Tiniest Hymer Promaster Carrado/Axion

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by Merlynda

Different strokes for different folks. Can you use the non fitted heated mattress pad like a blanket? (Drape it on top of you?)

Your endorsement in strong. I ordered one from amazon.

Not sure why you would want to. It would make it highly inefficient - allow cold in from both sides... when it works so well underneath you. I have a foam mattress with a topper... then the mattress pad... a fitted sheet holding them all together... and then I use a large queen sized flannel sheet wrapped in half making top and bottom sheet. Thus there are two flannel sheets between me and the heated pad.

[WisconsinDan]

I tried to find by search - apologies if I missed this answer. The Axiom by Hymer/Carado is a high room 118 wb - a model Ram does not sell to the public, right?

[Merlynda]

The Carado Axion is built on the Ram Promaster 1500 cargo van High Roof 136WB. It’s available to the public.

[WisconsinDan]

Ah, thank you I thought I read it was on the 118 wb - which is 195.4" or 16'3.4" not the 136 wb which is 213.1" or 17'9.1"

Thanks!

[murph_d]

@Merlynda, have you received any response from your dealer regarding the Alde 3010 at altitude? Thanks.

[Merlynda]

Yes. Here is the reply from the dealer:

“We have talked with both Hymer and Alde. There is no recall on the 3010 because it is a very uncommon occurance. What does happen on occasion is the Alde 3010 makes a little noise at higher altitudes because the air/fuel ratio changes. They have now replaced the 3010 with the 3020. However, there is essentially no need to replace your Alde 3010 in the 2017 Axion as the occurance is not very common. That being said, there is a fuel pressure regulator available that keeps this from happening. We are trying to get our hands on one just in case.“

However I found this Alde high altitude switch for the 3010.

https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/ga...witch-for-3010

I wish I had the Alde 3020.

[MsNomer]

The 118” PM is sold to the public. It would probably have to be special ordered. The ~18” it is missing compared to the 136” come from the slider area.

[murph_d]

Originally Posted by Merlynda

Yes. Here is the reply from the dealer:

“We have talked with both Hymer and Alde. There is no recall on the 3010 because it is a very uncommon occurance. What does happen on occasion is the Alde 3010 makes a little noise at higher altitudes because the air/fuel ratio changes. They have now replaced the 3010 with the 3020. However, there is essentially no need to replace your Alde 3010 in the 2017 Axion as the occurance is not very common. That being said, there is a fuel pressure regulator available that keeps this from happening. We are trying to get our hands on one just in case.“

However I found this Alde high altitude switch for the 3010.

https://www.leisureshopdirect.com/ga...witch-for-3010

I wish I had the Alde 3020.

Thanks, my Alde 3010 does make noise. I would call it more than "a little". Now I know more about it. Most of my use is well above 3000 ft. I may contact Alde to beg for a switch/regulator, you never know.

Thanks again.

[jradwan]

This is my first reply on this forum and I wanted to express how this thread has been nothing short of an incredible source for a newbie interested in the Axion model. I was initially drawn to this RV because of its shorter length. I live in Seattle and our parking space is very limited, leaving us no other options to consider except something like the older VWs.

After researching the Axion for few months and when contacting Smith101, Kite_ryder, and dougbaty, they were very gracious to answer my questions, I still hesitated to take the plunge. My main concern was the lack of Hymer dealers within a reasonable driving distance that would honor the warranty if we required any work. Being our first RV I was a bit intimated.

Then last week as luck would have it I saw an Axion sitting on a Chevrolet dealer lot and I had to stop and check it out. It's a 2017 model with 11K miles. It's fully loaded and the dealer let's say was very motivated to sell since it's been sitting on his lot for close to 2 months. Getting the chance to drive it and get a feel for how it handles got me hooked.

Yes we drove it home that afternoon. Since then I poured over this thread with fresh eyes and being an owner gave me even greater confidence and appreciation for the invaluable info and tips that were shared by everyone. Thank you.

[Merlynda]

May I ask how much you got it for?

[jradwan]

Originally Posted by Merlynda

May I ask how much you got it for?

A bit of background. We bought it from a small town dealer outside Seattle who bought it at a dealer auction. He's not an RV dealer and likely ill-prepared to promote this vehicle properly. Their corporate website could not even list it as an RV, it was simply listed as RAM Promaster.

They were asking $59K and we got it for $53K.

[Merlynda]

Impressive deal!!!!

