Help! :)

Immaculata

I have bought an ex-school bus, a Mercedes 609D. It's from Northern Ireland and is on an UK registration plate. I have converted the inside and plan to use it as a campervan. I figure I need to get the bus replated with Irish plates, reclassified as a camper, taxed and insured before I drive it, so I rang the local VRT office and asked. The very nice man said to pop over tomorrow in the vehicle and he'll check it out and let me know how much I owe.

So, I need advice. I can't get my insurer to cover me on the bus until it is reclassified as a camper. But I can't get it reclassified as a camper until I get over to the VRT office (about half an hour's drive). What would you do in my situation?

spaceHopper

Immaculata wrote: »

I have bought an ex-school bus, a Mercedes 609D. It's from Northern Ireland and is on an UK registration plate. I have converted the inside and plan to use it as a campervan. I figure I need to get the bus replated with Irish plates, reclassified as a camper, taxed and insured before I drive it, so I rang the local VRT office and asked. The very nice man said to pop over tomorrow in the vehicle and he'll check it out and let me know how much I owe.

So, I need advice. I can't get my insurer to cover me on the bus until it is reclassified as a camper. But I can't get it reclassified as a camper until I get over to the VRT office (about half an hour's drive). What would you do in my situation?

You'll have to get camper insurance, if you've done a proper job you'll have no trouble. Call Dolmen isnsurance, they do a camper policy, so do stuarts. I was asked to send them photos from the outside front, back and sides and from the inside from either end.

For VRT make sure that they measure the height as being over 1.8m behind the drivers seat and make sure your self that there are now low spots. If it's over 3 tonn it's only 50 euros vrt and if you go to the office about 3 3:30 tomorrow they won't care they'll be thinking about the weekend... so if there are problems kickup a fuss

Immaculata

spaceHopper wrote: »

You'll have to get camper insurance, if you've done a proper job you'll have no trouble. Call Dolmen isnsurance, they do a camper policy, so do stuarts. I was asked to send them photos from the outside front, back and sides and from the inside from either end.

For VRT make sure that they measure the height as being over 1.8m behind the drivers seat and make sure your self that there are now low spots. If it's over 3 tonn it's only 50 euros vrt and if you go to the office about 3 3:30 tomorrow they won't care they'll be thinking about the weekend... so if there are problems kickup a fuss

Nope, I can't get insurance, that's the problem. The bus is currently plated as a minibus, a vehicle with 12 or more seats. My driving license won't cover any vehicle with more than eight seats, even if I take the extra seats out. No one I know has anything other than a car license. I can't get insured on the bus until it's re-classified. I can't get it reclassified until I get it over to the VRT office for inspection. It's a bit of a puzzle.

Thanks for the suggestion, though. And I take your points about the measurements and the timing! Cheers.

peasant

The good thing about insurance companies is that they can be bribed

The trick is to transfer the insurance for a current car to your unfinished camper for the day (or even just a few hours) to get the trip to the VRT people covered. It's going to take a lot of explaining and sweet-talking on the phone and it's going to cost you (and not just a few Euro either) but it can be done.

Just explain to them that you're going to get your "minibus" re-designated, that you won't be taking any passengers, that the seats are long gone and that you generally are anice and trustworthy person ...and then bend over for the quote

Immaculata

peasant wrote: »

The good thing about insurance companies is that they can be bribed

The trick is to transfer the insurance for a current car to your unfinished camper for the day (or even just a few hours) to get the trip to the VRT people covered. It's going to take a lot of explaining and sweet-talking on the phone and it's going to cost you (and not just a few Euro either) but it can be done.

Just explain to them that you're going to get your "minibus" re-designated, that you won't be taking any passengers, that the seats are long gone and that you generally are anice and trustworthy person ...and then bend over for the quote

Thanks for the suggestion. Already tried it. No dice.

paddyp

Immaculata wrote: »

I have bought an ex-school bus, a Mercedes 609D. It's from Northern Ireland and is on an UK registration plate. I have converted the inside and plan to use it as a campervan. I figure I need to get the bus replated with Irish plates, reclassified as a camper, taxed and insured before I drive it, so I rang the local VRT office and asked. The very nice man said to pop over tomorrow in the vehicle and he'll check it out and let me know how much I owe.

