2014 Cruisers

[avvidclif]

Stopped at the local dealer today to check on the status of my warranty repairs and had an interesting conversation. He had just gotten in 4 new Cruisers and naturally my wife had to go and look...
In the Cruiser Line;
The Patriot/Provincial is no more,name change as the options are still available under a different name?
The construction is now laminated, not hung wall, different insulation
The floor and roof now have wood trusses, the gorilla cage is only 4 sided and welded
The shortest one is 33'
They have gone to the tan, brown, and black format, the slideouts sides and top are black as is the underside of the front overhang??? Very little white on the trailer. Brown nosepiece. (just repeating, I didn't go look, raining)
Different tv antenna, didn't ask what?
He probably said more I forgot
He was very impressed with the build quality

No brochures or floor layouts, nothing but the trailers

From what he said the Crossroads line has an entire new team, the old group is gone, clean sweep. He said they are like the Crossroads team of old, a whole new (correct) outlook, quality first.

From the "For what it's worth dept"

Maybe go look Thur or Fri when I pick up my trailer. 10 items on my warranty list and done in 2 weeks. Pretty good.

[tator447]

Cliff,
My dealer also said there were big changes coming in the construction and the quality. He said he knew the team coming in and said that he had high hopes for a resurgence of what used to be. We can only hope.

Travel well,
Jim

[Retired02]

We also have a 2013 Patriot 305SK and love the floor plan. Did your dealer say if they are keeping that floor plan in the new line? Do you know if the angled slide will still be available? That was a big selling point in our getting the 305. Not sure I like the tan brown black exterior, we like the white. But it would be nice if the unit was a little longer so that the chairs in the rear would fit to travel better, as well as maybe a little more room in bathroom. Will have to wait and see I guess.

[avvidclif]

I didn't ask what models he had received and of course he had no brochures. The Cruiser line doesn't show a 305 plus looking at the Cruiser line they all had bathtubs. Big no-no for me.

It's a time of mystery, kinda the reverse of vaporware. We have the product just don't know anything about it...

I took out one of the recliners and have a small computer desk. Of course when we set up the desk goes to the right and the chair to the left, reverse for traveling.

[dalemac377]

Just checked the Crossroads RV website. I see they have updated the cruiser section. No more Patriot listing. Just Cruiser and cruiser aire. Floorplans have no dimensional info. Construction shows the wood trusse roof and a lot of the old Patriot options. Lots of bathtubs and few shower floorplans. Interesting.

[offduty11]

I see no more 34SS. After all the problems I have had I should have waited another year.

[Retired02]

I also see the 305SK is no more. It looks like the 315RL is very similar. We talked to our dealer, the angled slide is gone also. They've gone to laminated instead of hung walls so could no longer do the angled slide he said. Didn't have one in stock yet, we are looking forward to seeing one. Maybe later this winter or spring.

[tator447]

Offduty:
What problems have you had? I own a 34SS and haven't had any major problems thus far. I put over 4,000 miles on mine in 4 months last year and am very pleased with ours. I also looked at the website and still saw the 34SS there as of last week. I'll have to recheck it and see what the offerings are now.

thanks,
Jim

[offduty11]

I looked this morning and didn't see the 34ss listed. as for problems here's a start. kitchen sink leaks between sink and counter filling first draw with water. next closet gets water. Left and right side slides do not completly close (not even with the hand crank) tub/shower liner is seperating from wall, left side outer slide seal is pulling from the unit, pantry draws hang up, bathroom door binds, some awning lights burnt out after no more than 5 hours use, and a few other but minor problems.

[tator447]

Offduty,
You are correct, everything has changed completely. What I found the most astounding and maybe I'm wrong here, but for standards they listed a "four pin" electrical connection. Can that be correct? Doesn't sound right to me at all. And I see they are using wood in the roof trusses and the sidewalls now too. I would rather they had not listed anything yet without any of the specs being there. No sizes, no weights, no nothing. How can you make a decision from that? Weren't these all being built starting in summer sometime? I could be wrong.

Travel well,
Jim

[mark5w]

Check again, there is no wood in the sidewalls. 2" aluminum studs are used. That has to be a print error stating 4 pin plug connector.

[dalemac377]

The four pin plug connector is for the optional rear hitch/receiver I think.

[offduty11]

Oh Yea
I forgot to add the bed falling apart. If you look at pictures from a previous post someone had the same problems as me. The bed frame made of 2x3's is bowed and twisted. When I first looked at those pictures I thought it was my unit. We just wanted this unit for four years when my wife retires then look at the Redwoods. Don't know if that will happen now. My 34ss didn't even hit the one year mark yet.

[cowboy_71]

Hoping for better changes to come...but it looks like we will all have to wait and see...

[Generator Jim]

I'm not sure what is going on. We are taking delivery of our CF305SK14 on Thursday after they get the paint sealant on. The fifth Airborne is somewhere in Tenn on its way here from Missouri.

Did they sell me a 13 marked as a 14???

We had them change out the couch from leather to cloth due to some very large cats in our family. We took the large recliners out and installed the small recliners from our old camper in place. The 3.6 ONAN and the two golf cart batteries are sitting in the back of the truck.
Looks like a busy week coming up. Mom is running around waving her checkbook so I know I'm in trouble. Wish me luck

Generator Jim
Jim and Jane Latour
Conway, SC

[BODERRVING]

Jim,
You should ask the dealer what the manufacture date is. It is located several places on the unit. Like autos, RV manufacturers start their production line months before the calendar year starts. It is quite likely that your CD305SK14 was manufactured before the change in management and before the modification of product lines.

For instance, Zinger was 5th Wheel and Trailers in 2013 and the early part of the 2014 models; however, all 5th Wheels are in the Zinger Rezerve line now.

Being further south, you might get to use your unit before those of us further north. And, it seems to be neverending what you might need/want for your camper.

[fhenn]

The eight digit from the back of the vin should be an E this tells you it was manufactured for 2014 also if you check the shipping weight sticker on the cabinet doors it should give a date that it was weighed prior to shipment

[avvidclif]

Look on the left side of the trailer close to the front. There should be a sticker giving the mfg date, model, and SN. There will also be one giving all the tire information.

Mine shows MFG Date 4/27/1012 and Model CF305SK13. Built WAY before the model year.... It was 16 months old when we bought it. We knew it and didn't care. Price was right and a 2 year warranty.

[LeBo]

Generator Jim, can ask how you came up with your signature name.

[Generator Jim]

LeBo
I'm a retired Air Force E-9 in the power generation career field and after retirement, I spent 20 years or so as an ONAN, Generac and Kohler RV generator technician and instructor. I'm on the RV Net under the same name and I try to give some advice on generator problems. Sometimes I'm even right.

Jim Latour