Hymer damp warranty

[david lloyd]

i have been quoted £350 for the habitation and damp check at a Hymer dealership. As the habitation warranty ends shortly I am intending taking it to a more local (and very good) NCC accredited workshop for the basic service. He charges £145 but cannot undertake the necessary work for the Hymer damp check which has to be carried out by a Hymer dealer as, I believe, it includes applying an underbody spray supplied by Hymer. I would like to maintain the damp warranty so wondered if I can just get that part done by the Hymer dealership and still get my normal habitation done by the local guy?

 

David

[sshortcircuit]

Have you. asked the dealership?

[PJay]

A German van , have damp???

I thought it was only UK vans that suffer from DAMP

 

PJay

[lennyhb]

I pay £60 for a damp check don't bother with a habitation check not required for warranty.

Taking mine to Campirama (Belgium) in June for the first check it will be 15 months old.

[TeamRienza]

I paid a similar amount (£350) to my Hymer dealer for a full service, including axle greasing, underbody spray, damp check, habitation check and a couple of minor faults being rectified.

 

My van was 2 years old with 14,000 miles on it, so I am keen to maintain the warranty. I don’t know wether my deal was cheap or yours was dear. I am in N. Ireland but don’t think that makes much of a difference.

 

Davy

[StuartO]

I bought my Hymer (new) eleven years ago via Bundesvan and the British Dealer (Brownhills, the monopoly importer at the time, since lost the franchise) wanted £150 for the annual damp check and the sticker in your book,  compared with £60 which Continental dealers were charging at the time.   They also had a deliberate policy of making it as slow and inconvenient to make a booking for this check (and would not do any warranty work on you "foreign" vehicle at all) if you had not bought the MH from them.  It was a shameless attempt to "punish" anyone who dared to buy abroad and undercut their prices.

 

I put up with this out of necessity and paid up for several years but then they happened to mention that the dampness warranty only covered leaks at panel joints and they were obviously going to make life as awkward as possible if dampness ever did appear.  So I stopped having the "official" annual checks.  At my most recent habitation check (of the ordinary kind) there was still no sign of dampness.

 

It's now a different dealership scene in UK because Hymer ditched Brownhills (which nearly went bust, retained only one location in Newark and acquired a terrible overall reputation for poor customer service, although I understand they have since got better) and appointed multiple British dealers and bought the Eldiss factory - so things should be better.

 

Apart from a bad patch between 2008 and 2010, when Hymer's build quality is said to have taken a dip (and this might have increased the risk of dampness problems) Hymer's PUAL system of body construction is so long established as damp proof and durable that I would not dream of paying £350 for an official Hymer damp check in UK when there mightbe other UK dealers willing to do it cheaper and failing that it is still likely to be easy enough to arrange to have one for a fraction of the price at a Hymer dealer in Belgium as part of your holiday tour.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

The link below is to a longish discussion on the MHFun forum about Hymer’s warranty terms and conditions.

 

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/hymer-warranty-conditions.148536/

 

As far as I’m concerned anyone buying a new motorhome should immediately familiarise themself with the vehicle’s warranty terms and conditions (which SHOULD be stated in the documentation provided with the motorhome).

 

An annual ‘habitation service’ is a common requirement to maintain the validity of a UK-built motorhome’s conversion warranty, but this requirement is much less common for motorhomes built and sold outside the UK.

 

If a motorhome’s conversion warranty documentation does not mention habitation servicing and the vehicle’s owner is told that habitation servicing is mandatory, there’s obviously a factual conflict. Me, I’d want to know whether habitation servicing was mandatory to maintain the warranty or not. If mandatory I’d opt to have it done; if not I might choose not to have it done - but in the latter case I would have known there was a choice.

 

There is a potential risk that a new motorhome purchased in the the UK may have different warranty terms and conditions to those of a motorhome purchased outside the UK. This was certainly the case with my Germany-bought 2005 Hobby motorhome where the German Ford warranty differed significantly from the UK equivalent. The Hobby warranty required a mandatory annual damp check (that I never bothered with) and Brownhills (then the sole UK Hobby agent) were adamant that an annual habitation service was also mandatory (which advice I did not believe).

 

Whatever a dealer/agent says, if the motorhome’s warranty terms and conditions make that advice questionable, then question it...

