Fiat AL -KO chassis (1 Viewer)

kiwicamper

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Jun 8, 2009
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Hi guys
Need some help to understand UK termonolgy and licence regs.
The Hymer we are looking at buying is on a Fiat AL-KO chassis.It is said to have a mass in running order of aprox. 2980 kg. I assumes this means total on road weight unloaded. Max permissable weight loaded is 3500kg/3850. So do I take it that the maximum weight we can add including passengers is 520/870 kgs.
The dealer recommends we take the chassis option of 4250kg , can this be driven on a standard car licence? Would this be on a standard MOT ?
The dealer mentions that if we order a Tramp CL 678 on a 3500 chassis instead of the standard 4250 chassis it has to be down plated from 4250kg. what does he mean by that.
I am communicating with him by email during his office hours , tried to catch him on phone but missed him.
Can anyone shead any light on my queries?
 

Sundowners

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Oct 30, 2007
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Hi
what will your driving licence allow you to drive??-----------------it's a bit confusing in UK as we have so many different classes of licence.
Thats your main issue.
You can get ANY weight of M/home registered/MOTd.
Over 3.5 tonne is cheaper road tax:Doh:
You may find that the highest gross weight is best as it allows a decent pay-load-------------------the law are getting really hot on things like overloaded vehicles--and FAR too many m/homes are overloaded:Sad:
Keep the questions coming:thumb:---loads of people here willing to give their opinions-----(you will have to sort it out yourself when you get loads of different opinions on the same question though):Sad:
Nigel & Pamala
 
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kiwicamper

Free Member
Jun 8, 2009
111
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christchurch NZ
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MH
fully intergrated
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since 2000
Hi
what will your driving licence allow you to drive??-----------------it's a bit confusing in UK as we have so many different classes of licence.
Thats your main issue.
You can get ANY weight of M/home registered/MOTd.
Over 3.5 tonne is cheaper road tax:Doh:
You may find that the highest gross weight is best as it allows a decent pay-load-------------------the law are getting really hot on things like overloaded vehicles--and FAR too many m/homes are overloaded:Sad:
Keep the questions coming:thumb:---loads of people here willing to give their opinions-----(you will have to sort it out yourself when you get loads of different opinions on the same question though):Sad:
Nigel & Pamala

standard car licence, which allows us to drive a motorhome up to 4000kg , although anything over 3500kg has to have a COF not WOF ( the equivalent of your MOT )
having a hell of a job getting insurance as it is and pretty sure we would not be allowed to be over 3500kg.

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Sundowners

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 30, 2007
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Hi
Insurance is becoming a thorny issue -------there was an Aussie on here a little while ago, he used a company specialising in them (I would assume?? they cover Kiwis too)------can't remember the name:Blush:-----but take a look at some sites covering Aussie/Kiwi travel in Europe-----loads are doing it---they must get insurance:Sad:
Nigel & Pamala
BTW---IMHO-----you would get a better resale price with the max gross weight---it is EASY to downrate a vehicle
 
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kiwicamper

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Jun 8, 2009
111
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christchurch NZ
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All motorhomes, no matter what the weight, are tested as Class IV (Motor car).

Sorry to sound a bit thick but does that mean if a NZ car licence is permitted and I do know that you can drive in the UK for 12 months on an NZ licence, that I would be able to drive a 4250kg vehicle or are there classes within the classIV which would negate that?
Thanks for taking the time to help , much apreciated.

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pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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Sorry to sound a bit thick but does that mean if a NZ car licence is permitted and I do know that you can drive in the UK for 12 months on an NZ licence, that I would be able to drive a 4250kg vehicle or are there classes within the classIV which would negate that?
Thanks for taking the time to help , much apreciated.
it becomes complicated now.

motorhomes are classed as class IV mot (motor car) even over 3500kg but over 3500kg are actually registered as heavy goods vehicles.

my RV is 7500kg but i take it to a regular garage for class IV MOT, not an HGV test centre

driving licence has many different categories depending when test taken and your age.


if you dont hold a Kiwi Heavy goods licence its doubtful you could drive over 3500kg in the UK/Europe
 
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kiwicamper

Free Member
Jun 8, 2009
111
94
christchurch NZ
Funster No
7,032
MH
fully intergrated
Exp
since 2000
Hi
Insurance is becoming a thorny issue -------there was an Aussie on here a little while ago, he used a company specialising in them (I would assume?? they cover Kiwis too)------can't remember the name:Blush:-----but take a look at some sites covering Aussie/Kiwi travel in Europe-----loads are doing it---they must get insurance:Sad:
Nigel & Pamala
BTW---IMHO-----you would get a better resale price with the max gross weight---it is EASY to downrate a vehicle

Downunder Insurance, problem with them is they insure to maximum of 45K including VAT vehicle we are looking at is over that .

