# One month's experience with our new 2008 Rapido 7065+



## 109481 (Jan 25, 2008)

Collected on March 10th at Brownhills Newark our shiny new new 7065+ got filthy in 2 hours exposure to the howling gales at that time
Superb ride and road holding and would you believe no clutch judder ( haven't found a steep hill to reverse up yet)
I still get hopelessly confused with the tiddly little controls for the Truma hot water/heating control. Why do manufacturers do it? and why cant they be better signed and located especially on the 7065+
We have had our Magistat dish refitted by BSS Royston together with an 80W solar panel. Result-perfect TV reception but not good enough to ensure that WBA beat Portsmouth, and a 100% charged leisure battery at all times
I would recommend Brian and his dad down at BSS to anyone that needs this kind of work doing
Went to Caramac Poole to have our 4metre Omnistor awning fitted together with the safari residence.We will be as snug as a bug in a rug but broke for the next 12 months
John Stone the Director of Caramac is a great bloke- you should try him for Omnisto awnings
Whilst we were there we had our first try of our new National bus passes to go from Caramac's place to Studland by bus across the ferry at Sandbanks
This would take about 45 minutes by MH but two and a half hours each way by bus 1st bus to Poole then another bus to Bournemouth then a third bus to Studland
The good news is that we got there free but catching the bus back it was pointed out that our 'National' free bus pass was just a local one for free travel in Staffordshire/Stoke. It cost us nearly £10 in fares to get back
Great pint of real ale in the Bankes pub made up for it 
Other points of note
The site we stayed on was grass and believe me within 20 yards of getting on the field we were up to our rims in mud. IT was a good exercise in finding the jack kit, fitting the towing eye and pleading with the tractor driver to go easy on our new MH
By the way the ASR button doesn't help in mud
We were the only MH on site and had to apologise before we left because of the furrows we had ploughed during travels
The Rapido suffered some very annoying problems
First the slat broke on my bed leaving me like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (not a pretty sight)
Then the head tilt end on the bed came out of its pivots and to cap it all the front came off the drawer under the cooker (the front has the catch fitted so we had to remove the whole drawer)
Then the typical design fault whereby opening the freezer door fully caused it to hit the stud that the strap fastens to to keep the bedroom door in place. Result-one damaged door (do designers ever use the things that they design
Took it back to Brownhills Newark and the whole problem was resolved within 4 hours ands was a pleasant experience (fell asleep whilst resting in one of their huge RV's with leather seats- but thats another story
Happy Wheels
France next stop
Skimbo


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## magncol (Jun 9, 2008)

*rapido*

just about to say yes to the rapido 7068f and read a few bits on it plus yours.... am very frightened to make a commitment on anything being the first time (virgin motorhomers) We have been looking at swift kontiki and this rapido please let me know how you are doing with yours now....thankyou maggie and colin


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## mgb (Dec 4, 2008)

Maggie & Colin
We were new to MHing in 2007 and we bought the Rapido7065+in 2008 after having had an Autotrail Tracker EKS
The reason we bought it was that it represented the best compromise of washing/sleeping/kitchen/lounging and driving layout that was within our budget.
We are very pleased with our choice because it suits our needs perfectly
This is a personal choice but it is the most important criterion when spending that amount of money
On reflection, we have formed the following opinions;
1.	The Fiat Ducato/Alko chassis is superb, but the juddering clutch detracts from its performance; avoid having to reverse up gradients if you can!
2.	The Fiat chassis is built to much better automotive quality standards that the current Rapido coachbuilding standards (but not just Rapido I think.) 
3.	The bought in components such as the heater/fridge etc are also built to higher standards
4.	Look closely at the bits that the coach builder makes and fits and spot the mistakes and shortcuts, Most of our complaints are linked to the coachbuilder and not the component supplier
5.	Consult the MHF forum to help choose the dealer to buy from, because for sure you will have problems and it is how they are resolved that is important
Would we buy a Rapido 7065+ again today? The answer is yes. Would we buy it with a Fiat/Alko chassis? Yes but only if the juddering problem has been resolved successfully!
Happy wheels
Skimbo


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

Hi Maggie and Colin

I missed the first post in this thread - as I think when it was posted we were just off to collect our Rapido 7090F - and we had waited for the automatic version (having ordered it in the September earlier at Dusseldorf).

We owned a Hymer (well two) and an RV before, and would say that the Rapido finish is lovely... 

Like Skimbo we think the location of the Truma dials is idiotic and you cannot see them to see what they read, without getting a torch and for me being short, getting up on the side settee and peering down on them...absolutely stupid....as is that whole range of sockets..... but... once you have set it and understand the buttons and what they do, you do not have to keep looking at them...

Our only problems have been with the accessories fitted by our Dealer, and I would therefore suggest that having these fitted is probably better to go to specialist fitters for each type of thing you want, ie Roadpro or Vanbitz for electronics, alarms, satellites etc., and hopefully they will provide a better back-up service than the dealer.... (we had to go to Germany to get it sorted, and even then found that we had to finally get it sorted in the UK by the local importers)...

Layouts are personal things, and unfortunately, it isn't until you actually USE and LIVE in it that you find those things you liked are great or not, as the case may be, and things you were unsure about can be a pain...

I just wish there was someway you could stay overnight in one to find out first....

For instance.... we thought the separate shower one side and loo/sink the other would be great, we didn't have to wait for one to finish in the loo and shower before the next could use it....

Well, it is usually me that goes first, and you come out of the shower, and then realise your toiletries are in the loo.....so you have to get those out first before showering ....little things, but you then need to find a way of solving the problems, we have an idea but have not yet implemented it...

Rapido in their wisdom have a master switch for the satellite at the very back of the deep cupboard in which TV goes...ok, the guys that installed it were all almost 6' tall if not over 6'.... us, we are 5' nothing and 5'5...we can't reach it at all without standing on a stool, and then using the kitchen spoon to reach into the back....so the switch was moved, but why was it there in the first place.

BUT overall, lovely vehicles...

Carol


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