Hymer annual damp check is it worth it?

[MandP]

Is the Hymer water ingress warranty 5 or 6 years please?
Thank you

 

[bellabee]

We're happy to spend the 70 Euros, too just to keep up the warranty for the 6 years. Like Speve and @LennyHB, we have the aluminium skin, and having stayed with the dog in our van during the last damp check, I agree that it's something which you could easily do yourself. The check took all of 20 mins, including completion of paperwork. It consisted of checking round apertures - windows, door, locker doors, using a non-invasive damp meter.
We took our previous Hymer (purchased in Germany) to the UK main dealer for a damp check. It cost around £170, and they obviously used an invasive damp meter, as it came back with lots of small holes around the locker doors and the windows .
Never again.

 

[Lenny HB]

Is the Hymer water ingress warranty 5 or 6 years please?
Thank you

6 years.

 

[MandP]

Thank you Bellabee and Lenny HB

Kind regards

Pam

 

[Stewart J]

Forgot that ones it was Stewart's van. I think it had been assembled incorrectly.

Not just my van Lenny quite a few across the BDL range of the same 2016/2017 vintage Hymer would not do a recall relying on owners/dealers picking the fault up. Repair kits supplied with full instructions to dealers on request.

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[rick brind]

Unless it's for warranty don't worry about it. We've had two Hymers one 30 yrs old and our current one 19 yrs old neither ever had a damp problem their very construction means damp is highly unlikely unless you puncture the double skin and fail to seal it correctly eg badly fitted accessories.

 

[McLouis]

Just got a new van, not a Hymer, I get the Fiat bit done by a commercial vehicle garage. But as for the hab bit I have more faith in my own analysis. When I p/x the previous van I bought a moisture meter invasive type but if one is careful doesn't leave any marks. They tend to be far more reliable. I did find a high reading in one corner of the garage. Armed with a non invasive meter the sales director looking in the same area didn't even notice. What would be the point in getting them to check the van? Like many comments I don't intend on getting rid of it before I give up m/h ing.

 

[Richard P]

Our Hymer is due its first habitation service/damp check in July and I had a phone call from the dealer this week to say they wouldn't be able to offer the single day service due to Covid restrictions, we were asked to leave it with them for a week and they wouldn't be touching it for 72 hours to allow for possible infection within the 'van. Is this the way things are going...

 

[thebriars]

Personally I’m not to worried as I think these damp checks are a way of generating income for dealers as all they do is spray around any cable and pipe entries and inspect underside.

Some years ago I missed the first damp check on a new caravan by 5 days. I booked it in months before and the dealer assured me this would be OK as I had booked it in early. They did find damp, and Swift refused at first to cover a major repair to one side. In the end Swift agreed to pay most but I had to pay the rest and I lost the already paid for extended warranty. A couple of years later the damp had returned and was so bad it was a write-off. It was still within what would have been the extended warranty period.

Thankfully these days there is more leeway around the end of year, but either way I'd never touch another Swift.

If you had lost as much as I did financially you would think otherwise.

 

[thebriars]

Our Hymer is due its first habitation service/damp check in July and I had a phone call from the dealer this week to say they wouldn't be able to offer the single day service due to Covid restrictions, we were asked to leave it with them for a week and they wouldn't be touching it for 72 hours to allow for possible infection within the 'van. Is this the way things are going...

One dealer I used for caravan servicing always wanted it for a week, so nothing new there.

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[pandas]

I think it is a very reasonable suggestion but when you think that they no longer spray underside and the damp check can only be visual as we have aluminium skin inside, I can check that out myself and carry out a repair to seal it, whereas you are waiting for a damp check on a yearly basis, you could get a leak the day after your check and if you don’t do regular look around yourself it may be left a year before being found.
I have always been doing something on our van and always looking for anything out of the ordinary so pretty sure I would spot a leak very quickly and fix it.
so don’t feel the need to spend £170 on a damp check.

Isn’t there a point about the manufacturers 6 year damp warranty not being valid unless it has had the annual check? Not sure if it’s 5, 6 or 7 years. Our is also a visual check and they don’t need to do the under spraying. Within the first year the dealer found a water trail within one of the overhead cupboards- it was down to insufficient fastenings of the exterior canopy blind- not sure I would have picked that up. Anyhow refixed canopy under warranty no problem.

 

[Speve]

It’s a six year warranty and I know every nook and cranny of our van and after every long trip check them all out, I am happy with the Hymer construction and after two years it’s stayed dry,
If we develop a leak I’m confident that I will find it and be able to resolve it myself.
I know it’s a risk but am happy to take it everyone to their own, life is to short to worry about something that may not happen and have all the hassle of trying to get dealers to sort things out When it does I’ll sort it myself.

 

[bellabee]

Speve Good luck. It's all a matter of chance. You have good practical skills, which we sorely lack . For us, it makes sense to maintain the warranty, although we're very happy with the van and have no intention of changing it.

 

[pandas]

Speve Good luck. It's all a matter of chance. You have good practical skills, which we sorely lack . For us, it makes sense to maintain the warranty, although we're very happy with the van and have no intention of changing it.

Appropriate skill set or not I also have better things to do particularly when it could involve some substantial work. A friend of ours had to have a large part of their floor replaced through a water ingress issue that also meant stripping out the shower tray. All covered by warranty thankfully.

 

[BobtheBass]

When we had our last Carthago damp checked I asked the dealer how they did it bearing in mind the aluminium skin. "Oh it's just a visual check sir, and it's only a year old so there wont be any problems" I was reassured. So basically I paid £180 for a man to look at the almost new van and give me the benefit of his wisdom. Rip off I believe is the technical term.

