Overkill Campers

billiebob

Well-known member
well said frenchie....

with a proper business plan you won't need deposits, you will get bank financing instead
but unrealistic expectations, a lack of willingness to buy the stock plan, will lead to exponential cost over runs

hard to say whose fault that is, the buyers or the builders, but anything custom built to your preferences will be outrageously expensive.....
 

downhill

Adventurer
There is nothing wrong with taking deposits. Lots of builders do that, and lots of them deliver what they promise. The cost of capitol is a real thing. If a small builder has to finance everything themselves, that cost has to be picked up by the buyer. The deposit system however depends on players with high integrity, and builders with solid business experience. Otherwise all you have is a Ponzi scheme. If a business is getting a bad reputation, and they clearly cannot manage a business, then it is only a matter of time before the bankruptcy notice comes, and all the last people to buy in lose everything. As soon as sales start slowing down, the ship sinks. That's how all Ponzi schemes end up. There have been a few notable cases in this industry. Pelfry comes to mind. Great bumpers, no business sense. The clear message is research the company well. Don't fall in love with some cool design and leave yourself at risk. Building any product requires skill. Being in business requires skill too. Plenty of people have one and not the other.
 

BoJackNorseman

New member
Overkill Campers - New reply to watched thread
terryz replied to a thread you are watching at Expedition Portal.
Overkill Campers
and to think this all started with a broken man finding the need to destroy someone’s business with a keyboard. Business 101…. Do not pay attention to your detractors.​
This showed up in my in box bot not on the thread. Maybe it was taken down? by the mods. or the poster?
I do not know terryz but with only one post, maybe he took his own advice and took it down.
Thanks FrenchieX, I saw that too. I for one think this has been a pretty good thread, equally weighted on both sides of what has turned out to be a very polarizing company. "Business 101" does in fact seem to be the heart of the issue here; OP highlighting the lack of fair business practices and quality of product from the company vs. company defending their practice and product.
I offered my personal observation of the product from Expo East as a contribution, good or bad.
 

downhill

Adventurer
Business 101? LOL! Ignore your detractors? What if your detractors are your paying customers, as in this case? Clueless is the word that comes to mind. Anytime someone goes after the messenger and ignores the message, you can bet the message is true. Interestingly, I was just on the O-K website, and their sales / marketing guy, JP Stevens is apparently no longer there. If he jumped ship I wouldn't blame him.
 

BennyGoodman

New member
I am curious as to anyone who has any new contact with Overkill Trailer recently. I would like to here that what ever their problems were are now fixed and they are moving forward. I never wish bad things for people and companies.

Long time listener, first time caller...

I've followed Expedition Portal and this thread in particular for a long time, but didn't even have an account to post until just recently. I am one of those customers who's had a contract with Overkill recently (this summer) and can tell you emphatically AVOID OVERKILL AT ALL COSTS!!! Communication and transparency are (still) horrendous. I'm willing to wait for quality and the right design, even in this whacky time of supply chain delays and worker shortages. I'm not willing to wait for a company who doesn't respond to or respect their customers. I visited the shop in Bend to see the final product before paying in full. It was missing a few of our contracted upgrades and some of the basics weren't functioning properly. I walked away from the deal and got most of my money back. Better to be out a few hundred bucks of a deposit than end up with years of headaches.

Lesson learned -- buyer beware!
 

downhill

Adventurer
Long time listener, first time caller...

I've followed Expedition Portal and this thread in particular for a long time, but didn't even have an account to post until just recently. I am one of those customers who's had a contract with Overkill recently (this summer) and can tell you emphatically AVOID OVERKILL AT ALL COSTS!!! Communication and transparency are (still) horrendous. I'm willing to wait for quality and the right design, even in this whacky time of supply chain delays and worker shortages. I'm not willing to wait for a company who doesn't respond to or respect their customers. I visited the shop in Bend to see the final product before paying in full. It was missing a few of our contracted upgrades and some of the basics weren't functioning properly. I walked away from the deal and got most of my money back. Better to be out a few hundred bucks of a deposit than end up with years of headaches.

Lesson learned -- buyer beware!
Welcome to the forum, and thanks for your comments!
 

msterner

New member
Hello all,
I am curious if any other Overkill Camper deposit holders, customers or Bend, OR residents have any insight into what is happening at Overkill? I contacted them 2 months ago to cancel my [refundable] deposit ($7,549.95) due to being financially unable to proceed. I had 2 exchanges with them shortly before Christmas but have been unable to make contact with them since December 21st. They had indicated that they would follow up within a week. I don't mean to cause any person or business harm but given the circumstances, I am becoming deeply concerned.

Does anyone have any insight into what options I have for follow up or recourse?
 

downhill

Adventurer
Hello all,
I am curious if any other Overkill Camper deposit holders, customers or Bend, OR residents have any insight into what is happening at Overkill? I contacted them 2 months ago to cancel my [refundable] deposit ($7,549.95) due to being financially unable to proceed. I had 2 exchanges with them shortly before Christmas but have been unable to make contact with them since December 21st. They had indicated that they would follow up within a week. I don't mean to cause any person or business harm but given the circumstances, I am becoming deeply concerned.

Does anyone have any insight into what options I have for follow up or recourse?
Man, sorry to hear that. I would consult an attorney if you don't hear something soon. If they haven't refunded your money by now it's probably because they don't have it to refund. In cases like this, the people who pound the door the loudest will get pacified first. An attorney could check to see if they have made any legal filings. If they are stalling to file for bankruptcy, you may be screwed. Keep us posted!
 

BennyGoodman

New member
Hello all,
I am curious if any other Overkill Camper deposit holders, customers or Bend, OR residents have any insight into what is happening at Overkill? I contacted them 2 months ago to cancel my [refundable] deposit ($7,549.95) due to being financially unable to proceed. I had 2 exchanges with them shortly before Christmas but have been unable to make contact with them since December 21st. They had indicated that they would follow up within a week. I don't mean to cause any person or business harm but given the circumstances, I am becoming deeply concerned.

Does anyone have any insight into what options I have for follow up or recourse?
Get in line...I'm still trying to get my deposit back! In Overkill's warped universe they consider a negative, yet truthful post on a public forum (my comments above) to be defamation and are threatening to sue me! If you're considering doing business with Overkill, don't. If you've given them money, get it back now before they take you down with their sinking ship!
 

Obsessed2findARuggedHybid

Well-known member
I feel bad for any folks that are not getting thier deposits back or thier trailers completed. I sincerely hope Overkill survives and pays everyone fairly. I looked very hard at these trailers but the fact that one could order ( hence pay for ) the pop up option without even seeing the option scared me away. This is everyone's nightmare buying factory direct with large deposits. Due delgence and trust are key but always a bit of risk. But paying 15 to 25 k more to buy from a dealer especially if said dealer is to far away from where you live to service your trailer, the risk is worth it.
 

GkraneTX

Active member
The "off road" trailer industry has gone nuts. After the Moby 1 debacle people still seem shocked that a couple people with great fabrication skills can't manage a business and they wind up losing a boat load of money.
 

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