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Subject Topic: hymer nova
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30/1/2012 at 5:05pm
 Location: South Yorkshire
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 2 + Citroen Dispatch
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Hi
Apologies if I am in the wrong place...not very good with all of this.
Having just regretfully sold our beautiful Geist LV535 (wanting something smaller) just wondered if any members have a Hymer Nova 470/2, and if so what do they think of it? We love the quality of build in the German caravans and would have ideally liked a Geist LV 450 but they are as rare as hens teeth!
Many thanks for any info or advice.


30/1/2012 at 7:16pm
 Location: Staffordshire
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 570-BMW 530d Touring
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Hi Ogri26

Welcome to the site,firstly you might want to see this review.

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Caravans/Reviews/Caravans/Hymer-Nova-470/_ch2_rw117

I own a 570 which is the bigger version of the 470, but essentially are constructed in the same manner. As with most vans they have their good and bad points.

It has to be appreciated that these vans were originally built for the European market and were redesigned for the UK market. This means that although the door is in the correct side there are still features inside that were meant for others, such as the positioning of the reading lights and some of the electrics to name a few, but nothing that has caused too many issues.

I also have issues with the double bed layout which I could never get right and as such now use the single bed layout

There is no doubt that the vans are well built, but this has a detrimental effect on the weight. The nose weight is also quite high.

The longer A frame however makes for a stable tow.

I use my van throughout the winter and have found it to be well insulated, having an inboard cold water tank also helps.

What sets it apart from a lot of other vans is the quality of the exterior and interior fittings. After 5 years of constant use it still looks and feels like new. In my view Hymer has produced an excellent product.

Hope this helps

John


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31/1/2012 at 12:00am
 Location: Rochdale
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 Mondeo titanium 140tdc
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We bought our 470 in 2003 and it is brilliant. I have had no issues with in that time, it is omfortable, has plenty of space, tows really wel, and iI have realistic expectations of still using the same van at least 10 years from now. I managed to break the plastic unit in the shower that holds the tap and was concerned about replacing it last summer. I need not have worried, a phone call to Lowdhams and the part was ordered from Hymer, a week later it was delivered and the cost was only £50. Buy the Hymer you will not regret it.
Umlike John I have never had a problem with nose weight, up till last summer I used to carry a 13kg and a 6kg propane bottle in the front locker together with the spare wheel sundry long pieces f wood for levelling, 4 square pieces of 7x2 blocks for under the steadies, a mains lead, aerial and poles plus other small bits in the front locker and this gave me a 75kg noseweight. We remove the chest every night and make up a large bed which allows us to sleep lengthwise ( much easier to get up in the night without waking each other up ). Our van also has the door on the Continental side, this has never been problem.
What I really like about it is that it seems to have been designed with use in mind not to make it pretty, when I look at the post 2005 Nova 470's Iam not as convinced by the design, but then we have been spoiled. Mind you When we got it at first the sliding door to the bathroom and the stainless steel sink/hob combination seemed to be something we would tolerate, wheras in fact we have found with use that they are amongst the very best design features.
Would I swap the van, not a chance, i am looking forward to sitting in the van on Dixons CL in Coniston in a fortnight, and what I really want when we getnthere are reaally cold clear conditions with bright blue skies. The cold s no problem for the van it is o well insulated and the inboard tank solves all worries over frozen water supplies.


-------------
Bill

For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013

Mondeo Titanium 140 tdci


31/1/2012 at 9:26am
 Location: Surrey
 Outfit: Geist AK495 & VDub Twig
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Hiya, Elite Caravans have a 450 for sale....

I bought my AK495 from Elite and it is fantastic!

Elite


31/1/2012 at 9:28am
 Location: Surrey
 Outfit: Geist AK495 & VDub Twig
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Oops - sorry - just realised it has SOLD splashed over the corner - sorry! May be worth calling them even so.


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31/1/2012 at 10:15am
 Location: South Yorkshire
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 2 + Citroen Dispatch
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Thank you so much for your replies...thanks Jennifer, it is sold (we need a 2 berth anyway) really good of you to post the link. Thank you john and janus...on the basis of your comments we are going to look at a 470 in Lincs caravans at the weekend,so fingers crossed!
Thanks again everyone.
Judy


31/1/2012 at 10:28am
 Location: South Yorkshire
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 2 + Citroen Dispatch
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Thank you so much for your replies...thanks Jennifer, it is sold (we need a 2 berth anyway) really good of you to post the link. Thank you john and janus...on the basis of your comments we are going to look at a 470 in Lincs caravans at the weekend,so fingers crossed!
Thanks again everyone.
Judy


31/1/2012 at 11:56am
 Location: Rochdale
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 Mondeo titanium 140tdc
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What year is it?  Some say the older model is better built though my brother has a 2005 390 and I can not see that it is any the less sturdy than our 2003.

