Help!!! is it over 3 tons ??

Billy Bunting · 14-01-2008 7:48pm #1

Due to the demise of my old campervan, i have gone out and bought a Citreon Relay 1400 2.5D, i intent moving my Autosleeper interior into the new wagon and trying to re-classify it as a campervan, i have the equipment and the height, i'm a little concerned about the 3ton weight, i bought the vehicle in the uk, and as such am waiting for the documents, anyone any idea if this vehicle meets with the criteria on the over 3 ton weight ???

And if not, can i make it over 3 tones ? :eek:

Cheers,
Billy.

peasant · 14-01-2008 9:23pm

I don't quite understand?

The vehicle is empty now and you're going to bring it in, correct?

As you must (or rather are supposed to:D) register it the following day, you will have no choice but to register it as a commercial first and then convert it to a camper.

I'm not entirely certain how that would work VRT wise and would suggest that you inquire first, before you rush into anything.

*Kol* · 14-01-2008 9:43pm

To answer your initial question, the relay would be about 2 ton empty. So you are a long way off the 3 ton mark.

If you bring it in as a commercial vehicle then the VRT is €50.

https://www.ros.ie/VRTEnquiryServlet/showVRT

Billy Bunting · 14-01-2008 9:45pm

Hi,

Yes, it is empty now, but its a panel van now, VRT is a fixed €50 so i will be clearing the van as a van then re-fitting the interior, then, if it is over the 3 ton threshold that clears my from a large VRT bill i hope to re-classify it has a campervan in order to benefit from the lower road tax and no DOE test requirement.

So, if my van was infact a Citroen Relay 1400 Autosleeper, with a 2.5D engine, would it weigh over 3 ton ???????

Billy.

Sorry Kol

stapeler · 14-01-2008 9:48pm

I think these weigh around the 1800kgs, it would be quiet difficult to add 1200kgs to bring it over the 3000kg weight. Even a large 6 berth coachbuilt can struggle to make the 3000kgs.

*Kol* · 14-01-2008 10:02pm

stapeler wrote: »

I think these weigh around the 1800kgs, it would be quiet difficult to add 1200kgs to bring it over the 3000kg weight. Even a large 6 berth coachbuilt can struggle to make the 3000kgs.

I agree. Once you have paid the VRT on the van you can convert it and keep it light. There's no point in filling it up so that it starts to approach the max allowed weight for the vehicle.

Billy Bunting · 14-01-2008 10:08pm

So i'm in the lap of the Gods territory then, or should i say,the hands of the [SIZE=-1]Revenue Commissioners, any idea's of what sort of value they would put on such a vehicle? or the VRT i may expect to pay ?

Maybe i should be looking at doing a bad job of the conversion ?
[/SIZE]

peasant · 14-01-2008 10:18pm

I'd say (any VRT inspectors please look away now

) the way to do this is to give your panel van the most minimalistic makeover possible in order to achieve the "motorcaravan" criteria.

Throw in the kitchen block from your old motorhome, connect them to some canisters for fresh and waste water and fabricate a bed out of plywood that is fixed to the van, throw on a matress and make the whole thing so big that nobody could possibly accuse you of still being able to carry freight with your vehicle. Add a cheapo rooflight or two ...and you're done.

This way you will have the crappiest camper ever, which just could not be worth a fortune on the open market ...hence the VRT should be bearable.

And then ....after a while, you rip the whole crap out again and start from fresh and build yourself that really nice camper that you wanted in the first place.

*Kol* · 14-01-2008 10:19pm

Billy Bunting wrote: »

So i'm in the lap of the Gods territory then, or should i say,the hands of the [SIZE=-1]Revenue Commissioners, any idea's of what sort of value they would put on such a vehicle? or the VRT i may expect to pay ?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]Maybe i should be looking at doing a bad job of the conversion ?[/SIZE]

Somebody correct me if I am wrong but I would have thought that if you pay the VRT when you bring it in as a van that you dont have to pay it again if it's converted to a camper??

You should pay €50 for a van.

peasant · 14-01-2008 10:22pm

*Kol* wrote: »

Somebody correct me if I am wrong but I would have thought that if you pay the VRT when you bring it in as a van that you dont have to pay it again if it's converted to a camper??

You should pay €50 for a van.

yeeees, but ...

In order to avail of cheap tax and insurance you have to get the vehicle re-classified / re-assessed ...that's where they catch you.

The other problem is, that you will probably have difficulties to get insurance for a "commercial camper" ...any insurance, never mind reasonably cheap one

*Kol* · 14-01-2008 10:29pm

peasant wrote: »

yeeees, but ...

In order to avail of cheap tax and insurance you have to get the vehicle re-classified / re-assessed ...that's where they catch you.

