# Rapido 7065+ Exterior locker doors blistering



## Lesw

AS enyone experienced blistering of the exterier locker doors on the Rapido7065+ model.
If so, what is the best remedy.


----------



## Jean-Luc

Sent you PM


----------



## josieb

Can you tell me the year of your van? Have you talked to your dealer? If so what was their comments?


----------



## WildThingsKev

This came up before on a 70**+ but I couldn't find it on the search. Google shows a result here but the webpage on MHF is blank when you go to it.

I cannot remember what the outcome of the previous thread was, it was about a year ago.

Sorry that is not much help but maybe someone will remember.

The alloy trim surrounding one of my locker doors is bubbling under the paintwork a little but the panel itself is grp and is ok. Your bodywork has an aluminium outer skin, is it this which is blistering?

Kev


----------



## odipar

I have a 2008 Rapido 7065+ with the same blistering not just on the locker doors but also on the habitation door
Any further info about this problem would be welcome
Cheers
MGA Coupe


----------



## josieb

Odipar. Can you tell me what year your van is please.


----------



## josieb

Oops sorry miss read or should I say must of skimmed it  I suggest you contact your dealer and get the problem put right. umm end of. Take no prisoners :wink: 
Let us know how you get on.


----------



## Lesw

*Rapido 7065+ doors*

I have contacted the dealer and was informed that the guarantee on the bodywork of the Rapido 765+ is two years. As mine is a 2008 model I phoned my local chips away who after a quick look decided it was not the job for them. I have a workmate chum who used to manage a bodyshop firm and he thought it would be quite an expensive job to strip and spray both doors. 
By now I was getting a bit concerned but decided to price new doors.
These work out at £148 including the dreaded VAT for the two. Plus shipping.
Still expensive but I think this will be the best way forward, as good body shop labour charges are through the roof.
I think the problem is, that water is seeping down the door trims and restiing on the raw edge of the panels. perhaps a little seale in the right place will cure the problem with the new doors.

Thanks everyone for your replies,


----------



## Jean-Luc

If you are not getting any satisfaction from the dealer why not contact Rapido directly. 
In my experience they may well attend to a problem even though the official warranty period has expired, particularly if the problem was initially reported within the warranty period.
At six years old, my Rapido is currently back at the factory having a problem sorted which initially appeared at about a year old and has had two failed attempts by dealers to remedy  

For me it's a case of *Rapido, le Meilleur de la Camping-car*


----------



## Mrplodd

Try a specialist caravan repairer, you will be surprised at how little many repairs cost. 

I reversed my MH into my garage wall, huge splits down the rear quarter panel, looked awful, I was thinking "new rear panel 1K+, local specialist caravan/MH repairer did the lot for £180 + VAT 

A "normal" car bodyshop is no good, you need a GRP specialist, best bet is to contact a local coach firm and ask who they use (most coaches have lots of GRP panels)

Sounds like moisture under the gel coat, not a difficult job for a specialist.


----------



## WingPete

*Repair by Rapido*

My 2008 7090f+ had that problem manifest itself just 3 weeks after warranty had expired, and that well known Newark dealer declined to do anything under the terms of the warranty, suggesting I contact Rapido directly for goodwill gesture.
I drove to Mayenne and showed their Customer Services English speaking agent what was happening.
He took all of 2 mins to walk around, see all locker doors similarly bubbling at the bottoms, and confirmed that it was in need of locker door replacements.
He went on to inform me that the said vendor in Newark has had written notices of numerous recalls from the factory, none of which had ever been opened to read, so no positive action was taken to remedy a known defect/fault that Rapido wanted fixing.
It seems there had been some chemical reaction to materials used, which did not show for some time, but nevertheless they acknowledged it was their responsibilty to overcome, which they tried to do, unsuccessfully when such agents here decline to follow manufacturers recall notices.
My Rapido went back to factory for full overhaul and replacement of defective lockers, at their cost.
Good for Rapido, but black marks for B****hills.


----------



## josieb

I think you will find that there is a Rapido dealer who will be able to help you. WingPete is correct in what he said. Rapido I am sure should put your defect right.


----------



## Jean-Luc

*Re: Repair by Rapido*



WingPete said:


> .................He went on to inform me that the said vendor in Newark has had written notices of numerous recalls from the factory, none of which had ever been opened to read, so no positive action was taken to remedy a known defect/fault that Rapido wanted fixing................Good for Rapido, but black marks for B****hills.


Nothing new here.


----------



## Topefisher

If your doors are fibreglass then it sounds as though you are suffering a condition of Osmosis.

