# Considering a Hobby 750fl Exclusive: Loads of questions



## riverboat2001

Seen a really nice Hobby 750fl.
2007 £37k 3.0TD
In really fantastic condition inside and out.

Seriously thinking about it, decent trade-in price for mine.


Build quality, are they as good as they look.
Do they leak? (most important)

How easy/difficult is the front double to make up?

The shower seems a usable size, but how does that leather look vinyl cope with the steam, surely an extractor or vent should have been included?

I love the eye level oven, how well does it perform?

If i upgraded to two 110amp leisure batteries and solar panel., how long could we manage off hook-up (being sensible with electric use)

Blown air gas heating, is it safe to leave on all night?
(worried about gas going out, or carbon monoxide)
Also, wouldn't the battery go flat with the blower on all night?

How easy is it to view the TV when it's fixed to the wall below the glass cabinet?

Are there enough plug sockets.

I'm a real softie, and hate being cold?
What's the coldest temperature you've been comfortable with, on and off hookup?

Can i really use the heating whilst I'm driving? The Hobby website seems to imply that i can.

I really want to use the van comfortably in all seasons, i'm fed up using site showers in the winter, when although the site is open, the heating is all turned off!

What changes / upgrades have you made?

I like the idea of a decent scooter rack.


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## ned

*Hobby*

Hi Riverboat,

Ilooked at this van at wellhouse. It seems quite a good piece of kit.

Winterisation will be right up there with Hymer and Cathargo. Walls and roof are 35mm floor is 75mm. The furniture fit out is top quality. If you put on two 110v batts withe a 100watt solar panel you should be self sufficient from march until october but that depends where you travel. Much better the further south you go. The heating will work all night. get the thermostat switch turned down to 2 ( the new ones are a bit coarse so you have to do a trial and error experiment) It then just clicks in at about 12-13 degs which is fine for a sleeping temp.

Trade in on our van wasn't that good so I will wait intil I sell it privately. Then I will probably go for an import- younger van and a bit cheaper with less miles. I see yours has done 34440 so if you buy it make sure that they put in a new cam belt and see if they will 'wear' a new set of tyres as a 2007 van will be ready for a change as pointed out in other posts. Best of luck with it and see what you can get off on the tyres and cambelt-remember you have SIX tyres to replace which could be £800 to a £1000 pound. I bet they won't be too happy about that!!!!!!!

Cheers............... Ned


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## riverboat2001

So in winter i really could leave heating on gas all night and not kill the batteries. And have them recharged during the daylight hours?

Got a solar panel on our current van, and it's great in the summer for travelling off ehu, but don't think it would be good enough during the winter, but i turn the gas fire off at night anyway!


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## carol

I would say in winter in would probably kill your batteries quite quickly, the blown air seems to consume a lot.... we had 2 x 85w solars and 2 x 115 amp batteries and in winter we tended always to go for hook-up

Never ever use site facilities, prefer what I had on board, and kept warm, but hook-up is better in winter in UK, and even unless in nice warm weather down in Southern Spain I wouldn't risk it myself.

Bear in mind in winter, it gets dark a lot earlier and it is winter when you perhaps tend to watch the TV more....

Carol


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## riverboat2001

Well, my ultimate would be the highly recommended Alde system, which everybody seems to love, but the van layout we want with that heating is still out of our price range.

I'm looking at possibly changing again in three years time for some of the new models for this year, when they've dropped down to where i can afford them.

The Hobby vans do seem to have a loyal following with pretty much nothing bad to say about them, so they can't all be wrong.
The build quality really does seem fantastic.


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## ned

*hobby*

Hi Riverboat,

We camp on ski site Aires in france and stay for a couple of weeks at a time. I have two 85amp batts which are charged by an 85 watt solar panel. If there is sun during the day it puts 3.7amps per hour into them. You would be hard put to to use that when we have the heating and the TV on. However, one has to be realistic and we do use an old Honda 1000 generator I suppose you need ehu if touring in the Uk where the sun may not be reliable. The alde haeting, which we have is great for background heat but having two lots of heating does eat into the gas supplies!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe you want to buy my Hymer S650?

