Tiniest Hymer Promaster Carrado/Axion

[Smith101]

Just saw an Axion 18' Promaster parked at See Grins in Gilroy CA. Did notice Ecotrek 400 but no Voltstart. Looked like a nav screen in the dash. Didn't get all the details, like if separate holding tanks (doubtful). Some pics on Canadian site US equivalent of Canadian price about $73k. Bed folds out to sleep 2, but it looks short for tall people. 2 seat belts up front only.

 

[Billyboy46]

More pictures from another Canadian dealer:



Sorry don't know how to make the link work.

Can't find anything on a Hymer website tho'.

 

[mumkin]

Very Interesting. Side Sofa is my favorite floor plan. I had that in my first Great West Van Classic Supreme and no one has made one since.

Must give Hymer a call about this one. I hope it is not the same shoddy quality as the Sunlight/Banff model.

I don't get the "Carado" bit...

Carrado Hymer Axion
Carrado Hymer Banff

Both are listed on this site. So does Hymer have a new company called Carrado?? Is it just in Canada??

 

[wincrasher]

Hmmm....is Hymer going to start doing a bunch of private label stuff for various outlets? Essentially that is what they are doing with Camping World with the Sunlight. I guess you could think they are protecting their brand my making this vans really cheap and poorly constructed, I suppose. Should make their dealers happy? Personally, I think this is really short-sighted and a poor decision.

 

[mumkin]

OK... here's the story. Sunlight is a brand that will only be sold at Camping World as the Van One.

Carado is one of the Hymer brands in Europe and the Antipodes. It seems that they are going to start selling their new floor plans as Carado here in the US... at the Hymer dealers. I think we are watching their NA business plan morphing away from Roadtrek (pure speculation on my part). And hopefully bringing more of their European floor plans that so many of us have wanted.

My Minnesota dealer is supposed to getting this new Axion in the next couple weeks and I will go and check it out... I hope that the quality will be more like an Activ and NOT like a Sunlight. LOL

 

[wincrasher]

Don't get your hopes up - from the pictures it looks very similar in build quality - the cabinets and some of the hardware looks the same. They also use the same shower pan and bath sink setup.

It's hard to believe the Aktiv comes out of the same shop!

 

[mumkin]

Possibly... even probably... but the fact is that it is EXACTLY the floor plan that I want. AND it is on the shortest Promaster... which is also what I have been wanting. It is what I would design if I went to Sportsmobile. I don't need luxury... I want functionality. My rigs get pretty light usage... and if it is reflected in the price... even better.

 

[rockymtnb]

That Axion floorplan does seem a lot more functional than the Sonne for a compact (under 18ft) unit.

Kinda cute too!

 

[AlexJ-ClassB]

Love the floorplan. Hope it's better quality.

 

[mrshowtime3]

more junk from Hymer. I have no idea what they are doing.

 

[Davydd]

Well now you know why Hymer is number one. Not because of quality but the same reasons why McDonald's hamburgers are number one.

 

[mojoman]

I'm impressed with this model, should meet the requirements of a certain sector and the price is low enough ($60k or less) to include those with less disposable income than the old farts or just another piece of recreational gear parked next to the boat and ATV's. As short as it is it will most likely become the second vehicle and used as so.
Owners have a major influeance on durability and reliability.
Some people take care of their stuff to a greater degree than others and some have no regard or are not too bright. I've sold used cheap models in pristine condition and expensive models totally abused.

 

[GeorgeRad]

Hmmm....is Hymer going to start doing a bunch of private label stuff for various outlets? Essentially that is what they are doing with Camping World with the Sunlight. I guess you could think they are protecting their brand my making this vans really cheap and poorly constructed, I suppose. Should make their dealers happy? Personally, I think this is really short-sighted and a poor decision.

Indeed, recovery could be difficult if possible.

 

[mumkin]

Pure speculation, but... it appears to me that Hymer is trying to fill a need or niche in the market. These days most Class B units are priced over $100K... some of them WAY over $100K. Many of them cost more than a small house or condo. No longer are there rigs available for a family of modest means to buy a new one.

Hymer seems to be testing the demand for a more basic unit. If they don't sell, they will stop. They are listening out there because they have cancelled the Sonne... certainly because of the many negative comments here and on Facebook. People rather made fun of it.

Their Roadtrek brand is offering lots of different units with lots of bells and whistles... lots of tech... fancy fittings... with a high sticker price. In Europe they sell all sorts of different rigs under different names at different price points.

I will go look at and test drive the Avion. If I think the price point matches the product - based on today's rigs - I might even get serious. It meets much my current wish list... shortest Promaster... side sofa... rear bath. (Now if only it had a 6 cu ft fridge LOL) I'd have the basic set-up and perhaps I could fix or rather have fixed... what I didn't like. But, I need to see it first...

 

[Smith101]

more details

SeeGrins provided more info on their Axion

combination gray/black tank emptied by macerator pump

bed 72" long, 24"wide (48" assumed if folded out, still small)

Alde heating system

2000 watt inverter

underhood generator

EcoTrek 400

200 watt solar

upgraded chassis (?)

MSRP $81,047 plus $1500 delivery

SeeGrins price: $77,777 available now

I'll bet you could get a devil of a deal at $66,666!

My impression of build quality was that it's on par with a Zion. Didn't see any obvious scary problems like Sunlight.

Shared holding tank rules it out for me.

 

[Ron J. Moore]

Interesting break-out, thanks for posting. I have read about these combo grey/black tanks - and immediately didn't like that concept. In retrospect, the people who live rural have septic fields......so it all goes to the same "tank" before going on. Does anyone get the feel that the RV Industry might move in that direction - strictly to save money? Ron

 

[EsotericSnowman]

Shared holding tank rules it out for me.

Well...There isn't much room under the floor in shorty.

 

[GeorgeRad]

Great that it is not Sunlight V1’s questionable quality repeat. Interesting application for hydronic Alde in a very small van, why not a little more energy efficient (no coolant pump) Truma Combi. Alde or any hydronic system are much more complex than air furnace. Grey/black combo wouldn’t be my choice but van’s size could be the reason.

 

[avanti]

I have read about these combo grey/black tanks - and immediately didn't like that concept. In retrospect, the people who live rural have septic fields......so it all goes to the same "tank" before going on. Does anyone get the feel that the RV Industry might move in that direction - strictly to save money? Ron

There is a previous thread on this topic.

Our old Airstream Interstate had a single gray/black tank and I loved it. I tried to get our current GWV Legend built that way, but it was just too big a mod for them. As I have argued before, IMO separate tanks make ZERO sense. They are a holdover from the days when it was considered OK to dump gray water on the ground. A single tank is superior in every material way, cost being only one. I have documented my opinions thoroughly in the past (and so have the nay-sayers), so there is no point in re-litigating them here. They are available in the archives.

 

[mumkin]

upgraded chassis (?)

This means that it comes with the fancy radio/GPS/back-up camera... parking sensors... etc. I think...

...this is based on seeing the proposed brochure and a discussion with a RT person.

My impression of build quality was that it's on par with a Zion. Didn't see any obvious scary problems like Sunlight.

If you do a compare with the Sunlight, it is all the same cabinetry - just dark color instead of light. So it is a big step down from the Zion... and probably the same problems.


Both Sunlight/Banff and Axion are sold under the Carado name in Canada. So they are the same.


BTW, How do you get to the SeeGrins link to this rig. I have searched their website (which is a horrid ghastly website to find ANYTHING... they need to work on it) and tried google and it won't come up.