DVLA Classification - “Motor Caravan conversion” - any upsides Or downsides?

[Bmonck]

Hi all
by chance two different garages have suggested to me recently to get my LC reclassified at the DVLA as a motorhome , or formally a “motor caravan“.
I had not thought of doing this before.
So a couple of questions come to mind:
1. What’s the benefit of doing so? Eg does it lead to reduced insurance costs or road tax? (Neither garage knew the answer to this.)
2. Has anyone else done this? Is it a huge amount of time and effort?
3. Does it somehow help if you take it overseas for a long trip. Eg I know in the UsA you do get different and cheaper insurance if you can show the insurance company you have water, sleeping, cooking internally etc
cheers

 

[Jacob100]

One of the main reasons van converters do it is to avoid the speed restrictions imposed on panel vans. Insurance options are generally cheaper as well.

 

[Dave_S]

Almost certainly the DVLA will reject this anyway - they've taken a really hard line on this over the last couple of years, and are rejecting many vehicles on the spurious (and subjective) decision on whether or not it "looks like a motor caravan". So even if it has all the requisite internal stuff, odds are it'll fail. Lots and lots of noise about this on the various self build groups at the moment, unfortunately.

 

[wobbly]

Not only is the visual criteria applied, but there is also a specific list of vehicles which can be reclassified, and I dont think an 80 is in any of the classes.

 

[SteveJB]

There are check lists on self build website mate jumping through all the hoops umm like did you know that the sink has to be earthed and when doing electrics leave off panels so inspector can see wiring and do not use household wires keep gas bottle within 3ft of gas appliance or use hardline gas pipe and short run rubber gas pipe any electrics near gas has to be run through conduit seems you need all this for proper camper conversion DVLA is the simpler part insurance inspection not so Is it really worth loosing you investment just to go stealth if you are going all the way there do it properly and make sure you get back