We bought a Mercedes Hymer Free s 600!
In 2023 we made a huge decision to buy a new camper van and upgrade from our VW California Ocean to a Mercedes Hymer Free s 600.
We were on holiday in the UK at the time and it was our first holiday with two children (learn more by visiting About us). We love the VW California and will certainly miss it, however during this trip we felt the inconvenience of having to move car seats and other items around at each stop in order to cook, sleep or just have enough space to move. It may just be us but we had a lot of stuff to pack while travelling with two under two and I am a strict packer.
It started as a joking conversation about bigger vans which spiralled into driving down to various garages to look at them. One of these being the Hymer centre in Stafford. After leaving we could not get the Free S vans out of our mind and we discussed the possibility of buying a new van. There were lots of variables, can we afford it, selling our existing VW Ocean, do we have space for it etc. but while the thoughts were flowing we drove down to the south of England earlier then originally planned to visit Southdowns motorhome centre where we could view more of the Hymer Free S vans. It was not long after that we made a decision to buy a Mercedes Sprinter Hymer Free S 600 and we found a Hymer dealer close to Poole called Leisure first who we spoke with about buying a new van and the process of exporting to Jersey.
Next came the waiting game while the vehicle was built.
When we secured the vehicle with the deposit: May 2023
When the vehicle arrived at Leisure first and ready to be exported to Jersey: December 2023.
When was the vehicle delivered to Jersey: February 2024 (due to us being away December/January)
If you are interested in Hymer vehicles, you can configure your own van by clicking here.( not an affiliate link)
5 reasons we upgraded from the VW California to the Mercedes Hymer Free s600!
To put it simply, more space but I will list some reasons for our decision below:
- Static beds– While it may seem like a small thing, having a static bed is a game changer for us. it means we do not have to waste time making the beds at every park up. It means we do not have to worry when arriving late on the ferry from Jersey to UK/France and gives us more flexibility when free camping.
- Being able to stand up – WIth the VW we could only stand when the pop top was up, which was not always possible in stormy weather or discrete locations. Having extra head room makes things much easier in a van from cooking to getting changed and takes the hassle out of having to pop the roof before being able to cook without breaking your back. We still have a pop top on our new van however in case we need to be discrete, we do not have to pop it. There is also space to keep bedding/smaller items in the pop top of the Mercedes Hymer which was not possible in the California due to its compact nature.
- Toilet/shower – I will be straight to the point. Having pee bottles is not ideal. Our little ones are getting older and our eldest has started toilet training so having a toilet in the van was a big decider for us. It adds a little extra comfort and gives us more flexibility when free camping as we are now self contained. Having a shower is also a nice extra.
- Storage – Having a bigger van means more storage and this was something we needed. In the VW we carried clothes for four, towels, nappies, baby bottles, food, water, cooking apparatus, an awning tent, bikes, and sometimes paddle boards. We now have more space to pack everything without having to make sacrifices and while we may get an awning tent in the future, it is currently not something we feel is necessary. We will be buying an awning though.
- Free camping – Our thought process was that because we can be more discrete due to the increase of space that we could free camp more (where legally acceptable) which would save money longer term.
Why a Camper van and not a motor home?
The cost of Hymer vans are very expensive (for our standards anyway) and we do get questions around why we decided to go with a Campervan and not a larger motorhome which would give us even more space. It is just our preference at this time. We prefer the Campervan look and enjoy the flexibility of the smaller size when driving or finding park ups. I am not a fan of the box look of motorhomes in general as I feel looking like a van rather than a motorhome lets us blend in more when free camping. As we get older, our thoughts and needs will likely change so I will not say no to ever owning a motor home though.
VW California Ocean Tribute
