michele Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 To not want to take your brand new MH from the forcourt until you have tried the heating system & the blown air .? Always feel obliqed to do so as we ordered it but after this AT we are reluctant to do so , maybe we were spoilt with Bessie but boy that was like the Bahamas . We have been to various places and apparently its working , well it is in a fashion but have to say not enough for us its freezing to us. Has anyone experience of the AT Dakota / or anyone own a rapido 9005 series are they any good ?. I like the look of the Dakota but no way do I want to freeze getting to old for all that now. In the bessacarr we had blown air heating in the most important place such as over the overcab bed , lovely and warm. Our AT heats the garage all very well but Im not in there . Yes it would warm under the back bed or atleast that would be the idea I think but let me say it does not . Does make me wonder if the people who design these MHomes actually put much thought into it seems Bessie do but we cant get the one we are after anymore . Why is it some seem to think on and heat the right places whilst others are no where near the mark ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Designed by a MAN , Michele Since in most cases it is the female partner that usually decides on the final purchase, about time more customer input ?? PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 We have a 2010 Rapido 7090, not sure what age / model the Rapido 9005 is. We have no problems with the truma blown air heating and temprature. We tend to use EHU on sites, and leave the heating on electric blown if need be and a boost on gas if need be. The electric 1800 watt is not the greatest of heaters but works. The temp probe is by the habitation door and works well if there is cold air coming in from openning and closing. At night the blown air fan can be a little disturbing, so we use a 500 small dimplex heater on its thermostat to maintain a low night heat. First one up, makes the tea and gives the heating a bit of welly to bring the heat up on a cold morning, Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydney1 Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 We have an 2013 model AT Scout with that system and have found the heating very efficient. Only place it can get chilly if really cold outside is the cab area but only relatively speaking and common to most coach builts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 tonyishuk - 2016-02-03 8:14 PM We have a 2010 Rapido 7090, not sure what age / model the Rapido 9005 is. We have no problems with the truma blown air heating and temprature. We tend to use EHU on sites, and leave the heating on electric blown if need be and a boost on gas if need be. The electric 1800 watt is not the greatest of heaters but works. The temp probe is by the habitation door and works well if there is cold air coming in from openning and closing. At night the blown air fan can be a little disturbing, so we use a 500 small dimplex heater on its thermostat to maintain a low night heat. First one up, makes the tea and gives the heating a bit of welly to bring the heat up on a cold morning, Rgds We do the same, except we do not need heat at night, as we have very think king size sleeping bags. Which can be used as duvets Mostly used on EHU, as we stay in camp sites mostly. Have also found that by using a silver screen makes the van warmer, as the cab area can get cold PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tall_Mike Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 No, it isn't unreasonable. We have just bought a van, - my wife is disabled and one of our bigger questions - Will it be warm enough? In fact the dealer had it on hookup with the heating on full while we being shown around it - and it was too warm, fleece off and tea shirt, in fact we needed to turn it down for comfort, and it was a pretty cold day. Question answered without going anywhere. Yes. The van isn't "winterised" in the sense that the water tanks are heated - they are not, but the boiler as a "dump" valve which drops the water if the temp falls below 4c and the fresh water tank is inboard, really it;s the grey tank that's exposed, underneath however it's perfectly comfortable in pretty cold conditions, well insulated and with a thermostat over the door - We took it out last weekend - left the heating on low overnight, came on a couple of times - Not too noisy and it was fine. We have a Truma 4 CP - our van in it's base model has this running only on Gas, however we have the "Comfort" pack which runs on electricity or gas as needed. In truth I am surprised at how well the thing works, - it isn't home central heating and we need to realise that but it's good stuff and it genuinely makes camping all year round a viable proposition, (maybe not in absolute minus figures for us but certainly in average winter conditions). - Wish more camp sites stayed open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 3, 2016 Author Share Posted February 3, 2016 Mental note , DO not buy any more new vans Michele unless its winter . Stop taking delivery in Summer lol.. thanks guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Hi Michelle it does not really surprise me that it feels cold. On the AT website it shows it is fitted with the "Combi 4kw gas 230v heater/hot water 12v blown air incl. digital control panel" The other Frontier models "(6kw on Arapaho, Chieftain & Comanche)" all have the higher output version, which would IMHO also be necessary in a van the size of the Dakota. Have you ordered ? If not ask dealer IF there is the option to upgrade to the Truma Combi 6kw version. Our Adria is only 6.6m long but has the 6kw version fitted & it's toasty :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Michelle, We have a Savannah, which is the sister van to the Dakota, same length anyway. We had problems with our Truma Combi , and never travel without a backup convector heater now. Also feel that the 4kw isn't Man enough for a van of the Savannah/Dakota 's size, as flicka says, they should have had the 6kw or even better an Alde system. Ours is going in a few days time, as we are downsizing to an Autotrail panel van a V line 600, had it just over 3 years. Liked the van but didn't trust the heating/hot water system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 michelle, as you require a large van, i would go for an ALDE equipped one.....combis are fine BUT, depending on the position of the heater, you will find some areas better served than others.... eg, heater at the rear.....bed/garage warm......cab less so.... heater in the front....cab warm, bedroom less so..... its all to do with keeping the air warm while its sent round the van.....whereas ALDE is sending hot water which cools far less quickly..... our hearer is pretty central, so no real issues, but you must be prepared to use gas AND electric (mixed fuel mode) from time to time as 1800w in a large van isnt enough to warm it from cold..... i would have thought the 9 series rapido has an ALDE option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Michelle, you need to ask yourselves two questions. First, do you intend using the van in winter? Second, would you go to places that are colder, on average, than UK? (I seem to remember you going winter sporting in the Alps?) If you answer