The Moog Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 I think that I might have a problem. The VW bus I have bought wont meet the Low Emissions Zone in London in Jan 2012. it means that I would have to pay a daily charge to drive it or even park it at my house! Any ideas of how to get round this? Or is it a case of use it this summer then flog it on? it currently has got a 1.9D from Golf Mark 3 fitted.
RedSparrow Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Was chatting to a courier we use at work about this. I don't think there is any way round it I'm afraid. On the plus side, in the next 6 months the second hand market will be full of ex PO LDVs going cheap for us outside of London!Sorry that doesn't really help does it?!
The Moog Posted July 5, 2011 Author Posted July 5, 2011 Only thing I can think is fit a Petrol Engine so that it ignores the Diesel bit of life! Maybe find something a bit tasty (or the Autoshite way and fit a 1.1 engine for that beuatiful underpoweredness!)
simmo Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Mr Moog Is your VW a T4? Apparantly fitting a later diesel cat will get some through the limit but the forums would have more info.
Pete-M Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 The Germans have had this emissions crap for a few years now and there are quite a few things on mobile.de retrofitted with cats / traps / whatever to get the emissions sticker they need. May not be the cheapest option, but if you want something with Dr. Diesels Evil Invention in the LEZ then it's either that or drop a nice petrol engine in.
The Moog Posted July 5, 2011 Author Posted July 5, 2011 Simmo it is a T25. Previous owner installed a 1.9D in about 2001. Had a look at the recommended retro fit filters from TFL and they seem to be a fair few grand which doesnt seem worth the effort. Plsu they have to be inspected every year to get compliance. Apparently you can shoehorn a Rover V8 in there! GR8 for trouser fillin moments..
Des Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Before you worry do check you're over the weight limit, I wonder if it would work to throw in a bed, cooker, kitchen table and sink, couple of sash windows on the side and re-regester it as a motorhome, or maybe as easy to keep the lezzers off your back with petrol, but using lpg to get your diesel economy back.
The Moog Posted July 5, 2011 Author Posted July 5, 2011 I put in the Reg number and just said it wasnt compliant. Tried the vechicle checker and because it is a minibus with less than 9 seats it is classed as a car! Woo hoo .. and so it exempt. Motorhomes will be covered from 2012 as well. Hence the issues. If I convert then will have to check the weight limit thing ..
messerschmitt owner Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Before you worry do check you're over the weight limit, I wonder if it would work to throw in a bed, cooker, kitchen table and sink, couple of sash windows on the side and re-regester it as a motorhome, or maybe as easy to keep the lezzers off your back with petrol, but using lpg to get your diesel economy back.nah - my motorhome is euro IV compliant but was built before the cut off point of 2006 so is £200 a day from january! The companies that do these conversions seem to be charging the earth and no one seems to have had it done (in the caravanning press). It's all a big fat con!
John F Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Damn... I clicked on this thread in the expectation of Lesbians.
barefoot Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Surely its only for vehicles over 3.5 tonnesA T25 is 2.3 or 2.5 gross isn't it?
dieselnutjob Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 got the same issue with a mates Japanese import spec buscurrently classified as a ten seat minibus options1. loose a seat. make it 9 seats (mate has eight kids so one has to walk, last resort)2. convince DVLA that it is an estate car body type MPV3. convince TFL that it is Euro3 compliant on the basis that it has a Euro3 compliant engine. The same engine was put in the Prado and sold in Europe as a Euro3 complaint vehicle, so this should be do-able.
The Moog Posted July 5, 2011 Author Posted July 5, 2011 Thats a double cool then because GVW of VW is 2400KG so even if a camper it is ok. I guess I will need to check V5 to see if it has the right details when it comes otherwise going to end up getting a bill. Out of interest if I got a new camper interior fitted do I ever have to tell DVLA?