Cheers........ Ned


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## riverboat2001

Any more views on Hobby vans before we put down a deposit?


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## LandCruiser

Hi! Riverboat

Mein Hobby is a 750GEL (single beds over garage at rear) bought new in 2006.

48000 miles across Europe since then, usually twice a year in Spring/early Summer (3-4 months) and again in late Autumn/early Winter (2-3 months). 

Comfortable luxury cruiser for two + dog with unbeatable wardrobe and storage space. Cosy with double floor and internal tanks - been down to -10C and kept warm and up to +40C and kept cool with aircon.

Twin 125 batteries and 80amp solar panel cope with elec demand in sunny climes, off-ehu. In colder climes, have an efoy 600 fitted; LED lighting throughout nowadays !

Easy and stable drive with 6-wheel alko chassis and 2.8JTD (engine mapped). New tyres c. £660 for 7 tyres fitted (2011). Cambelt changed at 5-years by Camper UK.

Space/storage, build quality and cruiseability have meant we keep the van, never found anything equal or better for us, personally; Like many Hobby owners, smitten and there for the duration !

Regards,
Brian.


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## 1neil

Hi riverboat,

We bought our first Motorhome, a 2007 Hobby 750 ELC earlier this year and have just returned from a two month tour around the uk.

We are both really happy with the Hobby, the ELC setup being perfect for the two of us. The build quality is very good and the previous owner Paul had really looked after it. That said we have had a few problems, ( to be expected as its five years old) water pump failed, shower trap leaked and the kitchen tap has a small split in the body, causing it to leak when on. These are only minor things and easy to repair.

There have been no water leaks, and its certainly been well tested recently!

We have removed the table as we wanted more space. So when I need to make up the double bed I use four panels of MDF that I made up, laid across the seats and supported by two Colman tables. It takes about ten minutes to make up. I only have to do this when we have people staying with us.

The shower is used all the time, I squeegee the walls / door when I'm finished and open the window so it all still looks like new.

I have two 110amp leisure batteries and a solar panel, we have spent two nights without ehu, running lights (all led), tv and the heating without any problem. 

As it has turned colder we have experimented with the heating. Leaving the temp. dial on 2-3. It's better on the electric setting as its quieter (only on ehu).
On the gas setting my wife complains she can hear the fan kicking in at regular intervals through the night. It's a lot warmer on the gas as well.
I think it's safe to leave the gas heater on during the night, it's all been tested and I have a carbon monoxide alarm.

Our Hobby has eight plug sockets (two have been retro fitted), three 12volt sockets including the two in the cab. These are more than enough. 

We have found the Hobby gets lovely and warm just from the cab heater when it's being driven.

We intend to tour in the Motorhome for at least six months next year, and think the Hobby is more than capable.


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## Kev1

We have a year 2000
and its fab

spent a month in the alps last march dropped to -15
(not really cold) warm and snug inside.

The one you are looking at is much newer you should be dead chuffed

Kev


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## Yaxley

We have a Hobby 750FML (2006)
Agree with all that Landcruiser says about this van.
We have 3x110Ah batteries and 80amp solar panel. They are the original leisure batteries and after 5 nights off hookup on aires they were beginning to droop this Sept. I think it is time to change them in the spring. 
No problems otherwise.
A great van. You will love it.
Ian


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## LandCruiser

From Ian's comments and my own experience, it does seem as though user life of the leisure batteries is about 6 years - mine "lost it" in February this year and were replaced with new ! If you're looking to change to 2x110 then your timing seems right !!

I overlooked to answer your original question on Heating; It is not recommended (nor sensible) to use the Truma heating whilst driving, unless you want to fit Secumotion, or similar - it's seemingly illegal in most Countries to have the gas supply turned "on" whilst the vehicle is in motion - unless the new "safety" auto cut-off gadgets are fitted.

