GRP Roof as an option

[Andymrh]

Just putting together the spec for a new Hymer. Is it worth including a GRP roof? Thanks

 

[cyberyacht]

If you get one of these 'freak' hailstorms, which seem more common as the planet warms, you may be thankful for a bit of protection from asteroid bombardment.

 

[Jezter]

Not sure what the new GRP ones are like but as someone with a 32 year old Hymer with a single piece roof I still don't have to worry about leaks...

 

[Andymrh]

Thanks for your feedback

 

[Andymrh]

If you get one of these 'freak' hailstorms, which seem more common as the planet warms, you may be thankful for a bit of protection from asteroid bombardment.

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[Roger20]

Just putting together the spec for a new Hymer. Is it worth including a GRP roof? Thanks

We included the GRP option when we specced ours - in Germany I don't think you can get insurance without. You could argue that we don't get the same sort of regular hailstorms that they do in mainland Europe and that if there was damage insurance in the UK would cover the damage. My take is that I would much prefer not to make any vehicle insurance claims unless the sum involved was very significant and the GRP cover might help avoid this.

My only reservation now is that the sheet only covers the flat part of the roof so if the curved part where it joins the vertical is aluminium as well, hail damage could still occur on this area. There is also the extra weight which impacted payload.

Would I tick this box again? Possibly not.

 

[Ditcha]

This has a GRP roof but didn't save it.

Edit: forgot to say the roof was fine

 

[Lenny HB]

Our current Hymer has a GRP roof as standard it's not a roof as such just a sheet of 2mm GRP stuck on the flat part of the roof.

Our last Hymer was a Exis I 678 the GRP roof was an option we had it. It added 30 kg to the weight and €650 to the cost.
Not impressed with it, 4 or 5 sheets of 2mm GRP stuck on with 5mm gaps between them with sealant in the gaps that goes manky.

I think the better option would be to have it without then if you get hail damage retrofit it yourself.

 

[Ditcha]

No choice on a Malibu/ Carthago GRP sandwich it is.

 

[Mrjenben]

I think the better option would be to have it without then if you get hail damage retrofit it yourself.

Exactly the advice given to us by our supplying dealer (Campirama). Maybe because it was easier for him, but it seemed to make sense to not bother. If it ever gets damaged in future it’s easy enough to have it retrofitted and the cost of it would then be covered by the insurance.

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[Guigsy]

Our Geist has GRP on the roof and back wall. They advertise it as hail resistant. Don't know if it's a cheaper variety as it's got a slight texture. The sides are alu sheet. Very smooth... And in the right light you can see every supporting strut and beam through the ripples in the skin. It looks paper thin.

 

[CazPaul]

Our Geist has GRP on the roof and back wall. They advertise it as hail resistant. Don't know if it's a cheaper variety as it's got a slight texture. The sides are alu sheet. Very smooth... And in the right light you can see every supporting strut and beam through the ripples in the skin. It looks paper thin.

Our 2005 Hymer was the same, you could see the supporting structure down the sides.

 

[Lenny HB]

Exactly the advice given to us by our supplying dealer (Campirama). Maybe because it was easier for him,

Emmanuel will do anything to keep the price down to make sure he gets the sale.

 

[Barryh]

At Lake Garda a few years ago. After a massive thunder and hailstorm the brand new Hymer next to us had a roof that looked the surface of the moon. Our Autotrail had the cab overhead cracked but obviously that’s to be expected .

 

[Lenny HB]

Our 2005 Hymer was the same, you could see the supporting structure down the sides.

There aren't any supporting structures in a Hymer body. They use a high density foam in the bonded sandwich no supporting timbers at all.
There are some blocks put in where the furniture is fixed that is probably what you could see.

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[CazPaul]

There aren't any supporting structures in a Hymer body. They use a high density foam in the bonded sandwich no supporting timbers at all.
There are some blocks put in where the furniture is fixed that is probably what you could see.

The 2004 S820 you couldn’t see anything it was much more robust.

 

[Larrynwin]

Mine has a grp roof the benefit of which has not been evident other than it does not appear to flex when up there cleaning.

 

[ontheroadagain]

Our Adria has polyester sides and roof. I assume polyester would be less likely to be damaged by hail?

 

[Lenny HB]

The 2004 S820 you couldn’t see anything it was much more robust.

The early PUAL construction had some steel framing but from the about the 80's no framing or supports.

 

[Lenny HB]

Our Adria has polyester sides and roof. I assume polyester would be less likely to be damaged by hail?

Polyester just another name for GRP.

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[olley]

Our Winnie has a one piece GRP roof from the back to the front moulding, it's 18 years old without any problems.

 

[Larrynwin]

I delivered a new Four Winds RV from Chicago to Las Vegas and when near Oklahoma City had the fun of a storm and incredible hailstones which seriously dented the bonnet, as for the roof I didn’t look , just handed it over and scarpered.
There are no doubt benefits of a glass fibre extra layer on roof.

 

[Andymrh]

We included the GRP option when we specced ours - in Germany I don't think you can get insurance without. You could argue that we don't get the same sort of regular hailstorms that they do in mainland Europe and that if there was damage insurance in the UK would cover the damage. My take is that I would much prefer not to make any vehicle insurance claims unless the sum involved was very significant and the GRP cover might help avoid this.

My only reservation now is that the sheet only covers the flat part of the roof so if the curved part where it joins the vertical is aluminium as well, hail damage could still occur on this area. There is also the extra weight which impacted payload.

Would I tick this box again? Possibly not.

Thanks Roger, all taken on board. Much appreciated

 

[Andymrh]

I delivered a new Four Winds RV from Chicago to Las Vegas and when near Oklahoma City had the fun of a storm and incredible hailstones which seriously dented the bonnet, as for the roof I didn’t look , just handed it over and scarpered.
There are no doubt benefits of a glass fibre extra layer on roof.

Thanks Larry

 

[Andymrh]

This has a GRP roof but didn't save it.

Edit: forgot to say the roof was fine

View attachment 682284
View attachment 682285View attachment 682286

Wow, seen less damage on a Ukrainian APC

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[Westbarn1]

Had the GRP extra roof covering on our last Hymer and also specified it on our recently collected Hymer, yes it does add some weight, but as its over 3500 kilo, its not really as issue for us.

 

[peterc10]

When we bought our Hymer in 2015 the GRP roof was standard for all their A classes except the Exsis and ML where it was an option.

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

We had significant hail damage to our Hymer a few years back and the only repair offered was a sort of Lino covering which we declined. An ex sailor friend said wait till summer they will all go. Explaining that when a battleship got peppered with shell dents they had a spell in the tropics and all the dents popped out. I said ”Oh yes? Pull the other one”. The following August, all the dents except one very large one, popped out and that one is now hardly visible. So if you get hail damage a summer trip to Marocco is the answer.