Importing a jeep to convert to a crewcab

BnB · 28-10-2020 1:05am #1

What is the definite story RE converting jeeps to crewcabs.

I was under the impression that you could no longer do it (that the jeep had to be registered as a crew cab from the start like those business class Pajeros) , but then I see a few car dealers selling Discos and Rangerovers currently on English plates. I also see Ads on Donedeal with lads saying they convert most jeeps.

Are these guys all legit or are they doing something a bit dodgy.

And if it's legit, is it possible for me to import something like a 5 seater disco, pay the commercial rate of VRT and register it as a crewcab.

Mjolnir · 28-10-2020 1:36am

Could be wrong but wasn't that loophole closed off long and ever ago?

I've seen them i assume they are in the same category as the YouTube I can make you rich ads.

BnB · 28-10-2020 1:58am

Mjolnir wrote: »

Could be wrong but wasn't that loophole closed off long and ever ago?

I've seen them i assume they are in the same category as the YouTube I can make you rich ads.

I thought so too but then, how can they advertise them for sale promising all documentation will be in place.

I have been in one dealer who had a mix of 2 and 5 seaters mostly on English plates. He gave me the impression that he could give me anything in the yard registered and taxed as a crewcab. Certainly any of the Disco's he had.

If I buy one of these crewcabbed Discos off him, could it come back to bite me in the butt?

Mjolnir · 28-10-2020 2:02am

BnB wrote: »

I thought so too but then, how can they advertise them for sale promising all documentation will be in place.

I have been in one dealer who had a mix of 2 and 5 seaters mostly on English plates. He gave me the impression that he could give me anything in the yard registered and taxed as a crewcab. Certainly any of the Disco's he had.

If I buy one of these crewcabbed Discos off him, could it come back to bite me in the butt?

Could be possible up north honestly wouldn't have a clue, just seems very sus that suddenly all those ads pop up on dd.
If it is possible up north, probably registering them as a crew cab here then vrting it down here as the same.
Possibly taxing it could be a pain not 100% sure of the process.

Nekarsulm · 28-10-2020 3:40am

I "thought" the practice of crewcabbing everything from a fiesta upwards was stamped down on, and that it was now only possible on Discoveries, LWB Land-Cruisers, LWB Pajeros and LWB Troopers?
Possibly X5's and Range Rovers as well.

cplwhisper · 28-10-2020 9:32am

BnB wrote: »

What is the definite story RE converting jeeps to crewcabs.

I was under the impression that you could no longer do it (that the jeep had to be registered as a crew cab from the start like those business class Pajeros) , but then I see a few car dealers selling Discos and Rangerovers currently on English plates. I also see Ads on Donedeal with lads saying they convert most jeeps.

Are these guys all legit or are they doing something a bit dodgy.

And if it's legit, is it possible for me to import something like a 5 seater disco, pay the commercial rate of VRT and register it as a crewcab.

I’d be checking your insurance provider.
Example passenger model disco 7-seater rolls of production line & a dealer here gets the ‘conversion to commercial crew cab tax’ clause as he tints back windows & you purchase same then your insurer will only give you private insurance with maybe class 2 business loading !! Therefore private tax too
If the conversion was physically removing rear seats & plating floor to 5-seater then insurer may allow straight commercial insurance then tax a doddle.

BnB · 28-10-2020 10:37am

cplwhisper wrote: »

I’d be checking your insurance provider.
Example passenger model disco 7-seater rolls of production line & a dealer here gets the ‘conversion to commercial crew cab tax’ clause as he tints back windows & you purchase same then your insurer will only give you private insurance with maybe class 2 business loading !! Therefore private tax too
If the conversion was physically removing rear seats & plating floor to 5-seater then insurer may allow straight commercial insurance then tax a doddle.

Not really sure what you're saying here. Surely the insurer will go off the Department of Transport database the same as the county council that you are taxing it with.

Once whoever is doing the conversion has done their paperwork etc, then it is registered as a crew-cab and surely that's it..!!!!

millington · 28-10-2020 10:39am

BnB wrote: »

What is the definite story RE converting jeeps to crewcabs.

I was under the impression that you could no longer do it (that the jeep had to be registered as a crew cab from the start like those business class Pajeros) , but then I see a few car dealers selling Discos and Rangerovers currently on English plates. I also see Ads on Donedeal with lads saying they convert most jeeps.

Are these guys all legit or are they doing something a bit dodgy.

And if it's legit, is it possible for me to import something like a 5 seater disco, pay the commercial rate of VRT and register it as a crewcab.

You can still convert some passenger ones to crewcab, but it will have to be VRTd at the full passenger rate first.

BnB · 28-10-2020 10:45am

millington wrote: »

You can still convert some passenger ones to crewcab, but it will have to be VRTd at the full passenger rate first.

Thanks Millington. I appreciate that. So I can still convert a Discovery 3 or 4 for example, but if I am bringing it from the UK, you're saying I will have to pay the full VRT and register as a passenger first and then go about doing and registering the conversion.

Do you have any idea where I can find a spec/document outlining what you can convert and what you actually need to do to convert it.

cplwhisper · 28-10-2020 10:46am

BnB wrote: »

Not really sure what you're saying here. Surely the insurer will go off the Department of Transport database the same as the county council that you are taxing it with.

Once whoever is doing the conversion has done their paperwork etc, then it is registered as a crew-cab and surely that's it..!!!!

Wish it was ..16yrs working in car-commercial insurance that involved modified & conversion vehicles cases for both . Insurers can use reg numbers to access lots of info, if my chance they insured that reg before it’ll flag the group the car/jeep was in & it taxed private or comm’l in the past and will be ask who converted and how changed etc.

