The Caravan Owners Club

[pnewell]

Hello everyone , simple question ...... i hope ,

is the Hobby 650UMFe caravan legal to tow in the UK using a standard vehicle .... like an SUV or Land Rover ??? i have looked at various comments but think that the 700 range is the problem.
Also , can anyone beat 13,900 euros new for this model ?? any comments are welcome.

cheers

Paul.

[Hobbynut]

This van is 2.5 metres wide and therefore needs to be towed by a vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight or Maximum Authorised Mass as it is now known in excess of 3.5 tonnes. Vehicle such as Dicoveries and Range Rovers don't really come anywhere close to this figure. it is possible that an LDV Convoy 17 seater minibus just about makes it and if you want to blow £50,000 on an American Hummer H2 that would do the job perfectly.

[Doc]

Paul,

as it happens I've just met, again, one of the few Hobbyists who legally tow a WIDE 'van (a 720, in fact). Their solution is to tow with a 4.5tonne Iveco Daily panel 'van. It's BIG, but they researched which towcar? to get and found the Iveco was way cheaper than Merc, VW and other equivalent tow vehicles.

There may be the odd Transit etc which has a GVW of over 3.5 tonnes but you must read the 'small print' very carefully in the Handbook, or on the VIN plate.

[Gareth]

ILLEGAL you are not insured (at all, car not insured) if you have an accident, because you are driving an illegal outfit (so it would be as if you had no insurance on your car and would you do that). This is if you do not have a vehicle with a GVW over 3500kg. Be aware.
I do not agree with the law but that is the law at the moment and everyone should be aware.
This is all subject to a standard non commercial vehicle

Sorry to be so negative

[pnewell]

guess i will just have to get my hummer out of the garage again ..... )

[pnewell]

so .. the 560 is also the same width as the 650 and the 720 ... how many people are driving around towing one of those ???
without realising the issue

[mark-b]

pnewell a lot of people are towing illegally either they are ignoring the law or just don't know the law. i'm lucky has we use a big american pick up.but not all of them are legal.

oh by the way you can put the hummer back into the garage to.i't aint heavy enough

[pnewell]

how do you like your 650 ...... thats the one i was originally aiming for and it seemed like a nice layout. Not sure whether to go and get a 3.5 ton vehicle to pull something that size or just get something smaller ... what a life !

[Hobbynut]

Was only really joking about the Hummer. Cost prohibitive for us normal people but it does have a Gross Vehicle Weight of 3.83 tons ( 8600 lbs ) and a towing capacity of 2.99 tons ( 6700 lbs). The end result is that my 710 will have to stay sited subject to a lottery win
Best Wishes
Chris Bennett

[mark-b]

i stand corrected hubbynut i was getting my wires grossed with another gmc model.
has for the layout we love the space we have in the 650 and we dont have to make the bed up at night..

[skudulike]

A long wheel base Land Rover 110 Defender County 12 seater will do the job, it has a gross weight of 3,500lb exactly. Being 12 seat, it's classed as a commercial vehicle but the latest models are only 10 seat and have a lower payload and would not suit.

[mike]

Hi Everyone,

Look how far we have come in just a few months. Everyone seems to know the legal situation on towing the larger hobby's. That is to all your credit.

The law is the law ( even if it needs changing ) You long serving members know what i am going to say next. I said it before and we failed to get it rolling. Should we try again ?

Who fancies drafting a nice letter ?

Dear MP

Dear MEP

Dear Editor

Dear Santa

Or

Dear Hobby Wohnwagenwerk GmbH ( please help us )


Come on , put pen to paper, or at least to word to screen. Then we can formulate the best letter and all invest in a stamp or two.

Worth 27p of anyones money

Just a thought

Regards

Ed




Shall we do it ? Shall we voice our

[yellkell]

Dont think being exactly 3500kg is enough. It has to be over 3500kg.

[skudulike]

This is the law:-

Towing vehicle under 3500kg GVW
Length (excluding the coupling and drawbar) 7.0 metres
Width Maximum 2.3 metres

Towing vehicle over 3500kg GVW
Length (excluding the coupling and drawbar) 12 metres if at least 4 wheels
Width Maximum 2.55 metres
Length of towing vehicle and trailer combined 18 metres
Maximum overhang of load from rear of trailer 3.05 metres

You're right BUT......... would they split hairs over 1 gramme?

Yes lets get writing!!!

[Hutchy]

Yes they would spilt hairs over 1 gramme if it meant that they didnt have to pay out!
Its really not worth taking the chance. If insurance companies can find any loop hole to wriggle out of they will. No faith in insurance companies at all now. It has taken 12 months and a lot of hassle to get paid out on our 560 that was stolen, but if we had had an accident while towing we could have lost everything, as insurance would have been void.