Advice on Purchasing a Hymer Eriba

[andsparkyknew]

Hello, everyone!

I am a traveling surgical tech that relocates every 3-5 months, and would really like to have my own "house" with me when I go to a new assignment. I am new on this site and have never owned/bought a trailer before. I have been doing a lot of research (including so many great posts here!) and think I am ready to move forward with a trailer purchase. I am thinking about buying a 2019 Hymer Eriba.

My questions are:

-What do the Hymer owners out there think of their trailer?

-Is buying a trailer from a dealership as bad as buying from a car dealership? Do you have to dicker and make sure you don't get taken?

Thanks in advance, for any and all advice

[Raspy]

Hi Steph,

Welcome.

Just curious, why the Hymer? They do seem like very nice trailers, but will you be able to get parts, like windows or pop top hardware, or canvas if needed? Will the canvas hold up while living in it all year? And are there still any of them on dealer lots?

It seems like all new molded fiberglass trailers are purchased directly from the manufacturer and the prices are set. It's not like buying a stickie where there are thousands of them on dealer lots and the price can be negotiated. Have you seen any on dealer lots?

[thrifty bill]

Orphan product from a defunct company. Uses unusual European style windows. Do your research before buying.

Left overs from the bankruptcy were being sold at really low prices, making them very tempting.

Now many of us own trailers from companies that no longer exist. Best to do with full awareness.

And if you need something for winter/cold weather, then a four season trailer like a Bigfoot would make more sense. Most molded FG trailers are not suitable for cold weather. If you use for camping, that's not usually a problem as campers head towards warmer weather. If you are using it to live in, then it can matter a lot.

I would consider buying from an RV dealer to be very similar to buying from a car dealer. In some ways, I would consider it worse as some dealers will tell you almost anything to make a sale, like "your vehicle will tow this trailer just fine". Camping World told my friend that their towing "expert" knew a lot more about towing than Ford, and convinced him his rig was more than adequate. I asked my gullible friend what credentials the Camping World expert had that would make him more knowledgeable than the Ford engineers that rated his vehicle.....I had a similar experience many, many years ago with my first towable trailer. Needless to say, both of us had to upgrade tow vehicles, an unanticipated expense.

[Jon in AZ]

I’m confused. The Eriba is a Euro-market trailer. Hymer NA declared bankruptcy and exited the North American RV market back in January. The only trailer they ever made for the North American market was the Touring GT, based on the European Eriba and sold through Hymer dealers. Might be a few new ones left on dealer lots, don’t know. Remaining factory stock was liquidated. Most were incomplete.

I did hear another company owns the molds and is planning to build a similar trailer, but it won’t be called a Hymer or an Eriba.

There are also a few Euro-market Eribas floating around that were imported by individuals and converted to North American specs. Once in a while one hits the used market.

f you have a line on one of the remaining new Touring GT’s, I’d say yes, negotiate hard. There should be a very substantial discount to allow for its orphan status- no manufacturer warranty or parts support. The dealer many offer some kind of limited warranty of their own. Consider it more like buying a used trailer. Inspect and test carefully.

Those who bought one have mentioned numerous manufacturing defects they had to correct (typical for many RV’s, unfortunately). Even so, most seem to like their trailers. Appliances are still warranted by their separate manufacturers, and most parts (other than the shell)) are common RV stock. Windows are Euro-style polycarbonate, which could be hard to source if one should break.

[jgilliam1955]

Look at all the fiberglass Trailers including Truck Trailers. Look at Casita, Scamp, Big Foot, Escape, Oliver, etc. These are all dependable & if you needed parts or talk to someone you will get a real person. This Forum & others are great for advice. The wait time of these trailers can be 2 months to 12 months depending when you order. Stay away from regular stick built trailers because of poor quality. Wish you luck.
Here is a example of a Very Good Fiberglass 5th wheel. https://www.trailerlife.com/top-stor...-ton-hideaway/

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by andsparkyknew

-Is buying a trailer from a dealership as bad as buying from a car dealership? Do you have to dicker and make sure you don't get taken?

Thanks in advance, for any and all advice

Wowza! Read a lot, learn everything you can, including learning about towing if that's new to you. Rent a trailer if you can, attend a rally and see the trailers in the real world.

Big Foot trailers and campers are sold through dealers, so there is a process of negotiating the price. I believe that all the other current molded fiberglass trailers are sold direct by their manufacturer's and the prices are fixed. Wait-times of months before accepting delivery are very common.

[Justus C]

Hi there Steph. I'm one of the fools--I mean I'm one of the owners of a Hymer Touring GT on the forum. I believe the trailer you are referring to is the Hymer Touring GT. It is aesthetically similar to the Eriba Troll/Triton, but they are not the same build quality, manufacturer, or type of trailer.

The Eribas are built in Germany with an aluminum skin over a tubular steel frame. They have a long history, loyal community, and reputable quality. The Hymers were built in Canada with a fiberglass shell, and I'm not sure if there even is a frame. It had a short (250-ish units) history, pissed off community, and quality to rival a KZ.

If I had a do-over I would not have made the same purchase. Although my repair costs have only been in the low hundreds, it has taken too much time and labor to get this to a level of function I can live with. For the same money (a shade over $15k USD) I could have gotten an early 2000s Bigfoot or Escape 17, or a late-model Casita or Scamp. All with reputable build quality and all (with possible exception of the Bigfoot) with factory support.

