Hymer Or Carthago?

[Spidey]

I have been drooling over both these makes as we will probably change in a few years. I like the look of Carthago but I love the Hymer 544 layout. Every Carthago I have seen has a fixed bed
It is a long way off for us, but I love reading these threads and the ones about importing
Does the quality change in Hymer on the Prem line?

 

[Lenny HB]

The Premier line is an upgraded B class, a few more fancy bits but not as classy as an SL, B Class SL's are now silly money for what the are, correction were silly money until the Euro fell.

 

[Speve]

Well we have finally done our first short trip out in our Hymer Exsis i698 LHD ,a bit stressful til I got used to driving in the wrong seat but soon got the hang of it, drives beautifully and around 30mpg we love the layout although I took the fixed table out which gives loads of extra space we use a collapsible table stored in garage,plenty of room for the dogs and us.Just got to practice towing the trailer now before we leave for Spain later in the year.

 

[JimboT]

Good thread this we currently have dethleffs for two years this november great van but want one with end bed now.
Was thinking about Carthago 5.0or 149 hymer i620 or frankia 740 do they do rhd aboard ? what's the saving?
Jim

 

[Lenny HB]

Well we have finally done our first short trip out in our Hymer Exsis i698 LHD ,a bit stressful til I got used to driving in the wrong seat but soon got the hang of it, drives beautifully and around 30mpg we love the layout although I took the fixed table out which gives loads of extra space we use a collapsible table stored in garage,plenty of room for the dogs and us.Just got to practice towing the trailer now before we leave for Spain later in the year.

If you getting 30mpg on a tight engine (i.e less than 15000 miles thats when Fiat consider it run in) I think you need to get some lead soles on your boots.

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[Speve]

No that only makes me walk slower,usually drive at around 50-60mph plenty fast enough for me.

Good thread this we currently have dethleffs for two years this november great van but want one with end bed now.
Was thinking about Carthago 5.0or 149 hymer i620 or frankia 740 do they do rhd aboard ? what's the saving?
Jim

dont know about RHD abroad you may have to pay extra as I suppose they are for export to UK.We saved around 20K compared to UK prices.

 

[Judge Mental]

Its difficult getting RHD abroad... Personally prefer LHD

 

[Lenny HB]

Hymer are about the only vans you can order in RHD €1500 extra, add about 6 months to the delivery time, they only build a couple of batches of RHD a year, not much call for them.

 

[JimboT]

So if am reading this right you order a Van from Europe and save £20000 compared to UK.
The UK dealer cannot be happy about that!
So a 90K van is 70K????
Jim

 

[bellabee]

We saved about £20,000 on the list price of our recently purchased van - including like-for-like extras e.g. awning, reversing camera.
Of course there are other costs to add in, such as travel to Germany to collect the van, and return ferry crossing, fitting RHD headlights, registration etc. We did have a nice few days' holiday collecting the van, though.
Also, I am talking about UK list price. I've no idea how much discount we could have got from a British dealer.
Nevertheless, there's a substantial saving to be made.

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[Lenny HB]

So if am reading this right you order a Van from Europe and save £20000 compared to UK.
The UK dealer cannot be happy about that!
So a 90K van is 70K????
Jim

UK dealers shouldn't be so greedy
Our Hymer cost 58k that was with the Euro at 1.26/£ UK list 77k, at current rates about another 8k cheaper.
Just looked at Carthago price lists a basic Chick C line, €88,000 or UK price list £88,000 that's 25k difference.

Hymer prices have started to come down in the UK.

 

[Speve]

Ours was around £53000, a similar van at dealers was marked up at £83000. No brainer for us.

 

[Judge Mental]

Ours was around £53000, a similar van at dealers was marked up at £83000. No brainer for us.

Indeed...saw the baby Carthago i 138 for £25,000 more in the UK then I can get it for...they charge what the market will stand....its bonkers IMO

 

[Judge Mental]

Ours was around £53000, a similar van at dealers was marked up at £83000. No brainer for us.

Indeed...saw the baby Carthago i 138 for £25,000 more in the UK then I can get it for...they charge what the market will stand....its bonkers IMO

 

[Judge Mental]

Ours was around £53000, a similar van at dealers was marked up at £83000. No brainer for us.

Indeed...saw the baby Carthago i 138 for £25,000 more in the UK then I can get it for...they charge what the market will stand....its bonkers IMO

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[Judge Mental]

Oops a daisies!

