Hymer Aktiv: 6-Month Recap | What Did it Actually COST?

[@TravelingSolo]

UGH....I botched the calculation....left out the $500 deposit I made, and didn't remove the rebate from the final price when I did the math. The ACTUAL OTD to me was $91,972.06.

[@bbhoustontx]

Very nice review and you are articulate with your explantions. Thx

[@ryanbirr1668]

A real concise summation. Thanks!

[@TravelingSolo]

Thanks Ryan - appreciate the feedback. I am consciously trying to get to the point and not drag these out....lol

[@CraigLedo]

Hey Maury, thanks for doing these videos! We purchased the 2019 Hymer Aktiv 1.0 last September and love it. We have had some similar issues (e.g., DVD Player HDMI Cable and now Lithium Batteries). I was able to fix the HDMI cable issue ... I replaced the cable since the original was pinched. I will be dropping off our Aktiv to the dealer this Saturday to get the Lithium Batteries looked at. Both batteries do not turn on the system when I hit the reset button. The Hymer support folks think the Balmar Charge Regulator needs to be re-programmed since my voltage reading seems to be too high (13.9 V) and they think this is shutting off the system ... we'll see. BTW, I think the Hymer Support folks are quite helpful. We also installed the rear Sumo Springs, which was a great addition. Keep up the good work!

[@TravelingSolo]

I can't remember the last time I had a bad HDMI cable but yet, there it was. I wonder if they got a bad batch of those, too...lol. I've had good interaction with the Hymer service group also, they helped me with information about the replacement battery and shipping information, etc. Good luck with your battery issue!

[@CraigLedo]

@@TravelingSolo Well, just heard from La Mesa RV that I have a bad lithium battery. Unfortunately, Hymer North America is not approving any warranty repairs, sending replacement parts or paying RV dealers for warranty repairs due to the Hymer North America scandal. So, I was told to come pick up my RV for now. Interesting times! We really like the Hymer Aktiv, so hopefully someone will save Hymer NA/RoadTrek!

[@TravelingSolo]

@@CraigLedo That's disappointing. Hopefully they get their finances in order soon and continue providing the level of service their customers deserve.

[@puppsmcgee74]

This was really informative! I actually thought you had your Hymer longer than 6 months. You are very well versed on everything regarding your Hymer so clearly you’ve done your research, both prior and after purchase. I’m sure you’ve saved a lot of money by doing most of the upgrades and changes yourself. Off topic, I need to bring you with me next time I buy a car. I’m terrible at negotiating. lol

[@TravelingSolo]

I've definitely put a lot of time into trying to understand how everything works. :) And sure thing - I'm always happy to help with the car. The nice thing about tag-teaming with someone is I can play the bad guy FOR you. lol

[@puppsmcgee74]

I’m a research fanatic for my purchase-making. The more expensive it is, the crazier I get about reviewing every single possible detail. I drive myself crazy with it. But I’m frugal and on a tight budget so I have to make sure I’m getting my money’s worth. Next time I’m buying a car I may take you up on that! Hopefully that’s not anytime soon. 🤞🏼

[@patm5483]

Thx very informative. Hymer 1.0 is my fav layout i went to see one and i dont need or want the volt start lithium batt etc so i asked the dealer about the AGM one. The dealer looked at me and said i dont order those. So i left . Much appreciate your video

[@TravelingSolo]

I can take or leave VoltStart to be honest, but (when they are running smoothly) the lithiums are great to have. But for someone who doesn't really need it, adding an AGM setup after the fact is a very cost-effective way to get some power for lighting, etc.

[@jeffg7220]

Please make a very detailed video about the bed replacement. “Before” and “after”, and show if it still folds up and down, and how well it fits and functions even though it’s a 7” mattress. That’s a pricey upgrade and hopefully it’s worth it. A good comfortable mattress is important. Anyway, that’s my request. And, thanks again. As you know, I’m a subscriber and I comment now and then. Your videos are excellent. Some of the most informative out there. Take care.

[@TravelingSolo]

Absolutely....I’ll be doing a full unboxing video when it arrives. I read that it arrives vacuum packed so it should be entertaining. :) Thanks for the kind words, too - I appreciate it!

[@jerrij1717]

Thank you for all he details you provide in your videos. One question for you, did you look at or consider a coachman crossfit? It seems to have some of the upgrades you talk about. Thank you.

[@TravelingSolo]

I did look at them all, really....I knew I wanted to stay under 20 feet though, and I think the CrossFit comes in at 22. Same reason I didn’t get the Aktiv 2.0, since it’s also over 20 feet. :) I also prefer the cassette toilet over a conventional black tank - for me, it’s just more convenient since I’m traveling alone.

