Greetings from Caspar, CA

[CasparScape]

This is my first post. We are from the other Caspar. Not Casper, WY. Caspar, CA, a tiny hamlet on the northwest coast near the other Fort Bragg: Fort Bragg, CA, not Fort Bragg, NC.

We are picking up our 19 shortly, and I have resisted posting before then, when I expect many of my questions will be answered. But I think it is time to repay some of the great advice other owners have shared by offering some from my own experience:

Frameless windows: after discussing with ETI, we have opted to revert to framed windows, on the premise of tried and true versus the desirability of frameless awning windows in place of framed sliders. The framless failures, while few, seem to have put ETI in the middle of a debate about whether leaks and glass layer delaminations result from manufacturing defects or owners overtightening the latchings, weather, etc. Just be aware that ETI is unable to offer framed window thermal glass in the optional kitchen and bath windows.

Power Awning: We are keeping the power awning, since ETI advises that most failures result from rainfall water loading.
Rather than try to parse Dometic's definition of "rain" for product performance, I am looking forward to a more streamlined look and ease of use with the understanding that:
1. It's a sunshade, not a stand-alone umbrella.
2. Never leave it open and unattended.
3. Don't depend on it to self-retract in wind.

Payment types:
For U.S. customers, the short answer is just send ETI a personal check. Reasons:

Credit cards: I paid my deposit with a credit card, and was slapped with an exhorbitant foreign transaction fee. Yes, some card companies have no fee, but ETI won't take more than $2500 in credit card payments, so why bother?
Electronic Funds transfer: was worse, an expensive exercise in frustration and banking exploitation for a process that turns out to be neither speedy nor assured. You have been warned.
Personal check: My last payment to ETI by check sailed right through by US mail, and was confirmed received by ETI within a few days, with no fuss or extra fees.

[sclifrickson]

Howdy, Morgan, and welcome to both the forum and the Escape family [emoji106]

[CasparScape]

Thank you. I hope I can be helpful to others, if not as entertaining as some of the posts I have read.

[CADreamin]

Welcome to the forum AND to the Escape family! Hopefully we'll meet at one of the Fiberglass get-togethers.

[Pupfish]

We have frameless windows and no issues. It took a bit, but I appreciate the power awnings. We are in west Texas. It really rains or it doesn't. It is windy or it isn't. The awning decides all for us. We can quibble about the edges but this works in our environment.