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Spuffington

Original Poster:

1,203 posts

167 months

Friday 10th April 2015
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Well, it's almost a year since I bought my Rimor Superbrig and 9months since I sold it. Couldn't stay away.....

Today I finalized a deal on a superb little Hymer Starline B640 of 2001 vintage. One owner from new and supplied by Travelworld and our very own Pistonheads motorhome guru - Nagsheadwarrior. It's been an absolute pleasure dealing with him both by email and finally meeting him today up in Telford. And the van's a beaut too! smile

A bit of snagging to sort, a service and Hab check and she'll be ours in a little over four weeks. Can't wait!

The Hymer is in a Merc 416CDI manual chassis with just 36k on the clock. Lots of extras (solar, cab aircon, satnav, reversing camera, dual leisure batteries) - we're adding LED lights and 2x11kg Gaslow.

It's going to be a long wait! smile

I would urge anyone in the market for a motorhome to give nagsheadwarrior a shout - top chap and Travelworld is a superb place - like the proverbial sweetshop. At one point I was considering remortgaging the house! smile

Kneetrembler

2,069 posts

201 months

Friday 10th April 2015
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Great people at Travelworld, bought my Hymer at last years Dusseldorf show through them and collected it 20th April, and really pleased with the service that they provided.

Pistonheads group with Travelworld eh ?

LouD86

3,278 posts

152 months

Saturday 11th April 2015
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Jody is a top chap! Glad to see some more PH business being done!

nagsheadwarrior

2,779 posts

178 months

Saturday 11th April 2015
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Thanks chaps, I have a dream that one day we'll rename the site Motorhomeheads, together we can make it happen!

Spuffington

Original Poster:

1,203 posts

167 months

Monday 13th April 2015
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nagsheadwarrior said:
Thanks chaps, I have a dream that one day we'll rename the site Motorhomeheads, together we can make it happen!
smile

Rosscow

8,723 posts

162 months

Monday 13th April 2015
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Have had a nose online - looks lovely!

let's hope this gives you less sleepless nights than the Superbrig hehe

Spuffington

Original Poster:

1,203 posts

167 months

Monday 13th April 2015
quotequote all
Thank Rosscow. As Jody will attest, I spent a lot of time quizzing on the issue of damp - Hymers aren't known for it due to the construction method of their bodywork/skin and any leaks if they do happen are very obvious and easy to treat.

All the other things which were an issue in the Superbrig shouldn't be here. We spent an absolute age inside and outside the vehicle going over all the bits and bobs which caused angst during the last period of ownership.

For instance.....

- this van has nearly new tyres (all 6 plus spare, Conti Vanco matched)
- cab aircon & leccy pax window in the cab (which Superbrig didn't)
- all cupboards, catches etc work perfectly.
- shower-room solid and free from issues
- gearbox and clutch work beautifully (from cold aswell as when warm)
- slight play in steering, but to be investigated
- no strange noises, pulling or behaviour from the chassis
- has Nature Pure water filter already fitted
- solar panel fitted to trickle charge batteries since it's stored offsite and no hookup available when not in use
- payload - around 1,000kg rather than the c. 50kg of the Superbrig!!!

I think those were the main bits which bothered us and spoilt the Superbrig ownership experience. It's fair to say we went in to this with our eyes almost pegged open since we were so badly scalded by the last van. Also, buying from Travelworld, with their backup, minimises the potential for sleepless nights.

It's still a lot of money for us and there is that to consider, but I firmly believe we've bought the right van for the next couple of years and also convinced that if the plan were to go spectacularly pete tong, we'd get the vast majority of our capital outlay back.

GreatGranny

9,097 posts

225 months

Monday 13th April 2015
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Just had a look. Its huge inside!

Looks in great condition for 14 years old.

BigBob

1,471 posts

224 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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Nice one mate - glad you've got something you like at last smile

BB

SimesJH

768 posts

150 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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Looks great!

Bar version is my preferred layout as well. It's what my 1992 RMB Mercedes has.

Is your sofa extendable for width when being used as a bed?

Look forward to more updates as you start using it.

Spuffington

Original Poster:

1,203 posts

167 months

Wednesday 15th April 2015
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Thanks guys. Getting really excited....just damned trade shows getting in the way of me getting my van! wink

In terms of sleeping arrangements, not optimal with a 2yr old, but we'll make it work. The sofa does extend another 6inches or so to widen the sofa from a wide-ish single to a narrow double. The ideal is that little'un will sleep there, whilst we lounge on the captains chairs (or ideally outside). We'll pop a little bedguard up so that she can't fall out (unless she drifts DOWN the bed!). However, I can easily foresee that she might end up in the pull-down and with either myself or wife sharing with her and one of us on the single! We'll see. To be honest, I'm quite relaxed on it. Once she gets a bit older then we'll want a bit more space but for the next year or two, it'll be fine. At this juncture it was more about getting a solid and dependable van at around this price point, that wouldn't loose us much money, so that in time we could px against a bigger/newer/more appropriate van when the time comes.

SimesJH

768 posts

150 months

Thursday 16th April 2015
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I only asked as that's exactly what we do for our 4 year-old daughter.

My son sleeps on the drop-down bed above the front seats, we have a fixed rear double and my daughter sleeps on the sofa.

So far, we've used it without extending it. Just remove the side and rear cushions to give her more space, plop one of those nightime bedsheets over the fabric to mop up any unplanned spillages, a bedsheet and her in a sleeping bag with the removable bolster thing to stop her falling out. Works incredibly well and she loves it.

We'll only extend the bed once she's much older. Absolutely no need to right now.

I think your current layout will suit you for many years.

