Differing GVW values on the same vehicle

[rowenuk]

Whilst I was cleaning my Hymer recently I made a surprising discovery. Although I always knew that my DVLA V5C Registration Document shows a GVW of 3500Kg I discovered that the Hymer 'plate' on the rear driver's side shows a GVW of 3900Kg and the ALKO plate under the bonnet shows a GVW of 4000Kg!!

I was sold this vehicle as having a GVW of 3500 Kg and have always complied with that for vehicle loading and speed limits abroad etc.

However this raises a couple of questions:-

a)When I submit the Hymer for it's first MOT next year, which GVW will the testing station use?

b)Do I have to get it sorted out now to avoid a "MOT Failure" being recorded, due to non matching values?

Can anyone please offer some firm/accurate advice on this? I do not want to contact the DVLA at this stage.

[Brian Kirby]

Just to add to the confusion, I think there may be a further plate from Mercedes/Fiat or whoever, unless the AlKo plate has been riveted over it.  In view of the AlKo chassis, this is liable to show a lower MAM than the AlKo plate, and will be the original manufacturer's plate.  Then, the original chassis was cut off just behind the cab, and an AlKo chassis bolted on in its place.  The AlKo chassis is liable to have permitted a higher rear axle load than the original chassis, which is the main reason for having adding it.  This will have established the 4,000Kg MAM, but may not have permitted much flexibility in the actual distribution of load.  The final stage will have been the conversion of the chassis to a motorhome by Hymer, who in effect, "finish" the vehicle.  It seems they may have decided to reduce the MAM by 100Kg, to allow greater flexibility in distributing the loads within the van.  This is merely conjecture on my part, but have a look at the individual axle load maxima on each plate.  I suspect the rear axle limit will be the same on both the AlKo plate and the Hymer plate.  Whichever, since Hymer finished the van, and thus obtained all the necessary conversion approvals, the Hymer plate rules.

Now the first tricky bit.  Does your driving license cover you to drive a 3,900Kg vehicle?  If it does not, you should either take an additional driving test to bring your license into step with the vehicle you are driving, or get the van re-plated down to 3,500Kg.  In the meantime, you should not drive it.

Now the second tricky bit.  You may have been driving uninsured.  Assuming your driving license is OK, do not take the van onto the road again before you check whether your insurer is happy that the premium you have paid is what he would have charged if he'd known you were driving a 3,900Kg vehicle.

Finally, if the vehicle is registered on its V5C as a Motor Caravan, and the taxation class is stated to be Private/Light Goods or PLG, it has been wrongly taxed, and you may therefore be in some difficulty for having paid road fund license at the wrong rate.  Unless your vehicle is to be plated down to 3,500Kg, you should contact DVLA, probably via your local office, and seek their guidance on how to proceed.  It may be you'll have to do no more than fill in the change section, but I suspect because the change is more onerous than most changes, they may insist on an inspection before changing the V5C.  With the present plates as you describe them, the taxation class should be Private/ Heavy Goods, or PHG, (PLG can only be used for vehicles with a maximum MAM of 3,500Kg).

I'm afraid you now have some rather urgent work to do!

[Andy_C]

a) It doesn't matter - it's still a Class IV test

b) You won't get an MOT failure because of the differing GVW values

 

If you are able to operate the motorhome at a maximum gross weight of 3500kg you might consider getting a replacement VIN plate showing this value and removing the other plates, otherwise you run the risk of contravening speed and weight limits. However you might also want to consider that a GVW of 4000kg would give you useful extra payload, and that any motorhome of more than 3500kg GVW is taxed at the PHGV rate, currently £165/year.

