Hello all....since 1999, we've had 2 travel trailers and are current owners of a 2006 Crossroads Cruiser 5th wheel camper....so we're not new to the camper buying experience....we're looking for a possible new one and have gone through many MANY models and done a ton of research online as well....We've recently finally walked through a few Primetime Crusader 5th wheel rv's and really like what we see including options. So far, the only thing we didn't care for in them is the basic camper bed, but we've had that in all ours and know what they're like....we LOVE the 6 point stabilizing system in them, the look of quality inside and out, the storage both inside and out, the fact you can walk around the bed (bonus!!) and many more features. We're looking at the 315 RST and the 325 RES. Of course there are a few more features in the 325 and it's more money as well......Can ANYONE out there give me your opinion of this brand of camper, especially since I'm not real familiar with them....any opinions, good and bad, we would greatly appreciate. We've heard so many horror stories with friends getting new campers and having various issues, so would love to know more about the Primetime Crusader brand....Thank you....
kb0zke said
05:47 PM Mar 24, 2014
You don't say whether this is for weekends, vacations, or full-timing. From what I can see I'd say these are more vacation rigs than full-time. I notice that they say very little about the construction, and that concerns me. Generally the higher quality manufacturers show some pictures about their frames, or at least mention them. Not a word here. Nothing about the wall construction, either.
ALL new coaches will have some issues - even those $1,500,000 motor homes. Unfortunately, that's just the way it is. The big question is how are they taken care of? Your first stop will be the dealer. Unfortunately, the dealer network for RVs isn't like that of automobiles. It seems that any RV dealership can sign up to sell any brand they want. Service, though, often is another story. If you buy a new truck to tow that new coach, you can get warranty service from any dealer for that brand anywhere you travel, or even in your home town - even if you didn't buy it there. Not always the case with an RV. Every single brochure I've ever seen points out that it is to your advantage to buy from your local dealer. That's fine for those who stay close to home; not so fine for full-timers.
Your second stop is the manufacturer. How well do they support their dealers? Some pay their dealers a lower rate for warranty work than what the dealer can get from non-warranty work. Guess which job gets done first?
See if you can find an owners group. Spend a few days reading posts before you ask questions. Then ask a lot. If there is a members map, find someone who lives near you and see if you can talk directly to them.
dobiqueenx2 said
07:28 AM Mar 25, 2014
Thank you kb0zke....good points....no, it would not be for full time use (haven't won that lottery yet...lol) but mostly weekend/vacation use. THese are 3 season and the brochure does go over some of the construction details. Also, it is a local dealer and actually in the same city where my husband's yard is at (he drives semi) so he can take it in whenever necessary on his way to work even, which is good. This dealership has a good reputation and has been around for awhile as well which is good, and even stopped carrying certain brands because of all the issues they had with people bringing way too many back for repairs, etc. I've also been dealing with this dealership since last August as we began looking then and I have been continually coming back to these guys after looking at other models, etc. Believe me, I am a comparison shopper BIG TIME and want to make sure we're not getting junk....
Humphrey Duo said
03:01 PM Apr 5, 2014
dobiequeen
We have been looking at 5vers for quite a while and we have settled on the Keystone Cougar 315RES or the Prime Time Crusader 315RST. The things we like about the Crusader are the auto leveling system, the theatre seating, the storage space and the weight. We will be pulling with a 2007 Dodge 2500. But as in all things there is a house to sell before we make the move to either one. Keep positive.
dobiqueenx2 said
06:52 AM Apr 6, 2014
Thanks Humphrey....we were looking between the Cougar 327RES and the Crusader 325 RES as they have similar layouts as well...we decided to try and go for the Crusader and got approved....we also liked the same things you mentioned and though we've been told the AC is a newer system in the Crusader and we shouldn't need 2 of them, we would have had to add that to the Cougar along with the stabalizing jacks and didn't feel like putting that extra money into it...hopefully by the end of the month we will be picking her up as now we're just waiting for my dad's estate to settle so we can pay off the current loan and keep our payment down....
