600FF mis-sold as 4 berth!!!! Be aware

Richard Mason

Richard Mason

Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
215
Likes collected
193
Location
Addingham, West Yorkshire, UK
Funster No
40,104
MH
Rapido 7099f
Exp
Veteran
Be aware the dinette bed is only suitable for 1 person not 2. I have contacted Rapido who could not be bothered to respond so I guess all their vans may well be "over-berthed" in the literature. Not a happy bunny as to me a 3 berth is no better than a 2 berth:-( Money wasted on a van that does not do the job and I do NOT feel I should have to make a bed up to check a manufacturer is not lying about its van's spec.
 
And so, is it not possible for two peeps to sleep on the bottom bed?? (The one you make up using the table)?? o_O
 
Just had a browse on line and there are several for sale (some by reputable dealers) as 4 berth ... however there's also one at Spinney listed as 2 berth. It's got me wondering whether the van was sold with options so could come in 2, 3 or 4 berth trim depending on what the original purchaser ordered?
 
Richard and Janet Mason said:
Be aware the dinette bed is only suitable for 1 person not 2. I have contacted Rapido who could not be bothered to respond so I guess all their vans may well be "over-berthed" in the literature. Not a happy bunny as to me a 3 berth is no better than a 2 berth:-( Money wasted on a van that does not do the job and I do NOT feel I should have to make a bed up to check a manufacturer is not lying about its van's spec.
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I've just had a quick google and found this diagram which gives the impression that it is definately capable of sleeping 4, however as has been mentioned sometimes the extra bits to make it into a 4 berth have to be bought separately and don't come as standard.

600ff_n.jpg
 
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Richard and Janet Mason said:
Be aware the dinette bed is only suitable for 1 person not 2. I have contacted Rapido who could not be bothered to respond so I guess all their vans may well be "over-berthed" in the literature. Not a happy bunny as to me a 3 berth is no better than a 2 berth:-( Money wasted on a van that does not do the job and I do NOT feel I should have to make a bed up to check a manufacturer is not lying about its van's spec.
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This is a mystery to me , didn't you look inside before you bought it(n)

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Good find @Minxy Girl ! It also looks like there is quite a large diagonal chunk out of the lower berth, maybe the OP doesn't consider it to be acceptable as a berth ... there are a lot like that though.
 
Looks like a nice layout, if you all go to bed at the same time, plenty of room at the back ... not sure about the frogs on sticks next to the fridge though, a bit French maybe ;)
 
We used to have a chanson with an extra bed made up with the table but as the .."What would be bottom of bed" only consisted of one seat we easily made a piece to fit in and rearrange the cushions. I used to have a photo somewhere so will look for it. I know @Puddleduck done the same. Do you have any photos Helen? ( The piece Martin cut holes in to reduce weight on mine)
 
irnbru said:
We used to have a chanson with an extra bed made up with the table but as the .."What would be bottom of bed" only consisted of one seat we easily made a piece to fit in and rearrange the cushions. I used to have a photo somewhere so will look for it. I know @Puddleduck done the same. Do you have any photos Helen? ( The piece Martin cut holes in to reduce weight on mine)
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No, didn't think to take photos but we passed ours on to another Chausson owning Funster after the last Falkirk meet...... and I don't remember who.

Our Chausson was sold as 4 travel seats and 3 berths but with @irnbru's patented pattern for the extension it would sleep 3 big adults (2 + 1) or 2 adults and 2 children comfortably.

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Vanman said:
Looks like a nice layout, if you all go to bed at the same time, plenty of room at the back ... not sure about the frogs on sticks next to the fridge though, a bit French maybe ;)
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I assume they're in case you get peckish whilst sat on the loo .... :D
 
Vanman said:
Looks like a nice layout, if you all go to bed at the same time,
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That is the reason we went for a fixed bed at the back and drop down over (convertible) dinette. When we have the Grandchildren with us we can put them to bed at the back when they get tired and we can use the drop down. They are small enough at the moment to lie longitudinally on the transverse rear bed and have a pillow wall between them if required!
 
Richard and Janet Mason said:
Be aware the dinette bed is only suitable for 1 person not 2. I have contacted Rapido who could not be bothered to respond so I guess all their vans may well be "over-berthed" in the literature. Not a happy bunny as to me a 3 berth is no better than a 2 berth:-( Money wasted on a van that does not do the job and I do NOT feel I should have to make a bed up to check a manufacturer is not lying about its van's spec.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately whilst I can appreciate you feeling as you do, you really DO have to check everything you're told about MHs as the dealers rarely know everything about them!

What exactly IS it that makes you think it's only suitable as a 3 berth rather than a 4 and why a 3 berth is no better than a 2?
 
I didnt think to make the dinette bed up as I thought I could believe Rapido that it slept 2 and hardy ever need 4 berths. It makes up a nice single bed as per the (revised) instruction sheet that Brownhills sent to me. I am amazed Rapido do not have the decency to reply to my request for information. MMM are running something on it and investigating as it is like saying a MH has twin axles or a spare wheel - we should be able to believe the spec sheet but now I have little faith in them.
 