[Brian Kirby]

david lloyd - 2018-03-14 7:23 PM

 

i have been quoted £350 for the habitation and damp check at a Hymer dealership. As the habitation warranty ends shortly I am intending taking it to a more local (and very good) NCC accredited workshop for the basic service. He charges £145 but cannot undertake the necessary work for the Hymer damp check which has to be carried out by a Hymer dealer as, I believe, it includes applying an underbody spray supplied by Hymer. I would like to maintain the damp warranty so wondered if I can just get that part done by the Hymer dealership and still get my normal habitation done by the local guy?

 

David

You'll need to read your Hymer warranty, David, but ours was quite specific that the only action required to maintain the water ingress warranty in force was the annual damp check. This was to be carried out within 6 months of the anniversary of the date of first registration, must be carried out by an authorised Hymer dealer, and must be recorded in the warranty booklet and on Hymer's system. There was no requirement for a habitation service, annual or otherwise.

 

The charge for the damp check in 2017 (Premier Motorhomes, near Chichester) was £151.32, which included about £60 (sorry, no longer have the actual invoice) for the can of spray. So, I'd check the price of the damp check only with your dealer before you dismiss their charge for hab service plus spray, as you may find you'll have little change from the £350 they're quoting if you do as you're thinking.

[david lloyd]

My apologies, I may have been a little unclear in my original post. The Hymer was registered new in September 2015 and I bought it at 18 months old from the original supplying dealership who did put a 12 month warranty on it. To maintain the warranty I did have last years habitation and damp check done by a different dealership who, incidentally, did a couple of minor warranty repairs at the same time so full marks to them. However, the van will be 3 year old when the next service is due and the warranty runs out - this makes me think I should get the habitation service done nearer to home by a local engineer who has a good reputation and does not charge the earth. The Hymer dealer is quoting £350 for the habitation service AND the required damp check. I do want to maintain the damp warranty and this requires the necessary work to be undertaken by a Hymer dealer but I wasn't sure if I could get this part done without having the full habitation done too.

 

Due to illness, I am unable to plan to get the damp check done overseas this time round so will need to use a UK dealer - probably the one that has been helpful thus far - but it does appear, from Brian's comments, that this will be possible although the cost of £152+ added to the cost of a local habitation service at £145 is not far from the full £350 quoted anyway.

 

After reading other threads about the need for a habitation service at all I had been contemplating doing most of the routine checks/maintenance myself and taking it to the local engineer to carry out what I feel are the most important things like gas/electric system checks and servicing the fridge/Alde heating which are not normally part of the standard service. My only concern about taking this route is how that may affect any future sale where there are no official stamps in the service book.

 

So, thank you to everyone who has posted. I will ring the dealership,I intended to use to get a price for the Hymer damp check/work and warranty stamp then decide if it is worth having the habitation service done at the same time or maybe just have the bpnecessary items checked locally.

 

David

[monique.hubrechtsgm]

You will make a real Mess of your damp checks at various service points. And maybe the same on your engine. That will be a damp history of your motorhome when selling, if theiris not prove of them. If their are claims for sure they are afther you. if you can not prove the history. My dealer has no longer ink stamps but a data base on the computer linked to the final stage chassis number.

[Brian Kirby]

david lloyd - 2018-03-15 12:57 PM

 

My apologies, I may have been a little unclear in my original post. The Hymer was registered new in September 2015 and I bought it at 18 months old from the original supplying dealership who did put a 12 month warranty on it. To maintain the warranty I did have last years habitation and damp check done by a different dealership who, incidentally, did a couple of minor warranty repairs at the same time so full marks to them. However, the van will be 3 year old when the next service is due and the warranty runs out - this makes me think I should get the habitation service done nearer to home by a local engineer who has a good reputation and does not charge the earth. ...............................

David

David, I'm a little unclear as to which warranty you are referring to above, but I assume it is the supplying dealer's warranty? The Hymer water ingress warranty should be for six years, not three, and it is that warranty that is maintained by the annual damp checks. It is a transferrable warranty, so worth maintaining to give a future owner confidence that the warranty is extant should you decide to sell within the six year period. Whether an individual Hymer dealer will do the damp check (which is the only mandatory check under the Hymer warranty), without also doing a habitation service, will be a commercial decision for the dealership.

 

Whether it is worth having a habitation service depends very much on how confident one is in one's ability to detect and sort out problems in the installed gas, water, and electrical systems. Dometic and Thetford "three way" fridges are pretty much maintenance free, apart from taking out the two vent grilles a couple of times a year to inspect, and if necessary clean, the condenser coil, and to verify that the gas flame is a healthy blue, and hitting the right part. It may be necessary, if frequently running the fridge on gas, to occasionally clear the flue of any soot build-up (though is the flame is blue there should be minimal soot.