Terry and Jo said
02:23 PM Apr 6, 2014
From what I've learned from other forums, study up on the auto leveling system. Occasionally there is a need to override the automatic part and go strictly manual. Our is only manual, and that suits me just fine. That way I can watch and control each of the sides or front as the are traveling down or up. It is the same way with the slides. Our coach came with a remote control that would allow me to control a lot of stuff, but the slides would all go in or out in a particular sequence and without me initiating each one separately. I want to make sure a slide won't hit something that I didn't consider, like a low branch.
Hello all....since 1999, we've had 2 travel trailers and are current owners of a 2006 Crossroads Cruiser 5th wheel camper....so we're not new to the camper buying experience....we're looking for a possible new one and have gone through many MANY models and done a ton of research online as well....We've recently finally walked through a few Primetime Crusader 5th wheel rv's and really like what we see including options. So far, the only thing we didn't care for in them is the basic camper bed, but we've had that in all ours and know what they're like....we LOVE the 6 point stabilizing system in them, the look of quality inside and out, the storage both inside and out, the fact you can walk around the bed (bonus!!) and many more features. We're looking at the 315 RST and the 325 RES. Of course there are a few more features in the 325 and it's more money as well......Can ANYONE out there give me your opinion of this brand of camper, especially since I'm not real familiar with them....any opinions, good and bad, we would greatly appreciate. We've heard so many horror stories with friends getting new campers and having various issues, so would love to know more about the Primetime Crusader brand....Thank you....
ALL new coaches will have some issues - even those $1,500,000 motor homes. Unfortunately, that's just the way it is. The big question is how are they taken care of? Your first stop will be the dealer. Unfortunately, the dealer network for RVs isn't like that of automobiles. It seems that any RV dealership can sign up to sell any brand they want. Service, though, often is another story. If you buy a new truck to tow that new coach, you can get warranty service from any dealer for that brand anywhere you travel, or even in your home town - even if you didn't buy it there. Not always the case with an RV. Every single brochure I've ever seen points out that it is to your advantage to buy from your local dealer. That's fine for those who stay close to home; not so fine for full-timers.
Your second stop is the manufacturer. How well do they support their dealers? Some pay their dealers a lower rate for warranty work than what the dealer can get from non-warranty work. Guess which job gets done first?
See if you can find an owners group. Spend a few days reading posts before you ask questions. Then ask a lot. If there is a members map, find someone who lives near you and see if you can talk directly to them.
We have been looking at 5vers for quite a while and we have settled on the Keystone Cougar 315RES or the Prime Time Crusader 315RST. The things we like about the Crusader are the auto leveling system, the theatre seating, the storage space and the weight. We will be pulling with a 2007 Dodge 2500. But as in all things there is a house to sell before we make the move to either one. Keep positive.
Thanks Humphrey....we were looking between the Cougar 327RES and the Crusader 325 RES as they have similar layouts as well...we decided to try and go for the Crusader and got approved....we also liked the same things you mentioned and though we've been told the AC is a newer system in the Crusader and we shouldn't need 2 of them, we would have had to add that to the Cougar along with the stabalizing jacks and didn't feel like putting that extra money into it...hopefully by the end of the month we will be picking her up as now we're just waiting for my dad's estate to settle so we can pay off the current loan and keep our payment down....
From what I've learned from other forums, study up on the auto leveling system. Occasionally there is a need to override the automatic part and go strictly manual. Our is only manual, and that suits me just fine. That way I can watch and control each of the sides or front as the are traveling down or up. It is the same way with the slides. Our coach came with a remote control that would allow me to control a lot of stuff, but the slides would all go in or out in a particular sequence and without me initiating each one separately. I want to make sure a slide won't hit something that I didn't consider, like a low branch.
Terry