Pros and Cons of going over 3,500kg home and abroad

[596]

I have just bought a new van with an MTPLM of 4,250kg, I will be definitely be doing the paper exercise to upgrade to 4,500kg and after inspiration from a thread on here about air assist suspension may be going up again to 4,700kg, my view is if going over 3,500kg you might as well get as much as you can

What I would like to know is real life experiences by those who have vans over 3,500kg and what they see as the pros and cons, I had no choice as I need the payload, I'm old enough not to have to worry about the licence requirements and fit enough to hopefully pass any medicals that may be required in the future. Although I can see the benefits I would like to prepare myself for any downsides such as restricted access to places, extra tolls, speed limitations both home and abroad e.t.c. size wise its only 1mtr longer at 8.1mtr so no problem with the physical driving.

Thanks

 

[Grianan]

Ok my experience is limited to uk and 2 weeks in Germany but here goes

Pros - more likely to be legal, cheaper road tax
Cons - in uk very few, in Germany, France etc, lower speed limits, a number of smaller roads restricted; in Austria and Czech Republic go box required rather than vignette
...

 

[PeteH]

I suspect that the biggest issue with Motorhome "weights" per se, would be mostly to do with licence. Many folk are either not licenced (B or B1) to drive OR restricted by AGE or ill health. My case, I Had R-V`s until my late 60`s, when I surrendered my LGV. At which point I downsized to a 3.5T Coach built. It had a marginal payload (we carry mobility devices) so was uprated to 3.8t, (C-1 required) which was OK until I had to renew on the expiry at 70. At that point it was a £100-00 medical and a eye test £20. just to continue. I changed the `van in 2018 for a 3.8t "A" class. And again had onother £120+ to pay out for Medicals now age 76. Upside is mostly confined to a larger carrying capacity and cheaper VED. In the UK size for size the limitations are minor. The biggest issue(s) are I suspect En-Continent, where heavier `van of all types attract higher Toll`s and emission charges. But of that I have no personal experience. Having not been to Europe since the Mid 2000`s after which we sold the R-V and went to the USA. Travelling 27 States, 22000 miles over a 5 year period in a Winnebago, where there are very few limitations on what you can drive at any age as a non comercial driver..

 

[Speve]

Always had over 3500 KG vans as far as I’m concerned speed limits not a problem extra payload is great size doesn’t bother us as we tow a car on a trailer when going down to Spain and Portugal for winter, we use tolls as with van and trailer much easier than negotiating hundreds of roundabouts and speed bumps in France on N roads.
Our van is 4500 kg Hymer with full air 7.5m long just under 3m high.????

 

[596]

When I went down to France for my regular 6 weeks this year I had put on a top box, this top box took me over the 3m limit for the peage and I was charged as a Class 3 instead of a Class 2, I have challenged this and I am being reimbursed having sent details of the manufacturers specifications re height, will my new van which is also just under 3m although over 3,500kg be a Class 2 or 3 and how would they know?

I have seen some villages in France that restricts vehicles over 3,500kg is it a matter of being honest and not entering these as how does anyone know you are over 3,500kg without looking it up on the DVLA or examining your V5?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ernesto]

Probably all mostly fairly minor, if you're going into this with eyes open, as you are. You've already considered and accepted the licence/medical thing and that some routes will be inaccessible - also suspect the lower Euro speed limits.

When we bought our PVC, our dealer did have a moan at the number of 4 ton + vans he had sitting on his forecourt, so I suspect mainly due to the licence aspect, residuals might be impacted, but that only matters if you sell - sp thats easy enough to avoid

 

[Speve]

will my new van which is also just under 3m although over 3,500kg be a Class 2 or 3 and how would they know?

Never been charged any more than class 2 even with the trailer? we always try and steer clear of weight restrictions unless there is no option usually only need to if going to an aire.

 

[Madcaravanner]

We have a 4.25T Fiat Ducato based coachbuilt - payload is 1000kg

Not worried by the speed limits here or on Continent (remembering on dual carriageways in UK can only got at 60mph)
and don't stay on toll roads although we can get class 2 in France as they go more on SIZE and not weight (no scales on the system on the Gendarmes carry them)

Not had any problems so far (2.5 years) we have been to aires campsites small sites (& CS-CL types)

We have just spent 3 months going through Holland,Germany, Luxembourg and France taking in 24 places to lay our heads not found one where we couldn't get in with our 8m long monster
or had anywhere where we had to pay more

 

[Clarky]

When I went down to France for my regular 6 weeks this year I had put on a top box, this top box took me over the 3m limit for the peage and I was charged as a Class 3 instead of a Class 2, I have challenged this and I am being reimbursed having sent details of the manufacturers specifications re height, will my new van which is also just under 3m although over 3,500kg be a Class 2 or 3 and how would they know?

I have seen some villages in France that restricts vehicles over 3,500kg is it a matter of being honest and not entering these as how does anyone know you are over 3,500kg without looking it up on the DVLA or examining your V5?

If you are under 3m high you will almost certainly be changed as Classe 2.
We are also just under 3m but are 4.5t and have always been charged Classe 2.
3.5t weight limits usually apply to trucks and have a sign below with the outline of a truck, that limit will not apply to you. If the sign is just a red circle with only 3.5t (often used for speed limits around large town by-passes) it applies to all vehicles.
I’m not aware of weight being measured at tolls but the technology is certainly available and it might come into the equation in the future.