 



-------------
Bill

For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013

Mondeo Titanium 140 tdci


31/1/2012 at 12:23pm
 Location: South Yorkshire
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 2 + Citroen Dispatch
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HI Bill
Its a 2004...its on motorhome and caravan trader site if youre interested in looking at it. So its about the same vintage as yours..did you buy yours new? Do you use an awning with it, if so what size is it?
Better get ready for work, due in at 1.00pm!
Thanks for the contact.
Judy


31/1/2012 at 3:43pm
 Location: Rochdale
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 Mondeo titanium 140tdc
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It is the same model as mine I think the only difference will be that it has a pretty silver bar across the back outside. I bought it new, I use an awning my awning is an Isabella 940cm ( apparently a European size ) both Isabella and Lowdhams said a 925cm awning would be correct but for me it was much too short and since the new awning never left LOwdhams and I had expressed the opinion that it would be too short they sought out a good alternative for me. The actual rail length is 336cm, it is also a bit tall for most porches though I do use an Isabella Minor in the winter on mine the major is just too long it would come down in the middle of the window, we have oftern thought of Buying a 750cm awning and having it set up to use as a porch ( it must be a 750cm, the 775cm is too long. I have a 2004 brochure and I will try to scan it for you if you want just give me an indication of your email address ( all the usual dot instead of . and the like and at instead of at is a good idea ) and I will arrange to send it too you. ( if it a bit large I will post it on my web space for you to download. That van is identical to mine apart from the rail across the back, it even has the same fabric on the seats. We were assured when we bought it that the unladen mass includes the battery, spar wheel, two 6kg gas bottles and the water tank filled to 90% capacity. Again we were warned when we bought it that to fill the internal tank we needed to connect the external 12v plug but not to plug in the water pipe but to hold the tube in the tank filler ( like a petrol tank filler ) and then to activate the external switch and never under any circumstances to activate the external switch if the tube was actually plugged in. Apparently the pressure created by this is likely to damage the seals which separate the internal tank from the external tank.

 



Post last edited on 31/01/2012 16:24:31

-------------
Bill

For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013

Mondeo Titanium 140 tdci


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31/1/2012 at 5:24pm
 Location: N Wales
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 590GL
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The quality is more than skin deep a proper charger for the battery, regulated supply for 12v, drains that have traps, decent insulation, etc.  We have had two Hymers and have been very happy



31/1/2012 at 5:58pm
 Location: Berkshire
 Outfit: Hymer Nova
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We recently traded in our 2007 Hymer Nova 390 for a 2007 Nova 470. We were happy with the 390 but wanted a larger washroom. We have only used the 470 for a couple of weekends since we bought it in November 2011 but have no regrets. We looked at other 2 Berth end washroom vans but once you have had a Hymer nothing else compares.

We have added a drop down flap next to the sink for the drainer to sit during the day, it means i can wash up and use the hob at the same time. We use the beds as singles with duvalays that we fold and cover with throws during the day so no making up beds every night. We leave the large back cushions at home and use our pillows as back cushions during the day.

Janus, I am interested in your comments ref.Awning size. The Hymer 2006 brochure says A measurement is 910. We have checked with string and it is correct. We are about to send our awning away to be resized to fit the 470 and don’t want it to be too small. Should we ask for larger size?



31/1/2012 at 7:16pm
 Location: Rochdale
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 Mondeo titanium 140tdc
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The 2005 and later hymer is a different shape from those built pre 2005 so the awning size is different. Also they are different internally having a stainless steel sink unit that is combined with the two and a half burner hob ( one of the burners is for simmering only) and there is a separate drain in the draining space that is between the two. However since the unit is all one item washing up is incredibly easy as the whole of the hob area together ith the draining area is available to use. When we bought the van our thoughts were that this ink/hob unit was something we cold tolerate as it looked to be a retrograde step, however in use both as a hob and as a washing up space it is quite one of the best features of the van, I look at the more modern vns and think how difficult they have made things. The design gives you the space to wash up and cook at the sme time should you wish to.


-------------
Bill

For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013

Mondeo Titanium 140 tdci


31/1/2012 at 9:55pm
 Location: Staffordshire
 Outfit: Freelander 2 2.2GS
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We have a hymer too...but ours is a 530.   I can vouch for the build quality and I also like the burner/sink layout in the kitchen.  It seemed odd at first but now I find it so much easier to cook/drain the veg, wash up pots etc. as you go along and there is an additional drain plug if anything spills on the hob or when you are cleaning it...doddle.

Ours is a fixed twin bed model which is ideal for us with 2 teenage kids and when they decide not to come with us, its luxury for me and hubby...proper full sized single beds and no need to disturb the other one if you need to get up during the night. 

Door on the "wrong" side has never been an issue either.  All the sites we have used are happy to accommodate us, especially if you notify them in advance that the door is on the continental side.



01/2/2012 at 9:44am
 Location: Berkshire
 Outfit: Hymer Nova
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We would love fixed single beds but too heavy for us to tow. We havent seen pre 2005 models so didn't realise the difference. We bought the first one that came up for sale after looking for a year.



01/2/2012 at 5:23pm
 Location: South Yorkshire
 Outfit: Hymer Nova 470 2 + Citroen Dispatch
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Quote: Originally posted by janus on 31/1/2012

It is the same model as mine I think the only difference will be that it has a pretty silver bar across the back outside. I have a 2004 brochure and I will try to scan it for you if you want just give me an indication of your email address ( all the usual dot instead of . and the like and at instead of at is a good idea ) and I will arrange to send it too you. ( if it a bit large I will post it on my web space for you to download. ]Post last edited on 31/01/2012 16:24:31



Janus...That would be great..thank you so much my email address is : judyatcheetham60dotentadsldotcom
I'm bowled over by the advice and info given, truly appreciated! Am going to try and print it all off for future reference!
Will report back after we have been to see it Fri/Sat. Getting quite excited now!

ps. why do you have to put 'dot' not . etc? Just wondered, for future reference!
Judy



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