does anyone out there have any info on hymer 530le , i am thinking of buying one and would appreciate any input eg what they like for towing and are they a good caravan for a beginner
hymer caravans
- Thread starter stephen_374350685
- Start date
stephen,
Quote
"does anyone out there have any info on Hymer 530le , i am thinking of buying one and would appreciate any input eg what they like for towing and are they a good caravan for a beginner"
Not the 530 but a similar one the 545; a friend has the 530.
Mine is a 2002, the old square one, two or so years ago they changed to a more rounded shape. Ensure what your looking at is a UK specified and supplied one, as the continental does not meet the National caravan council's requirements, which make insuring a bit more difficult, and it will not have fire retardant treated upholstery. Whilst these are not stoppers they significantly reduce its comparative value to a UK one and might mean its shy on a fair bit of kit. On the continent they sell a very basic van that you can factory spec up, whereas the UK spec is a very highly specified version. Also the basic continentals are sometimes on a lower weight rated chassis whereas the UK s are on the up rated one reflecting the higher level of kit fitted.
Very important is that its width must be 2.3 M not the 2.4m that some continental ones are, not sure this covers the 530 but worth checking as if its over 2.3m its illegal here unless you have a tow vehicle over 3500kgs with appropriate driving licence.
Initial reaction is that it is a large van for a beginner however it tows very well indeed. If you are new to towing as well as caravanning doing a course might be a wise investment. Other that its bulk on the road and the ramifications of this its an excellent van for beginner or experienced user alike; you might find some pitches are a tad small but that rarely a problem.
Construction is rock solid, using a unique damp resisting build technique and are arguably the best made that you can buy. They are a bit heavier than similar size/spec UK vans; part of this is inherent in the build but they also generally have a high payload, in my case a large 350kgs, making the Max allowable weight about 1700kgs.
I know of many very happy owners so I doubt if you would have any regrets providing you first do your homework.
John
Quote
"does anyone out there have any info on Hymer 530le , i am thinking of buying one and would appreciate any input eg what they like for towing and are they a good caravan for a beginner"
Not the 530 but a similar one the 545; a friend has the 530.
Mine is a 2002, the old square one, two or so years ago they changed to a more rounded shape. Ensure what your looking at is a UK specified and supplied one, as the continental does not meet the National caravan council's requirements, which make insuring a bit more difficult, and it will not have fire retardant treated upholstery. Whilst these are not stoppers they significantly reduce its comparative value to a UK one and might mean its shy on a fair bit of kit. On the continent they sell a very basic van that you can factory spec up, whereas the UK spec is a very highly specified version. Also the basic continentals are sometimes on a lower weight rated chassis whereas the UK s are on the up rated one reflecting the higher level of kit fitted.
Very important is that its width must be 2.3 M not the 2.4m that some continental ones are, not sure this covers the 530 but worth checking as if its over 2.3m its illegal here unless you have a tow vehicle over 3500kgs with appropriate driving licence.
Initial reaction is that it is a large van for a beginner however it tows very well indeed. If you are new to towing as well as caravanning doing a course might be a wise investment. Other that its bulk on the road and the ramifications of this its an excellent van for beginner or experienced user alike; you might find some pitches are a tad small but that rarely a problem.
Construction is rock solid, using a unique damp resisting build technique and are arguably the best made that you can buy. They are a bit heavier than similar size/spec UK vans; part of this is inherent in the build but they also generally have a high payload, in my case a large 350kgs, making the Max allowable weight about 1700kgs.
I know of many very happy owners so I doubt if you would have any regrets providing you first do your homework.
John
The "mass in running order" unlike most UK made vans includes battery, spare wheel/tyre and EHU cable which needs remembering when comparing.
I ought to add that I believe with vans of this size and weight you really should have a mover included in your budget. Moving any van over 1100kgs I would suggest, manually is not a sensible thing to do for medical reasons alone in this age of powered movers. No problem on hard level surfaces but otherwise and there is a risk of hurting yourself. To do it alone without inviting miss understanding with your other half is in itself worth it!
thanks for that, i will do my homework and hopefully sort it out soon. will also look in to its specification, thanks again.
I'd only consider a motor mover if the caravan has an ample payload margin. I'd think twice about having a motor mover weighing, say, 30 to 40kg if the max. payload is only around 150kg. That really doesn't leave you with very much room to play with.
I have never really missed not having a motor mover on my 1300kg caravan. Normally, I have been able to get it in and out of any spot manually on my own. On really soft ground I set chocks under one wheel and swing the caravan around, repeating this procedure alternately from side to side until I've moved it to where I want it. If all else fails, one can always find willing pairs of hands to help.
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