that they are more stable to tow. (OK that works - two plusses there!) Now I just need to find one that..... doesn't require it's own zip code. First I found the Scamp brand, showed a picture to the "discerning 15 year old" (had the set up we needed - two separate beds and certainly not... half the size of Canada). He looked at it and said. "Why would you want to buy that?" (he felt the interior left a lot to be desired) .... "Besides mom, we'd be bumping into each other." Which is true (2 of us and a 100lb dog) So, back to the drawing board looking for 5th wheels that wouldn't make momma feel like she was trying to haul an aircraft carrier out to sea! (Also took a little explanation of the intimidation of hauling a jumbotron across North America before the kid understood.) So when I found Escape's web sight and showed him the pictures (wha-la - 5.0's interior got a big thumbs up)! So, in enters Escape's 5.0.

So, I just spent a good chuck of time reading through posts on amenities and I will certainly say I am impressed with the options. A reasonable space efficient set up, as well as some "amenities" we really need. (My son has Autism and epilepsy, so he has to have air-conditioning.)

So I'm glad I found Escape on the web and I'm looking forward to putting in my order soon.

Got a question though? Can someone clarify for me the production / order date deadlines?

Thanks
Looking forward to some new adventures.
Hi Renee . On the Escape forum look at your right on the page ,open, Escape Trailer Industries . At the top you will see Production Schedule .Looks like Nov and Dec , a couple spots . Linda and I were both born Rochester , New York at St. Mary's hospital . Also have a 15 year old grandson with autism . Sounds like a great adventure ahead for you and your son . Pat
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Old 05-14-2017, 01:19 AM   #3
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Welcome! Congratulations on taking on a new adventure.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Renee N. View Post
Can someone clarify for me the production / order date deadlines?
The Escape Trailer Industries website has a Production Schedule. That shows the next two available dates for a 5.0TA as November 30, 2017 and December 5, 2017. That means that if you order today (with a deposit), you can have a trailer which will be ready for delivery on one of those days. If someone else places an order and takes one of those dates, the next slot in the schedule will be made available. That's almost the end of the year so there won't be many more this year, and I don't know if they will just roll into 2018, or they'll stop taking orders for a while.

Once you order, you have reserved your production date, but you don't need to finalize your option choices (which determines the final price) until much closer to production time.
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Old 05-14-2017, 01:42 AM   #4
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Location: Ponoka, Alberta
Trailer: 2016 19 classic "outta sight", jeep rubicon unlimited
Posts: 1,645
Hi Renee, welcome to the world of Escape!
In case you are interested in seeing an Escape, contact ETI on Monday. They can give you contact info of owners in your area, that are willing to show you their trailer.
Ordering one, and putting down the "small" deposit, for 2017 production might be the smart thing to do. By watching the dollar you might save yourself quite some bucks.
You would still have lots of time to ponder over all the options available. The build sheet will be due a few months before your trailer goes into production.
The price of the "plain" trailer will not change once ordered. The price on the options you chose will be set once you sign off your build sheet.
The excitement of getting an Escape is tremendous! You can truly make it your own with all the options available and beyond. Flooring, fabric, counter top, ...
Good luck with your decision!
Wishing you and your son happy travels!!
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Old 05-14-2017, 05:59 AM   #5
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
In the past, once the years worth of trailer build dates are used up they've held off taking more orders until they are ready to start scheduling the next years. They've recently added capacity so this may be different this year.

Some folks who have delivery dates in the winter have been able to hold off on taking actual delivery till the spring if they were picking it up in BC. I believe there was some requirement that you have it insured while it sits at the factory but that's something you'd have to inquire about. Delivery amounts to either you going out and picking it up, or paying for delivery. I'm a good bit east east of you and had mine delivered, it was in the $3500 range.
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Old 05-14-2017, 06:12 AM   #6
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Location: Central, Pennsylvania
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Good morning newbee Renee and son,
So you are new to Escape as well as rving? A double newbee, well welcome to our little world. Other than Escape Industries for info, there are meets or rallies helming where we Escapees meet and show one another our "stuff". There is one coming up near you in Niagara Falls, On,
see here for info...http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...17-a-9017.html
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Old 05-14-2017, 12:06 PM   #7
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Renee, welcome.


I'll say it, rent a class b or c for a quick trip this summer. It would help get you (re)familiar with some common systems (dumping waste tanks for one) and get the boy out 'n about on a test trip, maybe somewhere educational?






Best of luck. I assume you have a truck now? What is it? What about renting a smaller trailer and bumper pull it?
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Old 05-14-2017, 04:27 PM   #8
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Join Date: May 2017
Location: Rochester, New York
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Originally Posted by BCnomad View Post
Renee, welcome.

I'll say it, rent a class b or c for a quick trip this summer. It would help get you (re)familiar with some common systems (dumping waste tanks for one) and get the boy out 'n about on a test trip, maybe somewhere educational?

