Motor caravan conversion gotchas?

Bealers

Bealers

Free Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2021
Posts
3
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2
Location
Wales, UK
Funster No
83,381
MH
HT/LWB 5T Sprinter
Exp
2018
Hi,

I've been reading through gov.uk guidance and lurking on a few forums like this one and am ready to start thinking about applying to get my 5T sprinter officially converted but I have a 100s of questions about the process, but I'll limit this to the two most important ones.

How finished does the build need to be? Can I apply even though we've not insulated yet?

Does anyone have a reference for what "Motor caravan-style graphics" look like? Will any form of signwriting count?

Thanks in advance :)

Darren
 
Hiya,
From what I have seen/read lots get turned down for conversions. Be sure to make sure you tick all boxes, I was surprised the ones that I've seen got told "van with windows".

I have seen stickers for sale on ebay/amazon. but cant help on the format. Best of luck

Also w2f
 
Hi and welcome.

On the insulation would have thought that was one of the first steps, under floor panels and behind wall panels.
 
Unless the sign writing is pictorial the DVLA wallahs will view it as a commercial van
You really need something like this:

1628757565876.png


Or this:

1628757603513.png
 
I would suggest you not do it like this tugger I saw a few weeks ago or they will think it will be an ice-cream van 🤣🤣

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Phill D said:
Hi and welcome.

On the insulation would have thought that was one of the first steps, under floor panels and behind wall panels.
Click to expand...

Hi,

I've been decommissioning the van (2009, ex-police) and am down to bare metal inside now so I can get the rust treated. However, it's not an instant job in terms of time or money, so can't start insulating just yet. The vehicle is insured as a camper being converted. The bed is in, I have table & chairs fitted, leisure circuit in, the awning is ready to fit so 'all' I need is a cupboard with a burner on and some stickers on the side and I'm ticking all the boxes on their checklist. I was kind of hoping I could get the official DVLA conversion signed off and then take my time with the rust, insulation and finishing the interior

I guess my question was more: If I turn up in a vehicle that ticks all the boxes but the interior isn't insulated or the paintwork is patchy in places as it has not been resprayed yet, will DVLA instantly fail the conversion?
 
Wagonagain said:
I would suggest you not do it like this tugger I saw a few weeks ago or they will think it will be an ice-cream van 🤣🤣
Click to expand...
Hah,

in a previous life I had a caravan and my ex put coloured spots all over it. My (now adult) kids all tell me they all need therapy because of times we'd rock up on site and other kids would shout "There's Mr Blobby's caravan" 🤣
 
Bealers said:
Hi,

I've been decommissioning the van (2009, ex-police) and am down to bare metal inside now so I can get the rust treated. However, it's not an instant job in terms of time or money, so can't start insulating just yet. The vehicle is insured as a camper being converted. The bed is in, I have table & chairs fitted, leisure circuit in, the awning is ready to fit so 'all' I need is a cupboard with a burner on and some stickers on the side and I'm ticking all the boxes on their checklist. I was kind of hoping I could get the official DVLA conversion signed off and then take my time with the rust, insulation and finishing the interior

I guess my question was more: If I turn up in a vehicle that ticks all the boxes but the interior isn't insulated or the paintwork is patchy in places as it has not been resprayed yet, will DVLA instantly fail the conversion?
Click to expand...
DVLA are more than a bit picky on these things.
I have read of even semi professional jobs being classed as van with windows..
Good luck.
 
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You don't have to turn up anywhere , as the process is by post , send pics and fill in form /V5 change . There are two possible routes you can convert upto point of compliance with items to use as a motor-caravan . Then apply and it will almost certainly come back as "van with windows" as body type in V5 . You can go the whole hog and try and comply with the supplemental s as listed on GOV site , and it will almost certainly come back as "van with windows" just the same . In either situation you then basically self declare as a "motor-caravan" and get a class 4 mot and use as a "motor-caravan" as per guidance on GOV site . HTSH :)
 
My minibus conversion V5 came back as a 4-seat van with windows after I had it downrated to 3500kg.
What do you mean by "self declare as a "motor-caravan" and get a class 4 mot and use as a "motor-caravan" as per guidance"? Self declare to who?

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It is not necessary to get a van classified as Motor Caravan. If you follow the DVLA guidelines and convert the interior to meet their requirements the vehicle can be used as a Motor Caravan even though the external appearance has been reclassified as a 'van with windows.
 
Jaws said:
The pictures were just to illustrate the graphics nothing more
Click to expand...
It's the graphics I was referring to. If you cover your van with mountain scenes and compasses then it may get passed as Motor Caravan but if you just use geometric patterns, stripes or swills then it will be van with windows. I have seen numerous applications on a website dedicated to self builds that came back as van with windows. if you ask the DVLA what yardstick or assessment tools they are using to decide on appearance of the van they will simply refer you to the published guidelines and won't give any more advice.
There have been numerous complaints to the ombudsman and they have agreed the DVLA are not acting reasonably but the Ombudsman can only give an opinion and not make the DVLA change their policy.
It's a total shambles and just pot luck as to what a van conversion will be classified as. I saw recently, my have been on this forum, where the owner plastered motorcaravan in big letters on the outside of the van and still it came back as van with windows. The owner then complained to his MP and the van then got reclassified as a Motor Caravan.
 
