Commercial Transit Bus to private Camper?

cojo78

Hi,

I have an offer of a 2006 Transit Bus which has the seats removed and minimal campervan work done to it, but my head is fried trying to figure out the logbook conversion and stuff. The seats have been removed so I believe it's under the weight limit to be driven with a regular license.

Is there any way I could continue to tax it as a commercial vehicle, get the tax, nct and insurance sorted, and drive it that way, with a minimal camper set up? IN the short-term, as in, for the summer?

Or do I have to change it from commercial vehicle to campervan on log book first of all, then go through crvt and revenue before tax/nct and insurance? Do people keep some vans as commercial, but drive them privately, and is this particularly risky?

I've been given conflicting info and can't work it all out.

Thanks

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058359097/commercial-transit-bus-to-private-camper

It doesn't matter whether it's taxed as camper or commercial it will always need a CVRT and never be tested by NCT.

Rows Grower

You won't be able to tax it as commercial unless you own a business.

cojo78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364450#Comment_122364450

Ok, that's what I thought.

So, what you're saying is I should set up a business and tax the vehicle as commercial? 🤣

cojo78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364440#Comment_122364440

Thanks. So what's the sequence?

CVRT —> change log book to campervan —> Tax —> Insurance ?

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364477#Comment_122364477

I'd say knock the idea on the head as a 2006 unwanted Transit Bus could be a money pit especially when you haven't a clue.

For all the times you are going to use one it might make sense to hire one and have a bit of comfort.

cojo78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364514#Comment_122364514

Ok, thanks for the advice. I prefer information over advice on this one, but thanks anyway.

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364533#Comment_122364533

Have you tried typing "convert van to campervan Ireland" into Google?

That'll give you all the information you need.

Vestiapx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364623#Comment_122364623

I miss the old boards where people were nice 😕. Man wants to do him don't belittle if you have info give it if you don't _ don't

FirFirst rule of boards was always don't be a dick

Is that gone 🤔

HazeDoll

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364477#Comment_122364477

You can tax and insure a commercial vehicle as a private vehicle. I don't have a business but I drive a van, taxed and insured privately. Bring the paperwork into the motor tax office and tell them you have bought this vehicle and you'd like to tax it privately.

You'll always need a CVRT, as somebody said above, and you'll have to pay the commercial rate at tolls.

I'm only offering this as a person who drives a van as a private vehicle. I have no idea about campers!

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364641#Comment_122364641

The poster asked could he continue to tax the van as a commercial vehicle and I gave the correct information.

There's no attempt to belittle.

There's many rules on Boards that posters ignore, you obviously have no respect for what you say is the first one, do you remember the one about no back seat modding?

cojo78

Believe it or not, I was able to do that all by myself, but every now and again I like to ask a few questions from people with real world experience to clarify the small details that I sometimes tend to get mixed up.

If you google those terms yourself, you'll find a number of people who start the section of their post or blog saying something like this 'This is confusing…'

Your last two posts could be interpreted as 'belittling'. Telling someone not to bother pursuing an idea because you have decided they 'don't have a clue' is condescending. Following that advice with a suggestion on what to google may have been well-intentioned, but it really implies that the person you are replying to is a total moron who has not done this already.

On the off chance that you are unaware of how arrogant and obnoxious your comments appear, and you are genuinely oblivious to this aspect of your personality, thank you for taking the time to respond. I'll take everything you said on board.

cojo78

Thanks. I know I can tax it privately but that ends up being costly, and I think in the long run I'd be better off converting it to a camper in the log book. I know some people manage to avoid this but I guess they have their own businesses too.

Just looking to cut corners, or work out extra costs if we decide to proceed with the bus.

Thanks!

It maybe possible to get private insurance on a commercial van but it's not straightforward as most of the insurance companies do not offer this policy. You might have to go through a specialist broker to find one.

Otherwise you can declare it as a private vehicle to the revenue and try to find an insurance company who will cover this, again not trivial since most will not. On top of this you will be paying just about the highest rate of vehicle tax possible for the privilege.

cojo78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364890#Comment_122364890

Yeah I've come to the conclusion that it wouldn't be the best option, thanks.

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122364838#Comment_122364838

You asked a simple question and you got the correct answer from a complete stranger that was trying to help you.

Your response to this was the ridiculous "so what you're saying is I should set up a business and tax it commercially?" complete with the child like laughing face.

You made your bed, now lie in it.

Alkers

You can insure privately no problem with insuremyvan.

It would have to be classed as a van as opposed as a minibus though.

How basic is your conversion?

The revenue requirements are not all that onerous, you should try get it classified as a camper.

RiderOnTheStorm

If you want it to be an official campervan, then you have to get it reassigned on the log book. But you dont have to. There are pro's & cons. You can sleep in a builders van & make tea and drive it to festivals etc, and it doesnt have to be a campervan on the logbook. You will get into trouble if you have more people in the van than there are seatbelts (in event of a crash, for example). You can have commercial or priv tax & ins on a van, but i think it has to be priv tax & ins if you get it reclassed on log as campervan. If you are making permanent changes to the van , then (my advice, not fact!) would be to get it reclassed. If you want to use it for weekender or occasional overnight sleep for summer only, then I wouldnt…. just add a fold up mattress, camping stove, and a cassette toilet and away you go. If you are screwing in cabinets and plumbing sinks, then (afaik) thats going to be important to the insurance company …. and they are the ones who will have the final say in these things. Maybe talk to a broker?

As you have taken out the seats it might now be under the 3.5ton , but do you not need to get it re-classed so its not a bus anymore? You need a D1 on your licence to drive a small bus (cant drive it with a B even if under 3.5) What is it on the logbook at the moment?

as prev poster said, this could be a real money pit, but i understand when you come across a great deal / offer and you try to make it work. hope you do get to go campervanning ….. i have returned to van-life after many years away and am loving it. the advances in tech, space saving , comfort , etc have come on a long way

GK157

It's a shame that peopleare getting so bent out of shape.

It's my understanding that if you go from commercial to camper on the log book they are going to want the uplift in vrt of 13% of the value of the camper as they see it. This is annoying but worth while as the cvt is going to want to see and test the amount of seats that are on the log book. Also camper insurance insurance will be really cheap compared to commercial. I think tax is cheaper too.