Osmosis = The passage of a liquid from a weak solution to a more concentrated solution across a semipermeable membrane that allows passage of the solvent but not the dissolved solids.


This is not too uncommon a situation in fibreglass boat hulls where water actually creeps thru' or gets absorbed into the material.


----------



## Romeo

*Blisters*

I have a new Rapido 773FF and recently noticed 2 small blisters just under the handle of the smaller garage door. Sent photos to the dealer Hymer UK in preston and according to them Rapido cannot explain. They are now going to supply complete new door which I will fit myself as Brownhills(Hymer UK) Preston is closing down with immediate effect due to a management buyout.

A friend of my who owns accident repair centre say he can easily repair for around 100 GBP.

Wonder if I will still get my door???


----------



## WingPete

*Materials*

The bubbling has been identified as occurring in the materials used during that production period. 
It is called " Alu-Fiber" which seems to consist of polyester coating on aluminium, according to Raido brochures of the time.
Which is not having the durability expected hence the warranty fixes allowed by Rapido. 
There are better agents for the brand, just some of us unlucky enough to have made the wrong choice.
As mentioned earlier, Brownhills never even opened letters from Rapido on numerous recalls they had intiated from France. The agent I spoke to admtted that he had been and seen those letters he sent out, sitting on the desk of a Director in Newark, unopened !
That gives credence to the reasons that company have been in decline since 2008.
I ought to have wondered why,when in the Canterbury branch showroom, a sign was prominently displayed, informing customers that any nuisance or beligerence shown towards staff will result in that customer being told to leave and be banned from the premises :twisted:


----------



## Lesw

Thanks WingPete, and everyone else for your help and advice.
I shall write to Rapido direct today.
Regards, Les


----------



## Romeo

Topefisher said:


> If your doors are fibreglass then it sounds as though you are suffering a condition of Osmosis.
> 
> Osmosis = The passage of a liquid from a weak solution to a more concentrated solution across a semipermeable membrane that allows passage of the solvent but not the dissolved solids.
> 
> This is not too uncommon a situation in fibreglass boat hulls where water actually creeps thru' or gets absorbed into the material.


A good explanation of what just may be happening. I am a Chief electrical engineer on a dive support vessel and we make 100 tons of fresh water a day from seawater by the process of reverse osmosis. Forcing seawater thru fliters at high pressure leaving the heavier salt behind. Can get it down to 10 PPM by this method where the human can really only start to detect salt at around 250 PPM. Sorry for that piece of useless information.

Davy


----------



## WingPete

*No fresh water*

What do you do when the water condensers fail ?
Had this on the "old" Ark Royal, when no fresh water for 3 days.
Washing is salt water bad enough, tea was atrocious, food needed no salt adding, and the RUM ration was awful when it had to be watered down. 
Gave it away to junior ratings, who became drunk for a week after, every time they drank fresh water or tea, the RUM re-activated. :roll:


----------



## Lesw

I just new there would be a couple of old matloe's tucked away in this foram somewere.
Are there any former Bootnecks ?


----------



## Wilfried

Hellow,
My camper is from August 2008 - 7096+. I haded on all doors (replacement of all doors and hatches under warranty) and last november i have seen blistering around the fridge grills. Rapido dealer is repairing repainting it now under warranty


----------



## Hydrocell

Hi Lesw

The man you need to speak to is Anthony Pfaff at the Rapido factory in Mayenne.

He deals with all warranty work for Rapido's in the UK 

Regards
Ray


----------



## Jean-Luc

This 'blistering' seems in fact to be the outer GRP skin separating from the Styrofoam either as a result of lack of bonding during manufacture of the panels are some chemical reaction.

I don't know if it is common to all such incidents but on my Rapido all the 'bubbles' which I think more accurately describes the phenomena appeared where decals were fixed :!: 

Rapido do however seem committed to finding a cause and resolution, in the meantime I have had mine fixed during November 2011 and having taken deliver of the 'van in July 2005 that's what I call gold standard after-sales customer care by a company committed to providing a 100% quality product.

In the attached photo can be seen three such bubbles, and they are all where decals are fixed, I have never seen one on areas without decals, anyone wish to comment on this element of the issue.


----------



## Lesw

*Blistering*

That's quite right. I can not fault Rapido. After contacting Rapido about blistering on my motorhome by email, they phoned me at home from France, and they replaced every door on my Rapido 7065+, including the habitation door.
The guarantee was out by one year.
Service like that is very rare these days


----------



## WildThingsKev

Jean-Luc said:


> This 'blistering' seems in fact to be the outer GRP skin separating from the Styrofoam either as a result of lack of bonding during manufacture of the panels are some chemical reaction.
> 
> I don't know if it is common to all such incidents but on my Rapido all the 'bubbles' which I think more accurately describes the phenomena appeared where decals were fixed :!:
> 
> Rapido do however seem committed to finding a cause and resolution, in the meantime I have had mine fixed during November 2011 and having taken deliver of the 'van in July 2005 that's what I call gold standard after-sales customer care by a company committed to providing a 100% quality product.
> 
> In the attached photo can be seen three such bubbles, and they are all where decals are fixed, I have never seen one on areas without decals, anyone wish to comment on this element of the issue.


