New Flash 510 or used rapido 700f?

[Spidey]

Well i have been lurking and reading posts for a while trying to research the best MH for us. We currently have a caravan and really like it, but want to tour more and go to europe. We dont feel comfortable towing long distances.

So have decided on a Flash 10, or it is now a 510. We could get a new 510 for less than a 2 year old rapido. Or to be honest by the time we have haggled it probably would be the same price. This includes awning, back box, reversing camera. So it is down to which would be the best buy?

Any opinions?

 

[jonandshell]

Does the socket look like a cigarette socket? If so its 12v!

Maybe you should bring your new purchase to the Peterborough show and meet some other Funsters!:thumb:

 

[Spidey]

Does the socket look like a cigarette socket? If so its 12v!

Maybe you should bring your new purchase to the Peterborough show and meet some other Funsters!:thumb:

What would i use a 12v socket for inside a kitchen cupboard ?

Will start looking at dates for meets :thanks: i work at a college so restricted dates at the moment :Sad:

 

[jonandshell]

Ours has a 12v socket understandably in the TV cabinet, but also one in the lounge locker next to it!
I suppose the intention is for a sat receiver or TV signal booster! We just use it for charging stuff up!:thumb:

 

[leeboy]

Socket

Just an update. We went for the test drive of the Flash 510. My OH really liked it and wasn't too nervous driving it. There was a lot of rattling, not sure where that came from though. We looked at the 700ff but decided it wasnt for us, it seemed a bit old fashioned. The flash maybe a more budget range but seemed to be nice a modern. We speant a lot of time in each and deciding whether this is sensible purchase. Then looked around cheaper second hand vans which were very sensible. Well we went with our heart and put a deposit down on a new one to pick up in May

Sitting at home thinking OMG it is a lot of money and we can only holiday in this from now on. :Sad: As that was main arguing point for getting one. But i think it is just nerves. We love camping and want to goto Europe with it, something we would never do with our caravan. My OH hates towing and we have exhausted everywhere within his 3 hour towing limit!

We got a good px price for our caravan and the extras we wanted were cheaper than other places. We like Highbridge it is our local Dealer about an hour from home. So it is coming with awning, bike rack, box and reverse camera. Decided against ariel and gas point. He did say i sounded very knowlegable, thanks to this site

We have one last holiday coming up with our caravan in April, so that will be nice.

Does anyone know what the socket in one of the kitchen cupboards is? It looks like a 12v?

I will on here pestering with loads of questions now

Hi Spidey and congratulations .
It is indeed a 12 volt socket in the cupboard, I use mine to run a small inverter to charge things from.
Regards,
Lee.

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[Spidey]

Hi Spidey and congratulations .
It is indeed a 12 volt socket in the cupboard, I use mine to run a small inverter to charge things from.
Regards,
Lee.

Hi Lee

Thanks will probably do the same

Noticed you have a best of 10. Where are the 13a sockets in the van? I forgot to look :Blush: in my haste to buy. Also did yours have a drying line in the shower? There doesn't appear to be one in the 510.

Thanks

 

[leeboy]

Sockets

Hi Spidey,
it only has two 13 amp sockets, one under the cupboard above the sink and one where the tv bracket is. I'm planning to put extra sockets in but only had it for 5 weeks and took it to the South of France for a couple of weeks so not had a chance to do much. Yes, the shower does have a drying bar that clips up out of the way when not in use and is really handy for drying the towels. I installed a double reversing camera and a mirror mounted monitor and they have been fantastic, I really wouldn't be without them and can't believe how useful they are.

Regards,
Lee.

 

[Wombles]

Hi Spidey - great news that you got a good deal on a new Chausson - hope the salesman at Highbridge was nearly crying! They would have been our dealer of choice too but couldn't get stock of our model at the time. Perhaps we & all the other Chausson Funsters should start an owners club?! We are currently adding a few modifications to ours - we have had an alarm fitted (Vanbitz Strikeback with 10% Funsters discount), solar panel & Battery Master (Vanbitz again) but adding extra security & storage items. It's taken a lot of research online & here to find what we think are the best options for our needs & we have been on a steep learning curve. About the rattling - working on that too with sections of foam (exercise mat) strategically placed under the glass/metal deflector on the hob & the bathroom door!

 

[The Wino]

Waiting to pick up our best of 10 in 2 weeks time did a deal at the nec show free awning and trade in for ours £1000 less than we paid for it 2 years ago wished we tried just a bit harder on the deal but good enough to say yes!. Cant wait to get it. I wondered about a refillable gas bottle but can't see it's worth it would need loads of refills to work out.We're hoping given the current trend for downsizing it keeps its value well.

