# Damp problems in 2014 Rapido



## JayBe (Jul 17, 2010)

Has anyone had damp problems in the wall/roof of a Rapido motorhome within a year of purchase, or in recent years.

I owned a Rapido 986F 2005 model which had no problems from purchase until part exchange in 2013. That was a factor in Rapido's favour when considering change of vehicle.

I found twenty three faults with the Rapido 640 which I took delivery of in March 2014, and many of the faults were due to poor workmanship, sloppy use of a powered screwdriver, etc.. The vehicle had been ready at the factory a month before the scheduled date and it appeared to be a rushed construction. So much for Rapido's claims of pride in its design and quality. Some points were corrected by Wokingham Motorhomes prior to my collection, but most of the faults were only discovered during use of the vehicle in May and June 2014. Many of the faults I was able to rectify myself with care and to avoid the inconvenience and expense of travel to the dealer for rectification under warranty. Some had to be rectified at Wokingham in July 2014. A long letter to Anthony Pfaff, the Responsible Technical Support Export person at the Rapido Group, included my observations on the way that rainwater is contained on the roof due to the way in which the wall panels and roof panel are constructed with a moulding all round the sides of the roof. Something not visible without a ladder. I remarked in my letter that it could cause damage and that if moving off with cab windows open, any rain swills off the roof down into the cab.

The reply concerning the roof was that the design is not a fault and that Rapido use a well-known construction method. It was said to be the first complaint of its nature. The design team would be made aware of that and all my other comments.

Imagine my shock when Highbridge Caravans carried out the Habitation Check, including the Warranty Damp Check, in April this year and found 25% damp in the top of the wall and the adjoining roof panel in the shower/toilet area, (at the rear left corner of the vehicle). In October (due to our booked trip) the edge moulding and rear cornice mouldings have to be removed in order to dry out the panels. New mouldings will then be sealed on. 

I am not a happie chappie!


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## Jamsieboy (Jan 14, 2011)

Very poor show for such a new van.
I always thought that the best roof designs were meant to shed water as quickly as possible not retain it. This inevitably means high reliance on the mastic seals.


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## Revise (May 13, 2012)

I am surprised MH designers cannot make a 1 piece roof without mastic seals. Then the water on the roof would be leakproof. I know their would have to be some joints but a lip in the side of the roof covering the joints.


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## JayBe (Jul 17, 2010)

Obviously a' No No', which surprises me. Am I really alone with this problem?


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

You seem to be, I've not read of anyone reporting this on a Rapido before. I think many Rapido coachbuilts have a water trap where the overcab moulding is sealed to the main roof panel. Mine certainly has 1cm of water sitting there the whole time. Later models, yours included, have a different type of roof but with presumably a similar bonding overlap.

Kev


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Any roof that has water sitting there the whole time is a recipe for disaster.


The concept for any decent roof is to shed water as quickly as possible, this is true whether on a house or a motorhome.


That's why flat house roofs were/are a disaster, standing water eventually gets through.


Paul.


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## Carl_n_Flo (May 10, 2005)

Revise said:


> *I am surprised MH designers cannot make a 1 piece roof without mastic seals*. Then the water on the roof would be leakproof. I know their would have to be some joints but a lip in the side of the roof covering the joints.


They do........or at least did.

Our 2005 AT Cheyenne has a one piece fibreglass roof moulding that is bonded to the rear fibreglass panel (which is also one piece). The roof cap extends down the sides of the van about 4 inches before it meets the aluminium side walls. The overcab unit is integral with the one piece roof cap and mates with the corresponding fibreglass lower half (also one piece) which is bonded to the cab roof.

So far, after 10 years, no leaks (not counting the time I loosened the heater flue cowl and forgot to tighten it up - consequently letting water in around its base......but we don't discuss that..........).


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