candc Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Well first post on here.....so away we go We have just sold our vw t5 pop top and are looking to buy a quality built motorhome, but which one (?) The Rapido 646 has caught our eye but we can't seem to find much info out about the company ie build quality ,parts back up etc, the local "dealer" to us seems to know less about them than me *-) and only has a couple of vehicles in stock. So....if anyone has experience of rapido in general (good or bad) we would be interested to know. cheers CandC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Never tried a Rapido so can't help there, just wanted to say Welcome. There are a few Rapido owners (and ex-owners) on here though, someone is sure to be along in a minute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 Hi CandC & welcome to the forum. I have no "user" experience of the Rapido range, but we are currently looking to change our current Van. (see thread "Van change advise" ) Rapido are a French company & their vans are generally considered to be at the higher end of the market, but the 6 series are their budget range introduced in 2011 (? from memory). We would certainly consider their range, if I could find a model to suit our requirements, that is available for viewing, so long as it is not in their awful (IMO) Red upholstery The problem, is that although many vans are advertised, not many are actually available, only to factory order. Good luck with your search, but don't rush in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 I've had a pretty detailed look at various Rapidos over the years at shows and they seem comparable in quality to well regarded German 'vans. See here though: http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=27493&posts=11#M315792 It may be an indicator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 candc - 2012-05-14 9:29 PM Well first post on here.....so away we go We have just sold our vw t5 pop top and are looking to buy a quality built motorhome, but which one (?) The Rapido 646 has caught our eye but we can't seem to find much info out about the company ie build quality ,parts back up etc, the local "dealer" to us seems to know less about them than me *-) and only has a couple of vehicles in stock. So....if anyone has experience of rapido in general (good or bad) we would be interested to know. cheers CandC The Rapido factory is located at Mayenne in France. Rapido motorhomes have an excellent reputation for build quality and the company has always targeted the mid- to high-end of the motorhome marketplace. As far as I'm aware parts back-up is OK. The most knowledgeable UK Rapido dealership is undoubtedly this one http://www.rapidomotorhomes.com/ I think the UK specification for a Rapido 646 includes the Fiat 2.3litre 130bhp motor as standard. However - if you are keen on that model - I strongly suggest you confirm this, as it's likely that Fiat's 2.0litre Euro 5 motor would prove under-powered when the vehicle is fully loaded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 where are you based? There is a large dealership nr me in Somerset http://www.highbridgecaravans.co.uk/motorhomes.php They have a large stock and are well respected locally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brians dad Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Bougt our Rapido 741 10 years ago, and we have still got it - cannot find anything better on the market for what we want. They are certainly well built - we have had no trouble. They did go upmarket a bit after we bought ours, mainly building bigger models, but it sounds like they now have a more budget range. Got ours from Brownhills - good as long as you remember that their salesmen have a 'car dealer' mentaity and training, so be prepared to be as hard nosed as they are. Servicing there also good, if a bit more expensive than many others. So, if you like the layout, go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candc Posted May 15, 2012 Author Share Posted May 15, 2012 Thanks for the replys ....much appreciated looking at the spec the 6 series does seem to have a different body build to the other models (?) and your right... we would have to spec a 130 2.3 ltr We have been trying to get a look at a rapido 700ff but no luck yet....brownhills(our nearest dealer) have one coming in "soon" and we would like to compare it with the Burstner ixeo585 .....very nice. The european vehicles just seem to draw us in more than others........ :-D Plenty of time yet though...no rush...make sure we get it right first time eh ;-) cheers candc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clementine Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 We used to have a Rapido, the quality of all the fittings are excellent. Ours had a rather small fixed Double bed, which I disliked. We backed into a tree branch when we were in Normandy and broke the rear window. We decidede to drive immediately to Mayenne, to the factory, they mended the window within 1 hour, very good service and they made us very welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jointerjohn Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 We bought our 7099f rapido four years ago,( up graded from a auto trail 660 se,) we were overnighting at brownhills on our way to a show , during our normal look around at the selection of vans we took a look inside and loved the layout straight away! the van is an 06 model, we still look around many vans at various shows but always reach the same conclusion! none have the same quality and layout, that we have (for a comparable price,) so we will