Which Options Should I Choose for 17B Trailer? Help!

[Chris & Patricia]

Originally Posted by mdnf

Hello Escape community! My DH and I are interested in buying an escape trailer 17B sight-unseen. We hear great things about them and want to experience living as nomads. We have never had a trailer before and are very new to this process. We aren't very handy but we are very tech-savvy. When purchasing a new Escape Trailer there is a list of options we need to choose from and it is like reading Greek. Can anyone shed some light on some of the things on the list? Why would they make our lives better and are they worth the price? I've bolded the options I believe we will need.

Also, does anyone have an average of what it costs to maintain on an annual basis?

2 Burner Stainless Steel Stove & Range hood with Stove Cover (as shown in a 19' Escape)$150.00
4 cuft Dometic Fridge (3 - Way)$200.00
Microwave built into cabinet $110.00
External Fridge Fan$175.00
2 - Way Hot Water Tank $200.00
Hot Water Tank with Exterior Shower (Plan A) $600.00
Foot Flush Toilet$60.00
Winterizing T Valve $35.00
Exterior shower(Plan B)$150.00
Exterior 12V Outlet$75.00
12 Volt Interior Outlet ($50.00 each)$50.00
Additional 12V/USB Interior Outlet$75.00
Dual 6V Batteries* (225 amp hrs) $275.00
Inverter 1500W Includes 1 Additional 120V outlet.* This option will require Dual 6V Batteries $650.00
Inverter 1500W Includes Transfer Switch and all outlets
* This option will require Dual 6V Batteries$950.00
160W Solar Panel with Charge Controller $850.00
Surge Protector $350.00
Removable Power Cord$150.00
Additional Exterior LED Light$75.00
Additional Set Rear Upper LED Brake/Signal Lights$150.00
LED Captains Reading Lamps$40.00
LED Awning Light Strip (as shown here in a 19' Escape)$170.00
Air Conditioner with Digital Thermostat (11,000 BTU)$1,100.00
Maxx Fan with Remote 7500K (Upgrade). Smoke.$125.00
Wireless Back - Up Camera Display Monitor wired with 12V Plug $450.00
Stereo/DVD Player with Two Speakers (location shown in a 17'B Escape)
$325.00
TV/Cable Ready with 120V Outlet$125.00 'Jack' TV Antenna (Includes TV Ready with 120V) $375.00
Extra Insulation & Frame-less Thermal Windows (Includes Opening Rear Window, Frt. Window with Rock Shield Non-Thermal). Plan B $1,300.00
Extra Insulation & Frame-less Thermal Windows (Includes Opening Rear Window, Frt. Window with Rock Shield Non-Thermal) - Plan A $1,400.00 Opening Window in Bathroom (Frame-less Thermal) - Plan B $300.00
Opening Window in Kitchen (Frame-less Thermal) as shown with the optional stainless steel stove $350.00
Aluminum Rim Package (Includes 3 on Single Axle Trailer)$285.00
High Lift Axle$150.00 Power Tongue Jack (Front of trailer)
$295.00
Exterior Access Hatch (Rear passenger side, Plan A or B, Front Driver's Side, Plan A)$150.00
Gaucho Bunk$400.00
Shelves in Wardrobe Closet ($75 each).$75.00
Additional Counter Extension$85.00 (Each)
Exterior Propane Quick Connect with 12' Propane Hose and Adapter$160.00
2 - 12V Heat Pads with Spray Foam Insulation$1,000.00
Spray Foam Insulation for Under Trailer$600.00
Storage Box (Front of Trailer)$700.00
Custom Flooring (12' x 9')$100.00 BECAUSE WE HAVE PETS
Custom Formica (Additional $100 for finish other than -58)$200.00
Custom Fabric (Single Fabric $100, Additional Fabrics $50/each) Plan A - 5.3m or 5.8yds, Plan B - 7.4m or 8.2yds, Plan B - W/Mattress 10.5m or 11.5yds * Please note fabrics with a repeating pattern will require the amount to be doubled$100.00
Convert Bench Seat to U Shaped Dinette (Fabric Measurment 8m or 8.8yds. * Please note fabrics with a repeating pattern will require the amount to be doubled.)$400.00
Equalizer Hitch $350.00
Equalizer Hitch with Sway Control Bar $475.00 E2 Integrated Sway Control and Weight Distribution Hitch $625.00
Extendable Wall Mount TV Arm (For 15" - 22" TVs)$95.00
Starter Kit- (Includes 4 Rolls RV Toilet Tissue, 1 Ltr Toilet Chemical, 10 prs of Lg Latex Gloves, 25' Water Hose, City Water Pressure Regulator, 4 Wheel Chocks, Hitch Lock, Propane Tanks Purged and filled)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Skyfree had some great points. Marry's point about contacting ETI to find someone close to you is also good. We took that route and found someone close with an almost new 17B and they have been (and continue to be) very helpful. Other points to consider, depending on what your budget is:

