Tam, Jade and Franky's European Adventure

[Figaro]

I do not know this forum's rules about copyright, but I reckon you could sell this thread for film rights - just need to write a few ladies into the storyline - the ones you have not told us about

You want to have a read of ianthebuilder blogs, many scrapes and miss-haps, all very funny. Especially the Spanish tour one, can`t remember what it was called

 

[Teuchter]

Right so I'm getting somewhere with this one now
Anyone see any issues with this that I can't see ?

It's a bit far for me to travel twice so if I go down there it's to buy it

Looks pretty good to me Tam - great layout! - of course you really need a six berth don't you

Actually the front drop down bed provides excellent storage - we have removed the mattress from ours and can store no end of "soft" things in there - spare bedding, towels kitchen rolls, rucksacks, clothes etc.etc

Slight concern on mileage

I have no idea on price but re "copper wire" I'm sure you won't end up over paying

 

[Anthea M]

Tam congrats on selling Franky ! Bye bye but hello frankie2 when you find her.
I wish your mum a speedy recovery and hope she is out of pain.
Good luck with Job, van hunting and Jade babysitting.
Look forward to reading your new adventures!

 

[Northernraider]

You want to have a read of ianthebuilder blogs, many scrapes and miss-haps, all very funny. Especially the Spanish tour one, can`t remember what it was called

Ian and Helga go south I think

 

[Figaro]

The Hymer looks ok, probably needs some tlc, cazpaul gave some good pointers. Looks like the paint is peeling on the front bumper and wheel arch, very common, I`m going to try and get mine painted up over the winter.
I`d go and have a look for you but I`m working everyday until Saturday I`m afraid.

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[Northernraider]

A good solid choice Tam.

A couple things to check on older Hymer of that vintage immediately on viewing as well as the usual things that you know about.

Shower tray condition? Cracks/damage etc, although this one maybe ok as its a separate shower, it is the combined toilet floor/shower tray ones that seem more prone to damage

Get under the floor, especially from the rear wheels backwards and check for damp areas and rot. The ones with the big garages and transverse bed are worst in my experience, the ones with the hab door at the rear not as badly affected although still need checking. I have viewed loads and nearly everyone says''Well mine is perfect'' Until you get there and ask them to get underneath with you. ''Oh I didn't know about that'' is then the next sentence they utter.
I have put my finger up behind loads of skirts and felt a damp, soggy mess, even putting my finger straight into the soggy, squelchy mess.

All locker doors, especially the garage door for sign of leaks, do a water test on it with a watering can or something.

The front and rear seals on the roof for signs of leaking(inside check)

You will know about every thing else to check.

Yes that burstner I viewed earlier was like that.

Any damp or water ingress on phone.....nope nothing it's totally dry

Get there and all round the rear skylight the roof is bubbled and squishy

Guy says oh I never saw that

He's more intersted in the extras he has with it than the fact the van needs lots of work.

With the hymer I asked if any damp etc and his response was we've jist been round Portugal via Spain and France with no probs

Doesn't really answer the question

And then no hab check in 2.5 years is the concern.

But as usual everything is miles away

But the layout and the spec is what I'm after so I may just drive down and view it with jade and then if it's good I'll travel back down to collect it.

Can be costly doing that though so woukd have been good if someone was nearby

 

[CazPaul]

Yes that burstner I viewed earlier was like that.

Any damp or water ingress on phone.....nope nothing it's totally dry

Get there and all round the rear skylight the roof is bubbled and squishy

Guy says oh I never saw that

He's more intersted in the extras he has with it than the fact the van needs lots of work.

With the hymer I asked if any damp etc and his response was we've jist been round Portugal via Spain and France with no probs

Doesn't really answer the question

And then no hab check in 2.5 years is the concern.

But as usual everything is miles away

But the layout and the spec is what I'm after so I may just drive down and view it with jade and then if it's good I'll travel back down to collect it.

