Hymer Activ 2.0 owners?

[deekdeek]

Hello all, new to the foum here.

I have been looking into class B's during the last year and am going to test drive the hymer activ 2.0 in a couple of weeks. Was at the last 2 Toronto RV shows and while i'm not totally in love with the layout - i beleive its a good compromise although not sure about the power sofa vs the slat bed frame, tend to be leaning towards the bed style , but this would compromise common living space.

We are a late 30's couple no kids and are wanting to tour north america this coming fall/winter. I do like the idea of being mobile and it fitting into a parking spot as we do not see outselves staying in one spot for more than 1 week or so. hence the class b option. We are not really RV'ers but have done long road trips.

Are there any Hymer Activ 2.0 owners that can comment on the rig , i know they are fairly new but just wanted to get any input that would be vauleable regarding personal experiences and any thing to lookout for that i may have missed. it seems to be hard to find anyone that actually owns one to speak with, which makes me question how in demand they actually are!

Also the 6 year warranty is attractive !

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some of my concerns are below
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what is a resonable price to pay CDN

lithum BMS power usage, i read the consumption is high?

venting for the casette toilet ?

insurance costs?

RV storage , can the hymer be kept outdoors duing winter? does the battery need to be removed? Toronto is cold in the winter , i kknow they claim -40F but not sure if this is really believealbe and how long can this be sustained.

maintenance, if something engine or mechanical happens can a regular dealership service?

thanks in advance!

[jon]

Originally Posted by deekdeek

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some of my concerns are below
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venting for the casette toilet ?

I can answer this. Before we had our Sprinter converted we rented same size Sprinter RV with an unvented cassette toilet. During our vacation I could detect a faint toilet chemical smell in the RV. When we converted our van into a RV with a cassette toilet I ordered a SOG toilet vent and had a SOG 2 added to our cassette and haven't smelled anything.
SOG Toilet Kits, SOG Systems - Sog toilet kits for motorhomes and caravans. Eco Friendly no Chemicals
Jon

[booster]

On the lithium battery questions. The parasitic losses have been very high, although we haven't had good information lately. You would lose over 1/2 the capacity of a 200ah module in 24 hours without even running anything.

The temps may be your worst case issue. Lithium batteries can be damaged, per the latest information, by being stored at lower than -4*F even if fully charged.

[deekdeek]

Thanks this totally makes sense to me and really should be installed from the OEM. Will check out the product thanks for the reply.

[deekdeek]

Hi booster,

i agree lithums dont like cold at all , the dealer sent me a youtube vid on how the battery comparment is supposed to be climateized. This is assume when the battery pack is being used so this is somthing that i need to discuss.

if anyone has experince storing with a lithum pack in cold climate , please let me know.

[booster]

Originally Posted by deekdeek

Hi booster,

i agree lithums dont like cold at all , the dealer sent me a youtube vid on how the battery comparment is supposed to be climateized. This is assume when the battery pack is being used so this is somthing that i need to discuss.

if anyone has experince storing with a lithum pack in cold climate , please let me know.

Many installations have heaters in the cabinets to keep the batteries warm, but they take power from the battery to do it, and/or require shore power. When in use, it takes less extra heat to keep them warm enough to at least discharge, but can still be tough to keep above the 32*F needed to recharge them. It is a big risk to hope the batteries stay above the -4*F when in cold storage. Some have found that even with shore power and the heaters on, they can't keep them warm enough to charge.

The critical temps as we hear it.

No charging below 32*F

No cold below -4*F battery temp whether being stored or used. They should be either heated to above the -4* all the time or removed and stored in a warm area if the van can't be in a warm area.

In between the -4 and +32* the batteries can be discharged and used, but not recharged.

[indoorsy]

The show price through Sicard RV at the Toronto show for the 2.0 with Power Sofa was $105,900 Canadian. I don't know if that is a good price or not. I got a price similarly equipped of $97K and change US.

good luck with your purchase. I am trapped in a B Class vortex. The more I learn, the further away from a decision I seem to get.

[deekdeek]

Originally Posted by indoorsy

The show price through Sicard RV at the Toronto show for the 2.0 with Power Sofa was $105,900 Canadian. I don't know if that is a good price or not. I got a price similarly equipped of $97K and change US.

good luck with your purchase. I am trapped in a B Class vortex. The more I learn, the further away from a decision I seem to get.

i know what you mean , also seems that up here in canukistan there arent too many options buying class B from CDN dealer.

what are your issues with the decision making , just curious....im in the same boat , the more i steered away from the hymer thinking there must be something better for the sameish price, the more i kept coming back to it. its a BIG investment so i think cold feet starts to set in especially when its close to BUY time.

[indoorsy]

Originally Posted by deekdeek

i know what you mean , also seems that up here in canukistan there arent too many options buying class B from CDN dealer.

what are your issues with the decision making , just curious....im in the same boat , the more i steered away from the hymer thinking there must be something better for the sameish price, the more i kept coming back to it. its a BIG investment so i think cold feet starts to set in especially when its close to BUY time.

