Frankia or Hymer

[michele]

Which one we are not sure but we well, I do have a worry about these big windows on an A class which is esentially what it is we are after .

Is it true that you get problems with them Is it true that they leak?

Any tales of woe would be appreciated not about to spend all this money on trouble.

 

Thank you.

[RonB]

Michele - If you are referring to A Class models only I don't think their will be any difference as to manufacturer, ie, Frankia or Hymer.

 

A Class screens should not leak but if broken can be an arm and a leg to replace. I have also heard of long delays over replacement as the screen will be the converters part and not Fiat/Merc/etc. If this concerns you I would phone a couple of dealers and enquire the delivery time on a new screen.

[michele]

Thanks Ron B have heard some stories about the seals going and leaks occuring 8-)

[Thai Bry]

Michelle

We've had 3 Hymers - A class - & not a problem at all with the windscreens on any of them.

I suspect that you do get good & bad with any type / make of vehicle.

If any of us acted upon any of the poor levels of build stories, then I do not think any of us would be M/Homers.

Thai

[Ralph]

I had a Hymer before my current Pilote (who own Frankia) and never had any problems with the screens. In fact it's the big screen that makes an A class so nice to use.

However I have heard that some insurers won't touch the ones with giant screens (Niessman & Bischoff?) as they come oput at about £4,000.

 

 

[Vixters other half]

Michele

Our old Niesman has a big front window and after 16 years it is still sound. You can take out insurance for these windscreens with Auto-glass direct and its not that expensive. The only stipulation is they will only repair in the UK. We have a few stone chips but not in the drivers line of vision and they can be repaired anyway. I wouldnt worry too much but check if Auto-glass stock them first, and if not what is their delivery time. With their purchasing power they would be far better than any dealer and I believe they would do a better installation, as they do them all the time.

 

Hope this helps

 

VoH

 

 

[michele]

Thanks Guys was sure somewhere in a thread I read about people having probs with the black stuff that comes away the rubber and the rain getting in and them getting wet ..

I wouldn't want to borrow all that cash and feel misrable about it seemingly Cranham M/H's have quite a few in stock at their Essex branch .

 

May just take a mosey on down there as I am prepaired to live & let live lets see if I get better service this time.

:D

The only thing with this is feeling slightly hemmed in at the back where the bed is over the garage again kind of puts me off slightly much a much with the Hobby we had. The Hymer seems to be more open plan ...who stocks Hymers Brownhills ? umh

 

 

just out of interest for all you Hymer enthusiast's you can RENt a HYMER from Browhills now on the try before you buy sceme not bad saves making the mistake we made with the hobby which would be excellent for two of us but not with the kids . Should of done our homework!

[Vernon B]

Go for it michele. The window could be an issue if it gets broken but as other posts have said, its pretty rare and your insurance should cover it. I've had an A Class for 4.5 years and have had a chipped windscreen that was repaired (filled) in situ - no problem - and like others here I've not experienced any problems with leaking seals.

 

Something that you might like to look out for with regard to that front window is whether the 'vans habitation heating supplies warm air heating to that window. I think some of the Frankia range used to. Obviously a large glass area like that can mist up at night and that feature would be an advantage.

 

As far as the choice between Frankia or Hymer I think you can rest assured that the build quality is pretty similar. As someone as already mentioned Frankia is owned by the French company Pilote, but the Frankia range were built in Germany to a higher spec. [Things change of course and that might not be the case now - companies are always rationalising]

 

So you're a lucky so and so with that sort of budget, take your time deciding and enjoy the experience. And finally don't forget to pick the right dealer and not just the right 'van. But then from your other posts I'd say your a smart lady and probably already know that.

 

Best of luck

 

Vernon

[RonB]

Roger - I am not trying to be contentious but would Auto Glass really stock these? I would not have thought that there were enough of the same size around for them to actually keep stocks. I will be well pleased if they do as having already waited for a year for a Burstner A Class part I dread our screen getting broken.

[michele]

Roger,

He has a point and I did think the same ? bit big NO?

Still I suppose with that big thing you must know these things .. :D

 

Vernon,

have these the same doors as what your on about only hinged at the waistline?

 

 

[Thai Bry]

Michele

The doors are hinged at both top and bottom on the A class models.Well it is with our Hymer anyway.

Thai

[Vernon B]

michele - 2007-09-18 2:53 PM

 

Vernon,

have these the same doors as what your on about only hinged at the waistline?

 

 

Hi michele the Frankia's door is ok. My model came with what is now an old style door that has been replaced by a much better one.

 

As far as that windscreen is concerned I know that Hayes Leisure, who sell Pilotes, have supplied replacement screens for Frankias. You could give them a ring and ask about price and delivery. Their numbers 0121 526 3433

 

V

[Vixters other half]

Well I can only go on my conversation with Auto-glass and dont forget they also do commercial windscreens, and I wouldnt be surpised if some of these bigger A class screens are a commercial variety any way.

 

I wonder if you were to get the windscreen number off the screen and ask Auto glass if they could match it,- you would soon know if you had a "standard" or the equivalent to a Ming Vase.

 

Rgds

R

 

 

[Fetch Carry]

Our Hymer is a 1996, and with the amount of rain we have had this year I can assure you our screen does not leak, suppose you will always get good and bad ones though.

