Quality of Hymers 2007-9 (1 Viewer)

[paddymcc]

I've seen some mention on fora (sorry, not just Fun,) about a decline in quality of Hymers built 2007-9. I have heard about the headlamps failing and iffy drop down bed. Anything else? Was damp an issue? The ones I have seen from this date seem fine to me but I'm new to the land of big motorhomes and wouldn't know what I am looking for! I'm particularly interested in A class.

 

[tonyidle]

I have a 2005. When I was looking I didn't want a newer one because later versions appear use much less real wood in the furniture and I prefer its appearance. I find it hard to believe body construction on late versions is not at least as good as mine. For a few years now they have used no wood within the body shell.

 

[Lenny HB]

My last van was a 2008 Tramp had it for 6 years quality very good apart from the Hartal door. Steer clear of Champagne Gold colour ones 2007/2008 problems with corrosion on the door. Even though my van was out of warranty when I found the problem Hymer replaced the door. There was a problem with left hand headlamps shattering but if they haven't gone by now should be OK. Hymer's rarely suffer from damp and as they are constructed with the PUAL system it won't cause any major problems anyway.

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[canopus]

Ive read somewhere that when Erwin Hymer relinquished control of the company, the build quality suffered. Consequently, Hymer lost some of their previous market share. I believe the Hymer board subsequently recognised their shortcomings and and decided to buck their ideas up to get their brand back on top - cant find the story though.

 

[DavidG58]

My last van was a 2008 Tramp had it for 6 years quality very good apart from the Hartal door. Steer clear of Champagne Gold colour ones 2007/2008 problems with corrosion on the door. Even though my van was out of warranty when I found the problem Hymer replaced the door. There was a problem with left hand headlamps shattering but if they haven't gone by now should be OK. Hymer's rarely suffer from damp and as they are constructed with the PUAL system it won't cause any major problems anyway.

??

are you saying the gold ones corrode??

just when I was thinking nothing else could go wrong although the mirrors are already really badly corroded

ours is an 07 build, very first of the 'bad' ones maybe, but Hymer cant really be blamed for component issues I guess

build seems good, but not had an older one to compare to

but all gas struts on cupboards are useless, been regassed need doing again

what Hymer do seem to do is allow suppliers to keep changing the spec of the components, either that or mine really was built totally with one offs nobody ever seems to have the same controllers, lights, chargers, taps, Alde etc as me

 

[Xabia]

My B544SL was built late 2006, registered 2007, it replaced a 2001 B584 and I have to say that I haven't had any problems whatever with build quality. I do wonder if the 'SL' designation means an increase in internal quality. Have just been given a part exchange quote which is £11,000 less than I paid in 2007, the company quoting that figure were at pains to confirm that it was an 'SL'. Certainly much better than when changing high end Mercs, BMW and Jaguar.

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[Lenny HB]

??

are you saying the gold ones corrode??

Yes the door & on the body around the door frame, probably worse in my case as I live 200yds from the sea.

or mine really was built totally with one offs nobody ever seems to have the same controllers, lights, chargers, taps, Alde etc as me

Never hear of anyone with a Hymer with as many problems as you. It does seem to be a very strange built even has a door on the passenger side very rare but I think it was an option a for a year or two.

Hymer do tend to have early production runs then change the spec. The new Dynamic Line is an example, the ones built in 2016 up until September had timber internal wall boards where as current production ones have aluminium internal walls, all the info on them says they have alloy internal walls. All the ones we saw in German dealers had timber even the ones at Bad waldsee.

I do wonder if in it's previous life your van had been left sitting around not being used for long periods, worse thing you can do to a van is not use it they deteriorate much quicker than when being used regularly.

 

[DavidG58]

Yes & on the body around the door frame, probably worse in my case as I live 200yds from the sea.
View attachment 146223



Never hear of anyone with a Hymer with as many problems as you. I do wonder if in it's previous life your van had been left sitting around not being used for long periods, worse thing you can do to a van is not use it they deteriorate much quicker than when being used regularly.

your doors look only half as bad as my mirror arms, are yours OK?

as for problems on mine, I possibly moan about things more than some , I think when people spend the kind of money these cost they either keep quiet about issues out of embarrassment or shout about them, I am in the shouting camp

your logic of being stood could just be spot on for mine

Built 07 on an 06 Mercedes chassis, arrived Hymer North West late 07, bring recession, no market for £130K MH

stood there as a demonstrator for 2 years, I guess things maybe nicked, borrowed, twiddled and generally abused for 2 years

bought late 09, by first owner, we the bought it off him Feb 13, he hadn't even bothered MOTing it in November when due, it had done 2100 miles in 31/2 years

