# Hobby Van



## 102933

hi can anyone tell me who is the main dealership for the hobby van as brownhills don't deal with them now. if anyone can help with any info on the van good or bad they may have had etc as we are going to the nec to look at the van with the intention of buying a new one. much appreciate any help thanks in advance 
bill & jean


----------



## JohnsCrossMotorHomes

Hobby Caravans (UK) Ltd are the sole importer into the UK and have established a network of Dealerships throughout the Country including Caravan sales, accident and warranty repairs and the supplying and fitting of equipment.

http://www.hobbycaravansuk.co.uk/

They will no doubt be at the NEC I would imagine.

Regards

Peter


----------



## framptoncottrell

Lowdhams have taken over the official Hobby dealership for Hobby motorhomes.

But look at

http://www.goeuropean.co.uk/contact.html

for imports at a much more competitive price.

Peter is quite right about Ambergate (Hobby Caravans UK) being the distributors but they have an appalling reputation for customer service for caravans. Don't know about motorhomes.

Dr. (musical, not medical) Roy


----------



## normaa

*hobby*

hi had a 750 fms new keep it 6 years lovely van BUT paint finish is appalling palntwork blister all over lower panels cost £1800 to fix and bodyshop said the blistering will return so sold it


----------



## JohnsCrossMotorHomes

framptoncottrell said:


> Lowdhams have taken over the official Hobby dealership for Hobby motorhomes.
> 
> But look at
> 
> http://www.goeuropean.co.uk/contact.html
> 
> for imports at a much more competitive price.
> 
> Peter is quite right about Ambergate (Hobby Caravans UK) being the distributors but they have an appalling reputation for customer service for caravans. Don't know about motorhomes.
> 
> Dr. (musical, not medical) Roy


Oh don't take my comment as official, I just copied and pasted that off *THEIR *website.

Regards


----------



## 101578

Hello there, we bought our Hobby 600fse from Barrons Carlisle,i'm sure they have more available but they aren't a main dealer.Hope you enjoy your van as much as we are...good luck


----------



## 101578

oh we've had no problems at all and it's now four years old


----------



## clianthus

Hi 

We have loved our Hobby and had no problems, excellent build quality.


----------



## 101776

I've had two Hobby's, one 750 and one 600fs. Excellent quality and no problems but beware getting parts is a nightmare, and has become more difficult since Brownhills stopped being a distributor.

Average time to get a part from Germany 8weeks- 8 months, its easier to go to Germany and buy the parts there. 

Many dealers are reluctant to p/x them for the above reasons...having said that once you have one you won't want to px it for anything else!


----------



## dbh1961

Our Hobby 750 was a lovely van, but the build quality was nothing like as good as we expected. From reading other posts though, it seems we may have had a rogue one, as most seem satisfied.

I echo the comments about p/x values, especially if the dealership situation is volatile.

When we swapped it for the A/trail, we were (financially) forced into dealing with Bhills for a 2nd (and last) time, because they were the only people who would offer a realistic price for the Hobby. That was when they were still dealers though, and they knew they could shift it easily.

I'd imagine that most dealers would still be scared of a 2nd hand Hobby on their forecourt, and only ongoing Hobby dealers will be interested, come p/x time.

If you are going ahead, then make sure that you intend to keep it a while, and that you've factored in that it may depreciate more than most.

That said, the 750 in the last MMM did look a bit tasty, especially in that colour scheme.

In my opinion, the AutoTrail is put together better than the Hobby was, BUT that is just my opinion, based on just the 2 individual vehicles.


----------



## pepandspice

*Re: hobby van*



billyboysaltburn said:


> hi can anyone tell me who is the main dealership for the hobby van as brownhills don't deal with them now. if anyone can help with any info on the van good or bad they may have had etc as we are going to the nec to look at the van with the intention of buying a new one. much appreciate any help thanks in advance
> bill & jean


We visited the manchester motorhome show earlier this month and enquired about the Hobby Van at the Lowdhams stand, ( from huddersfield branch) they said Nottingham branch dealt with Hobby but that 2008 hobby vans were virtually sold out.
Dawn.