 

AndyC

[enodreven]

Hi,

 

Have you had the vehicle weighed on a weighbridge, as that will give you a start point as you do need to determine which one of the plates actually fit the vehicle as is, and while the weighbridge will not necessarily do this completely it may let you exclude one of of them,

 

Its also worth emptying the vehicle before having it weighed as depending on the age of the vehicle there may be some regulations covering the weights of certain fuels and supplies including the driver that need to be added to the actual weight coupled with your allowable payload that combine to meet the stated weight on the correct plate, but these can be added after you have the emptied vehicle weighed

 

 

hope this is of some help

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

braunston - 2008-12-15 7:33 PM Hi, Have you had the vehicle weighed on a weighbridge, as that will give you a start point as you do need to determine which one of the plates actually fit the vehicle as is, and while the weighbridge will not necessarily do this completely it may let you exclude one of of them, Its also worth emptying the vehicle before having it weighed as depending on the age of the vehicle there may be some regulations covering the weights of certain fuels and supplies including the driver that need to be added to the actual weight coupled with your allowable payload that combine to meet the stated weight on the correct plate, but these can be added after you have the emptied vehicle weighed hope this is of some help

I am sorry, but this post is potentially confusing.  The point at issue is not unladen weight, which the above appears to be seeking to address, but the incorrect entering of MAM on the V5C, and possible driving license difficulties arising from that.  These problems cannot be resolved on a weighbridge.

[enodreven]

Hi, BrianYou seem to be the person who raised the issue of the driving licence not the original post, and from what i can read the original post is asking what one of the 3 weights that they have found i.e the V5 and the other 2 plates is likely to be the correct one and my suggestion is a possible way of finding that out, or certainly excluding one of them.Your original reply while it may be correct has in my opinion assumed some information that is not as far as i can see contained withing the original post albeit your assumptions may be correct.

Brian Kirby - 2008-12-15 11:49 PM

braunston - 2008-12-15 7:33 PM Hi, Have you had the vehicle weighed on a weighbridge, as that will give you a start point as you do need to determine which one of the plates actually fit the vehicle as is, and while the weighbridge will not necessarily do this completely it may let you exclude one of of them, Its also worth emptying the vehicle before having it weighed as depending on the age of the vehicle there may be some regulations covering the weights of certain fuels and supplies including the driver that need to be added to the actual weight coupled with your allowable payload that combine to meet the stated weight on the correct plate, but these can be added after you have the emptied vehicle weighed hope this is of some help

I am sorry, but this post is potentially confusing.  The point at issue is not unladen weight, which the above appears to be seeking to address, but the incorrect entering of MAM on the V5C, and possible driving license difficulties arising from that.  These problems cannot be resolved on a weighbridge.

[Guest Tracker]

Correct me if I am wrong but surely the weight in question here is the GVW or MAM which is the total all up full touring mode gross weight of the vehicle and occupants and kit etc.

 

The only way to ascertain this is to take the vehicle fully laden fuelled and watered as in holiday mode to a weighbridge.

 

Don't forget to add on the extra weight of things you will take on holiday - like the wife - the dog - that you might not take to visit a weighbridge.

 

Once you know this GVW figure for your van you will have a target weight to work to as you will know what you need your van's plated weight to be.

 

To my admittedly uneducated in such matters view, only at this point will you know your own specific plating and driving license requirements.

 

But I could so easily have got it wrong?

[enodreven]

Hi, Tracker

 

Thanks totally agree, thats what I have been trying to say albeit perhaps not as clear as you have put it, as i think there are some actual weights and amounts of fuel and water etc but never the less, thank you

 

Braunston

 

Tracker - 2008-12-16 10:15 AM

 

Correct me if I am wrong but surely the weight in question here is the GVW or MAM which is the total all up full touring mode gross weight of the vehicle and occupants and kit etc.

 

The only way to ascertain this is to take the vehicle fully laden fuelled and watered as in holiday mode to a weighbridge.

 

Don't forget to add on the extra weight of things you will take on holiday - like the wife - the dog - that you might not take to visit a weighbridge.

 

Once you know this GVW figure for your van you will have a target weight to work to as you will know what you need your van's plated weight to be.

 

To my admittedly uneducated in such matters view, only at this point will you know your own specific plating and driving license requirements.

 

But I could so easily have got it wrong?

