Kingston vs Cruiser

klr650goldwing · 04-08-2010, 12:54 AM

After the Mpls. RV Show we were convinced that we would be getting a Kingston KF30SB. Since then we have looked online at the Cruisers and like them too. So here is question #1: we have a 2004 F350 V10 4X4 Crew 8â€™<?: prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com

ffice:smarttags" /><st1:address><st1:Street>box</st1:Street> 3.73</st1:address> with a factory recommended tow rating of 10200lbs. We want a trailer that will last 10 years and hold up to going South every winter. The <st1:City><st1

lace>Kingston</st1

lace></st1:City> has a 10â€? I-beam construction and 16â€? tires. The Cruiser has 8â€? I-beam construction and 15â€? tires. The Cruiser is lighter, but will it hold up as well as the <st1:City><st1

lace>Kingston</st1

lace></st1:City> for 10 years? Question #2: How close to the 10200 lbs can the dry weight of the trailer be to be sure we donâ€™t go over that weight when we are loaded?

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Thanks to all for your opinions.

RSCREES · 04-08-2010, 02:28 AM

Check the trailer life towing guide for your truck. If I am not mistaken you should be able to tow more than 10200 with a fifth wheel. We have a Kingston and really like it. I have not had any problems, a very well built trailer. I found that most of the standard features with the kingston are options on the cruiser. The Kingston is also a full profile which give you more head room in the bedroom.

Good Luck

RSCREES · 04-08-2010, 02:31 AM

Here is the Trailer Life link

http://www.trailerlife.com/output.cfm?id=42175

klr650goldwing · 04-08-2010, 03:04 AM

Thanks for the trailer life towing guide website address. It varifies what my owners manual says; ie. 10200 is the max weight I can tow.

klr650goldwing · 04-08-2010, 03:19 AM

But here is the main question we would like some help with: We want a trailer that will last 10 years and hold up to going South every winter. The <?: PREFIX = ST1 /><ST1:CITY><ST1:PLACE>Kingston</ST1:PLACE></ST1:CITY> has a 10â€? I-beam construction and 16â€? tires. The Cruiser has 8â€? I-beam construction and 15â€? tires. The Cruiser is lighter, but will it hold up as well as the <ST1:CITY><ST1:PLACE>Kingston</ST1:PLACE></ST1:CITY> for 10 years?

1olcatonr · 04-08-2010, 09:16 AM

We just pulled our 30sb11 home with an 02 GMC 6l gas with no problems. I'M sure your v10 would handle it. This rig tows very nice. You will like the full profile no steps in the bebroom,huge basement storage. The 16" tires and 6000lb axles and 10 frame are all pluses for longevity. We plan on wintering in Az in ours.

dalemac377 · 04-08-2010, 09:17 AM

We are on our second cruiser and have had no issues with either. With our '07 30sk we spent three winters in the south, three months each year. We justspent our first three month stay in the south with our new 30sk. We traded because of the many upgrades between the '07 and the '10, especially the Patriot options that give you 16 inch tires, electric rear jacks, electric awing, etc. We prefer the mid profile,but that is a matter of choice. Our truck is a 5.4 gasser with 4.10 rear end and on the trip home we averaged 8.5 mpg comig north thru Alabama, Tenn., Kentucky, and Illinois driving at 65 mph. I think your truck will do just fine.

BDLuke · 04-08-2010, 09:37 AM

That's a tough one to answer.In my opinion, both would last well for 10 years. (with proper maintenance and care, of course)

I bought my Cruiser with the same mentality. Like you, I decidedto spend my money one time on the camper I could live with for at least 10 years. We're almost half way there and it still looks like new, inside & out.

The Kingston line wasn't in production in 2006 so I didn't have that "one-up" choice soif I was buying today,I wouldbe asking the same questions and looking between the two.

The Patriot Edition Cruiser CF30SK has almost everything the Kingston does except the 10" frame and the extra headroom in the BR. I'm short so the last item wouldn't matter to me. The warranty and the construction standards are the same. Ifyou weren't aware,the Cruiser, Kingston, and Seville are made side-by-side on the same assemblyline by the same crews.

Have you had the chance to actually walk into a Cruiser CF30SK Patriot Edition?That might help make up your mind. That's my opinion, for what's its worth.

What's the best bang for your 10 year buck? Both of em....

Happy hunting!

Dayle1 · 04-08-2010, 11:48 AM

I've already responded to the same question on another forum, but I'll post here just for the picture of our rig in my signature. It is parked at Blomidan Provincal Park, Nova Scotia, overlooking the Bay of Fundy.That was part of a 10,000 mile trip that included several pretty rough roads in NS and also on the only paved east-west road thru central New Brunswick and Mount Carleton Provincial Park, NB where they are happy just to get visitors from elsewhere in Canada.

mwebber78 · 04-08-2010, 12:15 PM

If your tow vehicle is going to be the Ford then buy the Cruiser. The Cruiser and Kingston have the same exact wall/floor/roof construction. The frame size is the only difference but the size difference is mostly becuase a 10" frame is needed for a full Z-drop frame to allow the HUGE pass-thru storage up-front. The Cruiser has a 16" option and has the trail-air suspension too.

