Vehicle Type Approval z1?

[Krispy]

Sounds awesome. Have you encountered any issues with insurance as a result of the classification at all?

No - just purchased insurance this morning and got a pretty good deal from Admiral, so it all seems fine whatever Z1 turns out to be.

 

[Krispy]

Amazing price and delivery date. Colindale must’ve been trying it on with the 2019 T6 for £2k more than you’re paying!
Well done for finding it (and the other one!). How did you find them - rang round dealers? I’d have thought there’d be a waiting list!

The black Ocean I was originally going to purchase:

I was told about it when I called a dealer to enquire about a year-old Coast they were selling. They told me they had two brand new Deep Black Cali's ready for delivery in a week they could sell to me as a second owner for just a few thousand more that had media pro and an electric side door (didn't really want that to be honest after reading all the issues people have with it on this forum). As far as I know, that's still available. If anyone wants to know the dealer, you can PM me I think? I would imagine that it would be against forum rules to post the dealer's name here.

The Fortana Red I went on to purchase, it was listed on Autotrader - Fish-Bros in Swindon. I snapped it up the same morning it was listed I think.

 

[66tim99]

The black Ocean I was originally going to purchase:

I was told about it when I called a dealer to enquire about a year-old Coast they were selling. They told me they had two brand new Deep Black Cali's ready for delivery in a week they could sell to me as a second owner for just a few thousand more that had media pro and an electric side door (didn't really want that to be honest after reading all the issues people have with it on this forum). As far as I know, that's still available. If anyone wants to know the dealer, you can PM me I think? I would imagine that it would be against forum rules to post the dealer's name here.

The Fortana Red I went on to purchase, it was listed on Autotrader - Fish-Bros in Swindon. I snapped it up the same morning it was listed I think.

You could sell it for maybe a £10k profit. Here's a Fortana 150 with 11,000miles for £65k
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-de...=VOLKSWAGEN&price-from=500&radius=1500&page=1

 

[Stu@rt]

Fantastic news. So Z1 panic over then. #stillcurious !!

No - just purchased insurance this morning and got a pretty good deal from Admiral, so it all seems fine whatever Z1 turns out to be.

 

[Loz]

Just as long as you don't have issues with speed limits, Tunnel restrictions and other non M1 type restrictions.

 

[Krispy]

You could sell it for maybe a £10k profit. Here's a Fortana 150 with 11,000miles for £65k
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011126031661?include-delivery-option=on&postcode=e83bg&model=CALIFORNIA&sort=price-desc&aggregatedTrim=Ocean&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=Used&make=VOLKSWAGEN&price-from=500&radius=1500&page=1

I actually viewed that vehicle at Breeze Poole a couple of weeks ago. They were willing to let it go for £62k on the day. A decent price I guess, even though I don't think it has any options. And we came very close to pulling the trigger on it, because I do love that colour.

But what caused us to hesitate was that it was apparently accidentally registered incorrectly as a car, that it's now stuck with that classification and that as a result the annual tax is twice the amount that a California registered as a motorhome costs. And it's stuck with that for potentially several more years. Which put us off, and therefore might well put others off when it comes time to sell it on.

 

[Alistair Hardy]

And FYI, the link to DVLA vehicle checker: https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla

....And this is the response I got from the DVSA to my email enquiry:

Thank you for the email but the code for approval Z1 is not recognised in Individual Vehicle Approval and you would need to contact DVLA for further information.
Regards
Mick

Was unable to speak to anyone at DVLA today, will try again tomorrow.

You will have a job speaking to them, I've been trying since October and I've had three short don't know will email you conversations followed by we are in Covid mode, short staffed and things are taking longer than usual.

 

[Krispy]

You will have a job speaking to them, I've been trying since October and I've had three short don't know will email you conversations followed by we are in Covid mode, short staffed and things are taking longer than usual.

Update:

I haven't managed to speak to any one at the DVLA. But now I own the Cali, can confirm that the vehicle's V5 also lists it as a Z1.

The DVSA has referred me on to the Vehicle Certification Agency, which appears to provide email only contact. So I'm currently awaiting their response.

Meanwhile, when I google Vehicle Type Approval Z1, this thread remains the only relevant link that comes up.

It seems truly remarkable that a whole new vehicle classification can come into existence without anyone anywhere knowing anything about it. And as I pointed out earlier, its definitely not a one off.

