Any advice about vans?

[Rhythm Addict]

I was hoping to buy a Mercedes Sprinter to use for the band and someone mentioned to me that if we were paid I would need an Operators Licence.

Just spoken to VOSA and they say that if the Gross Vehicle Weight is over 3500kgs I do. It's gonna cost £595 to get set up on top of the van, road tax, MOT and stuff.

Anyone know what variants of the Sprinter are below this plated weight cause I cant find owt that tells me. I'd only be looking at an old "leggy" one so it'd probably have to be the earliest series.

:(

[John Hopkins]

I was hoping to buy a Mercedes Sprinter to use for the band and someone mentioned to me that if we were paid I would need an Operators Licence.

Just spoken to VOSA and they say that if the Gross Vehicle Weight is over 3500kgs I do. It's gonna cost £595 to get set up on top of the van, road tax, MOT and stuff.

Anyone know what variants of the Sprinter are below this plated weight cause I cant find owt that tells me. I'd only be looking at an old "leggy" one so it'd probably have to be the earliest series.

:(
You could do what the old bands did and buy an old bus, take out most of the seats and hand paint it..John

[Rhythm Addict]

You could do what the old bands did and buy an old bus, take out most of the seats and hand paint it..John

PSV licences are even more expensive arent they?

I'm wondering if I create a living area complete with sink somewhere in it, whether it would be classed as a camper van?

[John Hopkins]

One here with a bike lift for £1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-LDV-400-SERIES-TD-3-5T-16SEAT-WELFARE-BUS_W0QQitemZ130074489961QQihZ003QQcategoryZ108850 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I don't think it becomes a psv unless you use it for hire or reward..but I could be wrong..John

[jabba]

Good luck with the van try cis for insurance my swb 80 is classed as a car everyone else wnated commercial policies scary so it was. :eek:

[hermann]

Facts At A Glance VAN: Mercedes Sprinter range ENGINES: 4-cylinder CDI diesel 88, 109, 129 or 150bhp / 6-cylinder CDI diesel 185bhp / 6-cylinder petrol 258bhp. MAX PAYLOAD: 960kg (218 CDI SWB low-roof)/ 2,710kg ( 515 CDI SWB lo-roof) LOAD VOLUME: 7m3 17m3
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT: 3.0t, 3.5t, 3.8t, 4.6t, 5.0t
link (http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/car-reviews/car-and-driving/mercedes-sprinter-van-range-1004362.html)

[hermann]

Here's a link to the more detailed spec
http://www.lease-hire.co.uk/special-offers/vans/Mercedes/Sprinter/140/22

[Rhythm Addict]

Good luck with the van try cis for insurance my swb 80 is classed as a car everyone else wnated commercial policies scary so it was. :eek:

Do you mean the Volkswagen LT80 cause that's the same as the Sprinter?

[Rhythm Addict]

Here's a link to the more detailed spec
http://www.lease-hire.co.uk/special-offers/vans/Mercedes/Sprinter/140/22

Thanks Hermann, only problem is that relates to the new range where there does seem to be a 3000kg version. In the older version which is what I can afford, there only appears to be 2.8t, 3.5t and 4.6t and the 2.8t only seems to go up to a 208 MWB and that's the small engine. With the weight I think I could do with a bigger engine for comfort and longevity.

[willie2006]

if you use over 3.5 ton and you are rewarded for carrying goods ( this dosnt have to be payment in cash ) then you need an operators licence. if you use it to carry your own goods then you do not need an o' licence. so if the bands equipment belongs to you and they dont reward you, even fuel payments or a meal, what ever your be alright.

[John Hopkins]

That bus has gone up to £26.99 now!! :eek: John

[Peirre]

if you use over 3.5 ton and you are rewarded for carrying goods ( this dosnt have to be payment in cash ) then you need an operators licence. if you use it to carry your own goods then you do not need an o' licence. so if the bands equipment belongs to you and they dont reward you, even fuel payments or a meal, what ever your be alright.
agreed
If you use a vehicle to move your own personnel belongings or property not connected with any business, you do not need a licence
only if you carry goods "for hire or reward" would you need an "O" licence, then only a restricted 1, but to get 1 of those you`d have to meet a whole load of criteria including a brain busting CPC exam & certification

[excaliburs missus]

the regs are for over 3.5 tonnes, so whatever, a 3.5 tonne sprinter (or LT)would be excempt anyway.