**Lloyd** · 04-08-2010, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klr650goldwing

But here is the main question we would like some help with: We want a trailer that will last 10 years and hold up to going South every winter. The <st1:city><st1

lace>Kingston</st1

lace></st1:city> has a 10â€? I-beam construction and 16â€? tires. The Cruiser has 8â€? I-beam construction and 15â€? tires. The Cruiser is lighter, but will it hold up as well as the <st1:city><st1

lace>Kingston</st1

lace></st1:city> for 10 years?</span>

Like BDLUKE stated, that's a hard question to answer!!! There are many variables that will enter into it.
#1-- how RV literate are you? Can you see a problem coming on and take care of it? Do you do your own maintenance, or at least part of it?
How well you take care of your unit is a big issue in it's longevity.
Whether or not a unit will last you or anybody else for 10 yrs. would just be a guess.
I'm not trying to be sarcastic, just want to be realistic about it.
I think either one of them could make 10 yrs. with the proper care. Very few people keep them that long tho. There is always something new that just has to come along that catches our eye.
Which ever one you end up with I wish you all the best.

sheltieRV · 04-09-2010, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klr650goldwing

But here is the main question we would like some help with: We want a trailer that will last 10 years and hold up to going South every winter. The <?: PREFIX = ST1 /><ST1:CITY><ST1:PLACE>Kingston</ST1:PLACE></ST1:CITY> has a 10â€? I-beam construction and 16â€? tires. The Cruiser has 8â€? I-beam construction and 15â€? tires. The Cruiser is lighter, but will it hold up as well as the <ST1:CITY><ST1:PLACE>Kingston</ST1:PLACE></ST1:CITY> for 10 years?

I think both are constructed to last. If it were me, I would focus on the differences in both. Though we liked the cruiser, the Kingston fit our lifestyle better, and had nicer ammenities.

On weight, the advertised amount is very close. I posted my actual weights in the Kingston section a while back should still be there, I have the Chevy 3500 dually which is close to your Ford.

KHUNLINDA2003 · 04-09-2010, 02:50 AM

We go south every winter and find the extra storage necessary. We have gone 40K in our 04 Silverado (previous discontinued model) and some of it over the rough roads of Alaska and it has the 10 frame and 16 inch tires. It held up great. You never know what where you might want to go. Maybe Mexico, or Alaska. For pure comfort I would go with the Kingston. Our Silverado is similar and it's very comfortable to stay in for several months.

BillF · 04-11-2010, 04:15 AM

There can be no accurate reply to your 10 year durability question because neither the Cruiser nor the Kingston existed 10 years ago. BUT -- I have a 2001 Paradise Pointe that has held up VERY well after being towed about 60,000 miles, most of them as fulltime RVers. I am trading it in for a '10 Kingston, not because of any maintenance problems, but because its age tells me that maintenance issues are ahead. And because we like the Kingston KS30SB so much. We will be giving up some features that we like very much, but gaining others that we don't have now. So there are a few tradeoffs. But as to a CrossRoads holding up for 10 years of heavy use -- go for it. This is the best built and designed 5er we have ever owned...and the Kingston that we take delivery of in late May will be our 5th in 14 years.

sheltieRV · 04-11-2010, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillF

...and the Kingston that we take delivery of in late May will be our 5th in 14 years.

Welcome to the Kingston club Bill! I am sitting in mine right now.

BillF · 04-11-2010, 08:16 AM

Oh Good! Maybe you can answer a question. We have not actually seen a 30SB other than photos and are wondering what is in the kitchen cabinet that is the L containing the sink? None of the photos show that -- is it a shelf, drawer, cabinet? Also does it have adequate storage for kitchen pots & pans? I'm assuming that the entertainment center cabinet (below the TV) has shelves that can be used for kitchen stuff. The Paradise Pointe that we are trading has a pull-out pantry & lots of shelf space, so....

sheltieRV · 04-11-2010, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillF

Oh Good! Maybe you can answer a question. We have not actually seen a 30SB other than photos and are wondering what is in the kitchen cabinet that is the L containing the sink? None of the photos show that -- is it a shelf, drawer, cabinet? Also does it have adequate storage for kitchen pots & pans? I'm assuming that the entertainment center cabinet (below the TV) has shelves that can be used for kitchen stuff. The Paradise Pointe that we are trading has a pull-out pantry & lots of shelf space, so....

It is a shelf, pretty large we have all our pots/pans and more stored there. You could put pull outs in, would give up some space, but I don't see anything to block it, kitchen hoses are high and near the rear (I added a 110 at the end of the L, and ran the wires near the back).

Our Entertainment center has the fireplace, so we just have the drawer and top shelf. Also, you havecabinets above the couch and the easy chairs (which on ours is under utliized). If you really need space, there is a large area above the kitchen cabinets that does nothing but capture dust.

BillF · 04-11-2010, 03:44 PM

Grant -- many thanks for the info. Did you add the 110 outlet because there aren't enough of them in the kitchen? Again, its hard to tell from the photos. Thanks again,

Bill

sheltieRV · 04-12-2010, 02:34 AM

We like using a small space heater in the winter and there are only floor level outlets on the rear wall and next to the dining table. That put the heater right in the middle of traffic. Also, the kitchen and rear outlets were on the same circuit, which meant that we were tripping circuits. So, I added a dedicated breaker and outlet about 6" off the floor. Now the heater sits at the end of the L and gets in nobodys way while blowing air towards the rear (the big window tends to the the coldest part of the trailer).

mgratner · 04-18-2010, 01:15 PM

We will have completed 5 years in our Cruiser on May 11th. I see no reason why it won't last us another 5 years as long as we continue to take care of it and do occasional upgrades. We had one major problem when it was 5 months old. Crossroads had it taken care of in 48 hours. Since then it has been great.

Cigar Mike

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