Which Hymer should I buy?

[BruceMitch]

Hi folks, never bought a motorhome before. Got a shortlist and Hymer is looking like a good make.
Two models are standing out: B698 Experience and B678 DL. Both 2016.
The 698 is a better price, lower mileage and good spec but no awning or oven and plated at 3850kg.
The 678 is very good spec with awning and oven but more than twice the mileage, quite a bit more expensive and plated at 4500kg.
What I'm thinking of doing is buying the 698 and fitting an awning and oven, and uprating the chassis. Is this worth doing and what sort of figure is that likely to cost? Or is it better to go for the one with more stuff already fitted but higher mileage, plus it's quite a bit further away?

 

[Lenny HB]

We have a 678DL, ours is 2017 only done 41,000 miles in it, had it from new they were only made for 2 years.
Nice interior modern fresh look but the ride is very hard mainly due the torsion bars on the rear axle being torqued up far higher than is normal for the Al-Ko chassis. We had full air fitted rides much better now.
We do find the ground clearance poor as the tank enclosures drop through the floor.
Good payload of over 1300 kg we run around 4200 to 4300kg.

I think it would be very tight to run B698 at 3850kg, you say it has been uprated so on the light chassis so doubt it could be uprated further.
Several versions of the 698 you don't say which one.

 

[EuroTrotters]

from what I understand in your post.

Lower mileage and do what you want.

Are they manual or ?
LHD or RHD?

 

[BruceMitch]

from what I understand in your post.

Lower mileage and do what you want.

Are they manual or ?
LHD or RHD?

Both manual, both LHD

 

[EuroTrotters]

In that case, I think lower miles and upgrade

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Winger]

Why is lower mileage relevant if well serviced/ maintained? Just curious

 

[Lenny HB]

In that case, I think lower miles and upgrade

Uprating might be a problem if its on the light chassis.

Mileage not that important at that age, one with 50k or more on the clock would be far better than one that has spent most of its time sitting around.
8000 to 10000 miles. A year is quite normal on an A Class often a lot more, people buy A Cass's to use rather than use as a garden ornament.

 

[Gaston aires]

I would go for the one with the best layout for you and I wouldn’t bother with an oven at all.
Phil

 

[Brains]

Its not the miles, its the nights.

These are commercial based vehicles, so anything under 80,000 miles is 'low milage'

However if low milage one has been driven to Spain where they then spent 90 nights in it every year for 7 years that is a high 'nightage'

If they are identical, I's go for the one with the better condition interior.
An awning is easy to add.
An oven can be added, by an expert, fairly easily, but not a cheap upgrade, but there are other options.

 

[BruceMitch]

We have a 678DL, ours is 2017 only done 41,000 miles in it, had it from new they were only made for 2 years.
Nice interior modern fresh look but the ride is very hard mainly due the torsion bars on the rear axle being torqued up far higher than is normal for the Al-Ko chassis. We had full air fitted rides much better now.
We do find the ground clearance poor as the tank enclosures drop through the floor.
Good payload of over 1300 kg we run around 4200 to 4300kg.

I think it would be very tight to run B698 at 3850kg, you say it has been uprated so on the light chassis so doubt it could be uprated further.
Several versions of the 698 you don't say which one.

Looking at the basic specs both models start at 3500kg so both have been uprated, you think it'll be a struggle at 3850kg and unlikely to be able to uprate further, that's a concern.

Haven't seen either in person yet, both are quite a trek, so only going on photos and dealers' description for now. Both look in great condition.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Northernraider]

I'd go for option 3.

Buy neither of those 2 and wait for another to come up for sale. Both sound a compromise, there will be others

 

[Westbarn1]

Nothing to do with either of these models, but given the choice I would not have either an oven or an awning fitted.

 

[monzer]

I think an awning (presuming we are meaning the wind out canopy rather than the enclosure) is pretty vital on a MH. Maybe not in the UK but definitely abroad. The thing is they aren't too expensive and piece of cake to fit so I wouldn't let that put me off if a potential van did not have one fitted.

