Difference between a Hymer B624 and B644 2003

Hymerbell

Hymerbell

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Hymer 674
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Since 2002 plus 20 years in a tent
Hi,

Does anyone know the difference between a 2003 Hymer B624 and a Hymer B644. They look exactly the same to me unless my eyesight is going ?

Thanks
Alex
 
Hymerbell said:
Hi,

Does anyone know the difference between a 2003 Hymer B624 and a Hymer B644. They look exactly the same to me unless my eyesight is going ?

Thanks
Alex
Click to expand...
Is it the bed size over the garage?
Not sure what year you're considering but they used to have an option for a single rear bed and slimmer garage on some models.
 
jongood said:
Is it the bed size over the garage?
Not sure what year you're considering but they used to have an option for a single rear bed and slimmer garage on some models.
Click to expand...
2000-2003. Ah perhaps that is it. That’s annoying if it is as the bed in a B644 is a bit narrow for my (missus) liking as it is. If the B624 is even narrower it would be out of the question.Trying to nail everything down before going on a long journey to Germany only to be disappointed.....been there done that already.

You may have saved me a long wasted journey.

Alex
 
The B624 has a bigger bathroom but single width bunk beds at the rear or single bed with garage beneath. It's also available with L shaped lounge or dinette.

B644 has smaller bathroom but with double bed over garage. Also same lounge options as B624.

Info taken from 2004 brochure.

PS. The B614 is similar to the B624 but has a double bed over garage. The lounge is available in L shaped or half dinette.

My preferred option would be the B614, L shaped lounge & 3900kg maxi chassis. Engine a bit underpowered compared with my current Fiat X250 with 3 litre engine. But, the 2.8 JTD is very robust. Beware, a 2003 Fiat should have the oval speedo cluster, indicating the latest improvements made to the chassis in early 2002.
 
Correction to above post:

They also do a low level double transverse bed on the B614, B624 & B644, as I think you've already found out from your investigations. The over-garage configuration was far more popular.

The B674 has twin beds over garage.

The twin longitudinal beds do to tend to impinge on usuable garage space compared to the transverse double. Also twin beds add another 500mm to the vehicle length or this is sometimes subtracted from the lounge/bathroom area. We have a transverse double and find it OK.

A 2009 Carthago, fully loaded with single beds, RHD, standard Fiat cab, has just come onto the market for £40k (being sold by a club member).

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Wagoneer said:
Correction to above post:

They also do a low level double transverse bed on the B614, B624 & B644, as I think you've already found out from your investigations. The over-garage configuration was far more popular.

The B674 has twin beds over garage.

The twin longitudinal beds do to tend to impinge on usuable garage space compared to the transverse double. Also twin beds add another 500mm to the vehicle length or this is sometimes subtracted from the lounge/bathroom area. We have a transverse double and find it OK.

A 2009 Carthago, fully loaded with single beds, RHD, standard Fiat cab, has just come onto the market for £40k (being sold by a club member).
Click to expand...
longitudinal beds tend to squeeze the living area.
 
Wagoneer said:
Correction to above post:

They also do a low level double transverse bed on the B614, B624 & B644, as I think you've already found out from your investigations. The over-garage configuration was far more popular.

The B674 has twin beds over garage.

The twin longitudinal beds do to tend to impinge on usuable garage space compared to the transverse double. Also twin beds add another 500mm to the vehicle length or this is sometimes subtracted from the lounge/bathroom area. We have a transverse double and find it OK.

A 2009 Carthago, fully loaded with single beds, RHD, standard Fiat cab, has just come onto the market for £40k (being sold by a club member).
Click to expand...
Hi

Ah very useful, takes ages to find out. I’ve gone into the Hymer Website to try and find older brochures for layouts but can only find brochures for the new stuff. I reckon maybe it’s the 674 I want, haven’t seen one of those for sale yet. I did think about a Carthago or even a Burstner or Detleffs but don’t know anything about them so thought it best to stick to a Hymer as I had a B544 for 20 years. Hmmm £40 out of my price range unfortunately. £24,000 my top ☹️

Alex
 
jongood said:
longitudinal beds tend to squeeze the living area.
Click to expand...
That is true, but with the longitudinal beds I believe you can have an infill to make a really wide double bed. The transverse beds seem to vary in size from 1.10m to 1.35 and even 1.44. I’ve even thought about the B654 with the french bed but that seems a bit narrow and the ones I’ve found for sale don’t even have the backup of a drop down. Also can’t fit a motor scooter in the garage so get into the world of rear axle weights and overhangs in order to put a scooter rack on the back...even more complex than bed width ☹️ I think I’m going to go with a B644 but with a drop down or just go back to a B544 put a scooter rack on and make up the big double bed each night....but then no garage at all....arrrrgh !

Alex
 
My dream Hymer of 2006 era was a B Star-line 660, based on 2.7CDI Mercedes sprinter. 7m long, transverse beds, 4600kg chassis with twin wheels on rear axle.

Not many built, so rare as hens teeth now. Reviewed by MMM April 2006.
 
Wagoneer said:
My dream Hymer of 2006 era was a B Star-line 660, based on 2.7CDI Mercedes sprinter. 7m long, transverse beds, 4600kg chassis with twin wheels on rear axle.

Not many built, so rare as hens teeth now. Reviewed by MMM April 2006.
Click to expand...
Hmm.... I’ll put that on my search list although don’t hold out much hope.

Thanks
Alex

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Hymerbell said:
Hmm.... I’ll put that on my search list although don’t hold out much hope.

Thanks
Alex
Click to expand...