Do you really need AC? We are in BC and don't plan to to travel south in the summer and so concluded that maybe we could be without it. Although it gets hot in the BC interior in the summer, it cools off at night for sleeping. Now we are near enough to ETI that if we changed our minds later, it would be easy to as it comes AC ready if you don't go for it.

We opted for an additional USB to be close to the bed to plug in our mobiles at night.

If you like to BBQ and have a portable BBQ, you might want to consider the quick connect as it saves you having to take an extra propane tank.

We opted for the 17B as we didn't want to upgrade our existing vehicle, but as there is mostly only two of us travelling, we plan to keep the dinette down most of the time and concluded that we should get the exterior access hatch for easy access.

We opted for the fab upgrade, thought the remote might be useful. We opted for the additional window in the kitchen, but not the bathroom. We don't plan to be in the B/R for long, but would be in the kitchen area much longer and would like the extra light there.

We added the surge protector as it also has a polarity check on it for the what seems like quite a few places where there is incorrect polarity.

We got the upper brake lights; if you plan to take bikes, they will obscure the lower lights.

We also got the larger fridge and the fridge fan, which apparently helps in hot climates, with extra space for more cool beer or wine!

We opted for the extra 6V batteries but to go without the Solar, as we didn't see ourselves being off grid for more than a week and could probably get buy without it. However, we paid an extra $25 so it is "Solar Ready" and it can be added easily, although there are probably some cheaper options available in portable solar panels/controllers.

We also got a couple of other options, more personal than anything, but this probably covers the important items. Also experience tells me that many other forum members and Escape owners will give their two cents worth, all of which is valuable. Good luck in your deliberations.

[LarryandLiz]

Hi MDNF

there r lots of good comments / advise on here for you to think and work through. These are some of my thoughts, after reading your opening post.

I agree with earlier comments about making your down payment because u will have lots of time to ask all kinds of questionsad pick options.

The 17b is for someone who is a bit of a minamalist. We think of ours like a small sailboat, we don't drag our house with us. Traditionally, fiberglass trailers tended to be small and for the minamlist type person.

We don't have a microwave, no inverter, love the solar and dual 6 batteries. We have air conditioner for those rare times when we are hooked up to power and in the heat. But we've learned that boondocking with our little trailer opens up all kinds of options for us.

I'd advise you guys to ask lots of questions, not just technical questions about options but also questions about the kind of camping experiences Forum members have enjoyed the most with their Escapes.

All the best

[mdnf]

Originally Posted by Steve Clark

Hi mdnf, and Welcome! Just to clarify, when you place an order for your trailer, you do not need to include your options. Your deposit will hold your order, and you will receive a tentative completion date. The completion date is usually 8-12 months after the order date. Your option selections (Build Sheet) is not due until about 10 weeks prior to your trailer completion date. You will have several months to read, research, and ask questions about specific options. Good Luck!

