Today’s review is of a Cruiser RV MPG 2780RE travel trailer. The goal of these articles, to me, is to impart as much factual evidence as I can. I try to point out the good things I see that will make a difference in your camping experience, and the things I think that will become annoyances over time.
I also bring my experience working at a dealership to the table. At that dealership I handled sales and also managed warranty claims for a lot of the brands we sold. One of the things I am very much able to do, in my opinion, is separate fact from feelings. But sometimes facts force feelings.
What I’m getting at is that my personal experience with MPG products is pretty lousy.
How RV dealerships work
If you know how car dealerships work and think that’s how RV dealerships work, well, it’s very different. RV dealerships are not franchises, so the manufacturers have very little say in how the RV dealerships behave.
One of the ways an RV dealership chooses to represent specific brands might be at a big event in September called Open House. While COVID has canceled them recently, they were the events where dealerships would fly in from all over the U.S., see the various brands and products, and make buying decisions.
A dealership might look at what they sell and realize there’s a hole in the product offerings. For example, we had a lot of taller customers, so the fact that MPG trailers tend to have 6’ 11” interior heights and king-sized beds was very, very appealing. We signed up to sell this brand, and our initial five units arrived that were part of the guaranteed minimum purchase.
Not all dealerships are the same, but we had some great techs who then went through the units and found more than a few issues. And this was well before COVID. So I got to file warranty claims so that the issues could be resolved before we showed them to customers.
This was a horribly frustrating experience. There were many more issues on each unit of the MPG than we saw with other brands we carried.
To be fair, this was right after the company got taken over by Thor. So I’m sure there were some pains in adapting to new owners and processes. That could explain the issues we found and the warranty claims process. But we never ordered any additional units.
Highlights in the Cruiser RV MPG 2780RE
That was a few years ago, and I hope things have improved over at Cruiser RV. I do like a lot of the features in this trailer, including the higher ceiling height and the king-sized bed. In fact, Cruiser is so proud of their bed mechanism that they’ve applied for a patent on it.
Essentially, the way the bed is situated lets you slide the bed left and right so if you want to slide it all the way over against a wall, you can. If you want to bias it toward one side, that’s possible too. Neat.
Another thing I liked in the bedroom was a small dresser at the rear of the bedroom which had a mirror and a few drawers. Nice touch.
A bathroom splits this trailer in half. That leaves a lot of space around the toilet and in the shower but, unfortunately, they do use a plastic toilet. Bummer.
Big thumbs up
The back living space is what I suspect will sell the Cruiser RV MPG 2780RE. As with the Flagstaff 8529RKSB fifth wheel we looked at recently, this one features theater seats and a folding couch. In this case, the two are facing one another.
Another similarity is that there’s a breakfast bar with bar-height chairs. The kitchen is a U-shaped arrangement which affords a lot of counter space as well as a good number of drawers and cabinets to boot.
This would really be a good floor plan if you like to entertain or cook, except, well, you know. Lousy 16” oven.
I do like that there are no floor ducts for the heater. Instead, they are on the cabinets above the floor.
Another thing that caught my eye is the big metal compartment with the front storage compartment. This could be good for some things you don’t necessarily access regularly but still want to bring along. For example, a tire changing kit or that sort of thing.
Boondocking and travel access in the Cruiser RV MPG 2780RE
The slides in this unit effectively don’t include the kitchen and only make the living room larger at the very back of the trailer. So all the important things are readily accessible for a mid-journey stop.
Yes, the fridge is in a slide, but that doesn’t stop it from being able to be opened with the slide in.
The bathroom and bedroom are fully accessible.
In summary
I hope that Cruiser has been able to adapt well to being owned by Thor. There are absolutely brands that thrive under Thor ownership, including Keystone RV, Airstream and others. Any time there’s a big change of how things are done, things tend to have a way of going awry. So, perhaps that’s what my experience was with them.
Cruiser RV does have some good features, particularly for taller travelers. But there are also some decisions that are clearly made with price over experience. Not that Cruiser RV is the only manufacturer guilty of this.
I do like this floor plan and the features Cruiser RV is using on this rig. So my recommendation, as always, is to find a great dealership first. From there work with them to make sure that everything checks out on any RV you choose and go from there.
More from Tony
I would love to read your comments and suggestions over on our new forums, where you can weigh in and start or join a discussion about all things RV. Here’s a link to my RV Reviews Forum.
If you’re RV shopping here are some tips on RV shopping from a former RV salesperson—me!
Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a lifelong RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.
You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy.
These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.
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##RVDT1911
The author writes that this is a good trailer for those who like to entertain. But there is no dining table –just a small table for 2 at the recliners. Hard to invite 2 other people to dine inside without a table.
You simply put up another portable folding table like so many of us carry in our RVs and now you have dining for four. Plus you have a table you can bring outside as well.
But, typically, when I camp with friends we’re all sitting outside anyway either in our folding chairs or at the picnic table.
It would be fine for 2 people as it seems to have a lot of floor space, but agree with lack of dining table not just for extra guest but also no place to work on computer (for instance). Also, not fond of having to sit in recliners or couch and have to turn head sideways to watch tv – that is not a good design.
I appreciate your candor and real life experience with this and the other RVs you dealt with while in the business. We just bought a new Winnebago motorhome after having such a great experience with our last one, which we purchased used six years ago. This new one is beautiful but has so many issues with poor construction and components that it has been in the shop more than we’ve used it. Unfortunately the closest dealership to us is 75 miles away, and they’re so large that it feels like once they’ve made the sale, we are on our own. I think I’ve been on the phone with the dealership, Winnebago or a manufacturer of a faulty component at least an hour a day for two Months.
You mentioned in an earlier review that you are disappointed with the 12 volt compressor fridge energy consumption in your new trailer. I’d like to hear more about this as ours was only available with a residential fridge and it drains the four huge batteries in a day…and they didn’t prep the unit for solar!
Chuck and the team have really established a platform where we are able to serve the readers with the truth here. I love it.
I wouldn’t call myself disappointed with the 12 volt fridge, I was only surprised by how much it runs. But I also know there are different manufacturers of 12vdc fridges and that different models offer different performance and features. Here’s my solution.
I do think that a 12vdc fridge is a great choice for an RV because you can leave it on while driving and it doesn’t require an inverter. It also requires no outside venting nor does it need propane.
I believe Furrion and Everchill both make larger 12vdc fridges designed as a 12vdc fridge from the ground up and available in larger sizes.
I’m disappointed to read about the troubles you’re having with your new Winnebago. That company seems to be responsive to customers so I hope that holds true and wish you the best in resolving everything.