# A Hymer or a Burstner - which should we buy ?



## Annyalla (Sep 20, 2014)

We are buying our first new van and welcome some help from owners of hymers and burstners to make our final choice


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## Polar Bear (Sep 20, 2014)

Annyalla said:


> We are buying our first new van and welcome some help from owners of hymers and burstners to make our final choice



Rent one of each of your short list for a weekend.


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## Kontiki (Sep 20, 2014)

Is there a particular reason for just these 2 makes? Are you looking at new or used vans, Hymer used to have a good reputation for quality but like many others went through a period where their success seemed to cause quality to detiorate for a while. Layout, quality of finish, dealer reliability & importantly price you are paying. As a first time buyer you should expect to get a good deal, push the dealer for as much as you can get off then push more for some extras, getting extra years servicing/habitation is always something you can push for.

We have a Rapido & are pleased with it.


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## tiderus (Sep 20, 2014)

Having just sold my 18 month old Burstner Grand Panorama, to a top end dealer. I asked the same question. 

He said that although they are owned by the same parent company, the new Hymers have a big edge on the new Burstners. He inspected my vehicle with a tooth comb, and found delamination of the rear doors, Also foam insulation which supports the outer panels on the body had come away. Most wheels have white staring with the lacquer coming away. The seats although hardly used were stretching, leaving the leather slack. He said it looked well worn, although Iv'e only used it six times in the last year? And its total miles were 7500.


He concluded by saying they didn't have these faults with the new Hymers, and generally their build quality was far superior. As this wasn't the first Burstner Iv'e had, and have always regarded Burstners as the industry leaders. But after loosing 54K in the last 18 months, Iv'e changed my mind. As I am now awaiting a fifth wheeler, which seem to hold up a lot better. I have lost a lot of faith in M/Homes. So time will tell, and I can always go back if I can put up with a small unit again.

Hope this is of help, wished someone had put me right before.
Rgd's Graham.


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## maingate (Sep 20, 2014)

On my second Burstner and have had no real problems.

It would depend on how new your van will be. They are all getting more flimsy (and that includes Hymer).

Newer models are generally bigger than older models, they have bigger fridges and generally better equipped. This gives the manufacturer a problem as they are trying to keep them under 3500 Kg (otherwise they are classed as Private Heavy Goods Vehicles, which is more of a problem in Europe than the UK).


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## Teutone (Sep 20, 2014)

tiderus said:


> Having just sold my 18 month old Burstner Grand Panorama, to a top end dealer. I asked the same question.
> 
> He said that although they are owned by the same parent company, the new Hymers have a big edge on the new Burstners. He inspected my vehicle with a tooth comb, and found delamination of the rear doors, Also foam insulation which supports the outer panels on the body had come away. Most wheels have white staring with the lacquer coming away. The seats although hardly used were stretching, leaving the leather slack. He said it looked well worn, although Iv'e only used it six times in the last year? And its total miles were 7500.
> View attachment 24898
> ...



Jesus, 54k in 18 month!!!!
I bet the very same dealer will tell the same rubbish to somebody who wants to sell a Hymer to him.....

So it begs the question, will he tell all this terrible faults to a prospective buyer of your motorhome? Why did he buy it in the first place I ask myself?


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## fatsklattery (Sep 20, 2014)

Morris or Austin.  Vauxhall or Opel. 
Much of a muchness but I have a Bürstner and I love it.


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## Obanboy666 (Sep 20, 2014)

Teutone said:


> Jesus, 54k in 18 month!!!!
> I bet the very same dealer will tell the same rubbish to somebody who wants to sell a Hymer to him.....
> 
> So it begs the question, will he tell all this terrible faults to a prospective buyer of your motorhome? Why did he buy it in the first place I ask myself?



No different to when you part ex your car at a dealer.
He will tell you your car is worth way below market value, has numerous faults and will be difficult to sell on and the one you are buying is the best car ever made. He will then sell your car on describing it as the best thing since sliced bread to some unsuspecting buyer.
Its a big con and no different when buying a motorhome. 
When you google motorhome issues most if not all have problems regardless of make / cost. You pay your money and take your chance.


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## tiderus (Sep 21, 2014)

Hi all, The dealer in question was Edge hill, If you view his web page, there's an awful lot of nearly new Hymer's, and just a few Burstner's.
He said that you can get a new model for 102 K, instead of 120 K. Plus he buys in at trade price.
Considering that its second hand with faults, and falling like a stone. Also he cannot get it ready for the last show at Lincoln,
as it always takes his cleaners a fortnight to get it up to as new standard. So he may have it for some time.

As I found the van cramped inside, and wanting a change. I have no regrets about getting it sold.
We live in the real world, and of course a dealer will have to make a profit. 
If he does well out of it, good for him. 

I just bought a Nissan outlaw to tow the 5th wheel, and the best offer I had was with we buy any car? 
After a month they contacted me again with a revised offer. I found out that they were bought out by BCA at Measham.
As most of their sales were from Any Car, they could have damaged the company if they sent there business elsewhere.
I think the figure was in excess of 150 million. Their inspectors get a good percentage bonus if they knock you down on the quoted price.
And when business is short, we see the ad's back on TV. So they can turn the cars on to fill up.
Now why didn't we think of that one, as it was started only to see what would happen, and if it could work. 
Rgd's Graham.


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## phillybarbour (Sep 21, 2014)

Hi Annyalla. How two people can have a different experience, we have a Busrtner Grand Panarama and love it. It's our second Burstner, our other was a 2009 Elegance which again was great. Both had minor faults and all of them resolved completely by Emm Bee a great Burstner dealer. 

Are you looking new or used, I ask this as said by others Hymer did have a bad period, but from around 2012 onwards they have have really come back up trumps again (my bother has a Hymer). I feel both are good brands but the dealer is just as important as the brand so choose carefully. Both are part of the same group and both use many common components, with regard to the faults mentioned by others all vans are covered by a warranty in any case. 

In summary both these brands are good brands, find a good dealer and you should not go wrong with either. If you want any more info re Burstner experience just p.m. me.


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