Good advice, thanks!

[mdnf]

Originally Posted by Chris & Patricia

Skyfree had some great points. Marry's point about contacting ETI to find someone close to you is also good. We took that route and found someone close with an almost new 17B and they have been (and continue to be) very helpful. Other points to consider, depending on what your budget is:

Do you really need AC? We are in BC and don't plan to to travel south in the summer and so concluded that maybe we could be without it. Although it gets hot in the BC interior in the summer, it cools off at night for sleeping. Now we are near enough to ETI that if we changed our minds later, it would be easy to as it comes AC ready if you don't go for it.

We opted for an additional USB to be close to the bed to plug in our mobiles at night.

If you like to BBQ and have a portable BBQ, you might want to consider the quick connect as it saves you having to take an extra propane tank.

We opted for the 17B as we didn't want to upgrade our existing vehicle, but as there is mostly only two of us travelling, we plan to keep the dinette down most of the time and concluded that we should get the exterior access hatch for easy access.

We opted for the fab upgrade, thought the remote might be useful. We opted for the additional window in the kitchen, but not the bathroom. We don't plan to be in the B/R for long, but would be in the kitchen area much longer and would like the extra light there.

We added the surge protector as it also has a polarity check on it for the what seems like quite a few places where there is incorrect polarity.

We got the upper brake lights; if you plan to take bikes, they will obscure the lower lights.

We also got the larger fridge and the fridge fan, which apparently helps in hot climates, with extra space for more cool beer or wine!

We opted for the extra 6V batteries but to go without the Solar, as we didn't see ourselves being off grid for more than a week and could probably get buy without it. However, we paid an extra $25 so it is "Solar Ready" and it can be added easily, although there are probably some cheaper options available in portable solar panels/controllers.

We also got a couple of other options, more personal than anything, but this probably covers the important items. Also experience tells me that many other forum members and Escape owners will give their two cents worth, all of which is valuable. Good luck in your deliberations.

Hi Chris and Patricia,

Some excellent points. Thank you!

I am unclear about what the exterior access hatch is and I haven't found any images online. How is it helpful?

Mena

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

There will be an Escape Rally in September in Niagara Falls, On where there will be several Escapes models, including the 17. See here for details http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f1...17-a-9017.html

I think I was the only 17 there last year; don't depend on my 17 making it to the Niagara Wine Escape - I hope it will be sold by then & I'm on my way to Chilliwack for my new 21.

[mdnf]

Originally Posted by LarryandLiz

Hi MDNF

there r lots of good comments / advise on here for you to think and work through. These are some of my thoughts, after reading your opening post.

I agree with earlier comments about making your down payment because u will have lots of time to ask all kinds of questionsad pick options.

The 17b is for someone who is a bit of a minamalist. We think of ours like a small sailboat, we don't drag our house with us. Traditionally, fiberglass trailers tended to be small and for the minamlist type person.

We don't have a microwave, no inverter, love the solar and dual 6 batteries. We have air conditioner for those rare times when we are hooked up to power and in the heat. But we've learned that boondocking with our little trailer opens up all kinds of options for us.

I'd advise you guys to ask lots of questions, not just technical questions about options but also questions about the kind of camping experiences Forum members have enjoyed the most with their Escapes.

All the best

Thanks, Larry and Liz.

We will continue researching. Did you take the solar option or did you buy and install it through a third party?

I like to think of myself as a minimalist and what we seem to store the most is food and vitamins: organic gluten free products, spices, spring water and fresh and frozen produce. This is also due to lack of availability when out of the city.

[dfandrews]

Hi mdnf,

We have a 17A. That's because it fits our style. But we posted an evaluation of our build list choices for the 17, and then, a year later, updated it based on experiences. It may be of value to you; it is here:
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f7...ater-8933.html

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by Zardoz

Yea, wondered if we'd bump into you, but looks like we'll have to get together in Oosoyos. Looking forward to it!

