Look at em go.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I was just on the Casita Facebook group. Someone is right now ordering a 17' Casita.. with "all the bells and whistles." THEN, they'll go to Little House Customs and have modifications done to the tune of several more thousand dollars. They expect to spend over $25,000 by time they're done.

Currently, a US buyer can get a well-appointed 17B Escape Trailer for less than $23,000. AND, it's a better built trailer than Casita too. Wish I could tell them, but the admins forbid discussing any other brand in that group.

Can you not just send them a personal message and point them towards an Escape trailer?

[Donna D.]

I could, but this is ongoing with people who buy Casitas without knowing or checking other brands. I'd spend my day PMing people. As much as I'd like to help them, I really don't want to spend my time.

[rbryan4]

Check out a sticky forum like the Jayco. Thread after thread complaining of their trailer basically falling apart. Dealers don't care, they have their money, and they didn't build it. Whenever someone has the bravery to suggest an alternative there, such as a molded fiberglass trailer that actually retains it's value, they are quickly hushed.

It's not my job to warn anyone about any RV - be it sticky or fiberglass or whatever. As Donna says, if you did that, that's all you would be doing. If asked directly, let them know. Otherwise, NMP. Besides, it's not all doom and gloom. I know several people who are quite happy with trailers I would consider junk (and I'm not talking about a Casita).

[Sisababe]

Originally Posted by padlin

Be there for Feb and Mar.

I'm hoping to head that way in late Nov and be there until March. Tucson and Sedona mostly.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[kootenaigirl]

I think it is important to remember that one brand of trailer does not fit everyone's needs. I actually miss several things about my Casita (bigger bed, bigger bathroom, ac standard, more open interior etc) and can see that the Escape 17 would not meet everyones needs for a 17 foot trailer.
I do agree that lots of people who buy Casitas do not look at Escapes which they should for sure.
I also think that if there was an equivalent of Little House Customs near Escape they would be busy as most of the mods they do some people might quite like on their Escape

[steve dunham]

We did look at an Escape when we were looking for a new trailer .
We ordered a Casita for several reasons that made sense to us but may not to Escape owners . Our Casita has served us well for 4 years and for close to 30,000 travel miles .Whether an Escape is a better value is a personal choice but we can certainly understand why Escape owners have come to that conclusion.

As Donna D has often said go with what you have and make some memories. Owning a Casita or Escape or a Scamp certainly allows you to accomplish that goal.
All the FG trailers offer value IMHO
For us we will love the one we're with !

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

The places we prefer to camp differ from those that buy these other units, as some just would not fit, and the smaller ones suffer more wear than a moulded fibreglass trailer would.

One of my favorite places to camp has a maximum trailer length of 22 feet.

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

I think it is important to remember that one brand of trailer does not fit everyone's needs. I actually miss several things about my Casita (bigger bed, bigger bathroom, ac standard, more open interior etc) and can see that the Escape 17 would not meet everyones needs for a 17 foot trailer.
I do agree that lots of people who buy Casitas do not look at Escapes which they should for sure.
I also think that if there was an equivalent of Little House Customs near Escape they would be busy as most of the mods they do some people might quite like on their Escape

North Shore RV in North Vancouver, not that far from Chilliwack does do renovations and RV Modifications. I am looking to them to do some mods on the 17B that I plan to purchase soon, including changes to the kitchen cabinet, flush mount stove and replacing existing furnace with a Propex, freeing up space in the kitchen. Having a meeting with them later today in fact.

[kootenaigirl]

Keep us updated Sean, sounds interesting.
I still love that full length pantry by the door that the owner of Sarandipity 17b had done, one of my favourite mods, maybe one day

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Sean Murry

North Shore RV in North Vancouver, not that far from Chilliwack does do renovations and RV Modifications. I am looking to them to do some mods on the 17B that I plan to purchase soon, including changes to the kitchen cabinet, flush mount stove and replacing existing furnace with a Propex, freeing up space in the kitchen. Having a meeting with them later today in fact.

If going with a Propex heater, I would recommend you have Escape install no furnace, as I have installed a Propex before, and the intake and exhaust are usually under the trailer through very small pipe. There is also a marine vent they make that can go on the side. If I was using one, I would use the model that mounts under the trailer to save even more room.

Escape install a flush mount stove/sink combo for me in my 2009 19. Have you asked them if they would still do that, it might save a bit.

What you are doing is just another example of what I always tout, and that most mods can be done afterwards. If I lived closer to Escape, I might consider doing many of them for others as I enjoy the work.

[advenas]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

Keep us updated Sean, sounds interesting.
I still love that full length pantry by the door that the owner of Sarandipity 17b had done, one of my favourite mods, maybe one day

That is a seriously cool mod....adding it to my list.

