Swift Escape 674 Uprating? (1 Viewer)

[Young at Heart]

Hi, Considering the Swift Escape 674 with 5 belted seats and 6 berths which gives a Mass of 3071 and the Weight (MTPLM) is 3500kg...... So too little too Payload that's for 100% certain.

It would seem (obviously ) that you can't up the plate until you've bought it.... but ...... have to know it can be uprated before buying it!! ha ha....... Not prepared to trust the answer from a dealer

Have to get the maximum gross rate uprated to say 3800 or the purchase is not on!

What is the best way for me to approach this?

 

[The Wino]

See if its in the options list and ask for them to do it before sale.Or phone one of the companies who arrange increasing payload and ask there will probably be some who have done it already if the payload is a problem. Or try seeing if theres a forum for that make and search it/post a message.

 

[Bill_OR]

There's a form to complete on the SVTech website and they will tell you what options are open to you. There is loads of information required though! see http://www.svtech.co.uk/vehicles/motorhomes/

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[Cheshirecat57]

Hi, Considering the Swift Escape 674 with 5 belted seats and 6 berths which gives a Mass of 3071 and the Weight (MTPLM) is 3500kg...... So too little too Payload that's for 100% certain.

It would seem (obviously ) that you can't up the plate until you've bought it.... but ...... have to know it can be uprated before buying it!! ha ha....... Not prepared to trust the answer from a dealer

Have to get the maximum gross rate uprated to say 3800 or the purchase is not on!

What is the best way for me to approach this?

There is a factory option on the 674 to up plate to 3700kg for £99 at 1st reg
Bear in mind the list price/ OTR price includes 12 mths Road Tax at £255
So given that the Tax reduces to £165 the option is nett £9

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Also worth a point, the 6 berth option has a drop down bed which if i remember is not in the MIRO of the model, this will add almost 100kg

 

[Young at Heart]

There is a factory option on the 674 to up plate to 3700kg for £99 at 1st reg
Bear in mind the list price/ OTR price includes 12 mths Road Tax at £255
So given that the Tax reduces to £165 the option is nett £9

Well that is some good news! Thanks for spotting that information - you obviously knew where to look I never saw it

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[Young at Heart]

Also worth a point, the 6 berth option has a drop down bed which if i remember is not in the MIRO of the model, this will add almost 100kg

Yes, in fact I had got that bit included in the running Mass!! But thank you for making sure I knew that.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

I have just bought a Swift 684 4 berth at 3700kg

 

[Young at Heart]

I have just bought a Swift 684 4 berth at 3700kg

I'm assuming then you must have looked a many other models and options before deciding on a Swift as your choice. They look to have pretty much everything you would look for in a Motorhome with a decent amount of space. I wish you the very best of luck!

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[Cheshirecat57]

Following an Autotrail purchase (new) just 3 months earlier

 

[Young at Heart]

Following an Autotrail purchase (new) just 3 months earlier

What? You changed it that quick or do you have two!! What happened?

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Messaged

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[138go]

@Young at Heart

When we purchased our Laika we were told exactly how much it weighed and shown the weigh ticket. The salesman then explained that it had very little fuel in it and hardly any water. With this information you can make an informed decision as to the suitability. We can go up to 4250kg with up to 2400kg on the back axle. What you are proposing is IMO madness. You are looking at a vehicle that is hardly fit for purpose and then UPGRADING it. You will still have a maximum back axle weight and may well find that some of your proposed 350Kg extra cannot be used. Have you any idea how much weight you will be carrying. By the time you have put in the gas bottles, bedding, chairs, table, BBQ, bikes, water, Tv, fuel, food, people, dog etc etc you will be surprised how much it all weighs. Don't forget that the further you put things behind the back axle the more it all weighs. You will also have to inform your Insurance Company that you have modified the vehicle.

What will you do if you alter everything and still find out that you are over weight. You can hardly take it back to the Dealer and complain as you have already asked the question.

 

[Mr Colpot]

Deffo check the axle weights before you buy. Our Burstner has just been uprated by the dealer to 3700kgs as this was as high as it can go without mods and our rear axle is 2000kgs and this is what it was running at. We had to jettison the Air Con Unit in favour of a small rooflight over the bed and we have a bike rack which is just for show. We need the weight on the front axle to carry passengers as we were overweight with just the two of us and 75% Water (90ks) and 75% Fuel. I don't know how the previous owner managed it.

 

[Lenny HB]

From what you said on your other thread you want to travel with 5 or 6 people.
So a payload of less than a 1000kg is not on you need to be looking at vans on a 4500kg chassis & just because they are on a maxi chassis doesn't always mean a big payload so still need to check carefully.