Can be costly doing that though so woukd have been good if someone was nearby

Yes you are correct, it doesn't answer the question. The problem is that most people don't check the floor, think of it as just a fit and forget area when in reality they should be checked annually and made good each year.
Hymer built a wonderful van, roof, walls brilliant but then used a timber floor than will inevitably require maintenance just by the very nature of it.
I love Hymers of that era though, great vans when you get a good, well looked after one.

 

[Figaro]

If it can wait until Saturday I'd happily go have a look for you the to give it a once over.
@Northernraider
I've a 2003 B544 so similar in many respects

 

[Northernraider]

Yes you are correct, it doesn't answer the question. The problem is that most people don't check the floor, think of it as just a fit and forget area when in reality they should be checked annually and made good each year.
Hymer built a wonderful van, roof, walls brilliant but then used a timber floor than will inevitably require maintenance just by the very nature of it.
I love Hymers of that era though, great vans when you get a good, well looked after one.

Yeah I've phoned him and arranged to drive down tommorrow and take a look, it's a 4.5 hour drive but I think it's best to give it a good check over before confirming buying it.
Hopefully it will be ok
At least it has a ladder on it for roof access and I'm thinking as it has the double floor at the back that if there's any issues there it should be easy to spot

Hopefully it's a good one as I've not seen many hymers with that layout come up for sale

I think most are put off as it's a six berth but can only legally seat two people as no rear belts.

If I set off around 9am I should get down there for 1

Not a pleasant day for jade but she's alright in the car


I also can't believe I drove past there and actually stayed over there on my way north after letting @tonka view franky lol

 

[Northernraider]

If it can wait until Saturday I'd happily go have a look for you the to give it a once over.
@Northernraider
I've a 2003 B544 so similar in many respects

Thanks for the offer but there are other interested parties in it who are trying to raise the funds apparently and I've haggled it down already so don't want to risk my luck of it still being around at the weekend.

The benefit of not yet being employed and having the funds in bank means I can move quick it's just the distance that's a pain

But thanks for the offer

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[CazPaul]

Good luck Tam, I must say if its in good nick then the price is about right, in fact its a good price and if you have got him down more then a bonus.

 

[Val 3 dogs]

Good luck tomorrow Tam. Jade will be happy enough coz she's with you.

 

[Northernraider]

Looks pretty good to me Tam - great layout! - of course you really need a six berth don't you

Actually the front drop down bed provides excellent storage - we have removed the mattress from ours and can store no end of "soft" things in there - spare bedding, towels kitchen rolls, rucksacks, clothes etc.etc

Slight concern on mileage

I have no idea on price but re "copper wire" I'm sure you won't end up over paying

Dont really need the 6 berth and ideally cupboards roujd the front would have been preferable but it ticks all my other boxes with separate shower large fridge freezer oven decent lounge and fixed French bed so Icant complain on a 6.5 metre van.
It's also a decent age and not too old
The mileage doesn't concern me much as I'm not a fan of low mile commercial vehicles

That burstner earlier only had 40k on the clock but mot advisories on lots of corrosion etc and it was a heap inside.

I'm hoping the previous owners of this hymer have been good keepers and it's only the current one that's a bit clueless
Fingers crossed

 

[irnbru]

My other problem is getting someone to babysit jade for me for a day till I go down on train to leek

I hope the place isn't an omen especially with all the rain we have in Scotland. Good luck. Do you have a damp meter?

 

[Northernraider]

Good luck Tam, I must say if its in good nick then the price is about right, in fact its a good price and if you have got him down more then a bonus.

Yeah I've got a fair whack of that Paul
I started a lot lower but he dug the heels in eventually.

I think it's because it's 6 berth but useless for kids because no seatbelts in back so that will reduce potential buyers

I only need the one bed

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[Northernraider]

I hope the place isn't an omen especially with all the rain we have in Scotland. Good luck. Do you have a damp meter?

Ha ha yes I did think it being in leek was funny I just hope it don't have any.

