Maybe instead.....

[nathanj04011]

Originally Posted by thoer

No. Many requests for the same option have caused ETI to constantly make more things standard and can be positive. Coming here and complaining because ETI will not meet every whim accomplishes nothing in my opinion

We agree, I think.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by nathanj04011

We agree, I think.

Agreeing and thinking, both positive attributes.

I am on this same page too. I too think it is fine to make requests of Escape, because if enough do they just may consider it as either an option. Just don't be frustrated if the request is denied, but try to understand Escape's position.

If I got frustrated every time I was told no, I would have no hair left.......oh, wait.

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Zardoz hit the nail on the head, a good business practice should satisfy 95% of their customer base, and not to worry about the other 5%.

Originally Posted by rubicon327

That might have worked years ago. The problem today is those 5% go on social media and tarnish your image.

I also wonder how many folks have purchased an Escape due to the customization they do? I know that was one of the big reasons we did. At first it was because we could get custom formica, flooring and countertop. It wasn't brown! YAY! (We were so sick of the browns that most everyone else offered.) Plus, their floor plans, which I liked better than the other fiberglass trailers I was looking at online.

Then when I joined this forum and started to learn about all the other things, I was even more sold and when we were finally able to place an order, I was super thrilled.

Getting their trailer customized is also a good way to keep your customer. They're happy with their trailer. They use the trailer. They show it off to others. And then others start to think about purchasing an Escape. Happy owners make for happy sales staff.

Keeping your website up to date is also a good idea. If things change, they should reflect that change on their site. Such as the new 21's (and maybe the 5.0TA - I dunno on that) where they no longer offer that small cabinet at the top. If someone didn't belong to this forum and rooted around through the threads, it could be a big surprise to them to not get it when their trailer was delivered.

[Kountrykamper]

I have been saying for years that they should stop some of these off the wall requests. One customer should not be able to hold up production. Their option list and customizing is far and above what anyone else would do. Reace knows by now what they can do without holding up production and if they say no people should just move on or do it yourself like JB is doing. There are always a few people that want to push the limits. What seems to be forgotten sometime is that these are still just campers. They are not a custom house you are building where your builder plans on being on the job for 9-12 months. Escapes with only the standard options and no customization are still better then anything else out there in the price range.

[Greg A]

Tom,
I don't care about the custom stuff one way or another since mods are no issue for me to do later., although I do love the custom choice on flooring, Formica, and fabric. Those can be done later, but pricey and lots of labor.
A lot of folks aren't good with doing mods however, and it is nice for them to be able to get something cool they saw that is not in their wheelhouse to do later.
Also, for us and some others, this wasn't a camper, but it is going to be our house soon as we go full-time. I.E. a 21 was just picked up by full -timers who were homeless waiting on the trailer completion to get their new home. So, it is nice that, like a home builder there is some leeway with ETI working with us.
I haven't really seen mods holding up or stopping their assembly line, but it seems they are in the process of making sure that what they will do won't affect production. I for one am glad they do at least listen to requests and will accommodate when prudent, but also like that they aren't allowing the process to get out of hand.

[Marry]

While our trailer got build last year, during ETI's expansion, ETI was still willing to do 6 modifications/changes not on the option list.
(not bragging here, just trying to show what is possible)

[cpaharley2008]

For those who can not do the modifications themselves or Escape said no to their custom request, there is always the choice of paying someone else to perform the work. Look what the person who purchased the Escape 17 had done to their interior and exterior, look at all the custom cars that are fabricated everyday. You can always have it your way, just find the right person to do it. Oh and pay for it. https://sarandipitytravels.com/2016/...ions-finished/
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...shed-7042.html

[Kountrykamper]

Originally Posted by Greg A

Tom,
I don't care about the custom stuff one way or another since mods are no issue for me to do later., although I do love the custom choice on flooring, Formica, and fabric. Those can be done later, but pricey and lots of labor.
A lot of folks aren't good with doing mods however, and it is nice for them to be able to get something cool they saw that is not in their wheelhouse to do later.
Also, for us and some others, this wasn't a camper, but it is going to be our house soon as we go full-time. I.E. a 21 was just picked up by full -timers who were homeless waiting on the trailer completion to get their new home. So, it is nice that, like a home builder there is some leeway with ETI working with us.
I haven't really seen mods holding up or stopping their assembly line, but it seems they are in the process of making sure that what they will do won't affect production. I for one am glad they do at least listen to requests and will accommodate when prudent, but also like that they aren't allowing the process to get out of hand.

Im not talking about custom Formica etc. that are listed as options by Escape. I'm not going to mention any particular items that have been done just saying that if Escape is cutting back on the custom work a little bit to keep things flowing and says no to something then don't complain about it. Their option list and customizing work they will still do is quite extensive and we took advantage of what they will do in our current build. It never hurts to ask.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Kountrykamper

It never hurts to ask.

And they've already said "no" unless you do.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Maybe Escape should doubled ,tripled or quadrupled the price for custom options so that their price represented the true cost.

