VW Caravelle wrongly categorized by VRO

Marlow

Hi,

The VRO stuck my Caravelle in the wrong category when I imported it last year, which caused me all sorts of grief with toll bridges, insurance etc.

She's originally a 9-seater (so 1 driver + 8 passengers), which classifies as a car, driven on a normal license. The toll roads have a different idea and say that everything over 7 passengers isn't a car. The VRO in their infinite visdom classified it as a 13 seater minibus with 9 seats.

I've now permanently removed 2 of the seats as I'm doing a Multivan conversion.

What I'd love to know, is what other owners of 7-seaters have in their logbook in the sections "J", "J1" and "D3", as I'm going to talk to Shannon and the VRO to correct my logbook to avoid the hassle in the future.

/M

LookBehindYou

Did they charge you vrt on it the same rate as a car ?
Is the car tax rate same as car ?

I have a caravelle and always had war at tolls, but i stood my ground and got charged the car rate, because i paid car tax rates on it.

Marlow

VRT is charged as car, road tax is charged as car and trust me, I'm only paying the car rate in the toll-bridges.

I had to threaten the M50 guys with court to get there and the others, well I have a toll-tag, so there's not so much to discuss when I go through the expresslane

The issue is more, that some insurances won't quote me, as long as it has more than 7 seats. Since I've swapped the 3 seater bench in the front with 2 captains chairs and the second row now is getting 2 single seats from a Multivan II, I'm down to 7 seats and just want to try to make my life easier on that part.

/M

peasant

Marlow wrote: »

The issue is more, that some insurances won't quote me, as long as it has more than 7 seats.

From my experience some insurances still will be reluctant to quote as they will insist that you "converted" your passenger car from a minibus (or in my case a van) simply because their (wrong) database says so.

In my case, I gave one insurance agent the guided tour, showing him the factory fitted windows, the factory fitted 5 seats in the metal and he still insisted that this was a converted commercial van and wouldn't quote :rolleyes:

All because the badge on the back says "Transporter" and in his database a "transporter" is a commercial vehicle and that's that.

Marlow

peasant wrote: »

From my experience some insurances still will be reluctant to quote as they will insist that you "converted" your passenger car from a minibus (or in my case a van) simply because their (wrong) database says so.

See, but that's the issue I want to fix. My "minibus" wasn't a minibus in the first place. It's a 8 passenger car (+ 1 driver). Only at 10 seats (9 passengers + 1 driver) it is a bus/mini-bus and requires a bus driving license.

The VRO has stuck me into the category "Caravelle LHD 13U SEATS", probably because no other Caravelles with LHD were imported in '99 and they were too lazy to create a new category. Logbook still says 9 seats from the very start in "S1", which should enlighten people with a bit of clue, that it's a passenger "car".

So I'm just trying to find out, what others have in their logbook to maybe be able to tell them what to change, rather them messing me about forever, which would be the case, if they are left the choice.

Insurance trouble I'm going to have in the future anyhow. It's LHD.

/M

peasant

Well ..my "transporter" was properly registered as a passenger car with 5 seats and the appropriate description in the registration form.

Minor details like that don't faze your standard insurance rep ..if his/her database doesn't have what you're looking for they're going to quote you for what they think is appropriate or not at all ...you can argue until you're blue in the face.

FWIW ...My VW Transporter is now a VW Caravelle for insurance purposes.
(and strangley enough ... no issues about it being a minibus)

Marlow

So D3 says "Minibus" in the logbook or what ?

/M

peasant

It does indeed say "Minibus" and number of seats (S1) is 5.
D2 on the other hand is blank

smkherbert

I have an 8 seater (2 * captains chairs in front + 2 * 3 seater benches) 2005 Caravelle. Nice spec, tiptronic etc etc.)

I want to replace the passenger captains seat with a 2 person bench seat, but am struggling to get my hands on one.

Grateful for any leads.

LookBehindYou

smkherbert wrote: »

I have an 8 seater (2 * captains chairs in front + 2 * 3 seater benches) 2005 Caravelle. Nice spec, tiptronic etc etc.)

I want to replace the passenger captains seat with a 2 person bench seat, but am struggling to get my hands on one.

Grateful for any leads.

If your seat is in good condition, I will swop you for the 2 seater.

Marlow

LookBehindYou wrote: »

If your seat is in good condition, I will swop you for the 2 seater.

He's looking for a 2 seater (instead of one of his captains), not trying to get rid of one

/M

LookBehindYou

Marlow wrote: »

He's looking for a 2 seater (instead of one of his captains), not trying to get rid of one

/M

Me bad, I have a 2 seater front for a caravelle, if his 1 seat is in good nick, I will swop

smkherbert

My seat is top notch. I'll get a picture later and post. Appreciate if you could do likewise

LookBehindYou

Dont know how to post pics, but my seat is 100%.