----------



## 105642

*Why buy a new one?*

I bought a virtually new Hobby 750GEL off ebay late last year. It had 3800 KM on the clock and had only two european trips in 2006. I've covered around a 1000 km myself. I paid 35K for it and saved a fortune on the new price. It is inside over the winter now. I would totally recommend buying nearly new privately if you can get one. They are dificult to find at a good price but they are out thier so be patient. 
I may sell mine in the spring as I am looking to buy some property abroad. I am based in Newcastle.


----------



## 119481

Did you buy a Hobby Van? Ours is nearly 2 years old and given good service after initial problems. We even get 34 mpg keeping mostly to max 60 mph.


----------



## JohnsCrossMotorHomes

Hi,

I would be interested to hear comments about Hobby as we have been offered a dealership.

Not accepted as of yet though.

Peter


----------



## framptoncottrell

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> Hi,
> 
> I would be interested to hear comments about Hobby as we have been offered a dealership.
> 
> Not accepted as of yet though.
> 
> Peter


It would be good to have an alternative dealer for Hobby. We looked very seriously at Hobby motorhomes on our various visits to Germany, especially at the Dusseldorf shows. The German Hobby dealers were offering very good discounts on list price which Lowdhams just couldn't match when we enquired, so, in the end, we decided otherwise. We still love some of the models.
The quality of the vans looked top-notch - certainly a match for any of the other top manufacturers in Germany or France.

Good luck in your enquiries.

Dr (musical, not medical) Roy


----------



## raynipper

Hello normaa,
My 2000 Hobby 750 FSME has some paint blistering on the beads running round the entry door and some windows. But as it spent some time beside the east coast while the then owner waited to die, hardly suprising really.

The rest of the Hobby build I can't fault and just trying to get behind some cupboards can be an all day job removing the dozens of screws. 

Would like a bigger fridge though.

Ray.


----------



## 101776

If you go ahead with the dealership I'm sure they will sell, I would buy one when I replace the autotrail I have, as already had two Hobby's and both were great.

The bugbear is defo the parts, unless you speak fluent German and can organise to ship the parts in yourself you are wasting your time, I needed a shower tray for my 600 and gave up after 8 months wrangling...managed to source one privately but it arrived from Germany in little bits, smashed by courier...

I know Brownhills struggled to get the parts in an acceptable time, I gave up on them!! hence trying to sort it out privately....

I would say, if you can go to the factory and arrange to buy a few spares yourself, it would be worthwhile, they are a great machine and make very easy living...looking forward to hearing from you when you decide!


----------



## JohnsCrossMotorHomes

Parts supply was foremost in my mind, but as both my wife and daughter speak fluent German, conversing would not be a problem.

I am sure they know a few superlatives as well!

What models would you recomend please.

Peter


----------



## Steamdrivenandy

We included the Hobby Van in our search list when we eventually got the Adria Compact.

I think I read somewhere in the Summer that all '08 Hobby Van production was sold out by early Summer. 

I also remember reading in amongst the new model announcements in the Autumn that Hobby had abandoned production of the Van model for '09 and were only offering larger vans. As it was probably the second best Van of the type it seems an odd decision.

Build and finish look superb. The inclusion of napper knocking overhead lockers just above the bedhead seemed silly, especially considering the wealth of storage already in the van and this plus the use of a ladder to gain access to the bed pushed us towards the Adria.

SDA


----------



## MyGalSal

[


> quote="Steamdrivenandy"]
> I also remember reading in amongst the new model announcements in the Autumn that Hobby had abandoned production of the Van model for '09 and were only offering larger vans. As it was probably the second best Van of the type it seems an odd decision.


I thought I had read that they are discontinuing the basic van but continuing with the more sucessful Van Exclusive?

Sal


----------



## JohnsCrossMotorHomes

I dont think they are sold out now going by how keen they are for us to stock their product.

Time will tell

Peter


----------



## 119352

From Hobby's website it appears that Hobby-Caravans-UK Ltd in Derbyshire is still the primary UK importer for Hobby motorhomes and caravans, and that there are currently seven other Hobby motorhome dealerships in England, Wales and Scotland.

The original flat-sided version of the Hobby Van has been discontinued and, for 2009, just two versions of the curved-sided Van Exclusive design will be available - the T-500 GFSC (6.05m in length - transverse double-bed over rear garage) and the LT-500 GESC (6.75m in length - two longitudinal rear single beds).

Near identical models (though with an enhanced standard specification) are marketed by Fendt as, respectively, the "400" and "500".


----------

