Hymer Or Carthago?

[Robert Clark]

Maybe the members of FUN should group together and get some 'tame' dealers to bid for their business, in return for a high volume of sales. I wonder how many vans are bought each year by forum members?

 

[Wombles]

Not that we are in the market for a new Hymer Or Carthago (I wish!) but group buying power sounds like a great idea for whatever new motorhomes Funsters might be interested in especially for dealers selling various manufacturers

 

[tufty]

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

No we never even considered it as we weren't brave enough to go to the European dealers when we bought early last year, but now I've read more about it on 'Fun' it sounds like it's an option definitely worth considering next time.

 

[Peetee]

Hi, picked up my Carthago chic last week from southdowns and got a very good deal. Speak to Rod Jolly and see if he can do a deal.
Fantastic handover and beautifully built motorhome.
Peta

 

[Lenny HB]

We started the easy way brought a Hobby caravan in Germany in 2002, very easy just drive it home, as a caravan is not classed as a motor vehicle in the UK and does not need registering, nothing to do when you get home. It did give us an insight to dealing with foreign dealers so buying a Motorhome was a natural progression.

First port of call these days when buying anything for more than a few quid is to look at German prices. In the last year brought a Clarion stereo with satnav, Froli Star system for the bed, saved a 100 quid on each & 2 e-bikes with a saving of £800. At the moment looking at not renewing my contract phone and just getting a monthly contract sim and buying a new phone from Germany.

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[Lenny HB]

Hi, picked up my Carthago chic last week from southdowns and got a very good deal. Speak to Rod Jolly and see if he can do a deal.
Fantastic handover and beautifully built motorhome.
Peta

Just priced a Chic C line in Germany with the super pack, media pack 3Lt engine, auto about 65k, how does that compare?

 

[Judge Mental]

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

I beg your pardon?

 

[Judge Mental]

Oops!

 

[Lenny HB]

Sound like a toilet party

 

[Peetee]

I had 3 different packs plus solar,gaslow,alarm.
List price £106000
Identical veachle in Germany,minus extras was £75000+ German vat.

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[Peetee]

Also spoke to uk dealers and they were not interested in any warranty work if I pursued the german avenue.

 

[Speve]

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

Yes came from Dürrwang and BVN arranged all of the necessary things when they brought it back to UK.eg. Lights,speedo and registration and delivery to me.

 

[Speve]

Also spoke to uk dealers and they were not interested in any warranty work if I pursued the german avenue.

Yes that seems to be a grey area but Hymer do say that any of their network will do warranty work.

 

[Robert Clark]

Yes that seems to be a grey area but Hymer do say that any of their network will do warranty work.

I was also told by the Portsmouth Carthago dealer (salesman) that they would not touch a German supplied van, however I wonder if their service dept would simply book it in for works, without question?
Speaking to the Carthago dealer that we bought ours from, (which was in a different part of the country) they said that they would happily service and do warranty work on vans bought elsewhere, as this may lead to a sale in the future, however they said that some other dealers refused.
The savings we made by using the 'other' dealer certainly made it worth taking the risk, furthermore we could always take our van to Germany, as we frequently travel in mainland Europe.

 

[Speve]

I was also told by the Portsmouth Carthago dealer (salesman) that they would not touch a German supplied van, however I wonder if their service dept would simply book it in for works, without question?
Speaking to the Carthago dealer that we bought ours from, (which was in a different part of the country) they said that they would happily service and do warranty work on vans bought elsewhere, as this may lead to a sale in the future, however they said that some other dealers refused.
The savings we made by using the 'other' dealer certainly made it worth taking the risk, furthermore we could always take our van to Germany, as we frequently travel in mainland Europe.

Yes I read that as well so it seems there are helpful dealers out there!

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[Peetee]

At the end of the day we could have saved by going to Germany, but we think we got a great deal, have it in our drive and huge smiles every time we open the door, which, to me, is money well spent! We had a fabulous trial run out to the New Forest ahead of our plans to journey further afield.

 

[Lenny HB]

Carthago's have a pan European warranty so shouldn't be a problem, obviously the sales men are going to try and frighten you off.
Our local Hymer dealer is only to pleased to help with our Belguim brought van, anyway when you are saving over 20k it's not much hardship to pop back over to Germany.

