# Hymer Owners? have I made a good choice?



## CasaMia (May 28, 2011)

Just wondered how many others out there own a Hymer? We have just put a deposit down on a Hymer B584, it seems to have almost everything we were looking for in a vehicle and will be our very first Motor home so we are hoping we have made a good all round choice & can't wait for our first trip!! so any advice, tips, funny stories, would love to hear them & we need all the help we can get


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## Deleted member 2636 (May 28, 2011)

There you go - Hymer Owners Club, you should be able to get some tips off there
Have fun with your van


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## sasquatch (May 28, 2011)

I moved from home built via 3 Vee Dubs and now on my second Hymer. Not as fully equipped as the UK 'Mobile cottages' but has everything you want, They are also amenable for any mods you wish to add.


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## lebesset (May 28, 2011)

well , there are 584's and then there are 584's , different chassis and different engines , depends what year to an extent

we have a 2001 classic on the fiat chassis [ alko too low for us ] 2.8idTD engine and never expect to change it as it is perfect for 2 

make sure the cam belt is up to date [ 5 years or 50K which ever comes soonest ] and the gearboxes don't stand abuse so if it isn't quiet and smooth be warned !!! 

other than those things the vehicle is pretty bomb proof


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## CasaMia (May 29, 2011)

lebesset said:


> well , there are 584's and then there are 584's , different chassis and different engines , depends what year to an extent
> 
> we have a 2001 classic on the fiat chassis [ alko too low for us ] 2.8idTD engine and never expect to change it as it is perfect for 2
> 
> ...



Ours is 2001 with minibar? & permanent table, may have to adapt that to drop down, not sure yet & need to fit tv/sat system. Fiat RH drive 2.8 td as yours, my hubby had a test drive round Marine Drive in Scarborough so quite a bumpy road lol, I sat in the back listening for creaks & groans :raofl:. He said it drove & cornered very well, we are both used to driving Transit vans etc & he said it felt like driving those. It had a new cam belt last September & it's done just over 31,000 miles, been serviced & habitation checks etc.
As you say it's very utilitarian but comfy so I decided that with 2 jack russells I don't want to be forever cross with them for jumping on plush seats etc in an expensive newer van. It has nice big shower/loo, I like kitchen at back near the door and it seems well set up for 2 people & looks like we could get away with parking it almost anywhere. Have u used yours in cold weather etc?


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## kimbowbill (May 29, 2011)

you could start a new trend, wave at other MH's, I dont know any Hymer drivers that wave, they usually are quite ignorant,  don't know if anyone else has the same view


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## lebesset (May 29, 2011)

well we are generally away at least 6 months each year , all winter but we go south so we don't get any really cold weather , nothing below -10C at which it is fine

we use the table too much to consider amending it to drop down , especially as it would involve losing the slide out

and we regard waving to other motorhomes as an increased distraction which could cause an accident , smacks too much of exclusivity to us anyway 

but as there were 2 engines [ JTD and idTD ] and 2 chassis [ fiat and alko ] yours isn't automatically the same as ours 

and you got it cheap ? unusual for a 584 hymer


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## novice1968 (May 29, 2011)

*b584*

mine is a lhd 2002 model been to the alps totemp of -20c and with no problems with heating and any water freezing whenever i look under some other motor home I never ceased to remind myself how lucky I was to choose the 584 as my 1st mh Very impressed to the build quality. JUst the right size to go/park anywhere (almost) The drop down double bed is more comfortable than the one at home.
I have not come across another 584 owner who express adverse comment to this model


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## lebesset (May 29, 2011)

that's why they generally hold their price !!!
I was a bit concerned about having a fiat engine but it is the best I have ever had ...bombproof


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## Tigatigatiger (May 30, 2011)

kimbowbill said:


> you could start a new trend, wave at other MH's, I dont know any Hymer drivers that wave, they usually are quite ignorant,  don't know if anyone else has the same view



I wave! ( i have hymer-be it a coach built one)


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## kimbowbill (May 30, 2011)

Tigatigatiger said:


> I wave! ( i have hymer-be it a coach built one)


 
you must be the only only one, :banana: perhaps that was you then in scotland last year, I got fed up of waving at them, i stopped doing it, then, one waved, and I didn't, lol, 

keep on waving tigatigatiger

Jen


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## Leltel (May 30, 2011)

I wave, even when no one waves back! We have a Hymer Exsis-i 522 that we love. Have a few niggles that we are sorting out or trying too, but overall it is much better than our last van. It has a fixed rear bed, but is still only 20ft (had to fit on drive). Ours is on the ford chasis, picks up well, nice and quiet and cruise control a must for those longer journeys. 
We have only had him 7weeks, but have not yet had a weekend at home.


