Tony Norton Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Hi All, we acquired just over a year ago, an Autotrail Mohican, with an ALKO chassis, of 1999 vintage. Recently I was going over the V5C when I noticed that it had been originally been registered in the Taxation Class "Private LG" and the Revenue weight recorded as 3500Kg. The ALKO plate, under the bonnet, however, shows a GVW of 3850Kg, which would put it in the Taxation Class "Private HGV". To cut a long story short, involving several emails and letters, it is now registered as "Private HGV". Why did I bother? Well, as Derek has pointed out in earlier thread on the subject, the Road Fund (there's a misnomer for a start) Licence for an HGV under 7500Kg is £60 less than that for PLG. So, if your 'van is pre March 2001, and you are pre VE day, or thereabouts, you can have £60 per annum towards your 3 yearly medical costs so you're no longer out of pocket on the medical. I did suggest to the DVLA that they owe me, and previous owners, some refund for having been overtaxed in the past. Haven't heard back from them on that one. Wonder why not! Don't assume your V5C is correct and check it against the weight plate. If the plate shows anything over 3500Kg, and the V5C says "Private LG" my advice is to get it changed. You will need documentary evidence to support your claim such as a copy of the weight plate and manufacturer's spec, but I reckon it's worth the effort. If you're thinking "My V5C shows 3500Kg so I can drive it on my ordinary car licence." forget it. You're not driving a V5C, you're driving a motor vehicle. If it's over 3500Kg you need the C1 D1 categories on your licence. Happy motorhoming Tony N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Sounds like sometime in your Vans 'Past history' someone had the van 'Downplated' to 3500kg. Some do that if they get to 70, and don't think they will get through the medical,to keep their entitlement. Worth having it upped in my opinion, to make sure you have enough load margin. And of course the £160 road tax Bill, for ANY PHG motorhomes, provided the converter doesn't put the Co2 output onto the V5c (don't understand your comment about '2001') ?? Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Norton Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Hi Ray, the tax rates quoted apply to vehicles registered before 1 March 2001. In other words, before the EU 'emissions' rubbish came into force. Tony N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Tony Norton - 2014-01-14 5:17 PM Hi Ray, the tax rates quoted apply to vehicles registered before 1 March 2001. In other words, before the EU 'emissions' rubbish came into force. Tony N Oh no they don't. PHG then is still PHG now and still attracts £165 duty. LHG may have changed but not PHG. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I could be wrong but I don't think Motorhomes be they PLG or PHG are taxed on their Emissions (Yet) PROVIDED that is, that the convertor does'nt pass on the Emissions data at the time of registration. They are all either PLG £225 or whatever ? and PHG £165. and I don't think the date has anything to do with it ? Certainly with cars, after 2001 the Co2 level was always listed. But motorhomes even PVC's (panel van conversions) usually get a 'new' registration book after completion (V5c) and if no Co2 level is listed they get the 'Standard' level of road tax (3500 and under). Don't know how long the 'Anomaly' of over 3500kg motorhomes only being £165 will last ?? Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 The converters plate overrides the chassis manufacturers plate so it may have another plate ratting it at 3500kg by Autotrail if so you will now need to update that plate. If you had enough payload at 3500 I would have thought changing to 3850 has more cons than pros. On French Autoroutes & German Autobahns you will be restricted to 50mph, load of French villages ban all vehicles over 3500kg etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Norton Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 Further comment. Before I sent off my original V5C I took a copy of it. Looking at it again I find that the "Revenue Weight" was not, in fact, recorded. Makes me wonder whether the manufacturers/retailers just block register all their vehicles as PLG, regardless of the weight. Tony N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Tony Norton - 2014-01-15 10:49 AM Further comment. Before I sent off my original V5C I took a copy of it. Looking at it again I find that the "Revenue Weight" was not, in fact, recorded. Makes me wonder whether the manufacturers/retailers just block register all their vehicles as PLG, regardless of the weight. Tony N Autotrail certainly Don't, mine is PHG . and lots of their other models are too. Think Yours is a 'Plate/Re-plate' job. A lot of Foreign Vans are 'Block 3500kg' listed. (no matter what that does to the load margin !!!) for the very reason mentioned above. Which doesn't apply in the UK. The usual 'No Hgv's' limit here is 7.5 tonnes. much more sensible. (IMHO). ;-) Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 We had to get our V5 "corrected"(altered?) when we first bought our MH...as it showed 3500kg Revenue weight(PLG) but the vehicle carried a 3850kg Trigano(..so presumably original?) plate... In our case, as we had no documentation to actually verify it being 3.8t it took a fair bit of toing and froing to get it sorted (eventual sorted by getting an "attestation" from Trigano HQ in France). Curiously, although Swansea did alter the "Revenue Weight",..the "Mass in service" still shows 3500kg? So I've no idea what that figure relates to..?. Shouldn't that also state "3850kg" as well..? Anyone care to enlighten me?.... :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Tony Norton - 2014-01-15 10:49 AM Further comment. Before I sent off my original V5C I took a copy of it. Looking at it again I find that the "Revenue Weight" was not, in fact, recorded. Makes me wonder whether the manufacturers/retailers just block register all their vehicles as PLG, regardless of the weight. Tony N That is because it was registered at 3500kg Revenue weight is only shown for vehicles over 3500kg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxy Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 This happened to me a couple of years ago. I had always assumed my vehicle had been registered 3850kg (phg) but it was not until I was reading a thread on here that I realized that it had not. I had to go through all the formalities of having it up rated by DVLA. This was from new, I contacted the dealer who sold it to me and they showed me the documentation that had been sent to DVLA on 1st registration. So the fault lay with Swansea. always check when the V5C arrives, I didn`t . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8LEY Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Always check your V5C is good advice. My van has Ducato 100 on the side. My V5C says it's a 160 bhp engine. Who knows what a previous owner might have changed, if it's not something you can see? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankkia Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Always check the V5C!! As I have said before on this forum - We had a brand new 'van registered and when the V5C came back it was registered as a: 2800 cc, 5 Tonne, 3 axle ---------------------------- Motorcycle!! I had checked the form and copied it before sending off to Swansea and it certainly did not say motorcycle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Our V5c had the wrong engine size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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