eric moses Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 believe me ,if you have a m/h and it over 3.5 tons you need a medical,you will need a thorough eye test a,snellen? test ,i am 83years old ,ex tanker driver,yet when i got to 70years the dvla informed me that i would have to have a medical if i wanted to continue driving my converted van ,(a mercedes vario 7.5tonner) you will need from the dvla forms d2+d4 you will then have to have your eyes tested ,you will then give your g.p your d4 form to fill in ,you will no doubt be charged for this service ,the next part i not sure if it will matter to every one or if it just concerns the likes of myself because i have had a double heart by/pass, the first three licence renewals i had to go on a treadmill for ten minutes ,during the ten minutes speeds up and is also tilted upwards,i am not the fittest of people and i was knackered ,the last renewal i was required to lay down on a bed .and given ,what i believe is "cardiac stress test ?" i am at present going through the procedure now.do not believe any one if they tell you you are alright if you have granny rites on your licence ,please go by what i have told you and stay legal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 A couple of links that may be useful for motorhome owners/drivers approaching age-70. The first link gives general advice and the second refers to the medical examination required if retaining an existing C1 driving-licence entitlement is being contemplated. https://omcmotorhomes.co.uk/can-you-drive-a-motorhome-at-70/ https://d4drivers.uk/motorhome-medicals/ Renewing a C1 entitlement at age-70 has been discussed quite often on the Out&AboutLive forums. I think this 2021 thread is the most recent/relevant. https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/topic/53003-eye-test/ Gov.up guidance regarding 'age 70' licence renewal can be found here https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence-at-70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Thanks for this, Eric and Derek. I'm at 70 this summer and I'm wondering whether to downplate or go through medical tests. First step will be get the van weighed again 3,420 kg last time, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevjan Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Be careful as it does not matter what our van weighs it is what the manufacture gross weight is plated at. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Don't forget the plated weights are the maximum allowed weights, not the weights you maybe driving at. Brian B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I don't know what make/model/age of motorhome Brock currently has, but I think the MTPLM of the vehicle he had a few years ago was weight-uprated from 3500kg to 3850kg during his period of ownership. This might explain his comment "...I'm wondering whether to downplate..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Right, Derek. I wanted increased to 3,650kg to carry extra passengers or 120l of water. The van was increased to 3,850kg by SV as we had semi air on the rear and 2000kg on each axle. Realistic, because we didn't change tyres, we limited the van to 2000kg on the rear, and 1650Kg on the front as there was no room to load more. Now just with me and the missus using sites, the van will come in back below 3,500kg. We still have the 2013 Hymer 504 A-class. And I'm waiting for the Government increasing the weights so I don't need the C1! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 (edited) Back in 2013 we bought a Hymer Exsis-i 578. I was a little dubious about usable payload at the standard 3,500kg MAM, so took advantage of Hymer's option to order it at 3,700kg MAM. Being by then 70, I had to go through the faff and expense of getting my licence uprated to maintain my Grandfather fights to drive vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes. In practise, over the next three years, I found the van to be perfectly (albeit just, 3,460kg!) workable at 3.5 tonnes MAM. This actual laden weight was verified by several fully laden visits to a local weighbridge. I should stress that "fully laden" meant weighing the van in its heaviest laden state, meaning with everyone, and everything who/that would usually travel in the van for our extended trips (that is to say all food, clothing, bedding, toiletries, cleaning equipment, liquids, bikes, tools, camping equipment etc. - i.e. the lot, including the kitchen sink! 🙂) plus both fresh water and fuel tanks brimmed, were included when weighed. This process also established that both axles were comfortably within their respective load limits when so loaded. So, three years later, in 2016, when it was time to renew my C1 entitlement, I decided the cost a faff were not worth the non-existent benefit of maintaining the 3,700kg MAM, and had it plated back to 3,500kg. All that might be demanded by DVLA in down-plating a motorhome, is proof that the remaining payload is adequate for the intended use of the vehicle. I had weighbridge certificates showing actual weights, so could do this if necessary. I then contacted our Hymer dealership to enquire if Hymer would re-plate the van back to 3,500kg, and was assured that they would do this. So, in exchange for an admin charge from both parties I applied to re-plate the van back to 3,500kg MAM and a little later a letter from Hymer arrived stating the the vehicle was viable at 3,500kg MAM, and enclosing an authentic replacement stage 3 Type Approval Hymer VIN plate to be applied in lieu