If you like the smallness of the Axion -you will love it

I like the sofa across from the sliding door. When there are no bugs I leave the door open and just look out. Very relaxing.

I am solo so perfect for me.

[jradwan]

Yes we love the floor plan. Having access to the backdoors and tucking the wet shower in the back is a very smart design for such a small size camper. This is a major upgrade for us having done tent & car camping for years

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by jradwan

Yes we love the floor plan. Having access to the backdoors and tucking the wet shower in the back is a very smart design for such a small size camper. This is a major upgrade for us having done tent & car camping for years

I guess I'll have to think again?? I hope you got the twin bed arrangement... especially if you plan on selling this in the future...I would think it would be a very limited market for a single adventurer....

The access to the bathroom from inside the coach when the twins are down is amazingly tight... in fact .. from the pictures on their their own website ...looks just about impossible... climbing over the head of the bed to reach the bathroom?? I don't know... maybe you have to go around outside to the back??? Is this true??

I definitely agree 100 percent that it's better than tent or car camping.....at least you have a bathroom....

Good price...and enjoy...

[Merlynda]

If you sleep with your head opposite your pic. So your feet are at the bathroom end then you don’t have to climb over your partners head to get to bathroom.

IMO it’s a lot of coach for the money (it is an entry level class B).

Solar panels, wet bath, lots of storage, gas engine, front wheel drive, blue ray player with Netflix, HULU, amazon prime), TV, underhood generator, lithium batteries, back up camera, Air Conditioning, awning, the Alde system, great mpg

Lots of choices out there.

No right or wrong choice. Have to get a rig that works for your situation/lifestyle/needs.

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

I hope you got the twin bed arrangement... especially if you plan on selling this in the future...I would think it would be a very limited market for a single adventurer....

The twin bed arrangement is not available in the Avion. For that, you need to go with the Carado Banff, which is 19'7" rather than the 17'9."


It also has an extremely small galley, though the bathroom is the same.

[jradwan]

I agree the bed could be a bit tight for two people but my wife and I are the snuggling type so it's no problem And as Merlynda and mumkin mentioned you are really getting a bargain given all the built-in options. The coach components found in the Axion are the same as Roadtrek "high end" models. And for 17.9 feet total length the Axion is the only complete RV on the market.

Btw, Pleasure Way just came out with the Tofino, a model built on the 136" Promaster with a popup roof. It's similar to the old VW campers layout.

[GeorgeRa]

Just look at the Tofino, gorgeous, good designs will never die. I had 2 Westfalias and used them as models for my Sprinter conversion. This Tofino van is a real Camper Van for a family. The B Class nomenclature came after Van Camper name was well established, should we call Tofino a b Class.

I hope this market will get reignited with Tofinos and others likely following.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by jradwan

I agree the bed could be a bit tight for two people but my wife and I are the snuggling type so it's no problem And as Merlynda and mumkin mentioned you are really getting a bargain given all the built-in options. The coach components found in the Axion are the same as Roadtrek "high end" models. And for 17.9 feet total length the Axion is the only complete RV on the market.

Btw, Pleasure Way just came out with the Tofino, a model built on the 136" Promaster with a popup roof. It's similar to the old VW campers layout.

Really???
The coach components found in the Axion are the same as Roadtrek "high end" models.

NO... it's not.... but, go ahead....

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by jradwan

I agree the bed could be a bit tight for two people but my wife and I are the snuggling type so it's no problem And as Merlynda and mumkin mentioned you are really getting a bargain given all the built-in options. The coach components found in the Axion are the same as Roadtrek "high end" models. And for 17.9 feet total length the Axion is the only complete RV on the market.

Btw, Pleasure Way just came out with the Tofino, a model built on the 136" Promaster with a popup roof. It's similar to the old VW campers layout.

Your Camper Van most likely came with Alde. Alde is the first LPG powered hydronic heating system for space and water as far as I know, it is good system but it was going through some growing pains in NA. I would suggest to study the system and keep its maintenance right. Because it is so new you will find just a few RV shops with reasonable understanding of this hydronic system.

Space heating will likely be much better than NA LPG furnaces which tend to be very loud. I don’t know if you have passive radiators or powered heat liquid > air heat exchanger blowers, passive radiators are deadly quiet but powered blowers are still quieter than vanilla LPG furnaces.

https://www.alde.us/why-choose-alde/...system-unique/

Good luck and enjoy.