The Drifter - Specs and FAQ

Has anyone called them? I'm just wondering if they even say anything on the phone

 

Wow, the wait time has really gone to 20 months....?

 

Yes, the last time I tried calling was November 11. I left a voicemail.

EDIT: I just spoke with Jay on the phone briefly. They are alive and working hard.

 

I called too and he took my info and said he'd hunt down Phil. Felt more like a dismissal than anything to be honest. What did they say?

 

Didn't feel like a dismissal to me - just that Jay didn't have my recent email since I sent directly to Phil. I am also on the list to get a callback.

 

There's a comment on their last instagram post where someone has been paid in full for 3 months and hasn't gotten any communication at all.

 

I’m not bemoaning the extra wait time at all. Obviously I’d love to be anticipating my build in January as that is what we expected when we ordered last year but I’m willing to wait because I know it’s a quality product worth however long it takes. My gripe is with the absolute radio silence, I personally think it would take minimal time and effort for them to keep people updated broadly on their build status and where they’re at with delays on their Instagram or other way of broadly sharing that info.

 

Exactly. It's really unnerving wondering why they're quiet. I'm so stoked for the camper and it's obviously a hell of a piece of gear, and shit happens, but why the sudden silence. I find solace that they're in the shop building and not responding to emails. But we dont even have a ton of evidence of that lately

 

Not sure if this is common practice but I paid my invoice in full 1 day prior to visiting the Vagabond shop. I did get the invoice a month or 1.5 months prior but I just sat on it.

If I paid my invoice in full and still waiting months I would be seriously livid. That’s why I never paid until I was literally driving up north to see them.

I am not sure why their Instagram last post is my rig which I picked up back in July.

Just be patient the VB guys are cool as hell. I purchased a bed extension back in October from them. So they are definitely not MIA.

 

I have received an email from Phil answering my questions as well as asking me to confirm my build details to receive the final invoice… I have updated the spreadsheet for my order in the comments section (no spoilers here)… https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-Adf_gdp2qHn6fBcosQyigwRp7VkawwSyyAHIbQgOh4/edit?usp=sharing

 

So I updated the spreadsheet. I got two emails today from Phil. The only news I have is they are switching powder coaters and my camper is going to get coated this week.
I have no idea how long it will be after powder coating but will continue to share what communication I get.

 

btw, I added myself to the spreadsheet too VO1331

 

Sorry for the radio silence folks.

Not an excuse, but a brief explanation:

We had issues with extremely long lead times with laser cutting/ forming company that we've been working with for the past 2 years. Not going into too much detail, but their lead time tripled due to indirect COVID related customer prioritization. We started with a new company that is a reliable and consistent outfit. The new laser cutter/ forming company is a little behind and it took longer than anticipated to get them up and running. We were also surprised when our powder coater had to unexpectedly move shops, and shut down for a month, with no prior warning. We reacted quickly and started working with an new powder coater, which also took some time to get up to speed. In addition, one of our key team members experienced an injury that put him out for a while. We were also focused on new employee training. Unfortunately, all of this delayed production. This had definitely been the year of "Murphy's Law" to much of the world, and we have felt the brunt of it.

These factors are no excuse for the lack of correspondence and I apologize profusely for it.

Current situation:

• Our laser cutting/ forming company is up to speed and we've worked out all the kinks.
• We are now working with several reliable powder coaters.
• The new employee training was very successful.
• The key employee, who was injured, is back to work full- steam and will play a critical role with correspondence and operations.
• Another key employee stepped up his game immensely and increased efficiency.
• We had contingencies in place, but they were no match for what we experienced this year. We now have backups to our backups.
• We are grinding away at building campers and haven't stopped. And won't stop.
• We will be adding more employees to the roster.
• We've been rolling out campers behind the scenes, and will finally post some of them on Instagram. In this day and age, many assume that production halts when IG posts stop. This was not the case.
• I can finally come up for air and hit correspondence hard.
• Still can't find time to camp, but am extremely happy to see many of you out in the wild enjoying your campers.

If you have an order, please direct or copy: operations@vagabondoutdoors.com

This will help to ensure no emails slip through the cracks.

For new inquires, please use: info@vagabondoutdoors.com

We will respond to either one, along with my personal e-mail, but this definitely helps with efficiency.

I'm catching up on e-mails and will address each customer personally. I try to respond with care and dedication to each customer, which is very time consuming. I will get back to each and every person this week and appreciate your patience.

We're growing this company sustainably and truly believe that we're manufacturing great products that will stand the test of time. One of our goals is to make sure the campers outlive your trucks. We're in it for the long run and hope to alleviate any doubts through drastically improved communication.

We've hit many bumps in the road, and are metaphorically working to triple bypass the hell out of this operation.

We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding.

 

HUGE weight off my shoulders right now, thank you for this immensely helpful update!

 

Great to hear!!!!

 

thank you SO much, I will gladly wait as long as needed because I firmly believe you guys are the best in the business. This is truly all I was looking for. Keep up the good work, you guys are awesome!

 

Thank you so much for the update, Phil!

 

What is the exact model number of the fan unit to properly fill out the paperwork?

 

I installed the MaxxAir fan a few months ago. The model number on the box that Phil gave me was MaxxAir 4401M.

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Vents-and-Fans/Maxxair/MA00-04401M.html

 

That looks perfect, thank you so much for the information.