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## Olliekuma (Aug 14, 2011)

*New Old Hymer*

Just read your message re the acquisition of a Hymer. Like you we have just bought a Hymer a 544.
We only bought it for the bed as we got fed up in making a bed every night in our Renault Trafic. My wife fell in love with the bed and the space. So if she's happy so am I. We managed to buy a right hand drive 1991 with a Fiat Ducato 2.5 Turbo. 63000 miles on the clock. Full history and replaced cam belt. She runs as sweet as a nut, but is the Hymer quirky? I love it and we are looking to spend many miles in her. She's even got a removable steering wheel which creates even more space.
Just spent this morning Waxoyling the underside which should sort her out for a few more years.
We live down here in the South so we will wave to you, just honk three times.
Have fun and good luck.
Tony


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## Mothman (Aug 15, 2011)

Hymer owner here:welcome: & i wave like a mad crazy waving fool:wave::wave:
Fiat Hymer Swing revamped by me, we love it:have fun:

Barrington B,


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## Ian03/54 (Aug 15, 2011)

*Great choice*



CasaMia said:


> Just wondered how many others out there own a Hymer? We have just put a deposit down on a Hymer B584, it seems to have almost everything we were looking for in a vehicle and will be our very first Motor home so we are hoping we have made a good all round choice & can't wait for our first trip!! so any advice, tips, funny stories, would love to hear them & we need all the help we can get


 

Hi CasaMia,
Congratulations on making a great choice in buying a Hymer B584 which is a super MH with a fantastic layout. Is it just for the two of you? We had a “Bar Version” as our first Hymer but changed to a twin settee layout as we both like to laze with our feet up. I hope you enjoy the lifestyle and get plenty of use from your Hymer, you will find that the insulation is perfectly able to keep you toasty even in the worst of temperatures, many Hymers are used for skiing holiday accommodation so they must be up to the task, no winter lay-up unless you chose to. I believe out Starline 640 shares the same bathroom design with your 584 and we think this is absolutely the very best bathroom available on any MH around this size, far better than any of those swing wall designs.

BTW ignore the silly wind-up about Hymer owners not waving. I feel this is someone’s idea of a provocative joke as our experience is that it is British coachbuilt MHs,and in particular high roof vans, that wave the least when we wave at them. If people drive around in something that looks as though it isn’t a MH then they really shouldn’t be surprised when other MH owners don’t recognise them! One small piece of advice is to always check both seats for wavers as many are LHD and might not be spotted until after you have passed!

Read any magazine article and you will see that an “A class” motorhome is thought by most as being very aspirational but many times people make silly, envious, comments like “How would that monster get down English roads”, “Why would anyone want to drive what looks like a coach”, “Must be so cold with all that glass” and the classic “How much is that windscreen, must be enough to bankrupt you”, well I don’t know about them but I pay a premium so my screen is insured! “All that wasted space where the dashboard is, you're seated three feet back from the front so this must be wasted" Fact is this length would be bonnet on a coachbuilt and, to us, that is wasted length. Size wise we are about 6.5mtr so hardly massive but because it doesn’t use a standard cab people seem to think is it more difficult whereas I find that due to it being the same width front to back rather than getting wider behind the cab doors I can place it better on the roads. The A class is also so sociable because the cab seats are great with no limit on space, width or headroom. The fact is that every bit of length is usable.


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## tugga (Aug 16, 2011)

We have a B544 as our first motorhome.  We bought it last November and went away in both lots of snow in December and January.  The insulation is amazing, we were toasty at 25 degrees inside whilst it was -8 degrees outside.  My OH has a bad back so swivelling the front seats round and setting them to his personal slant means he can put his feet up on the long bench and we can watch the TV very comfortably.  We have entertained 4 other people in ours for an evening and there is plenty of room.  We did take the centre table out though as it made it difficult to get to the under seat lockers so we tend to eat outside or off our laps if inside.

Our "Helga" is 6.5m long too and we tow a smart car on a trailer should we feel we need to travel about whilst onsite.  We haven't tried wild camping yet, but would like to give it a go.

We are so very pleased with our purchase, I hope you will be with yours CasaMia.

