2018 Hymer reviews

My wife and I purchased this RV in the summer of 2020 during the beginning and relatively unknown impacts of the pandemic. We were interested in visiting our first grandchild and were unwilling to fly from the Washington DC area to Oakland CA at that time. After searching for a rental and unable to find one that met our needs, we ended up buying the Carado Banff, primarily due to the features we wanted (smaller footprint, full wet bath, and ease of drivability since we had never RV'd before), and the savings over other brands we looked at including Thor, Winnebago and Mercedes. The Thor model we were interested in was only available new (at least 6-month wait plus $30,000 more than the Carado Banff), A similarly equipped used Winnebago would have been about $30,000 more because the solar option alone was over $20,000) and the Mercedes was nearly double the price of the Carado Banff. The Carado Banff exceeded all our expectations. After just the first day of our maiden cross-country journey, we fell into a comfortable routine consisting of 1) waking up, 2) disconnecting all connections at the RV park while my wife made breakfast (no boondocking this trip!), 3) fueling up, checking tire pressure, driving until lunch and gas (NO restaurants), driving until dusk to RV park, 4) making all connections while my wife prepared dinner, 5) setting up for bed, 6) enjoy sunset and starry nights, 7) sleep, 8) start over at step 1. This trip we were focused on the "prize" at the end of our 7-day 3,000-mile journey - my son, his wife and our beautiful grandson. We did little hiking, sightseeing and touring during the trek. We thought we'd need to stop for groceries to supplement what we packed but found we did not need to stop at all for groceries. A super-plus during the beginning of the unknown pandemic and one less place for us to remain socially distant. On our return journey, we were so comfortable with the ride of the RV, that we made a detour to visit cousins we had not seen since the last wedding in the family. Drivability was easy. The length of the RV was no issue. We found driving on the highway, in rural areas and in the city a breeze. Cruise control was a great feature used on long stretches of boring highway drives. Stability at high speeds (where the local speed limit was 80 MPH) and even during an inclement and unexpected snowstorm in early September was also excellent. The height of the RV needed to be minded due to access to some areas (no drive-thrus at fast food locations) and susceptibility to windy conditions which were infrequent, but manageable. Multiple side view mirrors (all adjustable with a simple door mounted switch) and the added back-up camera minimized my visibility concerns. Gas mileage was better than expected. Sleeping was comfortable, heating and air conditioning was excellent. During drives, the standard Ram 2500 Promaster heating/air conditioner system was more than adequate. Overall, it was what we considered an "ambitious adventure" and one that the Carado Banff fulfilled each and every day of our journey. Show less

The class-B Carado Banff is the perfect RV for anyone new to camper vans. It is easy to drive and will fit into most standard parking spaces. This 20' van packs in a lot of value. The Dodge ProMaster is solid; easy to drive and repair. Show less

We love everything about this Van, especially the solar panels, park anywear and have lights and ac along with a working refrigerator and microwave. great ride very comfortable with plenty of space and compartments. Show less

This RV is heavy and feels it. Everything works as advertised and it is comfortable with lots of comforts. The battery runs things very well and you can go dockless because of that. The refrigerator is good, the heater is really nice when needed as is the air conditioner. The bathroom is big enough that you don't feel stuffed in. The shower is big enough to clean without shower curtain "cling". Lighting inside and out is really nice, the TV works, the fresh water and grey water tanks are big. Sitting outside under the awning is just what RVing is all about. This is a very versatile vehicle due to it's size. This is a fun RV. Show less