Winter trip in a motorhome Hymer BMC T 580 - CampRest test

When I had no idea that I would be running a portal about caravanning, and on Polish roads you could only meet a good-natured eNka, pulled by a Polonez, I was already familiar with the Hymer brand. Recently, I had the opportunity to experience personally how to travel and live in a motorhome built by a manufacturer who has over 60 years of experience in designing and building camping vehicles.

Read below my subjective opinion and driving impressions of the latest model of the Hymer BMC T 580 motorhome in the limited Edition 1 One version .

The camper was made available to me by the official distributor of the Hymer brand in Poland - the Elcamp Group from Krakow, for which I sincerely thank them.

Mercedes camper van

The BMC T 580 model is a semi-integrated camper and comes only on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis . The copy I tested had a 318 CDI engine with a capacity of 2.2 liters and a power of 177 HP with an automatic, 9-speed 9G-Tronic gearbox.

The tested copy in the limited Edition 1 One version is available only with the silver color of the bodywork and the graphite color of the base car. The color of the body itself (other than white) is an additional 30 kg according to the manufacturer's specifications - but I think it's nice to have a camper in a different, distinctive color. At least it won't turn yellow over time like some of the white ones you see on the roads.

I have to admit openly that for the first time I felt that the cab and the rear body of the camper are on the same level of quality . Unfortunately, the plastics known from the popular Ducato simply do not fit the campers, the price of which often exceeds PLN 350,000.

Immediately after taking the driver's seat, touching the leather steering wheel, which is equipped with more buttons than many TV remote controls, starting the car with the button and turning on the DRIVE position on the gear shift lever, we are clear that we are sitting in a Mercedes worth its price, i.e. over PLN 450,000 zloty. This price in Poland is certainly influenced by the high excise duty due to the large engine.

However, I was disappointed with the traffic lights. I was convinced that in such a high version of the motorhome, and even more so in the limited version, LED lamps will be standard equipment - however, the manufacturer equipped this copy and all 149 others with H4 halogen lamps. In other versions of the BMC T580, you can of course order LED lamps as an option, but the limited version is not configurable .

I really liked the placement of 4 cup holders in the dashboard (2 for the driver and 2 for the passenger). There is no need to hide e.g. a water bottle if you want to drink hot coffee at the same time.

MBUX multimedia system

As for the MBUX multimedia system included in the base car's equipment, I must admit that it is operated sensationally using 2 touch panels located on the steering wheel - in a very simple and intuitive way you can manage all settings without taking your eyes off the road.

Everything works very smoothly and quickly, and the huge 10.25-inch touchscreen works as it should and knows exactly what we wanted to press at the moment. Pairing the entire system with phones takes literally a few seconds and there are no major problems when switching between phones, if we want to play music from another device every now and then.

Throughout the test period , I did not find an option to display the current speed limit in the factory navigation , which I am used to from other navigation systems and I must admit that this is an inconvenience that would bother me personally when traveling in unfamiliar places.

Voice control in the MBUX system

A very interesting solution is the ability to control various settings in the car using your own speech. It should work in such a way that after saying the magic command " Hey Mercedes" , the nice lady will ask us how she can help. If we are cold, just say "I'm cold" and Mrs. Mercedes should increase the temperature inside the vehicle.

If we say that we are hungry, it is true that pork chops with potatoes will not leave the kitchen, but the navigation system will offer us various places in the immediate vicinity.

There are really many commands and it is best to learn them all so that the system understands us well and does not ask us to repeat it every now and then.

Unfortunately, you have to pay extra for access to understand all commands by Mrs. Mercedes by purchasing access to a special application. Our test copy did not have this facility purchased, so we could not check its operation in 100%. However, I am convinced that after purchasing access and spending more time traveling with Mrs. Mercedes, we would certainly understand each other better .

Driving characteristics

The driveability itself is poetry. In a car weighing almost 3.5t with a load, I was driving like a passenger car and even at speeds of 160km/h I didn't feel any discomfort or fear of losing traction. There were also no side gusts known from large motorhomes when overtaking trucks on the highway. Several times, however, it happened to me that a gust of wind in the Alps hit the side wall of the camper hard, but all the stabilizing systems worked immediately, braking each wheel accordingly. The first time, you can get scared, but later the driver just feels more confident even in very strong winds.

I believe that this chassis is currently the best possible choice when it comes to driving comfort and the use of the latest safety systems.

