Max weight on VIN plate doesn't match the V5C?

[Guigsy]

Just checked my new-to-me motorhome...

The dealer sold it as being 3500kg. The V5C document says it's 3500kg gross weight. It's taxed as such.

But I've just reached into the letter box sized bonnet (it's an a-class) and taken a phone photo. The VIN plate says 3650kg. Is this an issue? I've got C1 on my licence.

So I guess it's been up-rated, possibly as a factory option? I'm not sure why you'd bother as it's a 6m van with no garage, just a couple of small lockers. According to the specs, when it was 3.5t rated, it'd have over 700kg of payload.

 

[Lenny HB]

It's what the converts plate says that counts, last plate fitted overrides the others. It may have been down rated.
700 kg is not much payload by the time options and extras are added that can reduce it by a couple of hundred kilos. We have used over 1000 kg of our 1350 kg payload just for two small people.

 

[Guigsy]

It's what the converts plate says that counts, last plate fitted overrides the others. It may have been down rated.

So should there be another plate somewhere in the depths of the 'bonnet' slot?

 

[125BEER]

Probaly down rated by importer/trader for uk market? ie for non c1 drivers,our Benimar has two plates oh 3 now 3650,3500 and now 3850.

 

[Lenny HB]

So should there be another plate somewhere in the depths of the 'bonnet' slot?

Probably not under the bonnet often on the sill near rear wheel or in drivers footwell

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[gus-lopez]

or a door jamb, or it is in the paperwork & hasn't been stuck on,etc.

 

[Guigsy]

or a door jamb, or it is in the paperwork & hasn't been stuck on,etc.

I saw a sticker in the paperwork. I assumed it was the tyre pressure sticker, but it might have been the weight plate...

 

[125BEER]

Probably not under the bonnet often on the sill near rear wheel or in drivers footwell

Ours under bonnet

 

[RandallC]

so while on this subject any thoughts on:

MH registere dbetween oct 19 & march (budget) 20. So DVLA think it's a diesel car. NO weights mentioned the V5.

Rang DVLA to ask about that and they said do you want to add weights. I said do you need them, NO. Ok lets not bother.

So have a Rapido at 4400 on the plate, that also comes in a 3500 (only on a good day) variant.

Thinking no body knows what speed limit/ weight limit etc applies to the vehicle UNLESS you pop the bonnet and look at the converters plate.

 

[Guigsy]

I checked under the bonnet, on the back of the bonnet, in both footwells, along the door sills and inside the wheel arches. I also checked through the paperwork. I cannot find a superseded VIN plate.

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[Pausim]

It is what the DVLA have recorded and is shown on your V5C that matters. There should be a matching plate somewhere but they are sometimes lost, covered up or someone has forgotten to stick it on.

 

[icantremember]

I checked under the bonnet, on the back of the bonnet, in both footwells, along the door sills and inside the wheel arches. I also checked through the paperwork. I cannot find a superseded VIN plate.

It is what the DVLA have recorded and is shown on your V5C that matters. There should be a matching plate somewhere but they are sometimes lost, covered up or someone has forgotten to stick it on.

I would also check on the DVLA website to ensure they have the correct revenue weight (max gross).

If the vehicle is plated at 3650 but taxed at 3500 you will be paying more tax than necessary.

 

[Pausim]

My motorhome now has 4 weight plates and it is less than 2 years old. The original Fiat 3650 one under the bonnet, which became irrelevant by the time the converter has finished modifying the chassis. It then received a Carthago 3850 one as it left the factory, next came the 3500 one supplied by the dealer and finally the 3850 SV Tech plate when I registered it as PHGV.

 

[Phill D]

so while on this subject any thoughts on:

MH registere dbetween oct 19 & march (budget) 20. So DVLA think it's a diesel car. NO weights mentioned the V5.

Rang DVLA to ask about that and they said do you want to add weights. I said do you need them, NO. Ok lets not bother.

So have a Rapido at 4400 on the plate, that also comes in a 3500 (only on a good day) variant.

Thinking no body knows what speed limit/ weight limit etc applies to the vehicle UNLESS you pop the bonnet and look at the converters plate.

The speed limit is determined in the UK by unladen weight not gross weight.
If under 3050kgs unladen the same speed limits as a car.

 

[Guigsy]

The speed limit is determined in the UK by unladen weight not gross weight.
If under 3050kgs unladen the same speed limits as a car.

I knew this was the rule, but I don't fully understand it. Where do you find the unladen weight of your vehicle? And what counts as unladen? If I add a couple of extra batteries and a solar panel, could that mean my maximum speed is reduced?

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[acropolis22]

Probably not under the bonnet often on the sill near rear wheel or in drivers footwell

Depending on how the van is built, the driver's footwell plate may visible through a small window built into the forward wall of the gas locker. Since you mentioned it's an A class.

 

[Guigsy]

Depending on how the van is built, the driver's footwell plate may visible through a small window built into the forward wall of the gas locker. Since you mentioned it's an A class.

...there is a screwed down panel in the gas locker in that location... I'll deploy the toolkit later.

 

[acropolis22]

...there is a screwed down panel in the gas locker in that location... I'll deploy the toolkit later.

I also have a screwed down panel. BUT, there was also a small clear window nearby that was covered in road grime. You may only need to clean that up to see the VIN plate through it.

