Where do I get my Hymer serviced??

[UNITYJAN]

Just back from our 2000 mile trip around France, Switzerland and about to put our Hymer B524 in for MOT, Service and Habitation check and have been spooked by all the bad vibes about Brownhills Newark where we bought our van from, and where we normally go for all work.

Can anyone advise if its still safe up there, or is there an alternative without travelling the length of England (we live in Leicestershire)

Thanks

[bootbags]

I have been wondering the same thing. We are picking up our B504 tomorrow from a non-Hymer dealer. It is 3 years old. They are doing the MOT, Habitation and Damp check for us as part of the deal. But we too will be looking for ongoing care. I am going to ring Hymer UK in Preston to ask advice and then see whether we can get the servicing done nearer to where we live here in the South. We have also joined the Hymer Club International so that we can have the support of other Hymer Owners for information on this very subject. I am sure that someone will respond to your query that has more expertise. Hope you enjoyed your trip.

[Derek Uzzell]

I'm not familiar with the exact terms and conditions of Hymer warranties, but it's almost certainly the case that the (6 years duration?) 'water-tightness' warranty will demand an annual damp-test and will also insist that this test be carried out by an authorised Hymer agent. As far as I'm aware Brownhills continues to be the sole authorised Hymer agent in the UK, so, to maintain a Hymer water-tightness warranty, a visit to a Brownhills branch would be obligatory to have the annual check performed.

 

[Thai Bry]

UNITYJAN - 2008-07-22 12:44 PM Just back from our 2000 mile trip around France, Switzerland and about to put our Hymer B524 in for MOT, Service and Habitation check and have been spooked by all the bad vibes about Brownhills Newark where we bought our van from, and where we normally go for all work. Can anyone advise if its still safe up there, or is there an alternative without travelling the length of England (we live in Leicestershire) Thanks

Hi Unityjan

As for the habitation check, then technically you do need the "water ingress" test carried out by Brownhills. They are still duty bound to honour ALL warranties. This also applies to any extras that were "Factory" fitted, even extras that you've had fitted by Hymer.

However, the warranties only extend to Hymer vans and factory fitted extras. So if you've had an awning fitted by Hymer UK - say a Fiamma- then the warranty is what the manufactures original warranty is. This is generally 1 year from date of delivery.

As regards the "Water Ingress / Habitation check" then the folloqwing applies:-

Ensure that your "Water Ingress" check is always up to date - this will satisfy Hymer's very comprehensive 5 year extended warranty, should you have to sadly make a claim.

Re the habitation side of things, then there is no need to have the "hab" check done at the same time as your 1st water ingress test. So you can save money by just having a water ingress check in your 1st year, then have a Hab check done when you go in for your 2nd Water Ingress test.

Any warranty work that needs to be done will be covered by Hymer, providing that it is a Hymer product.

This is all from personal experience when we took our new van back for it's 1st ingress check, where we asked them to look at our sticking awning. They explained that as the awning was just over a year old, that they could not carry out any warranty work. Luckily for us - good Kharma maybe- all the awnimng need doing was just a little bit of grease to free the front locking mechanism.

Hope I've explained everything, please forgive me if some of the Thai/English does not translate or scan correctly.

Regards

Thai

[Leicaman]

Being well aware of the situation with the dealership concerned, I decided to contact my German manufaturers direct. Whilst they sent me a list of dealers, when phoned some admitted that they were not in a position to carry out authorised warranty servicing, so it really does need clarifying ASAP!

 

Eventually, following advice from the German after-sales team, I had to travel a 480 mile trip with an overnight in order to fulfill the warranty agreement.

 

The industry really does need investigating and the force of a regulator needs to speak out. Where is the voice of the National Caravan Council when you need them? It would be good to think that certain editors are viewing these topics, glossy front page reviews are one thing. The reality of such nightmares speak volumes.