Negative Creep Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 But on the bright side, at least we won't die from OMG CLIMATE CHANGE http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... ds-newsxml Oh never mind
Conrad D. Conelrad Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 1. loose a seat. make it 9 seats (mate has eight kids so one has to walk, last resort). Eight kids! He's probably spending £200 a day on Pokemon cards as it is.
barefoot Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Thats a double cool then because GVW of VW is 2400KG so even if a camper it is ok. I guess I will need to check V5 to see if it has the right details when it comes otherwise going to end up getting a bill. Out of interest if I got a new camper interior fitted do I ever have to tell DVLA? My T2 had a Plate behind the drivers seat with all the details as per a lorryUnladen weightMax Gross weight Train weight etc. I don't know about telling DVLA, mine is registered as a 2 axle Devon Motorcaravan.
Craig the Princess Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 For van's upto 3.5 tones its 'only' £100 a day. http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/ ... n-2012.pdf(Page 13)
dieselnutjob Posted December 2, 2011 Posted December 2, 2011 got the same issue with a mates Japanese import spec buscurrently classified as a ten seat minibus options1. loose a seat. make it 9 seats (mate has eight kids so one has to walk, last resort)2. convince DVLA that it is an estate car body type MPV3. convince TFL that it is Euro3 compliant on the basis that it has a Euro3 compliant engine. The same engine was put in the Prado and sold in Europe as a Euro3 complaint vehicle, so this should be do-able. I've got some problems with this MPV and I need help.We looked on the V5 document and it says body type "MPV" and number of seats "10".I called TFL and said this is an MPV and not a minibus, and they said from their point of view MPV and Minibus are the same.It seems that if you have a "van" and use at some kind of leisure vehicle you can get the DVLA to relist it as MPV, and then you are okay. For example the Toyota Granvia people are doing this. This works for them because they end up with an 8 seat MPV which is okay for LEZ. The Hiace Custom van people are doing the same because they want some kind of dayvan / ICE transporter and not lots of seats. The only options I can currently see are:-1. Get DVLA to list it as an "Estate car". The TFL woman said that would make it exempt.2. Remove a seat. And be done occasionally for unrestrained passenger or whatever. In fact for long journeys the seat could be reinstalled at the border of Greater London. I would have to get the DVLA to update the number of seats on the V5 to "9".3. Convince them that it is Euro 3 emissions. Going through these options1. I have read that the legal definition of a car is up to 8 passengers. So if a seat was pulled out would that make it easier to get DVLA to list it as a "car"? Then the seat could put back in and TFL would probably not spot check it because it is a "car". How then is a 12 seat Land Rover listed as an "estate car"? Maybe this legal definition is in fact bollox. How realistic is it to get it listed as a "car"? Apparently Ford Tourneos are. Do I go to a DVLA office with the thing and argue with them? Anyone here done a similar thing? 2. Remove a seat option. If I remove a seat do I have to prove to DVLA that I removed a seat? How do I do that? Will they do it by end of December? 3. This Euro 3 is a pain. The car has a 1KZ-TE engine which was also fitted to the Toyota Prado. In the Prado it was Euro 3 compliant. The TFL woman said that she knows nothing about that and that I have to write to Toyota and get them to reply that it is Euro 3 compliant. I can't see Toyota bothering to help with a grey import vehicle. Their tech phone line is premium rate. Have emailed, no reply. According to this pagehttp://www.dieselnet.com/standards/jp/onroad.phpthe car will have emissions of 0.9 g/km (see table Table 2, it is a 1997 or 1998 I think). This is lower than the 1.0 g/km limit for the LEZ, but there doesn't seem to be any way to prove it to TFL. How do I get them to listen? Currently I am thinking that we will have to remove a seat as a quick and easy option and then start the argument about option 3 so that maybe the seat can go back in next year. Any ideas welcome.
Jon Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 This may not be much help since as you say Toyota GB will probably not be that fussed about trying to assist you but here's a link to the freephone number for their technical support: 0844 701 6202 comes out as 01737 367600 and 0800 252806 according to http://www.saynoto0870.com/. I think it was Tayne who alerted Autoshite to this site, so credit to him.
maxpower Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 i was talking about this in work the other day, a mate has a 2001 ex- g.p.o ldv.. which means he has to pay the charge, but he has been offered a 2004 ldv with rear end damage for peanuts, though the 2004 if it could run would be exempt from the charge due to age, if he swapped the engines would he still be liable for the charge even though it is a 2001 van with a 2004 engine?