 

[leatho]

There should be a vehicle weight plate by the chassis manufacturer as well as the body manufacturer it's the body plate that should be the plate to go by

 

[Guigsy]

There should be a vehicle weight plate by the chassis manufacturer as well as the body manufacturer it's the body plate that should be the plate to go by

If only I could find it!

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[Lenny HB]

What does it say on your Certificate of Conformity?

 

[RandallC]

The speed limit is determined in the UK by unladen weight not gross weight.
If under 3050kgs unladen the same speed limits as a car.

Understood.

BUT I have NO weights AT ALL on my V5C

My car has?

EDIT, Sorry sounded a bit loud but couldn't understand how there's no revenue, or any other weight mentioned on the MH, V5C

 

[Phill D]

I knew this was the rule, but I don't fully understand it. Where do you find the unladen weight of your vehicle? And what counts as unladen? If I add a couple of extra batteries and a solar panel, could that mean my maximum speed is reduced?

As far as I know it is what is listed as the basic ex factory weight on your certificate of conformity if you have one.
Additional batteries are additional load over and above that so don't count.
Where you could find the base weight if you have no certificate of conformity or not on v5 is a real guess.
But,
"POSSIBLY"! "IF" the stated max in the brand specification is say 3500 and the quoted payload is say over 450kgs then "maybe" your unladen weight is less than 3050kgs....
BUT IT'S ALL IFS AND MAYBE without documentation.....
So no help really

 

[Guigsy]

Update: I went into the gas locker that's under cab on the right side. There was an access panel that could be removed with screws. Behind it was a lot of detritus, wiring, sound insulation and expanding foam. But there was also a small slot where I could see a VIN etched into the chassis. But no convertor's sticker.

After a load more searching, I eventually found it in a really obvious spot. It was in the footwell of the habitation door. Interestingly, the Fiat plate says it's 3650kg overall with 1800kg max on the front axle and 2000kg rear. The Geist sticker says 3500kg with 1850kg front and 2000kg rear. Not sure how that makes sense. But at least I found it.

 

[62272]

Update: I went into the gas locker that's under cab on the right side. There was an access panel that could be removed with screws. Behind it was a lot of detritus, wiring, sound insulation and expanding foam. But there was also a small slot where I could see a VIN etched into the chassis. But no convertor's sticker.

After a load more searching, I eventually found it in a really obvious spot. It was in the footwell of the habitation door. Interestingly, the Fiat plate says it's 3650kg overall with 1800kg max on the front axle and 2000kg rear. The Geist sticker says 3500kg with 1850kg front and 2000kg rear. Not sure how that makes sense. But at least I found it.

The loading of the axles will rarely add up to the gvw. As it is possible to load differently. So long as when taken to a weigh bridge you do not exceed your gvw on both axles on the weight plate, or front axle alone exceeding the number 1 axle limit or rear number 2. It would be nearly impossible to distribute the load so correctly as to meet the 3,500 kg gvw, and meet exactly a even split of 3,500 kg between the 2 axles, hence the uneven vin plate split. The are some maths involved but I cant remember them.

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[Guigsy]

The loading of the axles will rarely add up to the gvw. As it is possible to load differently. So long as when taken to a weigh bridge you do not exceed your gvw on both axles on the weight plate, or front axle alone exceeding the number 1 axle limit or rear number 2. It would be nearly impossible to distribute the load so correctly as to meet the 3,500 kg gvw, and meet exactly a even split of 3,500 kg between the 2 axles, hence the uneven vin plate split. The are some maths involved but I cant remember them.

I could understand if the maximum axle weights stayed the same, but the maximum overall was just artificially capped at 3500kg. But the front axle maximum has gone up from 1800kg to 1850?!?

 

[gus-lopez]

. But the front axle maximum has gone up from 1800kg to 1850?!?

they've probably entered it incorrectly.

If I add a couple of extra batteries and a solar panel, could that mean my maximum speed is reduced?

No. That would come off of the payload you have.
The unladen weight in the Uk is rarely entered . here the unladen weight would be the ULW of the chassis cab before it was constructed.

 

[62272]

I could understand if the maximum axle weights stayed the same, but the maximum overall was just artificially capped at 3500kg. But the front axle maximum has gone up from 1800kg to 1850?!?

I agree with Gus, it’s probably a typo. Its amazing how slapdash officials really are. Ford car vin number operatives regularly made mistakes when punching in the vin number on chassis (must be a mundane task), and would just punch over an ‘x’ on the error and carry on!!

 

[Pausim]

but the maximum overall was just artificially capped at 3500kg

That would be so that it can be driven without a C1 license.

But the front axle maximum has gone up from 1800kg to 1850?!?

Perhaps Geist made changes to the front suspension as part of their fitting out e.g. uprated springs. Often seen as an option on Continental motorhomes.

The figures on your Certificate of Conformity and V5C are probably the ones that matter.

 

[busby]

It's what the converts plate says that counts, last plate fitted overrides the others. It may have been down rated.
700 kg is not much payload by the time options and extras are added that can reduce it by a couple of hundred kilos. We have used over 1000 kg of our 1350 kg payload just for two small people.

You need a large payload because of the weight of your wallet Lenny.. BUSBY..