XPCamper goes out of business, files for bankruptcy?

[Scott Brady]

So, how much has Nimbl paid ExPo to whitewash stuff?

We avoid hearsay and speculation intentionally, as it never serves the reader. Companies go bankrupt all the time and we never really know the details about how they rise from the ashes. We have a responsibility as journalists, and as a site with millions of readers to avoid fake news and misinformation. If we know the details, we will report on them. If we don't, then we won't just make stuff up to fill in the gaps. . .

I wrote the article from a press release and the contents of their website. I have never tested an XPCamper, and Nimbl has not released a new camper to test, so how can I report on the functional changes? There is not enough detail yet to speak accurately about the changes and improvements between the XPCamper and the Nimbl.

Nimbl is an advertiser, but no different from the dozens of other camper and trailer advertisers that help support the site, pay for the servers, etc. They paid no more / no less. We do not produce advertorial or whitewash at any price, and have not in the 15 years of the site.

 

[utherjorge]

I'm not a conspiracy theory sort of guy, for whatever it's worth, regardless of what anyone might think here.

However, something that has served me well professionally and personally is my degree in Rhetoric, which accidentally has helped me (trained me?) to see the way that things are written. I'm not addressing whether I think that either article (here or at the link provided) is better or worse than the other. I also recognize the value and quality of this site in many ways. I have seen quite a few articles or reviews here at ExPo that mention past versions, past failings, or even address the specific shortcomings of various products. That's why this is a peculiar situation. There are 19 pages here about the previous company, and I think it's handled well, including some of the sleuthing done in the past to try to do a post-mortem of the initial company. It simply seems noteworthy that this is missing, that's all.

I have no doubts that the new company is well-qualified. Or that the product is worth it: there are countless threads around "teh interwbez" about how typical RVs are poorly-built at best, and death traps at worst. We all know this. Quality will cost money, to be sure.

This is all my two cents, but at the very least, it's a missed opportunity to play the "phoenix rising from the ashes" angle. Savvy customers that can easily find a link between the two companies (how many are that savvy? I don't know) might then have additional questions regarding the omission. Reading articles/forums/discussions about the poop-show that Calmini became for parts for my tiny rig is an example of how omission can work. It's like opening an overstuffed bedroom closet a crack...and the world falls out.

 

[Scott Brady]

I have seen quite a few articles or reviews here at ExPo that mention past versions, past failings, or even address the specific shortcomings of various products.

Oh, we can be almost brutal in our reviews (and have lost advertisers because of it), but we need to get our hands on the product. This article clearly states itself as NEWS, not a review, and not an opinion editorial. I am not trying to defend the article- maybe it truly sucks, but it was not a paid piece, and we did not intentionally white wash anything.

Once we get our hands on a product and can test it properly, we include specific shortcoming, pros/cons, etc. If we know the differences between past versions, we often report on them too.

 

[rruff]

It's like opening an overstuffed bedroom closet a crack...and the world falls out.

In XPCamper's case I don't recall any issues with the product. The problems stemmed from owner mismanagement... and that is gone. If Marc tries to start a new company then you should be extremely wary, but Nimbl has nothing to be ashamed of or hide. And I'm pretty sure 99.9% of buyers know this is a XPCamper V1 design.

 

[Scott Brady]

I have updated the news article with the following editor's note:

Editor's Note: The Nimbl website touches on the legacy connection to XPCamper in the following links.

• https://nimblvehicles.com/about-nimbl/
• https://nimblvehicles.com/xpcamper/

 

[utherjorge]

In XPCamper's case I don't recall any issues with the product. The problems stemmed from owner mismanagement... and that is gone. If Marc tries to start a new company then you should be extremely wary, but Nimbl has nothing to be ashamed of or hide. And I'm pretty sure 99.9% of buyers know this is a XPCamper V1 design.

I agree totally. Unlike some of the trailer companies we have seen for years here, I agree that I never remember hearing anything but love for the company. That was part of my point, and you said it better than I did.

Scott, I'm sorry if any of what I typed came across as poopy. It just stood out to me. Your last post here is noted, humbly (on my end).

 

[easy_going_journey13]

In XPCamper's case I don't recall any issues with the product. The problems stemmed from owner mismanagement... and that is gone. If Marc tries to start a new company then you should be extremely wary, but Nimbl has nothing to be ashamed of or hide. And I'm pretty sure 99.9% of buyers know this is a XPCamper V1 design.

There were plenty of issues with the old product. Have you talked to owners? Me not being one of them and glad we never got our XP Camper, even losing our deposit as the company crumbled.

I understand those issues were more than likely due to mismanagement, but in the end they were still issues with the product that left some owners stranded in the middle of no where...

 

[rruff]

There were plenty of issues with the old product. Have you talked to owners? Me not being one of them and glad we never got our XP Camper, even losing our deposit as the company crumbled.

I never saw anything in the discussions I read. Links?

 

[Victorian]

I never saw anything in the discussions I read. Links?

Not everyone posts about issues or problems. But I have heart this from several owners... I'm sure Nimble has it under control.

 

[easy_going_journey13]

I never saw anything in the discussions I read. Links?

It was from direct owners I talked to. XP wouldn't have made as many campers as they did if the truth had ever gotten out.

 

[rruff]

It was from direct owners I talked to. XP wouldn't have made as many campers as they did if the truth had ever gotten out.

Are you going to just tease us, or tell us what the problems were?

 

[highaltidude]

Have you talked to owners?

It's about "fit". There are a number of people that have quickly sold their XP as it didn't match well with their actual travel style.
And I agree that it's not a perfect product.
But it is a "unique" product and can exactly meet the needs of a large number of people that travel.
There is a very active community of XP owners. I expect it to grow to include people that purchase from Nimbl.
We help each other solve the issues that will always arise when taking a camper off pavement.
I thoroughly enjoy our XP, and know many people that feel the same way.

Chuck
#43

 

[Nimbl Vehicles]

Are you going to just tease us, or tell us what the problems were?

One of the jokes I used to make about my Defender was that it was never completely working or completely broken.

No expedition camper is perfect, and I think that most folks understand that. You take a tiny and very complex combination of house, power station, sewage treatment plant, water plant, etc., and bounce it down rugged trails through extreme heat, cold, humidity, etc., and things inevitably happen.

At the end of the day it comes down to how well any builder supports their product.

 

[rruff]

I was curious mostly because I like to learn from other people's mistakes... instead of my own...

 

[craig333]

One persons mistake is another persons "choice".