Classic Hymers ..a good buy ? (1 Viewer)

scotjimland

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Jul 25, 2007
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I've been looking at Hymers circa 1990 .. model numbers are confusing, but I like the rear U lounge with the 2.5 Fiat engine, GVW 3t, I think it's the B544. or B534

I've always admired them and was considering one rather than a panel van conversion .. prices around 8-12k .. maybe cheaper in Germany.

I expect to do work on it, that's part of the attraction, restoration, and it makes sense to me to spend on a vehicle that will retain it's value ..

Apart from the expected wear and tear are there any bad points, things to check when viewing ?

* Is the Fiat engine renowned for long life, is high mileage an issue if it has service history or would I be better looking for a Merc engine model.

* Chassis corrosion ?

* Base vehicle parts, brake pads, suspension etc are they readily available, expensive ?

Any information from previous or current owners gratefully received.. :Smile:

just an example of the models I'm looking at

Link Removed

Jim
 
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scotjimland

scotjimland

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Hi Dave,

I read your post asking about RMB , not really seen many on my travels but anything built by the Germans is usually sound .. and if owned by a German they are usually well looked after.

I love the Hymers and other marques of that era .. just ooze style and character but don't want to buy a money pit .. :roflmto:

Good luck with your search .. I'm just starting to look, it may be quite a while before I'm in a position to buy .. plenty of time for research

Jim

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DESCO

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Hi Jim

Must say I agree with you the older Hymers did have a certain something about them. We have looked at many over the years even if shot they still have that certain air about them.:winky: I rember seeing a Merc. Auto. in MMM mag. a few years ago and would have loved to have owned it.
Best of luck in your search.:thumb::thumb:

Dave:thumb:
 
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Peter JohnsCross MH

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I am looking to keep in stock more pre-owned Hymers and Rapidos, bought a 2007 A class Rapido couple of weeks ago and drove it down to Sussex, very impressed and it was on an X250 chassis..............NO JUDDER not that the conversion made any difference.

We bought a fanatstic 800 miles only Hymer A Class recently, the interior made me drool.

Hopefully got some more in the pipeline soon.

Peter
 

JJ

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Hi Jim,
I bought a 1987 Hymer 660 last year. It was owned from 1989 until 2007 by a German lady and I believe it to be in near original condition.
It now lives in Portugal away from the harsh northern winters and while I use my self build for every day life, the Hymer provides me my luxury holidays!
It's Merc engine runs like a sewing machine (and goes about the same speed), everything works and the local garages know all about the ins and outs of the model 'cos they have worked on them for years.
I have been asked time and time again if it is for sale...
The interior build is more to my liking and taste than the more modern versions.
I say "go for it" but then I was looking for five years before I found this one.
JJ

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Terry

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Hi Jim,on your budget you should get up to about 95 :thumb::thumb: there are loads about with tired looking interiors :thumb: but a 3k spend will replace all the drab inside with fresh new boards,doors, w tops and upholstery:thumb::thumb: (new inside:thumb: )
terry
 

JeanLuc

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Jim,

You might like to read this post by an ex-forum member. It is about a Merc-based 660.

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Also, on the 'other MH forum' there is a member called merctoby who has had an S660 and an S700. I believe the old Merc Hymers are regarded as bullet-proof.

Philip
 
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scotjimland

scotjimland

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Hi Phllip

I'm a friend of Keith (kands) who did the work on the 660 , will check out the other forum, I think I can still access the posts.. but can't search..

cheers
jim

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JeanLuc

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Hi Phllip

I'm a friend of Keith (kands) who did the work on the 660 , will check out the other forum, I think I can still access the posts.. but can't search..

cheers
jim

We are just off for 10 days, but if you cannot see the other info, send me a PM and I'll see what I can do on my return.

Regards, Philip
 

pieterv

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Jim

One thing to watch out for is payload. The example you linked to has a gross weight of 3100kg. Unless they built them much lighter in those days this will give minimal payload.

Pieter

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johnnerontheroad

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Jim,

I just remembered about this on Hymer site you can only get it in german but it is not hard to work out Katalogarchiv Broschüren - HYMER.com - Katalogarchiv hope you can understand this. You will see drop down boxes with this info just select the year and model.