But has been already said, you wont need one, even if you go up to 38 tonne provided its a private vehicle being used for personal use. (you don't think these guys who show classic trucks have 'O' licenses do you?)

Anyway, I have a CPC, so you could always put me down as transport manager if worst comes to the worst :D


But seriously, don't worry, you will be safe and wont need one.......I know I ran a 3.5 tonner for years as a mobile workshop, and I didnt need one for that as technicaly it wasnt a goods vehicle.

[shaggy696969]

Youre not being paid to move the stuff , you are being paid for tha Band and assumedely performing music, so you wouldnt need a operators licence, that only applys surely if your being paid for transport.

[excalibur]

Oooooops............I should realy make sure Heather logs out before posting :cool:

[Tattoo addict]

PSV licences are even more expensive arent they?

I'm wondering if I create a living area complete with sink somewhere in it, whether it would be classed as a camper van?
It is possible to get it in the campervan tax class but there are certain criteria you need to follow eg fixed bed,cooker,running water its not to hard to do. For more info try the self build motorcaravaners club website.

[gothtec]

I hired a sprinter when I last moved house.

Went like a bullit for a van full of crap...nice ride!

Didn't seem to need anymore than an ordinary licence to hire and drive it.

[GreatBritishRob]

I got a new pair of Vans yesterday. They are mega comfy. Probably the best ones ive had.
Oh, hold on, Vans as in motorised things????

[excalibur]

my boss has a 26 ton MAN converted to a camper. His lad races bikes, it has a workshop in it and living accomodation. Scary thing is it is taxed as a private vehicle and you can drive it on a car license (though he does have an HGV1 any of us can drive it)

[jabba]

Do you mean the Volkswagen LT80 cause that's the same as the Sprinter?

oops gotta make myself clear I had the huge transit jobby lwb semi high top got it insured with cis for 285 notes everywhere else it was £600 to £1200 I did swop it for a swb 80 transit later but insurance was the same. The big un was a pain to park my transit 80 go's into the 2metre restrictions you get on car parks ect.
I wont buy any mercs or vw's plenty of parts for the transits in the scrappers and they are very easy to work. Not the fastest though mine is the 2.5 turbo automatic diesal will cruise at 70mph do 80 easy enough any faster than that it gets tireing.

[excalibur]

I got half a million miles out of my old Merc, only thing the engine had was a timing chain in all that time. The engine are first class. (Just in case my boss reads this, the VW's are pretty good too :) )

[Rhythm Addict]

Thanks one and all for the helpful suggestions - Rob excepted but he was trying to lighten the tone :p

I've been reading through bucketloads of legislation on the VOSA web site and to me the definition of hire and reward and trade are sufficiently vague to mean that if they wanna sting me they could and the stories of the costs are quite high if you fall foul.

Bizarrely I've managed to find a 2005 price list that shows the plated GVW's of the old style Sprinters and anything with a 2 at the front (208 etc) is rated at 2800kgs. The problem is the common one, the 208 only has 80bhp and the more powerful ones are as rare as rocking horse pooh because people seem to hold on to em until they're scrap and there's only one MWB one that comes under the 3500kgs limit.

As far as what is carried being my own, the vast majority of it would be yes but there would be times when chunks of it would belong to Huw and whichever guitarist was needed to complete whichever band was perfoming (there are two) on other occasions it would just be my PA and lights so I'd be safe on those latter trips.

I'm tempted to keep looking for a 312 or similar because I drove one a long time ago and like others said it was comfortable and surprisingly swift. On the occasions I've driven a Transit for a distance, it cripples my back - being yet another old fart.

Another factor is that Sprinters dont have timing belts so I wouldn't have to go down the same route as Creature and pay for a belt change as soon as I got it. In case you're wondering, they have chain drive to the cams etc.

Can't make my mind up but aint given up yet.

[excalibur]

Rhythm Addict the thing is hire or reward.................whatever size van you get you WILL NOT need an O license or a CPC