 

Our insurance has the usual windscreen cover with no more of an excess on it than our Renault Clio, not sure about availability but it took Autoglass three days to get a new screen for the Clio anyway, probably be quicker to get a Hymer screen from Germany :-)

 

We looked at many vans, low profile, coach built as well as the van conversions but kept going back to the A class because of the perceived extra space the fullwidth to the front gives you.

[Clive]

Go for the Frankia Michelle, Its got the right badge on the front as well.

I just wished that the Niesmann my Mrs keeps leaning towards had the same, but its second best on an Iveco.

 

[michele]

Hubby wants the Merc whats wrong with a Fiat ?. I know that Merc have a good name but at a good price all the Fiats that we have had have not done bad ...Wouldn't mind automatic very expensive these Motors.

 

 

[Clive]

We all know your hubby has taste!

 

[michele]

:D :D :D

[Guest caraprof]

There's one advantage to having a 'van based on a popular chassis as I found out recently.

A couple of days before Easter we were all ready to set off for a week in the Highlands and the 'van was packed and ready and on the drive.

Just as we were about to set off my wife noticed a huge crack in the bottom nearside of the windscreen. I phoned my insurer (NFU) and two hours later up rolled a local windscreen service firm who replaced the screen. We had to wait an hour to make sure that the adhesive had set properly but we still made it to our first site at Luss on Loch Lomond, by 7.30 p.m.

All this because we have a popular Renault Master and not some odd small volume model.

[Frankkia]

Hi Michele - As you know we are now on our 4th Frankia. We have had one broken windscreen a few years ago and asked auto windscreens to fix it. After I gave 'em Frankias 'phone number in Germany the windscreen arrived in about 10 days and was fitted. Our insurance with Comfort covered all but the 1st £50 - lucky really 'cos I got a look at the £1700 invoice!

 

Never had a leaky windscreen though.

 

We order our Frankia with the table up front but not fitted. and (as there are just the 2 of us) we fit a couple of small tables on bent legs to the front edge of the settees (they are from an Autosleeper). These swivel so can be used at the cab seats (say for using a laptop) or can be opposite one another so can be used as a dinette for the two settees. In the past we have moved the swivel tables from one 'van to the next however Cranhams got us some new ones for the latest 'van. When we pass on the 'van we put the big table back in.

[Frankkia]

Sorry forgot to say - If going for the Frankia go for the Fiat. Why I hear you Merc heads shout? 'Cos (in order to compensate for the transmission shaft taking space away from the double floor) they have kinked the roof upwards in the middle. This not only looks untidy but it gets in the way of the things you may wish to put on the roof (large solars / sat dishes etc).

 

The new Sevel is pretty good and although the Merc has the advantage of rear wheel drive I still prefer the Fiat - just don't get stuck on a muddy field!

[crinklystarfish]

While poking around 'A' class 'vans at shows and at dealers, I've personally seen signs of water ingress, or possibly a run off of condensation, on both a 3 year old Bürstner ‘I’ and a Niesmann & Bischoff/> (I think it was an Arto and don’t remember the age). In both cases the ply panels that abutted the bottom of the screens were discoloured and warped through being soaked with water. I don’t know how the panels had become wet, but they undoubtedly had.  

In the main though, the screen sealing itself seems reliable enough. 

There is a further consideration though, on the very large screened models anyway; that of insolation / insulation. Lots of single glazed surface area = rapid passage of cold / heat. Depending on intended use this may or may not be a consideration.

[Thai Bry]

crinklystarfish - 2007-09-18 11:43 PM There is a further consideration though, on the very large screened models anyway; that of insolation / insulation. Lots of single glazed surface area = rapid passage of cold / heat. Depending on intended use this may or may not be a consideration.

Steve

Whilst not wishing to disagree with you, I know what you mean, however a lot of A classes now come with an effective "Pleated" screen which seems to keep a lot of the heat in. We also use the proverbial "Silverscreen" when away in winter. These do work very effectively and keep the cold out and heat in.

Thai

[crinklystarfish]

Thai,

I don’t mind if you disagree, it’s from different views that we learn. I agree proper silver screens insulate well, but as seen on other threads, not everyone uses them; especially those who usually move around and spend most of their stationary time ‘overnighting’ on an aire, or somewhere off the beaten track. I also accept that some of the newer internal blinds etc. do a reasonable job.

When driving on a baking hot day though, obviously it would be daft to pull blinds / curtains and the relatively large glass area is at the mercy of the sun.

Simply physics also dictate that the more glass area there is, the more cold / warm air will meet in circumstances where condensation will invariably form. I accept that some ‘A’ classes have little more glazing than a coachbuilt, but some have acres!

I don’t think these factors should be enough to put anyone off ‘A’ class ownership, it’s just something to consider; especially if you are the kind of traveller who often drives in sunny climes, or visits areas with warm days and cool nights, particularly if you also camp away from campsites and might need to move quickly.

Furthermore, if you are a winter traveller, the large glass area becomes a demon for letting in the cold, unless you cover the area up, but then of course you lose precious daylight!

Each to their own though.

Regards,

Steve

[Thai Bry]

Steve

No worries, we use the Solar version of the silverscreen, which has a privacy panel. This will allow you to turn down the centre section of the silverscreen, but leaves a net effect secondary screen. This allows you to see out, but difficult for people to see in.

HOWEVER!!! you must remember that as soon as it gets dark, you put up the external section otherwise when the lights are on everybody outside can see in.

Perfect for voyeuristic couples!!

Thai