of the existing, plus confirmation that Hymer's build records had been revised accordingly. In your case this should be even easier and cheaper. If the original 3,500kg Hymer plate is still on your van, and SV's plate is removable without defacing the original Hymer plate, you can simply remove the SV plate to leave the original, 3,500kg MAM, Hymer VIN plate as the only visible evidence of manufacturer's MAM, maximum axle loads, and towing limits. You will also then need to return your V5C to DVLA to have its official "Revenue weight" returned to its original value. If you have kept a copy of the original, 3,500kg, V5, and can provide a weighbridge certificate of the van at its current maximum laden running weight, with a letter explaining the reason for down-plating, the procedure should be straightforward, albeit possibly (depending on DVLS's responses) a little time consuming. The downside is that your van will then shift from "Private HGV" to "PLG", with a consequent increase in annual VED. It would probably be worthwhile checking this additional cost, and any other possible penalties that the change might trigger (possibly around exhaust emissions) before committing to the change and removing the SV plate. Whether that additional cost is outweighed by the benefits to you of not having to go through the C1 medical faff every three years to maintain your C1 right to drive the van at its present MAM, only you can decide! 🙂 Edited January 15 by Brian Kirby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 (edited) I have never heard a first hand account of a motorhome being pulled in for a roadside weight check I once got pulled in with the lorries on my way to Dover because my Maxi Van looks like an ordinary LGV couriers white van from the outside (and have heard of c50% overloads of LGVs) As soon as I opened the side door the inspector said 'Oh its a motorhoime, we don't weigh those, you can go' So on I went without any checks at all PS: come to think of it I haven't seen a roadside weight check in operation for years. Maybe down to the shortage of staff (at the risk of being accused of politics the austerity cuts) and the increase in permissible lorry weights from 38 to 44 tonnes? Edited January 15 by John52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmac Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 Hi, unlike Brian I didn’t find keeping my C1 much of a faff. I got the Boots optician to sign my D4 when I had my free eyesight test, had a medical done by D4Doctors at a cost of £55 and 90 minutes of my time including driving to Milton Keynes and back. Having a phg is a saving of approximately £250 over three years as opposed to a plg so why downplate. In my view one is either fit to drive or not, be the vehicle under or over 3.5t the result of having an accident is the same whatever the plated weight is if it is the same vehicle. Regards David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 26 minutes ago, davidmac said: Hi, unlike Brian I didn’t find keeping my C1 much of a faff. I got the Boots optician to sign my D4 when I had my free eyesight test, had a medical done by D4Doctors at a cost of £55 and 90 minutes of my time including driving to Milton Keynes and back. Having a phg is a saving of approximately £250 over three years as opposed to a plg so why downplate. In my view one is either fit to drive or not, be the vehicle under or over 3.5t the result of having an accident is the same whatever the plated weight is if it is the same vehicle. Regards David I agree ... I've done 2 testa now and it's very straightforward? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick the wanderer Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Re the roadside checks for HGV there are various sites around the country with weighbridges etc which seemed to be manned by a mobile crew almost. So when passing if they were open you may expect to be pulled in for a routine check. I can't remember the last time I even saw one open, everything else is cut to the bone so I can't see any difference there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboyprowler Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 I just renewed my C1 in Spain, and frankly it was a joke. The medical side was virtually non existent and very easy to pass, and for 60€ cash a bargain! I think if we ever return to the UK, we will sell the beast and downsize to under 3.5 tonnes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 One further consideration, 'though difficult to evaluate, is that those of us who passed our driving tests before 1 Jan '97 and so have "Grandfather" C1 (7.5 tonne) rights, are a diminishing market. 😞 If one accepts that we shall all eventually have to hang up our motorhome keys and sell our vans, we are also likely to find that the market for motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes MAM has similarly diminished. This seems likely also to have an impact on the value and saleability of our over 3.5 tonne vans. For those whose vans would not be workable at 3.5 tonnes there is no escape, but for anyone whose van was originally marketed at 3.5 tonnes and subsequently up-plated, it might be worthwhile considering plating it back to its original 3.5 tonnes MAM before trying to sell it. It may well be more attractive to buyers if it can be legally driven on a "plain vanilla" Cat. B licence, and that greater attraction may also translate into a better price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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