Minxy - that diagram shows the lower bed over an area where there is no support so the cushion falls off - it is very misleading and close to being a lie. Rapido and possibly others need to address the lies they tell to sell vans....or buyers need to stop trusting what they tell us!

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But what is a berth when I look at motorhomes a lot of beds are too short for me to fit in comfortably and I'm only 6' tall not tall at all these days. I think its like buying one with a small water tank which ends up being useless or a car with no rear leg room its just the way it is.
 
Richard and Janet Mason said:
Minxy - that diagram shows the lower bed over an area where there is no support so the cushion falls off - it is very misleading and close to being a lie. Rapido and possibly others need to address the lies they tell to sell vans....or buyers need to stop trusting what they tell us!
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They lie about a lot of the specc, then have the cheek to charge us a fortune, and every year take it back to them (Hab check) to ensure they haven't dropped a bollock and it's leaking
They got more front than Blackpool
 
Richard and Janet Mason said:
Minxy - that diagram shows the lower bed over an area where there is no support so the cushion falls off - it is very misleading and close to being a lie. Rapido and possibly others need to address the lies they tell to sell vans....or buyers need to stop trusting what they tell us!
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In which case either the piece that should come with it to make the bed usable is missing, or is an extra cost item. Why not give another Rapido dealer a ring and ask them about it as the salespeople at Brownhills may not be aware.
 
I've just found a picture of the day-time arrangement ad I'm no longer convinced there's anything missing at all ...

600ff_j.jpg

If you rotate the top left seat through 90 degrees clockwise and move the table down and towards the back a few inches, the backrests should be enough to fill the gaps in the centre, it's a bit origami, but that's how these things work. (y)
 
I still can't understand why anyone would pay over 50 grand, probably, (way out out of my price range so don't know the exact cost) and not inspect every nut and bolt, when we bought ours , second hand in the blokes yard we had all the beds up , sitting on toilet , standing in shower, had the cooker going , hot water, the lot and that was less than 20 grand , the thought of spending that much money without knowing everything about it would horrify me.

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It probably does make up a usable double if you arrange it properly.

It will only work one way so you will have to get it exactly right. I'm surprised (or perhaps not because it's Brownhills :whistle:) that it wasn't demonstrated during the handover. I would have insisted if the person doing the hangover didn't suggest it.
 
chaser said:
I still can't understand why anyone would pay over 50 grand, probably, (way out out of my price range so don't know the exact cost) and not inspect every nut and bolt, when we bought ours , second hand in the blokes yard we had all the beds up , sitting on toilet , standing in shower, had the cooker going , hot water, the lot and that was less than 20 grand , the thought of spending that much money without knowing everything about it would horrify me.
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So when you bought your home (assuming you have) did you try everything in it beforehand to make sure it all worked as it should?

Whilst you, and I, would check loads of stuff is as it should be/is described, we are obviously different to most people who don't! That's not a criticism of others though - if you buy something you would expect it to be described correctly but it is not always the case - with a MH it isn't so simply as there are many variations on what they have, what extras you can order, whether it's new or second-hand also makes a difference. It doesn't mean the OPs have done anything wrong, or not done something they should.

I can understand the OP being disappointed but it doesn't mean it can't be sorted.
 
If you look at pic above with table and seats you can see the table is NOT wide enough for two. The lack of support is by door to the left of the table.
This is latest version from Mick at Brownhills (who is very helpful). Cushion C looks a bit bumpy though and would overhang a gap in this version.
Rapido 2.png
 
To be fair we would STILL buy this van even with 3 berths at everything else is spot on for what we need. It is the point that Rapido sell as 4 berth when it is not which gripes me.
 
Our Hymer lower bed is more a generous single than a double as there is a gap. We really only need a single but our eldest very occassionally decides to come with us (free holiday). So i have bought a piece of wood to bridge the gap and use a couple of cushions then a mattress topper.
 
Our Rapido van is described as 'three berth', but you need a degree in engineering to construct the third berth - all the bits and pieces remind me so much of my younger days playing with Meccano. ;)

As it happens, we don't need 3 berths and the other two fixed beds are as near perfect as possible.

But for devilment and a bit of fun - as well as actually wanting to check - I asked the salesman if he could demonstrate how the third berth was put together. He was in such a sweat, with much huffing, puffing and cussing as he attempted to make up the bed. Eventually, In something of a panic, he scampered off to the office and after a long time returned with a separate instruction sheet he'd unearthed. And even then, the job was only two-thirds completed - we had to imagine what it would look like when finished! It appeared to us completely impractical to use on a day to day basis, especially in wet or cold weather when trying to make the bed up without opening the door.

The salesman, without prompting, said it's really only a two berth. :unsure:

As soon as we got the van, all the bits and pieces, and extra cushions for the third bed went directly into the roof at home. But at least we were under no illusion when we competed the purchase.

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