[Derek Uzzell]

I haven't got a 2006 Hymer brochure to allow me to check exact details, but (in 2003) Hymer was marketing fair-sized Fiat-based 'two axle' motorhomes (and the information rowenuk has provided strongly suggests that's what he's got) on a Ducato 15 chassis with a maximum GVW of 3500kg, or on a Ducato 18 chassis (standard Fiat or AL-KO replacement).

 

In 2003, Hymer 2-axle motorhomes constructed on the Ducato 18 chassis could have a maximum GVW of 3850kg or 3900kg (standard Fiat), or 3900kg (AL-KO). However, Hymer also offered a no-extra-charge option of having the maximum GVW of such motorhomes restricted to 3500kg to make them suitable for national markets (or individual buyers) where a driving-licence 3500kg restriction was vitally important. I'm aware that other motorhome manufacturers (eg. Knaus) were marketing 2-axle Fiat-based designs around that time with a 4000kg GVW, so it's possible that, by 2006, Hymer also offered vehicles with that maximum weight.

 

I'm less sure than Brian that Hymer's 3900kg plate overrides AL-KO's 4000kg plate and, if it were my motorhome, I 'd want to confirm with Hymer and AL-KO which plate takes precedence. Whatever the case, if rowanuk's motorhome carries no plate to show it has a 3500kg maximum GVW, then its legal maximum GVW will be either 3900kg or 4000kg.

 

There seem to be two basic possibilities here. Either rowanuk's Hymer is built on a 'genuine' 3500kg maximum GVW Ducato 15/AL-KO base with the wrong weight-plates, or (more likely) it's on a Ducato 18/AL-KO chassis with the correct weight-plates, but the vehicle was sold and registered in the UK as having a 3500kg GVW. Certain Hymers were built only on the Ducato 18 chassis (but with the option of a lower 3500kg GVW), but, without knowing which model rowanuk owns, it's not possible to exploit this datum.

 

The stated 'empty' weight of a Hymer motorhome (let's say a B-584 A-Class) built on a Ducato 18 3900kg chassis may be no more than 30kg heavier than exactly the same design built on a Ducato 15 3500kg chassis. Throw in a build-weight variation of just 1% and even that small difference would disappear. Consequently, I don't see how using a weighbridge to try to tell 3500kg chassis from 3900kg/4000kg chassis would be a practical proposition.

 

The simplest way to discriminate between coachbuilt motorhomes on a Ducato 18 chassis from Ducato 15-based 'look alikes' is by wheel diameter - the former will have 16" diameter wheels (normally with 215/75 R16C tyres) and the latter will have 15" wheels (and 215/70 R15C tyres). Not a certain identifier perhaps, but close enough. I expect, if one gave a Fiat dealer the vehicle's VIN Number, they would be able to say categorically which chassis the Hymer had been built on.

 

As has already been said, having GVW weights on the plates that don't tally with the V5C shouldn't impact adversely on a motorhome's MOT test, but the discrepancy between what's on the vehicle's plates and the DVLA data will need to be resolved.

[BGD]

Soz boys - I'm confused.

 

How can taking your motorhome to a weighbridge tell you anything about MAM (GVW)?

 

I thought that MAM is a function of the engineering design of the vehicle.

It is, as I understand it, the maximum total weight (vehicle, all contents, all extras, all persons, loads etc) that the Company designing the vehicle has been able to convince VOSPA that the axles/chassis is safe to carry.

 

Taking your motorhome to a weighbridge will tell you what your ACTUAL GVW is at a single point in time, but of course that will vary (probably be quite a bit) at other points in time, depending on people aboard, fluid levels, stuff and junk carried, etc.

But I can't see what relationship does this bear to establishing MAM with VOSPA?

 

Maybe I'm just having a blonde moment........

[BGD]

Soz boys - I'm confused.

 

How can taking your motorhome to a weighbridge tell you anything about MAM (GVW)?

 

I thought that MAM is a function of the engineering design of the vehicle.

It is, as I understand it, the maximum total weight (vehicle, all contents, all extras, all persons, loads etc) that the Company designing the vehicle has been able to convince VOSPA that the axles/chassis is safe to carry.