Spuffington

Original Poster:

1,203 posts

167 months

Friday 17th April 2015
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Thanks for that, Simes. Great to hear that it works for you and also that I might be able to hold onto it for a good few years.

BTW - checked your van out on some other threads - looks awesome and in amazing condition for its age. Also, as you say, a very similar setup, aside from the bed at the rear.

SimesJH

768 posts

150 months

Friday 17th April 2015
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Thank-you.

Spuffington

Original Poster:

1,203 posts

167 months

Friday 1st May 2015
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7 days to go until collection and getting stupidly excited now.

House is full of various bits and bobs I should never have sold with the last van (elec hookup cable & adaptors, drinking water hose, toilet chemicals etc) and have treated my daughter to a new sleeping bag and a Duvalay Gold mattress topper to help the sofa (which will be her bed) be that much more comfy and supportive.

Just paid the insurance - 450quid, which seems toppy but also includes EU Breakdown Cover - also for our weight of van, which is important, given it's 4.6t fully laden. The company is mirroring my NCB on the car, but once I start building motorhome NCB, it should come down a bit.

Storage yard booked - will be paying my first months subs tomorrow (50quid pcm) - Gold Rated security which helps with the insurance and also just 1.5miles from the house, so easy to get to.

I managed to procure an original owners manual (think mine might come with it, I know the document pack was extremely good but bought this anyway) from a former Hymer dealer off eBay. It's brilliantly comprehensive; details on location of all the main equipment and what to do when commissioning or laying up and how to look after the paintwork, interior and ancillary bits and bobs etc. Didn't have anything like this for the previous motorhome, so was always finding things out by doing - not always great and sometimes at the expense of breaking things! Best bit was, this manual was only 7quid!

Anyway, plan is that I'll be picking her up from Telford next Friday. I'll hire a car given all the kit I'm taking with me then drop it off in Telford. I'll have a short handover and then I'll be kipping in the yard nextdoor (a nice night away from wife & baby) and go about chilling (popping some beer in the fridge! wink ) and getting to know the van, checking that everything works; any snagging will be sorted out by Travelworld in the morning.

Trips so far planned:

- 22nd - 25th May - Canterbury
- 29th - 31st May - Rutland Water
- 5th - 7th June - Hayfield, Peak District (me and my mountainbiking mates)
- 19th - 21st June - TBC
- 11th - 25th July - France (heading for Biarritz and possibly over to Bilbao way but crossing the channel at Dover-Calais on the ferry and driving down).

Can't wait! smile

BigBob

1,471 posts

224 months

Friday 1st May 2015
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Not going to use it much then wink




Have some great trips

BB

nagsheadwarrior

2,779 posts

178 months

Sunday 3rd May 2015
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Blimey Spuffington you're prepared!

Everything's going fine so far, will ping you an email tomorrow sorry for the delay it's been mental busy

Spuffington

Original Poster:

1,203 posts

167 months

Friday 8th May 2015
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So, that's it.....I'm a motorhome owner again and it feels great! Not driven it yet, but proudly sitting in "Harry" having scoffed a bucket load of chilli con carne and enjoying my first cold Stella in him! smile

All I can say is that I can highly recommend both Jody (nagsheadwarrior) and Travelworld. The experience today has been great and although there's been a bit of snagging necessary, 99% of the original list has been done and just waiting on a last bit tomorrow, which is part of the reason why I'm parked up in their yard spending my first night here, seeing what else I can break! wink

I was a little nervous picking up the van today; I was pretty darned sure that it was the right decision but it's still a bucket load of money for us and, having just had to sell the X5 to release a bit of cash to maintain the house, I wondered if this was a step too far for us. I needn't have worried since the moment I stepped into Harry, I immediately felt at home. He was everything I remembered........just better. The guys at Travelworld have done a great job at prepping and valeting the van; he's 15yrs old and whilst that's noticeable when parked up next to much newer machinery costing £50k+ more, he looks great and exudes quality. When I think about my Rimor I bought last year, there's just no comparison.

By the time the handover and payment was finished, there was no time for a drive, but plenty tomorrow since I've got another 175mile return journey in him tomorrow. And that was another positive from today - we'd been bemoaning our change from E70 X5 40d to F20 118d - the change seeming a stark one. We're still waiting to take delivery of it (it's at a dealer in Scotland and we live in Essex!) but I had the pleasure of a F30 320d for the trip up today. What a motor? I've always been of the opinion that anything less than a 6-cylinder is not a true BMW but this thing was great. Punchy enough when needed and I averaged 63mpg on the way up. If our 118d is as competent as the 320d then I'll be very happy with the change.

So all in all a good day. A bit strange spending the first night in Harry on my own without the family but I think necessary as today and tomorrow morning would've been too much waiting around for my two year old daughter. But I've got a good feeling about this episode of our motorhoming career and can't wait to use him for what he's intended. Only has 35k on the clock so needs and can afford some usage! smile

Edited by Spuffington on Friday 8th May 18:24

Kneetrembler

2,069 posts

201 months

Friday 8th May 2015
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Bought through Travelworld ourselves, great service, really nice people and great Coffee machine while you wait, had our Hymer just over a month, off tomorrow down to Devon for a few days then back home on the Island till July then away into Europe until 1st week of September, so really looking forward to it.

Enjoy Harry

GlenMH

5,204 posts

242 months

Saturday 9th May 2015
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Great to hear about your new van. Looking forward to seeing some pics.

A quick word of warning about travelling in France: over 3.5T and/or over 3m tall and you will be paying commercial vehicle rates on the autoroutes. A trip from Bilbao to Caen 18 months ago set me back nearly 150Euro in tolls....

There is a good reason why I now take the ferry to Spain wink