David

 

[Spidey]

Waiting to pick up our best of 10 in 2 weeks time did a deal at the nec show free awning and trade in for ours £1000 less than we paid for it 2 years ago wished we tried just a bit harder on the deal but good enough to say yes!. Cant wait to get it. I wondered about a refillable gas bottle but can't see it's worth it would need loads of refills to work out.We're hoping given the current trend for downsizing it keeps its value well.

David

Congrats on your flash 10. We missed out on that one as they are now all sold out. I know what you mean about pushing for a deal, i go in with the idea of being pushy but didn't really push hard at all. Had a good idea from other dealers what they were offering and none were budging from their price. So when Highbridge, our preferred dealer, came in cheaper we were happy basically did everything wrong, but they did say i had tenacity :Blush: by the way i kept asking. Well to be honest when you are PX the position is not the same as cash.

It is a lot of money to us, but then again a good tow car and new caravan can set you back the same as a motorhome. We will keep our tow car just now as we will lose more exchanging it.

Really hope we love MHing as it was all my idea

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[jonandshell]

A refillable gas system is essential for diesel heated Chaussons.
There is only capacity for one cylinder in your locker!
This means you can't safely carry a spare and you will be swapping half empty bottles before long trips. It will work out cheaper in the long run to install a refillable system.:thumb:

On the subject of extra sockets, when you do add them, don't use domestic ones it looks crap!
The CBE ones are readily available and the chausson surrounds for them are available from Teleco Direct.

Also why a battery master? The CBE DS300 panel charges your starter battery when the leisure battery is full when on EHU.

 

[The Wino]

Congrats on your flash 10. We missed out on that one as they are now all sold out. I know what you mean about pushing for a deal, i go in with the idea of being pushy but didn't really push hard at all. Had a good idea from other dealers what they were offering and none were budging from their price. So when Highbridge, our preferred dealer, came in cheaper we were happy basically did everything wrong, but they did say i had tenacity :Blush: by the way i kept asking. Well to be honest when you are PX the position is not the same as cash.

It is a lot of money to us, but then again a good tow car and new caravan can set you back the same as a motorhome. We will keep our tow car just now as we will lose more exchanging it.

Really hope we love MHing as it was all my idea

As soon as you can go to france we went last year and it made us really love motorhoming. Also I think you will get free european breakdown cover with your new van (not that youll need it hopefully:thumb.We keep a small propane cylinder as a spare in case our main runs out as the french gas has different fittings.

David

 

[Wombles]

We opted for Gaslow as only have space for one gas bottle & hope to use Brit Stops, Aires , France Passion, CL/CS & smaller sites less likely to have EHU so will need solar plus gas for fridge as well as cooking & hot water. Not sure if it will pay for itself but gives us a lot more choices & convenient.

 

[weirdfi5h]

Hi Spidey,
it only has two 13 amp sockets, one under the cupboard above the sink and one where the tv bracket is. I'm planning to put extra sockets in but only had it for 5 weeks and took it to the South of France for a couple of weeks so not had a chance to do much. Yes, the shower does have a drying bar that clips up out of the way when not in use and is really handy for drying the towels. I installed a double reversing camera and a mirror mounted monitor and they have been fantastic, I really wouldn't be without them and can't believe how useful they are.

Regards,
Lee.

Just picked ours up and it has a third 13 amp socket just behind the drivers seat, mounted on the side of the under seat storage.

 

[Spidey]

Yes we found the one by the drivers seat, but didn't notice the one above the sink must go and look

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[Spidey]

Whoo hoo just been out and checked, how did i not notice that! We evan asked the dealer and they said 1 socket only! Wow now do i bring the electric kettle

 

[Spidey]

A refillable gas system is essential for diesel heated Chaussons.
There is only capacity for one cylinder in your locker!
This means you can't safely carry a spare and you will be swapping half empty bottles before long trips. It will work out cheaper in the long run to install a refillable system.:thumb:

Why? I thought the heating was using diesel and no gas. :Sad:

 

[leeboy]

Heating

Why? I thought the heating was using diesel and no gas. :Sad:

Yes,
you are correct, although I have just installed a Gasit refillable in mine for convenience.
Lee.

 

[The Wino]

Put a gasit in mine too but just seen a thread about french gas cylinders and how cheap the deposit is at intermarche wondering now if it was worth it (we use so little).

David

 

[journeyman]

Also why a battery master? The CBE DS300 panel charges your starter battery when the leisure battery is full when on EHU.

Can I ask JonandShell, does the starter battery still get topped up by a full leisure battery when not on hook up, but getting trickle charged via a Solar Panel?

Thanks

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[jonandshell]

Can I ask JonandShell, does the starter battery still get topped up by a full leisure battery when not on hook up, but getting trickle charged via a Solar Panel?

Thanks

No idea don't have a solar panel!
The starter battery isn't replenished by the leisure battery but is simply connected to the charging source by a transistor on the PCB once the leisure battery is full.