yes to both, you will need a van that is properly equipped for those conditions. IMO, neither AT nor Swift (nor, AFAIK, any of the mainstream UK manufacturers) build vans to that standard. I shall get shouted down for saying this, but I think you will need to look at continental made vans, mainly from France/Germany, because they produce vans for those conditions, or vans that can be specified with alternative heating systems (often part of a "winter pack") that better suit those conditions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 We have an AutoSleeper Warwick XL van conversion with the winter pack. It's insulated very heavily and just to make sure they fitted a Combe 6. Bit of an overkill in such a relatively small van. Even in cold conditions in Scotland we have never needed to make use of more than the max elec setting of 1800 KW. Please don't talk to me about the systems reliability or I may get upset. I'm in the camp of,many more Combe owners who carry a back up form of heating. In our case a small quite fan heater. We've had so much of ours replaced under warrenty I'm not sure how much of the original is left. I must say that when it is working I like the digital control system that is easy to set and lets you know what is going on. With the old system being colour blind I never had a clue what it was up to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 Brian Kirby - 2016-02-05 6:27 PM Michelle, you need to ask yourselves two questions. First, do you intend using the van in winter? Second, would you go to places that are colder, on average, than UK? (I seem to remember you going winter sporting in the Alps?) If you answer yes to both, you will need a van that is properly equipped for those conditions. IMO, neither AT nor Swift (nor, AFAIK, any of the mainstream UK manufacturers) build vans to that standard. I shall get shouted down for saying this, but I think you will need to look at continental made vans, mainly from France/Germany, because they produce vans for those conditions, or vans that can be specified with alternative heating systems (often part of a "winter pack") that better suit those conditions. like ALDE with heat exchanger to warm van from engine?..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry1956 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 we had a Dakota van. and found it was cold near the front of the van and too hot near the rear. as the van was set up more for on site use we used a fan heater most of the time. would never by a Dakota again, all show and much use. michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I shall get shouted down for saying this, but I think you will need to look at continental made vans, mainly from France/Germany, because they produce vans for those conditions, or vans that can be specified with alternative heating systems (often part of a "winter pack") that better suit those conditions.[ Quote] I agree Brian that continental vans with a double floor would be more suitable. However Autotrail's current advertising says " Confidence in cold climates. ....go wherever you want, whenever you want. Every Auto-Trail motorhome conforms to the highest grade 3 insulation accreditation and has the ability to keep your living area at 20 degC, even when the outside has dropped as low as 020degC,,,,,,,," BUT IMHO choice of the Truma Combi 4 in a van the size of the Dakota does seem stretching things Similarly Swift also do some models with the Alde heating system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 flicka - 2016-02-05 9:34 PM.................... I agree Brian that continental vans with a double floor would be more suitable. However Autotrail's current advertising says " Confidence in cold climates. ....go wherever you want, whenever you want. Every Auto-Trail motorhome conforms to the highest grade 3 insulation accreditation and has the ability to keep your living area at 20 degC, even when the outside has dropped as low as -15 degC,,,,,,,,"......................... Indeed they do, in reference to insulation of the cabin, but the brochure is silent on the location of the fresh and waste tanks, the heater ducts, and the fresh and waste water distribution pipework. To survive in real world conditions at temperatures below -15C, as AT state their vans can, one surely needs economical use of heating gas, so minimal distribution heat losses, and water supply and drainage systems that remain working? I had until now understood that at least some of the above are, or are routed, below the insulated floor. Is this incorrect? Ray should be able to clarify. BTW, I note that MIRO is measured with the fresh water tank empty, with a footnote advising that should you choose to travel with water in the tanks MIRO must be increased, and payload decreased, accordingly. For a Dakota, that is 135kg if the tank is full. Wonder how many buyers spot, and understand the significance of, that little gem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 8, 2016 Author Share Posted February 8, 2016 So many people to thank , so thank you all. Brian AFAIK ? ... Thinking of a Rapido as the main if hubby gets his way , its me with the Dakota but I must admit I m going off it slowly . This is the last van we will buy this is number 5 now. The children most probably come in this all together its really for he & I retirement . Yes you are right I want to be able to go everywhere in the van in all weathers hence he fancies teh Rapido 9005 . Brownhills didnt have them in and so far we have not been able to see one and work it out . Guys thanks for your help I just so dont want to get it wrong again the last time. Just want hassle freee , I know we all look for something different & the Chieftain definately takes the weight but its a bloody cold place to be no heat at the table or at the front which we kind of expect as its long heat is obviously up buy the cooker but thats alot of money to freeze at the front and over heat on the back bed . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Unless things have changed, some Rapido vans have a poor payload and many owners use SVTech to increase the payload. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Hi Michelle this company is closer to you (Great Yarmouth) & a Rapido dealer. http://simpsonsmotorcaravans.com/categories/86/search_type/and/order/default/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 8, 2016 Author Share Posted February 8, 2016 Hi Flicka, Yes we saw that thank you going to try and go at the end of the month when we have no children around. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 747 - 2016-02-08 2:16 PM Unless things have changed, some Rapido vans have a poor payload and many owners use SVTech to increase the payload. Better, IMO, to specify the "heavy" chassis with the required payload from the outset than fiddle with re-plating. Also better to trawl through all the options before ordering, to make sure the right heating systems etc are specified. Chop, chop, Michele. Work to do! :-D Get Simpsons to post you the catalogues (including options and their weights) and price lists before you go. Ducks in a row? On reputation, if I were buying a Rapido, I would use Wokingham Motorhomes. However, they aren't near to you, but they do have excellent factory contacts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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