The automatic transmission works as if it wasn't there. The gearbox knows exactly what gear to engage , and the gear changes themselves are very smooth. However, if you want to select a different gear, just press the appropriate paddle located on the back of the steering wheel.

Double floor in the camper

Mercedes actually ends right behind the driver and passenger seats, because the rest of the camper is the result of cooperation between Mercedes and the Hymer brand . It resulted in the creation of a completely new chassis frame, ideally suited for motorhomes.

Thanks to this, not only weight was saved (the motorhome in readiness for driving - i.e. with a full fuel tank and half of the water tank weighs 2950 kg), but it also allowed for the creation of very capacious and heated compartments in the floor, with access from the outside and inside.

All external doors from the luggage hatches are equipped with telescopes that make it easier to lift the door up or prevent the door from hitting the wall of the camper when fully opened.

The garage, which is opened from two sides, is very capacious and additionally heated. It is here that the gray water drain valve is located, which prevents it from freezing.

Saving on weight allowed to install very large tanks for fresh water (180 liters) and gray water (150 liters) . Such a supply of water will allow you to spend a longer time on the journey without having to stop at a watering hole.

Interior development

Hymer BMC T 580, despite the fact that it has 4 places to ride, has only 2 single beds in the rear part of the vehicle, which can be connected with each other using a connector with a mattress. In many campers that I had the opportunity to test, if the beds were connected to each other, it was difficult to get on them, because the connector covered the stairs and only an additional ladder was available, which is not entirely comfortable. Hymer has used additional stairs here, taken out of the standard stairs, which allow you to comfortably get in and out of the bed. It is worth noting that if the stairs are unfolded, they do not interfere in any way with opening the bathroom, wardrobe or other elements of the building.

Above the beds, as in many motorhomes, there are lockable shelves for clothes, and capacious wardrobes with lighting under the beds. The beds themselves are very comfortable, and the Froli system was used under the mattresses, which I had the opportunity to test for the first time and I can safely recommend this solution to anyone looking for a comfortable bed in a camper or caravan. We wrote more about this system here: Froli. A good night's sleep in a motorhome and caravan without unnecessary burden .

The third bed will replace the table. All you have to do is lower it, put a special mattress on it and after turning the driver's seat, we will create a sleeping place for a third person. However, it must be treated as a reserve bed .

Next to the fridge, there is a rather narrow (approx. 25cm) wardrobe for a hanging wardrobe, in which you can hang clothes on 2 levels (1 level at the ceiling, and the other at the height of the bed). If the user of the camper is a taller person, the upper level of the wardrobe can be omitted, thanks to which we will extend the length of one of the beds and instead of 192 cm we will have 215 cm.

Next to the gas-operated, 12V and 230V refrigerator, there is a kitchen with a 3-burner stove and sink, and 3 capacious drawers underneath .

As for the build quality, I am very pleased. I heard from various people who saw this model at the fair that the furniture is a real failure, but I really don't know what to fault. Maybe I don't see some microscopic shortcomings that every carpenter or person who is just always looking for a "hole in the whole" will see. In general, the buildings fit perfectly and nothing creaked or creaked while driving, except for the lower drawer in the kitchen, which simply needs to be adjusted. The whole thing was also well soundproofed and when driving in the back, you didn't feel any discomfort from the noise you heard.

Camper heating in winter

The Hymer BMC T580 was equipped with a Truma Combi 6 stove, which was responsible for heating the interior of the vehicle and heating the water. It worked without any reservations, and the gas consumption in the motorhome during our week-long winter trip was 2 cylinders of 11 kg with pure propane .

The temperature outside dropped to -10 degrees at night but was around 0 degrees during the day. At night, the heating was set to +19 degrees Celsius and when we went skiing, I set the heating to +10, so as not to cool down the interior too much.

The camper itself had very good insulation of the walls and window blinds, which made it very comfortable.

Bathroom in the Hymer BMC T580 camper

The bathroom is one room with a cassette toilet, sink and shower, which can be separated from the rest with a plexiglass door. When we do not use the shower, the paddling pool is lined with a wooden platform, which also has a leveling function. The problem, however, is the need to pull out this platform when we want to use the shower - in fact, there is no place to put it in the bathroom, or at least I haven't found a dedicated place for it and you have to pull it out of the bathroom - it's a bit of a nuisance.