I agree with a cost that is representative of their work plus overhead and profit. How about ETI pulls trailers off the line for true customizations and these owners pay more and wait longer for their trailers? Those that choose all standard options get their trailer sooner as the production line moves faster. Obviously ETI needs to work out the logistics, but my bet is they could keep at least a couple guys busy on just customizations. If that slows down you blend them back in to regular production.

[cpaharley2008]

They already have a 10 month lead time for their standard w/options units. The demand for custom units seems de-minimus.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

"You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”. Abraham Lincoln

He was a wise man. My signature is just about my favourite quote ever, and something I find I need to remind myself about from time to time.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

They already have a 10 month lead time for their standard w/options units. The demand for custom units seems de-minimus.

I'm not sure we really know how many trailers have custom requests in their current queue. Pull any trailer off the line that has even one off list customization slowing things down and that 10 month number may be reduced, no?

[Iowa Dave]

Just came in from running Jake the French Brittany. I walked about a half a mile, he ran five.
Went into the storage building to get out of the 20 mph wind. 27 degrees F. Had to open up the escape and sit in there for a few minutes and dream about good camping, good friends and cold beer coming up this season. The world is full of so many wonderful things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings. My Dad used to quote that 50 years ago.
Dave

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Just came in from running Jake the French Brittany. I walked about a half a mile, he ran five.
Went into the storage building to get out of the 20 mph wind. 27 degrees F. Had to open up the escape and sit in there for a few minutes and dream about good camping, good friends and cold beer coming up this season. The world is full of so many wonderful things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings. My Dad used to quote that 50 years ago.
Dave

Hi: Iowa Dave... Do wacca do wacca do!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Zardoz]

Kind of beating a dead horse maybe, but I look at the recent restrictions on customizations (unique to the individual) to a more efficient reliance on options (available to all customers). We turned our build sheet in a couple of weeks ago and handed over fabric and a Formica sample and then ordered flooring while in Chilliwack. It doesn't cut-into production time to change any of these things - they were going to use their materials for each regardless. The only additional effort on the part of ETI is in coordination of the build to ensure each trailer gets what it's supposed to in this regard. And, if you think about it, it's a money maker for ETI to have us all choose our own flooring, fabric, and Formica (additional cost for the "privilege" to make these changes plus retention of previously dedicated standard stock). I'm grateful for their willingness to allow us to pick and choose to the extent we can.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

I agree with a cost that is representative of their work plus overhead and profit. How about ETI pulls trailers off the line for true customizations and these owners pay more and wait longer for their trailers? Those that choose all standard options get their trailer sooner as the production line moves faster. Obviously ETI needs to work out the logistics, but my bet is they could keep at least a couple guys busy on just customizations. If that slows down you blend them back in to regular production.

From strictly a production and scheduling prospective , it would make sense to give priority to those who order standard trailers with standard options and build custom trailers as time and production equipment permits. ETI like many other business only makes money when their products is sold and delivered .
Customization may attract some but having to wait a year for a trailer discourages others.
ETI's prices for non standard options seem extremely low and in some cases appear to be below actual costs.
Just keeping track of all these changes / additions / subtractions and insuring that this information is passed on and the work is performed as requested is a logistic nightmare . Plus their is the cost involved with receiving ,storing , insuring , and tracking custom parts for later use.
As Rubicon stated , those who want a custom trailer may have to wait longer and pay more for the good of ETI and their customers .

[cpaharley2008]

We seem to forget that offered options also delay production. Particularly non stock flooring and fabric, additional outlets, shelfs, otherwise Escape could make the cushions ahead of time as well as precutting the stock flooring sheet vinyl. I'm aware that Airstreams will not add any electrical nor plumbing change for one reason, economies of scale. In certain production activities, precutting your plumbing runs and pre-making electrical circuit wiring all will benefit your output. The automobile assembly line is a good example. One car in less than an hour Just think if Escape could make all their 19 countertops a week at a time without offering reversing sink and stove or the oven option, what about all the extra 120v or 12v outlets we can add, again prohibiting Escape from prewiring a lot of items. This is why Casita and Scamps man produce a lot more units, no changes that do delay production.

[float5]

Whatever a customer's options list includes, I would think that every unit has a day or two on the build when those options are being done. If the forum build sheets are an indication, everyone has a pretty long list and it is a matter of doing this on one, while that on another. Escape is making good money off of those options and the fact that people can choose those has everything to do with their success as a business. People's choices can be very different but the time for them maybe somewhat similar no matter which choices. Escape knows what it is doing on the options offered.

[Marry]

Originally Posted by float5

. Escape knows what it is doing on the options offered.

That's excactly why we chose an Escape! They sure know what they are doing by putting all the "fancy" stuff as an option. Giving us the choice we want it or not.
Not like the new trailer we bought back in the '90s. Where there was no choice: fully loaded.
Always disliked it having the same conveniences as at home. That's not camping for me.
Here at least we have the choice if we want a microwave, AC, oven, etc..
But that's just me....