P&O Dover-Calais Car or Motorhome

[Yorkie]

I searched the forum for advice on what to book but found answers contradictory. I bit the bullet and booked my month away as a Car (using the correct sizes). Has anyone been challenged at the kiosk?

 

[Max-Felix]

This came up very recently and lots of previous on this. I'm with you, why should the bloke in the Caravelle in front with a tent in the back pay less than us with a tent on top? Cali, Caravelle, SUV....we all occupy the same space on the train!

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Use the aferry.co.uk website, to make the booking with P&O..... It'll let you specify VW California in the booking, and book you at the car rate.

 

[WelshGas]

Not going to get into an argument, but what does it say on your V5c, and what do you tell your Insurance Company you drive?

 

[Yorkie]

Not going to get into an argument, but what does it say on your V5c, and what do you tell your Insurance Company you drive?

I made sure my log book said private motor vehicle as that's all I can park where I live. It saved any arguments if anyone complained. So it doesn't say motorcaravan or motor home that's for sure.

 

[Amarillo]

It seems likely that an SE or Ocean would be a motor caravan, and that a Beach fails the definition for both cooking facilities and storage facilities. You might try to argue that the downstairs bed is clamped to the floor, not bolted, riveted, screwed or welded, but that argument fails with the upstairs bed.

Extract from https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...caravan/converting-a-vehicle-into-a-motorhome

DFT definition of motor caravan

The following is taken from the DFT website now in the National Archives.

‘motor caravan’ means a special purposes passenger car constructed to include living accommodation which contains at least the following equipment:

• seats and table
• sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats
• cooking facilities
• storage facilities

This equipment shall be rigidly fixed to the living compartment; however, the table may be designed to be easily removable.

The interpretation applied to this definition is as follows

4.1Seats and a table

• Are required to be an integral part of the living accommodation area, and mounted independently of other items.
• The table must be capable of being mounted directly to the vehicle floor and /or side wall.
• The table mounting arrangement must be secured as a permanent feature, (bolted, riveted, screwed or welded), although the table may be detachable.
• Permanently secured seating must be available for use at the table.
• The seats must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and/or side wall.
• The seats must be secured as a permanent feature, (bolted riveted, screwed or welded).

4.2Sleeping accommodation

• Must be an integral part of the living accommodation area.
• Either beds or a bed converted from seats (to form a mattress base).
• Secured as a permanent feature, with base structures bolted, riveted, screwed or welded to the vehicle floor and / or side wall, (unless the sleeping accommodation is provided as a provision over the driver’s cab compartment.

4.3Cooking facilities

• That are an integral part of the vehicle living accommodation and is mounted independently of other items.
• That are secured to the vehicle floor and /or side wall.
• Secured as a permanent feature, (bolted, riveted, screwed, or welded.
• The cooking facility must consist of a minimum of a two ring cooking facility or a microwave in either case having a fuel/power source.
• If the cooking facility is fuelled by gas having a remote fuel supply, the fuel supply pipe must be permanently secured to the vehicle structure.
• If the cooking facility is fuelled by gas having a remote fuel supply, the fuel reservoir must be secured in a storage cupboard or the reservoir secured to the vehicle structure.

4.4Storage facilities

• Storage facilities must be provided by a cupboard or locker.
• The facility must be an integral part of the vehicle living accommodation, ie mounted independently of other items, unless incorporated below seat/sleeping accommodation or the cooking facility.
• The storage facility must be a permanent feature, (bolted, riveted, screwed or welded).
• The storage facility must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and / or side wall, unless a storage provision is provided over the driver’s cab compartment.

 

[WelshGas]

I made sure my log book said private motor vehicle as that's all I can park where I live. It saved any arguments if anyone complained. So it doesn't say motorcaravan or motor home that's for sure.

Interesting. So how did you change Section D5, Body Type and what did you change it to from what VW normally classify it as?

 

[Yorkie]

Interesting. So how did you change Section D5, Body Type and what did you change it to from what VW normally classify it as?

I didn't change anything. Can't view my reg at the moment as it's filed in my office till Monday. I will look then.
Ps: I only asked if anyone was challenged at the port! Didn't intend an argument

 

[Jonathan Duke]

I didn't change anything. Can't view my reg at the moment as it's filed in my office till Monday. I will look then.
Ps: I only asked if anyone was challenged at the port! Didn't intend an argument

I booked as a car, and wasn't challenged.

 

[WelshGas]

I didn't change anything. Can't view my reg at the moment as it's filed in my office till Monday. I will look then.
Ps: I only asked if anyone was challenged at the port! Didn't intend an argument

Not an argument. If you have a "Body Type" other than Motor Caravan on your V5c then this would be useful to know, that it can be changed, for a colleague.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I booked as a car, and wasn't challenged.

I always book as car with roofbox. Never had an issue.
Why would anyone book as a campervan and pay more...???

 

[jts46]

Same here I always book as a caravelle

 

[larrylamb]

The dreaded "VW Cali tax" rule applied again. Oh, they've got a California,they must be minted, add 25% to standard price. Bosh.

 

[Yorkie]

Not an argument. If you have a "Body Type" other than Motor Caravan on your V5c then this would be useful to know, that it can be changed, for a colleague.

I will reply with info on Monday

 

[Yorkie]

I always book as car with roofbox. Never had an issue.
Why would anyone book as a campervan and pay more...???

Upon booking there were three sizes and the middle one was 2.4 tall and 6 long. Much bigger than the Cali. I just chose this. No need to use roofbox or cycle rack. Hopefully

 

[Yorkie]

Not an argument. If you have a "Body Type" other than Motor Caravan on your V5c then this would be useful to know, that it can be changed, for a colleague.

I have checked om my log book. shocked to see it is a Motor Caravan.
My wife and i are 100% sure that when we bought it it said Private Vehicle or similar. This gave us the conviction to write to our residents committee to advise of its registration as Motor Caravans are not allowed in the grounds. I can only imagine that it was reassigned on change of address.
Regardless of what i thought i am the proud owner of Brian (not so proud just now as he's presently covered in sap and flower petals)

 

[Pete Wilkins]

Aferry does let you choose VW California plus bike rack have checked prices today as car, and as a vw California and with the caravan and motorhome club booked as a motorhome and found no difference in price between any of them !! Car or Motorhome is this because it is out of season or the norm. As a number are saying there is a difference.

 

[Yorkie]

I have used both DfDs and P&O now. Both times as a private car of the correct size. No questions asked.

On my last trip (DFDS) there was most certainly a different price for campervan/ motor home.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Just booked via Aferry - P&O £130 as exact vehicle (no debate of what your vehicle is when you get to the port). Out 4/11 back 11/11. (Direct with P&O was £128 but that was a std car of correct size 2.4m high and less than 6m - to allow for bikes). For the extra £2 I feel more comfortable about avoiding any jobsworth trying to debate what my vehicle is!!

 

[Jabberwocky]

The dreaded "VW Cali tax" rule applied again. Oh, they've got a California,they must be minted, add 25% to standard price. Bosh.

Were minted!!

 

[Yorkie]

I just lost a pound coin so will have to cancel next years foreign trip.

 

[Pete Wilkins]

I have checked om my log book. shocked to see it is a Motor Caravan.
My wife and i are 100% sure that when we bought it it said Private Vehicle or similar. This gave us the conviction to write to our residents committee to advise of its registration as Motor Caravans are not allowed in the grounds. I can only imagine that it was reassigned on change of address.
Regardless of what i thought i am the proud owner of Brian (not so proud just now as he's presently covered in sap and flower petals)

The VW paperwork that came with mine classed it as a estate car, for import. But log book is as a campervan.