It’s simply a heads up as sales person won’t care if u have hassle once it leaves forecourt.
All I’m saying is do homework and if help needed then ask on here.

curiousinvestor · 28-10-2020 11:10am

I have done a bit ok looking I to this recently.
I've come across a few serious chancers , I.e. trading cars.
I've all but decided to steer away.

selectamatic · 28-10-2020 1:18pm

Also worth noting that you'd really need to make sure whatever you were thinking of bringing in doesn't have a ridiculously high nox charge attached to the vrt too or budget accordingly for this. Probably best aim for something with a euro 6 engine but you're talking about 2016+ for most to get that.

Nekarsulm · 28-10-2020 2:20pm

DMAX with a canopy looking like an easier solution...

BnB · 28-10-2020 2:29pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

DMAX with a canopy looking like an easier solution...

It is an option but I'd rather a jeep if possible. I'm just after selling an Amarok.

I still don't have a straight answer though (not blaming you guys - just frustrating that the info doesn't seem to be out there) - Leaving aside completely the import query because I think I have had that bit answered, if a jeep is already on Irish plates, what can and can't you convert to a crewcab and what are the actual rules for doing so.

kaizersoze · 09-11-2020 12:20am

I looked into this a couple of months ago. I have a van on a commercial policy with AXA and considered getting a second vehicle for the business. I looked around at the passenger 'commercial' jeeps available and settled on 2 or 3 for a viewing.
First I rang AXA for quotes and they had no problem giving me cover for a second vehicle BUT....they would not cover that catagory of jeeps as they didn't consider them as commercial. They had stringent requirements for commercial 4X4s. They had to be 2 seater only from factory with no rear seats like the Pajero, Landcruiser etc. They had a fairly short list of acceptable ones actually.

Xtrail14 · 09-11-2020 12:25am

Is it America you’re importing the jeep?

BnB · 09-11-2020 12:33am

kaizersoze wrote: »

I looked into this a couple of months ago. I have a van on a commercial policy with AXA and considered getting a second vehicle for the business. I looked around at the passenger 'commercial' jeeps available and settled on 2 or 3 for a viewing.
First I rang AXA for quotes and they had no problem giving me cover for a second vehicle BUT....they would not cover that catagory of jeeps as they didn't consider them as commercial. They had stringent requirements for commercial 4X4s. They had to be 2 seater only from factory with no rear seats like the Pajero, Landcruiser etc. They had a fairly short list of acceptable ones actually.

I had no bother doing it with insuremyvan.ie. I had a crew cabbed Pajero with them previously.

Actually, I'm the OP here and I bought a 08 Discovery last week. It's an Irish Reg'ed 7 seater currently and had just passed the NCT. I priced the insurance as it stood (2nd vehicle policy with 4 yrs NCB) and it would have cost me €1200 to insure as it stood Vs €450 as a commercial crewcab with insuremyvan. Plus I have open drive on the commercial policy which is handy as a few neighbours borrow it occasionally. So yer man is converting it to a crew cab for me this week.

kaizersoze · 09-11-2020 1:24pm

BnB wrote: »

I had no bother doing it with insuremyvan.ie. I had a crew cabbed Pajero with them previously.

Actually, I'm the OP here and I bought a 08 Discovery last week. It's an Irish Reg'ed 7 seater currently and had just passed the NCT. I priced the insurance as it stood (2nd vehicle policy with 4 yrs NCB) and it would have cost me €1200 to insure as it stood Vs €450 as a commercial crewcab with insuremyvan. Plus I have open drive on the commercial policy which is handy as a few neighbours borrow it occasionally. So yer man is converting it to a crew cab for me this week.

Nice one.

I was making enquiries about the 5 seat commercial option with AXA and they were having none off it. Had to be 2 seater...with the exception of the normal crewcab jeeps like the Hilux.

BnB · 09-11-2020 2:39pm

Also - Just to follow up on my own questions from earlier... After looking into it and talking to a few people, my understanding now is that :

You can still convert certain Irish Reg'ed private vehicles to crewcabs like 5 & 7 seater Pajeros, Discos, Landcruisers. I am not sure of the full process here but it does involve some kind of laser measurement of the back load space to ensure it is the right % of the entire space. Also - If it is a 7 seater, the 2 back seats obviously need to be fully removed.
You can make a crew cab out of an imported jeep - BUT you must pay the full VRT etc and register it as a private vehicle first and then go about the same process as above to convert it to a crew cab.
You can import a private jeep and convert it to 2 seater commercial and only pay the cheaper VRT rate etc as a commercial vehicle. But you can't then obviously subsequently go from a 2 seater to a 5 seater commercial
There is a loop hole to get around some of the above where I think you can go from a 2 seater commercial to a 4 seater commercial (ie - no middle seat in the back) . I don't know the exact details of it but it does sound fairly sketchy

I'm open to correction on any of the above

doctorchopper · 09-11-2020 8:12pm

BnB wrote: »

It is an option but I'd rather a jeep if possible. I'm just after selling an Amarok.

I still don't have a straight answer though (not blaming you guys - just frustrating that the info doesn't seem to be out there) - Leaving aside completely the import query because I think I have had that bit answered, if a jeep is already on Irish plates, what can and can't you convert to a crewcab and what are the actual rules for doing so.

It still can be done, i know of a x5 that was recently converted. You will have to import it as a private, you then have to tax it privately (min 3 months), then you can convert it to commercial crewcab. You will be restricted to a certain few insurance companies who will cover you is all, but there are some that will. But chances are you will be paying 4000 in nox tax so its probably not going to be worth your while

MF290 · 28-03-2022 12:31am

Planning on importing an estate car from the north and getting it converted to 2 seater commercial. I'm hoping the vrt aspect is fairly straight forward. Does anyone have experience of dealing with the insurance side?