Windows on a Commercial

windowchecker

Hi guys,

I drive a Commercial Mercedes ML and find the carpeted rear-side windows rather dangerous when reversing. If I left the carpet up on the rear pax windows but put a dark tint on the rear-rear side windows (the corner windows adjoining the boot window), do you think customs or whoever would get upset? I'm not looking to carry pax, just trying reverse out on top of a cyclist...

Conor

Eric Cartman

if its a factory commercial theres metal below the carpet, also yes, customs would get angry

irisheddie85

I have the same problem in commercial c4. just have to back in to parking spaces.

colm_mcm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

if its a factory commercial theres metal below the carpet, also yes, customs would get angry

Does such a thing exist?

Drummerboy08

colm_mcm wrote: »

Does such a thing exist?

Not that i know of. As far as i know, all car van types start their life as a passenger, and are converted when they land by the distributor. I came across a Passat estate commercial yesterday!:eek:

Eric Cartman

the hyundai santa-fe is done in the factory and sent over, the kia sorento is send over without back seats and the dealer has a kit to finish the job

frag4

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Not that i know of. As far as i know, all car van types start their life as a passenger, and are converted when they land by the distributor. I came across a Passat estate commercial yesterday!:eek:

Funny you say that but I saw a add for a nissian 350z with commericial tax:eek::eek:

Panda Moanium

It's even worse when towing a trailer. Trying to reverse to the left you have no idea what direction the trailer is going - particularly if it has a high sided front. For that reason alone I think there is a case for allowing windows.

colm_mcm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

the hyundai santa-fe is done in the factory and sent over,

I'm not sure it is. I was under the impression they came in without the seats or seatbelts but the rest of the work was done in Dublin

Eric Cartman

colm_mcm wrote: »

I'm not sure it is. I was under the impression they came in without the seats or seatbelts but the rest of the work was done in Dublin

nah it was explained to my da by a dealer, they come in pre-assembled, he was looking for a santa-fe with leather seats and climate control (in the hope id buy it off him next year) and was told it wasnt possible because they come in as commercials as one spec

colm_mcm

not quite true, the commercials come in a different spec to the passengers alright. they lose the dual climate control but gain 4WD on the base model. the model they use for conversion is the previously unavailable 4WD 5 seater (which they've started to sell this year, due to dwindling commercial sales). What you were told is true, the commercials only come in one spec, but that's through choice.

Also, leather is a tied option with auto box, 4WD and bigger alloys.

rebel.ranter

Lots of cmmercials now just come with tinted glass on the sides instead of carpet/metal AFAIK

Eric Cartman

Panda Moanium wrote: »

It's even worse when towing a trailer. Trying to reverse to the left you have no idea what direction the trailer is going - particularly if it has a high sided front. For that reason alone I think there is a case for allowing windows.

reversing camera with a fisheye lens, best thing i ever fitted, stopped me hitting a rented trailor into a merc at the dump

Eric Cartman

rebel.ranter wrote: »

Lots of cmmercials now just come with tinted glass on the sides instead of carpet/metal AFAIK

normally that just applies to the x5 and the merc ML from what ive seen, lads coming over converting themselves , they already have privacy glass in the rear so they put on carpet going to the vrt office then take it off when they leave

windowchecker

Has anyone here ever been stopped and had their windows inspected? Do the guards care or just customs?

wannapress

i checked with cops, it is not illegal in thier eyes,but they were not sure if it would be in trouble with the DOE test.

Del2005

wannapress wrote: »

i checked with cops, it is not illegal in thier eyes,but they were not sure if it would be in trouble with the DOE test.

The Gardai don't really deal with this thought, it's the customs and DOE that count. DOE could be got around. But if the customs catch you I'd say there'd be trouble, as it's easy money for them to do you.

BeardyGit

This is no better than pub talk.

I just had my landrover DOE'd and reclassified as a commercial, with plain glass all 'round.

DOE couldn't care less. Revenue couldn't care less.

And in your case, customs have no more to do with you, seeing as it's already imported with the relevant duty paid.

So, what is everyone else basing their advice or comments upon, as it's hardly first hand experience from what I can tell.

If I were you, I'd have the carpet removed and get on with it. You won't be putting seats or seatbelts in the back, and that's all the Gardaí and Revenue seem concerned about, and I honestly can't see any good reason why customs would care either.

Gil

Fey!

Gildub; if you reclassify the tax on a vehicle already registered here, you only have to take out the back seats, anchor points, and that's pretty much it.

If it's coming into the country and being newly registered, it must the seats and belts out, a flat floor, and MUST have metal inside the windows (not just carpet; they'll pull the carpet off to make sure that there's metal underneath).

BeardyGit

Fey! wrote: »

Gildub; if you reclassify the tax on a vehicle already registered here, you only have to take out the back seats, anchor points, and that's pretty much it.

If it's coming into the country and being newly registered, it must the seats and belts out, a flat floor, and MUST have metal inside the windows (not just carpet; they'll pull the carpet off to make sure that there's metal underneath).

Sure thing Fey, I got that bit. But this is already imported and registered as commercial, so it's not just between the OP and the DOE/Revenue Commissioners. Maybe it's the case that you just can't remove it, if it's imported as commercial, but I can't see any logic in that really....

Then again, maybe that's exactly what the system calls for. Quick call to Rosslare would clear the legalities I'm sure, as far as customs are concerned. But I know what I'd do, whatever the answer was....