Geppetto Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Hi I just thought I would let everyone know how we got on changing the front passenger seat and replacing it with a bench seat. Firstly thanks to Nick for sourcing the bench seat for me. I had my local garage fit the bench seat and we have been away and tried it out. It really has worked well for us as there is invariable three of us going away at any one time. It is much better for the third passenger sitting up front rather than isolated in the rear travel seat. Especially on a long journey. I am told by my passengers that the bench seats are perfectly comfortable even when we did a long journey of over 150 miles or so. We have also found that when we arrive on site the first thing we do when we pick out our pitch is that we all quite naturally tip out of the van to inspect the pitch, give directions and generally nose about. So not being able to move from front to back has not been a problem for us. Once pitched we lock the van doors and use the habitation door. As I have already mentioned on the forum the cab seats play no part in the habitation aspect of our particular van so they are really of no use once pitched on site. I have taken off the seat cover on the drivers seat so all three seats up front are the standard blues trim and all match. I think they look pretty good. I have stored the passenger seat in my garage so if I ever sell the van I can always replace the passenger seat if need be. My insurance company (SAGA) have checked with the underwriters and they stated that it was not a modification but at least they have been told. All in all it has worked out very well for us and our circumstances and we are very pleased but understand it will not be for everybody. Thanks to everyone who gave me advice as it really helped me make up my mind about doing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted April 21, 2011 Share Posted April 21, 2011 Thanks very much for taking the time to post the results. We may seriously consider the same modification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdf Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Hi Very interested when i first read this because having just swapped from a low-profile to a pvc I'm sick of hitting my head as I go from the hab area to the cab and this might stop it! BUT having also been caught in the Swift 'not registered to carry all the passenger' trap surely you have now got an extra passenger seat which won't be shown on the registration documents which means ................................. think about it if you are stopped by a 'jobsworth' Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 It's always good to see feedback as it not only shows an uncommon courtessy but it helps anyone else who might want to do the same thing. Good luck and happy travels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 What a good idea, we would love to take our granddaughter out on the occasional trip, but the two front captain chairs being the only one with seatbelts prevent this, mmmmm, off down the scrapyards. Interestingly no mention of seating capacity on my V5, and never been asked by my insurers. At a pinch a bed could be made up for her on them just for the odd night, wow, super, great, smashing. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geppetto Posted April 24, 2011 Author Share Posted April 24, 2011 Checked my registration document and it says under number of seats '2 including the driver'. Yet my six berth motorhome when built was fitted with four belted seats - two in the front and two pullman forward facing seats in the back. Now I have three belted seats in the cab and two in the back. So what does all this mean as far as my registration document is concerned? I suspect very little. Any 'jobsworth' as described by Dave, (I assume he means police officer), would I think, be very unlikely to take any action on the basis that the registration document stipulates just two seats - otherwise I think there would be lots of us in trouble. So in short, I am not concerned and I have done the most important thing in my view by informing the insurance company and they themselves were not that interested. Thanks to everyone who responded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Hi Geppetto The question of No. of Seats in Motorhomes was on this previous thread. Started with problems with Swift Group Motorhomes, but it became clear other manufacturers' also had the same problem. http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=22266&posts=19 Mine took about 10 days start to retrun of corrected V5C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geppetto Posted April 25, 2011 Author Share Posted April 25, 2011 Hi Flicka I have read all of that thread about Swift etc. What a mess. I now understand what gdf was talking about. Apologies from me to him for my misunderstanding. It seems to me that practically everyone who owns a motorhome will be likely to have encountered this problem. I don't know whether I should be worried or not. It seems like a right rigmarole to get the registration document altered on my Lunar Champ. I am not sure if leaving it as it is would be breaking the law if you carry more passengers than stipulated on the registration document. As far as I know the law states if you carry passengers all belted seats should be used by the passengers. If you have more passengers on board than belted seats then you can still carry passengers unbelted until you contravene the PSV rules etc. Of course the carrying of unbelted passengers is not recommended for safety reasons. I have informed my insurance company of the new number of belted seats in my motorhome after fitting the bench seat in the cab and they were not that bothered but at least I have told them and they have recorded it. So in the unfortunate event of an accident I think they would be in difficulty if they tried to invalidate my insurance just on the basis of the information on the registration document. There may be an offence of failing to notify the DVLA on any changes on the registration document. But I am not sure that this would invalidate my insurance either. Wouldn't you think that the dealers would record the correct info for the DVLA.?How hard can it be to count the number of belted seats? Most dealers wouldn't have to count to more than six! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 hi Geppetto Unfortunately it is another example of the lack of understanding or even incompetence with what appears to be the majority of Motorhome Dealers, as it is their responsibility to inform DVLA when first registering a Vehicle. Your difficulty (as I see it) if you proceed informing DVLA, is that if you get the Certificate document from Lunar (who no longer produce Motorhomes) will not include your addition of an extra Cab Passenger Seat. A call to DVLA would appear appropriate to determine:- A) the legal position regarding notification of change B) the best way forward, in your circumstances. You could approach them on the basis of "I'm thinking about fitting .............." But I would suggest scanning / copying of your V5 before submitting the original to DVLA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 HI. All this makes me wonder, how many V5C have all, and the correct information on them anyway,? and how important is it. ? My 2001 M/H has changed hands four times, each time the DVLA must have issued a new VC5 without query. Mine shows the taxation weight 100kg out, seating capacity left blank, engine number not known, ( when it's on plain veiw on top of the engine ).Nothing below engine number is filled in apart from colour. 8-) Brian B. PS No prizes for guessing who the supplying dealers were.!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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