Hi everyone. Until yesterday I wasn't even thinking about motorhomes but I happened to see a video on YouTube about the Rapido CO3 and I was really impressed so have been thinking about it ever since. My wife and I are two or three years from retirement and we love travelling. The idea of owning something like the CO3 really appeals. I'm looking forward to learning more. I'm particularly interested in whether or not motorhome owners started their journey by hiring one first or did they just jump in and buy one? Do many owners rent their vehicle out when they are not using them? Would something like the Rapido hold its value if we were to sell it after a few years? Etc Etc Etc!!!
Hello from West Sussex - keen to find out more
- Thread starter rks1966
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ambulancekidd
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Hi,and welcome. We hired van before buying as discovering after a purchase could prove expensive. If possible, somewhat irrespective of brand try and hire a van in the same format as the Rapido you desire. Only a tiny proportion of owners would consider hiring out their cherished van, and the insurance could be problematic.
Values going forward might be more prone to dropping faster after a dramatic rise during and post Covid. There were many vans purchased and are now no longer used frequently, so ripe for the resale market.
Mike.
Values going forward might be more prone to dropping faster after a dramatic rise during and post Covid. There were many vans purchased and are now no longer used frequently, so ripe for the resale market.
Mike.
Janine
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Welcome to the Fun 
suavecarve
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Hi and welcome, there will be numerous other motorhomes of similar like or design to the Rapido CO3 so making a presumption you like the layout rather than the van as in it has a garage, living area and transverse bed meaning it slightly shorter than others and probably useful at 3500 kgs.
Some started with hiring, some jumped in, most didnt get the right van to start with.
Not very many people on here rent their motorhome out, it is considered their pride and joy and the idea of even lending it children doesnt often happen. HOwever you may be lucky
The only way at present to find out if the Rapido holds its value is to look to see what one brand new is and then see how much one, which has the same "add ons" has been sold privately for and is 5 years older.
Values of motorhomes change dependant upon what is on them, or it at least makes them far more desirable, so an alarm, tracker, LPG gas, solar, lithium battery, inverter, Remis Blinds, satellite, awning, mifi, etc will be far more appealing to some more than others as it depends on how you want to use it. Some people wont go out of the country so LPG isnt worth it, some people go on campsites and use 240 v so solar and lithium arent worth it some wont watch TV so a satellite isnt worth it etc.
I would work out how you intend to use a motorhome eg home or abroad, campsites or aires, 2 weeks at a time or 3 months at a time, riding e bikes or not, then some more informed answers specific to yourself will be easier to give
Best of luck
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Welcome (also from W. Sussex)!
Tips-
NEVER put any sort of deposit on one until you've seen it in flesh. Too many (very convincing) scams on the web.
Always check that there's sufficient payload available for the passengers and all the stuff you want to put in it.
If buying from a dealer consider the distance for return visits to get bits fixed (there usually will be) under any warranty.
Look up its MOT history here:
www.gov.uk
Have a read of this excellent guide by our Leader, Jim.......
www.motorhomefun.co.uk
Tips-
NEVER put any sort of deposit on one until you've seen it in flesh. Too many (very convincing) scams on the web.
Always check that there's sufficient payload available for the passengers and all the stuff you want to put in it.
If buying from a dealer consider the distance for return visits to get bits fixed (there usually will be) under any warranty.
Look up its MOT history here:
Check the MOT history of a vehicle
Check the MOT history of a vehicle from 2005 onwards, including if it passed or failed, its mileage and why it failed, download MOT test certificate
Have a read of this excellent guide by our Leader, Jim.......
The Motorhome Buyer's Guide
Download our Free Motorhome Buyer's Guide packed with essential tips, checklists, and expert advice. Distilled wisdom from 60,000 members
www.motorhomefun.co.uk
Hi and welcome 
Hope your search is successful
Hope your search is successful
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Hi and welcome to FUN.
Lenny HB
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Although we were tigvrrs for 25 years we still hire Motorhomes twice before ordering our first one. Saves expensive mistakes now on our 4th one in 16 years.
suavecarve
LIFE MEMBER
Nearly snap.