It isn't a bad old bus, still ticks plenty of boxes and looks half decent, feel a little bad moaning really

 

[Lenny HB]

My B544SL was built late 2006, registered 2007, it replaced a 2001 B584 and I have to say that I haven't had any problems whatever with build quality. I do wonder if the 'SL' designation means an increase in internal quality. Have just been given a part exchange quote which is £11,000 less than I paid in 2007, the company quoting that figure were at pains to confirm that it was an 'SL'. Certainly much better than when changing high end Mercs, BMW and Jaguar.

Our Tramp was an SL and the internals were a far higher spec than the CL's not so any more the CL appears to have gone up a bit but the SL come down, the only differance between the SL & CL is the double floor. The only true SL still made are two layouts on the B Class Tag Axle.

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[Lenny HB]

your doors look only half as bad as my mirror arms, are yours OK?[/QOUTE]
That was my old van a Low profile Tramp.

as for problems on mine, I possibly moan about things more than some , I think when people spend the kind of money these cost they either keep quiet about issues out of embarrassment

I am convinced a lot of that goes on.

your logic of being stood could just be spot on for mine

Built 07 on an 06 Mercedes chassis, arrived Hymer North West late 07, bring recession, no market for £130K MH

stood there as a demonstrator for 2 years, I guess things maybe nicked, borrowed, twiddled and generally abused for 2 years

bought late 09, by first owner, we the bought it off him Feb 13, he hadn't even bothered MOTing it in November when due, it had done 2100 miles in 31/2 years

It isn't a bad old bus, still ticks plenty of boxes and looks half decent, feel a little bad moaning really

Sounds like the route of your problems, if I was looking at a van with that history I would walk away, I'd rather buy one with a few miles on the clock providing it had been looked after

 

[Lenny HB]

Sorry about the formating in the above post forum is playing up & not saving changes in Edit.

 

[Khizzie]

??

are you saying the gold ones corrode??

just when I was thinking nothing else could go wrong although the mirrors are already really badly corroded

ours is an 07 build, very first of the 'bad' ones maybe, but Hymer cant really be blamed for component issues I guess

build seems good, but not had an older one to compare to

but all gas struts on cupboards are useless, been regassed need doing again

what Hymer do seem to do is allow suppliers to keep changing the spec of the components, either that or mine really was built totally with one offs nobody ever seems to have the same controllers, lights, chargers, taps, Alde etc as me

What !!! This is a HYMER you're slagging off unbelievable. Go and wash your mouth out with aqua vit. Lol..

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[Larrynwin]

Well our Hymer is spot on , not even a loose screw in it.............

 

[DavidG58]

Sorry about the formating in the above post forum is playing up & not saving changes in Edit.

got the gist

we do now have a well used and maintained (with loads of bills)

26,000 mile MH, just need a bit of paintwork tidying up on mirrors then almost perfect for an 8 year old

until the next thing

 

[paddymcc]

Thanks all really helpful. I had wondered if it was the change to the new shape in 2007 that was relevant but @Xabia response suggests not.
Paddy

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[Detnor]

We have a 2009 Hymer B504CL on a 3L manual Fiat which I purchased from new from Brownhills Preston, built end of 2008, so right in the middle of your time window.
The main issue to date was the nearside headlight issue, it shattered when the van was out of warranty, but fixed foc within a week by Travelworld. Hymer wanted the batch number off the rear of the unit, this has always made me suspect the Hella unit. I think if I was buying a Hymer from this time, I'd want confirmation the headlight had been changed.
The small panel that the bathroom tap is fitted to has discoloured, looks like UV burn, all of the rest of the panels are fine.
One of the bus mirror arms is looking a bit blistered but other than that there is no rust or damp. I had to strip down the electric step as the quadrant seized, but that was after 6 years and I've just changed the rubber windscreen washer hoses as they had gone brittle, bit of a fiddle but nothing major.
So all in all I'd have to say I've found it to be far better than any of my previous vans, both mechanically and the Hymer build. Just going through the pain of looking at replacing it as I want an automatic, the Hymer is in far better condition than my left knee!

 

[Khizzie]

Well our Hymer is spot on , not even a loose screw in it.............

