Bill Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 I am aware that you have to jump through various hoops to get a van reclassified as a motor-caravan – must have bed, cooker, windows etc. My question is: what are the advantages to being legally a motor-caravan? Or, to ask the same question the other way round, why not just leave it as legally a van? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 I may well be wrong but I cannot see any reason it cannot still be classed as a van, for road fund licence purposes. However getting it insured is another thing, and for that you would have to declare what it is used for , carrying gas bottles, windows installed ect. chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
breakaleg Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 i think that your insurance will be a lot less as a motorcaravan pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 On the other hand having a merc van insured will cost you X but having a classy expensive motorhome based on it will cost you XX. If it goes up in smoke don,t expect a full payout if you only tell the insurance company its "just a van". C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 Hi Bill-On reflection of my first post, I DO think you will need to reclass the vehicle with the DVLA. Imagine the van is painted green, and you fit a high top to it, together with windows all round and repaint it white, you will have totally altered its outward appearance, and with the same reg number as the plain green van, may cause concern with the police if they did a vehicle check on you. Its the same with just changing the colour of a vehicle, that too must be reported to the DVLA and your registration book altered. The insurance advice still remains. chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred grant Posted June 23, 2007 Share Posted June 23, 2007 bill, just call it a 'van rather than a van, then it could be anything. caravan, motorcarvaravan, panel van, motor van, up your jacksie van. U cant lose me andsome. fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted June 24, 2007 Share Posted June 24, 2007 There are certain key advantages: as a motor caravan you can drive up to the same speed limits as a car, provided your unladen weight is less than 3050 Kgs (likely with a motor caravan up to 3500 KGS Maximum Authorised Mass/GVW. As a van (classed as a LCV or Light Commercial Vehicle), you are restricted to 50mph on unrestricted single carriageway roads and to 60mph on dual carriageways. Also, from next year, all vans over 3500KGS MAM will have to be fitted with speed governers limiting them to 60mph and they will be banned from the outside lane of 3 or more lane motorways. As a motorcaravan/ motorhome, you are subject to the same MoT rules as a car - first MoT on the third anniversary of first registration, then annually. As a commercial van, you are subject to annual MoTs from the first anniversary of registration. There are other advantages, but these will do for now. So get it registered as a motorhome. To count as such it must legally have the following facilities: - a bed/ sleeping facilities - somewhere to wash - a wardrobe - cooking facilities. Without all four it cannot legally be registered as a motorhome. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted June 25, 2007 Author Share Posted June 25, 2007 Mel E - 2007-06-24 10:04 PM There are other advantages, but these will do for now. Many thanks Mel. For me, these four are not particularly compelling; what are the others? Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Bill - 2007-06-25 12:13 PM Mel E - 2007-06-24 10:04 PM There are other advantages, but these will do for now. Many thanks Mel. For me, these four are not particularly compelling; what are the others? Bill Bill, I don't know what you intend to use the van for but have a look at http://www.ukmotorhomes.net/motorhome_mot.shtml this has reared it's head lately on one of the othe motorhome forums. If you are not confused after reading that you should be. 8-) 8-) 8-) Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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