Oven is only important if you know you will be using it lots.

 

[Northernraider]

Nothing to do with either of these models, but given the choice I would not have either an oven or an awning fitted.

Strange how people are different. I'd not buy a van without an oven .

I've had one in every mh I've had and use it a lot.

An awning is essential in hot countries for a bit of shade

 

[Dolmen]

Strange how people are different. I'd not buy a van without an oven .

I've had one in every mh I've had and use it a lot.

An awning is essential in hot countries for a bit of shade

Agreed, two of the essential's for my motorhome life, however, we all use our vans differently

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

Looking at the basic specs both models start at 3500kg so both have been uprated, you think it'll be a struggle at 3850kg and unlikely to be able to uprate further, that's a concern.

If it's on the light chassis it may still have the same rear axle capacity it had originally, ie 2000kg, however if it's had rear air suspension fitted (£2000+) it could be 2240kg however 3850kg will be the absolute max it can go to so you need to know which it is and if you'd need to pay for the rear air suspension.

Haven't seen either in person yet, both are quite a trek, so only going on photos and dealers' description for now. Both look in great condition.

Photos don't tell the whole story though, you really need to see them in the flesh to determine if they are as good as they look in reality and also if the layout is really practical for your needs. Over the years we've been interested in MHs we thought would suit us but once we physically looked at them it was obvious they wouldn't.

Why not put links on to the MHs you're interested in and we can give them an eyeballing?

Note you only get 5 free posts.

 

[Lenny HB]

Looking at the basic specs both models start at 3500kg so both have been uprated, you think it'll be a struggle at 3850kg and unlikely to be able to uprate further, that's a concern.

I think the 698 would be near on impossible at 3850 unless it is the CL version (did ask which version).

Although the DL is listed as available at 3500 I doubt if one has ever been sold at that (France excepted).
The basic MIRO is 3142, mine with a few extras is 3288. Then add the bits I've fitted, 2 extra batteries, spare wheel, solar panels, Tv, sat dish, inverter, awning, air suspension etc., my MIRO is over 3500kg.

 

[Orion]

If it's on the light chassis it may still have the same rear axle capacity it had originally, ie 2000kg, however if it's had rear air suspension fitted (£2000+) it could be 2240kg however 3850kg will be the absolute max it can go to so you need to know which it is and if you'd need to pay for the rear air suspension.

This up rating lark can be quite revealing!

Our Adria Compact is usually sold as a 3500kg van - obviously to appeal to the larger market of ‘restricted’ licence holders (post ‘97 wasn’t it?). However, the Stage 1 Fiat plate rates it as 3650kg when the base vehicle left the factory and Adria very kindly offer an f.o.c ‘upgrade’ back to 3650kg, which we have taken - front axle 1960kg and 2000kg on the rear.

I’ve fitted Dunlop rear air and after consulting with Dee at VWE find we can now go to 4250kg with a healthy 2400kg on the rear. Luckily for us the van already came from Adria with 225/75R16 CP (116) tyres and the 1250kg rated alloys, so it’s not been too expensive to get there.

 

[Lenny HB]

This up rating lark can be quite revealing!

Our Adria Compact is usually sold as a 3500kg van - obviously to appeal to the larger market of ‘restricted’ licence holders (post ‘97 wasn’t it?). However, the Stage 1 Fiat plate rates it as 3650kg when the base vehicle left the factory and Adria very kindly offer an f.o.c ‘upgrade’ back to 3650kg, which we have taken - front axle 1960kg and 2000kg on the rear.

I’ve fitted Dunlop rear air and after consulting with Dee at VWE find we can now go to 4250kg with a healthy 2400kg on the rear. Luckily for us the van already came from Adria with 225/75R16 CP (116) tyres and the 1250kg rated alloys, so it’s not been too expensive to get there.
View attachment 790747

Sounds like yours is on a Fiat chassis not an Ak-Ko, with an AL-Ko you can't go above 2240 on the rear with the AMC Light chassis.