 

Taking your motorhome to a weighbridge will tell you what your ACTUAL GVW is at a single point in time, but of course that will vary (probably be quite a bit) at other points in time, depending on people aboard, fluid levels, stuff and junk carried, etc.

But I can't see what relationship does this bear to establishing MAM with VOSPA?

 

Maybe I'm just having a blonde moment........

[Guest Tracker]

As long as your van's all up fully laden absolute maximum touring mode weight with the van as heavy as you will ever have it is LESS than the MAM you are legal to use it and the only issues may be taxation class and driving license.

 

Once you know the fully laden weight, although the weight certificate itself has no legal use for any future event as it only applies at the time of weighing, you will know what maximum weight you are and from this you will discover what, if anything, needs to be altered - or not.

[Brian Kirby]

braunston - 2008-12-16 9:39 AM Hi, Brian You seem to be the person who raised the issue of the driving licence not the original post, and from what i can read the original post is asking what one of the 3 weights that they have found i.e the V5 and the other 2 plates is likely to be the correct one and my suggestion is a possible way of finding that out, or certainly excluding one of them. Your original reply while it may be correct has in my opinion assumed some information that is not as far as i can see contained withing the original post albeit your assumptions may be correct.

No, it seems I have not made myself quite clear.  I was not responding to the point about MoT tests, but to the unstated underlying problem of possibly driving on an invalid license, and thus uninsured, and possibly not having properly declared the vehicle while insuring it, and thus again, possibly, driving uninsured.  Both matters are potentially very serious for the poster, far more so that a MoT failure, and I wanted to draw that to his attention, in case he had not spotted the possibility.  I had hoped that was clear from my post.

Concerning MAM and the various plates.  The vehicle plates determine what is the Maximum Allowable Mass (MAM) of the vehicle.  The governing legislation is contained in EC Directive 92-53-EEC (72 pages of close text!), which governs Type Approval and the issuing of a final Certificate of Conformity.  And, before you all leap in saying Type Approval doesn't apply to motorhomes, it seems it does in Germany, where Hymers are made, as German made vans are issued with a CoC under that legislation.  Annex XIV to the directive refers to the process as "multi-stage completion".  Under the procedure, the bare chassis is termed the "base vehicle".  It will carry the manufacturer's original VIN plate.  Once the AlKo chassis is added, it will be re-plated by AlKo at stage 2.  Because the vehicle remains incomplete, it is then classified under 92-53-EEC as an "incomplete vehicle".  Responsibility for plating then passes to Hymer, who complete the vehicle.  It will be plated again by Hymer, at stage 3 and, once so plated, it is classified as a "completed vehicle".  It is the existence of these various plates that establishes that it has been type approved, with each stage recorded, via the plates, on the vehicle.

In the assembly sequence I have described, it should be the "completed vehicle" plate, i.e. Hymers, that governs the MAM of the completed vehicle.

Therefore, the vehicle has a MAM of 3,900Kg, and all a trip to the weighbridge could possibly establish is what might be its unladen weight, if so presented, which has no relevance to driving license or insurance, though it may be relevant to maximum speed permissible on UK two lane roads, or whether or not it is overloaded, which would be a separate offence in its own right, but is a completely different subject which has been explored at great length elsewhere on this forum.  In respect of its plated MAM, however, the weighbridge is of supreme irrelevance.  Please just accept that.

The MAM of the vehicle establishes what driving license you require to drive it.  Many of us seem to have "Grandfather Rights" on our licenses, that entitle us to drive vehicles up to 7,500Kg.  However, unless a medical is taken, these rights will automatically expire at age 70.  Thereafter, the license is only valid for vehicles to a MAM of 3,500Kg, which the subject vehicle exceeds.  Generally, license holders who took their driving tests after 1/1/1997 are only licensed to drive vehicles to a MAM of 3,500Kg.  As above the MAM of the subject vehicle exceeds this value.

