RMB White Star or Hymer S740 (1 Viewer)

[oldieish]

As in the title of the thread really. I've a liking for older vans, they are more likely to be within my budget and have better quality interior fittings. I have viewed some early 2000s S-Class Hymers and they seem to be pretty good. The better ones were snapped-up very quickly. I have read about RMB motorhomes but not seen one. Generally the reports suggest they are the best. On mobile.de there are usually one or two good looking (in photographs) examples. I would appreciate some informed information about the relative merits of these two models if possible please.

 

[mitzimad]

@Snowbird

 

[CazPaul]

Both excellent choices, the S class early 2000's will be Merc 2.7, make sure it has a good service record.

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[Theonlysue]

@Snowbird your field of speciality

 

[Snowbird]

Many know my thoughts on the RMB as I have imported 2 models from Germany and also the only RMB matching car trailer ever built.
The original RMBs that were built before the company was sold were without doubt the best that money could buy, costing more than a couple of houses here in the UK.
Due to there construction methods, damp is unheard of, even in a 30 year old van, so that alone gives you some idea of how well they were built.
The downside is, due to the solid wood interior, double skinned walls, ie, fiberglass exterior and alloy interior walls and solid chrome and brass fittings, they are heavy, very heavy. Even the wiring on them is heavy duty. Couple this with old school Mercedes engines and you do not have to be in a hurry.
A few do occasionally pop up in Germany that are for sale, due to there owners demise or loss of grandfathers licence, but they are not as cheap as they used to be, due to competition from the old eastern European countries.
Anyone that has stepped into an RMB will know what I mean by "Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten."
If you can find one with the payout that suits you, you will never regret buying it, and regardless of what you spend on maintaining it, you will be safe in the knowledge that when you do decide to convert it back to cash, you will always get your money back. How many motorhomes can you do that with ?.

 

[funflair]

@oldieish I think you are spot on about the quality of these older vans, when you are talking about Hymer I think you could also consider N+B the flagship of the Hymer brand the Flair is a great quality vehicle but still light enough to be very useable at sub 7500kg the Clou and Clou liner are the next step up the ladder on truck chassis and ooze quality, once you are looking in Germany there are others as well of course, in most if not all cases they represent an awful lot of van for not a lot of money so it just comes down to personal choice.

Martin

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[Robin McHood]

As someone who bought an RMB on @Snowbird recommendation, I would go for the RMB if you can find one with the right layout. Took us 3years. They are heavy, ours has 6T plated weight but it is reasonably nimble, easy to drive, and with the rear wheel drive and twin rears we've never been stuck. Quality is far superior to anything else we have seen.

 

[Snowbird]

What you have to remember about the RMB is that no two are the same. The reason for this is that RMB only built bespoke motorhomes to customer order. Unlike other manufacturers they did not make motorhomes and then try to find someone to buy them. The potential customer went along to the factory and told them what they wanted and they were built to that order. I believe that money was not discussed until much later when all the options had been priced up. Once a customer had taken delivery of his motorhome, which was exactly the way he wanted it, he generally kept it until he either died or stopped travelling. There was just no need to swap it every few years for a newer model.
I run an early Hymer now, and although am pleased with it, there is just no comparison with the quality of build as there is in the RMB. The only thing that is better is its a bit faster and better on fuel consumption.
In the early 90s you could buy 2.5 Sclass Hymers built on the Merc 410 chassis for the price of one RMB Silver Star built on the same chassis. The Sclass Hymer was the flagship Hymer and even the 900S built on the 7.5 ton chassis was still cheaper than a RMB built on the 410.
My 1990 670 Silver Star had factory fitted 2kw pure sinewave inverter wired to all sockets, diesel heater as well as blown gas, seperate shower and toilet, heated tanks, Cramer no flame cookstove, solid brass fittings, double garage, LPG tank plus bottles, diff lock, solar panels, Oyster sat, cruise control, etc, etc.
Nothing was left to the customer to add, even if he wanted to.

 

[oldieish]

Are either of these the real thing, or later versions sharing the name?

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[Snowbird]

Are either of these the real thing, or later versions sharing the name?

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Frankias in disguise .

 

[oldieish]

I'll take that as good vans but not the real deal. One model hidden inside another's name, motorhome Babushka dolls.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

diesel heater as well as blown gas

.....cutting out the middleman for the Rolex and £2000 insurance claim then? I like your thinking

You might also look at an old school Le Voyageur as well. Rare but well built

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[Robin McHood]

I'll take that as good vans but not the real deal. One model hidden inside another's name, motorhome Babushka dolls.

Well our RMB is of this generation. When I talked to the ex RMB guys running Hertkorn & Kobel (https://hk-womo-service.de) in Bad Waldsee just down the road from where RMBs were built I was told that up to late 2006/7 these were still being hand built by RMB to their quality standards, and that is certainly our experience with Rolling Home which is a Bluestar. The quality is amazing. RH despite being 13 years old looks like she rolled out of the factory yesterday internally and externally, thats after over 120,000Km. On the lines of well built German vans old Varios also have great quality. Met a German couple in Plymouth two years ago who had driven theirs from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego and from Germany to Singapore, done over 300,000 km and the van was still in superb condition.

 

[Valleysboy]

Hi Oldieish, i would also consider the predecesser to RMB they are Arnolds and RM,s they are of the same quality just earlier models

 

[HELEN MAKEPEAC]

not sure I'm in right place ( new member here) I live in West Yorkshire and am selling our RMB Silver star...........Only so we can get another RMB- as the thread states, they are pure quality. we imported in from germany a few years ago- now to try and find the selling area

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[pappajohn]

not sure I'm in right place ( new member here) I live in West Yorkshire and am selling our RMB Silver star...........Only so we can get another RMB- as the thread states, they are pure quality. we imported in from germany a few years ago- now to try and find the selling area

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For subscribing members its free.

 

[HELEN MAKEPEAC]

thank you Papa John- not yet managed to find the selling area yet. Not got it advertised anywhere yet- except on the 30 member RMB facebook group. lols.

 

[pappajohn]

not yet managed to find the selling area

Not sure if you can access the classified ads as a none subscribed member.

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[Robin McHood]

thank you Papa John- not yet managed to find the selling area yet. Not got it advertised anywhere yet- except on the 30 member RMB facebook group. lols.

Sign up its worth the small annual fee and there are a lot more than 30 RMB fans here

 

[pigdogs]

There are a couple of older Merc RMBs on Mobile.de at the moment. Always really liked them, but as said they will be underpowered with those old Merc OM engines. I can see the queue behind me now