Cheryl

P.S.  We always wave, but very few motorhomes wave back


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## Andy Rolfe (Nov 6, 2011)

*How's the Exsis going?*



Leltel said:


> I wave, even when no one waves back! We have a Hymer Exsis-i 522 that we love. Have a few niggles that we are sorting out or trying too, but overall it is much better than our last van. It has a fixed rear bed, but is still only 20ft (had to fit on drive). Ours is on the ford chasis, picks up well, nice and quiet and cruise control a must for those longer journeys.
> We have only had him 7weeks, but have not yet had a weekend at home.



We are looking at purchasing something very similar - need to upgrade before Boris Johnsons ban on our 1989 A class comes into effect in January. Did you get the 4 berth version with the extra pull down bed? Should we watch out for any of the niggles you've had? 

Cheers

Andy & Lisa


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## kimbowbill (Nov 6, 2011)

So your on your second Hymer? that ses it all

its not only me says that Hymer drivers dont wave, at our farnodn meet, this subject was brought up and about 30 peeps sed the same, they are all ignorant and that prooves it with your comment about mine being scruffy, so what if it is, you should still wave ner ner :rolleyes2:


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## vindiboy (Nov 7, 2011)

kimbowbill said:


> you could start a new trend, wave at other MH's, I dont know any Hymer drivers that wave, they usually are quite ignorant,  don't know if anyone else has the same view


  I have an HYMER and I / we wave at everyone, so now you know of at least one Hymer owner who waves, How does NOT waving make one ignorant I wonder?


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## vindiboy (Nov 7, 2011)

My Hymer is a B694 Tag Axle, 2-8 JTD, we have done 74000 miles in it 2003 reg. I have had a new clutch, radiator ,brake pads ,tyres and front section of the exhaust, I have just had the Cam Belt renewed , [second cam belt since we have had the van ] It is on a FIAT Chassis, I have it serviced  by S n J at Poole every year and it has passed every MOT every time on the first  go. It is an extremely good vehicle and apart from the above things needing doing, normal running items,it has been no trouble. We spend a lot of time  touring in  it , Norway ,Sweden. Italy, Greece, Spain ,Portugal Germany, France and of course England, we have been up and down some very steep Mountain Passes in it and been snug and comfortable in sub zero temperatures, Hymers are well insulated and good in the cold, so yes you have made a good choice in buying an Hymer, mine is currently for sale on PRELOVED  as we have decided to get a smaller van  as our Grandchildren don't come with us  now , I will be buying a smaller HYMER.


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## Ethngeoff (Nov 7, 2011)

kimbowbill said:


> you could start a new trend, wave at other MH's, I dont know any Hymer drivers that wave, they usually are quite ignorant,  don't know if anyone else has the same view



You're not doing it right, you're supposed to give the Hymer driver the opportunity to wave first, then you return the compliment. They can become quite upset if you dive in and don't observe the protocol.
Geoff.


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## Hymerkar (Nov 7, 2011)

We've had three Hymers, and other vans in between,and always put a hand up to acknowledge our fellow motorhoming friends whatever they drive, when i had my Commer Highwayman many years ago it was just the same, Hymer owners would raise a hand as we passed, to be friendly, as did other motorhome owners because we have a common interest. Unfortunately we dont always see every motorhome we pass,as we have more important things to look out for when driving a left hand drive vehicle in the UK.


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## kimbowbill (Nov 9, 2011)

pfft, some people, takes things so serious, have a word with yourself


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## colpot (Nov 15, 2011)

kimbowbill said:


> you could start a new trend, wave at other MH's, I dont know any Hymer drivers that wave, they usually are quite ignorant,  don't know if anyone else has the same view



We wave (unless we are on the Motorway) and always have done (and object to being called ignorant!)


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## kimbowbill (Nov 16, 2011)

colpot said:


> We wave (unless we are on the Motorway) and always have done (and object to being called ignorant!)



yeah hay we have a waver:wave:, as for the ignorant thingy, this is my opinion due to experience of Hymer owners, i'm sorry if you are offended by this but i can assure you its not personal as i really dont know you, 

Jen xx


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## CasaMia (May 5, 2012)

:wave::wave::wave::wave::wave:
We love waving at everybody, in fact I get confused & :wave: at vans & horseboxes too sometimes before I realise they're not motor homes. Well I have found out there are loadsa Hymer owners on here thanks for all the replies they were a great help & that apparently Hymer owners are thought to be a bit Snobby  And you are all correct our Hymer rocks :dance:


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## Makzine (May 5, 2012)

All Hymers rock if you get in the swing of things:shag:.....................I'll get my coat 




OH and yes we wave:wave:


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