Do I have to pay VRT on a Conversion from a Private car

galwayhillbilly

Hi I have an old nissan serena that I am thinking of converting to a camper, because I was unable to sell it and its too good to dump. Also would be useful as a backup vehicle as my son is coming to driving age and will of course be borrowing the car all the time. I couldnt justify tax and insurance on a third car but a camper with cheap tax and insurance I could manage. Also myself and the wife have had no weekends away for a few years because we cannot afford the hotel bills.

As it is a private car am I right in assuming that there will be no VRT obligations for the conversion?

To qualify for the cheap tax I will have to raise the roof, where could one source a fibre glass roof extension for this car? The pop top seems not to be an option although the green party should look at this, fuel efficiency and all that. Also to make sure that the roof extension will comply with the new proposed testing regime, is there a standard of manufacture that I should be looking at?
Any other threads or websites you could reccommend me to?

peasant

created a new thread for this

joncollier

Hi there, yes thats true, I recently finished a conversion where the owners vehicle was in catagory A ( passenger) vehicle and he was able to reclassify without any extra cost to camper, I fitted a pop up roof for him, bed cooker..etc. I think the costs are only when you go from commercial to camper or passenger vehicle. A roof will be very difficult to find as its quite an obscure vehicle, unless you can find some thing else and make it fit. Leisure drive in Manchester, £700 for a vw fitted which is cheap maybe able to help. Or look on the www.reimo.com site.

galwayhillbilly

" I fitted a pop up roof for him, bed cooker..etc. I think the costs are only when you go from commercial to camper or passenger vehicle"

Did you customer manage to get the car re-classified with a pop-up roof? I thought that they werent accepting pop-up rooves for the 1.8m height requirement.

Are there any vehicles of similar size to a serena
/ vanette that are commonly used as camper conversions that I could use the roof from? Will get a tape and measure the roof tonight

Thanks for the other info

stapeler

I would say the fact that full VRT would have been paid previously on a passenger vehicle then they couldn't really charge VRT again.

It's the MotorTax office I reckon you'd have problems with for internal height. Mine is a coachbuilt, when I VRT's it's the folks there were grand. But when I went to Tax it they had to come out and do the measurements. Lady there indicated that they had to ensure it was a proper motorhome and not something that would be in everyday use.

galwayhillbilly

I measured the roof dimensions of the Serena last night, length is approximately 220cm I say approximately because the roof has a curve where it meets the windscreen was only guessing as to where it squared off. the width is 110 cm which is at its max the distance between the 2 guide rails for the luggage racks is approximately 100cm(Aproximately because I forgot to double check the measurement)

Does anyone know of any roof extensions out there for other vehicles that might fit within these dimensions, probably in the region of 2m by 1m or less would be the best fit. Probably somethng with a very flat profile so that Im not having a mismatch with the curvature of the roof of the serena itself. In an ideal world black or silver but colour not a deal breaker. I am on a minamilist budget and second hand from a scrapped vehicle would be just as welcome as anything new.
I have emailed a few of the suppliers but havent received any response yet.

Just to clarify are revenue accepting pop tops for the 1.8m rule or is that still a no go for non factory conversions?

2yung2adm

To the best of my knowledge you will not qualify for motorhome tax with a pop top.
If you import a pop top such as a VW or similar that was already classed as a motorhome in its home country it will only be Vrt'd as "a van with windows" with all the complications.

galwayhillbilly

So its a fibre glass High top I'm looking for then
I havent received any responses from any of the suppliers so it looks like the project is on hold for a while.

aja72

"motor caravans, being vehicles which are shown to the satisfaction of the Revenue 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 Revenue Commissioners and, in respect of which vehicles, such design, construction or adaptation incorporates the following permanently fitted equipment— (i) a sink unit,(ii) cooking equipment of not less than a hob with 2 rings or such other cooking equipment as may be prescribed, and (iii) any other equipment or fittings as may be prescribed"

2yung2adm

galwayhillbilly wrote: »

So its a fibre glass High top I'm looking for then
I havent received any responses from any of the suppliers so it looks like the project is on hold for a while.

Yep, that is the only way out, 1.8 mtrs at its lowest point in the habitable section. Do not forget the required equipment; and that must be permanently fixed.

defike

Trade your serena for an old ducato and convert this.No problems with taxman or insurance man.

galwayhillbilly

I'd be lucky to get 200 for the serena it needs a bit of work, on top of that if I couldnt get a non commercial ducato I'd have to pay the VRT on the value of the converted vehicle and I'd have to put in windows. Are there non commercial ducatos out there.

If I can find a roof for the serena and make up the kitchen units myself, get he maintenance work done I can have the thing legal for a very small money. And I have a cheap to maintain alternative runabout when the youngfellah wants to borrow the car, the ducato might be a bit big for this, not familiar with them.