Although we were tigvrrs for 25 years we still hire Motorhomes twice before ordering our first one. Saves expensive mistakes now on our 4th one in 16 years.
Number 4 in 15 years yesterday
Lenny HB
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What have you got now?
suavecarve
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Picked up a Dethleffs Trend A class 7057 I EB. 22 plate.
Same set up as the 685, same dimensions only it is an A class meaning I can recline fully in the seat which is needed because of my back injury and cant do it in the 685. No other reason to get rid of mine
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Hi and welcome, we hired a few times before buying, I had owned one before so knew the life was for me, but it was a new experience for John so needed something we could both live with.
Make a list of essentials my priority was no of seatbelts they rarely can be safely retrofitted.
Don't believe dealer or manufacturer's weights, insist on what you like going over a weighbridge, you need a decent payload.
You will find several manufacturers have vans with similar layouts, the one we bought was almost the same as one we hired, but the rear bed was slightly bigger which suited us better.
Make a list of essentials my priority was no of seatbelts they rarely can be safely retrofitted.
Don't believe dealer or manufacturer's weights, insist on what you like going over a weighbridge, you need a decent payload.
You will find several manufacturers have vans with similar layouts, the one we bought was almost the same as one we hired, but the rear bed was slightly bigger which suited us better.
Welcome! 
We never hired, but then we started as buggers and later saw the light.
We would never hire out our Moho - you don't know in what condition you will get it back, and besides, we use it year round.
You will get lots of opinions here! Good luck.
We never hired, but then we started as buggers and later saw the light.
We would never hire out our Moho - you don't know in what condition you will get it back, and besides, we use it year round.
You will get lots of opinions here! Good luck.
Welcome!
We never hired, but then we started as buggers and later saw the light.
Oh dear, that will teach me not to read it back first! Tuggers, of course!
PP Bear
LIFE MEMBER
Hi and a warm welcome to the house of Fun 
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Definitely hire one first if you are newbies. Maybe take multiple trips
Think really hard why you are interested in a m/h rather than a caravan which if you didn't need to upgrade your towing vehicle would be a lot cheaper.I discounted it quickly ;-) A big part of the decision making will be whether you like to keep moving or say in one place and you may not know the answer until you try.
I wouldn't rent it out unless you have no other option. When you consider how much time you will need to spend handing it over and explaining how everything works, checking it over when it gets returned, cleaning and carrying out repairs, dealing with phone calls when they can't get something to work and what if it gets damaged in between hires?
Hiring it out regularly might mean you can't use it when you might most want to and takes away one of the biggest benefits of spontaneity.
If you are particularly interested in the Rapido's, join the Facebook page but don't narrow yourself down to a specific rand if you can as choice of where you buy is very important.
The Rapido C03 is my ultimate ambition but I am not wanting to fork out up to £80 k to acquire one on a Fiat chassis with a 9 speed auto box. So I shall stick with what I have got for the moment.
The C03 is a new model for 2024 (Some of the posts above perhaps do not appreciate that) so there is likely no way you even hire one to try out until next year at best. It would make sense if you are wedded to that model to hire something with a transverse bed layout and garage below around 6.00 metres to see how you get on. I travel alone and it suits me fine but I can see that age may make is sensible for me to have stairs up to the bed rather than a ladder (particularly in regard to use of the WC in the middle of the night!)
The C03 has a weight limit on the garage of 150 kg (as the chassis rails do not extend under the garage). That is fine by me as I am punctilious about keeping weight to a minimum well aft of the rear axle. It may not suit you if you have loads of stuff to load there. Main things in my garage are a spare wheel (mounted vertically on the inner wall), ramps, EHU cables, hosepipes, some folding chairs and my Ebike plus a few sundries. Between them they may weigh 100kg. Two Ebikes, loads of folding chairs and a table etc, etc could well exceed 150kg. I tend to put a few items in the van to bring the weight forward (In particular the Ebike battery goes in the glove compartment and a couple of folding chairs in their canvass bag under the table) . So do be alive to things like that.
Hope my comments help!
P.S You do not say where you reside. I know there isa C03 due into dealers (Spinney) in Knutsford if that works for you. I have seen a list of dealers somewhere. Will try to dig it out.
