dollythelw Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Saley - Im a wee bit confused as we used to run trucks back in the bike racing days and in an effort to keep vaguely up to date I called VOSA and DVLA today. They seemed happy with no tach or checks required when converting a 7.5t to a private vehicle, fit 9 seats and anything becomes a mini bus (up to 12 tonnes) with the towing weight limit being the towing vehicles capacity (mini bus has different regs from the 7.5+750kg trailer). Camper van registration seemed to consist of sleeping quarters and some living space (although campervan would put you into the 7.5 + 750 bracket - just how many feds would know that though?) all they wanted were photos and any appropriate receipts for the conversion and a covering letter. The DVLA said theres no hard and fast ratio between "boot space" and living quarters and carrying race tools and stuff had no bearing on the vehicles usage providing it wasnt for hire or reward (cups, stickers and rossettes dont count as a reward in DVLAs eyes) not sure if the current reality is like (instead of planet DVLA/VOSA) but if they tip the nod then surely everyone's a winner? might be worth getting some insurance quotes though as memory recalls campers were usually cheaper than minibuses and 6 litre lumps got pricey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saley Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Saley - Im a wee bit confused as we used to run trucks back in the bike racing days and in an effort to keep vaguely up to date I called VOSA and DVLA today. They seemed happy with no tach or checks required when converting a 7.5t to a private vehicle, fit 9 seats and anything becomes a mini bus (up to 12 tonnes) with the towing weight limit being the towing vehicles capacity (mini bus has different regs from the 7.5+750kg trailer). Camper van registration seemed to consist of sleeping quarters and some living space (although campervan would put you into the 7.5 + 750 bracket - just how many feds would know that though?) all they wanted were photos and any appropriate receipts for the conversion and a covering letter.The DVLA said theres no hard and fast ratio between "boot space" and living quarters and carrying race tools and stuff had no bearing on the vehicles usage providing it wasnt for hire or reward (cups, stickers and rossettes dont count as a reward in DVLAs eyes) not sure if the current reality is like (instead of planet DVLA/VOSA) but if they tip the nod then surely everyone's a winner? might be worth getting some insurance quotes though as memory recalls campers were usually cheaper than minibuses and 6 litre lumps got pricey Jez the tacho was to the gent who started the thread as he would be using whatever he gets commercialy also. and as for talking to the DVLA if you ring up every day this week and if you talk to a different person every time you will get different answers i dont think they are all singing from the same hymn sheet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollythelw Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 sounds about right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jules Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 If your going to use it of company work as well its much more complex unless you just by a normal 7.5t truck and put the car in the back. I don't know weather your insurance will cover you to use it for your weekend hobby as well and I’m sure you can prove to them that your competing is not Hire or reward which lets face it comp cars are money pits. This is what I did but I’m not a company For the BORC I had a 6.5m Campervan Fiat 2.8td (Ok I bought it new in 03 so its abit over budget) which could pull just about anything and if weren’t very careful could creep up to 80 fully loaded but it had a 2t towing weight limit and this meant I had to flog my Ifor plant trailer and buy a dedicated car trailer which was light weight as trailer must be the correct towing weigh for the tow vehicle no more. So I had a 600kg trailer and a book weight 1400kg freelander (in reality it was lighter than that) on the back of my camper van and in 4 years I never got stopped but I had worked on the principle that as I was sailing very close to the wind I had done the right thing by working out the correct set up to use. There are loads out there that don’t bother also a lot of the time if the set up looks professional and tidy the police were often not interested as if someone has gone to all that trouble they would not be stupid enough to be over weight. However I would not have liked to go on a weigh bridge as the two double stacked tool boxes would have pushed the train weight up some what. I sold that set up in 2006 and have been hiring a caravan and taking two cars to events but we are no longer competing in as many events. I have a friend that really wanted a 7.5t Horse lorry but couldn't justify it to herself although her horse box on the back of her Navara and the two children was becoming nightmare for her on a weekly trip to collect and drop off horses until we talked her husband into it and how much safe the kids would be in the proper seat mounted in the living area of the lorry and the flip side we can use it when ever we want and that's got big living area and room for four houses or a TMC race car I'm insured fully comp on it as a equestrian lorry and racer car service truck and it uses less fuel that the disco towing and car carry everything, it even has water tanks and pressure washer's etc. It took us along time to find a 7.5t purpose built horse lorry that can take a car as most of them only carry three horses which is not enough room for a car I looked into it some time ago and what Jez said is completely right as most people’s license quotes the 12,000kg train weight, well mine does When I bought the camper my dad who had lorries etc. was chatting to a Lady from the Ministry and she did pas comment that most people moving race cars etc around get away with murder because they don’t drive there vans and lorries during the week and the ministry don’t work on the weekend which I thought was priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T1G UP Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 a lovly roadrunner 150 sleeper curtainsider in this weeks truck trader , i think it was about 1700 quid would be well worth a look , i better phone vosa and tell them they dont know what