Jean-Luc, your blistering is different to the alu-fibre 70**+ models which is to do with the aluminium skin used.

I used to manufacture surfboards and waveskis using grp and filled with PU foam, a less technical method than motorhome construction but nevertheless the same principle. Sometimes bubbles would be trapped by the expanding foam and in time these would become visible as in your photo. It was well known that making hulls in dark colours would exacerbate the problem so we made them with white or pale colours.

I'm pretty sure all motorhome panels are made by bonding sheet foam to the panels but in some cases, as yours, the bonding must have left small air gaps in unbonded areas. The dark stickers have locally heated the immediate area increasing the pressure in the underlying bubble and causing it to expand. I'd imagine the fix was to drill a small hole top and bottom, inject a slow cure resin and press the panel flat whilst it cured.

Kev

ps. It's important to fix this type of blister asap as they will probably continue to grow.


----------



## Jean-Luc

WildThingsKev said:


> Jean-Luc said:
> 
> 
> 
> This 'blistering' seems in fact to be the outer GRP skin separating from the Styrofoam either as a result of lack of bonding during manufacture of the panels are some chemical reaction.
> 
> I don't know if it is common to all such incidents but on my Rapido all the 'bubbles' which I think more accurately describes the phenomena appeared where decals were fixed :!:
> 
> Rapido do however seem committed to finding a cause and resolution, in the meantime I have had mine fixed during November 2011 and having taken deliver of the 'van in July 2005 that's what I call gold standard after-sales customer care by a company committed to providing a 100% quality product.
> 
> In the attached photo can be seen three such bubbles, and they are all where decals are fixed, I have never seen one on areas without decals, anyone wish to comment on this element of the issue.
> 
> 
> 
> Jean-Luc, your blistering is different to the alu-fibre 70**+ models which is to do with the aluminium skin used.
> 
> I used to manufacture surfboards and waveskis using grp and filled with PU foam, a less technical method than motorhome construction but nevertheless the same principle. Sometimes bubbles would be trapped by the expanding foam and in time these would become visible as in your photo. It was well known that making hulls in dark colours would exacerbate the problem so we made them with white or pale colours.
> 
> I'm pretty sure all motorhome panels are made by bonding sheet foam to the panels but in some cases, as yours, the bonding must have left small air gaps in unbonded areas. The dark stickers have locally heated the immediate area increasing the pressure in the underlying bubble and causing it to expand. I'd imagine the fix was to drill a small hole top and bottom, inject a slow cure resin and press the panel flat whilst it cured.
> 
> Kev
> 
> ps. It's important to fix this type of blister asap as they will probably continue to grow.
Click to expand...

Spot on Kev,

Brownhills initially tried unsuccessfully to fix then by working through from the inside against the advice from Rapido. Subsequently Anthony Pfaff did the job as you described, by drilling holes through the skin, injecting resin and doing a gel coat repair to fix the holes.

However subsequently the problem reappeared and was attended to again by Rapido and all is now well, the 'van will be eight years old this coming July.

Obviously Rapido are taking the issue described by you in the production process very seriously and I am sure taking all necessary steps to eliminate its occurrence.
Interesting about the local higher temperatures causing the problem to manifest itself in the area of the 'dark' decals, that was my suspicion also and I did mention it to Rapido.
The bubbles were always bigger in the South of France :lol:


----------



## WingPete

*Repeats*

I had a 7090+ Rapido, bought new from Brownhills in April 2009, which developed such blisters. Initially noticed on just 2 locker doors, but when presented to Brownhills for examination, more doors were found to be showing the signs. It seemed to be close to the door frames metal surround.
After much agy bargy from Brownhills, called into Rapido's factory in Mayenne, France, and 'van was checked out by Anthony Pffaf.
He made arrangements with Brownhills to have the 'van returned to factory for fix. All doors replaced and one complete side skin (fridge opening defective as well).
Cost loads of money in driving to & from Brownhills on at least 3 trips, (240 mile round trip) plus the "excursion" to Mayenne.
Even had to deliver to Brownhills and collect after 3 weeks, at my expense.
The fault lies in the bonding of incompatible materials.


----------

