Sanef Tag

meecee
meecee Forum Participant Posts: 304

I’m considering getting a sanef tag through the club.  I see that the maximum height allowed is 3m. Our Autosleeper motorhome is 2.97m high.  Is the height restriction a classification issue or is it critical for passage through the higher telepeage lane? 
OH is a bit concerned about the 3cm!  Also how large/deep is the tag – would it interfere with the closing of our screen blinds?  I’ve read the Sanef webpage but can’t find out this info.  What pros and cons have others found?

Comments

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #2

    Your height is OK, you will be charged the class 2 rate but you may be best to choose to go through lanes without a height barrier.

    if you don't want to fix the tag on the windscreen you can keep in your pocket and hold it up at each toll booth. 

    I don't know what SANEF and the Club are charging these days for tags , but ATMB are giving them away free until 25 March 2016, and only charging €3 postage for delivery to you. 

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited January 2016 #3
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  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #4

    I agree with AD we got our last year from ATMB, its been great, ours is on the window under the mirror when we are in France but its easy to just slide out sideways if going into another country and pop it it in the glove box. Very easy to use we tend to
    use the lane for lorries as the it picks up the tag better, might just be where we have situated. Ours doesn't interfer with the blinds.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #5

    Meecee

    We have been using a Sanef Tag for a few years now, got ours via Eurotunnel which I think is the same deal as the CC. We feel it has made life a lot easier especially since we changed to a motorhome as Margaret no longer has to hang out the window!!! Personally I like the Sanef system as they have a UK website and you can check your usage easily and its all in English if that is an advantage to you. There is no saving in tolls which ever system you use but some of the other companies have slightly lower admin charges but in the scheme of things these are not substantual when viewed against the overall cost of tolls. Some people complain that Sanef will only take payment direct from your bank account and won't let you charge to a credit card. They usually send you a couple of Tag holders which are fairly inconspicuous and can be left in place all the time and the Tag will slide out for safe keeping.

    As you have a motorhome you have to consider carefully where you fit the tag. This is particularly the case if your have a cab overhang. We do so we have placed if at dashboard level where it works very well. Initially a bit disconcerting that you have to drive right up to the barrier before it beeps!!!

    David 

     


     

  • JimnyBobbins
    JimnyBobbins Forum Participant Posts: 61
    edited January 2016 #6

    We have a sanef toll tag and it's brilliant. Only height restriction is the far left lane (fast lane) for vehicles under 2m heigh (ie just for cars). Talking to some guys on this site in France they said they need to check their statement each month as their
    status aerial sometimes puts them into class 3, but if that happens they email sanef, they look at the image and adjust the rate. 

    Most lanes for campers etc you need to go up to the barrier before it bleeps and the barrier raises. Some haves 30kmh speed limit above the lane. You can go through those at 30kmh (not mph as I forget sometimes!) and they work very well. 

    We put our tag in the tax disk holder in the car but we found the tag needs to be a certain way up to work so best to just hold it against the screen for the first one as the holders don't come off the screen easily if put the wrong way up!

    also worth noting is if your camper is over 3.5tonnes max weight, you are a class 3 and need to email sanef for a class 3 (Lorry) tag. If your camper is 3.5tonnes and you tow a car / trailer you are still class 2 so can get a normal car tag! 

  • Johnc 26
    Johnc 26 Forum Participant Posts: 49
    edited January 2016 #7

    I posted this yesterday,16th, but it did not appear.              Tried to order my Sanef tag through the French site, all went well until I reached the part for my bank details. When I got to the part asking for the banks IBAN code, I put in the first set
    of digits (GB) the rest of the space for the remaining parts of the code was blocked, and the message on screen was " Enter French IBAN bank code" I presume that meant I could not apply for the Sanef tag unless I had a french bank account. Has anybody else
    had this problem, or am I doing something wrong.

    Jphn C

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #8

    Yes you are doing something wrong. Sorry. 

    If you want to pay by direct debit from a UK bank then purchase your tag from SANEF in Harrogate.

    If on the other hand you want to order from ATMB in France then click CB (bank card) on the application and give card number + expiry date + security code instead of trying to give bank details to set up a UK direct debit. 

     Which of those two companies  are you trying to purchase from?