I don't actually have a damp metre I ordered one from eBay 2 days ago but not here yet

Will just have to go on the old poke a finger and have a sniff and hope I've not lost my touch lol

 

[Teuchter]

Dont really need the 6 berth and ideally cupboards roujd the front would have been preferable but it ticks all my other boxes with separate shower large fridge freezer oven decent lounge and fixed French bed so Icant complain on a 6.5 metre van.
It's also a decent age and not too old
The mileage doesn't concern me much as I'm not a fan of low mile commercial vehicles

That burstner earlier only had 40k on the clock but mot advisories on lots of corrosion etc and it was a heap inside.

I'm hoping the previous owners of this hymer have been good keepers and it's only the current one that's a bit clueless
Fingers crossed

Go for it Tam - best of luck!

 

[Figaro]

Good luck, I hope it turns out to be a good one.
At least it will be a pleasant drive down, the weather down here is warm sunny and clear blue skies tomorrow so you`ll see the countryside at it`s best.
I gather Scotland has been a bit wet this week

 

[Northernraider]

Good luck, I hope it turns out to be a good one.
At least it will be a pleasant drive down, the weather down here is warm sunny and clear blue skies tomorrow so you`ll see the countryside at it`s best.
I gather Scotland has been a bit wet this week

Yeah weather has been shit since I got home lol

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

Why are things always so far away, the amount of vans I've seen that look good but are in Scotland is just ridiculous!

I bought a car from Scotland once, said everything was fine, first time I touched the brakes, grinding from the rear! I'd flown up with a one way ticket, so not much you can do in that situation, just a very grindy drive home! From a dealer too.

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[Northernraider]

Why are things always so far away, the amount of vans I've seen that look good but are in Scotland is just ridiculous!

I bought a car from Scotland once, said everything was fine, first time I touched the brakes, grinding from the rear! I'd flown up with a one way ticket, so not much you can do in that situation, just a very grindy drive home! From a dealer too.

It's always the way ...the burstner I viewed was 13 miles away But a pile of poo

I bought franky from evesham
Every van I've had has been 350 miles away lol

 

[Razamataz]

We are leaving Berwick-upon-Tweed and travelling up A1 around 10 am.
We might pass each other.
Give us a wave when you see our 2006 Hymer.
Derek and Janice and the dogs

 

[Northernraider]

We are leaving Berwick-upon-Tweed and travelling up A1 around 10 am.
We might pass each other.
Give us a wave when you see our 2006 Hymer.
Derek and Janice and the dogs

I'm going down the m6

Just heading off now according to sat nav I should be in leek just before 12

 

[Barclaybasher]

I'm going down the m6

Just heading off now according to sat nav I should be in leek just before 12

12th?...........................good luck with the M6 and the van

 

[Janine]

Take care - there's a lot of fog about today.

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[Lenny HB]

Don't know why you are worried about it not having a habitation check. I've never had a habitation check done on a van total waste of time, doesn't do anymore than a quick walk around can do with your eyes open.
As CazPaul says check the back floor under the garage, they go soggy with water spraying up from the wheels also garage door are known to leak but normally easy to repair.

 

[Paul and Kate]

There are a few active funsters in the area @Paul and Kate @Neckender @Figaro

Wish I could babysit Jade, just given Charlie back to his mum this afternoon and house feels empty!

Yes not too far from leek about 15 mins.
If we are available Tam we would pick you up from the station and look after jade while your viewing. Just give us a shout pal.

 

[Northernraider]

Carlisle now

P.s washing machine and rotary drier on board lol

 

[gus-lopez]

Why are things always so far away, the amount of vans I've seen that look good but are in Scotland is just ridiculous!

Try buying here
It shows how sad you've become when you start thinking "Oh Madrid ,that's not too far ".
Apart from the fact that even if you buy it the travel will be a minimum of twice & you'd be doing well only 3 times.

 

[tacr2man]

I am about 30 miles from the centre of England , but everything I buy seems to be at the extremes as well There must be a formula that covers it ?

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