My circumstances are different than yours so if I were a no-kids couple, I'd probably be fine with the Hymer 2.0. I have two kids (one who may or may not even want to camp and if she did would need to bring a friend) and need between 2 and 4 seat belts. So, wanting to keep hope alive to all get out there I need four. I like the power sofa option but learned from the very helpful people on this forum that the seats in the back will be a rough ride and not great for carsick prone kids. The two seats behind the driver's seat are really only enough for one kid. The seats in the back and the seats at the dinette weren't terribly comfortable. I'd be okay, considering we likely won't be hanging out in the RV for extended periods of time but it all started to give me pause. I test drove the 1.0 and felt a bit rattled driving on the highway. The wind and passing 18 wheelers, or being passed by 18 wheelers was more of an impact than I would have expected especially considering how car-like the drive was on the back country roads. I'm currently also considering the Airstream Interstate (used) Lounge EXT. It has the longer wheelbase and dually rear wheels, also a diesel engine so maybe more stable to deal with wind etc. on the road. I need to test drive it to know. Bear in mind, I'm a bit of a baby and I think tolerance for the wind push is probably all over the map. I once got the upper level, back row on the Bolt bus coming back from New York City to Boston. I was exhausted but sat "bolt" upright as I was convinced I was going to die any minute. Folks around me were sound asleep. The other issue for me is that my closest Hymer dealer (that I'd do business with, there is one closer I've crossed from the list) is 3.5 hours away. Wish it was closer in case there are warranty issues. I'd at least like to test drive the Airstream to see how it handles on the highway. I realize the longer van means less easy parking. Also realize (from this forum) that dually wheels are a PITA. And that a gas engine is preferable but I want to feel comfortable driving this so I have to at least test drive the Airstream. It has four seats with belts up front (plus more in the back). Essentially same layout as the Hymer 2.0 with power sofa, but flip the bath and galley and change the dinette bench in the Hymer to two captain's chairs. Sorry so long, it's been a process!

[jon]

Indoorsy, I'll add that a lot of the complaints about to rear sofa riding rough are from the 24 ft Sprinter vans. The rear overhand on those vans is far more than on the Promaster 21 ft vans. I would guess that the rear sofa would ride a bit better than on the Sprinters. I would test the rear sofa in the Aktiv 2.0 before I counted it out.

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by deekdeek

...

Also the 6 year warranty is attractive !

...

thanks in advance!

This is a touchy one.

First, nothing is free. You paid for the 6 yrs of warranty. It is factored into the selling price of the RV.

Secondly, as you read more RV forums and FB groups, you will learn that it is a pain to make a warranty service appointment.

There are many reasons for this... the factories do not pay the going rate for warranty jobs, and they are on credit (ie the dealer don't get their money until months after the job is done). Therefore if there is a choice, they would do the cash jobs first. You can't blame them because they need to pay their employees and utility bills and taxes. If you call them up, they will schedule you two to three months in the distance (in the off-season when they are not busy). If you did not buy the RV from them, they don't even want to talk to you.


So, do you need the 6 yr warranty?

YES YOU DO.

Because Roadtrek has lots of proprietary technologies in their RV -- Voltstart, underhood generator, ecotrek, etc... nobody can repair those except Roadtrek.



ps. most of the fridge and furnace have 2 yrs warranty from the respective factories. AGM batteries have prorated warranty. Solar? as much as 25 yrs.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by deekdeek

Also the 6 year warranty is attractive !

It's hands down the best warranty in the industry. The appliances have warranties of their own but when they expire, the factory picks up the remaining period up to 6 years. As long as you don't tinker with the battery management systems, the factory will replace failed lithium batteries for the full six years.

In the automotive world, there is no question that dealers that have to put up with stingy OEM warranty reimbursements tend to make warranty work a low priority. However, the dealer that provided our 210PC indicated that the factory reimbursed them for warranty work at their shop rates and they were glad to get warranty work.

Considering you live in Ontario, you also have the advantage of factory service reasonably close to you.

[Phoebe3]

I rode in the back for a Zion test drive (Promaseter chassis) and didn't find it too rough.

I road for hours in the back on a side-facing bench seat in our Crossfit (Ford chassis) and found it was a soft ride, but facing sideways was not OK if you are prone to carsickness. Husband and son didn't have any trouble with it.

We have duallys on our Crossfit and I LOVE them for stability. Totally worth it, but not sure they are available on the Promaster chassis.

[<<B-Guy>>]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

It's hands down the best warranty in the industry. The appliances have warranties of their own but when they expire, the factory picks up the remaining period up to 6 years. As long as you don't tinker with the battery management systems, the factory will replace failed lithium batteries for the full six years.

In the automotive world, there is no question that dealers that have to put up with stingy OEM warranty reimbursements tend to make warranty work a low priority. However, the dealer that provided our 210PC indicated that the factory reimbursed them for warranty work at their shop rates and they were glad to get warranty work.

Considering you live in Ontario, you also have the advantage of factory service reasonably close to you.

We live within an hour of the RT / Hymer factories and apart from the length and depth of coverage of the warranty thought that it could be an advantage living so close in case of difficulty in getting repairs done at a dealer due to either timing of competence.

