California Vehicle Classification & VW UK

[Sandyvan]

Not an acceptable reason for a vehicle to be put into the wrong tax class in my opinion. If a mobile police officer, working in traffic every day can't be relied on, when asked to look out for a VW Camper Van and recognise a VW Transporter with windows and a different roof line, he's not going to be much good at recognising suspects.

I agree, but as stated before there's no category for Campervan, so the officer will be asked to look for a Motor Caravan/motorhome and the Cali drives by, That's what I have been told.

 

[Amarillo]

Not an acceptable reason for a vehicle to be put into the wrong tax class in my opinion. If a mobile police officer, working in traffic every day can't be relied on, when asked to look out for a VW Camper Van and recognise a VW Transporter with windows and a different roof line, he's not going to be much good at recognising suspects.

Does the body type affect the tax class of a California?

 

[SusiBus]

Perhaps I'm wrong in using the words 'tax class', should I have said whether it's a Motor home or an MPV, or as possibly a Campervan, which is surely nearer to a Motor Home than a MPV.

 

[Amarillo]

Perhaps I'm wrong in using the words 'tax class', should I have said whether it's a Motor home or an MPV, or as possibly a Campervan, which is surely nearer to a Motor Home than a MPV.

The body type, used by the police to aid identification, was “motor caravan”; it is now MPV.

 

[Bellcrew]

Perhaps I'm wrong in using the words 'tax class', should I have said whether it's a Motor home or an MPV, or as possibly a Campervan, which is surely nearer to a Motor Home than a MPV.

Whenever the Government and its agencies change anything it will always be about increasing the tax take, any other explanation is just bulls**t to baffle the innocent, environmental concerns are just an ironic smokescreen.

 

[Cloud Dodger]

Just had our V5 come through for our Beach, states MPV on the document.

Also called Comfort this morning for an insurance quote and they have said they cannot insure it as MPV, they stated I would need to get the DVLA to change it to "van with side windows" and then they could insure it and I had 8 weeks to get it changed from date of policy starting.

Sounds like a lot of grief so will go with LV who quoted with no issue irregardless of how its recorded on V5.

 

[Bellcrew]

Just had our V5 come through for our Beach, states MPV on the document.

Also called Comfort this morning for an insurance quote and they have said they cannot insure it as MPV, they stated I would need to get the DVLA to change it to "van with side windows" and then they could insure it and I had 8 weeks to get it changed from date of policy starting.

Sounds like a lot of grief so will go with LV who quoted with no issue irregardless of how its recorded on V5.

Same vehicle, same name, same engine etc and still they are refusing to insure because of a bureaucratic anomaly, it would seem that common sense is actually a very rare quality.

 

[John C]

Just had our V5 come through for our Beach, states MPV on the document.

Also called Comfort this morning for an insurance quote and they have said they cannot insure it as MPV, they stated I would need to get the DVLA to change it to "van with side windows" and then they could insure it and I had 8 weeks to get it changed from date of policy starting.

Sounds like a lot of grief so will go with LV who quoted with no issue irregardless of how its recorded on V5.

Hi, is your Beach brand new or did you need to have your existing V5 updated due to plate change or something? If so, what did the V5 say before?

 

[Cloud Dodger]

Hi, is your Beach brand new or did you need to have your existing V5 updated due to plate change or something? If so, what did the V5 say before?

Brand new, collecting next week.

 

[John C]

Brand new, collecting next week.

Oh, that explains it we bought a Beach the other week that was registered Nov 2018 and therefore registered as a campen/motor caravan. However, new ones are now registered as an MPV!

 

[Sandyvan]

Oh, that explains it we bought a Beach the other week that was registered Nov 2018 and therefore registered as a campen/motor caravan. However, new ones are now registered as an MPV!

I thought Comfort were now on board with the change?

 

[Scanacali]

I insured my Ocean through Comfort last week and they stated there was no problem insuring it with a classification of body type MPV as they were aware of the DVLA ruling.

 

[Gamellus]

I had the same positive experience from Comfort on Monday that MPV is no longer an issue

 

[Cloud Dodger]

After reading later comments about Comfort now being OK out the MPV issue, I decided to call Comfort again this afternoon but spoke to a different member of staff the second time.

