Driving an A class

[Mart 63]

Hi, it looks like I'm putting a deposit on a Rapido 8086df next week. I've never driven an A class. I've just sold my Benimar tessoro 442, which is around 20cm shorter, and a few cms narrower. Is there much of a difference in driving either. I've sat behind the wheel of a A class, and the cab seems huge. Any tips for driving an A class. Also it has a 9 speed auto, which will be the first auto I've owned, does it make much of a difference. Thanks

 

[G1969]

You will soon get use to it, better visibility and automatics are a lot easier- just enjoy

 

[Marie-Claire]

The body is no wider than your used to , now if your mirrors go thro the rest just follows. We recently got the 8096 with the 9sp and it isa joy to drive and upto now seems very well put together.

 

[bobandjanie]

They are very different to drive, the windscreen being further away and the seating position seems like your sitting in the middle of the vehicle.
You will soon get use to driving it. Bob.

 

[brynric]

Bit difficult to brush flies from the windscreen.
Driving is a little odd for the first trip or so then becomes a very positive experience. Much less worry about the width of the vehicle.
Automatic makes long journeys more relaxed.
Driving aside - an A class is a more comfortable living experience.

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[Pausim]

A Class are easier to drive than C Class.

 

[Mart 63]

Thank for the positive replies.

 

[Wh05apk]

Having had 2 a classes and now just gone back to a coachbuilt, I would not say one is better than the other, just different.
Visibility wise although the screen is bigger, it is further forward, so I don't find you can see any higher than a coachbuilt, just be aware the mirrors and a pillars tend to cause worse blind spots.

 

[Lenny HB]

A Class is so much easier to drive, better viability, flat sides makes getting through tight gaps and reversing easier. Also they are quieter and warmer.
The seating position is exactly the same as a standard CB, same distance to the side of the vehicle & same distance to the front.

As for the auto box you will wonder how you ever managed to drive a manual.

On our 3rd A Class when I get in a van with a standard cab it feels really clostriphbic and feels like you are going to hit your head on the windscreen as its so close.

 

[John Barrett]

I fitted switchable parking sensors at the front quarters of our B640. Helped a lot!

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[Peppadog]

I’ve had both over the years, although in a pvc now.You will find it daunting until you start driving. You will soon love it.

 

[1090alex]

Hi, it looks like I'm putting a deposit on a Rapido 8086df next week. I've never driven an A class. I've just sold my Benimar tessoro 442, which is around 20cm shorter, and a few cms narrower. Is there much of a difference in driving either. I've sat behind the wheel of a A class, and the cab seems huge. Any tips for driving an A class. Also it has a 9 speed auto, which will be the first auto I've owned, does it make much of a difference. Thanks

Hi
You'll get used to it really quickly as the body isn't any wider than the cab area unlike a coach built.
One thing to get used to is the sliding driver's window. This can present blind spots when at a roundabout or junction. You really have to have a good look out and not just glance. A lot of A classes don't have sunvisors so you'll maybe need to have a good pair of sunglasses handy.
Enjoy the view you get from the A class windscreen!

 

[Mart 63]

Thanks again all, it's under 12 months old, so it's going to be a bit daunting on the first couple of journeys.

 

[Rapido925M]

Knowing where the front “bumper” is causes me problems, even after 18y
I usually need three attempts to get to the white line marking the edge of the parking spot. I tried sensors to allow me to get close to walls but they didn’t work properly. I tried various mirrors angled to let me see vertically but I’m not prepared to fasten one externally. The best solution is a passenger!

Otherwise it is plain sailing, especially if you drive over the edge of the quayside

Gordon

 

[funflair]

Knowing where the front “bumper” is causes me problems, even after 18y
I usually need three attempts to get to the white line marking the edge of the parking spot. I tried sensors to allow me to get close to walls but they didn’t work properly. I tried various mirrors angled to let me see vertically but I’m not prepared to fasten one externally. The best solution is a passenger!

Otherwise it is plain sailing, especially if you drive over the edge of the quayside

Gordon

Surround 360 deg cameras would get you to within a couple of inches, or even a single DIY camera for the bumper would help.

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[DandJ]

I'd say that simply by the fact that you are actively discussing it means you are thinking about all the aspects of driving an ever so slightly larger vehicle...I'd wager you've considered the route you'll take home/storage from collecting it too? You'll be absolutely fine

 

[Lenny HB]

Surround 360 deg cameras would get you to within a couple of inches, or even a single DIy camera for the bumper would help.

Fitted a camera on the front of the last van, thinking of fitting one on each side of the front grill on this one.
Made my own switch box but now you can get video switch boxes for a few quid that even show split screen images of mulitpul cameras on one screen.

 

[bladerunner]

I'd strongly recommend eg omniview360 - 4 cameras.
Make a huge difference to confidence of driving.

 

[Guigsy]

Generally, it's not much different. The dash edge and passenger window bottom edge is further away from you, so you do lose sight of low stuff a few metres earlier. If you're reversing past things like bollards on the passenger side, they disappear from view and mirrors earlier. It makes some manoeuvring judgement a bit harder. I've had an MX5 stopped next to me at lights that I couldn't see because of the blind spot. Getting on to ramps is more of a guess. Most of the time, it's makes no difference though.