I recommend joining our Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/427850547980510/. We've detailed numerous issues and their fixes, as well as sourced many parts. This is a private group so you'll need to request access.

Also be sure to check out the thread on this forum: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ead-88819.html. BTW the first post in that thread has a nice photo of a Touring GT to see if that's what you're looking at.

For camping, I enjoy this trailer. It ventilates well, the permanent bed is very comfortable, it has ample space to store our bulky gear, and there are views on all sides--even from the bathroom if you choose! You have a lot of flexibility in what tow vehicle you use, as it sits unloaded well under 3,000 lbs. It is short, allowing use of shorter RV sites which let us squeak into crowded state parks on last minute reservations. I've also recently learned that you may be able to park these shorter trailers in tent sites, which opens up even more options for privacy.

For a longer stay, I would get tired real quick of the cramped bathroom and having to empty the cassette toilet every few days. The fridge is only suitable for a few days' worth of food, though you could augment that with a cooler box. Report from our Southern and Southwestern members are that the AC simply can't keep up once it hits 90 in the sun. I don't think I'd want to experience anything much below freezing for more than a few days in it either.

But as I said, the reason I wouldn't buy brand new again is the build quality. On this brand new trailer, I have had to replace fittings in the PEX water lines, reseal a window, seal an exterior storage hatch, repair and reinforce the mounts for both the fridge and the microwave, replace the storage drawer slide rails, and replace the stock tongue jack.

I've chosen to lengthen the tongue to accommodate a spare tire mount, although another owner fabricated a custom mount that he fit on the standard tongue. I've got to get it in to have the A/C serviced because it hasn't blown cold air since the dealer demo in July. In addition to the service, there are DIY tweaks to conduct on the AC.

With no factory warranty support, and hit-or-miss support from individual component manufacturers, this is one for DIYers. Ye faint of heart, give a wide berth!

Jon mentioned another company planning production. That company is L'air Camper: L'air Camper Company - Lightweight Luxurious Camping. They built the original molds for the Hymer Touring, and we suspect they brought on some of the ex-employees to work the rest of the design. They've made some considerate design choices. No release date, but I'd expect it to come in around the Hymer Touring's original MSRP of $32,000 USD.

[OCJohn]

Just so we’re all on the same page, the Hymer Eriba is a European model not sold in the US. Though it looks nearly identical to the Canadian build Hymer Touring GT, they are very different. The Eriba has a stellar reputation for construction and quality. The GT, not so much. If you’re handy and up for a project, it’s got a lot of potential. But it’s a little rough around the edges compared to its sexy cousin in Europe.

[Jon in AZ]

Yes. It’s unfortunate, an apparent casualty of over-rapid expansion in North America. The GT might have eventually become quite a good trailer if not for Hymer’s ill-advised acquisition of the troubled Roadtrek operation.

For the OP, there are certainly some good alternatives out there. I agree that a pop-top design with a cassette toilet is not the best choice for long-term occupancy. I hesitate to make specific recommendations without knowing more about budget and intended tow vehicle.

[Pd001escape]

Looking for a live in?
Not the hymer.
While I bought mine 2 weeks before the crash, I would have bought after because it suits what I wanted.

But I'm big time hands on as indicated elsewhere.

For full time please ensure weather prep, bath with separate shower. No wet bath. Decent size refridge/freezer n a gas oven for pizza n biscuits.

There are many good options. But for longterm no pop top n no eriba.

Another possibility, a prepped intech cargo trailer and add the finishing out. But again a diyfer.

Phil

[computerspook]

Traveling and living are two different things.

I travel to job sites with my 16 foot scamp. And I do use it in winter. It sure uses a lot of gas to heat it. And the plumbing really is not ready for winter. But I can make it work for a few days at a time in the winter. Have used it for a couple weeks at a time in the better weather. That has worked well. Actually normally my jobs are about 3-4 days, and still the idea that they don't have to pay for a hotel, and I am closer and more readily available is a big selling point for potential clients.

I also have done some disaster response it it. It was worked well for that. But again just a week or two (or three) I find that I need a place to dump tanks every about 4 days. Can go longer if I have to work at it, but that means not being quite as clean. Still it is a lot better than a lot of the people who also respond have. I ahve doubled up once I got there with people to help. I can "dry camp" with a generator and really that makes me very useful.

I am single and that is mostly how I camp work and etc. I have a child in my life and we have made a few trips for a weekend in it. Again it works well for that. Had to live in it for three days when we lost power because of a storm and no other place to go. At that time I had a friend and her kid staying with me, and we made that work, but it really was really really really tight. Would have hated to go longer.

All of this said when I think of the idea of full time in my camper I must don't see that being good. I would think you would really want something bigger.

[Nan]

Check out an Oliver Elite II. They are built in Tennessee and are the best fiberglass camper on the market. I have one.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Nan

Check out an Oliver Elite II. They are built in Tennessee and are the best fiberglass camper on the market. I have one.

I'm glad you like your Oliver. I truly am. But best is very subjective.

[Nan]

Thanks Donna. I was able to find a 2017 one. It had been gently used (1600 miles on a camping trip). There are a few things I would have done differently if it was a new build, but I saved a lot of money buying used. I figure it will last for a long time and since my daughter likes to camp, I will give it to her when I am no longer able to camp. I am 73 years old. It is truly a 4 season camper.