 

The water system is a case of basic hygiene, with a disinfectant/de-scaler treatment and flushing before each use, maintaining the fresh water in the tank in good condition while in use, and draining down after each use. If the pump fails it will probably need replacement: he submersible type are not, generally, user serviceable. I believe most wall mounted pumps can have worn parts replaced, but I think it debatable whether general wear could be diminished by "servicing" the pump. It would be instructive to see what the habitation claims to include in this respect. Failure is a nuisance, could occur at any time, but it will not cause death or injury.

 

The mains electrical system will remain generally safe as installed, unless damage has occurred, when it will fail either by tripping its main switch (indicating an earth fault) or by tripping an MCB (or both) in which case there is a overload on the system. This will need investigation, at which point an electrician is the wisest choice.

 

The greatest risk with the gas system is an undetected leak, which is potentially dangerous and could result in fire or explosion. If you have a twin cylinder installation with an automatic changeover valve (Truma Duo Control, for example) a fairly simple test is to turn on the gas to all appliances, and at the cylinder, so that the whole installation is pressurised, and then turn off the gas at the cylinder. The pressure in the system will then slowly dissipate and at some point the changeover indicator will turn red. My experience has been that this usually takes several days, indicating a very slow loss of pressure. If it happens in less than 24 hours it would suggest a leak, at which point one either goes leak chasing, or turns to expert help. Same, but more so, if it falls within only a few hours!

 

The main risk from the 12 V system is fire, if wiring has been damaged or if a connected consumer develops a fault and causes overload. However, since all circuits are fused, and the fuse will be rated below the capacity of the associated wiring, such an occurrence should merely result in the consumer failing to work, and a blown fuse. So, a little check with a multi-meter should reveal whether a blown fuse might have been the result of a duff fuse (possible, but unlikely) or whether there is a fault that needs remedy. As with the mains electrics, an electrician (preferably an auto electrician, or better a Hymer dealer's electrician), should be engaged if unsure.

 

I have no knowledge of Alde heating systems or their maintenance requirements. Truma blown air systems seem not to be serviceable and, since I believe Aldi and Truma are the same company in the background (assuming the Aldi system in your van is a "wet" system), I would assume any annual maintenance comprises little more than checking that the feed/expansion tank has sufficient fluid and that, if pressurised, the pressure is within limits. If you have the handbook for the system it will presumably comment on annual maintenance.

 

What this does mean is that one casts a critical eye over the installed equipment from time to time, ideally before loading the van for a trip, to just check all is on order. This seems to me desirable, and probably preferable to relying on the "kindness of strangers" on a merely annual basis.

 

It is a personal choice, and I don't expect universal agreement, nor do I wish to imply anyone who opts for an annual habitation service is wrong, or should do otherwise. Ultimately, it is simply a question of what leaves one comfortable.

[david lloyd]

Brian Kirby - 2018-03-15 5:45 PM

 

david lloyd - 2018-03-15 12:57 PM

 

My apologies, I may have been a little unclear in my original post. The Hymer was registered new in September 2015 and I bought it at 18 months old from the original supplying dealership who did put a 12 month warranty on it. To maintain the warranty I did have last years habitation and damp check done by a different dealership who, incidentally, did a couple of minor warranty repairs at the same time so full marks to them. However, the van will be 3 year old when the next service is due and the warranty runs out - this makes me think I should get the habitation service done nearer to home by a local engineer who has a good reputation and does not charge the earth. ...............................

David

David, I'm a little unclear as to which warranty you are referring to above, but I assume it is the supplying dealer's warranty? The Hymer water ingress warranty should be for six years, not three, and it is that warranty that is maintained by the annual damp checks. It is a transferrable warranty, so worth maintaining to give a future owner confidence that the warranty is extant should you decide to sell within the six year period. Whether an individual Hymer dealer will do the damp check (which is the only mandatory check under the Hymer warranty), without also doing a habitation service, will be a commercial decision for the dealership.

 

Whether it is worth having a habitation service depends very much on how confident one is in one's ability to detect and sort out problems in the installed gas, water, and electrical systems. Dometic and Thetford "three way" fridges are pretty much maintenance free, apart from taking out the two vent grilles a couple of times a year to inspect, and if necessary clean, the condenser coil, and to verify that the gas flame is a healthy blue, and hitting the right part. It may be necessary, if frequently running the fridge on gas, to occasionally clear the flue of any soot build-up (though is the flame is blue there should be minimal soot.