 

[vzac]

At least you know where the front of the vehicle ends. It's the window. They are great to drive.

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[Jolly Jack Tar]

On the more scenic journeys A class give a better view of the surrounding countryside!

 

[funflair]

I find the extra visibility through the top of the A class screen to be really useful when trying to avoid branches and sign posts with our coach mirrors.

 

[Guigsy]

Coach style mirrors are substantially higher than even van mirrors. So you can't use that convenient groove carved into close hedgerows by everyone else's mirrors create. So you either have to stay a little further away (despite being the same width as a semi integrated moho), or get used to the sound of the undergrowth whipping off your expensive mirrors.

Coach mirrors are also higher than car mirrors, which is handy as you can squeeze past without clashing. But the same height as big trucks and buses. Which is less frequent, but worse.

And you can't fold them in either.

 

[funflair]

Coach style mirrors are substantially higher than even van mirrors. So you can't use that convenient groove carved into close hedgerows by everyone else's mirrors create. So you either have to stay a little further away (despite being the same width as a semi integrated moho), or get used to the sound of the undergrowth whipping off your expensive mirrors.

Coach mirrors are also higher than car mirrors, which is handy as you can squeeze past without clashing. But the same height as big trucks and buses. Which is less frequent, but worse.

And you can't fold them in either.

As you suggest there are pro's and con's, our "coach mirrors" actually sit inboard of the body line by a bout 1/3 of the mirror width compared to the more usual "bus mirrors" so passing traffic is not too much of a problem, yes unmaintained hedge backs are a nightmare but it's the forward extension when manoeuvring that you have to be really careful with. I find that coachbuilt vans with the long of extra long mirror arms are very wide on the road.

 

[Mart 63]

I'd say that simply by the fact that you are actively discussing it means you are thinking about all the aspects of driving an ever so slightly larger vehicle...I'd wager you've considered the route you'll take home/storage from collecting it too? You'll be absolutely fine

The route home is pretty good, but 5hrs motorway driving.

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[GMLS]

Hi, it looks like I'm putting a deposit on a Rapido 8086df next week. I've never driven an A class. I've just sold my Benimar tessoro 442, which is around 20cm shorter, and a few cms narrower. Is there much of a difference in driving either. I've sat behind the wheel of a A class, and the cab seems huge. Any tips for driving an A class. Also it has a 9 speed auto, which will be the first auto I've owned, does it make much of a difference. Thanks

I went for a Rapdo 854f A class after 3 fairy large coach builts and not having the opportunity for a demo, was a litte nervous.Its been absolutely fine but finding out the middle of 3 wipers lines up with the LH kerb and puts me the right distance away from it helped.No regrets

 

[Mart 63]

I'd say that simply by the fact that you are actively discussing it means you are thinking about all the aspects of driving an ever so slightly larger vehicle...I'd wager you've considered the route you'll take home/storage from collecting it too? You'll be absolutely fine

The route home is pretty good, but 5hrs motorway driving. The first

I went for a Rapdo 854f A class after 3 fairy large coach builts and not having the opportunity for a demo, was a litte nervous.Its been absolutely fine but finding out the middle of 3 wipers lines up with the LH kerb and puts me the right distance away from it helped.No regrets

Thanks for the tip

 

[enark]

Hi, it looks like I'm putting a deposit on a Rapido 8086df next week. I've never driven an A class. I've just sold my Benimar tessoro 442, which is around 20cm shorter, and a few cms narrower. Is there much of a difference in driving either. I've sat behind the wheel of a A class, and the cab seems huge. Any tips for driving an A class. Also it has a 9 speed auto, which will be the first auto I've owned, does it make much of a difference. Thanks

Sure you will love the MH and love the 9 speed. Just done nc500 in ours and its great, gives the co driver a job - “hit the downhill button” . No need to worry about hill starts either. The 2.2 is far more responsive than our previous 2.3.

Mirrors are great,

Tip - pop a piece of tape on the windscreen to align you with the kerb.

One thing you may notice, sit in lane one on a motorway and due to the front track been narrower than the rear, you tend to surf a little in the ruts..get to a recently resurfaced bit and its steady. This is due to Alco chassis, and not exclusive to Rapido.

Other than that sure you will find it a doddle

 

[enark]

At least you know where the front of the vehicle ends. It's the window. They are great to drive.

Certainly with a Fiat, Merc front means the windscreen is about a 6 iron away from the driver…..

 

[Nanniemate]

Hi, it looks like I'm putting a deposit on a Rapido 8086df next week. I've never driven an A class. I've just sold my Benimar tessoro 442, which is around 20cm shorter, and a few cms narrower. Is there much of a difference in driving either. I've sat behind the wheel of a A class, and the cab seems huge. Any tips for driving an A class. Also it has a 9 speed auto, which will be the first auto I've owned, does it make much of a difference. Thanks

1 Try not to hit anything
2 Enjoy