Campervan Conversion - Rookie questions!

davee_ie

Hi All,

I am looking to do some sort of campervan conversion between now and the summer, nothing to fancy.

We don't want to pump a load of money into it at first so inend on buying a van at a cost of 3-5k and putting a bed/sofa in the back. As we use it and get an what we need we will decide on the layout and amount of money we want to invest. In time I would hope bring the spec up to change the tax to campervan and then get it certified for campervan insurance after that. All of this would happen over a few months, or even years - if possible.

I am currently looking at ducatos and masters, possibly transits but it seems difficult to find one with lots of headroom. Has anybody any other suggestions? I'm thinking the bigger and higher the better.

I have a few questions that google doesn't seem to be able to answer and was hoping you guys might have some advice;

ecwvta - the van I get will be no newer than 07 so I don't think this will effect me. My understanding is that only vehicles after 2012 that have not been registered as any type of vehicle before will be effected by it. Is this correct?

Second question is around insurance and tax. As I said above what I want to do is buy the van, and throw a bed in the back of it, adding table, chairs, etc over a few months or even years.

What is my legal standing on this with tax and insurance. Can I tax and insure it as a van and use it, even though its not commercial use?

Once I get it up to spec to tax as a camper how does insurace work as it will be between the two? Do I tax as a camper and insure as a van?


Any advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance,

Dave

del88

Here's a good web site with lots of information on the tax and insurance end of things.....

http://bluetdi.blogspot.ie/2011/06/irish-camper-van-status.html

Also a good web site and worth joining if your thinking of converting a van. lots of info .....

http://sbmcc.co.uk/forum/index.php?act=idx



Best of luck.

airhead_eire

To tax it as a camper, you will need to have it reclassified by the Revenue and pay the relevant VRT on the vehicle.
Then it will need to be DoE'd as a campervan as well as the tax office with ask for this. If you go this far, you may as
well insure it as a camper/motorhome as well.

rubbledoubledo

Hi all.
Hope to be driving a camper the coming year.
To convert or to buy. I have decided now , conversion is a non runner.
I would not have the know how.

Looking at a transit or ducato, van type.
This would be my main form of transport, 52 weeks of the year.
Is it a requirement that you have to have car insurance also.
My intention would be to get rid of the car.

Do you have to produce car insurance every year when you are renewing ur camper insurance. Im sure the insurance would be alot higher, if main form of transport.

Buford T Justice

rubbledoubledo wrote: »

Hi all.
Hope to be driving a camper the coming year.
To convert or to buy. I have decided now , conversion is a non runner.
I would not have the know how.

Looking at a transit or ducato, van type.
This would be my main form of transport, 52 weeks of the year.
Is it a requirement that you have to have car insurance also.
My intention would be to get rid of the car.

Do you have to produce car insurance every year when you are renewing ur camper insurance. Im sure the insurance would be alot higher, if main form of transport.

You don't need a policy for a car, but it significantly reduces the cost of the premium if you do, given that its not supposed to be you're sole mode of transportation.

its a couple of hundred quid extra to have it without a car policy

rubbledoubledo

Ok so.
Im lliving with my parents. They are both on in years, do very little driving.
They have a car each. I am named on my mother policy.

So the camper is not my main mode of transport, i can say.
Will that do, that i am driving under my mother.

Say for to get 350 euro camper insurance, do i need to have car policy in my own name.

Now i am no spring chicken myself either

stevire

rubbledoubledo wrote: »

Ok so.
Im lliving with my parents. They are both on in years, do very little driving.
They have a car each. I am named on my mother policy.

So the camper is not my main mode of transport, i can say.
Will that do, that i am driving under my mother.

Say for to get 350 euro camper insurance, do i need to have car policy in my own name.

Now i am no spring chicken myself either

Pretty sure you have to be the policy holder of the car policy to get the discounted rate on the camper. For 380e you get Open Drive in one of your parents names? That way anyone over 25 with full license can drive the camper.

Buford T Justice

stevire wrote: »

Pretty sure you have to be the policy holder of the car policy to get the discounted rate on the camper. For 380e you get Open Drive in one of your parents names? That way anyone over 25 with full license can drive the camper.

What he said. Take the policy in you're parents name.