I do not know the age, or date of driving test of the poster, so wished to draw to his attention the risks for him if he had overlooked that possibility.  In case it is still not quite clear, driving a vehicle that exceeds the permissions of your driving license is an offence in its own right, and may result in your insurance being invalidated.  He therefore needs urgently to get this matter sorted out, and should not drive the vehicle again until he is satisfied his license and his insurance all cover him while doing so.

He then needs to get his V5C sorted because he has been paying his VED at the wrong (as it happens, slightly too high), rate on the basis of a false declaration by whoever first registered the vehicle.  None of this is his fault, but he now knows the facts, and is therefore under an obligation to get them sorted out forthwith.  As he has now confirmed via his post that he knows all this, he cannot plead ignorance of the facts, and may be construed as having transgressed "knowingly".  It is the avoidance of these potentially serious pitfalls for him that I wish to warn him about.

[Brian Kirby]

Tracker - 2008-12-16 10:15 AM Correct me if I am wrong but surely the weight in question here is the GVW or MAM which is the total all up full touring mode gross weight of the vehicle and occupants and kit etc. ............

No Sir!

The GVW is what a vehicle actually weighs.  Its MAM is the maximum it is permitted to weigh.  The two are not linked, and are not interchangeable. 

If GVW is less than MAM all is good: if GVW exceeds MAM the vehicle is overloaded, and an offence has been committed! 

A weighbridge will tell you the GVW, which will vary continually while the vehicle is in use, but the plates on the vehicle determine its MAM, which is a fixed value.  That is why a weighbridge is irrelevant to this issue.

[Guest Tracker]

Sorry Brian - I do realise the difference and whilst I knew what I meant what I said was not what I meant others to understand - if you see what I mean!

 

I would still be inclined to ascertain what the all up weight (GVW) is on the van because it may well fall below one or more of the MAMs shown on the plated weights which should make resolving the weight issue a bit easier.

 

It is one thing to know how heavy your van CAN be and quite another to know how heavy it ACTUALLY is,which is why a weighbridge weight will give the owner a darned good idea of whether he has payload to spare or whether he needs to put his van on a diet or whether he needs to look at replating or changing the plated weight and taxation class and sorting out the driving license issue - if indeed it needs sorting?

 

Does that make a little less nonsense?

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

No need to apologise Rich, and sorry if I sounded a bit testy.  I'm ailing at present, and all this unpicking and unpacking is making my head hurt!  Yes, all is admirably clear.

However, the otherwise anonymous rowenuk had said he was already operating the van within the 3,500Kg limit he thought applied.  Presumably, therefore, this limit causes him no problem. 

It is his driving license, and possibly his insurance, that may drop him in the soup, not the actual laden weight of his van.  Whatever its ALW, if he drives it on a license that limits him to 3,500 Kg, he is breaking the law, and may well be driving uninsured.  Resolving that must be his first, and urgent, priority.  All else can follow.

[david lloyd]

That's how I understand it Brian.

 

The vehicle is plated to 3900kgs MAM (the maximum weight the vehicle is allowed to be at any time) and therefore, if the poster has only a license to drive up to 3500kgs, he will be breaking the law and uninsured REGARDLESS of the fact that he is currently operating the vehicle below 3500kgs.

 

The main issue seems to be that the V5C is showing the wrong MAM and needs to be either changed to show 3900kgs (which will probably require an inspection at the local DVLA office) OR the poster can have the vehicle downplated to a MAM of 3500kgs if this better suits his needs and he can live with the payload that that MAM then offers him.

 

David

[rowenuk]

Hi it's me again,

I have just read through the 14 responses to date. Thank you all for what you have said.

BUT.....can I please clarify a few facts.

1) I meant MAM not GVW (Sorry, I always thought they were the same thing)

2) For the record I do currently hold a C1 licence which entitles me to drive over 3500Kg.

3) I wish to retain the Reg Document (V5C) at 3500Kg. I can live with the restricted payload and if I ever have a problem in renewing my C1 licence when I reach 70 in the near future I will be able to continue to drive it.