[@nancyhowland5584]

I have a 2017 Carado Axion. I bought it Dec 2018. I too am new to RVING. Anyway, I paid $60, 320.00. Still quite a bit of money. I enjoy your videos. You are very resourceful. Unfortunately, I hire out for everything.

[@TravelingSolo]

Congrats on your new purchase! The Axion is a cool little van, I had looked at those as well. The rear bathroom is what caused me to keep looking. I really appreciate being able to open the back doors on my Hymer and lay in bed with the screen down. However, I think your bathroom is functionally a little better than the Aktiv (a little easier to move around in) but in the end I chose the rear bed layout. :)

[@mrslcom]

Nancy Howland. Any issues with the Axion? It seems a bit overpriced for such a small basic van.

[@nancyhowland5584]

Tanah Merah Well, yes they are overpriced. However, I think I did ok considering it has lithium and solar. All class B’s are too expensive. I would not buy a Carado ( Banff or Axion) or the Aktiv until the scandal ( Hymer North America executives embezzlement) is resolved.

[@nancyhowland5584]

I had two issues; first , the van pulled to the left. It’s under warranty but still have not seen my check. I paid for the alignment with Carado’s permission as the nearest dealer is 350 miles away. Second, serious design flaw with drawers not staying shut?!#%^*+!!! So I used baby cabinet safety locks. So annoying. Carado will send to dealer the locks but takes foeva. Also, I let my lithium batteries get to low and had to go to dealer. Easy fix. That was my bad.

[@mrslcom]

@@nancyhowland5584. Yes with the options the price is not bad then. Very disappointing with the scandal at EHNA.

[@loriwieder8115]

Thanks for posting. The otd was about 12.000. Can you break that down...dealer fee...tax and so forth. I also seem to recall that you had to leave the unit at the dealer...for five weeks to resolve an issue. I have owed a motorhome class A and was at the mercy of the dealer. The first year...it spent approx 6months in repair. You seem able to resolve any problem on your own. Do you reqret not doing your own build....because i think you would do a great job. I'm very pleased to hear that you've had no problems with the promaster. I plan on getting one in the next month or so for a self made build. Clearly the Sumo shocks are needed. Is there anything else you can recommend. Thank you in advance.

[@TravelingSolo]

Hi Lori - I'll take these on here in order: 1. The actual numbers for dealer fee, tax, etc. start at about the 7:45 mark in the video. The dealer fee included the $500 they charge for the make-ready and training, along with their documentation fees etc. I didn't argue much about this with them, and they were pretty up front about it (and also told me to keep the technician as long as I wanted during the walkthrough.) I had them running around taking care of punch list items for a while, too. 2. I love the *idea* of a class A, but they're soooooo big. I love being able to drive around small downtown areas and not worry. 3. I have thought about the self-build route, but being my first foray into RV's I'm glad I went with a manufactured unit. I'm a lot more comfortable with the systems now and if I end up doing it all over again and I don't upgrade to something larger, I might consider doing one myself. I'm following Humble Road on KZbin also, he has some great tips for van builds. Just like everything else, it's important to me to not make something that LOOKS like it was built in my driveway - if that makes sense. :) 4. Sumo Springs for sure. I don't know if the Axion comes with window covers for the windshield and side windows, but I recommend WeatherTech.com - the ones that come with the Aktiv are heavy and seem to absorb a lot of heat. The Weathertech ones are lightweight and reflective on one side, black on the other and fit perfectly in the passenger/drivers side windows. Same for the floor mat, I have a Weathertech floor mat as well. I have a few more ideas for upgrades that I haven't sorted out yet, so I don't want to speak out of turn until I know they will work. lol

[@TravelingSolo]

Oh - and window tint. I got the good ceramic heat-reflective tint and it was money well spent.

[@TravelingSolo]

Doing my Steve Jobs impression here - "and just one more thing" - the lithium battery replacement was about 8 weeks start to finish (4 weeks for the appointment, and about 4 weeks to diagnose, order parts, and get them installed.) To be fair, I left it with them instead of bringing it home, and then I left it an extra few days before picking it up because I was traveling.

[@loriwieder8115]

@@TravelingSolo thank you for responding. I too watch Humble Road and will be using 80/20 for the build. Keep up the great work.

