Johnstons delighted with HYMER BMC-T 600 WhiteLine

The Johnston family had a clear idea of what they wanted when they went in search of their first motorhome – and they are delighted with their HYMER BMC-T 600 WhiteLine.

Having decided to make the switch from touring caravan to motorhome, the family were looking for a vehicle which had five travelling seats, the capacity to go off-grid for long periods of time and, crucially, the ability to not feel too big when being used by just two people.

The Johnstons settled on a HYMER BMC-T 600 WhiteLine and travelled from their hometown in Bangor, Northern Ireland, to Stafford to pick it up from Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld last April.

They’ve named their vehicle Hercules and have since been on a tour of Ireland, the Lake District and have also travelled thousands of miles across France.

David Johnston, a 53-year-old retired HR practitioner, said: “We loved the lifestyle of outside living and decided to take the next step by swapping the touring caravan for a motorhome.

“We did a lot of research and were clear on the must-haves and the nice-to-haves. Most importantly, we needed a good lay-out and five travelling seats so that it could accommodate my wife and I, along with our three children, who are 20, 18 and 16.

“From our research, HYMER stood out as the quality choice. At the time, there were no HYMER dealerships in Northern Ireland so we decided to fly to the mainland to purchase from Travelworld – and we are absolutely delighted with our choice.

“It has everything it needs for the five of us, but it also doesn’t feel too big when it’s just me and Deborah.”

The HYMER BMC-T 600 WhiteLine is built on a Mercedes Benz chassis with two rear single beds, a drop down double bed over the dinette, and an L shaped seating area.

The deluxe motorhome comes with many luxuries, including a 32 inch LED TV, reverse camera and Oyster 80 satellite system – but the Johnstons added solar panels, an additional leisure battery, motorhome wifi, and an external shower to allow them go off-grid for longer periods of time.

David said: “We don’t like being couped up on a campsite and love the flexibility of being able to go where we want, so the solar panels and additional battery really help, especially when you have teenagers wanting to charge all their devices!

“We really appreciate the on-board water capacity, which has 180L of freshwater and 150L of waste water. If it’s just me and Deborah and we’re being frugal, that can last us a week – or it’s three or four days if it’s all five of us.

“With the solar panels, extra battery and on-board water carrying combined, we’re only restricted by our chemical water facilities – and I’ve bought an extra toilet cassette to help combat that.”

David was full of praise for Travelworld sales executive Ryan Hadley.

“The service we received from Travelworld and Ryan in particular was second to none,” he said.

“We ordered some equipment and parts and, rather than have them delivered to Northern Ireland and have us take them to England on the plane, Ryan arranged for them to be delivered straight to Travelworld. When we arrived in the dealership in Stafford they were sat in the vehicle’s garage for us.”

Keen photographer David is hoping to take Hercules to Norway in the coming years to enjoy the country’s breathtaking scenery.

“I’m really look forward to exploring and enjoying life in the motorhome,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any doubt that we’re fully signed up to the motorhoming life now.”