Mercedes specialist with its own approach
Brakel, in the province of Gelderland, is home to a genuine family business with an impressive history: Autobedrijf Aron Hobo. Specialising in Mercedes-Benz and with a strong focus on quality and independence, this car company has been a household name in the region for over 50 years.
What once started as a hobby workshop in Aron’s grandfather’s barn has grown into a professional car company with a fully equipped workshop, a large stock of used cars and a second branch that focuses entirely on Mercedes parts. Aron Hobo is now the face of the company, which has been operating under his name since early 2025.
Specialised and opinionated
With a clear preference for the Mercedes brand, the company exudes German reliability. ‘That focus on Mercedes actually came about naturally,’ says Raymon, a salesman at the company. ‘We used to tinker with Mercedes cars in my grandfather’s shed. More and more of them came into the workshop, and so we grew into it naturally.’
What is striking is that Autobedrijf Aron Hobo has deliberately chosen not to be part of a garage formula, such as Bosch Car Service. The reason? Independence. ‘No rules, no obligations. We want to chart our own course, with our own working methods and parts channels.’
Relying on a partner for
online visibility
“We are observing an increasing shift towards online planning. Previously, telephone calls were the primary method of communication, but now people are increasingly making bookings via the website. This approach is proving to be quite effective.”
– Raymon, salesperson at Aron Hobo Car Dealership
In 2023, the team at Autobedrijf Aron Hobo decided to give their website a major upgrade. They chose to collaborate with Autosociaal. Why? ‘A neat, professional look, an attractive monthly fee and the guarantee of a new website after two years. That was the deciding factor for us.’
The collaboration went smoothly: the photographer came by, the design was agreed upon by telephone, and the website went live quickly. ‘Communication was good. Minor adjustments afterwards? Easily done.’
Since then, they have also been using online workshop appointments via the website, something that is particularly popular with the younger generation of customers. ‘We are seeing more and more online planning. Previously, people mainly called, but now they are increasingly booking via the website. It just works well.’
View of
the future
How does the team view the future of the automotive industry? Soberly and realistically. “We don’t really believe in electric cars. Neither do our customers. Hybrids are okay, but fuel cars will remain our main product for the time being. As long as that’s possible, we’ll continue to invest in them.
A lot of positive feedback has already been received from colleagues: ‘The video and the look and feel are striking. It fits in with the image we want to convey.’
A collaboration that works!
Aron Hobo Car Company is a fine example of a universal car company that charts its own course, with clear choices and a strong brand focus. With the help of Autosociaal, they can now reinforce that course online – with a professional website that grows along with their ambitions.
Approaching targeted (potential) customers to sell more used cars?
Edwin Haan
Operational Manager
7554 NG Hengelo