[@protech991]

I have found a new 2018 Hymer aktiv 1.0 I'm considering purchase negotiating price my questions are now that I have more time is going by with you still purchase a timer as long as you were able to purchase a six-year aftermarket service warranty with it

[@TravelingSolo]

Knowing what I know now, if I were buying one I would not buy an aftermarket warranty. There are so many rules and restrictions, for something of that expense I feel I would be better served by putting that money into a savings account. The general opinion now is that if someone is buying a rig with an aftermarket warranty, we always ask how much they can discount it if they remove it. Some of those warrantees are $5000-$6000. Just like any insurance policy though, it is generally for peace of mind and it’s great if you need it (and it’s covered.) For someone that is not mechanically inclined, or perhaps unable to do any repairs on their own for various reasons, or maybe they would rather roll it into their loan, it might make sense. The warranty from Hymer was great because they stood behind everything. Most 3rd party coverage will exclude things like the batteries and solar panels, etc. so it really becomes a coin toss as to whether it’s worth it.

[@JHunt13]

Hello... I have watch all of your videos from when you 1st started. I have had my 2019 RoadTrek Zion on the 2018 Promaster for 1 month. Do you have any plans to add a DashCam , Radar Detector and a weboost . I was just wondering how would you do the wiring to the overhead panel and behind the panels ... thanks PS... you forgotten about the upgrade on the front door speaker

[@TravelingSolo]

Funny that you ask about that....in the photo of the wood dash kit, in the dash shelf one of the items you'll see is a mirror dash cam that I've been testing. :) 1080p with a wired rear camera. I've been kicking around whether or not I'd fish the camera to the back or not. Jury is still out on that one. I probably won't do a radar detector, I am pretty good about running near the speed limit in the Aktiv - mostly for fuel economy. For internet, I'll have my jetpack and will pick up an external antenna for it but probably won't drop the money on a WeBoost. I need to learn how to disconnect a little, and if I happen to be in an area remote enough to not have cell service, that's probably not a bad thing. lol. Thanks for following along on my journey. It's been interesting so far, and I'm just getting started!

[@TravelingSolo]

By the way, one of the owners on the Hymer Aktiv Owners and Wannabe's group on Facebook just today posted an entire writeup of how they wired a rear camera. You should check it out.

[@ThomasUSofA]

Thank you for your videos. Well done and helpful. We've owned Sprinter based RVs, and are considering a downsize to a Promaster B. Our current front runner on this platform is a Travato, with the Aktiv 1.0 a possibility. My main concern right now is driver comfort as compared to a Sprinter. I'm 6'2", and when sitting in a Travato, I'm uncertain of how comfortable it would be during a long drive (not as much aft seat travel as a Sprinter.) How tall are you, and what has been your experience in this regard? Any other Promaster owners' opinions would also be appreciated!

[@TravelingSolo]

Reviews seem to be mixed on seating comfort. I'm only 5'9" but I rather like the "driving a bus" seating position. I think people with long legs are the ones most likely to have issues. As you scoot the seat back to make room, the steering wheel doesn't tilt down with you, so you could end up with a strange leaning-over posture depending on how far back you go. That said, a lot of taller owners have said it's just fine for them. As for me, I've done as much as 10 hours in a day in mine and it didn't seem any worse than being in a car for that long.

[@ThomasUSofA]

Thanks for your feedback.

[@michaelamster5768]

Great videos. Thank you... what was the price tat you started to negotiate at. La Mesa RV already discounts them. So a 120k unit is already on sale for 85k. From there did you ask for another 10k off? I'm not really sure where to start and expect to meet in agreement. Thanks

[@michaelamster5768]

because of the bankruptcy issues...they are already listing them at 85k, so should I offer 70k?

[@TravelingSolo]

When I bought, I had a couple things working against me - one, they were very popular, and so there were very few available....and two, there was a show coming up. We went back and forth a number of times, but they did not come down much at all. At the end, I made one more OTD offer and they declined, saying they know they’d sell it at the upcoming show. On the plus side, I was in time for the $2500 rebate and a 6-year warranty was good insurance at the time. An $85K ask is basically pre-issue pricing. I’ve heard of a few isolated screaming deals, with most of them seeming to land in the low to mid 70’s. It certainly can’t hurt to offer 70, but I wouldn’t expect them to take it. If it’s a Hymer branded van, remind them that you have no warranty. If they are including a third-party warranty, look into what it covers and see how much they will take off if they drop it. Most warranties don’t include the lithium batteries and have a long list of ways they can deny a claim. In our case, the VoltStart, under hood generator and lithium batteries are common trouble spots and the warranty won’t help. The rest of the build uses good equipment, but the install has been iffy. Improper installation is another way they can deny a claim.