be sticking with the 7099f for the foreseeable future,i cannot fault the build quality of our rapido Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overdrive Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Hi and welcome We have had our Rapido, coming up to 5 years now, so have got to know it well. Build quality wise it's better than our previous Autosleeper vans. The issues have all been minor niggles more due to the age of the van rather than Rapido related, cracked shower tray, peeling stickers, mouldy sealant, split charge relay fault, loose water tank, all DIY cured, so no dealer involvement. Usual replacement of tyres, batteries and exhaust. We are close to Wokingham Rapido who supplied new parts either off shelf or ordered within 24 hours - so no issues I am aware of. Would I buy another, you bet if they still made this model, wish we could find an equivalent! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 candc - 2012-05-15 7:36 PM Thanks for the replys ....much appreciated looking at the spec the 6 series does seem to have a different body build to the other models (?) and your right... we would have to spec a 130 2.3 ltr We have been trying to get a look at a rapido 700ff but no luck yet....brownhills(our nearest dealer) have one coming in "soon" and we would like to compare it with the Burstner ixeo585 .....very nice. The european vehicles just seem to draw us in more than others........ :-D Plenty of time yet though...no rush...make sure we get it right first time eh ;-) cheers candc I note that Highbridge Caravans has/had a Rapido 700FF. A potential snag with these short-length profile designs with drop-down beds is that the seating area normally becomes unusable when the bed is lowered. This is fine if the motorhome occupants can agree to go to bed and get up as a 'team'; not so good if one person wants to be in bed when the another does not. There is also the inherent complexity (not usually a plus point in motorhomes!) and cost of this type of bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candc Posted May 16, 2012 Author Share Posted May 16, 2012 Derek Uzzell - 2012-05-16 8:04 AM candc - 2012-05-15 7:36 PM Thanks for the replys ....much appreciated looking at the spec the 6 series does seem to have a different body build to the other models (?) and your right... we would have to spec a 130 2.3 ltr We have been trying to get a look at a rapido 700ff but no luck yet....brownhills(our nearest dealer) have one coming in "soon" and we would like to compare it with the Burstner ixeo585 .....very nice. The european vehicles just seem to draw us in more than others........ :-D Plenty of time yet though...no rush...make sure we get it right first time eh ;-) cheers candc I note that Highbridge Caravans has/had a Rapido 700FF. A potential snag with these short-length profile designs with drop-down beds is that the seating area normally becomes unusable when the bed is lowered. This is fine if the motorhome occupants can agree to go to bed and get up as a 'team'; not so good if one person wants to be in bed when the another does not. There is also the inherent complexity (not usually a plus point in motorhomes!) and cost of this type of bed. We did think the same about the drop down bed in the shorter models and came to the same conclusion, which is why we looked at the 646 as it still fits our requirment for a van 6.5m or under and has a nice layout.......but our worry is that its quality of build is less as its a "budget" model. We have looked at a 646b and were quite impressed compared to many, I think we better have a chat with wokingham caravans or highbridge and try and find out more about how they are screwed together compared to the higher end models . :-D cheers candc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Now on our second Rapido. We started with a 709F (6m long) for 3 years and then went to a 7090F (7.5m) with a island bed avoiding cold coming in from the windows !) Although we did not purchase the first Rapido from Wokingham, they kindly took us under there wing when we had a problem and supplied and fixed awnings and other bits for us. We purchased the 7090F two years ago and had "Fiat" problems fixed under warrenty. The problem with the Fiat side of things seem to lie with the interface between the Fiat and the Rapido electrics. The local Fiat garage could not fix the problem, so the motorhome had to go back to Fiat via Wokingham. Either local Fiat dealer cannot get his head around m/homes or more likely the Fiat dealer used by Wokingham has gained specialist knowlege of Fiat/Rapido over the years. We a rear fog light problem just after the end of the warrenty period but that was traced by myself (with guidence from Wokingham as we are a some miles from them) and a permant solution to be made. Although working at the moment. That apart very pleased with the Rapido and definate improvement on the Swift Kontiki we had some years previously. Thread here Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Just about 6.5m and the nicest 2 berth drop down that I can find for sale. I really would love this van! Cant believe I'm tellin gsomeone else about it. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Under-one-year-old-Aviano-i645-used-only-twice-very-attractive-price-by-owner-/330728814320?pt=UK_Campers_Caravans_Motorhomes&hash=item4d00f936f0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted May 16, 2012 Share Posted May 16, 2012 Really smart looking van & looks like a "steal"at that price (if the layout suits requirements), Chris. Some more photo's - (different fabric), here. http://www.southdownsmotorcaravans.co.uk/galleries/2011burstner/aviano-i-645/pixindex.