 

The water system is a case of basic hygiene, with a disinfectant/de-scaler treatment and flushing before each use, maintaining the fresh water in the tank in good condition while in use, and draining down after each use. If the pump fails it will probably need replacement: he submersible type are not, generally, user serviceable. I believe most wall mounted pumps can have worn parts replaced, but I think it debatable whether general wear could be diminished by "servicing" the pump. It would be instructive to see what the habitation claims to include in this respect. Failure is a nuisance, could occur at any time, but it will not cause death or injury.

 

The mains electrical system will remain generally safe as installed, unless damage has occurred, when it will fail either by tripping its main switch (indicating an earth fault) or by tripping an MCB (or both) in which case there is a overload on the system. This will need investigation, at which point an electrician is the wisest choice.

 

The greatest risk with the gas system is an undetected leak, which is potentially dangerous and could result in fire or explosion. If you have a twin cylinder installation with an automatic changeover valve (Truma Duo Control, for example) a fairly simple test is to turn on the gas to all appliances, and at the cylinder, so that the whole installation is pressurised, and then turn off the gas at the cylinder. The pressure in the system will then slowly dissipate and at some point the changeover indicator will turn red. My experience has been that this usually takes several days, indicating a very slow loss of pressure. If it happens in less than 24 hours it would suggest a leak, at which point one either goes leak chasing, or turns to expert help. Same, but more so, if it falls within only a few hours!

 

The main risk from the 12 V system is fire, if wiring has been damaged or if a connected consumer develops a fault and causes overload. However, since all circuits are fused, and the fuse will be rated below the capacity of the associated wiring, such an occurrence should merely result in the consumer failing to work, and a blown fuse. So, a little check with a multi-meter should reveal whether a blown fuse might have been the result of a duff fuse (possible, but unlikely) or whether there is a fault that needs remedy. As with the mains electrics, an electrician (preferably an auto electrician, or better a Hymer dealer's electrician), should be engaged if unsure.

 

I have no knowledge of Alde heating systems or their maintenance requirements. Truma blown air systems seem not to be serviceable and, since I believe Aldi and Truma are the same company in the background (assuming the Aldi system in your van is a "wet" system), I would assume any annual maintenance comprises little more than checking that the feed/expansion tank has sufficient fluid and that, if pressurised, the pressure is within limits. If you have the handbook for the system it will presumably comment on annual maintenance.

 

What this does mean is that one casts a critical eye over the installed equipment from time to time, ideally before loading the van for a trip, to just check all is on order. This seems to me desirable, and probably preferable to relying on the "kindness of strangers" on a merely annual basis.

 

It is a personal choice, and I don't expect universal agreement, nor do I wish to imply anyone who opts for an annual habitation service is wrong, or should do otherwise. Ultimately, it is simply a question of what leaves one comfortable.

 

Thank you Brian and sorry once again for being a little unclear.

 

Although the van did have the remains of the Hymer habitation warranty left when I purchased it the dealer undertook to repair any faults for one year from the date I purchased it. That 'dealer' warranty has now ceased but I am aware that the Hymer water ingress warranty is still in force and I would wish to retain it - hence my need to have the Hymer damp check carried out by a Hymer dealership authorised to carry out the work and stamp the service book. I'm not quite sure what additional procedures the dealer carries out during the test to maintain water tightness but I may even possibly carry on having that done beyond the six year warranty period if it is something that actively helps to prevent water ingress.

 

Previous threads have covered the issue of whether it is necessary to have normal habitation services annually or even at all. I recall someone saying that whilst the vehicle is in use most, if not all, of the serviceable items are being used daily so any deficiency should come to light in ordinary use. This is certainly true of things like lights, switches, door catches etc. In all the years I have been motor homing I have never had the fridge serviced although, on one vehicle, I did have a failed thermocouple but that became apparent in use whilst camping.

 

More recently I have become more confident in rectifying faults and could happily carry out routine maintenance tasks such as oiling catches/locks and checking lights, replacing faulty bulbs as they appear (or disappear?) annually.

 

So, to be a little clearer, I had been having a dealer habitation and damp check carried out annually to maintain the warranty on both the habitation and water ingress. Now that the habitation warranty has come to an end I would like to keep the water ingress warranty up to date so hope to be able to have just the damp check (and any associated preventative work) carried out by a Hymer dealer authorised to keep the service book stamped. Beyond this, I'm not convinced of the need for an annual habitation service but obviously would like to make sure that the critical services (gas, electric) are kept in good order. Hopefully, going down this route would not have an adverse effect on any resale value when the time came to sell.

 

Thanks again for your comprehensive reply.

 

David