4) The vehicle is a Hymer B524, Fiat 18 on a ALKO Maxi chassis with 216/70/16 tyres and wheels, chosen to reduce the somewhat lower ground clearance with the Fiat 15 chassis with 15" wheels (been there and had problems on a B564!!)

5) Hymer do sell these vehicle as either 3500 or 3900Kg as Derek Uzzell has stated (I do have the 2006 catalogue). Hymer are not alone in doing this as I previously had a 3850Kg Pilote supplied and registered by mistake by Hayes as 3500Kg. Hayes eventually supplied a new "body" plate showing 3500Kg.

6) One of my other reasons for keeping to 3500Kg is so I can use the motorways in Austria and Switzerland without high cost and fear of fines.(believe me we have seen a large number being fined particularily in Austria).

Any more comment/advice?

[Guest Tracker]

Brian Kirby - 2008-12-16 4:09 PM

No need to apologise Rich, and sorry if I sounded a bit testy. 

No Brian you didn't sound testy and I hope I didn't give that impression - it must be the way we read emails sometimes due to the lacking of visual and audio stimuli that face to face or telephone communication have!Get well soon you poor old soul!

[Brian Kirby]

rowenuk - 2008-12-16 4:44 PM Hi it's me again, I have just read through the 14 responses to date. Thank you all for what you have said. BUT.....can I please clarify a few facts. 1) I meant MAM not GVW (Sorry, I always thought they were the same thing) 2) For the record I do currently hold a C1 licence which entitles me to drive over 3500Kg. 3) I wish to retain the Reg Document (V5C) at 3500Kg. I can live with the restricted payload and if I ever have a problem in renewing my C1 licence when I reach 70 in the near future I will be able to continue to drive it. 4) The vehicle is a Hymer B524, Fiat 18 on a ALKO Maxi chassis with 216/70/16 tyres and wheels, chosen to reduce the somewhat lower ground clearance with the Fiat 15 chassis with 15" wheels (been there and had problems on a B564!!) 5) Hymer do sell these vehicle as either 3500 or 3900Kg as Derek Uzzell has stated (I do have the 2006 catalogue). Hymer are not alone in doing this as I previously had a 3850Kg Pilote supplied and registered by mistake by Hayes as 3500Kg. Hayes eventually supplied a new "body" plate showing 3500Kg. 6) One of my other reasons for keeping to 3500Kg is so I can use the motorways in Austria and Switzerland without high cost and fear of fines.(believe me we have seen a large number being fined particularily in Austria). Any more comment/advice?

Just this.  To avoid fines in Europe you will need to get your van re-plated by Hymer to 3,500 Kg.  It is unlikely the authorities would treat your V5C as anything other than proof of ownership (yes I know it isn't in UK, but it is in most of the EU, and they will apply the rules with which they are familiar), and will turn to the manufacturer's (Hymer's) plate for proof of its MAM.  At present, that says 3,900Kg. 

Keeping this to 3,500Kg or below, will also avoid restriction to lower speeds in a number of EC countries, Germany included.

You may find the cost for Switzerland would be lower at 3,900Kg than at 3,500Kg, since you would not then have to buy the annual vignette, but could get a (I think) 10 day pass that, oddly, is cheaper.

[Clive]

Dare I poke my nose in?

In a nutshell :-

 

MAM is the MAXIMUM AUTHORISED MASS and is the maximum all up weight the vehicle is permitted to be (not what you load it up to). Your driving license must permit you to drive the vehicle up to its permitted weight.

 

If you driving license limits you to 3500kg then you have four options.

 

1) Take a special driving test to get yoursef authorised.

2) Sell the vehicle and purchase another one with a MAM not exceeding 3500kg

3) Get the vehicle re-plated at 3500kg and ensure that if you do this that you never exceed this lower MAM with you and your clutter on board.

4) Hire a driver who is authorised!

 

 

If you are an oldish sod under 70 like me than your license should authorise you for up to 7500kg.

 

C.

