any sites take hobby vans norfolk

[gazterrano]

hi guys, just thinking about purchasing a hobby van ..yes i know there hard to insure & very nickable but i found insure quote no problem & a local site near me that stores them , once ive added all the security devices & probably throw a sheet over it for winter but my main concern is very few sites want these vans on there site due to its enourmus size (30ft)lenght ,we often travel to norfolk for the summer breaks wondered if anyone else has one of these suffers same problem ..any views would be helpfull

[spinna]

30ft I thought my van was big at 26ft

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

Originally Posted by spinna

30ft I thought my van was big at 26ft

fear that sounds too big legally for a t2, anything over 7 metre body length
will invalidate your insurance, shame as they are beauties.

as for sites, join caravan club, can turn up with any make flash member
card and you're in! afraid the traveller connection is what can cause a
knee jerk reaction at some sites.

[96terrano]

We were turned down once. Our van is about 22ft

[gazterrano]

Originally Posted by Thomas-the-Terrano2

fear that sounds too big legally for a t2, anything over 7 metre body length
will invalidate your insurance, shame as they are beauties.

as for sites, join caravan club, can turn up with any make flash member
card and you're in! afraid the traveller connection is what can cause a
knee jerk reaction at some sites.

weight wise its 1800kg within the limits, as for lenght yeah 7mtrs or 23ft not inc A frame prob takes it to 26ish but yeah fixed beds massive lounge all the toys for small money compared to many others... mmm not in caravan club but looks like i might have to join ,yeah there all scared gypsys have turned up when an hobbys attached ..so im told lot of sites dont like em tho

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

what model, sounds great.

think with club is can then attend holiday rallies
where whilst basic facilities, its cheap and dont
worry about size of outfit.

some of smaller commercial sites might try to
charge for 2 pitches if think outfit is oversize
to their small pitches.

insuring hobby should be easier again with club
as the wider bodies are now legal for towing by
regular cars/suvs.

[762buzz]

Try searles in Hunstanton they have a caravan area and have seen a hobby on there before
Not a cheap site but top notch and have a tesco in doorstep so don't have to keep running truck about

[briggie]

Originally Posted by spinna

30ft I thought my van was big at 26ft

my van is 35ft by 12 foot

[gazterrano]

Originally Posted by briggie

my van is 35ft by 12 foot

im guessing you dont tow that with a terrano whats the weight!

[gazterrano]

Originally Posted by Thomas-the-Terrano2

what model, sounds great.

think with club is can then attend holiday rallies
where whilst basic facilities, its cheap and dont
worry about size of outfit.

some of smaller commercial sites might try to
charge for 2 pitches if think outfit is oversize
to their small pitches.

insuring hobby should be easier again with club
as the wider bodies are now legal for towing by
regular cars/suvs.

the one ive seen is a 650 model with L shaped lounge fixed bed full fridge freezer & of course they are well screwed together 05 for £6000 lot of van for your money but im told that model falls into the towing lenght just inside limits, i have a mate police sargent he is also unsure of towing limits too

[firebobby]

Originally Posted by briggie

my van is 35ft by 12 foot

I bet your popular on the Rd briggie

Be a bloody laugh though, towing a static on the highway, think of the moans you would get

[firebobby]

Originally Posted by gazterrano

im guessing you dont tow that with a terrano whats the weight!

Gaz, I just found this, may be worth reading before you buy it.......


TRUE FACTS TO TOWING A HOBBY

After reading some of the reviews regarding towing a 2.5m 8ft wide Hobby caravan in the UK, some people seem to be getting their facts mixed up a bit.
Towing limits are not Gross vehicle weights !!

To tow a Hobby caravan that is bigger than a 540 model i.e. 560, 650, 690, 720 etc which are all 2.5m or 8ft wide, you need a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 3501kg or higher which to you and me is a full blown COMMERCIAL VEHICLE.

This law rules out ALL UK 4x4's, Disco's, Landcruisers, Troopers, L200's etc and ALL 3500kg vans i.e. Transit T350, Merc Sprinter, Iveco's etc.

To own and run a full blown COMMERCIAL VEHICLE, firstly you need an operators licence and a base to operate from (private residences are not permitted) you need to use tacho's and have the vehicle tested every 3 months at a VOSA test station.

See where this is going !!

I own a Ford Transit 115 T350 Jumbo Van Double Rear Wheel which is huge, kerbweight 2250kg, gross vehicle weight 3500kg, gross train weight 6000kg which means if my van is loaded to capacity at 3500kg I can still tow 2500kg behind me, making me 6000kg (6 ton) in total, and legally, although I do hold a HGV class 1 licence anyway.

Guess what ?? It is still illegal to tow a 2.5m 8ft wide hobby caravan with my Transit.

Regardless of what anyone tells you, I've been into this with a fine tooth comb, spoke to VASO, DVLA and the Police with respect of buying a 720UKfe and touring with it and the same answers keep coming back, 3501kg or higher.

People will tell you anything to sell you one, and insurance companies will insure you because their wording relates to the trailer being towed by a legal vehicle....... You crash and try to claim !!

They ask what vehicle were you towing it with... whoops invalid sorry !!
OK you've totalled your caravan and wreaked you 4x4 but at least you can claim for that, right !! Wrong !
When you have to explain that you crashed towing a 2.5m wide trailer .... whoops invalid sorry !!

What are your options at this stage ?? well suicide I suppose ! Especially when the wife only wanted a little Swift 450.

You can own a 4.2 TDI Landcruiser and although it will tow 3500kg, its gross vehicle weight is not over 3501kg so it’s illegal.

If you bought a T430 Transit which IS a full on commercial vehicle and used it solely for social domestic and pleasure purposes and someone would insure you for it, THEN and only THEN could you tow your big Hobby and be LEGAL

The idea of living with a full commercial vehicle just to tow a Hobby is somewhat impossible though.

Hope this helps

[(RIP) PLANK]

sorry but that is wrong! you can now tow a caravan 2.55 meters wide on a UK road with a suitable PLG vehicle it has been law for the last couple of years. own and tow such caravans! we used to have a member VATCO who runs the Vintage American Trailer CO he published an apology on his website after making the same mistake. There is stuff on uk.gov about his but can't post links on my kindle!

[firebobby]

Just something I found Plank, like you say, things change.
We are in the caravan club and you do see quite a few hobby's on the club sites now, I like the build quality of German caravans.

Mind, you will need a good set of mirrors as the Terrano is a narrow car and the Hobby is wider than most

[(RIP) PLANK]

Originally Posted by firebobby

Just something I found Plank, like you say, things change.
We are in the caravan club and you do see quite a few hobby's on the club sites now, I like the build quality of German caravans.

Mind, you will need a good set of mirrors as the Terrano is a narrow car and the Hobby is wider than most

The mirrors! a very good point a T2 is very narrow. tried all sorts and settled on 'rock steady' not quite the truth but about as good as towing mirrors get!