# Weight upgrade on my motorhome.



## Admin (Oct 25, 2017)

Today I got back my new chassis plate and design plate certificate for my motorhome. Now I just need to send them off to the DVLA and I will have an extra 250kgs of gross weight. My gross weight has increased from 3850kgs to 4100kgs and my rear axle weight has increased from 2000kgs to 2250kgs.

I spent lots of hours researching this and found that SVTech could only take the rear axle weight up, but not increase the gross weight. Other companies could do the same axle weight but only 4000kgs gross weight. But after much phoning around, JR Consultancy agreed that they would explore increasing the weight to 4100kgs. It has taken a few weeks for them to research the chassis, suspension system, wheels and the tyres. But finally, they concluded that the vehicle was able to handle that weight. The only other change is that the GTM (gross trailer mass) has increased from 5500kgs to 6150kgs.

And the cost to engage a "specialist large vehicle and trailer consultants" to complete the "engineering appraisal and assessment with calculations" and to issue the new vin plate and certification?

£150 all in.

Very happy chappie.


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## izwozral (Oct 25, 2017)

Cheaper than SV TECH, spot on.


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## Neckender (Oct 25, 2017)

I’m having our Globecar Campscout up plated from 3500 to 4100 by JR consultancy at the moment.
I just hope it’s worth it and my health stays the same as I’ll be 70 in 2 years.

John.


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## Admin (Oct 25, 2017)

hairydog said:


> They did my weight upgrade too. £150, quick, easy, no messing and no need for an axle weight printout. I don't understand why SVTech require the current actual weights: they cannot make a difference to the safe maximum.
> By the way, GTM is gross train mass, not gross trailer mass. The figure includes the van and the trailer.



Autocorrect on my phone I did not spot the mistake.


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## alwaysared (Oct 25, 2017)

*JR Consultancy*

Can someone give me a link to JR Consultancy please?

Regards,
Del


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## Neckender (Oct 25, 2017)

alwaysared said:


> Can someone give me a link to JR Consultancy please?
> 
> Regards,
> Del



Here you are.

John.


Mr AHJ Ruffles (calls himself John)
company is JR Consultancy
tel: 01359 250808 / 01244 544 598
NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: truckcon@outlook.com​


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## Admin (Oct 25, 2017)

alwaysared said:


> Can someone give me a link to JR Consultancy please?
> 
> Regards,
> Del



I found communication with John challenging sometimes, but bear with him and all will be ok.


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## alwaysared (Oct 26, 2017)

Neckender said:


> Here you are.
> 
> John.
> 
> ...


Thank you. 

Regards, 
Del


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## mark61 (Oct 26, 2017)

Why does GTW increase more than the additional 250KG GVW?


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## Fazerloz (Oct 26, 2017)

Does this increase your insurance in any way as you have altered the classification of the vehicle.


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## Admin (Oct 26, 2017)

Fazerloz said:


> Does this increase your insurance in any way as you have altered the classification of the vehicle.



My vehicle was already a private HGV, I did tell the insurance but it did not affect it.


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## Deleted member 58330 (Oct 26, 2017)

hairydog said:


> If not, you can downgrade again. In the meantime, you have saved more than the upgrade cost in road tax.



Hi, so is road tax less, how come please.


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## Fazerloz (Oct 26, 2017)

Because it is classed as Private Heavy Goods


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## Wooie1958 (Oct 26, 2017)

Private Heavy Goods ( PHG ) i.e. over 3,500kg gross weight = £165 per year.


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## Fazerloz (Oct 26, 2017)

Form V149/1 they don't make it exactly easy to find.

*Private HGV Tax Class 10 
*(weighing more than 3,500kg) 
£165

£90.75


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## Fazerloz (Oct 26, 2017)

hairydog said:


> Changing the maximum weight isn't a modification. Changing the tax class might be (I'm not sure). Changing the suspension probably is. However, some motorhomes are custom built to a customer's specification, so it is a grey line between what is a modification and what is just part of the vehicle.



All of which is far enough. But as we all know they do not usually need much of a reason to load premiums.


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## Admin (Oct 26, 2017)

Fazerloz said:


> All of which is far enough. But as we all know they do not usually need much of a reason to load premiums.



My insurance with AIB did not go up after I told them about the weight upgrade or the air suspension installation.


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## Deleted member 27480 (Oct 26, 2017)

Admin said:


> My insurance with AIB did not go up after I told them about the weight upgrade or the air suspension installation.



The same when I enquired with AIB and also it does not affect their breakdown cover, but with other companies it might.


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## Peisinoe (Mar 18, 2019)

Just been looking at the posts saying it is cheaper to tax over 3500kg. My van is rated at 3900kg but pay full rate as it is not on the log book. Is there a for to fill in to change it or just send the details to DVLA


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## Deleted member 69467 (Mar 19, 2019)

hairydog said:


> They did my weight upgrade too. £150, quick, easy, no messing and no need for an axle weight printout. I don't understand why SVTech require the current actual weights: they cannot make a difference to the safe maximum.
> By the way, GTM is gross train mass, not gross trailer mass. The figure includes the van and the trailer.



