The Drifter - Specs and FAQ

The simple answer to this is to install an add-a-leaf, new HD leaf pack, or air-bags designed for the weight you plan to carry. This doesn't increase your payload technically, since payload is a engineering/legal limit set by Toyota, but it will allow the truck to handle the weight more comfortably.

Many of us have installed a new leaf pack depending on our specific setup, desired lift, and weight capacity needs. Some good options for upgrading the leaf pack are ARB EL096R, Icon RXT, Deaver U402, or Alcan.

 

Question: did the gang release info on what the insulation kit is made out of? Anyone get theirs yet?

 

Agree to disagree.

 

Worth the wait.
I’ve done it twice and would do it again without a doubt.
And if you want to sell your spot, let me know. I’ll buy it so you don’t have to worry about not getting a monthly update like this is some kind of high school newsletter and VO won’t have to worry about being bothered and can focus on the task at hand.
Building the best camper on the market.

 

Cool I’ll sell spot. How we do this? I mad appreciate. Life has thrown us all curveballs this last year and I get it.

 

I don't get the extremely defensive nature of the VO customer service debate.

We all understand VO makes a killer product. That's why anyone in line, is in line. That's also why those of us that already have Drifters/Nomads still hang out here, we're stoked with the product.

At the same time, asking for reasonable communication over many months when you've given a company several thousand bucks is NOT out of line. Communication with your customers IS part of the "task at hand". Hand-holding isn't needed - and we all know super-needy customers exist - but that's not what most folks on this forum are asking for. For the millionth time, as a business owner I prioritize customer service on par with product quality, because lack of either is a good way to piss people off. I send a large number of emails to people declining their requests for things we don't make. But at least they leave with a good impression, and may return in the future.

Hire someone whose sole job is talking with customers past, present, and future, and be done with it already. Pare down the multi-platform cat-herding by making it clear everywhere that only emails (and/or phone calls, or whatever) will be answered, but in a timely fashion. How many potential customers is VO losing to justified fear after visiting these forums? I'd bet it's a bunch. Even if they don't have the bandwidth to serve more customers, turning people away with a good impression of the company would be better than turning people away who feel like they've dodged a bullet, and will spread the negative vibe.

I repeatedly talk about this on the forum because A) I really think VO's product is amazing, I'd like them to stick around, and hate to see the company miss easy pitches when it comes to comms, and B) I dislike seeing all the people who reasonably want basic answers denigrated by the "shut up and wait 18 months in the dark so VO can build your camper" crowd.

At the end of the day: We all love these campers, or the idea of them. And we all know that decent customer service is a good thing. No? (Okay, now let's all sit around the campfire and sing a song together )

Poor dead horse.

 

Amazon has really fucked up people’s perception of the manufacturing process.

 

As other people have noted, I don’t think this has to do with the manufacturing process. Peoples complaints are all based on communication. They are provided an ETA of 12 months when they put down $4-6k, VO blows right through that, doesn’t say a word or respond, and then you might receive it after 2 years. I think we all know it takes a long time to produce the great products that they are producing. Many people willing to wait a very long time for it. People just want to hear anything at all. No one is expecting 2 day delivery. Anyway, no hard feelings towards VO of course, they are working hard. I am excited for my camper but I realize it’s not coming for a long time. The hard part is not knowing if that’s 3 months or 12 months or more. I’m just fortunate to be able to get one at all.

 

In case I'm supposedly one of those people... I own two homegrown manufacturing companies. We're having our own long-lead-time and high-demand issues currently. But we have zero customers - or potential customers - who are in the dark about what's happening.

As MountainRecipe said, it's not about lead time, or product quality. It's about communication - the lack of it. And no one should feel stupid or belittled ("high school newsletter") for simply needing basic info about a large investment, as seems to be the common response here.

 

THANK YOU!

 

Honestly, no offense, I don’t know if you were. I didn’t quote anyone. Just tired of seeing the same drama every couple weeks.

I have no skin in the game, take it how you want. VO is a small team trying to maintain a high level of craftsmanship to customers while providing and providing and being there for family. Cut them some slack, hence my original claim that Amazon has fucked up people sense of entitlement of products/support.

 

I definitely agree with some of your points @joeydurango. As a business owner you know things aren't always black and white, with the gray being a fine balance between success and failure. No doubt VO has dropped the ball on customer communications, and it's actively working to remedy the situation. Hiring someone is part of the solution, but that also takes a huge amount of resources to get up and running to point that people expect results. We can't hire someone with the knowledge we have internally to answer questions and we can't take someone off the floor and stop making campers.

I'm not here to make excuses, but instead maybe give a perspective of what is going on. Some might think "Well there are supplier delays so that means, you have more time to work on other things." That's partly true, but in the background we are looking for additional suppliers or working on solutions that take longer than if the original process was in place. Getting a new supplier is a process to get things right, finding alternative products takes time to test and make sure they are up to standards we expect. We are doing all this while still moving campers as fast as we can. So all of our focus has been on keeping supply chain and making sure we don't stop producing campers.

This last year has been a bitch, but we are not going to let it kick us down. We are working on a better communication method as we speak and hopefully get it live soon. We appreciate the support and feedback though, it's not easy hearing those who are upset, but this is a fixable issue. Thank you all!

 

Iggy, glad you're here. I'm definitely not upset. Not trying to speak out of line either, just trying to stand up for some folks in line who are being lambasted for no good reason. I've already got my Drifter (15+ months on the truck) and it is amazing. I only speak up here because I don't think folks should be belittled for asking for answers.

Ted, not offended either. (I don't get offended, easily anyway.) I totally get trying to build a high-quality product with high demand and still having a life - my companies are precisely the same way. But we see the same drama here every couple weeks *because* the underlying issue doesn't get resolved.

Obviously it's easier said than done to "just hire someone and be done with it". Working through hiring/training issues myself right now. But the current situation seems untenable. Lots of justifiably unhappy folks here - again, not because of COVID delays, not because of supply issues, not because of the time it takes to build something amazing in today's insane world - we all understand those things. Glad to hear VO is working on a solution.

Really looking forward to seeing VO get through this growing pain... and onto the next one.

And to everyone waiting (less than) patiently in line... it really is worth it. These campers are stellar.

 

No offense taken, and my comment was directed to everyone as well. In a way this is the problem to have since it's fixable. I would much rather deal with this than a faulty product. Either way it's something that needs addressing badly. I agree those with deposits shouldn't be ok with being left in the dark. It's impossible to see what hoops we are jumping through, but it's not as bad than if left to the publics imagination, so something needs to be done.

 

100%!

 

I can agree with that.

Apologies, wasn’t trying to be rude or belittle anyone, just trying to make a point that some may miss.

We are spoiled with quick and easy services so it’s hard to see a great team questioned. Especially when they’re busy building amazing products. That was all my original post was about.

 

A recent trip to Moab I only saw GFCs, I'm on 18 months ish waiting - and I'm still glad to have the opportunity to have a product that won't fail.

 

You didn't see me (#11) or #20? #20 (I forget his name) was actually walking by me in town and stopped to chat about a month ago.

 

I had a nice reminder today as well. Saw a GFC in my town and smiled remembering I made the right choice, even if I'm waiting a while. I've certainly been guilty of complaining, I'm just so damn excited to get my Drifter adventures underfoot. In due time.

 

I was there from 18-25... Didn't see any drifters unfortunately, I definitely would of stopped and talked as I've yet to see one in the wild!