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[Young at Heart]

From what you said on your other thread you want to travel with 5 or 6 people.
So a payload of less than a 1000kg is not on you need to be looking at vans on a 4500kg chassis & just because they are on a maxi chassis doesn't always mean a big payload so still need to check carefully.

Thanks for your input - and I am still working on all the various variations that will come into play!! Definitely not going to rush into a hasty decision.

 

[Simon Select]

It would seem (obviously ) that you can't up the plate until you've bought it.... but ...... have to know it can be uprated before buying it!! ha ha....... Not prepared to trust the answer from a dealer

]

Harsh! Not all dealers are bad!

Give SV Tech a call and have a chat with them. SV Tech literally deal with up plating and down plating vehicles. They will tell you the info you need before you make a purchasing choice. If they don't think its feasible they will tell you.

Answered by a dealer

 

[tonka]

I think the issue with this van and others similar is that they use the Fiat medium chassis.
Done as a 3500kg version to keep within licensing but has a rating to 3700kg as standard and so only a paper exercise to go to the higher weight. Something that Autotrail offer as a free upgrade when new. From many other threads and facebook posts about this it is possible to go 3850kg but needs air suspension fitted and on some vans heavier rated tyres. The issue of weight increase on the rear axle may be a problem when going to 3700 as you could still overload very easily.

Better option would be the heavy Fiat chassis which used to me 4250kg and new ones are now 4500kg
I have my eye on a new Rapido but all the UK dealers only seem to have 3700kg versions (cheaper. Cheaper to the manufacturers ?) Although they do make a 4250kg version to order.

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[Young at Heart]

The input and feedback is very interesting, so thanks to all, including the new grumpy ones ha ha.... It is all getting a bit muddlesome and even somewhat tiresome but it does all need to come out of the woodwork so the right conclusion is reached. Overall I have been surprised at some of the feedback for some of the suppliers who have attracted quite a bit of flack for handing over badly checked vehicles, including Swift .... Anyways, the models at the 3,500 weight are the ideal size but the payloads, when with others on board, is definitely an issue (even when up rated)!! Seems like trying to find one with a Payload of c1,000kgs to cover all the options is trying to find a needle in a haystack even when you start researching larger vehicle types...... You go up to the Swift Bessacar 496, seats and berths 6 but the payload is still around 800 and now price is heading well north of £50K .... I did laugh at the dealer response to my comment about not trusting them .. my reply: Yes, harsh but (as Karen Brady would say!) fair. They have that reputation for good reason!

 

[tonka]

I just checked out the model.. Looks similar to my Apache 700..
I dont think 1000kg is going to be available on many vans.. Mine has 730kg, good locker space and suits us well.
Heavy Fiat chassis at 4250kg, it will go to 4500 but the rear axle does not increase unless i spend more £'s on tyres.
Rear U lounge and front dinette. 6 berth but only 4 seat belts. You can find 6 belted seat but do loose some of the payload.

NOTE... The 674 is 4 belted seats not 5 as you stated.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Deffo check the axle weights before you buy. Our Burstner has just been uprated by the dealer to 3700kgs as this was as high as it can go without mods and our rear axle is 2000kgs and this is what it was running at. We had to jettison the Air Con Unit in favour of a small rooflight over the bed and we have a bike rack which is just for show. We need the weight on the front axle to carry passengers as we were overweight with just the two of us and 75% Water (90ks) and 75% Fuel. I don't know how the previous owner managed it.

Bear on mind Swift 674 does not have a garage
My 684 does, and with the Garage loaded to the hilt ( bikes, spare kitchen sink, you get the drift) full of fuel and water, the axle is still <2000kg. I'm at 3700kg just to well under total AND to save Road Tax

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[Cheshirecat57]

1000kg payload is not needed IMO and to be honest not available on 95% of motorhomes in UK

 

[Lenny HB]

1000kg payload is not needed IMO and to be honest not available on 95% of motorhomes in UK

In my experience 700kg is about right for 2 because use loose around 200kg once you have fitted extras. To carry 6 you need a minimum of a 1000kg. My van has 1300kg but only 4 belted seats.
For some strange reason most of the vans with 6 belted seats are on light chassis. Probably because they are aimed at younger families where the driver hasn't got a C1 they rather sell a van and let them drive overweight.

 

[Dare_Devil_Dennis]

SV-Tech uprated my Escape 684 to 3850Kg. (Now sold and moved on to Auto-sleepers).

Dennis