Motorhome MOT Class
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wildebus
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no. but you might possibly have to use a different station to cope with higher weight on a lift? (and the testers have to have an appropriate license if doing a road test which a standard garage just doing up to 3.5t may not have).
wildebus
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speed limit won't be any different if driving in the UK.
wildebus
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Simon, where does this indicate that carrying out a weight uprate will change the speed limit in the UK?
If you think it does, please point out where exactly.
Just to be clear. The answer really is that is doesn't, at least in the UK as I mentioned.
wildebus
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I had a feeling you might have.
Remember that is 3050Kg ULW (Unladen Weight) and not GVW. Uprating the GVW does not change the ULW.
The speed limit IS affected on the continent when you go above 3500Kg, so if someones prime use is european travel, uprating could be more of an issue if they like to drive to the limits.
1807truckman
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No road test involved in an MOT so testers driving licence is irrelevant.
trevskoda
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He up plated it not added weight, its the same as always was.
wildebus
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Ahh... But it COULD be heavier now, couldn't it? and the SWL load on a lift is based on what the vehicle COULD be to see if it is a safe load.He up plated it not added weight, its the same as always was.
Whch is why a garage may be happy to lift a 3500kg van on a 3500 SWL lift, but if it is 3700, the actual vehicle weight is potentially beyond the SWL. ask Scotia, he has friends who do MOTs
Scotia
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Aparently you are the internet expert! I have just upplated my van there is no need to weigh the van for this purpose the only time the van is weighed is when you down rate thats not from trawling GOOGLE and interpretating what I see fit just a personal experience and fact! TWAT !Ahh... But it COULD be heavier now, couldn't it? and the SWL load on a lift is based on what the vehicle COULD be to see if it is a safe load.
Whch is why a garage may be happy to lift a 3500kg van on a 3500 SWL lift, but if it is 3700, the actual vehicle weight is potentially beyond the SWL. ask Scotia, he has friends who do MOTs
SimonM
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I think I will down rate mine to make it more saleable as I know it will comfortably weigh well under 3500kg empty. It was only when it was FULLY FULL that it weighed in at 3450 - full fuel, water, gas, bedding, clothing, food, accessories, table, chairs, people, dogs, and all the paraphernalia we all carry. Uprating it seemed a logical step, my C1 wasn’t an issue, I already had air shocks, it was cheap to do, and then saved me £100 a year on RFL.
wildebus
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Given that any owner could uprate again at no cost if they had the correct license, that makes great sense.
I know vans being overweight or having a tiny payload is a big concern for many buyers, it could also be worth getting a ticket from a weighbridge to show you are under 3500kg even when fully loaded? And maybe get one with all the paraphernalia removed to show how much payload there is and give a buyer a potential nice surprise
I think when I weighed my van with everything in it bar two people I was dead on 3500kg. So fine as long as drove by remote control in a following car
(fortunately I did do an uprate so was ok, and if I hadn't, I could have reduced the 500Ah battery bank, which added a bit of weight!)
CriftinsCampers
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I stick to the 50/60/70 mph rule permanently regardless of weight in my Vans with Windows (other operating systems are available)
It is staggering how many apparently significantly over weight vehicles appear at events, often right down on the bump stops. if DVSA pulled their finger out they could quickly clear the national debt if they setup outside places like Stratford race course etc during large events!
If you have ever watched explorer buddies on YouTube and follow them on instagram they’ve recently offered their rather unusual van called Atlas for sale. They obviously feel really guilty that it is probably well over weight and the eBay advert discussed it so much it was almost sad to read.
My mot tester mentioned to me recently that he had been advised he will need a C1 to test vehicles plated at >3500kg. He didn’t think it was specifically to do with test drives but simply think the requirement is a tester ought to be licensed on the vehicles he tests.
This may be a commercial thing rather than class IV though
It is staggering how many apparently significantly over weight vehicles appear at events, often right down on the bump stops. if DVSA pulled their finger out they could quickly clear the national debt if they setup outside places like Stratford race course etc during large events!
If you have ever watched explorer buddies on YouTube and follow them on instagram they’ve recently offered their rather unusual van called Atlas for sale. They obviously feel really guilty that it is probably well over weight and the eBay advert discussed it so much it was almost sad to read.
My mot tester mentioned to me recently that he had been advised he will need a C1 to test vehicles plated at >3500kg. He didn’t think it was specifically to do with test drives but simply think the requirement is a tester ought to be licensed on the vehicles he tests.
This may be a commercial thing rather than class IV though
CriftinsCampers
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Don’t forget to find a weighbridge that can weigh each axle individually Dvla needs both of those to compare to each axles plated weight plus printout of the gvw weight, as a van could be under gvw but still over the plated weight of one axle usually the rear one.
I am not sure what payload DVLA expects after accounting for the driver and a full tank of fuel so might be worth checking on that first, I doubt for example they will downplate a van with only say 100kg of payload.
Keep the weighbridge printouts to show your potential buyers, saves them walking away last minute if they suddenly realise it’s too heavy for a family of obese bloaters, several dogs a handful of motorcycles, food & luggage for the next decade etc.