 

 

 

[Keithl]

Hi folks,

 

Just thought I'd throw my penny's worth in here, GVW is actually the same as MAM. Check out Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_vehicle_weight. I work in the motor industry and have used this term for many years, MAM only appearing in more recent years.

It goes along with GTW (Gross Train Weight) which is the GVW + Max Trailer weight.

 

Keith.

[Mel B]

Sooooooooooo, if I understand what has been said:

 

1) Check with your insurance company first - do not move the vehicle unless they tell you you are insured to do so.

2) Then get the vehicle weighed, firstly empty except for the usual items which contribute to your vehicle's unladen weight which is what is used to establish what speed limits you can do.

3) Now load up your vehicle in full 'holiday' trim, including passengers, food, water, fuel etc, etc - basically what you would do when setting off on your travels, and get it weighed again, for it's total weight and the rear axle weight, this will tell you what your maximum loading is.

 

From 2) and 3) above, you will be able to tell what speed restrictions you must adhere to and, if you get the vehicle re-plated to 3500kgs, whether or not you will actually be travelling overweight. If your full holiday trim weight is over 3500kgs you need to decide which way you want to go with the plating - if you can't off-load sufficient 'junk' to bring you below the 3500kg limit, you are only faced with one choice, that of confirming which of the 3900kg or 4000kg plates is correct for your MAM (or GVW) and using that as your maximum weight (taking into account your axle loadings) and therefore getting your V5 changed to match this, but obviously this will have implications for motorway tolls etc.

 

I think that's right! 8-)

[Derek Uzzell]

I notice from a photo in John Wickersham's "The Motorcaravan Manual" that AL-KO apparently uses (or has used) G.V.W on their data-plates to indicate the maximum total vehicle-weight the chassis is designed to cope with.

 

Anyway, I don't know why there's been argument about GVW versus MAM (which I've always understood to be synonymous), as it was plain what rowanuk was referring to. Besides which, shouldn't we all be MTPLM-ers nowadays? ;-)

[david lloyd]

rowenuk - 2008-12-16 4:44 PM

 

Hi it's me again,

I have just read through the 14 responses to date. Thank you all for what you have said.

BUT.....can I please clarify a few facts.

1) I meant MAM not GVW (Sorry, I always thought they were the same thing)

2) For the record I do currently hold a C1 licence which entitles me to drive over 3500Kg.

3) I wish to retain the Reg Document (V5C) at 3500Kg. I can live with the restricted payload and if I ever have a problem in renewing my C1 licence when I reach 70 in the near future I will be able to continue to drive it.

4) The vehicle is a Hymer B524, Fiat 18 on a ALKO Maxi chassis with 216/70/16 tyres and wheels, chosen to reduce the somewhat lower ground clearance with the Fiat 15 chassis with 15" wheels (been there and had problems on a B564!!)

5) Hymer do sell these vehicle as either 3500 or 3900Kg as Derek Uzzell has stated (I do have the 2006 catalogue). Hymer are not alone in doing this as I previously had a 3850Kg Pilote supplied and registered by mistake by Hayes as 3500Kg. Hayes eventually supplied a new "body" plate showing 3500Kg.

6) One of my other reasons for keeping to 3500Kg is so I can use the motorways in Austria and Switzerland without high cost and fear of fines.(believe me we have seen a large number being fined particularily in Austria).

Any more comment/advice?

 

It seems clear now - rowenuk wants to keep the vehicle at 3500kgs (MAM, MTPLM, GVW, all up weight etc) and has a license to drive that class of vehicle and the higher weight of 3900kg. His V5 shows the weight as 3500kg but the most up to date plate has the vehicle at 3900kgs.

 

It simply means obtaining a new weight plate for the vehicle at 3500kg and the supplying dealer may do this or Hymer. The insurance company probably still needs to be contacted to ensure that he can still drive the vehicle at the higher weight on this policy until such time as it is re-plated.

 

I wouldn't have thought you should have much difficulty with this rowenuk, and if you keep all the details/documents relating to the re-plating you will be able to let any future owner know they have the choice of increasing the weight again.

 

Good lck, David