The other problem is, that you will probably have difficulties to get insurance for a "commercial camper" ...any insurance, never mind reasonably cheap one

There's always a catch!!:D Plus it sounds like a load of hard work!!:p

Billy Bunting · 14-01-2008 11:29pm

Ok, so besides the Lino on the floor, what are the bare essentials ? :rolleyes:

peasant · 15-01-2008 12:00am

"'motor caravan' means a vehicle which is shown to the satisfaction of the Commissioners to be designed, constructed or adapted to provide temporary living accommodation which has an interior height of not less than 1.8 metres when measured in such manner as may be approved by the Commissioners and, in respect of which vehicle, such design, construction or adaptation incorporates the following permanently fitted equipment—

( a ) a sink unit,

( b ) cooking equipment of not less than a hob with 2 rings or such other cooking equipment as may be prescribed, and

( c ) any other equipment or fittings as may be prescribed;".

make of that what you want

stapeler · 15-01-2008 12:40am

And to make it more fun, after the VRO people look at it and confirm it's a motorhome/camper you then have to present it to the MotorTax people so they can confirm it's a motorhome/camper for motortax reasons.

Billy Bunting · 21-01-2008 6:52pm

Took the Relay up to the Revenue today and cleared it, it's a van, for now, asked the guy for advise on possibly changing it over to camper at a later stage, asked for some idea of cost to clear it, he was a little vague, couldn't give a price it would need to been seen, did ask if it was over the 3/3.5 ton, as it wasn't on the V5 i couldn't tell him, he said i would just have to take my chances, but indicated it could be as much as 10k. :eek: I'm unclear about this 3/3.5ton weight issue, is it gross weight of the vehicle? if i put all the bits in, then they tell me it will cost €10,000 to clear it, can i just say no thank you ver much and walk away ? what then, can i just carry on insuring it as a van ? taxing it as a van ?

Help!!!!

Billy.

savagesalmon50 · 07-07-2008 4:36am

Hi Folks,

I just had this problem. Converted a 98 Ducato 2.9 diesel into a sweet little camper but didn't make the 3 tonne weight. They said they could wnat anything up to 6 grand, the van and hole project only cost me four and a half grand !!!!! can i insure it just as a commercial or am i screwed???

Savagesalmon50

muttsnutts1 · 16-07-2008 11:19pm

if the roof height makes the 1.8 Mt behind the drivers seat ,You could possibly pay around €1500 VRT tax no way would it run to €6000.
M

spaceHopper · 23-07-2009 10:14am

Just VRT’s my camper I imported it form Japan it’s a coach built high top and had no end of hassle, got it sorted in the end.

The VRT people aren’t that clear anyway most don’t know or care. In the end I as lucky I got the right person.

My problem was that behind the drivers set it was 1.9 M but at the lowest point it was 1.77 3 cm short. I took it up just before lunch and by the time it was measured the first time it was to later to get a second opinion.

I went back the following week to sort it as was seen by an older lady who couldn’t have been nicer or more helpful. She rechecked it and agreed that it was ok behind the drivers set. It was 3cm to low in the kitchen area because the roof sloped. She spoke to Wexford and got it classed a class B, it’s no way near the 3 ton mark.

This is what I would advise any body to do, converting a van.

Weigh the empty van. Put all the furniture bits in the back not installed and weight it again.

Check the height it going to be over 1.8M every where finished allow for flowing insulation ….

Do a half decent job and show you are genuine and not a chancer – have the van clean.

Take it to Roslare or your local VRT office first thing in the morning. Never go just before it closes for lunch or the day.

If you have problems ask for a second or even third opinion.

Have print outs showing similar vans and much better vans to give idea of OMV. Roslare actually set the value but you can appeal.

If it’s 3 ton you pay 50 euros. If it’s less you pat 13.3% if it’s less than 1.8M you pay 36%

As far as I know it’s still registers as a camper for road tax but you should check that with the VCT office don’t take my word for it.

dowtchaboy · 25-07-2009 10:40am

spaceHopper wrote: »

Take it to Roslare or your local VRT office first thing in the morning. Never go just before it closes for lunch or the day.
... Roslare actually set the value but you can appeal.

Don't bother taking it to Rosslare. I went there as I was bringing mine in via the port - and they were totally paranoid at the VRT place (it's unmarked) - "how did I know they were there?", "who told you about this office?" etc. Told me to take it to my local VRT office. Who measured and photographed it and sent the data to the crowd in Rosslare .......:)

savagesalmon50 · 26-07-2009 1:57am

After several attempts i got mine sorted in Carlow. one guy gave me **** for two weeks and when i went back on the third week he was gone on holidays and another guy just signed the papers, seemed like he didn't give a ****. Its now two years on and i'm thinkin of tackling a second one that would suit a baby, deff goin to make sure the van is cleary over three tone, thinkin about a sprinter, the real problem here is that the revenue folk really don't have a clue, they don't have to deal with conversions much and end up making wrong choices due to lack of guidance.

Help!!! is it over 3 tons ??

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