Unladen weight - what would GVW equate to?

S

Sidders

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Hi,
After a bit of advice please on a van I’ve spotted. Unfortunately it’s at the furthest away point from me possible as is the case with these things. The owner mentioned it states 3500kg as unladen weight, but can’t find anything re Gross vehicle weight or payload. It’s a 7 berth, with 7 seatbelts on board so I’d like to think it would have decent payload. He’s fitted air suspension but that was more to do with handling apparently rather than upping the weight plating. Does anyone know what the payload is on these?
I’ve attached a picture of weights on the vehicle as well as link to the ad.
Any other input or observations are much welcomed.
Many thanks
Sid

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I am no expert on weights but l would expect exactly the opposite of your thinking here, it will be woefully inadequate payload wise.
For a seven berth l would think you will need a 4:5 tonne chassis.
I am sure more knowledgeable funsters will be around to offer advice later, good luck with your search. (y)
 
The first weight is the GVW the second is the train weight and the next two are axle 1 and 2 maximums
3500 is the ma x not unladen . If you want to know payload weigh it and take that away from 3500 HTSH :)
 
I would ask the owner to take it to a weigh bridge and send you the certificate. Your payload will be 3500kg minus the actual weight and it might not be enough for a family motorhome.
 
It could be a MmcLouis Tandy 640 - a later model was reviewed in Practical Motorhome Here. Suggests a payload of 478kg - doesn’t sound much if you really need 7 berths?

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Hi, yeah as above. I am an x Traffic plod and used to deal with vehicle weights regularly. The 3500kgs is your GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight). That is the van and everything, from passengers, fuel, water, food everything. 1 & 2 refer to your Axle weights from front to back.
Again these are MPW (Maximum Permissable Weight) allowed on any given axle provided they still dont exceed the GVW when both ACTUAL axle weights are added together.
 
Be careful 7 berth and looking at photo GVW is definitely 3500kgs , with 7 people even if 5 were children and 2 adults cannot see much payload if any, have weighbridge ticket done and make sure it's aurthenic , but personally I would give it a miss
 
Well this is the spec of a 2008 model Click here and suggest a payload of 258kg before any options. Difficult to use 6 or 7 berths with a garage as well. When I say difficult I really mean impossible ;)

Martin
 
Mmmm... Let's see.
7 belted seats, 7 adult passengers on a 3500kg gross.

Which parts of the van are you unbolting and leaving behind.... Water heater, battery, seat cushions, fridge... as well as the food, water and clothing everyone intended bringing.
 
Even if the said payload incudes Driver and 1 passenger, and has a built in weight for water , fuel etc. weigh any other passengers and take that from stated pay load

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What is also interesting about the picture is that the Train Weight is the same as the Gross Vehicle Weight therefore it cannot be used to tow anything. I would suggest that the label is incorrect and anything it says cannot be trusted.
 
Let's say it is a 7.25m van. To be legal it would need 667.5kg of payload

Length x 10 72.5kg
Berths x 10 70kg
Designated travel seats 7 x 75 - 525

The only way to make it legal is remove the seatbelts from 3 or 4 of the travel seats

A family of 4 needs a bare minimum of 600kg of payload
 
If it has got a payload of 285kg that is not even going to be enough for 1 passenger by the time you have put the essentials in. that's without taking off 45kg for the weight of the awning.
Even for a family of 5 you really need 1300-1500kg payload.
 
In standard form about 250 to 280 Kgs payload, MAX. on 3500kgs If uprated suspension brakes etc about 700kgs If he has had the chassis uprated to 4200kgs and changed the spec on the V5 to PHGV and then you are into the realms of when you passed your test how old you are etc if you can drive it. No way suitable for 7 persons, full tank of fuel , half tank water and all the associated paraphernalia. Before you buy find a local weighbridge and get a certificate with at least 4 persons and a full tank of water before you buy. As it stands you the Mrs and dog may well make the van overweight. it is sailing very close to the wind. Its a lot of money you are forking out so make sure before you buy, Any dealer/owner who wont let you do this then walk away there are more than enough vans out there just take your time to look If the guy is the other end of the country ask him for a ticket with at least 500kgs weight on board and then the ticket if it, says massive overload. Walk away At no detriment to Tandy owners out there a 2008 Tandy may well be nearing its time for rot phase from damp issues... Personally I would avoid unless recent ( past month) damp report and correct weight rating.
 
tacr2man said:
The first weight is the GVW the second is the train weight and the next two are axle 1 and 2 maximums
3500 is the ma x not unladen . If you want to know payload weigh it and take that away from 3500 HTSH :)
Click to expand...

