How to turn a jeep into commercial?

Mickk

Ok I know you have to take out the back seats and have the windows blacked out but what other things do they check?
I was going to basically strip out the back and spot weld a sheet of that stainless steel crosshatch sheet metal to the floor.
Will that be enough?

Litcagral

Mickk wrote:

Ok I know you have to take out the back seats and have the windows blacked out but what other things do they check?
I was going to basically strip out the back and spot weld a sheet of that stainless steel crosshatch sheet metal to the floor.
Will that be enough?

I think the rear doors (if any) have to be sealed/locked but I'm not sure about this. I have a vague recollection of hearing this.

jimmycrackcorm

You can have side doors on a commercial - loading etc.

Are you importing a jeep?

Litcagral

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

You can have side doors on a commercial - loading etc.
QUOTE]


Excluding passenger doors (as in double cab pick-ups), I have only ever seen a commercial with sliding side doors, never with conventional side doors.

Sparky

i think crofton motors beside superquinn in sundrive convert the pajeros to commercials they remove the back seats and put in fiberglass panels where the windows would be, that said most jeeps that come in here were never manufactuer commercials they were just 3 door passenger jeeps, and you can have a 5 door jeep commercial.

maidhc

Litcagral wrote:

Excluding passenger doors (as in double cab pick-ups), I have only ever seen a commercial with sliding side doors, never with conventional side doors.

All the LWB 4x4 commercials have opening rear doors, e.g. the Landcruiser, Pajero, etc.

Is it enough to blacken the glass, or must something more permanent be done? I remember there was a bit of controversy over the "alpine lights" in the first of the Discovery commercials, Land rover had to fill them in, but im sure in later ones they were left glass.

Litcagral

maidhc wrote:

All the LWB 4x4 commercials have opening rear doors, e.g. the Landcruiser, Pajero, etc. QUOTE]

I accept what you're saying maidhc but is that strictly legal. AFAIK all 4 door 4x4s are manufactured as passenger models. A former employer of mine had a Trooper and the rear doors could not be opened. He used to say that they could only be utilised if it were a passenger version. I think there was fibreglass (or something similar) inserted where the windows were.

Sparky

Litcagral wrote:

I think there was fibreglass (or something similar) inserted where the windows were.

Correct, of course it would make sence, you wouldnt want to be showing all your tools to strangers would ya :v:.

Mickk

I dont think you actually have to put in fiberglass in order to pass vrt inspection, just properly blackened (limo) glass will do.
Any ideas about the regulations about the floor, I have heard that it has to be built completely level with metal supports not wood?

Del2005

The rear doors can be left opening, as was said before most LWB 4*4's have the doors working for loading. They used to have to be sealed, but not any more. Not to sure on the windows but the newer jeeps still appear to have glass in them, not sure whats behind as they are all tinted.

No 4*4's are made as commercials, they are a result of Irish motor tax rates. But Land Rover are offering a special build of the Defender as a commercial, due to people requesting them after seeing them over here.

Also the worst thing of all the 4*4 commercials is that inorder to qualified for the lower tax rate all the fittings removed from them have to be destroyed, windows, seats, carpets etc.

maidhc

Del2005 wrote:

No 4*4's are made as commercials, they are a result of Irish motor tax rates. But Land Rover are offering a special build of the Defender as a commercial, due to people requesting them after seeing them over here.

A special build of the defender? Discovery you mean? The defender has been availabe as a "commercial" since sometime after the second world war (although not called a "defender"...)

Do most manufacturers not fit the blanked off windows at the factory? I know some do a retrofit job, but I would have thought toyota etc would build the commercial from the start.

Litcagral

Del2005 wrote:

Also the worst thing of all the 4*4 commercials is that inorder to qualified for the lower tax rate all the fittings removed from them have to be destroyed, windows, seats, carpets etc.

This is perfectly logical as no doubt some people would refit them after the inspection.

Rudolph Claus

No 4*4's are made as commercials, they are a result of Irish motor tax rates.