I'll update further when I hear back from the VCA.

 

[Krispy]

You are probably all sick of me banging on about "Z1" but just in case you're not - another December reg Cali just came up on Autotrader at Lookers Glasgow - reg SB70 TZZ.

And it too is listed as a Z1 type vehicle. So that's three December Cali's now.

 

[Stu@rt]

You are probably all sick of me banging on about "Z1" but just in case you're not - another December reg Cali just came up on Autotrader at Lookers Glasgow - reg SB70 TZZ.

And it too is listed as a Z1 type vehicle. So that's three December Cali's now.

Seems highly likely that there will be others out there then.

 

[Lightning]

I think it is Brexit related:


REGULATION (EU) 2018/858 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
of 30 May 2018
on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles, amending Regulations (EC) No 715/2007 and (EC) No 595/2009 and repealing Directive 2007/46/EC

This Regulation lays down the technical and administrative type-approval requirements for motor vehicles for the carriage of passengers (category M), and motor vehicles for the carriage of goods (category N) and their trailers (category O), and for the systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles with a view to ensuring a high level of safety and of environmental performance

 

[Lightning]

Maybe something to do with th?


At this point, regulation (EU) 2018/858 will become “Retained law” in Great Britain, which means that it is treated as British law. The application of Regulation (EU) 2018/858 is subject to the Northern Ireland Protocol, Article 5(4) and is referenced in annex 2 of the protocol.

To assist with the transition, VCA have already collected the details of current holders of vehicle type approvals issued by EU member states (EU-27), and will issue Provisional GB vehicle type approvals , which will be valid for 2 years, assuming the underlying approval remains valid.

Improving road vehicle standards enforcement

www.gov.uk

 

[Krispy]

I think it is Brexit related:

Yes, I suspect you're right. But I think it's astonishing that no car salesman, no member of the DVSA - no one on the internet at all - seems to have any idea of the existence of this new classification.

 

[B J G]

It does leave a question for the DVLA as to how an unknown category, Z1, can be entered into and accepted as valid by their Computer System.

Reasonable to assume that it must have a specific criteria and code previously entered into the system.

 

[Krispy]

The plot thickens...

This morning I got the following response from the VCO:

"Thank you for your email.

I had forwarded your enquiry onto our Technical Standards Team and they believe that this category is a typing error as there isn't a Category Z.

DVLA deal with vehicle registration and I would suggest that you can contact them using this link DVLA https://www.gov.uk/contact-the-dvla. If you have a Certificate of Conformity for the vehicle then the vehicle category should be on this also."

So I contacted the DVLA using their online web chat service, asked what Z1 is and got the following reply after a very long delay:

"I have just asked my support team and they have advised that the category you're seeing will have come off the Type Approval that was provided, it would be best for you to speak with the manufacturer for clarity."

I struggled to understand this. It seemed as if 'Victoria' was suggesting that VW simply came up with the code Z1, and that only they know what it means, and the DVLA don't care because it doesn't matter to them to know what it means.

I asked the person to clarify, 'do you really mean that the DVLA doesn't know what Z1 is, and that it's known only to VW?' To which she replied in a nutshell 'yes' - explaining that it's up to the manufacturer to designate the code...

When I asked how then should a traffic enforcer interpret what Z1 means in terms of road regulations, she completely dodged the question and simply kept telling me to contact the manufacturer.

So I guess I"ll do that - but who would I even reach out to? Certainly the dealers appear to know nothing, so what department should I contact? Anyone have any ideas?

It's all completely bizarre and kafkaesque.

 

[Jester]

The plot thickens...

This morning I got the following response from the VCO:

"Thank you for your email.

I had forwarded your enquiry onto our Technical Standards Team and they believe that this category is a typing error as there isn't a Category Z.

DVLA deal with vehicle registration and I would suggest that you can contact them using this link DVLA https://www.gov.uk/contact-the-dvla. If you have a Certificate of Conformity for the vehicle then the vehicle category should be on this also."

So I contacted the DVLA using their online web chat service, asked what Z1 is and got the following reply after a very long delay:

"I have just asked my support team and they have advised that the category you're seeing will have come off the Type Approval that was provided, it would be best for you to speak with the manufacturer for clarity."

I struggled to understand this. It seemed as if 'Victoria' was suggesting that VW simply came up with the code Z1, and that only they know what it means, and the DVLA don't care because it doesn't matter to them to know what it means.