 

[bellabee]

At the end of the day we could have saved by going to Germany, but we think we got a great deal, have it in our drive and huge smiles every time we open the door, which, to me, is money well spent! We had a fabulous trial run out to the New Forest ahead of our plans to journey further afield.

Yes, that's the important thing, you're happy with your van and satisfied with your purchase. There's no 'one size fits all.' We all have our preferred way of doing things. Enjoy your van!

 

[Lenny HB]

I had 3 different packs plus solar,gaslow,alarm.
List price £106000
Identical veachle in Germany,minus extras was £75000+ German vat.

Doesn't mean anything without actual spec and price.

Why would the German price be +vat all German price lists include vat, in fact any retail price of consumer products must include vat in the EU, only trade sales are allowed to show prices ex vat.

 

[Paddywack]

Also spoke to uk dealers and they were not interested in any warranty work if I pursued the german avenue.

I would suggest that you first speak to Hymer and then to Trading Standards - a Pan European warranty gives you rights that the manufacturer MUST honour through your local dealership, if they refuse then Hymer should remove them as a recognised dealership.

This EU lark does have some benefits - if you use them.

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[Peetee]

If it was all about money we would of purchased a Hymer and not a luxury Carthago.

 

[Lenny HB]

I would suggest that you first speak to Hymer and then to Trading Standards - a Pan European warranty gives you rights that the manufacturer MUST honour through your local dealership, if they refuse then Hymer should remove them as a recognised dealership.

This EU lark does have some benefits - if you use them.

No problem with Hymer local dealer only too pleased to sort out any problems on my Belgium brought van.

 

[Lenny HB]

If it was all about money we would of purchased a Hymer and not a luxury Carthago.

Paid too much then.

 

[Robert Clark]

Paid too much then.

Surely it's about your individual value requirements rather than price?'
You can always find a cheaper alternative if you look hard enough

 

[Lenny HB]

Surely it's about your individual value requirements rather than price?'
You can always find a cheaper alternative if you look hard enough

No one minds paying a bit more local for purchases and good service but when you are talking about 10's of thousands it's a different matter. I'm quite happy to £500 maybe even a £1000 more to buy a van in the UK but not £12000 more, which it was at time of purchase.

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[Judge Mental]

Also spoke to uk dealers and they were not interested in any warranty work if I pursued the german avenue.

Oh my goodness! Really? What do you expect them to say!lol they want your money and play on nievity, fear even.

Its the people who buy from these rip off merchants that are supporting the explotive culture of UK dealers. We are in EU and its supposed to be a level marketplace. Dealers will only change when they can't sell and more buy abroad and that's what's happening..any looking at this wil be laughing all the way to the bank

Local Fiat agent will service the van. for Carthago service I will maybe use Urbano in Belgium who will be happy to take my money and are not blackmailers!

 

[Electraglide]

Oh my goodness! Really? What do you expect them to say!lol they want your money and play on nievity, fear even.

Its the people who buy from these rip off merchants that are supporting the explotive culture of UK dealers. We are in EU and its supposed to be a level marketplace. Dealers will only change when they can't sell and more buy abroad and that's what's happening..any looking at this wil be laughing all the way to the bank

Local Fiat agent will service the van. for Carthago service I will maybe use Urbano in Belgium who will be happy to take my money and are not blackmailers!

I have been looking to by a Carthago from Germany. as you say the Fiat part is covered by Fiat. Would most of the fitted items, ie Alde, Truma , Dometic etc not be covered by their local agents if necessary, just leaving the Carthago shell to be taken back to the dealers for annual checks and any problems?

 

[bellabee]

Looking at Brownhills' website, we could have paid more to buy a Swift from them, than we paid for a Hymer in Germany. I know it's all down to preference, and some people like British vans, but for us there was just no question. We don't have money to burn, and by going to Germany we feel that we've got value for money and a lovely van, which will hopefully last us a few years.

 

[Robert Clark]

No one minds paying a bit more local for purchases and good service but when you are talking about 10's of thousands it's a different matter. I'm quite happy to £500 maybe even a £1000 more to buy a van in the UK but not £12000 more, which it was at time of purchase.

Like I say, that's 'your' value judgement
It's subjective, and everyone's values are different
If they weren't then we'd all be eating Aldi value sausages and there wouldn't be enough to go round !!!

 

[Peetee]

I prefer Waitrose to Aldi, does that make Waitrose a rip off merchant.

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