What are you talking about? 2 of my uncles have 2006 toyota Landcruisers short wheel bases, that they bought from Toyota as commercial vehicles for working with a plant and machinery business. So what about all the commercial jeeps farmers and construction workers buy? They are made as commercial vehicles and arent a result of Irish tax rates. A passenger jeep isnt going to be much use to a worker needing tools and materials carried in the back, So, they make commercial 4*4`s. I`d say your too used to seeing poor jeep wannabe owners in their suv`s (not real jeeps) driving round dublin in passenger form. Then theres the muppets that cant actually afford an X5 and have to commercialise it so they can afford it. And of course you can use the back doors on a commercial LWB jeep.

Squirrel

I was talking to a Toyota dealer a while ago and he said that the Land Cruiser commercials are imported as passenger vehicles, this was a few years ago. Even with the fibre glass instead of windows it had the switches for electric windows

hiscan

all jeeps come into ireland in passenger form and are converted when they get here
what some manufacturer's are doing now is blackening out the glass to make them look like a passenger jeep from the outside but there is another black panel inside this to stop people lookin in,im collecting a 06 commercial landcruiser on tuesday which came into ireland last thursday as a passenger but had to be sent for conversion first

dts

Hi, I have a Nissan Xtrail as a family car. I bought it to cope with the crap roads out in the country as they were wrecking my Alfa. I am now thinking of getting rid of my other Alfa for another jeep to use to and from work. Could I buy a commercial to take the benifit of no VRT and lower tax or do you have to be VAT registered?
It seems a little unfair that the people who use there cars more pay less in tax as they are putting more ware on the roads and more polution into the air dont you think??

Ronan Raver77

dts wrote:

Hi, I have a Nissan Xtrail as a family car. I bought it to cope with the crap roads out in the country as they were wrecking my Alfa. I am now thinking of getting rid of my other Alfa for another jeep to use to and from work. Could I buy a commercial to take the benifit of no VRT and lower tax or do you have to be VAT registered?
It seems a little unfair that the people who use there cars more pay less in tax as they are putting more ware on the roads and more polution into the air dont you think??

Dts im getting or should i say still waiting for my 06 toyota landcruiser swb commercial.Im self employed so 21% of the 33.4k is v.a.t. so i will get that back(think theres other options on the v.a.t. issue need to talk to my accountant).Are you comparing people who are registered to pay v.a.t. and normal joe public who isnt reg for it and has to pay high taxes for cars?????
I dont drive much during the day(thank god:) do most of it late evening til 3amish.
Mickk i know Volkkswagen Ireland turn all the golf thay get brought in to commercials in Dublin dont know wher though.

BeardyGit

Mickk wrote:

Ok I know you have to take out the back seats and have the windows blacked out but what other things do they check?
I was going to basically strip out the back and spot weld a sheet of that stainless steel crosshatch sheet metal to the floor.
Will that be enough?

Mick,

It was a requirement to replace the windows with panels previously but now you have the option of replacing the windows or else having them covered with vinyl internally. Don't be tempted to paint them, a scratch test is carried out and it will fail....

The floorpan needs to be extended to cover the passenger footwell in the rear of the vehicle. There is also a requirement to have a load-bay bulkhead installed. This should be 30cm in height from the floor in the loadbay at a minimum and can extend to the ceiling if you wish. This should be installed 'permanently' in much the same way as the floor must be permanently installed.

Seatbelt fixing points must also be removed in the rear of a commercial vehicle.

There's a lot of heresay on this thread. Check out the work described on ParFit's site if you want to know the lowdown on work required.

dts

You see 33.4K If it had back seats it would be about 45K thats because Toyota dont pay the VRT on a commercial SUV.
What I was asking is can anybody buy a commercial vehicle or has it to be through a business?

Mercury_Tilt

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dts

So a commercial jeep like a Toyota or Landrover could be a good option for driving too and from work. Do you also pay less road tax?

BeardyGit

dts wrote:

So a commercial jeep like a Toyota or Landrover could be a good option for driving too and from work. Do you also pay less road tax?

