Is a Beach a Campervan (Eurotunnel)

[Hissey]

Hi, We use the Tunnel probably a couple of times a year, sometimes just as a people carrier for a day trip or if staying in a motel, and sometimes in full campervan mode with portable cookers, fridge, bedding etc. Each time we try to get a quote from Eurotunnel online it claims that we are not a 'Car over 1.85m' based on our registration plate, so we have to ring up the call centre and explain.

Our vehicle registration certificate shows that we have a Campervan body type, but that we are taxed as a diesel car. I have always thought that as we don't have fixed cooking or water appliances etc we counted as a car not a campervan, but can anyone confirm this? Eurotunnel staff don't seem to know what the definition of a campervan is any more than we do. They are generally happy to reassign us to car class if we ask them to.

Anyone out there know the answer please?

Thanks in advance.

 

[GrannyJen]

When booking for Eurotunnel it asks for your registration number then takes information off the DVLC to identify the type of vehicle. In my case it auto-recognises me as a camper van and charges me an £11 each way supplement over a standard car rate providing I have no roof box, trailer or heavy machine guns located in the roof.

 

[Kevthegas]

Our Cali Beach is classed as a camper and costs more.
Our lwb Kombi is cheaper

 

[Hissey]

Thanks for the responses. Yes, when I put the registration number in and select 'car over 1.85m' it complains, so I ring the helpline and they are usually happy to reclassify me as a car instead and complete the booking over the phone. When in people carrier mode this seems only fair. If in full camper mode with all the gear loaded up it is debatable - just wondering whether there was an 'official' definition of a campervan?

 

[bvddobb]

just wondering whether there was an 'official' definition of a campervan?

The definition of a camper(van) seems to differ from country to country, depending on the local MOT classification definitions. To make it complex, here in NL the RDW (MOT) have a different definition from the Tax Authority, so we have at least two 'official' definitions of a camper(van) here. In BE you seem to have difficulties registering a 4Motion as a campervan (too heavy for their definitions, I understand). Etc.

For all purposes, whatever the physical definition in a given country is ends up on your car registration. If the vehicle category is M1/SA, as for most modern Cali's, then it is a car (M1), not a commercial van, AND it is a camper (SA). For all administrative purposes, once you have the M1/SA vehicle category in your car registration, across the EU your Cali is then by definition a campervan, whatever its physical outlay. Is what we have been given to understand.

As for ferries, Chunnel, etc: we always book as a car, if need be via a customer services call centre as you are describing, never as a camper(van). Is always cheaper, and we have never had a problem embarking anywhere...

 

[WelshGas]

This is the DVLA requirements for a Commercial Van that has been converted to be re-classified Body Type - Motorhome/Campervan.
The SE/Ocean is classified as a MotorHome/Campervan as it fulfils the requirements.
The Beach? I have my own views that others object to.

 

[larrylamb]

You can't have it both ways, classed as a camper van but we are using it as an mpv doesn't count.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Mine is always classed as car with roof box. Fully loaded for camping

 

[Geezso]

Who cares? Just get on with it. Diesel car taxation means nothing, other than its not a commercial vehicle tax.
Kombi is cheaper as its commercial as with all panel vans.
Its certainly not a car, no doubt about it.
Its not a commercial.
Its not a motor home.
Therefore its a camper (regardless of kitchen)

 

[soulstyledevon]

Who cares? Just get on with it. Diesel car taxation means nothing, other than its not a commercial vehicle tax.
Kombi is cheaper as its commercial as with all panel vans.
Its certainly not a car, no doubt about it.
Its not a commercial.
Its not a motor home.
Therefore its a camper (regardless of kitchen)

He is purely talking about how to classify for the tunnel crossing.
I have been over in mine 5 times so far and always book as car with roof box, as it has in the past worked out cheaper than camper.
So obviously book the cheapest crossing you can get away with.
Dosent make sense to pay more if you don't need to

 

[Geezso]

Surely all it means is you need to phone to book?

 

[BeachyBird]

We also travel on euro tunnel approx 4 or 5 times a year and only ever book our Beach as a Car with no problem agree with above comment don't pay more than you have to.

 

[cleve]

I think euro tunnel specify a campervan as having sleeping and dining facilities or something vague. I used to call and argue that we were a people carrier with sleeping facilities but you could say the same for a caravelle which isn't classed as a campervan. I couldn't be bothered to argue this year and just paid the extra so I could book online & not have a debate about it!