[Derek Uzzell]

In 2005 I bought a Hobby motorhome from Germany. At the time of purchase the sole UK Hobby agency was Brownhills, so, to have any warranty-related work performed in the UK or have any mandatory periodic checks carried out in this country, would have meant a longish trip to one of the Brownhills branches. Now, with Brownhills no longer holding a Hobby franchise, I would need to go elsewhere and this would also involve a long round-trip. This is an observation not a complaint, as I was well aware of Brownhills's UK Hobby monopoly when I chose to own that make of motorhome.

 

If I had placed high on my priority list the ability to have warranty work/inspections performed locally, then I should have chosen an Auto-Sleepers model as there is a well-established dealership close to my home and the Auto-Sleepers factory itself is not far away. However, even if I had purchased an A-S motorhome, I would still have kept in mind the unarguable facts of life that dealerships can cease trading (and can certainly change their allegiance to makes of motorhome) and that there's no guarantee that motorhome manufacturers themselves will stay in business.

 

I really don't understand why there should be any surprise when a motorhome manufacturer or major dealership (eg. Autocruise and Brownhills) changing hands impacts negatively on customers. It's happened before and (given the present economic climate) it's likely to happen again. And I can't see how investigation, regulation or the NCC is going to improve matters. If Harold Striewski at Hobby in Germany decided that it's no longer worthwhile marketing his company's motorhomes in this country, then how would one stop him pulling the plug on UK operations?

[Leicaman]

The changes and resulting chaos brought about by Brownhills going into Administration require serious debate, (as we are seeing through such discussion forums within the leisure industry).

 

I do find it misleading and questionable when manufacturers claim a wider network througout the UK. In my recent experience, many companies when telephoned, declined the warranty work as they considered themselves unauthorised and carrying no spares (this in spite of being on the manufacturers approved list!)

 

I have recently been involved with the Trading Standards dept, who at last are looking into certain traders. They are compiling an up to-date interactive list of user recommended trades and dealerships.

 

If the caravan/motorhome industry supports a regulator, why not encourage/lobby them to consider the interests of customers as well. I can appreciate its a tough compet*tive world, but can't we have a little more honest integrity, not to mention, more efficient customer after-care.

[Derek Uzzell]

Leicaman - 2008-07-25 9:53 AM

 

I do find it misleading and questionable when manufacturers claim a wider network througout the UK. In my recent experience, many companies when telephoned, declined the warranty work as they considered themselves unauthorised and carrying no spares (this in spite of being on the manufacturers approved list!)

 

 

This is certainly exasperating, but isn't this primarily the fault of the motorhome manufacturer rather than the companies on the list? Hobby has a Europe-wide list of agents that supposedly handle their motorhomes but, when I visited some of these in France a year or two back, many dealt only with Hobby caravans, while a few had no past or present link whatsoever to Hobby.

 

Most leisure-vehicle dealerships (UK or abroad) will hold, or quickly be able to obtain, 'generic' spares (regulators, gas hoses, etc.), but hardly any will hold 'model specific' items (body mouldings, furniture panels, etc.) I see this as inevitable and predictable, given that motorhome production involves relatively small numbers of vehicles and considerable model-to-model variation. It would be great if, should one's motorhome develop a crack in its shower-tray or wash-basin, trotting along to the nearest dealership would reveal a replacement sitting in stock. But that's not how it works and I can't see it changing...

[Leicaman]

 

What was surprising and frustrating, was to be continually turned away from dealerships that were on the manufacturers list for annual servicing, often with the remark I am not familiar with that vehicle. (purchased 2007). If spare parts were needed, could they not order them in from the manufacturer? I can accept that motorhomes are more unique and not like the general automotive production lines.

 

I guess I still upset having had to drive 480 miles and overnight for my first annual service!

[Jackal]

The one and only place that we've used and would use, despite the journey is Peter Hambilton in Preston.

 

Can't fault the guy and he's much more accommodating than HymerUK up the road. Give Rosie, his "secretary"a ring.

 

He's in a village called Lostock just off the Preston South M6/(M65?) junction.

 

Google him and it'll be worth the journey, even from where you are.