I’ve not heard of gross train mass?

Maximum authorised mass ( MAM ) means the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it's being used on the road. This is also known as gross vehicle weight ( GVW ) or permissible maximum weight.


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## Admin (Mar 19, 2019)

Peisinoe said:


> Just been looking at the posts saying it is cheaper to tax over 3500kg. My van is rated at 3900kg but pay full rate as it is not on the log book. Is there a for to fill in to change it or just send the details to DVLA



You will need to be able to prove the current weight. I am surprised it is plated at 3900Kg and not registered with the DVLA at that weight.


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## Wooie1958 (Mar 19, 2019)

The van might be plated at 3900kg but has it previously been downrated to 3500kg (  for over 70`s ) hence the higher VED ?

You`ll need the C of C ( Certificate of Conformity ) to prove it`s rated at 3900kg.


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## Wooie1958 (Mar 19, 2019)

Admin said:


> You will need to be able to prove the current weight. I am surprised it is plated at 3900Kg and not registered with the DVLA at that weight.





When i bought my motorhome new from a local dealer it was plated at 3,850kg but the dealer had registered it as 3,500kg on the V5.

12 months VED was included in the sale so i only noticed the mistake when it became time to renew the VED 12 months later when the rate was higher than expected.

The DVLA couldn`t / wouldn`t sort it straight away so i had to pay the higher rate so i could still use it until it was eventually sorted nearly 6 months down the line.

Back then the DVLA still had offices and we had one in Preston and even though  i thought i`d sorted it twice when the V5 came back from Swansea it was still wrong.

I eventually blocked the car park with it at the offices here in Preston and that soon got a response with security and then a senior manager.

I never did get an apology and at one point was told it was my fault and i was liable to prosecution for not ensuring the DVLA had the correct info about the vehicle.

It took a further 12 months to get a refund for the excess VED i`d paid, so all in it took 18 months from start to finish.


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## wildebus (Mar 19, 2019)

Wooie1958 said:


> The van might be plated at 3900kg but has it previously been downrated to 3500kg (  for over 70`s ) hence the higher VED ?
> 
> You`ll need the C of C ( Certificate of Conformity ) to prove it`s rated at 3900kg.



The tax rate seems to be also dependant on if it is down on the V5C as a PLG or HGV irrespective of the declared weight.

Strange I know, but when I bought my Van it was a 4.6t; was recorded on the V5C as being a 4600KG weight, but the category was a PLG and the tax rate was the typical £265/Year.
I submitted a change from PLG to HGV at the same time I changed it from being a Minibus to a Van/Windows (no proof of any weight change as I wasn't doing that) and the tax went down to the HGV rate.
What confused me also was I know someone with a similar VW LT Minibus originally owned by the same Council.  His was still recorded as a Minibus (same as mine originally) and even though his was a 3.5t van, he was paying at the HGV tax rate of £160.  So two vehicles with the taxes reversed.

So my conclusion is there can be errors made on the V5C very easily and by the DVLA.  (someone on the VW Forum recently requested a change to their T4 Panel Van to be an MPV after fitting some seats and the DVLA did it - MPVs can only be cars and that is a change request that is invariably refused, so he must have caught a break with an Admin newbie).


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## Fisherman (Mar 19, 2019)

Just thought of this.

Can you upgrade your van above 3500kg on a c1 license, then when you turn 70 lower it back to 3500kg.


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## wildebus (Mar 19, 2019)

Fisherman said:


> Just thought of this.
> 
> Can you upgrade your van above 3500kg on a c1 license, then when you turn 70 lower it back to 3500kg.


you can.  A very common occurance to save on road tax. and of course increased payload.
But ... you need to consider possible consequences...

Would it be useful to keep your van accessible to someone without a C1 entitlement (maybe a Son or Daughter?)
Does your breakdown service cover HGVs  (standard RAC and AA cover maximum weight of 3500kg)

The £100 pa saving may not outweigh these cons  (but then again,maybe it would?  only you can decide)


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## Fisherman (Mar 19, 2019)

wildebus said:


> you can.  A very common occurance to save on road tax. and of course increased payload.
> But ... you need to consider possible consequences...
> 
> Would it be useful to keep your van accessible to someone without a C1 entitlement (maybe a Son or Daughter?)
> ...



Thanks for the reply.

I was just being inquisitive, I have no intentions of doing so.


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## Deleted member 69467 (Mar 20, 2019)

*Direct action!*



Wooie1958 said:


> When i bought my motorhome new from a local dealer it was plated at 3,850kg but the dealer had registered it as 3,500kg on the V5.
> 
> 12 months VED was included in the sale so i only noticed the mistake when it became time to renew the VED 12 months later when the rate was higher than expected.
> 
> ...



Love it, that’s how you get them slow cogs turning! Parking across the entrance, and seeing as parking has nowt to do with police anymore, I bet that senior manager rang 101 to be told the police can’t move you on unless your blocking an emergency vehicles access, Well done sir!


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## trevskoda (Mar 20, 2019)

britcoms said:


> The same when I enquired with AIB and also it does not affect their breakdown cover, but with other companies it might.



The AA wont help you.


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