Because we travel end-of-season regularly and occasionally worry about (low) gas supplies, mein Hobby has an Eberspacher diesel heater chassis-mounted supplying heat to the lounge area - offering a "toasty" quick heat boost in a morning, it can warm the van through anytime and, of course, plenty of available fuel to use; no worries !! Also, it can legally and effectively be used en-route, too !!

Brian.


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## riverboat2001

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your replies, makes me think these Hobby's must be really special, you all seem quite smitten.

Well, we drove two hours up the motorway to take a second look and hopefully put down a deposit, as there will often be three of us in the van, we insisted that we were shown how to put the front dinette bed down, however neither us nor the salesman could put it together!

Far more worrying was signs of either, water ingress, damp, or mould in the van.

In the bottom of the wardrobe on the drivers side, (where the wheel arch is boxed in) the wood has obviously got wet, and then dried out and contracted, the same thing was found under the bed, following the same line. 

I don't think it was from the top down, it appears as if the water has come up from underneath, somewhere around the wheel arch.

i asked the dealer if it would be possible to have the van charged, watered, and gassed up for a viewing later in the week, but he told me no, they would only do that on the day of collection.

This van is an awful lot of money, and i have to say there is no way I'm parting with a penny of it until I'm totally happy. 

Not sure about this one, will keep you all posted.
Going to post again on main forum to keep my choices open!


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## ned

*hobby*

Hi Riverboat,

You need to ask the dealer to supply you with an INDEPENDANT habitation check. This sounds a bit serious. Remember this model will have been anew design in 2007 so likely to have had some teething problems, remember the problems that fiat had with the clutches and gearboxes!!! try finding out who had the van before Wellhouse had it could contact the DVLA and ring the previous owners up to find out if they had problems. In my experience ex owners are usually quite happy to pass on information. You need to be very careful here or a good negotiator.

Cheers Ned


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## riverboat2001

Yep,

I would definitely sort out the independent hab check when spending this much. 

Will attempt to contact previous owner, but still, looking and keeping my options open.


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## lucybabe

*Hobby 750 exclusive*

Hi anyone that can advise me, am looking at the 6 wheeler model to buy new, but looking at other forums etc and a lot of people and this model seemed to be banned from sites in uk and abroad as being likened to 'traveller' vans. I do not wish to spend that amount if money and not allowed on sites, have any others had this problem.

Does anyone have a problem with size on sites.
Are 2 batteries needed
Is a solar panel a good idea


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## lucybabe

*Hobby toskana exc d750 hfl*

Hi,
Looking to purchase new the above motorhome, thing is it is left hand drive, does anyone know if they hold the value like right hand drive vans, or am I going to loose loads in 4-5 years time. How much of a price difference should there be between left and right drive vans.

Retired recently an looking for comfort when travelling.


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## Kev1

Hi Lucy
We have had no troubles with people thinking we were travellers

They wouldn't let us on, cos Sue just looks doubtful no matter what van she is in

Kev


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## Yaxley

Hi Lucybabe
The suggestion concerning 'traveller' vans was aired here about a year or two ago. Non of the Hobby tag axle van owners had met this problem on campsites. In any case 'travellers' use caravans.
You may meet a campsite that cannot accomodate a van over a certain length but these are very few. We have never met this problem either in UK or Europe.
Ian


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## riverboat2001

I've discounted the one we were looking at, however we have been lucky enough to be given some money towards a van, so we are hoping to go and see a new, unregistered 2011 one this weekend. Dealer seems to be offering it at a good discounted price.

Not my choice, but hubby seems keen, i'd rather get a year old one with all the bling already added. But see what the weekend brings.


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## joedenise

Lucybabe

you will loose a lot of money what ever you buy

joe


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## riverboat2001

True, but dealer saying 40K plus our 97 van, so not too bad


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## riverboat2001

Well we fell slightly short on the what the dealer wanted=how much we had to spend front so slightly crestfallen but we will get the Hobby 750 we want eventually we will keep looking.
So if anyone has a 750 GELC or ELC at the right price let us know


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