Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 20:27 Post subject: hobby caravans

might have the chance of getting a hobby caravan, its a Prestige 560 UFe and its a 2006 model and its a very good price but bit bothered as to whether its legal to tow
don't have a problem with licence etc got my licence back in '78 so okay on that score but
Overall Width / Interior Width 250 / 237 cm now am i right in thinking 230 is legal max as i don't want to buy if i Can't use it
any one got one this wide and been stopped/had probs with ins/probs with c/c site etc
any help please,
kenny
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Rob Barker · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 21:14 Post subject: Hobby vans

You're correct Ken, maximum width is 2.3m unless you're tow vehicle is over 3500Kg's.
A good summary is here http://www.practicalcaravan.com/legal/index.html
There are some Hobbys around that are legal to tow with a car or a "car derived van" but despite their build quality they don't seem to hold their price very well.
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Former Pajero owner now with a 97 L400 Super Exceed crystalite roof etc, pulling a 2007 Bailey Senator Carolina and a Yamaha MT01 for when I'm not towing

LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 22:57 Post subject:

maybe if i took it through a carwash it would shrink a little bit :D shame really nice van as well, makes you wonder how they can sell something thats illegal to tow Question

cheers
kenny
anyone have a van 21-24ft with fixed rear bed?? if so how do you find it, looking at that sort of size with sep shower 4/5 berth any feedback would be appreciated as i've looked at a few and i'm all caravaned out :D
thought this would be the best time to buy as well
kenny
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LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 16:41 Post subject:

the caravan i have been looking at was posted on http://www.caravanselecta.co.uk/
just spoke to them as i suspect (i'm sure Evil or Very Mad

) its a scam
just had a couple of emails from the seller asking me to send a moneygram to a friend/family member of mine to "prove" i have funds and send a copy to them to show transaction , alarm bells ringing so no hobby van today
apparently if you send them a copy of the moneygram they have all the info to claim the money which means
£2050 out of pocket and no van
old adge applies if it sounds too good to be true it usually is!!!! Evil or Very Mad

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grasshole (RIP) · Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 1230 Location: Neston

Nearly always gyppos selling Hobby's Rolling Eyes

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It doesn't matter where you put it, cos someone gonna come along and move it, and it's always been the same, it's just a complicated game.....

mpdyork · Joined: 10 Mar 2009 Posts: 39 Location: York

hi just bought a new adria adora 612dp. end island bed , absolutly brill
with 2 young kids aswell come 8pm put them to bed we can watch tele etc without disturbing them
a big bonus of the adria its got fibreglass sides not ali, whoopee no more dents Can't fault it
hth
cheers
mark

LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 16:39 Post subject:

is it the "legal" width??? thats what we want, loads of space,home from home and room if the grandkids want to come with us
will keep looking, anyone ever been pulled due to the width being over 2.3m?? if so what happens? Shocked

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android · Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 248 Location: Sheffield

Hi Ken a member of this club used to tow the biggest hobby with his L400
he has since changed the hobby for a newer bigger model but now tows
with a trooper and he has never been pulled about it
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w234/martinunwin1/myhobbyvan_edited-1.jpg
don't know iff this link will work cos i don't know about these things
but Ihth Good hunting. for caravan i mean
atb Ron
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Is everybody happy? with a Deli! you bet your life we are

LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2009 20:57 Post subject:

Simon Bailey · Joined: 06 Jun 2009 Posts: 79 Location: Cheshire

We've just sold our Hobby 560 KMFE (the one with the fixed rear bunks and fixed front double) single axle, and in the time we've had it, we never had problems.

We have replaced it with a Elddis Queensferry - basically the same layout as a 560UFE.

Several things to think about when buying a Hobby:

1) They are, generally, heavier than their british counterparts

2) There are a lot of "dry-van" Hobby's out there - no toilet, shower, sink, basin, etc. They are usually about £1000 or o cheaper than "wet-vans".

3) They do not have 12v on-board (unless it's been retro-fitted). So unless you have a genny or, as I did, an inverter, you can be stuck for lighting, etc

4) The width isn't a major problem, but it can be quite tight getting onto some sites - we never had a problem with ours, but one site had a very tight entrance.

5) The door is on the "wrong" side and some sites don't allow you to put the a-frame in first...this just means that you sometimes don't have space for your awning or your looking at the door of the van in the next pitch.

Taking those things into consideration, they are very well made (but stay away from 2003-2005 models, as they had build issues), and do provide a level of comfort that the british vans are only just catching up with.

I would certainly recommend A and B caravans in Lloc, near Holywell...we're we've just bought our Elddis...fantastic to deal with and very conscientious - http://www.aandbcaravans.co.uk/

andyrep · Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 344 Location: macclesfield

Hi Just my input

I thought that the actual legal width with a non comercial vehicle towing was a max axle of 7'6" with 12" overhang i know that my boat is 2.4metres and never had problem but if you look through most boat mags then most trailerable boats are made to 8'6" beam or 2.54metres

just my input

i also thought that the big 760 hobby was the only one that need a comercial vehicle

just get a transit Laughing

Andy
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LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 22:09 Post subject:

ended up buying an elddis sceptre 5 berth, 21ft
really pleased, people selling hobby were scammers Twisted Evil

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cheesy biscuit · Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 87 Location: hampshire

i now its not a hobby its a LMC whitch i pulled back 150 miles away
Deli puled it fine

LITTLEKENGRIFF · Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 16:08 Post subject:

v nice looking van there mate
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cheesy biscuit · Joined: 24 Feb 2009 Posts: 87 Location: hampshire

only a little one Laughing