they are doing as its them that gave me the information re tachos and towing o yes and my brother in law who is a traffic cop Thats exactly what i'm thinking. That or a flatbed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reads90 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 When I bought the camper my dad who had lorries etc. was chatting to a Lady from the Ministry and she did pas comment that most people moving race cars etc around get away with murder because they don’t drive there vans and lorries during the week and the ministry don’t work on the weekend which I thought was priceless. got a love the goverment , can get away with anything as long as it is out side Monday to Friday 9 - 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T1G UP Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 got a love the goverment , can get away with anything as long as it is out side Monday to Friday 9 - 5 I love the winter time. No speed cameras, mobile ones, before dawn, no police motorbikes in the dark, less patrols on the m ways at night. Why do you think i do my skullking around the country in my gti in the dark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 They changed the law last year thats why there are so many for sale and also so many horse boxesas they had sleeping in them they could be classed as campers(class 4 mot same as a car) , but it changed as they are now classed as transporters if they can carry anything horses cars etc, so became good vehicles needing 6 week check and so on, you are looking at old regs check before you buy, Glyn has had to put a class 7 mot on his coach which came with a class 4 a year ago because they change the regs it is still classed as a camper but can carry goods so now needs a commercial mot and licence Are you sure it's a class 7 he has? As they only go up to 3500Kg Gross Vehicle Weight. He should need a HGV test from VOSA direct (Our coach is about 25000 Kg GVW even though it weighs only about 11500Kg empty) Though DVLA and VOSA don't seem to be aligned with some of this. Also note that for towing even though a vehicle states that it can tow a 3500Kg load, it does not mean you will not get in to trouble with the police when towing a load of that weight. It is recommended that you don't tow a load that is more than 100% of the tow vehicle weight and you might get charged with dangerous driving if you do. Also your insurance might be invalid (this recommendation does not apply if you have an active braking system like an HGV). Note the towing limit of a vehicle is in part calculated using the maximum load the vehicle can perform a hill start with (easy for a landrover with a low range) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizla 1 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 OK as you may well / well not know two of our vans got bashed up before chrismas by our friendly chav drifter.We will be recieving a cheque soon and was wonderig what to buy next. Would like a commercial vehicle that will tow a trailer and a td5 90 plus spares around the country. Cheapish as the cheque will be around 4-5K, Whats the weight of that set up 3000kg? Whats on the market that will pull that lot and can be slept in?! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How about a dayvan - great for towing and all the comforts of home - and with the 5.7 you will pass everything bar the fuel station Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
general-confusion Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I have to agree with Zardos on this one I have a HGV Class 1 to drive our coach when towing a up to 3500kg trailer . The Coach is plated as a goods vehicle but is not subject to 6 weekly checks as is not run under an operators licence as it is not for hire or reward. The main problem lies with the dvla and vosa not having the same vehicle definitions. Vosa say ours is a "living Van" as it is a motor caravan that carries goods not required for the purposes of living in it ie a Land Rover in the back and should be tested at a Vosa test centre as a goods vehicle (which it is). The DVLA do not recognise this term and think it should be a class4 (car test). As far as Tacho's go we had an exemption for but when ours was presented for test with an current tacho calibration cert we were told that the law has changed and we would require to run with a disc in at all times . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticbadger Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Big american pick-ups normally come registered as 3.5 tonnes, but fear the weigh bridge if you load it. Most can easily be plated at their true GVW of 5.5 tonnes, be driven on a normal car licence (if you passed pre 1997), legally tow 3.5 tonnes, and don't need a tacho for private use. And you can use them day to day. My bosses F350 does about 18 mpg, can tow a Landrover at 90mph with the cruise control on (up hill, local laws premitting ) and as all the comforts of a luxury saloon - Add a hard top and you've got a secure load area, oh and in the pic that's 5 37" tyres abreast in the back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maverick Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 go down th e7.5 ton route it just so happens got a low millage merc with double sleeper flat with tool cabinet and can tow a trailer as well private hgv£160 tax no o liecence no 6 weekly and no tacho for none higher or reward and 20 mpg yours £1500 JANUARY SALES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Turner Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 go down th e7.5 ton route it just so happens got a low millage merc with double sleeper flat with tool cabinet and can tow a trailer as well private hgv£160 tax no o liecence no 6 weekly and no tacho for none higher or reward and 20 mpg yours £1500 JANUARY SALES Send me some more pic's/details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacks906 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 i drive a LWB 3.5t merc sprinter 3000 to 3500 miles a week usually fully (over) loaded an still hits the right motorway speeds the older are the better ones have more grunt than these new ones an theres not a huge power difference loaded or unloaded not sure on towing weights tho either that or the VW ones are great too both pull all will day long dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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