Weight and loading capacity

[ChrisB]

My comments were in response to this post above.

Probably my Welsh Humour. I thought it was funny but didn't take into account that some members can be a little touchy.

My apologies Wg, I was just curious. No offence taken or intended.

 

[ChrisB]

My apologies Wg, I was just curious. No offence taken or intended.

I have ordered a 150 4 motion dsg because i cant afford the 204, the exchange rate is just killing me. I ordered on 5th July and the drop in the value of the pound has already added over a grand to price. I am praying for it to improve bt November when I have to divvy up another 57k for it.

 

[WelshGas]

I have ordered a 150 4 motion dsg because i cant afford the 204, the exchange rate is just killing me. I ordered on 5th July and the drop in the value of the pound has already added over a grand to price. I am praying for it to improve bt November when I have to divvy up another 57k for it.

Sorry to hear that.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Interesting, but the panel vans and Kombis with the larger engines, and the Shuttles (8+1 seats) have gross weights of 3200 kg...
Caravelle - same as Cali, 150/3000kg, 204/3080 kg.
One has to assume the difference in load carrying is to do with the suspension.
Even when I have seen fully loaded Cali's they don't look down on their haunches, and it would be that which would alert an DVSA or properly certified police officer to initiate a weight check. They tend to be focused on commercial vehicles (weight, condition, driver's hours, etc.) in fact I believe some powers only apply to commercial vehicles (including PSV, hire and reward, taxis, etc.)

If dangerously overweight (c.30%) then there could be a prohibition notice issued (not to mention fine). Less than 5% overweight and it would be probably be a warning.

Abroad; who knows what they can do?

I suppose the question is whether any forum members have ever been weighed in their Cali by an enforcement officer in the UK or elsewhere?

 

[Hotel California]

Digging this thread up as i been to a local weighing station before heading off on my trip to the Slimbrige meet .
I fully loaded up the Cali in travel modus . Full fuel tank , full water tank , all the standard equipment plus bags of clothes , food , drinks ,.....fully packed .
My 2012 SE ticked 2850 kg with driver included.
Add my passeger and a dog and you are very close to the 3tonnes .
I minimise my gear belive me , bbq , microwaves , drive away awning , are NOT included
Seeing again last weekend the stuff some unpacked at the Slimbridge meet ,
I should say all those with 3 persons and/or bike racks added are well over weight imo.

I know now what i need and don't need , my packing is about thesame each trip and i can sleep on both ears ....not over the limit

 

[Mike Maguire]

Btw ... No one has mentioned the extra weight of 4motion Drive! At least for my old girl, an 08 174 dsg the handbook advises no 5th Seat if 4motion due to weight issues. And yes, the 5th seat is HEAVY!

 

[Sp0_0k]

Weighed our beach on a last Norwegian trip. 3100kg
Need to cut some weight. And I've thrown away heavy awning and don't take bike rack.
I am seriously considering throwing away 2 seater bench and building my own one, lighter and more flexible one. Any idea how much it weighs?

 

[Sp0_0k]

If anybody curious just got info that 2 seater bench weighs 86kg.
We definitely plan to throw it away as 2 people in a van.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Hopefully not throw it away completely?

 

[Sp0_0k]

Have to pass the technical inspection each 2 years. No idea why but they go apesh.t. if seats are missing
So will be some heavy lifting from time to time.

 

[B J G]

Have to pass the technical inspection each 2 years. No idea why but they go apesh.t. if seats are missing
So will be some heavy lifting from time to time.

I'd assume that the vehicle must be to the same specification as it was on first registration. In UK you'd have to change the number of seats/passengers that can be carried with the DVLA who would issue a new registration document. Probably an expensive process with your Authorities.

 

[andyinluton]

I'd assume that the vehicle must be to the same specification as it was on first registrIn UK you'd have to change the number of seats/passengers that can be carried with the DVLA who would issue a new registration document. Probably an expensive process with your Authorities.

Thats not right in the UK . you just can't carry more passengers than there are seats listed on the V5 . Nothing at all to stop you taking seats out. especially on a vehicle that has sliding removable seats.