 

[Robert Clark]

Indeed...saw the baby Carthago i 138 for £25,000 more in the UK then I can get it for...they charge what the market will stand....its bonkers IMO

I thought we calculated that the UK Carthago dealer had offered you 24% off UK list price - or did I get my maths wrong

 

[Judge Mental]

I thought we calculated that the UK Carthago dealer had offered you 24% off UK list price - or did I get my maths wrong

Your dealer's discount was pretty good and top notch compared to others I have seen in the UK! but still approx £5K more then in Germany. Plus no PX. that on a LHD

Early days will have to see what happens when I get more quotes. My German dealers 2nd quote was not as competative as with first..... Not sure what's happening. Will try some Carthago dealers when return from Italy.

If anyone has a dealer they are happy with would they let us know please

 

[Judge Mental]

Oh dear

 

[Robert Clark]

Your dealer's discount was pretty good and top notch compared to others I have seen in the UK! but still approx £5K more then in Germany. Plus no PX.

Early days will have to see what happens when I get more quotes. My German dealers 2nd quote was not as competative as with first..... Not sure what's happening. Will try some Carthago dealers when return from Italy.

If anyone has a dealer they are happy with would they let us know please

At least it goes to show that there are SOME UK dealers who are prepared to offer reasonable discounts on UK spec RHD vans.
Which may be of benefit to those people who don't want to go to the hassle of importing from Europe.
My theory is that there are deals to be had, you just have to do a bit of work finding the right dealer, and making the right approach.
When we bought our 'Bessie' we negotiated 16% off list price - not a mind bogglingly good deal, but it allowed us to sell her one year later and lose very little money.

The Carthago dealer in Portsmouth only offered 10% off list price on a van which had been in the showroom for a year - not sure I'd ask him for a price again in the near future.

A rich property developer once told me that you don't make your money when you sell something, you make it when you buy it, by buying at the lowest possible price - its like money in the bank he used to say

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[Judge Mental]

I agree and you have done well. They had to become more realistic or else only the people with more money then sense would buy from them..and how many of those are around....

My quote above was for LHD..when pushed was offered RHD for approx £1700 more. Dealers rate fixed @ 1.35. Think i prefer a floating rate

With my health issues could be tempted with a RHD. as a quick sale maybe an advantage if I have to give up motorhoming

 

[bellabee]

Go European were offering large discounts on Carthagos, as a reflection of the good Pound/Euro exchange rate, they said. I haven't dealt with them, though, so couldn't recommend or not.

 

[Robert Clark]

Here's a good place to start for anyone looking to import a van from Europe, or to use a tool when negotiating with a UK dealer
Link Removed

 

[Speve]

We used Nick Legg of Bundesvan, (BVN now)their charges were very reasonable and he is very well with the German dealers and was able to secure great discounts our price quoted earlier included their fees.

 

[Judge Mental]

We used Nick Legg of Bundesvan, (BVN now)their charges were very reasonable and he is very well with the German dealers and was able to secure great discounts our price quoted earlier included their fees.

Do you know which dealer it came from? And where headlight and speedo sorted as well plse

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[tufty]

I'm hoping you are coming back from your hols with the Carthago 138i compact line @Judgemental ..... You can keep it safe for us ready for when we change our Hymer exsis 414 ....maybe even give it a couple runs over the continent while you are looking after it.

 

[tufty]

Agree with you about the comfort driving the Hymer. Different model to yours but it's so easy to drive, smooth and no rattles or squeaks, really pleased with ours, no problem with the quality and nothing to be done on it so far and just into the second year of warranty. I still love the Cathargos though and if it wasn't for the huge difference in cost at the time would have gone for the 138 compact-line. None of the dealers we tried for the Carthago would give us a good enough deal. Tried the Portsmouth dealer and also 3As in Carthmarthen who didn't even bother returning phone calls so I thought 'stuff em'

 

[Judge Mental]

I'm hoping you are coming back from your hols with the Carthago 138i compact line @Judgemental ..... You can keep it safe for us ready for when we change our Hymer exsis 414 ....maybe even give it a couple runs over the continent while you are looking after it.

No it will be a 2016 van at the earliest... A few health issues to sort out first...

 

[tufty]

No it will be a 2016 van at the earliest... A few health issues to sort out first...

Hope you get your health sorted. Perhaps we could both go for a BOGOF then in 2016

 

[Lenny HB]

Agree with you about the comfort driving the Hymer. Different model to yours but it's so easy to drive, smooth and no rattles or squeaks, really pleased with ours, no problem with the quality and nothing to be done on it so far and just into the second year of warranty. I still love the Cathargos though and if it wasn't for the huge difference in cost at the time would have gone for the 138 compact-line. None of the dealers we tried for the Carthago would give us a good enough deal. Tried the Portsmouth dealer and also 3As in Carthmarthen who didn't even bother returning phone calls so I thought 'stuff em'

Did you try any Belgium or German dealers? Almost impossible to get a sensible price on Hymer's or Cathago's from UK dealers.

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