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lesjax Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Hi Welcome, I have a rapido 746F. rear fixed bed 3 berth. Brilliant van (I actually live in it and it is only 6.24 mtrs in length) It holds the road well, and the internal build is of good quality. You will need to through the MMM mag for a dealer near you. I got mine from Brownhills as secondhand. You can see my full write up on it on my web site. www.motorhometoursdempsey.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 We had a Rapido for some six years from new. Great build quality with no real problems. Solid maple wood doors gave great feeling of quality. New ones seem to lack that to some extent but are still very good. Having said that last year we decided to support the UK and UK workers by buying British in the form of an AutoTrail. Guess what with the exception of the optional entertainment system which is crap it is every bit as good as the Rapido and in some respects actually better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Hi,,Well built Motorhomes ,with only a few little niggles over the years, Try and go for the ones built on the Merc' Chassis , you will not regret ,,Always test drive first before buying any ,Regards,Brendan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingpete Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Just PXd my 7090f+ Rapido. Only gripe was Brownhills inefficiencies when small probs arose. Had to drive 250 mjile round trip"so they could find out what was needed" ! Then drive back again when parts in stock !! Had few probs initially with boiler elcs, fixed by Dometic. Not Brownhills. Table was reason for change. Fixed position meant it was often in the way when moving around table. Big skylight had habit of allowing flyscreen to sag. Rapido had a fix, but Brownhills never read the recalls to get it replaced. Now sold on to a happy camper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delfin Driver Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Hi. We are owners of a 2009 Rapido 707F which we bought from new from Wokingham Motorhomes. We have had absolutely no problems with this van and everything on board feels sturdy and well-made, with quality fitings. We have used the van all over Europe, summer and winter and everything has worked perfectly from day one. The above dealer is highly knowledgeable about these vans and is extremely helpful to deal with. We have our van's habitation side serviced there annually. We can certainly recommend Rapido and ours has given us plenty of fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapidoman Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Hi, we have a 9048df on 2008 plate. Very well put together and solid,however we did have a problem with damp above the front arches. Needless to say the dealer who sold it was not interested in our problem as we bought it used @ 1 year old and told that the warranty was up to date. IT was not so we had no comeback, ( I will leave you to guess the dealer ) we wrote to Rapido and were told to call in last year while over in france. They looked at the problem and agreed to do repairs F O C as a gesture of goodwill, ( not many british companies would !! ) The repairs were done in April ,they gave us a car to use for 4 days and paid for accomodation. Mant thanks go to Anthony Pfaff of Rapido for his excellent service. So to answer the question yes Rapido are brilliant the aftersales at the factory are 1st class and we would certainly buy another AND have no qualms about recomending them. JUST WATCH WHO YOU BUY FROM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 rapidoman - 2012-05-21 3:27 PM Hi, we have a 9048df on 2008 plate. Very well put together and solid,however we did have a problem with damp above the front arches. Needless to say the dealer who sold it was not interested in our problem as we bought it used @ 1 year old and told that the warranty was up to date. IT was not so we had no comeback, ( I will leave you to guess the dealer ) we wrote to Rapido and were told to call in last year while over in france. They looked at the problem and agreed to do repairs F O C as a gesture of goodwill, ( not many british companies would !! ) The repairs were done in April ,they gave us a car to use for 4 days and paid for accomodation. Mant thanks go to Anthony Pfaff of Rapido for his excellent service. So to answer the question yes Rapido are brilliant the aftersales at the factory are 1st class and we would certainly buy another AND have no qualms about recomending them. JUST WATCH WHO YOU BUY FROM. That sounds like absolutely fantastic service from Rapido...............well done them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapido girl Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Hi there- this is more of a general response regarding the brand. As you will have guessed from the name, I am a Rapido fan. Don't know about the 6 series but we are just about to go for our third Rapido (all second hand). We have been motorhoming for 30 years and 'discovered ' the brand 7 years ago. We often look at other makes but never see any that we like as much in terms of quality, looks and function. Good luck with your decision making! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff111 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Have owned a 707F for a few months. I cannot fault the build quality. Seems to me towards the top end of the market. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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