I dunno Rich, I remember what you told Dirk and I when we viewed your 19 last year. And I'm trying to decide if I'll agree with that comment or not after trying out the Spring NOG and Maryhill.

[LarryandLiz]

Originally Posted by mdnf

Thanks, Larry and Liz.

We will continue researching. Did you take the solar option or did you buy and install it through a third party?

I like to think of myself as a minimalist and what we seem to store the most is food and vitamins: organic gluten free products, spices, spring water and fresh and frozen produce. This is also due to lack of availability when out of the city.

Escape put them on. I would recommend that also and having them make the solar system expandable so u can put out a portable solar. We have never run short on solar, but the panels are attached to the roof and u can't move the panels to catch the sun. But as I said we've never had issues with not enough sun hitting the roof panels. It prob doesn't cost much to add a plug to the solar system. Harder to add portables after everything is installed.

There are a couple significant differences between 17 and 19. 19 has dual axel and is easier to back up. The single 17 axel was a challenge for us but doable. Another is the permanent bed and larger dining table on the 19. Lots of info on the Forum about pros and cons.

We have the permanent bed option with lots of overall storage under the bed.

We like the 17 for ease of towing/parking when in strange cities. Also the 17 fits on parking area at home while the 19 wouldn't. Having the trailer at home is huge for cleaning, waxing, and getting ready for trips and after trips. Plus I like knowing where it is.

Since u live so far from Escape, I would talk to Escape and ask other Forum members about where they take their trailers to for maintenance. Wheel and brake maintainence as well as window and outside entry sealing/caulking are basic needs and u want to make sure u are getting the right people to do all that.

Regards, lots of stuff to learn if u are new to trailering and towing.

Towing is a whole other subject. I've found Forum members very helpful when we were starting out. We started by going to full power sites, now we look for the more simple sites in BC called recreational sites which tend to be off the beaten path. Right now for this year we are planning/hoping for two trips of about one month each on each end of the season with lots of shorter trips during the busier summer season.

Larry

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by mdnf

Hello Escape community! My DH and I are interested in buying an escape trailer 17B sight-unseen. We hear great things about them and want to experience living as nomads. We have never had a trailer before and are very new to this process. We aren't very handy but we are very tech-savvy. When purchasing a new Escape Trailer there is a list of options we need to choose from and it is like reading Greek. Can anyone shed some light on some of the things on the list? Why would they make our lives better and are they worth the price? I've bolded the options I believe we will need.

As you've already noticed, you're going to get a bazillion answers on the options. both for yes and no. It all really depends on how you think YOU will be using it. And if you want to do mods yourself.

For us - if it'll make things easier when using the trailer, we got it. Dirk wasn't too thrilled about putting in shelves in the cabinets as he's not a handyman by choice (and I definitely am not), so we opted for ETI to install them. It was worth the money. and now I can use 'em instead of nagging (oh wait, asking) Dirk to install them.

Think of where you're going with the trailer. I plan to go all over with it, eventually, so we got the a/c, heat strip, heat pads, extra insulation, thermal windows and heat tape (which they won't install any longer). I've already put some of them to good use when company was here and I used the trailer as my guest room.

Read as many threads on here that you can. Dig deeper in the forum and read older ones as they can contain a ton of information. Don't go by the thread title, as they veer off from that very quickly or it's kind of a weird title. I would bookmark interesting pages of threads for later reference. I put information in spreadsheets on things that sounded interesting. Tons of bookmarks on products. I spent hours and hours each day reading the forum it seemed (my favorite is still the dead moose in the trailer).

Also be aware that some of the options folks got in the past ETI has stopped offering (aforementioned heat tape is one example), so before getting your heart set on it, find out if they'll do it. If they say yes now, they might change their minds later, which has happened more than once.

