Considering getting a van but don't know what to get or if it's feasible

Terrlock

I currently drive an old 2007 1.9tdi skoda octavia. it's rock solid still, and love it's practicality.

As the family is grown, I'm considering getting a 7 seater, but really can see any that I like. What I mean in terms of practicallity they are okay, but always come with what I'd consider coming from a skoda small boot size.

So I'm wondering if buying a family van is an option in ireland? I'm confused about the commercial Vans and is it even possible to get a family van with good storage for reasonable price in Ireland.

Would I be better of looking at importing a van from the UK as the irish market looks very small in options. Also what is the costs of insuring and taxing such Vans.

Anyone know much about this and what options there are?

4th horsemen

I've driven both Ford transits and Crew Cabs transit vans and cars and both. I've also had a ford connect tourneo 7 seater (something like that might suit you good). I have no business so it was all private use and private insurance and TAX (tax is the killer if you cannot register van as commercial as then you pay private TAX which is a **** lot more than standard commercial tax fee of €333 for regular van up to 3000kg)

So basically for you to have a van with 3 seats in front and only load space in back or a crew cab van like a Ford Transit or smaller Transit custom with 3 seats in front, 3 (sometimes 4)in back crew cab part and load space behind that is classed as commercial vehicle so unless you have a registered business and can prove it will be commercial use, you are going to pay a high yearly TAX rate on it as it will be taxed Private and not commercial. (for me was about a grand a year tax, bout 6 years ago)

Insurance will be classed as commercial insurance regardless (not like regular private car insurance) and it can be tricky to obtain as generally insurance companies want you to use it for business purposes, I had to give a valid reason as to why I needed commercial insurance but had no registered business, I have ponies so I said I was using it for collecting and carrying hay and supplies etc for my ponies / land (I'm not a farmer, i just have 2 acres with my house and 2 ponies) so that seemed ok with them. Also if you go with Commercial insurance your No Claims will be 0 as you have had no commercial insurance before so starting as if it's your first policy!!

At one stage years ago I was able to move my car No Claims over to my Commercial No Claims (i was not driving car at that stage, only van) so that was ok and when i went back to Car driving, i got my Commercial no Claims put back onto my Private Car insurance once i didn't have Van insurance anymore.

I used Insuremyvan.ie

Important note on CrewCab vans, Make sure it is actually registered as a Crew Cab on log book, some are just vans and converted and not registered as crew cabs, which then becomes illegal as such and won't pass DOE, unless you take crew cab seats out before hand!!(to register after a conversion costs a good few quid!)

So you getting a van or crew cab van can be done no problem, but if you do not have a business then it gets awkward and costly for yearly tax and insurance. A better option might be like a Combivan based people carrier like a Ford Tourneo Connect 7 seater. which is classed as Private and not Commercial. I had a 2016 one of them and you can take the 6th and 7th seat out and have a 5 seater with massive booth, or you can fold flat the 3rd, 4th, 5th seat and have huge space, or fold down all passenger seats and don't take any out, lots of config can be done with them.

Sorry about the mad long message, just giving you my experience and info as I was also left wondering at the time on what way it all worked.

As for importing from UK, can be costly with VRT and extra Brexit tax Bullsh.t to pay now

HazeDoll

I don't know anything about family vans, which I presume are adapted to carry multiple passengers. However, I can tell you that you can tax and insure a van as a private vehicle, even though it's classed as a commercial vehicle. If it is second hand and has been taxed and insured as a commercial vehicle before you just drop into the motor tax office and tell them you'd like to tax it privately. It only takes a few minutes and you only have to do it the first time, after that you just renew as normal. You do not need to claim that you use it for business. In fact, I would imagine that pulling a fast one like that would invalidate your insurance.

My NCB wasn't affected when I first made the switch to vans, but that was about 13 years ago. Neither the tax or the insurance will break the bank - My 2016 diesel van taxed privately is €413 per year. The insurance is about €440 with Alliance.

The only way you get caught out is that you'll pay the commercial rate at tolls.

Alkers

Nearly anything with seven seats (three rows) won't be a commercial vehicle unless you go up to a transit size van.

Think caravelle etc. You can get nice layouts with individual seats as opposed to benches, which are very comfortable

Terrlock

Caravelle is kinda what I'm thinking of. Is this possible without having to buy it commercially?

They seem to be farily rare to see them for sale in Ireland.

Alkers

Yeah caravelle is nct, car tax and insurance.

The 9 seater versions can be difficult to insure.

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