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

When I had no idea yet that I would be running a caravanning portal, and on Polish roads, you could only meet a good girl pulled by Polonez, the Hymer brand was already known to me. Recently, I had the opportunity to feel personally how you travel and live in a camper 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 with 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 - Elcamp Group from Krakow, for which I would like to thank them.

A motorhome on a Mercedes chassis

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

The tested vehicle in the limited Edition 1 One is available only with the silver body color 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 specification - 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 found on the road.

I must admit that for the first time I felt that the cab and the rear body of the camper were at the same quality level . Unfortunately, plastics known from the popular Ducato simply do not fit motorhomes, 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 switching the DRIVE position on the gear shift lever, we are clear that we are sitting in a Mercedes worth its price, i.e. over 450,000 zloty. This price in Poland is certainly influenced by the high excise duty caused by the large engine.

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

I really liked the placement of as many as 4 drink holders in the dashboard (2 for the driver and 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

When it comes to the MBUX multimedia system included in the base car, I must admit that it is superbly operated by means of 2 touch panels located on the steering wheel - you can manage all settings in a very simple and intuitive way 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 you want to play music from a different device every now and then.

Throughout the test period , I did not find the 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 disturb me personally when traveling in unknown 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 kind lady will ask us how she can help. If we are cold, it is enough to say "I am cold" and Mrs. Mercedes should increase the temperature inside the vehicle.

If we say that we are hungry, the pork chop with potatoes will not leave the kitchen, but the navigation system will offer us various places in the 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 ourselves every now and then.

Unfortunately, you have to pay extra for access to understanding 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 the access and spending a longer time traveling with Mrs. Mercedes, we would certainly understand each other better .

Driving properties

The driving characteristics themselves are pure poetry. In a car weighing almost 3.5 tons with a load, I was driving like a passenger car and even at speeds of 160 km / h, I did not feel any discomfort or fear of losing traction. There were also no side blasts 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 motorhome hard, but all stabilizing systems immediately acted, braking each wheel appropriately. The first time you 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 gearbox works as if it wasn't there. The gearbox knows exactly which gear to use, and the gear changes are very smooth. However, if we want to choose a different gear, just press the appropriate lever 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 Mercedes cooperation with 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 camper ready to go - i.e. with a full fuel tank and half of the water tank weighs 2950 kg), but also allowed to create very spacious and heated storage spaces in the floor, with access from the outside and inside.

All external doors from the luggage hatch 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 can be opened from two sides, is very spacious and additionally heated. This is where the gray water drain valve is located, which prevents it from freezing.

Saving on weight allowed for the installation of 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 traveling without having to call at a waterhole.

Built-in interior

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 mattress connector. In many motorhomes that I had the opportunity to test, if the beds were connected, it was difficult to climb on them, because the connector covered the steps and only an additional ladder was available, which is not entirely comfortable. Hymer used additional stairs here, pulled out from the standard stairs, which allow for comfortable entry and exit from the bed. It is worth noting that if the stairs are unfolded, they do not interfere in any way with the opening of the bathroom, wardrobe or other building elements.

Above the beds, as in many motorhomes, there are lockable shelves for clothes, and under the beds there are spacious wardrobes with lighting. 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 .

We will get the third bed in place of the table. You just have to lower it, put a special mattress on it and after turning the driver's seat, you will create a sleeping place for a third person. However, it must be treated as a reserve bed .

Next to the refrigerator, there is a fairly narrow (approx. 25 cm) wardrobe for a hanging wardrobe, in which you can hang clothes on 2 levels (1 level by the ceiling, and the second level at the height of the bed). If the user of the motorhome is a taller person, the upper level of the wardrobe can be abandoned, 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 a refrigerator operating on gas, 12V and 230V, there is a kitchen with a 3-burner stove and a sink, and 3 spacious drawers underneath .

When it comes to the quality of the entire building, I am very pleased. I have heard from various people who saw this model at the fair that making furniture is a real failure, but I really don't know what to fault. Maybe I don't see some microscopic shortcomings that any carpenter or person who is just always looking for a "hole in" will see. Overall, the superstructure fit perfectly and nothing creaked or creaked while driving, except for the bottom drawer in the kitchen, which simply requires adjustment. The whole thing was also well soundproofed and you did not feel any discomfort from the noise when driving in the rear.

Heating the motorhome in winter

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 one-week winter trip was two 11 kg cylinders with pure propane .

The outside temperature dropped to -10 ° C at night, but was around 0 ° C during the day. At night, the heating was set to + 19 ° C and when we went skiing, I set the heating to +10 so as not to cool 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 are not using the shower, the paddling pool is lined with a wooden platform, which at the same time has a leveling function. The problem, however, is the need to remove this platform when we want to use the shower - there is actually nowhere to put it in the bathroom, and at least I did not find a dedicated place for it and you have to pull it outside the bathroom - it is a bit of a pain.

In the bathroom itself, the manufacturer has placed a lot of cabinets hidden in each wall. These cabinets are not very spacious, but most of the cosmetics bottles fit perfectly in them, and if someone wants to hide the entire toiletry bag, the 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 gets very hot 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.

The residential part

Between the cab and the bathroom there is a standard table where 4 people can sit, but the most comfortable seating area will be 3 people . The stand itself could be more adjustable, and certainly the possibility of pushing it completely against the window. This would make the transition from the cab to the living area much easier, especially during quick stops when the driver and passenger seats are not yet turned towards the table.

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

The driver and passenger seats are the top shelf when it comes to the manufacturer, i.e. the Aguti brand, but I missed the option of greater adjustment when it comes to adjusting the angle of the seat itself. Personally, I find the armchair too hard , but it depends on the person, because my friend had a very good seat, but he lacked lumbar support, which I didn't even pay attention to.

All windows in the cab are 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 the REMIS company is the roller shutter frame itself in the side door. It is too high, which is why it is very often caught with the elbow and its appearance itself does not quite match the exclusive interior of the Mercedes.

On the wall next to the table there is a TV set with a smart TV system, which for internet TV fans may reduce the need to mount satellite dishes. In order to have access to the TV, however, you need to remove the headrests in the couch - however, you have to remember that this camper will usually be used by 2 people and the headrests can be permanently removed. The manufacturer anticipated this and used a permanently sewn dusted mat that covers the visibility of the headrest openings if we do not use them. It is a pity that he did not anticipate the fact that if the camper would be used by 2 people, the stoic could have more adjustment possibilities for increased comfort.

There is a large panoramic window above the cab that can be opened for increased ventilation. Under it, around the cab, the manufacturer has 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 arm, which can be useful, for example, while 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 them and 2 next to the bed.

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

With this class of camper, I would also expect a central locking 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 ignore the campsite where we were stationed during our winter camper trip . It was the Sportcamp Woferlgut , located in Bruck next to the resort of Zell am See, well-known not only among Poles.

The camping is sensational and equipped with everything you may need during a winter stopover. There is a gas, water connection and a sewage collection point on the plots. The campsite has 500 places for campers and caravans. However, it is worth booking a place in advance, because there is great interest and there are weekends when the camping will be fully booked 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, water slide, heated outdoor pool and a water playground for children deserves great attention. There are 2 Olympic-sized swimming lanes in the pool area.

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

See the film presenting the camper itself and the camping

Summary

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

The quality of the entire bodywork is very good, and the Mercedes chassis is perfect. I must 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, the fully integrated model is definitely worth paying attention to, the BMC I 580 also on the Mercedes Sprinter chassis, which I hope I will have the opportunity to test and compare soon for you 2 types of bodies with identical interior layouts.

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