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

If going with a Propex heater, I would recommend you have Escape install no furnace, as I have installed a Propex before, and the intake and exhaust are usually under the trailer through very small pipe. There is also a marine vent they make that can go on the side. If I was using one, I would use the model that mounts under the trailer to save even more room.

Escape install a flush mount stove/sink combo for me in my 2009 19. Have you asked them if they would still do that, it might save a bit.

What you are doing is just another example of what I always tout, and that most mods can be done afterwards. If I lived closer to Escape, I might consider doing many of them for others as I enjoy the work.

I wished you lived closer too. What you have done on your trailer is most admirable. I have been talking a lot with ETI and yes having the furnace delete is what I was planning, and in it's place I was going to have a couple of drawers installed. As for the flush mount stove, they will not install one without removing the existing two drawers, which seems odd, as the clearance is the same as what is on the 19's, and they will install a flush mount on them. They did suggest doing it after market.
As for the propex my thoughts were to have it installed under the bench seat on the passenger side of the front dinette. The bigger propex still doesn't take up that much space. I might be wrong but I think the Propex outside mounted units don't have as much capacity as the bigger Propex units. The bigger units put out just under 10,000 BTU's so just a bit under the standard heater in the 17.
Doing all these little mods just makes it more fun in my opinion

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

What you are doing is just another example of what I always tout, and that most mods can be done afterwards. If I lived closer to Escape, I might consider doing many of them for others as I enjoy the work.

Be careful what you wish for, Jim. Some of us who have seen your work may just be willing to travel to Alberta!

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by kootenaigirl

Keep us updated Sean, sounds interesting.
I still love that full length pantry by the door that the owner of Sarandipity 17b had done, one of my favourite mods, maybe one day

When I first saw this mod I thought it was fantastic, though on the new 17 trailers there doesn't seem to be the space to do it. The older 17's seemed to have a bit of space between the cabinet and the entrance, unless when she did the mod for the pantry she adjusted the whole cabinet.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by arniesea

Be careful what you wish for, Jim. Some of us who have seen your work may just be willing to travel to Alberta!

Bring whiskey!

For after the work is done, that is.

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

If going with a Propex heater, I would recommend you have Escape install no furnace, as I have installed a Propex before, and the intake and exhaust are usually under the trailer through very small pipe. There is also a marine vent they make that can go on the side. If I was using one, I would use the model that mounts under the trailer to save even more room.

Escape install a flush mount stove/sink combo for me in my 2009 19. Have you asked them if they would still do that, it might save a bit.

What you are doing is just another example of what I always tout, and that most mods can be done afterwards. If I lived closer to Escape, I might consider doing many of them for others as I enjoy the work.

Hi Jim
I did confirm the outside mounted Propex has the same BTU's as the smaller Propex
HS2000 Propex 6500 BTU (Interior mount)
HS2211 Propex outside mount 6500 BTU
HS2800 9700 BTU (Interior Mount)
The HS2800 still only measures 415mm long x 210 mm deep x 120 mm high
They say they are quieter than the standard furnace, but I guess we shall see

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Bring whiskey!

For after the work is done, that is.

What kind do you want, I am on my way

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Sean Murry

Hi Jim
I did confirm the outside mounted Propex has the same BTU's as the smaller Propex
HS2000 Propex 6500 BTU (Interior mount)
HS2211 Propex outside mount 6500 BTU
HS2800 9700 BTU (Interior Mount)
The HS2800 still only measures 415mm long x 210 mm deep x 120 mm high
They say they are quieter than the standard furnace, but I guess we shall see

I installed the HS2000 in my daughter's trailer, and it certainly does not take up much room at all, and is more than big enough to heat that Trillium 1300, even with the poorly sealed single pane windows. The noise comes more from the air movement blasting through the 2" outlet than it does from the fan itself. Definitely not noisier than the stock furnace.

Originally Posted by Sean Murry

What kind do you want, I am on my way

Japanese, Irish, Bourbon, whatever! My taste buds always take me to a nice peaty Scotch from Islay though.

[Sean Murry]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I installed the HS2000 in my daughter's trailer, and it certainly does not take up much room at all, and is more than big enough to heat that Trillium 1300, even with the poorly sealed single pane windows. The noise comes more from the air movement blasting through the 2" outlet than it does from the fan itself. Definitely not noisier than the stock furnace.

Japanese, Irish, Bourbon, whatever! My taste buds always take me to a nice peaty Scotch from Islay though.

Hard to beat a peaty Scotch....pure bliss

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Sean Murry

Hard to beat a peaty Scotch....pure bliss

Amen, brother!