New Escape Trailer Website .....

[mtnest]

I have to agree with Steve on this one. Did I just say that?

As an American owner for the last 5 years, I really like that our Escape says: "Made in British Columbia" on the trailer and "Proudly made in Canada" on the tire cover.

Certain countries of origin add perceptions of value: Belgian chocolate, French wine, Swiss watches, Himalayan salt.

Exclusivity and Built to Order also have a certain value. I like that people are amazed that we would drive thousands of miles to get a special trailer at the factory in B.C.

Americans also assume that if an RV is good enough for the cold north, it should be even better in the states.

Hang on to that Canadian Heritage, even if the majority of sales are now in the U.S.

How I feel exactly. That simple maple leaf says so much, plus it's pleasing to the eye.

 

[Farther]

I’ve had it a lot easier my whole life.

So true. On rare occasions when I am feeling sorry for myself, I forget what a privilege my life as been, only by the luck of birth. I am grateful that each morning when I get up I don't have to wonder if I will eat this day, only wonder what I will eat. I don't have to wonder if I will sleep in a warm dry place the next night. My major concern is downsizing my lifestyle, not survival.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

Something I wish more RV manufacturer sites had, information on past years, floor plans, weight specs, etc.

 

[emers382]

Hi Jack
Hmmm this is a touchy subject but I have to ask? Didn’t you tell me about spending a winter in Grand Forks North Dakota a few years ago.
Iowa Dave

Dave don't you know that Jack was posted to Minot! At least Grand Forks is close to the civilized part of Manitoba. If you go straight north of Minot you end up in the barren SW corner of MB and the SE corner of SK.

Yes that antifreeze stuff, I'll be doing mine this week, once I get out to buy another gallon (4 litres).

 

[emers382]

Website updated with answers to our questions

I just happened to look at the "news" section of the website and note that David has a 2020 update addressing our concerns in this thread and on Facebook and also some other news.

 

[rubicon327]

I just happened to look at the "news" section of the website and note that David has a 2020 update addressing our concerns in this thread and on Facebook and also some other news.

Also seen here:
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f20/escape-2020-update-16424.html

 

[Iowa Dave]

It’s all North Dakota

Dave don't you know that Jack was posted to Minot! At least Grand Forks is close to the civilized part of Manitoba. If you go straight north of Minot you end up in the barren SW corner of MB and the SE corner of SK.

Yes that antifreeze stuff, I'll be doing mine this week, once I get out to buy another gallon (4 litres).

Hi Adrian, north of South Dakota is North Dakota. All those big metropolitan areas they have up there confuse me. I would like to meet Ardell Grace who lives near Wahpeton before he dies. Jack told me about digging a snow canal around his trailer and I knew it was when he was in the service, I just forgot it was Minot. All those big cities up there and I get confused.
Iowa Dave

 

[sclifrickson]

Yes that antifreeze stuff, I'll be doing mine this week, once I get out to buy another gallon (4 litres).

The pink kind, or the clear kind that’s distilled from grain, or sometimes potatoes? [emoji1]

I’ve never used either, but dewinterizing with the clear kind could be the basis for a fun neighborhood get together.

 

[Seneca]

Thoughts on the new website and changes--

For a direct sales operation, the website is both a sales and a marketing tool. I personally think you're requiring registration a little too early in the sales funnel, which from a sales point I get, but it is going to interfere with the website's effectiveness as a marketing tool.

USD for US customers is probably a good idea. Making the insulation package part of the base product is definitely a good idea. I like the Maple Leaf and wouldn't ditch it--nothing wrong with a healthy dose of regional/national pride. A boat? You gotta be kidding.

Overall conclusion--One of things that attracted me to Escape was the company's willingness to try new things. I thought that the product benefited from the evolution and experimentation that came with that willingness. Did everything work out? Of course not. But the result was continuous product improvement. I like that attitude far more than the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mindset (which is apparently grammatical in Texan, if not English).

These changes are a continuation of the way company has been run since the day it started. I'm glad the new management is continuing with that approach.

 

[Jim Bennett]

USD for US customers is probably a good idea.

The problem with this is that their business costs are all in CAD, and the exchange rate is always fluctuating. They would need to be constantly monitoring and updating this. I buy lots of US product and never get a cost in CAD until I pull the pin, and then it comes from the financial end of things. It is real easy to do a conversion myself.

Maybe there is software that could monitor the exchange rate and make changes to the listing on the website?

 

[gbaglo]

Ski boat, canoe, kayak, houseboat, tugboat, barge?
And you thought deciding between a 19 and a 21 was hard.

 

[Mike G]

I sometimes hear salesman talk about 'cold calls'. What is a 'cold call'?

A cold call is when a salesman calls on a prospective customer (a 'prospect') without any invitation or introduction; the salesman has no idea what reaction he'll get, so these tend to be more intimidating. A warm call is when the salesman calls on a prospect after some contact has already been made, usually some showing of interest exists, and often an appointment has been scheduled.