My 2004 brochure also shows a similar spec model. A B Star-line 680 on Mercedes 4600kg chassis, 7.4m long. Bed looks about 5 ft wide, transverse.
 
Hymerbell said:
That is true, but with the longitudinal beds I believe you can have an infill to make a really wide double bed. The transverse beds seem to vary in size from 1.10m to 1.35 and even 1.44. I’ve even thought about the B654 with the french bed but that seems a bit narrow and the ones I’ve found for sale don’t even have the backup of a drop down. Also can’t fit a motor scooter in the garage so get into the world of rear axle weights and overhangs in order to put a scooter rack on the back...even more complex than bed width ☹ I think I’m going to go with a B644 but with a drop down or just go back to a B544 put a scooter rack on and make up the big double bed each night....but then no garage at all....arrrrgh !

Alex
Click to expand...
Why dont you look at an arto 69gl, heavier but better quality. Just hav a careful look at the dg cab windows before you buy?
 
Hmm yes I did think about an N&B, went all the way up to Lytham St. Anne’s to see a Flair. It just looked too bulky for me. Very tall. I’m used to a B544 under 6m and under 3m high and I just felt I wouldn’t be able to go down the same roads in it whilst touring Europe. I was also a bit unsure about the Alde heating....lots of pipes ! Probably completely wrong. Also the Flair was not in good nick, looked like a money pit to me ?. I suppose an Arto is smaller so may have a look if I can find one.

Alex
 
Wagoneer said:
My 2004 brochure also shows a similar spec model. A B Star-line 680 on Mercedes 4600kg chassis, 7.4m long. Bed looks about 5 ft wide, transverse.
Click to expand...
Added to my list ?
 
Also Flair garage door was only 103 cm high so could get a moped in I don’t think.

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Hymerbell said:
Also Flair garage door was only 103 cm high so could get a moped in I don’t think.
Click to expand...
2006 arto 69gl is just under 7m and under 3m tall. I used to get a kymco 125 in ours with no probs.

Flair lovely quality but on a fiat chassis is a big ask imho.
 
fiat_b.jpg

merc_fiat.jpg

fiat_e.jpg

merc_s.jpg

merc_s2.jpg

does that help?
 
There is also the B630 starline. Transverse double over a garage. 6.4m long. Like the B660 in the brochure above but shorter -I think because it has the swing wall shower cubicle and a small fridge under the kitchen worktop.
 
I wonder where this one fits in. It’s a B654 with the kitchen behind the seats. Can’t see that in the layouts from TheBig1

AD48A948-76DC-46F6-A00B-4A201C29C45A.jpeg
 
I think that TheBig1 s brochure is from about 2000 (I think they dropped the E series after then) but I may be completely wrong! I suspect that the B654 may be later and so doesn't appear.
 
The B654 appears in the 2004 brochure. 7m long with low level (French) bed with adjacent bathroom at rear, so not really suited to OP's spec.
 
Hymerbell said:
I wonder where this one fits in. It’s a B654 with the kitchen behind the seats. Can’t see that in the layouts from TheBig1

View attachment 363350
Click to expand...

It’s the asterisk one on the sheet, i.e. no dinette but L shaped lounge, we have same on our B644 so they swap sections left to right and vise versa so get everything to fit between rear bed and lounge area.
 
claude et maude said:
It’s the asterisk one on the sheet, i.e. no dinette but L shaped lounge, we have same on our B644 so they swap sections left to right and vise versa so get everything to fit between rear bed and lounge area.
Click to expand...
Yes but the asterisk one on the sheet shows the kitchen on the right side of the van whereas the one I’m looking at in the picture has the kitchen BEHIND the seating.

On another note, and I know it’s all just preference but do you find the rear bed on your 644 big enough for two. I can’t decide whether the rear fixed bed on a 644 is better or worse, smaller or bigger than the French bed on the 654. I think the 644 bed is meant to be 1.35m and the French bed I don’t know, plus the French bed has a bit of a cut away. I know I’m sounding very picky but a bed is important. I knew a couple who toured for 8 months of the year and just used the drop down in a 544. Hmmm.

Alex
 
Hymerbell said:
Yes but the asterisk one on the sheet shows the kitchen on the right side of the van whereas the one I’m looking at in the picture has the kitchen BEHIND the seating.

On another note, and I know it’s all just preference but do you find the rear bed on your 644 big enough for two. I can’t decide whether the rear fixed bed on a 644 is better or worse, smaller or bigger than the French bed on the 654. I think the 644 bed is meant to be 1.35m and the French bed I don’t know, plus the French bed has a bit of a cut away. I know I’m sounding very picky but a bed is important. I knew a couple who toured for 8 months of the year and just used the drop down in a 544. Hmmm.

Alex
Click to expand...

The dinette version has kitchen on the right but in L shaped form it will be on the opposite side (at least it is on our B644 with lounge.

Ours is a 2007 but looks pretty similar. The rear bed is smaller than the drop down but we were fine in it albeit a little tight and the person nearest the wall, invariably me, would have to make like an Olympic high jumper to get to the toilet in the middle of the night. As it’s generally just the two of us in the Hymer we often take a bed each....then it is masses of room. When we have the kids/grandkids we make do but it’s never been uncomfortable for us (I’m 5’11” and better half 5’4” and average build...although I like to think of my physique as Olympian)
 
If it helps this is our B644 with the kitchen on the same side as the one in your photo....

2B77FC2F-E074-42B5-9C42-620CFE8A69C9.jpeg

717C4876-78E0-4ACB-B798-BA1D3361FC66.jpeg

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