new camper regulations???

folkswagen

Was told today by a camper owner that new regulations have been brought in???

1. Campers will now require an NCT

2. A pop-top or elevating roof will no longer be appropriate for a vehicle to be classed as a camper...Fixed hi-tops only............


As an owner of a '73 VW westfalia with elevating roof and a '92 VW dehler profi with rear elevating roof.....and neither needing an NCT so far......

I am concerned....

PEASANT - tell me this is not true:)

peasant

First I heard of it !

Well ..the NCT part certainly.

Stapeler dug up a bit of official document the other day that dealt with the 6 foot interior height bit which ruled out pop-tops.

We had a thread about it ...let me find it ...


Edit;

there it is:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=53843026&postcount=6

peasant

About the NCT

I can't imagine that the NCT will agree to testing all "motorcaravans", after all that would include a lot of vehicles of a size that they don't have equipment for, so that's a non-starter.

I don't know how iron clad this new anti pop-top regulation is or will be ...up to now it was always up to the VRT person on the day whether they let you through or not (I know of past examples to either way).

Of course ...once you're denied motorcaravan status, your camper becomes a car with all the different tax and NCT implications.

I also can't imagine that they can strip an existing camper of its status ..once the paperwork says "motorcaravan" that should be that.

So in your case, I wouldn't worry about the oldie and with the Dehler, try to get it VRT'd as quick as you can before they wake up to the amended guidelines.

stapeler

No mention of it yet on the NCT or the Motortax websites. I'm sure if it does eventually happen it will probably be the DOE test centres that will take on the task. 'will keep an ear to the ground...

folkswagen

It seems that it is as it always has been then so....

...just worried for future for folks cos someone who tried to re-register their ex-minibus, now camper with elevated roof was told all that down at the VRT office in Sligo:rolleyes:

I have always found conflicting information from different members of staff down there!!!!:eek:

peasant

Yes, things didn't use to be very clear cut:

...which has an interior height of not less than 1.8 metres when measured in such manner as may be approved by the Commissioners...

I know of a few people who got refused camperisation with pop-ups on that.
Ten years ago, when first registering the yoke on the right in my sig in Ireland, I had to have words with the VRT fella as the high area in the van wasn't full length, only partial (as is common in old VW's). Only the fact that it was previously registered as a camper on the German paperwork was what swung it for me then.

But I'm afraid, the new guidelines are pretty precise:
To be deemed a motor caravan a vehicle must, amongst other criteria, have an interior roof height of not less than 1.8meters. Vehicles which are fitted with pop-up or adjustable roofs should have this measurment taken with the roof in it's lowest position and where the roof slopes the interior roof height should be measured at its lowest point.

In other words ..elevating roofs don't meet the criteria any more (unless you stick them onto something that is already 1.8 meters high inside )

The question remains though ...how many VRT inspectors are aware of this and how consequently is it enforced? Going by hearsay, pretty much every single VRT inspector does seem to have different approach ...probably depending on what, if anything, they had for breakfast.

Being German (:D ) I can't help the urge to ask for clear guidelines to be published (where ordinary folk can find them) but then again ...sleeping hounds and all that ...:D

(note to self ...must resist urge)

As for NCT / DOE ...well, it's coming for motorbikes (or so I've heard ...somewhere, from someone:D ) which would leave campers the only untested vehicles on Irish roads. Can't really see that lasting for too long, especially now, that there are so many about.

NCT/DOE would of course mean more cost and hassle, but on the other hand, you wouldn't really want to go camping in a death trap would you? As an upshot, mandatory testing of campers should at least bring with it some garages that (finally) will show some real interest in servicing campers instead of just always bumping you to the back of the queue.

We shall wait and we shall see ....

folkswagen

I'm sure it is a good thing too but all this ambiguity is what I hate:rolleyes:

It either is OR it isn't!!!:D

I guess if you are importing avehicle that was classed as a camper in its original country the chances are you will be grand - however for those guys converting minibusses from regular tintops to pop-tops then it is not so clear cut:)

I've not collected my T4 dehler yet but I will do before the end of the month - there better not be any words in the VRT office over that:D