Katalogsuche
  1. Fahrzeugart Bitte wählen Sie Reisemobil Caravan
  2. Art der Suche Bitte wählen Sie Modelljahr Modellbezeichnung
  3. Modelljahr Bitte wählen Sie 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
  4. Modell Bitte wählen Sie HYMER S-Klasse HYMER B-Klasse HYMER-Tramp Eribette HYMER-Car (Fiat-Chassis) HYMER-Camp Eriba-Jet HYMER-Camp HYMER-Tramp GT HYMER-Tramp M GT HYMER-Tramp R GT Eriba-Jet Alle Modelle
Dave
 
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Jim take a look at mine
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This link will (hopefully) bring up a page showing the different layouts of the older Hymers.
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We bought a 1992 Hymer B594. We looked at a 'U' shaped layout but didn't like it as with the kitchen & bathroom opposite each other in the middle it felt like you were walking down a tunnel to get to the rear lounge which itself felt closed in and clostophobic. Especially as the one we looked at had dark cherry wood, it felt a bit depressing. We like our layout as the bathroom & shower is up the corner and you have a single dinning area at the rear as well as a double one in the middle. It's also in a light wood.
Ours is a 2.5 TD and hubby says it drives good and pulls weight fautlessly, I've yet to drive it (not sure about gears on steering column as never used this type before!).
 

penny

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534

Hi, we bought a 1990 534 and we love it, we have had some small repairs mostly our own fault; like we replaced the pump for the taps with a stronger one and blew some joints apart and had to fix them or have wet feet. We have been thousands of miles and the engine hasnot missed a beat, I think its the peugot talbot one made for trucks that do fantastic mileages, noisy and steady but reliable. We get 30plus mpg so are not
complaining. No trouble at mot time and the inside is original and beautiful; except the table which we have thrown out as too heavy and replaced with a smaller lighter one.
 

Snowbird

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Hi Jim, My wife used to fulltime in a 534 with the U shaped lounge,she loved it becouse 2 people can liedown to watch tv if the tv is fitted to the wardrobe wall.The one she had was the last of the good ones,it was the blue one.I brought the same model back from Germany for a friend,he wanted the Merc engine,so he had the 550S which is excactly the same layout as the 534.Very good choice indeed.

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Kon tiki

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When we spent a few months touring around Germany the people we talked to were of the opinion that the older Hymers were of a far better build quality than the new ones. These are the vans Hymer built their reputation on & there are loads of them still around. The old merc ones seemed to be more sought after. We were put off older vans by the interior, many seemed dark & depressing.
 

staging lady

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How do you guys who travel abroad in a classic motor home, do with breakdown cover abroad on older vans like this?
Do you pay it yourself?

When OH was ringing around for insurance, we found most had a cut off point for older motor homes at 20 years. Ours is 1990.

We had a clutch failure in the Pyrenees last November and we were told it would have cost us £100's to get our A class to the garage.
How do you all get cover?
Lucille

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Snowbird

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How do you guys who travel abroad in a classic motor home, do with breakdown cover abroad on older vans like this?
Do you pay it yourself?

When OH was ringing around for insurance, we found most had a cut off point for older motor homes at 20 years. Ours is 1990.

We had a clutch failure in the Pyrenees last November and we were told it would have cost us £100's to get our A class to the garage.
How do you all get cover?
Lucille
Hi,my insurers,Adrian Flux,have there own breakdown cover.Fluxrescue.I think I pay about £60 per year on top of my premium.My Rv and toad are both over 20 years old.
 

bambi 2

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Hi we have a Mecedes Hymer 670S, 1992/3 we bought it really because of the payload and the double wheels at the back (we were tired of getting stuck on C.L sites after rain in our Kon Tiki) that part has been brilliant, never been stuck since!,:thumb: we would not swap it, it might be an old plodder but it gets us where we want to go, of course it isn't as luxurious as the Airstream Cutter we have stored in America, (now in the R.Vs for sale section of motorhomefun,) but to us our Hymer is like an old friend, we live in France now and to get any work done on it we found was cheaper here than what we were charged in England.
The best and cheapest service we had done on it was in Morocco, there's lots of old Merc's there.
Hope you find what your looking for. bambi 2 ::bigsmile:

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penny

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Aug 18, 2009
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a class
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classic insurance

saga do breakdown cover for europe and uk with no age restriction, fully comp for aged 1990 hymer 534 with breakdown is about £310. Hope this helps.
penny
 

JockandRita

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Hi Jim & Jan,

As you know, we love our Hymer. Although we would have preferred a Merc chassis, we would have been fools to walk away from our E690, as it is an ideal layout for us.

Many Hymer enthusiast have told us that the last of the top quality and strength came about at the end of the last decade, and that they feel their newer model isn't as well built as the older ones.
We hope you find what you are looking for. Peter Hambilton often advertises clients MHs too, but not many older ones. Link Removed He is also very good for repairs and advice..........but not cheap.

Best regards,

Jock & Rita.

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