Motorhome Road Tax

Bongonaught
Bongonaught Forum Participant Posts: 37
edited December 2017 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

Hi

I am thinking of trading the caravan for a motor home but I am struggling to find out how much road tax I would pay. I currently pay around £280 for the tow car being a 2.2 diesel.  The motor home I have an eye on is a Fiat Ducato Lunar 2.8 2003 mod.

By changing I can save on at least one insurance as i will be selling the car & caravan

I have had a quote for insurance from CC&MH and was pleasantly surprised.

I love the caravan but I have recently developed an unexpected and awkward heart condition (AF) which is unpredictable and have been told that riving and tearing is not on !  Not that I did any the motor mover does everything for me but I must confess that the motor home appeals to me more.

 

Anyway please can anyone hazard a guess?  I have been on the Gov. website and it is difficult to calculate

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2017 #2

    Try this website if you have the reg no, Bongo. I’d guess it will be less than your car.

     

    https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,862 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2017 #3

    When we changed from a caravan to a motorhome we sold the tow car and purchased a small car and to this day we are still paying less in VED in total for two vehicles than we were for the tow car on its own which was the about £475 a year. We found the insurance was about the same for the motorhome as it was for the caravan. The only extra expense (for us as we previously only had one vehicle) is the cab service for the motorhome.

    Good luck with the AF. In certain circumstances it can be corrected but I am sure you have had that conversation with your doctor. 

    David

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2017 #4

    Would agree with DK, we pay less now for the MH than we did for the tow car and caravan for everything.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited December 2017 #5

    there are two rates AFAIK for 'motorhomes' although there is no such named category...there is a tax group called 'motor caravan' and the rate applied is as below..

    the two groups are PLG (Private Light Goods) for vehicle upto 3500kg and PHG (Private Heavy Goods) for other vehicles

    perversely, its cheaper to drive a PHG vehicle (approx £245 from memory) than it is to drive a smaller, lighter, less polluting PLG one, which is around £320??)

    i dont have the exact figures here, and if you can find it on the Gov website, well done.....

    the anomaly is, i believe, due to the Govt wanting to keep the 'heavy' rate low as it would affect commercial owners.

    sirely, the easiest thing would be to have proper separate rate for leisure vehicles, with the two classes the other way round, cost wise?

    still, what do i know?smile

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited December 2017 #6

    The VED on my Kuga was £190. The MH, a 2.2 Euro 5 engine is, IIRC, £245. VED rates can be lower if a MH is above a certain weight, I think 4.25 tonnes, otherwise it is taxed as PLG and based on emissions.

  • Justus2
    Justus2 Forum Participant Posts: 897
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    edited December 2017 #7

    Vehicle Excise Duty on our van is also £245.. Its a 2.3ltr Euro 5 Fiat van.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited December 2017 #8

    yes, as above, found the figures

    Private/light goods vehicle (tax class 11) weighing no more than 3,500kgs £245

    Private/neavy goods vehicle (tax class 10) weighing over 3500kg £165.

  • KeithandMargaret
    KeithandMargaret Forum Participant Posts: 660
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    edited December 2017 #9

    I have a Pilote 3500kg Motorhome and the Vehicle Tax is £245 for 12 months (£134.75 for 6 months).

    Above the 3500kg weight other conditions can apply for the Vehicle Tax but the Lunar is only 3500kg and different tariffs should not worry you.

    Insurance costs me £340 for two named drivers, Breakdown cover for UK and Abroad, Legal cover and known Heart condition (Pacemaker) – others may pay more and others less.

    Hope this helps

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited December 2017 #10

    We pay £165 for our 3,850 van.  It is all to do with keeping the costs down for HGV operators in the UK to compete with all the foreign operators coming over from France etc. filling up with cheap fuel there to deliver goods here.

  • H B Watson
    H B Watson Forum Participant Posts: 183
    edited December 2017 #11

    Yep, as has been said the PHG of £165 is great for me, only becomes a problem after 70yo.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited December 2017 #12

    my vehicle was plated at 3850 on the forecourt and i could happily have run it at this weight....

    however, the vehicle is also easily manageable at 3500.

    i chose to run it at 3500 (and pay £80 more taxundecided, it cost me nothing for the replate) as i wanted the higher speed limits (i know these are based on 'unladen weight' which hasnt changed but is an 'easier' conversation with plod at 3500.....) and the ability to drive into any Continental town/village without worrying about the increasingly common weight restrictions.

    we wanted a more 'go anywhere' van, this time and i cant be doing with weight restrictions if im popping into the village for a recce.....

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #13

    I have a 2005 lunar 2.8dt and pay £190 a year

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2017 #14

    the ability to drive into any Continental town/village without worrying about the increasingly common weight restrictions

    BB, This usually only applies to commercial vehicles and does not apply for access anyway, e.g. to a campsite or aire. Nevertheless it is wise not to flaunt the restrictions without good reason. You never know what you might encounter which prevents passage.

    peedee

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited December 2017 #15

    It also saves a lot of hassle once one hits that magic age.

  • Lyke Wake Man
    Lyke Wake Man Forum Participant Posts: 238
    edited December 2017 #16

    why dont you get an old motorhome tat has free ved

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited December 2017 #17

    Some of the 3500 motorhomes seem to have really low payloads like 250/270kg. However what is included in MIRO. Is there an allowance for fuel, driver, water? 

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
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    edited December 2017 #18

    I have just paid £115 for a Mercedes GLC 250d which just goes to show what a complete shambles VED has become, started by Osborne and now continued by Hammond. 

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited December 2017 #19

    Alan, youre right, and ive made posts about this before, especially when manufacturers try and run vehicles thatbare patently 'too large' to run successfully (even legally) at this weight.....eg Bailey 7-90 series, where rear axle weights will undoubtedly be compromised well before total MTPLM is reached...

    however, in the case of our van (1.5m shorter and 37cm slimmer than the above example) we weigh a lot less.....unladen weight 2645kg, so lots of spare...

    of course, both factory and dealer options/extras have to be factored in and, despite plenty of these, we are comfotably under the MTPLM and axle weights when fully loaded with all our long term kit....

    as you say, note must be taken of what is (or more to the point, isnt) included in any MIRO stated.

    a few years ago, it was relatively easy....driver (75kg), fuel 90%, water 90%, one full gas bottle.....from memory.

    however, many manufacturers dont include ANY water in their MIRO, nor gas in some cases, miraculously upping the 'payload' by 100kg or more....guaranteed to scoop up more unsuspecting customers.

    so the answer to your (general) MIRO question is.....'could be anything', do check very carefully.

    in the case of the Bailey above (which was featured recently in MMM and the rear axle issue highlighted......but sadly not weighed to reveal the full 'evidence') my suspicions are that, on the 3500 chassis, by adding 'Mrs New Owner' and a full tank of water 'may' take the rear axle overweight before actually putting anything to do with motorhoming inside the van.....and bikes/racks etc will just seal its fate as 'not fit for purpose'....

    take care out there.