Advise on Fendt Caravans

[jennifer_374227268]

Hi all, when we where at the NEC we fell in love with a 620 fendt, only concern we have is the width 8', they are really well built and finished off compared to the british ones does anyone own one or know of any problems related to them.

Many regards Keith & Jenny

 

[Geist]

They are made by Hobby - actually, they are the 'superior' range of Hobby vans, with a bit more care taken in the construction and a slightly higher standard of finish and fitments.

The downside is that they retain a very traditional 'Germanic' look and the build quality often makes them attractive to 'those who travel the roads' (as Darce put it)

Some site owners get a bit nervous if you turn up in a Fendt. lest you actually be 'one of those who travel the roads'

Apart from that, they're good vans - well made, strong, and durable.

 

[Geist]

forgot to say that your 8' wide Fendt (twin axle?) would not only be very attractive to Those Who Travel The roads, but well might prove to be absolutely irresistible to them.

 

[Joyce_5063910]

Hi Jennifer

We have a Fendt caravan and we have had Hobby caravans.

Don has been caravanning now for over 30 years and never had a problem in any camp site and since I have been with him (5 years) I have to say that I have never experienced any problems with anyone thinking we were travellers.

Now I know that the Hobby is used by them and so some insurance companies do not wish to insure them but as far as club sites go when we had a Hobby we had no problems.

I like the Fendt better as it is slightly more superior in the interior but if we had children we would possibly go for a Hobby as their designs are geared for families more than the Fendt.

We like German caravans as they have lots of good features as standard and are very well made. We do not appear to have some of the problems that fellow caravanners seem to experience on the forum with UK ones.

Some do have problems but nothing like the major ones and we certainly have not. But then we may just have been lucky.

Hope this help a little and this is from someone who has a Fendt at the moment. Joyce

 

[jennifer_374227268]

Thanks all for advise, Its hard to know what caravan to go for with them costing so much you have to make the choice we want this to be the last time we change for a long while, well untill the kids have grew up and stopped coming then we can get a nice little 2 berth, untill then we want something that is going to take 3 lively kids and still look worth trading in after 10 years, this is way the German ones seem to be the more promising.

Just have to get out and about now and try to find one.

Thanks again

 

[Cockovan]

You do realise that at 8ft wide it will be illegal to tow with anything other than a commercial vehicle with a GVW over 3500Kg.

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

Hi Jennifer,

After all the problems we had with our last UK built caravan, we chose a German Burstner.

I think most of the German vans are better built than UK vans.

What car do you intend to tow with as there will be an issue with a van more than 2.3 mtr (7ft 6in) wide.

G.

 

[jennifer_374227268]

Hi Alan, We are concerned about the 8' wide, when we asked the dealer at the NEC show he said that there should not be a problem, that this was a stupid law only in our country. We are going to phone our car insurance and get their view on it there is no way we would be happy to tow unless our car insurance was going to be covered. We have alot to look into before buying a fendt and if we are still not happy with the 8' bit i think we will look at the single axle models.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[Cockovan]

Hi Jennifer,

It's more than just your car insurance and whilst you might drive for years without being stopped it is what happens should you be involved in an accident that the real problems arise. I quote the experience of another forum contributer who owned a 2.5m wide Hobby:

"I can assure all of you that it is an expensive experience that you will regret, if you are involved in an accident, even when the following driver is at fault - I stopped safely to avoid a pedestrian, who was jaywalking, but the following driver didn't!

I had insured my van with the company that is quoted so often on here. I had given them full details of the HOBBY van in question - including overall length and width. I had been assured by the UK dealer that it was legal to tow a 2.5m width van in this country. I had notified my car insurer that I would be towing the caravan and that the towing vehicle had been modified from standard by the fitting of a towbar (How many of you have notified your insurer of that modification? It is a requirement). I "thought" I had done all of the right things and yet, when the accident happened, I was the one hammered from every direction - Police, Courts, 3rd Party Claims (because I was on the road in an illegal state), non payout by vehicle insurer, non-payout by caravan insurer and we even had to pay for our hospital treatment!

So, for any of you who have 'got everything covered', I wouldn't count on anything if you get involved in an accident."

 

[jennifer_374227268]

Thanks Alan, think that has helped to make our minds up we would be better to stay within the legal width, as you say it doesn't matter how much care you take when towing its the other drivers you have to watch out for. Back to the drawing board it'll have to be either a british one or a single axle German one at 230 wide.