 

[B J G]

Thats not right in the UK . you just can't carry more passengers than there are seats listed on the V5 . Nothing at all to stop you taking seats out. especially on a vehicle that has sliding removable seats.

Never mentioned carrying more passengers than seats, obviously not legal or safe.

If seats removed they would have to be refitted for an MOT Test as the Tester would be required to test the number of seats listed on the V5 including the seatbelts. That is the same as in Belgium it would seem.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Our 7 seater was tested in December with the 2 seats removed. Passed MOT with no issues.

 

[Louis II]

My van has just been through it's 3rd MOT. Each one has been at a different garage. The V5 says 5 seats, it has only ever had 4 and it has never been raised as an issue.

I had assumed that once you had the 3rd rail it would be listed as 5 seats on the V5 even if you didn't have the seat.

 

[andyinluton]

Never mentioned carrying more passengers than seats, obviously not legal or safe.

If seats removed they would have to be refitted for an MOT Test as the Tester would be required to test the number of seats listed on the V5 including the seatbelts. That is the same as in Belgium it would seem.

Where are your you getting your info from?

MOT tests the seats as fitted. No requirement at all to have same number as V5 - there is nothing about the number of seats in the testing manual.
Not sure what new vans have on V5 but at one time all 2wheel drive Oceans used to be registered as 5 seats whether or not the additional seat had been supplied.



Not sure what new vans have on V5 but at one time all 2wheel drive Oceans used to be registered as 5 seats whether or not the additional seat had been supplied.

 

[MartinH]

I think all you need are driver and front passenger seats for an MOT. Many years ago when I at a pizza shop we used to take the passenger seats out of the delivery cars and put an insulated box in thier place.

The cars failed thier MOT without the seats, so we had to put them back in

 

[Sp0_0k]

Traffic control/police don't care if you removed them. But so-called MOT might cause you troubles here, as they have to check the functionality of all the seatbelts and they can't do that when some seats are missing.
Our tech controls went from totally corrupted when you didn't even have to drive there to insanely strict control with a photo of each inspected part that has to be uploaded to a special online server.

 

[AndyWT]

This post seems to have merged into an MOT discussion.

Coming back to the original.... How did the Ocean get so heavy?

I just weighed my 2000 T4 2.5 Tdi fully loaded for travel, 2,700 kg ish with the 2 teens in its a bit over GVW at 2,840.

The T5/6 has an alloy engine, light weight furniture alloy honey comb, alloy roof, light weight bed etc etc and it’s still heavier than my T4 empty it’s 200 kg more than the T4.

T4 has a 5cyl iron lump, heavy torsion bar front suspension, marine ply furniture, heavy composite roof.

In the van we have,
High-life jack & all the stuff for self recovery, chains strap, shackles etc
4-ton low bottle jack
Wood jacking blocks
Tools lots of
Spare parts lots of
½” battery impact wrench
2-speed battery drill
12 volt compressor
Bbq
Extra gaz 907
Small gas stove
Tarp & poles etc
F35 Pro awning
Folding table
35m hookup & several adapters
Bike rack
Level ramps
Window insulation
Extra diesel
Pot pans
60lt+ water
Food
Computer
Saw
Etc etc.

It’s completely full, although floor and bed are clear.
I would put a winch on the front if it wasn’t so difficult and if my sponsor the Dept of Works & Pensions was a bit more generous.

Some may seem this as excessive, we are on the road, dirt, gravel going somewhere when ever we can and will be back sometime... with an old van plan for the worst, hope for the best, and in the last 2 1/2 years of 36,000 km we have only broke down once when it threw the inj pump belt off dew to VW’s 2 year old crappy belt tensioner failing, bodged it with what we had and fixed at home 6,000 km later.

But still... why is the current VW camper so heavy

 

[TripleBee]

The T5 and up are wider, highter, longer. Double glazed windows at the back. Picknick talbe in sliding door, seats in tailgate, heavy seats, heavy aluminium roof...

Mine weighs over 2500 kg "empty".