In the bathroom itself, the manufacturer placed a lot of cabinets hidden in each wall. These cabinets are not very capacious, but they perfectly fit most bottles with cosmetics, and if someone wants to hide the entire cosmetic bag, a larger cabinet has been placed under the sink.

Another inconvenience I noticed in the bathroom is when used in winter conditions and the heating is on - the bathroom heats up very much and it is best to leave the roof window slightly open all the time, but on the other hand it will cause unnecessary heat loss. However, if someone likes a very warm bathroom, it will certainly not bother him and he will even treat it as an advantage.

Living part

Between the chauffeur and the bathroom, there is a standard table where 4 people can sit, but 3 people will be most comfortable . The stool itself could have more adjustment options, and certainly the ability to push it completely under the window. This would make it much easier to move from the cab to the living area, especially during quick stops when the driver's and passenger's seats are not yet turned towards the table.

The second option of setting the table, which should be improved, is the greater possibility of moving it towards the back of the camper. Its current position prevents the driver's seat from being pushed back as much as possible or tilting the backrest more, which may be a problem for taller people.

The driver's and passenger's seats are the top shelf when it comes to the manufacturer, i.e. the Aguti brand, but I missed a greater adjustment option here, when it comes to adjusting the angle of the seat itself. I personally find the chair too hard , but it rather depends on the person, because my friend sat very well, but he lacked the lumbar support adjustment, which I did not even pay attention to.

All windows in the cab have been equipped with REMIS roller blinds , which block the access of light to the interior very well and work very efficiently. However, a huge disadvantage for REMIS is the roller shutter frame itself in the side door. It is too high, which is why it often catches your elbow and its appearance does not quite match the exclusive interior of the Mercedes.

A TV with a smart TV system has been mounted on the wall next to the table, which may reduce the need for satellite antennas for Internet TV fans. In order to have access to the TV, however, you need to dismantle the headrests in the sofa - however, you must remember that this motorhome will usually travel 2 people and the headrests can be removed permanently. The manufacturer anticipated this and used a permanently sewn leather mat that covers the visibility of the holes from the headrests, if we do not use them. It is a pity that he did not foresee that if the camper will be used by 2 people, the stool could have more adjustment options to increase comfort.

Above the cab is a large panoramic window that can be opened for increased ventilation. Under it, around the cab, the manufacturer placed a very practical U-shaped shelf, on which you can keep various things that you want to have available "at hand". On both sides of the cab there are functional lamps on a flexible headband, which can be useful, for example, when reading.

What caught my attention was the right amount of hangers for jackets or sweatshirts. Placed exactly where they should be, i.e. 2 on the front door, 3 next to it and 2 by the bed.

As usual, I missed a large trash can and the garbage bag hung on one of the door hangers most of the time.

With this class of camper, I would also expect a central lock as standard, which will allow you to close all locks in the camper, not just the cab.

Camping in Austria - Sportcamp Woferlgut

Describing this amazing camper, I cannot omit the campsite where we were stationed during our winter camper trip . It was Sportcamp Woferlgut , located in Bruck next to the Zell am See resort, known not only among Poles.

The campsite is sensational and equipped with everything you could need during a winter stopover. The plots are connected to electricity, gas, water and sewage collection. The campsite has 500 places for campers and trailers. However, it is worth booking a place in advance, because there is a huge interest and there are weekends when the campsite will be fully occupied even in winter.

The campsite has a shop, restaurant and hotel if you prefer to live in the building. The newly opened swimming pool with a gym, SPA center, slide, outdoor heated pool and a water playground for children deserves great attention. In the swimming pool area there are 2 swimming lanes with Olympic dimensions .

We were at this campsite also in the summer and I can safely recommend it to everyone, regardless of the season.

See the video presenting the camper itself and camping

Summary

Hymer BMC T580 Edition 1 One is a very interesting camper that is definitely worth its price. However, it must be treated as a vehicle for 2 people who will sometimes want to take an extra person on a trip, but it is better that this person is a child.

The build quality of the entire bodywork is very good, and the Mercedes chassis works great. I have to admit that this is my current favorite when it comes to a camper from the premium segment.

I recommend it especially to people who want to buy a high-quality motorhome for their own use for many years and will only travel as a couple. However, if someone is looking for a similar camper from the Hymer stable, but for 4 people, then the fully integrated model is definitely worth attention, the BMC I 580 also on the Mercedes Sprinter chassis, which I hope I will have the opportunity to test and compare for you soon types of bodies with identical interior layouts.

gallery