Really ??? Lol

 

[paddymcc]

We have a 2009 Hymer B504CL on a 3L manual Fiat which I purchased from new from Brownhills Preston, built end of 2008, so right in the middle of your time window.
The main issue to date was the nearside headlight issue, it shattered when the van was out of warranty, but fixed foc within a week by Travelworld. Hymer wanted the batch number off the rear of the unit, this has always made me suspect the Hella unit. I think if I was buying a Hymer from this time, I'd want confirmation the headlight had been changed.
The small panel that the bathroom tap is fitted to has discoloured, looks like UV burn, all of the rest of the panels are fine.
One of the bus mirror arms is looking a bit blistered but other than that there is no rust or damp. I had to strip down the electric step as the quadrant seized, but that was after 6 years and I've just changed the rubber windscreen washer hoses as they had gone brittle, bit of a fiddle but nothing major.
So all in all I'd have to say I've found it to be far better than any of my previous vans, both mechanically and the Hymer build. Just going through the pain of looking at replacing it as I want an automatic, the Hymer is in far better condition than my left knee!

I looked at a B504 reg 2008 at Spinney the other day and realised I wasn't sure what to look for re problems. Didnt try turning on the lights but I presume they would only sell it with working headlights.... It is a 3L too -I noted that it was plated at 3500. Is yours? What payload do you get. Can it be up-plated?
Paddy

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[Lenny HB]

I only have figures for 2013 but will probably be similar, B504 MIRO is 2900kg by the time you have added extras probably come in at 3100kg-3150kg so just about runnable at 3500kg can be upgraded to 3700kg.

 

[Detnor]

I looked at a B504 reg 2008 at Spinney the other day and realised I wasn't sure what to look for re problems. Didnt try turning on the lights but I presume they would only sell it with working headlights.... It is a 3L too -I noted that it was plated at 3500. Is yours? What payload do you get. Can it be up-plated?
Paddy

Fully loaded for 2 of us with bikes, gear for 2 months, 2 batteries, awning, solar panel etc. we have about 100kilos free, I actually took the van onto a weighbridge and got the certificates when we heading to Portsmouth. It can be uprated to 3700kg, although we have never done it. The problem I found with the 3L is that the engine weight makes it 'nose down'. I had uprated Goldschmitt front springs put in and I received a new weight plate via Travelworld, I've not done it but puts the max from 3500 to 3850. These springs made a huge difference! The lights you cannot tell, there is no logic it seems, the nearside on rhd or offside on lhd, for some reason, some just explode. I'm not that far from you if you want a check up on the 504, (stored near J3 M42) what we have found etc. there are a few layout variations, mine is 2009 rhd, you are welcome to check it out before I trade it in.

 

[paddymcc]

Thanks @Detnor and @Lenny HB
Detnor- I'll contact you directly if that's ok. Thanks for the offer.

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[Theonlysue]

my headlight went on a Dec 2014 merc hymer. Changed free by hymer in Germany.
He said it stresses opposite the washer part and the manufacturers were taking full responsibility.
Held together with sellotape lol

 

[Lenny HB]

View attachment 146317 my headlight went on a Dec 2014 merc hymer. Changed free by hymer in Germany.
He said it stresses opposite the washer part and the manufacturers were taking full responsibility.
Held together with sellotape lol

Odd, I thought they got over the problem years ago, normally only 2007-2009 models affected. Defiantly a manufacturing fault always left hand one never heard of a right hand one going.
I'm pleased they have changed to pollycarbonate on the Dynamic Line.

 

[BusyBuilder]

We have 552CL Tramp on Ford Transit chassis registered 2009, (built 2008).

It is 8 years old now, but problems are with fiddly things like a leaking tap, (O rings), faulty Shaudt display unit, replaced at about 60 euros from Shaudt, fridge needed new gas valve, that's it really.

We have replaced Ford stereo, for Kenwood DAB unit, installed LED lights, new Solar panel and all three batteries as they were fitted from new (2008), LPG gas bottle. Only thing I don't like is the drivers seat is a bit too high as I'm 6'5" tall, but we live with it.

We think this van is really well put together, ( I fit kitchens and bathrooms for a living) all units are ply with nice finish, few squeaks when moving but nothing serious or annoying. It has covered about 32,000 miles and took us to Italy last year and off to Brittany this year.

I would heartily recommend Hymers on my experience, it is a lovely warm van and if all Hymers are like this if we everbuy again it will be a Hymer, probably 588.

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[paddymcc]

@BusyBuilder
Thanks for the feedback. The build quality of ones I have looked at have seemed good-reassuring to have it confirmed.