So, I need advice. I can't get my insurer to cover me on the bus until it is reclassified as a camper. But I can't get it reclassified as a camper until I get over to the VRT office (about half an hour's drive). What would you do in my situation?

Whats the gross vhicle weight? Every 609d I've seen has been over 5 ton gross vehicle weight, in which case you won't be able to drive it regardless of seats without at least a C1 or D1 licence.

If its still uk registered you may be able to get it replated by post by these guys: http://www.svtech.co.uk/ Call them and ask about having it replated as gvw 3500kg goods vehicle.

TigerTim

Do you any friendly garaga man/mechanic who would drive it with a trade plate to the VRT office. Might cost some beer money.

Tim

Immaculata

paddyp wrote: »

Whats the gross vhicle weight? Every 609d I've seen has been over 5 ton gross vehicle weight, in which case you won't be able to drive it regardless of seats without at least a C1 or D1 licence.

If its still uk registered you may be able to get it replated by post by these guys: http://www.svtech.co.uk/ Call them and ask about having it replated as gvw 3500kg goods vehicle.

I don't know the weight for sure, but I have a suspicion the bus is over five tonnes. But I checked before I bought it and it is fine to drive on a car license even if it's over five tonnes, *providing* it has been reclassified as a camper. It is crazy that I can drive the exact same vehicle with a different bit of paperwork, but such is the law of the land. Or at least, the road. Thanks for the SVTech suggestion; I will check that out.

TigerTim wrote: »

Do you any friendly garaga man/mechanic who would drive it with a trade plate to the VRT office. Might cost some beer money.

Thanks very much. I'll try this!

paddyp

Immaculata wrote: »

I checked before I bought it and it is fine to drive on a car license even if it's over five tonnes, *providing* it has been reclassified as a camper.

I would be absolutely astounded if thats true.

A normal b licence clearly states less than or equal to 3500kg gvw.

Even if a blind eye is turned here in Ireland theres no way I'd be travelling abroad with a licence that says 3500kg and a van thats gvw over 5 ton you could find yourself walking home.

T650

paddyp wrote: »

I would be absolutely astounded if thats true.

A normal b licence clearly states less than or equal to 3500kg gvw.

Even if a blind eye is turned here in Ireland theres no way I'd be travelling abroad with a licence that says 3500kg and a van thats gvw over 5 ton you could find yourself walking home.

+1 !

Immaculata

paddyp wrote: »

I would be absolutely astounded if thats true.

A normal b licence clearly states less than or equal to 3500kg gvw.

Even if a blind eye is turned here in Ireland theres no way I'd be travelling abroad with a licence that says 3500kg and a van thats gvw over 5 ton you could find yourself walking home.

I'd very much prefer not to have to walk home from Europe. So I double checked and (despite what my insurance broker *and* the motor tax office told me before I bought the bus :eek:), you're quite right.

:rolleyes:

*le sigh* It's such a pity. I really liked that bus. I just rang the Merc main dealers to see what weight it is and if they confirm that it's over the three and a half tonne as they probably will, I'll have to sell it.

Curses, foiled again.

Thank you for saving me from getting in serious trouble legally further down the road. I appreciate it.

spaceHopper

Apply for a provisional license and do the test.

paddyp

The svtech guys (maybe even your local mercedes garage) should be able to replate it as 3500kg theres no problem downrating vehicle. Its a good big van and you've put the work into it I'd try to have it replated I reckon it would be 250 euro max to have it done.

Immaculata

paddyp wrote: »

The svtech guys (maybe even your local mercedes garage) should be able to replate it as 3500kg theres no problem downrating vehicle. Its a good big van and you've put the work into it I'd try to have it replated I reckon it would be 250 euro max to have it done.

Hi! Bit of an update. I looked into lessons and it would have been prohibitively expensive. I then looked into downplating, and could have had it replated. So thank you for that. However, even replated, as it was a minibus conversion that originally would have sat more than eight people, no insurance company in Ireland would even look at covering it. So I had to sell it, and I sold it a couple of days ago. I took the camper part out and now have a scarily well equipped garden shed.

Thanks for your advice.

I'm now looking for a replacement camper in the 3.5 tonne weight range. I'd still like a Merc as I have tangled with VWs before, so if you could recommend me some suitable models, that would be even more helpful. But thanks either way.

650Ginge

Thats a bummer, sorry to hear it, lot of effort!