Canopy/Awning advice please

Are you planning to use it over there or in the UK?

If only in the UK, I’d probably say it’s not worth it. 

Never use ours, pain to have to keep it clean as part of it goes green over winter. Even considered removing it.

We have a Fiamma windout awning on our motorhome and find it pretty useful especially in hot weather. I am not sure which model you are looking at but if its a basic windout £1300 seems a bit expensive.

David

Agree with David above, £1300 for an awning seems rather expensive. 

We bought a MH some years ago and it didn't have an awning; we decided to try a holiday in France without one.  As soon as we got back, we bought one, as we really felt we needed one.  We also have the sides for it, so can put either 1, or both sides on.

As you have no doubt already noticed from the early replies, opinions vary. Some folks wouldn't be without one whilst some others never use theirs.

Ultimately, only you can decide. 

Perhaps you could wait until next year to decide - you are unlikely to use one in the autumn and winter!  You could always see how you get on in hot weather without an awning. If you find it unbearable, then you can have one fitted - or use pitches with shade! (Of course, if you do decide to have one fitted you may have to wait a while before a workshop has an available space.)

At £1300 it seems a bit high a price did that include the sides and front? if you really "need" one,have a look on line at what is on offer by the specialist companies or go to one of the big shows and see what is on "offer"

Not mentioned above is the extra weight that an awning is. It may pay to consider using the weight for drive away awning or similar.

The Rapido 3.5 ton 7.4 m can be tight on payload, especially if you start to travel with full tank of water,  bicycles and other bits.  Also if you are consider taking a car at some point, the weight of the towbar will add to the payload.

An awning has its uses, especially on smaller mhomes,  but the bigger mhomes, there is the weight to be considered, for some reason, the larger awnings seem to flap more in the wind.

just to add, from memory the later Rapidos do not have a recess in which the awning is mounted so hangs on the side, not a problem in the UK. But inFrance I seemed to collect a lot of foliage between the mhome and awning ;-))

On our Rapido 7090f island bed, mid bathroom, we have not missed an awning as we tend to stayin an area long enough to put up a drive away awning. If you expect to tour and not to lounge too much, a wind out can be useful.  Best memories are sitting on a French campsite , under the awning out in a light warm rain.  

Happy Rapido-ing

rgds

just to pick up further on Tony's post above...

is this a new 2019 model? did the sale,an discuss weight and chassis options with you?

what license do you hold? do you have groups for over 3.5t?

the MIRO of this van is a hefty 3120 kg including only 20 ltr of water....

if the the van comes on the 'heavy' chassis, you (probably) won't have any weight issues, however, are you running this on a 3.5t chassis?

if so, just filling the water tank (it will take another 100 ltr) and adding your OH at a nominal 75kg will take the weight up to 3295kg, leaving only 205 kg of payload....which is a paltry amount....in fact, many would say this might make the van unusable...and suggest a minimum of 500kg for two people touring extensively...

this includes no outside chairs, tables, BBQ, books, electrical items, bedding, clothes, food, drink, wine/beer, bikes (if used), tools, outside mats, hoses/adaptors, levelling blocks, etc, etc, etc...

that 205kg may be long gone by the time even some of the above is added.

...especially as the long rear overhang will make the rear axle very  vulnerable to exceeding its limit (2000kg), this will certainly be 'overloaded' before you reach your payload limit

vans can also have weight variances of upto 5% which might eat some of this payload without adding anything yourself.....manufacturers generally don't overestimate on weight......

i would strongly suggest you and your OH visit the dealer ASAP, get the van ('your' specific) van filled with water, both sit in it and then get it weighed, both axles...the dealer should have some weighing plates.

to my mind, this is paramount with this size/configuration of van...the main storage under the rear beds will be directly over the rear axle....

dont be 'fooled' by any salesman's 'upgrade' to 3650 kg...yes, this will update the overall payload but does not change axle limits, so the rear axle issue remains...

any salesman who won't help in this way wouldn't get my business, this is too important to get wrong.

i knew I wanted to run my van at 3.5t and I knew what we and all our kit (and water, gas etc) weighed, so I asked the dealer to weigh 'my' van (both axles) so that I could check the real payload availability

only after being totally confident (or not) about the vans ability to deliver legally what you want of it, should you consider adding any extra weight with the awning.

i have an awning and we use it for sun and to protect from light showers, however I have plenty of payload.

i also have no idea what 'extras' you might have ordered with the van, sat dish, solar panel, engine/gearbox(auto) upgrade, twin batteries etc, etc...

all,this adds weight not covered above.....and might make a 'very tricky' van 'impossible' to run legally on the light chassis.

i don't post this to scare a first time buyer in any way, merely to raise the issue of weight (probably not well understood by yourself and often conveniently omitted by salesmen) which will certainly be "a challenge' at 3.5t in a 7.4m van with a long overhang.

happy to help with any questions but buying a van which can't be operated legally or without serious compromise of what a MH is all about (having all your stuff/water etc with you and being self sufficient) will either drive you nuts or break your heart...

please, speak to the dealer ASAP.....good luck.

BB, your usual thoroughly comprehensive and sensible advice on weight.......

But just to add to BB's post (if that is possible....)

If the awning being spoken about is from the Fiamma range they seem to weigh from 13 up to 30 kg, so indeed that is another large chunk of your payload gone......

Only to add, as I may started the rain on your parade.

Our 3.5 t Rapido suits us fine, we carry most of the junk of life with us and have a great time mhoming !

Dont let my previous post get in the way of your purchase and enjoyment.  

We have a towbar , carried electric bikes, a weeks supply of food, and an air beam awning, so cannot be all bad.

just a matter of doing sums ;-)

Rgds