Help a sister out!

Unregistered39

Hello all,

I know there are thousands of helpful posts, and I feel like I've read nearly all of them, but if anyone could advise on this specifically I'd appreciate it greatly!

Looking at buying a 2003 VW T4 SWB 2.5 888 Camper from the UK.

It was originally a panel van and has been reclassified as a motor caravan with the DVLA.

Only seatbelts are driver and passenger, none on the R&R bed.

Cooker and sink are in the 'boot' i.e. only accessible from outside. No fridge. Solar panel (if that makes any difference)

1940mm high, length is 4707mm

It's a high-quality conversion and in great nick so I'd be happy with it but if any of the above are immediate no-no's I'll walk away.

Many thanks from a complete newbie... E

jjpep

Unregistered39 wrote: »

Hello all,

I know there are thousands of helpful posts, and I feel like I've read nearly all of them, but if anyone could advise on this specifically I'd appreciate it greatly!

Looking at buying a 2003 VW T4 SWB 2.5 888 Camper from the UK.

It was originally a panel van and has been reclassified as a motor caravan with the DVLA.

Only seatbelts are driver and passenger, none on the R&R bed.

Cooker and sink are in the 'boot' i.e. only accessible from outside. No fridge. Solar panel (if that makes any difference)

1940mm high, length is 4707mm

It's a high-quality conversion and in great nick so I'd be happy with it but if any of the above are immediate no-no's I'll walk away.

Many thanks from a complete newbie... E

What's your plan for insurance? Will it be as your only vehicle or as a second vehicle? If you're planning on having it as a sole vehicle you'll need insurance through the motorhome club but I don't think they accept vans with that kind of kitchen set up.

Unregistered39

Hi jjpep, many thanks for the reply. It will be my only vehicle and I don't have a plan for insurance yet because I'm only looking now and I know I need an exact spec to get a proper quote. It will be fully comp anyway, and I have full, clean license.

Is this the motorhome club you mean? https://www.irishmotorhomeclub.net? It looks like you have to sign up to get any information at all from them but need to be a registered owner to do so??

I assume (hope!) there are other insurers out there?

Thanks again, E

kadman

Outside access for cooker and sink, and no fridge to boot,

does not fullfil a camper criteria to me, but each to their own.

Give a lot of consideration to all areas of camper use, before parting with

money.

autumnalcore

Youd have to get it insured via a club Id say if you could. Dolmen specifically excludes conversions of that type from its scheme.

spaceHopper

I would say for VRT classification rules it's not camper but a van you'd struggle to insure it as camper.

Dublin Mum

That's a van, not s camper, run for the hills!

Unregistered39

OP here, apologies for the lack of replies, have been off the grid.

Several of the vans I'm looking at in the UK don't have a hob/sink, but that's fine with me, I'd be happy to add one when I get it to Ireland.

If it's registered as a camper in the UK is it automatically counted as one here? Or if not, does anyone know if it's possible to insure it temporarily as a van and then once everything is installed re-register and insure it as a camper?

Thanks again and I promise I'll reply a lot sooner next time!

E

Dublin Mum

No, if it doesn't have a sink, hob and bed then it's not a camper, so won't be able to be insured as such in Ireland, and will also be subject to VRT.

Unregistered39

Dublin Mum wrote: »

No, if it doesn't have a sink, hob and bed then it's not a camper, so won't be able to be insured as such in Ireland, and will also be subject to VRT.

Hi Dublin Mum,

It does have an R&R bed (with seat belts), and captains seats.

Won't it be subject to VRT anyway as it's an import?

Thanks again,

E

Dublin Mum

Yes but without the sink and hob it will be classified as a van in Ireland and will have to be insured as such. Doesn't matter how it's classified in another country.

Sorry yes just pointing out the VRT which a lot of buyers are not aware of.

Hooked

The short summary for reclassifying as a motor caravan here is as follows...

Satisfy revenue... link here.
https://www.revenue.ie/en/importing-vehicles-duty-free-allowances/guide-to-vrt/conversions/specific-vehicles.aspx

Speak to your SQI before you start (if not too late for that). Beds, kitchen, cookers, gas, etc.., all need to be installed in a particular way!

Once SQI signs it off, you then need to pay VRT to revenue to officially convert. The VRT value depends on the van cost PLUS the build cost (you'll need receipts for the build) - vrt calculated at 13.5%

Once paid, you'll get a cert from revenue. Tax office next... 102 euro PER YEAR 😂 then a new log book is issued

Last thing.., you play the 'looking for insurance' game! This can be tricky if your internal height inside is less than 1.8m! This is NOT an issue for revenue! Only insurers.

It all sounds a lot more daunting than it actually is!

fergiesfolly

If a basic conversion is done and VRT paid, is there any need to inform Revenue if a more substantial fit out is carried out to the vehicle at a later date.
If I were to convert a van, ideally I'd like to pay as little VRT as possible.

Hooked

fergiesfolly wrote: »

If a basic conversion is done and VRT paid, is there any need to inform Revenue if a more substantial fit out is carried out to the vehicle at a later date.
If I were to convert a van, ideally I'd like to pay as little VRT as possible.

That's what most people do.

Get over to Facebook- and join 'self build campervans ireland'! Thank me later...