Niesmann vs Burstner vs Hymer

[marky7seven]

looking to change our motorhome to one of the following:

N&B Arto 88
Burstner Elegance
Hymer Masterline 890

All see great, and have pros and cons for each. Any advice one what to look out for would be greatly appreciated.

They are all the same size, and we are coming from a 2016 Carthago Chic C. They are all more modern vans so I’m sure the drive for long European road trips will be improved.

Thank you
Mark

 

[Lenny HB]

N&B streaks ahead of the others. I've had 3 Hymers now have a Carthago the Carthago build quality is steaks ahead of Hymer and Hymer are better than Burstner.

 

[Paul F]

looking to change our motorhome to one of the following:

N&B Arto 88
Burstner Elegance
Hymer Masterline 890

All see great, and have pros and cons for each. Any advice one what to look out for would be greatly appreciated.

They are all the same size, and we are coming from a 2016 Carthago Chic C. They are all more modern vans so I’m sure the drive for long European road trips will be improved.

Thank you
Mark

Our last van was the Hymer Masterline 890. We owned it from new for about 15,000 miles and two and a half years after it was a brand new model. We had a lot of warranty issues, but it was a good van by the time we got rid of it!

My gut instinct is exactly what Lenny HB says.

Happy to answer any specific questions if you get closer to a Hymer though.

 

[marky7seven]

Priorities for me are:
Drivability
Comfort
And value

 

[Paul F]

Probably worth bearing in mind that N&B, Hymer and Burstner are all owned by Thor Industries now, so service and support may well be very similar for all brands.

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[nicholsong]

Probably worth bearing in mind that N&B, Hymer and Burstner are all owned by Thor Industries now, so service and support may well be very similar for all brands.

Not necessarily. N&B still run their factory and workshop independently, e.g. they will accept 20 years old vehicles in their workshop, not sure about other marques - check.

 

[BusyBuilder]

Thought N & B were Hymers premium brand ?

We looked at an N & B about 7 years ago, the Hymer we now have is on a par with that van now, so as with all things premium brand trickles down over time.

 

[1090alex]

N&B streaks ahead of the others. I've had 3 Hymers now have a Carthago the Carthago build quality is steaks ahead of Hymer and Hymer are better than Burstner.

Hi

Interested to know which model of Carthago you have and what year it is.
Have you had any issues?
Alex

 

[Lenny HB]

Hi

Interested to know which model of Carthago you have and what year it is.
Have you had any issues?
Alex

2024 Compactline, only warranty claim we have had is water filler cap lock barrel falling out dealer ordered new one from Germany and posted it to us.

 

[marky7seven]

Hi

Interested to know which model of Carthago you have and what year it is.
Have you had any issues?
Alex

Hello, I have a Carthago Chic C-line XL 5.5 LE. No really issues with it, I would like to put Semi air and levellers on it, and my wife didn't like the dark interior, so I updated all the doors and wrapped them to match the newer Carthargo style. The newer vans I've drove are just a better smoother drive, so if I can get one with the bits I want, happy days.

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[KASPAR]

This put us off a N&B I-Smove:

Brand spankers at a UK dealer. There were other bits falling apart too on this and a couple of Hymers.

 

[Flairy]

What Lenny said mines over 20 years old the factory are amazing nothing is to much trouble very different to Travel World were you can’t talk to the parts it has to be e mail then nothing happens I give up and went to Germany .

 

[Burge]

This put us off a N&B I-Smove:
View attachment 969702
Brand spankers at a UK dealer. There were other bits falling apart too on this and a couple of Hymers.

That says a lot about N&B Build Quality.

 

[Flairy]

Don’t let a poor specimen at. A uk dealer put you off.

 

[Coolcats]

This put us off a N&B I-Smove:
View attachment 969702
Brand spankers at a UK dealer. There were other bits falling apart too on this and a couple of Hymers.

Customer could have always pinged the panel off, although doesn't say much for a dealer presenting any MoHo with a loose panel

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[funflair]

Don’t let a poor specimen at. A uk dealer put you off.

We saw a brand new Concorde like that, we didn't buy it

 

[GrahamnSue]

I think if you go for a N&B Arto or above you should find them to be better quality than the other two. N&B are Hymers premium brand.

One benefit now is that N&B have at last got two UK dealers plus a highly rated service agent.

The beauty about N&B is that you can get service and repair work done at the factory, which can be turned into a holiday on the Rhine or Mosel.
None of this 'we will have to order the parts', they just nip into the stores and pick up the part (they are also much cheaper than UK dealers).
Having said all that, you have to accept that you will almost certainly have some problems. It's the way those problems are dealt with that matters.

 

[nicholsong]

I think if you go for a N&B Arto or above you should find them to be better quality than the other two. N&B are Hymers premium brand.