As already mentioned, look at all sizes of the trailers. We were able to view two 21 (with and without the u-shaped dinette), one 19 and one 5.0TA. We've never owned a trailer before, so it was learn as we went. Dirk left most of the information gathering to me, which was fine as I loved it. Oh, we also took a tour of the factory (back when they were offered) and looked at all the trailers they had on view. Unfortunately they didn't have any power hooked up to them, so it was kind of tricky seeing what was what as it was rather dark in there. (It wasn't summer when we visited.) The owner of the first 21 we visited had power, heat and lights on and it was really nice viewing it that way.

Good luck with your decision! It can be a very enjoyable process.

[blhvet]

Many people have mentioned the permanent rear bed in the 19 - keep in mind that you can get a ermanwnt rear bed in the 17 as well. It's smaller (about 52") but it is available. You can either get it enclosed like the 19 or open in case you want to convert it back to a dinette.

[mdnf]

Originally Posted by LarryandLiz

Escape put them on. I would recommend that also and having them make the solar system expandable so u can put out a portable solar. We have never run short on solar, but the panels are attached to the roof and u can't move the panels to catch the sun. But as I said we've never had issues with not enough sun hitting the roof panels. It prob doesn't cost much to add a plug to the solar system. Harder to add portables after everything is installed.

There are a couple significant differences between 17 and 19. 19 has dual axel and is easier to back up. The single 17 axel was a challenge for us but doable. Another is the permanent bed and larger dining table on the 19. Lots of info on the Forum about pros and cons.

We have the permanent bed option with lots of overall storage under the bed.

We like the 17 for ease of towing/parking when in strange cities. Also the 17 fits on parking area at home while the 19 wouldn't. Having the trailer at home is huge for cleaning, waxing, and getting ready for trips and after trips. Plus I like knowing where it is.

Since u live so far from Escape, I would talk to Escape and ask other Forum members about where they take their trailers to for maintenance. Wheel and brake maintainence as well as window and outside entry sealing/caulking are basic needs and u want to make sure u are getting the right people to do all that.

Regards, lots of stuff to learn if u are new to trailering and towing.

Towing is a whole other subject. I've found Forum members very helpful when we were starting out. We started by going to full power sites, now we look for the more simple sites in BC called recreational sites which tend to be off the beaten path. Right now for this year we are planning/hoping for two trips of about one month each on each end of the season with lots of shorter trips during the busier summer season.

Larry

Hi Larry and Liz,

Thanks for your reply!

Can I request a permanent bed on the 17B? Do you think that would decrease resale value? I was thinking of getting a custom foam mattress and keeping it made up as a bed.

Also, how did you find your favorite sites? Did you use an app, or website or is it just word of mouth? Can you recommend any in BC?

Mena

[mdnf]

Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner

As you've already noticed, you're going to get a bazillion answers on the options. both for yes and no. It all really depends on how you think YOU will be using it. And if you want to do mods yourself.

For us - if it'll make things easier when using the trailer, we got it. Dirk wasn't too thrilled about putting in shelves in the cabinets as he's not a handyman by choice (and I definitely am not), so we opted for ETI to install them. It was worth the money. and now I can use 'em instead of nagging (oh wait, asking) Dirk to install them.

Think of where you're going with the trailer. I plan to go all over with it, eventually, so we got the a/c, heat strip, heat pads, extra insulation, thermal windows and heat tape (which they won't install any longer). I've already put some of them to good use when company was here and I used the trailer as my guest room.

Read as many threads on here that you can. Dig deeper in the forum and read older ones as they can contain a ton of information. Don't go by the thread title, as they veer off from that very quickly or it's kind of a weird title. I would bookmark interesting pages of threads for later reference. I put information in spreadsheets on things that sounded interesting. Tons of bookmarks on products. I spent hours and hours each day reading the forum it seemed (my favorite is still the dead moose in the trailer).

Also be aware that some of the options folks got in the past ETI has stopped offering (aforementioned heat tape is one example), so before getting your heart set on it, find out if they'll do it. If they say yes now, they might change their minds later, which has happened more than once.