This time this chap said they knew of the MPV issues but they are happy to quote and cover without need to get the V5 changed?

So it looks like its down to the luck of the draw on who answers the phone as to what the policy is. If the person you speak to starts to talk about altering V5 details for your Cali, then call back later and hopefully you will get a positive outcome.

Unfortunately we then hit another stumbling block due to wanting to insure the Beach for business use and carriage of own goods, which they were not sure about, so I am waiting a call on Monday for them to see if it's possible.

 

[Sandyvan]

After reading later comments about Comfort now being OK out the MPV issue, I decided to call Comfort again this afternoon but spoke to a different member of staff the second time.

This time this chap said they knew of the MPV issues but they are happy to quote and cover without need to get the V5 changed?

So it looks like its down to the luck of the draw on who answers the phone as to what the policy is. If the person you speak to starts to talk about altering V5 details for your Cali, then call back later and hopefully you will get a positive outcome.

Unfortunately we then hit another stumbling block due to wanting to insure the Beach for business use and carriage of own goods, which they were not sure about, so I am waiting a call on Monday for them to see if it's possible.

We have Business use with Comfort.

 

[andyinluton]

Theres a couple of posts on the T5 forum suggesting that where V5s have been issued due to sale of vehicles or numberplate changes, the DVLA are retrospectively changing Motor Caravans to MPVs

 

[jillyfish]

I am with Privilege for current car. I made enquiry to them in regard to insuring a new Cali. (MPV) and explained to them that it was campervan and queried what they covered and they confirmed that they covered all factory fitted elements of the vehicle. They did say that personal belongings, i.e. camping equipment, would not be covered.

 

[WelshGas]

Interesting Paragraph in my Insurance renewal document from The Caravan & Motorhome Club Insurance.

 

[Jester]

Interesting Paragraph in my Insurance renewal document from The Caravan & Motorhome Club Insurance.

View attachment 52606
[/QUOT
Morning
intresting and well spotted within the small print, like to know what they say following your call to them.

 

[WelshGas]

My SE has Body Type - Motor Carava, so no problems at present.

 

[JG220]

So has anyone ever managed to get an MPV re-designated as a Motor Caravan? I have a 69 plate Ocean, it is an MPV on the V5. Don't really mind, but i would prefer the slightly lower tax

 

[WelshGas]

So has anyone ever managed to get an MPV re-designated as a Motor Caravan? I have a 69 plate Ocean, it is an MPV on the V5. Don't really mind, but i would prefer the slightly lower tax

They will not change the Tax. That is not based on the Body Type, MPV or Motorhome.

rates-for-motorhomes

 

[jillyfish]

I am hoping to have mine confirmed this week by DVLA. My Cali was wrongly classified in March as 'diesel car' rather than PLG. I understand that sub three also has received his changed V5 and refund. I sent my paperwork to DVLA July 1st, and my claim has been subject to anticipated delays. DVLA wanted a letter from me, my V5, a letter from dealer confirming vehicle registered wrongly, then latest requirement was a letter of conformity which went off to them a couple weeks ago. If yours is a 69 plate, not sure it will meet the criteria, i.e. needs to be registered on or after 12th March this year, which is when the legislation was issued.

 

[Wongo]

I cannot understand the nonsense going on here from DVLA & Insurers.
DVLA playing Hokey Cokey with vehicle types & insurers wriggling causing consternation,
Can not the CC C & C&MC sort this out with the ministry?

 

[B J G]

I cannot understand the nonsense going on here from DVLA & Insurers.
DVLA playing Hokey Cokey with vehicle types & insurers wriggling causing consternation,
Can not the CC C & C&MC sort this out with the ministry?

As far as I can track the saga it began with the Police complaining about not being able to differentiate between a commercial van and a campervan visually and what speed limits to apply. DVLA changed the rules on changing vans to campervans in that no longer possible, Cali's deemed no longer Motor Caravans but MPV's.

Then came the reclassification of Motorhomes making them pay the high value (over £40K) tax. Motorhome Manufacturers lobbied MP's about job losses etc and got it changed which again had a spin off to Cali's.

Basically Cali's are in a Political football park where they get kicked from one category into another with no consistent rules or logic.