One benefit now is that N&B have at last got two UK dealers plus a highly rated service agent.

The beauty about N&B is that you can get service and repair work done at the factory, which can be turned into a holiday on the Rhine or Mosel.
None of this 'we will have to order the parts', they just nip into the stores and pick up the part (they are also much cheaper than UK dealers).
Having said all that, you have to accept that you will almost certainly have some problems. It's the way those problems are dealt with that matters.

Last year after 20 years of exposure to the elements (so no complaint there) the seals on the double-glazed cab windows of our N&B Arto needed replacing. We booked a date but arrived a day or two early to show the workshop what needed doing. Immediate response was 'be here tomorrow at 0800'. we left there at 1500, job done very satisfactorily.

My impression is that Hymer Group, and now Thor Industries, have realised that N&B produce a good product and service that satisfies their market, so leave them alone.

I should have said in an earlier post that when I had done my research, some 15+ years ago and had settled on looking for a Hymer B644, I called into a dealer to ask if they had one., but they immediately said no but we have the N&B equivalent. As soon as I walked into it I could feel the difference and swapped my search to the Arto 69GL.

I bought privately, as my first MH and have never regretted the decision to switch to looking for the N&B.

I hope that helps the OP.

 

[haganap]

I'm probably your man to answer this as I've had all 3 and some of them more than once.

I'm sat here on my way back from Spain in a 2021 n and b, my 3rd N & B .. 79e on a tag axle ducato.

I've had a 2014 Hymer Starline top of the range.

I've had two Carthagos, ok one for only 3 days before it caught fire the other for lots of miles.

Take it from me, every single one of them including my current one has had as many problems as my first CI 20 years ago.

Invest in a good tool box, you will need it. Everything from Taps heat exchangers to doors falling off draws flying open you name it I've seen it all, including a hab door flying off in lake annecy and nearly killing a French man ( that was a swift for info so I've ignored that for the purpose of your question)

I have a friend who's dropped his Morello back at the factory to repair the 40k upgrade that he had. Build quality on every one of them was and has been shocking.
Lenny makes a case for the n & b being better than the Carthago, it isn't, no way is it. They are equally as bad as one another including my Hymer that decided to open its step and nearly decapitate someone.whilst driving.

Then there's the Merc V Fiat V Iveco convo.
I love my tag axle ducato, far better than the Mercs I've had but this 2.3 180 takes more adblue than diesel I reckon!!!

Last week I was in polch (NandB hq) having a window replaced under warranty in a que with all the other owners getting things fixed.

Build quality went out the window when Flairy (Brian) and his types of vans stopped being made and we headed for a mass produced machine of the masses. Sadly reputation proceeds so many things.
Not just for N&B but for all of them that treaded the roads of mass production. The Ismooth in the photo is way to common, I saw it myself and spoke with many others that have similar issues..
75 percent of carthagos you see aren't made in Germany and Hymers are so flimsy they just make me cringe even the high end stuff.

All of the above and my next statement make no sense.

I love my very expensive N&B at over 220k to replace today and wouldn't change it for world, but this is the most corrupt industry I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with, although I hear boats are similar.

Buy something that ticks all your boxes, make sure it has no wood in its actual structure, make sure the dealer selling it is local and be prepared to compromise on a 6 week wait for a tap.and numerous days spent whilst you are the test pilot fixing things they forgot about


good luck.

 

[haganap]

I think if you go for a N&B Arto or above you should find them to be better quality than the other two. N&B are Hymers premium brand.

One benefit now is that N&B have at last got two UK dealers plus a highly rated service agent.

The beauty about N&B is that you can get service and repair work done at the factory, which can be turned into a holiday on the Rhine or Mosel.
None of this 'we will have to order the parts', they just nip into the stores and pick up the part (they are also much cheaper than UK dealers).
Having said all that, you have to accept that you will almost certainly have some problems. It's the way those problems are dealt with that matters.

This is completely inaccurate.

You can not get work done at N and B anymore. Not for a few good years.

N&B will not touch a British van for any work. It took me to issue proceedings to get a job done under warranty.
The UK dealer is the only hope but at least there are 2 now with Highbridge joining the fold.

The days of emailing Steffan and telling him you are coming in Hot are well behind us.

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[haganap]

Not necessarily. N&B still run their factory and workshop independently, e.g. they will accept 20 years old vehicles in their workshop, not sure about other marques - check.

Again, inaccurate information. They will not accept 20 year old vans from outside the EU in to their factory.
However the niesman camping shop across the road ( not related) will service like any UK camper repair center, only better.

 

[haganap]

Priorities for me are:
Drivability
Comfort
And value

Stick to this philosophy,. You won't go wrong..