Best of luck. I assume you have a truck now? What is it? What about renting a smaller trailer and bumper pull it?
Thanks BCnomad,

We do have one trip planned for this summer, but it's a tech-geek camp at the New Paltz college and we'll be staying in a hotel.

As per what you speak of here, although I've never owned an RV myself, I am familiar with things like waste tank systems, as my parents had several trailers and a motorhome at various points. Dad used to drive around the campground through every pothole he could find for like 20 minutes before he went to the dump station. Don't know how effective it really was, but he swore it swished things around so "it all comes out alright".

I also was a heavy equipment operator in the Navy, so though it's been some years, I've driven big rigs before. So, this isn't totally uncharted water. (I'm sure I'll be thinking fond thoughts of dad as I'm sloshing through campground potholes.)

As far as vehicles go, I got one picked out, but not purchased yet. (Chevy Avalanche). Even though I know I don't "need" a V8 for towing a fiberglass trailer, I figure if I'm going over mountains next summer, the available extra horse power certainly won't hurt. (Better too much available umph than not enough.) After doing research on tow vehicles, I also picked this "transitional life form" between a pick-up truck and an SUV, because the back seats fold flat and if I throw a good cargo mat and divider between the two sets of seats, "dog face" (100lb Malamute/Lab) can "hang out" back there safely for long distances without having to be belted to the seat.

My next dilemma of decision is now that I have two Saturn Vues, (One purchased, other inherited from late husband's estate) do I trade in both and go "full time" on the pickup as a everyday vehicle or just use it as a "vacation car". The Avalanche I've found is reasonably priced with all the bells and whistles. (a good tow package, back up camera, DVD entertainment system, and a moonroof - among other amenities for the right price)

My Vue (paid cash - had for 6 years now) has been religiously maintained (Zbart and rust proofed every year) along with all the lifetime warrantee replacement parts I could possibly get. I've put 150 thousand miles on it. (Original intent was to drive it until the wheels literally fell off.) It's in excellent shape (despite salt of N.E winters) and since a well maintained Honda engine is hard to kill, I really have no reason to get rid of it. Only question is, is it worth the trade off of what I'd save not insuring two vehicles as opposed to the 5 plus mpg worse mileage on the Avalanche? (More points to ponder.)



All this being said though, I made some of these initial researches when I was looking at Scamps, who have a smaller towing apparatus than a standard 5th wheel, of which I'd read even a shorter bed could accommodate. Since I just started doing my research on tow gear for the 5.0; I don't know if this truck will still work? Got to do a bit more research on this.

So, any input on this peeps might have would be appreciated.

Thanks
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Old 05-14-2017, 06:56 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Renee N. View Post
...
As far as vehicles go, I got one picked out, but not purchased yet. (Chevy Avalanche).
...

All this being said though, I made some of these initial researches when I was looking at Scamps, who have a smaller towing apparatus than a standard 5th wheel, of which I'd read even a shorter bed could accommodate. Since I just started doing my research on tow gear for the 5.0; I don't know if this truck will still work?
The key dimension in fitting a trailer to a pickup, when the trailer hitches in the truck bed, is the distance from the pivot point of the hitch (the pin or ball) to the back of the cab. This distance determines whether or not the trailer body will hit the cab in a tight turn. The type of hitch (traditional pin-and-plate fifth wheel, or ball and socket) makes no difference to this clearance factor.

The Avalanche has a very short distance from the cab to the rear axle, so the hitch will need to be behind the axle. That can work, but the greater the weight your trailer puts on the hitch, the more likely this is to be a problem. Compared to a Scamp 19', a current Escape 5.0TA:
  1. has at least 100 pounds higher hitch weight, and
  2. needs more space from cab to pin because the body of the trailer is substantially wider (roughly 88" versus 80").
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Old 05-14-2017, 07:10 PM   #10
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Location: Rochester, New York
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
The key dimension in fitting a trailer to a pickup, when the trailer hitches in the truck bed, is the distance from the pivot point of the hitch (the pin or ball) to the back of the cab. This distance determines whether or not the trailer body will hit the cab in a tight turn. The type of hitch (traditional pin-and-plate fifth wheel, or ball and socket) makes no difference to this clearance factor.

The Avalanche has a very short distance from the cab to the rear axle, so the hitch will need to be behind the axle. That can work, but the greater the weight your trailer puts on the hitch, the more likely this is to be a problem. Compared to a Scamp 19', a current Escape 5.0TA:
  1. has at least 100 pounds higher hitch weight, and
  2. needs more space from cab to pin because the body of the trailer is substantially wider (roughly 88" versus 80").

Yes, I've been researching this and discovered too, the Avalanche bed is too short with the mid gate in place (and I can't really travel without it)

Now I gotta find a pickup truck I like.....
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Old 05-14-2017, 08:45 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Renee N. View Post
Avalanche bed is too short with the mid gate in place (and I can't really travel without it)

Now I gotta find a pickup truck I like.....
Have you checked out the Catastrophe?
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