Borderland said:
It's the graphics I was referring to. If you cover your van with mountain scenes and compasses then it may get passed as Motor Caravan but if you just use geometric patterns, stripes or swills then it will be van with windows. I have seen numerous applications on a website dedicated to self builds that came back as van with windows. if you ask the DVLA what yardstick or assessment tools they are using to decide on appearance of the van they will simply refer you to the published guidelines and won't give any more advice.
There have been numerous complaints to the ombudsman and they have agreed the DVLA are not acting reasonably but the Ombudsman can only give an opinion and not make the DVLA change their policy.
It's a total shambles and just pot luck as to what a van conversion will be classified as. I saw recently, my have been on this forum, where the owner plastered motorcaravan in big letters on the outside of the van and still it came back as van with windows. The owner then complained to his MP and the van then got reclassified as a Motor Caravan.
Click to expand...

And now the Manchester LEZ will determine the price based on the registered body type. £60 for van with windows, £10 for motorcaravan.
 
My neighbour gave up after the third attempt with DVLA.

It’s insured as a van with windows, with an agreed value with his insurance company. 🤷‍♂️
 
Borderland said:
It's the graphics I was referring to. If you cover your van with mountain scenes and compasses then it may get passed as Motor Caravan but if you just use geometric patterns, stripes or swills then it will be van with windows. I have seen numerous applications on a website dedicated to self builds that came back as van with windows. if you ask the DVLA what yardstick or assessment tools they are using to decide on appearance of the van they will simply refer you to the published guidelines and won't give any more advice.
There have been numerous complaints to the ombudsman and they have agreed the DVLA are not acting reasonably but the Ombudsman can only give an opinion and not make the DVLA change their policy.
It's a total shambles and just pot luck as to what a van conversion will be classified as. I saw recently, my have been on this forum, where the owner plastered motorcaravan in big letters on the outside of the van and still it came back as van with windows. The owner then complained to his MP and the van then got reclassified as a Motor Caravan.
Click to expand...
Cheers for that.. good info !
 
Borderland said:
It is not necessary to get a van classified as Motor Caravan. If you follow the DVLA guidelines and convert the interior to meet their requirements the vehicle can be used as a Motor Caravan even though the external appearance has been reclassified as a 'van with windows.
Click to expand...
I've read the speed limit legislation, and I was surprised to find that there's no definition of use as a "motor caravan". There's no reference to the DVLA guidance on the interior of the vehicle. And the DVLA guidance changes all the time anyway, and that's not how legislation works.

Conclusion - it doesn't actually matter what the interior looks like, and the DVLA guidance is simply what's required to get a V5C registration change. If you use it as a motor caravan, then you're Ok on speed limits. I don't have a "fixed table", for example, but I'm 100% certain that my top limit is 70mph.
 
Bealers said:
I've been reading through gov.uk guidance and lurking on a few forums like this one and am ready to start thinking about applying to get my 5T sprinter officially converted
Click to expand...
Darren - you should start by telling us why you think you need an "official conversion". I think you might be wasting your time.
 
EML said:
I've read the speed limit legislation, and I was surprised to find that there's no definition of use as a "motor caravan". There's no reference to the DVLA guidance on the interior of the vehicle. And the DVLA guidance changes all the time anyway, and that's not how legislation works.

Conclusion - it doesn't actually matter what the interior looks like, and the DVLA guidance is simply what's required to get a V5C registration change. If you use it as a motor caravan, then you're Ok on speed limits. I don't have a "fixed table", for example, but I'm 100% certain that my top limit is 70mph.
Click to expand...
I read the DVLA guidelines to mean for a vehicle to be recognised as being converted to a motor caravan it has to meet the 4 categories listed in the guidelines. The changes to the interior are not related to changing the V5c as this is only for what the vehicle looks like.
For the body type to be changed the Vehicle must have the external features as described in the DVLA guidelines.


"For a vehicle to be recognised as being converted to a motor caravan it must meet all 4 categories shown below. For DVLA to change the body type, the vehicle must have the external permanent features described in the DVLA guidance for converting a vehicle into a motor caravan."
www.gov.uk

Internal features for motor caravans

www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
 
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jp11 said:
My minibus conversion V5 came back as a 4-seat van with windows after I had it downrated to 3500kg.
What do you mean by "self declare as a "motor-caravan" and get a class 4 mot and use as a "motor-caravan" as per guidance"? Self declare to who?
Click to expand...
You self declare to the MOT tester so that it can be tested as a class 4 .
 

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