Craig the Princess Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 i was talking about this in work the other day, a mate has a 2001 ex- g.p.o ldv.. which means he has to pay the charge, but he has been offered a 2004 ldv with rear end damage for peanuts, though the 2004 if it could run would be exempt from the charge due to age, if he swapped the engines would he still be liable for the charge even though it is a 2001 van with a 2004 engine? I'm not suggesting he just swaps the plates over...
maxpower Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 i was talking about this in work the other day, a mate has a 2001 ex- g.p.o ldv.. which means he has to pay the charge, but he has been offered a 2004 ldv with rear end damage for peanuts, though the 2004 if it could run would be exempt from the charge due to age, if he swapped the engines would he still be liable for the charge even though it is a 2001 van with a 2004 engine? I'm not suggesting he just swaps the plates over... he couldn't if he wanted to, as the 2004 has been classed as a complete write off, but if the lez is all about the emissions then i would have thought he would be covered as i don't think it applies to vehicles 2003 and newer
Felly Magic Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 If it is like buses & coaches, there are places that do LEZ emissions tests, and even if the vehicle is older and passes the test, a certificate is issued which is sent to the DOOVLA, which then classes the vehicle as meeting the required emissions, thus exempt from charges. I actually took a 1993 B10M for a test to meet the last lot, and it passed with no modification required.
dieselnutjob Posted December 8, 2011 Posted December 8, 2011 I asked them about emissions tests. They will only test the emissions after a particulate filter costing £2000 has been fitted.You cannot have the test done before which would of course prove that it doesn't need one.I even called one of the test centres and they said that they won't test it until the filter has been fitted.Bastards. I emailed Toyota in Japan asking them what the emissions are and they sent me back the figures for a 1994 car <1200kg, which clearly it isn't. For the moment I have removed a seat and informed DVLA with covering letter and posted with recorded delivery. This is not the end of it though. Cav and Tayne thanks for the phone numbers. I read the Jap emissions standards and it appears that existing models did not have to comply with the 1997/98 rules (which are stricter than Euro III) until 99 or 2000 I think it was. I need to find out if the Hiace with that engine was produced past that deadline. If it was then that proves that the emissions are lower than Euro III. More research needed.
The Moog Posted December 8, 2011 Author Posted December 8, 2011 This is such a money maker. I mean the fines are £££ for going in the zone with it. It has made a load of businesses shell out for new vans for no real reason..
maxpower Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 This is such a money maker. I mean the fines are £££ for going in the zone with it. It has made a load of businesses shell out for new vans for no real reason.. and another london money maker is soon to be installed in the blackwall tunnel by making one of the two lanes "a bus and coach only" lane for the olympics and mega £££'s fine if you are caught using it.... fuck it gets chocka block as it is without taking one lane away
wuvvum Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 Well it seems like the predictions are coming true. Anyone within Greater London who owns a pre-2002 diesel van needs to sell it by Tuesday, and nobody within London wants to buy it. Which means that prices are on the floor at the moment. I've just got back from picking up a scruffy but perfectly useable V-plate Transit 190 TD with 6 months' test and two months' rent from Edmonton for £300. Goes like the clappers and has a heavy duty towbar too. Brakes are a bit juddery and there's a crack along the bottom of the screen which is within the swept area, but hell, if I get six months' use out of it and then scrap it for £200 it's still well worth it. Anyone want to buy an Iveco Daily?
AnthonyG Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 What happened to that Pogtastic LDV you had Wuvvum - did it die on you?
eddyramrod Posted December 31, 2011 Posted December 31, 2011 Anyone want to buy an Iveco Daily? Yeah, me, but not yet! Is it fitted out for camping, perchance?
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