 

[Amarillo]

I think euro tunnel specify a campervan as having sleeping and dining facilities or something vague.

It seems quite definite:

Campervan
Any vehicle which includes living accommodation (including (without limitation) seats, table, sleeping, cooking and storage facilities).​

Link: eurotunnel.com

A 2 seat bench Beach fails this test on cooking facilities.
A 3 seat bench Beach fails this test on cooking and storage facilities.

 

[John Stevenson]

A Beach is just an Ocean without the kitchen. Its a campervan, You, and I mean the royal 'you' including me has just spent in excess of maybe £50k on a vehicle that you can take away and camp in - saving money on accommodation. So I think £11 is a fair and fairly nominal price to pay. Our beloved campers are also bigger than cars and you are shunted in the big Le Shuttle carriages and not the double decker ones that normal cars go in so you take up more space.

 

[andyinluton]

I think euro tunnel specify a campervan as having sleeping and dining facilities or something vague. I used to call and argue that we were a people carrier with sleeping facilities but you could say the same for a caravelle which isn't classed as a campervan. I couldn't be bothered to argue this year and just paid the extra so I could book online & not have a debate about it!

Eurotunnels criteria is simple - if its registered as a Motor Caravan with DVLA you pay the extra, if its registered as a car you don't. They just check the DVLA database from your reg number.

Whether a Beach should or shouldn't be registered as as a Motor Caravan or not is a totally separate argument....

 

[Loz]

How to plain VW Transporters compare in this respect?

 

[GrannyJen]

At the end of the day it costs me, at most, £74 to travel one way with ET, £54 if not travelling peak.

If I didn't like it or alternatives were cheaper enough to make the extra hassle worth it, then I would travel by the alternative. As it is compared to my recent last ferry crossing, Caen - Portsmouth, even £74 is competitive, never mind the benefit of the extra convenience offered by ET.

 

[Geezso]

How to plain VW Transporters compare in this respect?

Its a van

 

[Roger Boeken]

The definition of a camper(van) seems to differ from country to country, depending on the local MOT classification definitions. To make it complex, here in NL the RDW (MOT) have a different definition from the Tax Authority, so we have at least two 'official' definitions of a camper(van) here. In BE you seem to have difficulties registering a 4Motion as a campervan (too heavy for their definitions, I understand). Etc.

For all purposes, whatever the physical definition in a given country is ends up on your car registration. If the vehicle category is M1/SA, as for most modern Cali's, then it is a car (M1), not a commercial van, AND it is a camper (SA). For all administrative purposes, once you have the M1/SA vehicle category in your car registration, across the EU your Cali is then by definition a campervan, whatever its physical outlay. Is what we have been given to understand.

As for ferries, Chunnel, etc: we always book as a car, if need be via a customer services call centre as you are describing, never as a camper(van). Is always cheaper, and we have never had a problem embarking anywhere...

the problem with 4motion in Belgium is from the past, my T6 ocean 4motion is classified as a camper(van).

 

[Amarillo]

Eurotunnels criteria is simple - if its registered as a Motor Caravan with DVLA you pay the extra, if its registered as a car you don't.

That is not their criteria. They have on their website how they define a campervan, and by that definition a campervan has cooking facilities.

 

[WelshGas]

Booking using your registration number depends on the DVLA information on their Database. If its not to your liking then you'll have to phone up and argue your case.

 

[GrannyJen]

Arguing the case each time with Eurotunnel would cost me more in BP machines that I would pay as a surcharge

I travel over every month (although I usually try to avoid July and August. This year was an exception due to Generals Haig and Joffre not feeding my requirements into their battle plans for the Somme.

If every time I had to spend oceans of time arguing then I would probably end up attempting to swim across wearing a lead-lined swimsuit

 

[soulstyledevon]

Arguing the case each time with Eurotunnel would cost me more in BP machines that I would pay as a surcharge

I travel over every month (although I usually try to avoid July and August. This year was an exception due to Generals Haig and Joffre not feeding my requirements into their battle plans for the Somme.

If every time I had to spend oceans of time arguing then I would probably end up attempting to swim across wearing a lead-lined swimsuit

But why would you be arguing anyway. Your a fully paying SE owner.
Its only Beach owners that may have to haggle, although I've never needed to as have always booked online as car with roof box.
Simples

 

[Loz]

Its a van

Apart from stating the bl--ding obvious, does the van get charged the extra as well?