[@tominftlthomasp3559]

Do you still enjoy your van? Where do you take it? How many miles on it now? Mpg now?

[@TravelingSolo]

It was a great van, but that’s sort of a complicated answer. Between my cancer treatment and Covid lockdowns, it was an expensive little thing to just sit in the driveway, so I ended up selling it to a family who would actually be able to use it. I then bought an older RV that I was OK with letting sit, and it gave me something to work on to keep myself occupied. :-)

[@tominftlthomasp3559]

Sorry to hear about the cancer. I had it too. Was out of commission for a year. I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a van to travel in but I’m worried that I may be too old at 72 to take this adventure on by myself.

[@mikelaizpurua11]

I´ve seen many of your great videos, thank you. I also have a 2018 Hymer Aktiv 1.0 and would like to get a better mattress. Can you sent me the info of the company you just bought yours and the exact measurements of the 4 sections ?

[@TravelingSolo]

I ordered from www.tochta.com. Stand by as I will be doing a full unboxing and review when it arrives. I can make sure all of my measurements work for you, too. :)

[@TravelingSolo]

My mattress is scheduled to arrive Monday, so stay tuned. I will have a discount code available also. :)

[@zzterri]

Thank you for your helpful videos.

[@TravelingSolo]

Thanks Terri. I’m glad you’ve found them of value. :)

[@user-ym6lc7pk1e]

Was the price you were able to negotiate represented a typical discount in your opinion, or do you consider that it was a mixture of good fortune, willing dealer and, of course, rebate?

[@TravelingSolo]

If you include the rebate it comes in around 24%, without it about 22%. That seems to be on the better end of what I've seen people talk about...15-20% seems to be most common depending on where they are in the country. I saw someone claim almost 30% but I don't think that was accurate. Also, there are really not many on the used market anywhere so they seem to hold their value too.

[@wurkhorsefitnessandtrainin8031]

Maury! I have commented before about settling on the hymer. I haven't purchased yet but have now settled on the Aktiv as my class B RV to be. How do you feel about the current warranty state of components on your aktiv and do you think it is a good idea to purchase an aktiv within the next couple months. There is still nothing that compares to it and the sale prices are a whole other thinking point. What would you do if you had not purchased one yet??

[@TravelingSolo]

You know, the lack of Hymer warranty really is disappointing. However, the good news is that KS2 is providing some warranty coverage on the lithium batteries - which is a HUGE relief. If I hadn't bought already and was shopping now, having that information would definitely give me some comfort and if I got a great deal on the van I'd still move forward with it. I knew early on that this was the floorplan and design I wanted. Between the KS2 news and the phenomenal community we have, if you get a good price I say pull the trigger.

[@noahandrew3168]

TravelingSolo what would you consider a good price right now to make things worth it?

[@TravelingSolo]

Well, some dealers are now including third-party warranties so that’s a plus. BUT....most of them are going to exclude the batteries and other electronics. The owner’s community is very active in finding solutions and KS2 (the battery manufacturer) will work with dealers on hardware warranties. That said, for a 1.0, in my opinion you should expect to see an asking price in the 70’s (mid to high 70’s if it includes lithium batteries.) Overall, that’s still a really good deal if you get out the door after TTL under $80K. If they include a long third party warranty, negotiate your price and then ask how much they can discount it if they remove the warranty. Some of those policies are $5000 but it’s not likely you’ll get $5000 worth of repairs out of it. It comes down to peace of mind. If you’re looking at a 2019 Hymer, then the component warranties will be fairly new. But things like the microwave or water pump are relatively low-dollar items out of pocket. Even more expensive items like the refrigerator are still doable, if it’s outside its own warranty period. Some people have said they see asking prices in the 80’s and that reflects pre-debacle pricing, so you can automatically plan on deducting 10 or 15 percent from their ask. BUT...as I’ve said to others, there is also some value in getting what you want, when you want it. If you pay $2000 more than someone else, but you got exactly what you wanted so that you didn’t miss out on it....it’s money well spent.

[@noahandrew3168]

TravelingSolo thank you for the reply! The one we are looking at right now is 81k on the website so I’ll have to see what the warranty options are with that and go from there. It’s 2019.

[@coleslaw4643]

Could of had a travato with lithium for that price

[@TravelingSolo]

Yeah, I just wasn’t fond of the Travato layout, and I have everything it has anyway....so for the same money I’d definitely make the same choice.

[@HB-ji8lh]

How did you install the safe? Is it bolted to the wall?

[@TravelingSolo]

Yep, bolted to the wall from the inside of the safe.