I asked the person to clarify, 'do you really mean that the DVLA doesn't know what Z1 is, and that it's known only to VW?' To which she replied in a nutshell 'yes' - explaining that it's up to the manufacturer to designate the code...

When I asked how then should a traffic enforcer interpret what Z1 means in terms of road regulations, she completely dodged the question and simply kept telling me to contact the manufacturer.

So I guess I"ll do that - but who would I even reach out to? Certainly the dealers appear to know nothing, so what department should I contact? Anyone have any ideas?

It's all completely bizarre and kafkaesque.

This chap might help shine some light on the mater.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Managing Director’s details as follows:

Name: Carl Zu Dohna
Contact email: Customercare@vwcv.co.uk
Address: Volkswagen Group UK, Yeomans Drive, Blakelands, Milton Keynes, MK14 5AN

 

[Krispy]

This chap might help shine some light on the mater.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Managing Director’s details as follows:

Name: Carl Zu Dohna
Contact email: Customercare@vwcv.co.uk
Address: Volkswagen Group UK, Yeomans Drive, Blakelands, Milton Keynes, MK14 5AN

Thanks for this info. However, I'd already contacted VW before I read this.

So -

VW were actually super helpful. The guy I spoke to was completely stumped, so put me on hold while he spoke to someone he says was head of sales for VW Commercial UK - who lives and breathes such things as type approvals etc. apparently.

And - they came back to me and said that they have no idea what Z1 is, but that they can confirm that my Cali is an M1SE body type 27 - and that I'm subject to all the usual regs that cover ordinary cars.

They suggested I turn to the DVSA to find out what Z1 means - which as previously mentioned, is what led me to VW in the first place.

So there you have it - Z1 doesn't exist, despite it existing. And those whose vehicles have the non-existent Z1 classification don't have anything to worry about.

 

[westfalia]

My theory is -

A handwritten 27 in english could easily translate to Z1 in german.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks for this info. However, I'd already contacted VW before I read this.

So -

VW were actually super helpful. The guy I spoke to was completely stumped, so put me on hold while he spoke to someone he says was head of sales for VW Commercial UK - who lives and breathes such things as type approvals etc. apparently.

And - they came back to me and said that they have no idea what Z1 is, but that they can confirm that my Cali is an M1SE body type 27 - and that I'm subject to all the usual regs that cover ordinary cars.

They suggested I turn to the DVSA to find out what Z1 means - which as previously mentioned, is what led me to VW in the first place.

So there you have it - Z1 doesn't exist, despite it existing. And those whose vehicles have the non-existent Z1 classification don't have anything to worry about.

VW U.K. should be able to supply you with a Certificate of Conformity which you can then use to get DVLA to pull their finger out and correctly register the vehicle.

 

[Virgil van Bike]

Snap. It also says 5 seats for the Ocean!

 

[WelshGas]

Snap. It also says 5 seats for the Ocean!View attachment 71572

A FWD Ocean can have 5 seats legally and a Beach Tourer 7 seats.

 

[Krispy]

Snap. It also says 5 seats for the Ocean!View attachment 71572

No, your V5 doesn't say "Z1" because it can't, because Z1 doesn't exist. Every single official UK vehicle authority has now told me so, as has VW. ;-)

I see though that your Cali doesn't emit any CO2, so that's going to be great for your road tax...

Can I ask, was your Ocean registered in December 2020 like mine?

 

[Virgil van Bike]

No, your V5 doesn't say "Z1" because it can't, because Z1 doesn't exist. Every single official UK vehicle authority has now told me so, as has VW. ;-)

I see though that your Cali doesn't emit any CO2, so that's going to be great for your road tax...

Can I ask, was your Ocean registered in December 2020 like mine?

Wow, so it doesn't exist, and if it does it's road tax free! yay!

Yes, registered in December 2020.

 

[Krispy]

Wow, so it doesn't exist, and if it does it's road tax free! yay!

Yes, registered in December 2020.

Can I ask where you got yours from? Mine was from Fish Bros in Swindon.

Wow, so it doesn't exist, and if it does it's road tax free! yay!

Yes, registered in December 2020.

Also. was yours pre-registered by the dealer?

 

[Virgil van Bike]

Also. was yours pre-registered by the dealer?

Mine wasn’t a pre reg. Date of registration 16/12 and purchased through Liverpool VW so can’t see a link to yours. Wierd!