# Rapido Observations ( a visit to a dealer )



## ingram (May 12, 2005)

Visited large well known dealer to look for 'motorhome that we may like to buy; new or used'.
They had many Rapidos to look at.
We were particularly interested in the 7068f with rear U lounge and front dinette but we looked at several others too.

We had read a test report on the 7068 and noted the comment about shortage of storage for bedding ......... well, there is absolutely *none*. The front dinette seat has the water tank under. The rear lounge has the table stored under one long seat and the other under-seat boxes are not accessible; the lids are screwed down. There is a large 'boot' area under the rear seat accessed from external locker doors. The high level lockers are all separate so you couldn't squeeze a duvet in there, nor even a pillow.

To use the washroom basin it is necessary to stand with one foot on the shower tray: there is a hinged panel with mirror, that can be swung towards the shower to aid access to the basin; this is not too much of a problem except that on at least one 'van the panel would not close against it's retaining magnetic strip without forcing.
The 'circular' shower door slides round and into a vertical'U' aluminium section. The top of this is at about basin height and is ground 'rounded' so as not to have a sharp corner, but it is not finished nicely and has rough burrs on which one could receive a nasty cut or scratch. This was apparent on at least two 'vans we looked at.

The front dinette seat 'base board' seemed to be very thin and flimsy and the nice 'wood' edge trim was held on with three nasty small flimsybrackets and screws. This had come away on the 7068; screws disapeared out of one bracket and it all looked poor. Maybe damaged by a 'punter' sitting on it or something but it wouldn't have taken much to damage it in my opinion.

The kitchen sink and drainer is fitted so that it is recessed into the worktop and the cut-out from the top is used as a cover panel. The cut edges of both the worktop and the cover piece were finished in varnish, but were very rough. When the cut edge of plywood is varnished the end grain swells and needs to be sanded smooth before further coats of varnish / sanding takes place. Not by Rapido it seems!

I am sure that the recessed sink design ( also seen on some Autotrails ) must get water, soap and dirt trapped at the edges quite easily and that rough wood ain't going to help keep it clean!

I saw a 'finger hole' in a small access panel in the floor so being inquisitive, I pulled it up: a drain tap for the water tank, but the flexible hose running from it was bent so severely as to be kinked flat: not a lot of draining going to happen there.

We were *so* disapointed with the 7068f: there was much of the 'van that we liked; such a good layout; a nice looking 'van, low access step, and much more, but oh no! 45,000 quid and all those rough edges, sharp bits and no storage.

So we had a look at an Autocruise Starburst.................

Harvey
ps. It was good to be able to spend so much time at a dealer and look at so many 'vans ( all open for inspection ) without being molested by salesmen; not that we were ignored either .... oh all right then: Brownhills, Swindon. :wink:


----------