As already mentioned, look at all sizes of the trailers. We were able to view two 21 (with and without the u-shaped dinette), one 19 and one 5.0TA. We've never owned a trailer before, so it was learn as we went. Dirk left most of the information gathering to me, which was fine as I loved it. Oh, we also took a tour of the factory (back when they were offered) and looked at all the trailers they had on view. Unfortunately they didn't have any power hooked up to them, so it was kind of tricky seeing what was what as it was rather dark in there. (It wasn't summer when we visited.) The owner of the first 21 we visited had power, heat and lights on and it was really nice viewing it that way.

Good luck with your decision! It can be a very enjoyable process.

Thanks for the advice!

[mdnf]

Originally Posted by blhvet

Many people have mentioned the permanent rear bed in the 19 - keep in mind that you can get a ermanwnt rear bed in the 17 as well. It's smaller (about 52") but it is available. You can either get it enclosed like the 19 or open in case you want to convert it back to a dinette.

Hi blhvet,

I'm thinking about it but I wonder if it will lower resale value.

[blhvet]

Hard to say. They will do it so you can convert it back to a dinette - just change out the mattress for cushions.

[skyfree]

I didn't see any advantage of having a permanent bed when we were deciding. It's exactly the same amount of storage -- just configured differently. With a dinette converted to a bed you can just throw stuff under there. We will probably throw a mattress on there for longer trips by ourselves but will try a memory foam topper over the cushions first to see if that is acceptable.

I like the option for converting it back to a dinette when we need to because we often camp in larger groups in bad whether and 4-6 people want to be inside where it's warm and dry.

[blhvet]

I considered both options. I camp alone 90% of the time, and I liked the more finished look. I also had them section off the space that would have been under the passenger side dinette so I can access it from the exterior hatch but it's separate from the "inside area". I got the front storage box, but a little extra "outside storage" is never a bad thing. (Note: there was no extra charge to throw a mattress on instead of cushions, but I think I paid an extra couple hundred bucks for the way I did it.)

[gbaglo]

We have a foam topper on the cushions and four containers that slide under the bed.
We rarely go into the passenger side bench for anything as it is such a hassle. I keep stuff I don't need in that compartment ( like the Coleman oven ). If we had a proper mattress, access to both the passenger and driver side would be most difficult.
Driver side compartment has the water heater and pump and the electric panel. Restricting access to those is just more grief and you can't convert it to a four seater dinette.
If I were to go with a full time bed and mattress, I'd get a 19'.

[LarryandLiz]

Originally Posted by mdnf

Hi Larry and Liz,

Thanks for your reply!

Can I request a permanent bed on the 17B? Do you think that would decrease resale value? I was thinking of getting a custom foam mattress and keeping it made up as a bed.

Also, how did you find your favorite sites? Did you use an app, or website or is it just word of mouth? Can you recommend any in BC?

Mena

Yes, permanent bed is an option. We wanted the permanent bed since it is primarily just my wife and I and we are ok with the smaller dining table and thus loosing the option of using the larger eating area where the permanent bed is. We didn't want to fuss with moving cushions or mattered.

Regarding resale, we followed Forum advice which went like this: Build the trailer for yourself because u will have the trailer for many years. Fiberglass trailers are built to last and we want this trailer for our retirement exploring years. . Our only concession for resale was putting in TV Ready wiring because we don't want TV in the trailer but it may make a difference for resale. We have lots of options via our laptop, iPads for movies and such anyway.


RE Campsites. since we r in BC there are many Escape forum members who give opinions / advice re campsites. We also use social media, word of mouth and Trip Advisor when choosing camping sites and trip routes. If u head into BC ask away either pm or on the Forum. Sometimes there are too many opinions

[mdnf]

Originally Posted by blhvet

Hard to say. They will do it so you can convert it back to a dinette - just change out the mattress for cushions.

Got it. Sounds pretty straightforward.