P.P.S. You may also want to stop and consider whether LHD or RHD. My Hobby is LHD as my ambition is to spend as much time as possible the other side of the Channel and most of my UK mileage is on dual carriageway where LHD is no real handicap whereas quality back roads are my ambition in Europe.
The C03 is a new model for 2024 (Some of the posts above perhaps do not appreciate that) so there is likely no way you even hire one to try out until next year at best. It would make sense if you are wedded to that model to hire something with a transverse bed layout and garage below around 6.00 metres to see how you get on. I travel alone and it suits me fine but I can see that age may make is sensible for me to have stairs up to the bed rather than a ladder (particularly in regard to use of the WC in the middle of the night!)
The C03 has a weight limit on the garage of 150 kg (as the chassis rails do not extend under the garage). That is fine by me as I am punctilious about keeping weight to a minimum well aft of the rear axle. It may not suit you if you have loads of stuff to load there. Main things in my garage are a spare wheel (mounted vertically on the inner wall), ramps, EHU cables, hosepipes, some folding chairs and my Ebike plus a few sundries. Between them they may weigh 100kg. Two Ebikes, loads of folding chairs and a table etc, etc could well exceed 150kg. I tend to put a few items in the van to bring the weight forward (In particular the Ebike battery goes in the glove compartment and a couple of folding chairs in their canvass bag under the table) . So do be alive to things like that.
Hope my comments help!
P.S You do not say where you reside. I know there isa C03 due into dealers (Spinney) in Knutsford if that works for you. I have seen a list of dealers somewhere. Will try to dig it out.
P.P.S. You may also want to stop and consider whether LHD or RHD. My Hobby is LHD as my ambition is to spend as much time as possible the other side of the Channel and most of my UK mileage is on dual carriageway where LHD is no real handicap whereas quality back roads are my ambition in Europe.
Last edited:
Found the list of distributors!:
In England, there are six outlets representing the brand – Spinney (Knutsford) and Brownhills (Newark) look after the Midlands and north, while Simpsons is in East Anglia, Highbridge’s two branches cover the southwest and Rapido’s original British dealer, Wokingham Motorhomes, is in Berkshire.
In Ireland, Rapido has dealers north and south of the border – Thompson Leisure in County Down and Cara Motorhomes in County Limerick.
Where to buy
In Scotland, the dealer is Dicksons of Perth.In England, there are six outlets representing the brand – Spinney (Knutsford) and Brownhills (Newark) look after the Midlands and north, while Simpsons is in East Anglia, Highbridge’s two branches cover the southwest and Rapido’s original British dealer, Wokingham Motorhomes, is in Berkshire.
In Ireland, Rapido has dealers north and south of the border – Thompson Leisure in County Down and Cara Motorhomes in County Limerick.
Welcome aboard 
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Welcome.Also from West Sussex. We had 3 Rapido Motorhomes.The 1st was a 9048DF LHD which we imported from Bonjour Caravans just south of Rennes in France.It was LHD but my husband was fine with that as we had lived many years in Germany with the army.After 3 years we decided it was too big for just the 2 of us.We traded it in for a Rapido 903 which was a bit too small ! I forget the model of our last Rapido which I sold in 2016 after my husband died.
I then bought a Wildax Campervan which is just short of 5m long and just right for my cocker spaniel and myself.Wildax have since been taken over by the Rapido group as It happens. Take your time to find what you really want by visiting various shows and dealers. Good Luck.
I then bought a Wildax Campervan which is just short of 5m long and just right for my cocker spaniel and myself.Wildax have since been taken over by the Rapido group as It happens. Take your time to find what you really want by visiting various shows and dealers. Good Luck.
Don't worry about that .... My Mum & Dad told me (rightly) that I have always been a bugger ever since I was a kid, and I take great pride in still being one many decades later !
Hi also from West Sussex. We didnt hire before we bought. Here we are on number 14 in 16 years. Current one is perfect for us at the moment.
Hi also from West Sussex, we hired for a weekend and went down to the New Forest. We learnt loads over those two days, including not wanting to buy the type we had hired! Now very happily settled with our Nuevo. Good hunting!!
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