     

     

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Club Member Posts: 2,401 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #9

    As others have said if you want to deal with a UK organisation then https://www.saneftolling.co.uk/ will have the info but,if you want to get the current deal from ATMB in France then go to http://www.atmb.com/en/special-offers/free-subscription-electronic-toll-pass/.

    As said above you can pay with a card, which some may prefer-it would suit me as I have a Euros card.

    A quick comparison of the two seems to show that ATMB is the cheaper option but not a massive ammount.

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004 ✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #10

    If you're using the free ATMB tag then you need to make sure that the card you're using to pay the bill, has no conversion or transaction charges.  Card which don't charge include the Halifax Clarity, Nationwide Gold (old account), or Norwich and Peterborough
    and probably others.  If your card charges you could find that a 6 euro toll turns into a lot more with the added conversion charge, and transaction fee.

  • TheAdmiral
    TheAdmiral Forum Participant Posts: 506
    edited January 2016 #11

    Best thing we have had, saves Mrs A getting her hair blown away, as I always get a rollocking for not having a left hand drive vehicle

    Admiral

  • meecee
    meecee Forum Participant Posts: 304
    edited January 2016 #12

    From another one who's fed up with leaning out of the window, praying I don't drop the card or have it eaten by the machine -
    we'll go for the tag!  Thanks to everyone who replied, all info gratefully received

  • Johnc 26
    Johnc 26 Forum Participant Posts: 49
    edited January 2016 #13

    I was going through the French organisation, but as Valda says I may end up paying transaction charges, so I will now do through Harrogate, thanks for the advice.

    John C

  • SimonR68
    SimonR68 Forum Participant Posts: 7
    edited January 2016 #14

    Got ours from aprr.fr and use payment against tesco mastercard - no fees and no rip of admin like the UK Sanef site

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited January 2016 #15
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  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,697 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #16

    We have a SANEF tag which worked really well in 2014.  We didn't go across last summer, but it's sitting there on the windscreen all ready to go for our outING in the summer.

    David 

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #17

    Ours is linked to a Saga Credit card that also does not have transaction charges and it worked well last year when we tried it for the first time. If it had not been on offer initially without  charge I probably wouldn't have bothered because we don't use
    toll roads all that much and in low season its not such a problem stopping to pay as we rarely get queues

    +1 except ours is linked to our Nationwide CC again no charges.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #18

    The major problem with linking the account to any type of payment card is that all have expiry dates so you do have to remember to update that information from time to time. At least when it comes directly out of your bank account by direct debit you have no such worries.

    David

  • meecee
    meecee Forum Participant Posts: 304
    edited January 2016 #19

    We went for the easy option via the club link, preferring the DD payment and the tag has arrived this morning - much smaller than I expected.  We have always liked using the N or D roads but they do take longer.  We now would like to use the motorways more
    often as an easier drive for OH (getting older, achey shoulder) hence the tag - brill.

  • Johnc 26
    Johnc 26 Forum Participant Posts: 49
    edited January 2016 #20

    Done it!! Sanef tag arrived today with all the instructions and a spare holder, should make life easier for the navigator on the way to Collioure in May.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #21

    The major problem with linking the account to any type of payment card is that all have expiry dates so you do have to remember to update that information from time to time. At least when it comes directly out of your bank account by direct debit you have no such worries.

    David

    Not a problem, David. When a bank card expires ATMB send an e.mail pointing that out and simply asking for the new number to be typed in. No need to remember anything. 

    And for other people's benefit, ATMB are still sending completely free autoroute tags if applications go in on-line before 25 March 2016. No add on charges if a no- fee bank card is used, and just €3 postage to pay. 

     

  • JPOSH
    JPOSH Forum Participant Posts: 131
    edited January 2016 #22

    One would hope in the near future both companies would give the option to pay in either euros or Stirling which would obviate any transaction charges. Even the smallest of shops on the continent with a card machine offers this .

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited January 2016 #23
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  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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    edited January 2016 #24

    I have the AMTB tag and it didn't work first time but after that it was OK except for one occasion where I actually got out of the car, waving the tag around, until it works. After that we used the drive-through barriers and they worked very well. I figure
    they must have more/better detectors as they have to work quickly!

  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,697 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #25

    My SANEF tag also didn't work first time, but it's worked ever since.

    David