However, I don't know if RT offer factory repairs, or would they just refer you to the nearest RT dealer.

Does anyone know for sure?

I do know that with our present Airstream trailer, the factory does have quite a large attached repair shop - we have had work done there. They even have an adjacent RV park with full hookups - you can stay free if having work done, and depending on the work they are doing, if you wish, they will pull your trailer out of the shop to the RV park for the night so you can sleep in it, then take it back into the shop in the morning. Pretty decent service - they are not cheap but do excellent work.

Be nice if RT did have a similar set up. I should check into that further before finalising our choice!

Brian.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

We live within an hour of the RT / Hymer factories and apart from the length and depth of coverage of the warranty thought that it could be an advantage living so close in case of difficulty in getting repairs done at a dealer due to either timing of competence.

However, I don't know if RT offer factory repairs, or would they just refer you to the nearest RT dealer.

Does anyone know for sure? Brian.

I think that if you show up at the factory with a problem, it is't referred to a dealer but is addressed on the spot. A call to their C/S should clarify this.

[cruisefx]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

We live within an hour of the RT / Hymer factories and apart from the length and depth of coverage of the warranty thought that it could be an advantage living so close in case of difficulty in getting repairs done at a dealer due to either timing of competence.

However, I don't know if RT offer factory repairs, or would they just refer you to the nearest RT dealer.

Does anyone know for sure?

I do know that with our present Airstream trailer, the factory does have quite a large attached repair shop - we have had work done there. They even have an adjacent RV park with full hookups - you can stay free if having work done, and depending on the work they are doing, if you wish, they will pull your trailer out of the shop to the RV park for the night so you can sleep in it, then take it back into the shop in the morning. Pretty decent service - they are not cheap but do excellent work.

Be nice if RT did have a similar set up. I should check into that further before finalising our choice!

Brian.

RT has indicated that they did not have the capacity to do service repairs when they had the one location in Kitchener. With the expanded facility in Cambridge, I believe that is now in the works. When issues could not be handled by the dealer, owners drove to Kitchener but it was more an exception. Capabilities of dealers are different. With regards to RT electrical technology issues, I think Forest City is more knowledgeable but they do not sell the Aktiv although they have been selling RT for a long time. I am sure if you screamed loud enough, the factory would take you in.

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

We live within an hour of the RT / Hymer factories and apart from the length and depth of coverage of the warranty thought that it could be an advantage living so close in case of difficulty in getting repairs done at a dealer due to either timing of competence.

However, I don't know if RT offer factory repairs, or would they just refer you to the nearest RT dealer.

Does anyone know for sure?

I do know that with our present Airstream trailer, the factory does have quite a large attached repair shop - we have had work done there. They even have an adjacent RV park with full hookups - you can stay free if having work done, and depending on the work they are doing, if you wish, they will pull your trailer out of the shop to the RV park for the night so you can sleep in it, then take it back into the shop in the morning. Pretty decent service - they are not cheap but do excellent work.

Be nice if RT did have a similar set up. I should check into that further before finalising our choice!

Brian.

Roadtrek does not have a factory repair facility.
They refer ALL business to dealers.
You can't buy a part directly from Roadtrek.
You can't even order a part from Roadtrek and have them shipped to your dealer. The dealer must do all the dealings. You can call them up to ask for part numbers, that's about it.

Having said that, I know of a few RVs that have made a trip back to the factory for refit. Those were serious cases where no dealer could fix the problems.


On the other hand, Winnebago has two factory repair service center. I don't know if they do warranty services only, or other service work too.

[deekdeek]

Are there any RV lithum owners that can comment on keeping the rig outdoors in cold weather when not in use? The battery pack would be my main concern, i will be asking hymer about this as well.

J

[booster]

Originally Posted by deekdeek

Are there any RV lithum owners that can comment on keeping the rig outdoors in cold weather when not in use? The battery pack would be my main concern, i will be asking hymer about this as well.J

Be sure to get whatever they tell you in writing if you decide to buy the unit from them. The tech information, especially on the lithium batteries, has been less than accurate and not consistent over the years, and what someone may tell you today could be totally disavowed later if there were a problem.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by deekdeek

Are there any RV lithum owners that can comment on keeping the rig outdoors in cold weather when not in use? The battery pack would be my main concern, i will be asking hymer about this as well.

J

Caveats regarding low temperature limits seem to vary widely. Typical upfitter limitations use -4F as the allowable low limit. Tesla, on the other hand, warranties their batteries for temps down to -22F and even lower than that for periods not exceeding 24 hours. I don't think their battery chemistry is sufficiently different from lithiums currently found in RVs to account for this temperature limit disparity.

As for Roadtrek, unless there have been recent amendments, their warranty regarding lithium batteries has no low temperature limit exceptions for battery protection. They do employ heaters for for charging protection if the battery temp approaches 32F but considering the drain, without shore side charger support, this wouldn't last more than 24 hours at most.

In any event, the representations of some suede shoe salesman is of little value. For purposes of reimbursement, the only relevant factor is what is prescribed and excepted in the warranty.