If you take the 2 maximums, you get 3970? Or is that not how it works?

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lunarman said:
What is also interesting about the picture is that the Train Weight is the same as the Gross Vehicle Weight therefore it cannot be used to tow anything. I would suggest that the label is incorrect and anything it says cannot be trusted.
Click to expand...
That’s what I thought re the first 2 weight too. I wonder if the logbook would say?
 
Sidders said:
If you take the 2 maximums, you get 3970? Or is that not how it works?
Click to expand...
No they are just the maximum for each axle which you can nor exceed just like you can't exceed the gross vehicle weight.
 
Wow, thanks for all your input Funsters - what a forum??
Yep, might just leave this one based on the advice given above.
There would be 4 of us predominantly using it, 2 adults and 2 very lil ones, with occasional (twice a year) 2 grans on board.
I’m shocked at the whole payload thing - what were manufactures thinking??‍♂️
 
UPDATE: New pic from owner showing what they believe to be the GVW @ 5500kgs - but that can’t be right either can it - perhaps towing limit?
Also pic of logbook(attached below) shows 3500kgs as unladen weight.

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TUCANO said:
Manufacturers are only thinking about selling vans, payloads are given little thought :eek:
Click to expand...

A lot of manufacturers have the attitude of 'We build them, what you put on/in them and use them is your responsibility'

I too think the plate is suspect. So, by association the seller may be.

Geoff
 
Totally inadequate for your needs. Just leave it and look for another but be aware of what and who you want to carry in it.
You need to be buying over 3,500 kgs GVW so check your driving licence.

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Yes 3500 kgs GVW and 2000kgs max for towed and braked! (900 kgs without) Drop like a hot potato I like Euro 330 (good collar number by the way) am ex traffic plod and although the prime suspects for an intercept are very overloaded LGVs a 7 seat/berth motorhome struggling up an incline (see previous posts) would be a very easy tick in the box, heaven forbid that our Police service would operate on how many prosecutions an officer managed to generate but if you had an accident I in a post Police life as an accident investigator for an insurance company would have taken you out to grass, you would be overweight and therefore uninsured except for third party risk so would have incurred a massive penalty As before unless upgraded etc don't bother, put a call out on this forum for who wants to sell or do you know where I can buy a .......................your spec M Home after all if you add up the years of experience and lack of driven by profit and an honest review you wont go far wrong, we don't pay journalist's wages we have to pay for servicing and if we get a crap product then we have nothing to lose but all to gain by telling the community that we are part of. Once problems arise ( and they do) and enough people highlight it then the excuse that it is a one off is very hard to disprove. Put out an ad with what you want, your max give or take £3000 and wait and see, most genuine m/homers wont want to get rid of theirs unless circumstances change or they can afford to do so, ask before you buy
 
mclouis and another one of the SEA group of old brands (cant remember which off hand) were well known for 'misleading' weights, if i remember right one of the vans (sharky possibly?) weighed more unladen than its permitted gross weight
walk away...too many problems on the v5c to start with
 
That V5 is not right, Revenue weight is always the Gross Weight also it is registered as PLG what has a max Gross Weight of 3500kg.

The Fiat plate shows a Gross weight of 3500kg with a train weight of 5500kg but the McLouis does not show a train weight. Therefore after their conversion McLouis do not consider it suitable for towing anything.

Also you said it had air suspension on the rear, either there is an elephant in the garage or something is not right. Look at how low the rear end is.
 
Is that V5 genuine. I have only ever seen the word GROSS printed after the revenue weight not UNLADEN and I have never noticed a decimal point in the revenue weight given. Have others seen this before?
 
Pausim said:
Is that V5 genuine. I have only ever seen the word GROSS printed after the revenue weight not UNLADEN and I have never noticed a decimal point in the revenue weight given. Have others seen this before?
Click to expand...
Not see it before but anything can happen with the numpties at DVLA.

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