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pappajohn

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perhaps i should explain that Class IV is purely an MOT classification and nothing whatsoever to do with driving licences or the registration document.

as i said...it's complicated if you dont know/understand the system.

class IV = car (and motorhomes of any weight)

class V = mini buses etc

class VII = vans between 3000kg and 3500kg (excluding motorhomes)
 
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kiwicamper

Free Member
Jun 8, 2009
111
94
christchurch NZ
Funster No
7,032
MH
fully intergrated
Exp
since 2000
it becomes complicated now.

motorhomes are classed as class IV mot (motor car) even over 3500kg but over 3500kg are actually registered as heavy goods vehicles.

my RV is 7500kg but i take it to a regular garage for class IV MOT, not an HGV test centre

driving licence has many different categories depending when test taken and your age.


if you dont hold a Kiwi Heavy goods licence its doubtful you could drive over 3500kg in the UK/Europe
Thanks
That's what I thought the situation would be . Definately a problem , as the extra we wanted to order with the MH leaves only about 200 kg for us and all our gear:Sad:
 

pappajohn

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Thanks
That's what I thought the situation would be . Definately a problem , as the extra we wanted to order with the MH leaves only about 200 kg for us and all our gear:Sad:

VOSA (vehicle operator services authority), the official government body for transport rules, are becoming tighter on checking vehicles at the roadside for weight and driver licence entitlement, particularly motorhomes and caravans at the moment.
they have roadside weight stations on some roads and could be manned at any time.

a couple of kilo's over and they'll probably just warn you to lose weight.
a considerable amount over and they wont let you continue until you have lost the excess and there's a real chance you could be prosecuted for overloading.

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kiwicamper

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Jun 8, 2009
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christchurch NZ
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MH
fully intergrated
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since 2000
VOSA (vehicle operator services authority), the official government body for transport rules, are becoming tighter on checking vehicles at the roadside for weight and driver licence entitlement, particularly motorhomes and caravans at the moment.
they have roadside weight stations on some roads and could be manned at any time.

a couple of kilo's over and they'll probably just warn you to lose weight.
a considerable amount over and they wont let you continue until you have lost the excess and there's a real chance you could be prosecuted for overloading.

Uk doesn't seem very welcoming for independent travellers at the moment.
What with weight restrictions, insurance difficulties et al.
Getting very close to the too hard basket:Sad:
 

FULL TIMER

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It would be a wise move to contact DVLA and see what you are actually entitled to drive before parting with the sort of money you are talking about, I would have thought that you would be able to drive anything that fell within your entitlement on your Kiwi licience.
 

FULL TIMER

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Uk doesn't seem very welcoming for independent travellers at the moment.
What with weight restrictions, insurance difficulties et al.
Getting very close to the too hard basket:Sad:
Believe me mate it's becoming a bloody nightmare for us that live here let alone visitors.

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kiwicamper

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Jun 8, 2009
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christchurch NZ
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fully intergrated
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since 2000
It would be a wise move to contact DVLA and see what you are actually entitled to drive before parting with the sort of money you are talking about, I would have thought that you would be able to drive anything that fell within your entitlement on your Kiwi licience.

Pretty sure , even if I had a HD kiwi licence, Downunder will only insure to a maximum of 3500kg.
Several guys I know in our NZ Motorhome Assossiation are considering doing what we want to do and all are having major difficulties with the insurance aspect. It's bad enough dealing with beraucrats in you own time zone let alone one in a different hemisphere. Getting info out of UK DVLA has proved to be a nightmare.
 

Sundowners

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Oct 30, 2007
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Suffolk/Central Portugal
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It really is difficult to do something that is considered 'different':cry::cry:
Is there an address that you can use in UK --that would help (a bit)
What about starting your trip in Germany (for example) --all of Europe is becoming so akward but I don't think they are as bad as UK:Sad:
Best of luck with your trip:thumb:
Nigel & Pamala
 
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kiwicamper

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Jun 8, 2009
111
94
christchurch NZ
Funster No
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MH
fully intergrated
Exp
since 2000
It really is difficult to do something that is considered 'different':cry::cry:
Is there an address that you can use in UK --that would help (a bit)
What about starting your trip in Germany (for example) --all of Europe is becoming so akward but I don't think they are as bad as UK:Sad:
Best of luck with your trip:thumb:
Nigel & Pamala

Thanks to all for the replies.
May have solved the problem by switching to the Hymer lightweight A class ,Exsis-i 578.
It's curbside weight is 2800 and with all the extras we want we would still be under 3000 kg. 500kg should be enough if we travel light. We can then replate if necessary when we get back to Kiwi.
Let's hope so.

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