 

[Perry Butler]

I don't have to wonder if I will sleep in a warm dry place the next night.

Apparently your sail switch hasn't failed you at 15 degrees!

Enjoy,

Perry

 

[escape artist]

Hi Jack
Hmmm this is a touchy subject but I have to ask? Didn’t you tell me about spending a winter in Grand Forks North Dakota a few years ago. Did you just drain the vehicles between uses like my Dad did in the 30s or did you put something in the cooling system?
Love in the winter in the late 30’s for my parents went like this. My dad worked as a hired hand about 20 miles north of my mom’s home. Friday night, close petcocks on the 32 Chevy. Fill system with water and drive to moms home. Stay for dinner so shut off the car and drain water. After dinner, close petcocks and fill with water and drive to a dance 15 miles away. Drain water and go to the dance. Dance over, pump water into a bucket and fill cooling system and take mom home. Drain water and go in the house for a piece of pie. Fill water from yard pump with bucket and drive back home. Drain water, go to bed. Work all day Saturday on the farm as a hired man for $.50 and board. Head for mom’s home when chores were done and the horses were put away. Repeat throughout the winter. They were of hardy stock.
I’ve had it a lot easier my whole life.
Iowa Dave

Hi: Iowa Dave... I thought anti-freeze was there to protect the water pump!!! :whistling: Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

 

[Doug2000]

I noticed that the base dry weight of the 19’ is now specified at 3150 lbs. In 2017 when we ordered, the base dry weight was 2950 lbs. Seems to support the idea that some options have become standard.

Yes, why the difference in weight from 2017 to 2019, 2950lbs to 3150lbs?

We just submitted our build sheet for a 2020 19'. We didn't add to many options as I prefer it to weigh less as apposed to more.

When were driving west through Denver on I70, I thought it was a scene from the Matrix where the cars started driving up buildings. It was the climb up into the mountains. Put it in third, hold it to the floor.

 

[Brian B-P]

The problem with this is that their business costs are all in CAD, and the exchange rate is always fluctuating. They would need to be constantly monitoring and updating this. I buy lots of US product and never get a cost in CAD until I pull the pin, and then it comes from the financial end of things. It is real easy to do a conversion myself.

That's my reaction as well - publishing prices in two currencies is a strange and problematic approach.

Maybe there is software that could monitor the exchange rate and make changes to the listing on the website?

Yes, but if that means that the real price is in CAD, then every time a prospective US customer looks at the site, the price will have changed - that doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Then what happens when an order from the US is placed: is the price set in CAD (so the USD price is pointless fiction), or is it set in USD (so Escape takes the currency fluctuation risk)? And if the price is fixed in USD and I think I can guess exchange rates, can I buy in USD because I think it will work out in my favour... and can a US buyer similarly buy in CAD?

 

[Doug2000]

Spare Tire Covers

I saw an old beat up Jeep a couple of weeks ago, it had a spare tire cover that said LIFE IS GOOD.

Here are some ideas, there's a couple nice ones.

https://n.stuccu.com/s/Life+Is+Good+Tire+Cover?drsm=5d9ac64feba0c90e1c2afdad

 

[Brian B-P]

USD for US customers is probably a good idea.

But what about USD for Canadian customers of a Canadian company? I hit the Build button, selected the 21', and didn't complete the process because I don't want to fill in my address etc, but the page says

Escape 21 Trailer $USD Estimate

and

Please complete the following form to receive an estimate in $USD for an Escape 21 trailer...

Perhaps if I were willing to play along with this system it would switch to CAD given a Canadian address, but that's not what the message says. I suspect that most U.S. residents would be surprised and offended by a company in their country offering an estimate only in Canadian dollars; I don't know why anyone would expect a Canadian potential customer to be anything other than surprised and offended by this.

Update:
I went ahead and submitted contact information (with a Canadian address which I hope someone at Escape finds amusing) and indeed it continues in USD. Options (only the most popular ten, not the full list) are offered with only one set of prices, which I assume are in USD (I didn't check them). The estimate came by email (obviously an automated response, which makes sense) and it is indeed only in USD... and not even itemized.

 

[Micheal K]

Yes, why the difference in weight from 2017 to 2019, 2950lbs to 3150lbs?

We just submitted our build sheet for a 2020 19'. We didn't add to many options as I prefer it to weigh less as apposed to more.

Most of the weight increase will be due to the extra insulation and thermal windows being standard instead of optional (confirmed by ETI in the first post here:http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f20/escape-2020-update-16424.html)

Agree with you on keeping the build weight down, we did that as well for our 19 but made an exception for.... you guessed it.... the extra insulation and thermal windows. I suspect very few trailers were ordered without the option.

 

[75thRanger]

A cold call is when a salesman calls on a prospective customer (a 'prospect') without any invitation or introduction; the salesman has no idea what reaction he'll get, so these tend to be more intimidating. A warm call is when the salesman calls on a prospect after some contact has already been made, usually some showing of interest exists, and often an appointment has been scheduled.

I don't think anyone ever made a 'cold call' in south Texas