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[Basildog]

When we had our last Carthago damp checked I asked the dealer how they did it bearing in mind the aluminium skin. "Oh it's just a visual check sir, and it's only a year old so there wont be any problems" I was reassured. So basically I paid £180 for a man to look at the almost new van and give me the benefit of his wisdom. Rip off I believe is the technical term.

When we had the HYMER pig they use a resident 3 year old and let him play with a can of underseal making pretty patterns

 

[bellabee]

I look upon it as being similar to paying for an insurance policy. We pay the 70 Euros p.a. premium for 5 years, and if we have damp problems within the first 6 years of the van's life, we should be covered for the necessary repairs. While I think that the risk of damp is probably quite low, if problems such as those encountered by Stewart J should occur, we will be grateful to be able to make our claim.

 

[Basildog]

I look upon it as being similar to paying for an insurance policy. We pay the 70 Euros p.a. premium for 5 years, and if we have damp problems within the first 6 years of the van's life, we should be covered for the necessary repairs. While I think that the risk of damp is probably quite low, if problems such as those encountered by Stewart J should occur, we will be grateful to be able to make our claim.

 

[two]

I think some manufacturers may provide a couple of months extra in view of Covid. They probably don't want to lose the revenue generated for their dealerships.
If you think you're likely to suffer water ingress, it may be worth keeping up with the checks, but make sure that the history record is complete or it will be a waste of money.
I don't bother. I keep mine in a workshop so it's unlikely to offer, anyway. When you come to sell a dealer might try to knock something off the value, just as for any dents or stuff, but if you sell after the warranty is over it won't make any difference. A buyer should get a check done if they're nervous about damp.

 

[Steve and Denise]

We kept the water ingress warranty up to help with a sale should we sell the van and the cost has just been reduced to £90 this year

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[NicandJay]

I may be wrong, but I think you've got 6 months' leeway from the anniversary date. ie, if you bought your van in June, and had the damp check done in June last year, you need to get it done by Dec this year, to stay in warranty. I'm sure Lenny HB will be along to confirm this, or otherwise.
I'd prefer to maintain the warranty, but it's a matter of chance, like an insurance policy.
If you intend to keep your van until it is 6 years old, when the warranty expires, I wouldn't think it would make any difference when coming to sell it.
We're hoping to be able to have ours done at Campirama in September. If you're off to the Continent, you could go there, it's very convenient from Calais (and much cheaper than having it done in the UK ).

Just reading this on Sunday morning... can I ask do Campirama do Burstner too and maybe more importantly... is English spoken as my French is as bad as my Serbo Croat... none whatsoever but I do fancy saving a few quid each year annual damp check time comes around...
Many thanks

 

[Rodneyplonker]

Eurocookie.
How do you like the TD680G? We collect ours next week. Have you had any issues or dislikes?
The Damp check on these is 10yrs, I believe. Have you had any quotes.

 

[NicandJay]

Eurocookie.
How do you like the TD680G? We collect ours next week. Have you had any issues or dislikes?
The Damp check on these is 10yrs, I believe. Have you had any quotes.

Hi Rodders... we like the 680g a lot ..... but we dont collect ours till 1st September from the south coast dealers. No quotes for damp check yet just wondered about getting it done on foreign shores as bound to be cheaper than Rip off Britain and we spend so much time abroad that it makes sense for us to try that. Let me know how your collection goes and you first impressions/ any snags you find. Much appreciated

 

[Swozer]

Had it done once on my Hymer but not again. Complete waste of money. The chance of you needing the warranty is so small and the premium/fee cost so high. Not VFM.

 

[SuperMike]

Damp, what‘s damp ?





I know, I’m sorry.





Come to think of it, I’m not.

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[Rodneyplonker]

Hi Rodders... we like the 680g a lot ..... but we dont collect ours till 1st September from the south coast dealers. No quotes for damp check yet just wondered about getting it done on foreign shores as bound to be cheaper than Rip off Britain and we spend so much time abroad that it makes sense for us to try that. Let me know how your collection goes and you first impressions/ any snags you find. Much appreciated

We've now decided to wait another 2 weeks before collection as we want to camp in it for a few days to check everything works In case we have an issue that needs sorting... might save a long return journey. Obviously, we have to wait for campsites to open after July 4th.
We too may have checks and maybe servicing done across the water for the same reasons!

 

[Basildog]

Had it done once on my Hymer but not again. Complete waste of money. The chance of you needing the warranty is so small and the premium/fee cost so high. Not VFM.

 

[Lenny HB]

Just reading this on Sunday morning... can I ask do Campirama do Burstner too and maybe more importantly... is English spoken as my French is as bad as my Serbo Croat... none whatsoever but I do fancy saving a few quid each year annual damp check time comes around...
Many thanks

Worth asking as they are Burstner caravan dealers.
Need to check the terms of your warranty I think with Hymer it has to be a Hymer Motorhome dealer. Yes they speak good English.

 

[NicandJay]

Worth asking as they are Burstner caravan dealers.
Need to check the terms of your warranty I think with Hymer it has to be a Hymer Motorhome dealer. Yes they speak good English.

Lenny many thanks for that I will check with them

 

[Lenny HB]

I may be wrong, but I think you've got 6 months' leeway from the anniversary date. ie, if you bought your van in June, and had the damp check done in June last year, you need to get it done by Dec this year, to stay in warranty. I'm sure @Lenny HB will be along to confirm this, or otherwise.

Only applied to the first check and that has now been discontinued.

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