You'll pay less road tax but it'll be subject to a DOE test and you'll have to insure it commercially - This can be cheaper though as you won't have the liability for up to 6 passengers in the average 'seater' 4x4, just the 1 or 2 you can carry in the front seats.

I have to beg the question, why buy a 4x4? If you're planning on off-roading you'll hardly want to spend 30k on it as your insurance won't cover any damages you might incur. And if you're not planning on off-roading, why buy an offroader? Surely a Subaru Forester 4x4 Estate would make a much more sensible vehicle and the savings of buying a clean and well maintained example could be put towards the costs of properly insuring and taxing it.

I'd have to question anyones reasoning behind buying a 'jeep' for travelling to and from work when there are undoubtably 'safer' and more suitable vehicles to choose from. Vehicles like Landcruisers, early Discovery and Defenders are very capable when used for their designed purpose - Offroad. But on road, they leave a massive amount to be desired. Don't get me wrong, I drive a Defender. But I have a normal car for use on road, for travelling to and from work etc. I'd be acting irresponsibly if I thought my 4x4 was suitable for daily transport, whether or not it costs me less to tax and insure than my car.

dts

I spent some time in the US and took the p!ss out of the yanks for there big SUV's.
I have loved Alfas and had quite a few. Brought a 156 over with me from the UK and bought a 147 for the wife since being here. Last service I was told that the lowered sports suspention on the 156 was sh@gged and it would need new wishbones etc. This is because Irish roads are not the best place to drive cars with lowered suspentions.
So on looking for a replacement I test drove a 2.2dci Nissan Xtrail and loved it. I bought it for the wife but have been using it to come to work and now have the SUV bug. I noted that the commercial suv's were alot cheeper and as I drive to work on my own or with one passenger it seems like a good option. From what you say I can have my SUV with two seats for alot less and pay less insurance and tax as well. It sounds like a good deal to me?:D

Mercury_Tilt

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BeardyGit

If you want to buy a vehicle that will take abuse, won't cost you much to maintain and one that qualifies for DOE/Commercial - Buy a car-van. An SUV will cost a lot more to run than your Alfa in the long run and something like an X-Trail will suffer almost as much depreciation I'd imagine. If you want to buy something that looks 'cool', buy an SUV. But don't try to use the cost justification for buying one.

I can see where you're coming from but at the same time, there's a big difference between an 'SUV' requirement and a capable vehicle to deal with Irish road conditions. Your Alfa no doubt has reasonably large alloys and low(ish) profile tyres. A swap to 15" steel rims with 195/65x15's would take care of a lot of the abuse your undercarriage suffers....But of course, your image would also suffer to an extent.

And back on topic - If anyone is considering buying a Disco III commercial, wait a few months. At the moment they gut a 7 seater and retrofit the flooring - You pay for everything including the cost of the 7 seater passenger version. If you wait a couple of months, Solihull will be rolling out commercials from the factory. Cheaper and better finish.....

Gil

CJhaughey

Mercury_Tilt wrote:

This post has been deleted.

Have you any links to this hitherto unknown (to me ) law?
I know HGV's are not supposed to do more than 80kph but Commercial Jeeps and Vans?

dts

So you hit the nail on the head. It’s all about image. There would be no point in owning an Alfa and putting steel wheels on it with big daft tyres.
An SUV looks good and copes with the Irish roads. I have to say they also give you the feel good factor when driving that I always get from my Alfas.
I would say if anything running costs will be cheaper for the SUV than the Alfa. Diesel as apposed to petrol.
As for depreciation, a standard Xtrail seems to hold the price well. How dose that differ for a commercial version of the same SUV?

Rudolph Claus

Legaly you are not allowed to do over 80kph in a commercial

Keep taking the tablets mate. Of course commercial jeeps and car/vans etc are allowed do a motorway speed. They`re the same as the passenger equivilants except for seats. I think your talking about heavy commercials over a certain weight, like trucks and its 55mph the limit isnt it.