Richard

 

[SteveRallye]

Our van came with a 3850kg payload as free optional extra, I resisted the temptation to upgrade to 4400kg( at £1400 cost)as this van is on the light chassis and I could downgrade (in theory) to 3500 and not worry about passing my medicals at 70.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[596]

Thanks all, great replies Now what about these stickers with speed limits on if over 3,500kg in the UK or abroad like they have on lorries?

Thanks

 

[Richard Birkett]

I think you have exactly the right perspective. We’ve always had +3,500 kg vans and our current Carthago is 7,495 kg. Most of our travelling is in Europe and whilst there are obviously weight restricted roads these are mostly 3.5t and so it makes sense to go as big as you are comfortable with. Height seems to be the decider for increased toll costs but as we avoid motorways, it’s not an issue. In France there are sometimes restrictions on +3.5t vehicles using the outside lane and also lower speed limits but overall it’s a small price to pay for the additional payload.
Richard

 

[596]

Re the air assist suspension to get my extra upgrade from 4,500kg to 4,700kg I have been quoted £1,433.00 for the system plus £399.00 for the installation, what you need to remember is that the system itself weighs 22kg so in fact you are paying £1,832 for an extra 178kg that works out at £10.65 a kg

 

[denisejoe]

We have a 4.5tonne A class and don't generally use toll roads in France. On the odd occasion we have used toll roads we've been charged Class 3 but that's because we're over 3m and a tag axle so assume that's why.

 

[Badknee]

We’re running a nine metre tag axle @5250kgs and are on classe 2 because even with a sat dish and solar panels were under three metres high ?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Minxy]

Only other thing I can think to add to the above is recovery ... once you go over 3500kg some companies put you in the 'commercial' class so you get less service, ie no hotel costs or loan vehicle and they may need larger vehicles to recover you than the standard ones, but being so long that's likely anyway.

 

[ambulancekidd]

IMHO a motorhome which is under 3500kg should in theory be easier to sell as you have an upcoming market who only have the license to drive such vehicles.
This market will only get bigger.

 

[grumps147]

When I went down to France for my regular 6 weeks this year I had put on a top box, this top box took me over the 3m limit for the peage and I was charged as a Class 3 instead of a Class 2, I have challenged this and I am being reimbursed having sent details of the manufacturers specifications re height, will my new van which is also just under 3m although over 3,500kg be a Class 2 or 3 and how would they know?

I have seen some villages in France that restricts vehicles over 3,500kg is it a matter of being honest and not entering these as how does anyone know you are over 3,500kg without looking it up on the DVLA or examining your V5?

How do they know?
Until you are stopped they probably don't. Once stopped, if anything pertaining to weights is in question they will rely on the plates on your vehicle that show all your permitted weights.

 

[596]

How do they know?
Until you are stopped they probably don't. Once stopped, if anything pertaining to weights is in question they will rely on the plates on your vehicle that show all your permitted weights.

At the tolls they are automatic and sensors scan the vehicle so top box must have triggered the height sensor ?

 

[Kingham]

Thanks all, great replies Now what about these stickers with speed limits on if over 3,500kg in the UK or abroad like they have on lorries?

Thanks

You don’t need them.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[pandas]

How do they know?
Until you are stopped they probably don't. Once stopped, if anything pertaining to weights is in question they will rely on the plates on your vehicle that show all your permitted weights.

At the tolls they are automatic and sensors scan the vehicle so top box must have triggered the height sensor ?

yes agreed the toll scans the height - the top box. We are over 3m and challenge Class 3 most times and most times are down graded to Class 2. I recall there is about a 20% additional cost between class 2 and 3. I maybe wrong here but it is significant and hopefully somebody will have the correct persentage.

 

[frogijock]

I think it is the coachwork that they base the height on, not sat dishes, tv aerials and possibly top boxes.

 

[pandas]

I think it is the coachwork that they base the height on, not sat dishes, tv aerials and possibly top boxes.

I had the view that it was the height detector that determines the class - a single DAB Ariel should not trigger it but a sat dish/aircon would.

 

[596]

I had a child's bike on the roof rack one year and the handle bar facing upwards triggered it, so must scan across the top, unless it picked up the pedals as well, if so it must have been very accurate.

 

[Lanerboy]

I had the view that it was the height detector that determines the class - a single DAB Ariel should not trigger it but a sat dish/aircon would.

My carthago has both sat dish and roof air con and I was class 2 all around france but the air con takes me over 3m high so they didn't trigger class 3 for me

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Han]

I'm living in The Netherlands, and I bought a tol module that can be used in France, Spain and Portugal. You can pass all toll stations without without paying. When buying, all information from the motorhome is enterd, including the height and weight of the motor home. You never have problems again being charged for the wrong class.

 

[Speve]

I had the view that it was the height detector that determines the class - a single DAB Ariel should not trigger it but a sat dish/aircon would.

Sat dish does not trigger over 3m on ours?

 

[Speve]

Only other thing I can think to add to the above is recovery ... once you go over 3500kg some companies put you in the 'commercial' class so you get less service, ie no hotel costs or loan vehicle and they may need larger vehicles to recover you than the standard ones, but being so long that's likely anyway.

This company gives more cover for over 3500kg :Quoted from Safeguard.
How much does European Motorhome Cover cost?
As part of our Safeguard Assistance European Cover, AA breakdown cover is included as standard with all policies. This includes providing roadside assistance, towage and garage repairs up to the value of £250 for motorhomes up to 3.5 tonnes, and up to the value of £2,000 for vehicles above 3.5 tonnes?

 

[pandas]

Sat dish does not trigger over 3m on ours?

I must remember not to leave it up next time!