Disadvantages of up plating

[BOOMEL]

We are going on a trip from Uk to Italy via France and Switzerland, can anyone summarise the disadvantages of up plating from 3500 to 3650kg? I am thinking

Tolls
Access to bridges / roads
Eurotunnel
Rail trips from Switzerland to Italy
Tax
Campsites
Anything else

Regards

Mike

 

[cyberyacht]

So long as the gendarmes don't pull you if up-plated and with no 'angles morts' on display.

 

[Folkranger]

We upgraded the last van to 3850kg and current van is 4500kg, not found any disadvantages so far. We don't use toll roads but the odd occasion we have we have always been charged Class 2.
Have a much smaller van on order still ordered is on the 4250kg chassis well worth it to have a decent payload (1350kg).

With your van you should be able to go to 3850kg without any mods if you can far better and more worthwhile than 3650.
Check your rear axle loading not much point in uprating if you can't use it but that can be increased with mods.

My Rapido was a choice of 3500 or 3650 for the plate without modifying. I foolishy chose 3500 based on the quoted payload, which turned out to be 200kg less.

 

[Folkranger]

Our is plated at 3850 t , and I’m thinking of upgraded a bit more ,
My main concern would be if only plated to 3500 t, then had an accident and found to be over weight would insurance co pay out ???

Would they be likely to transport an accident vehicle to a weighbridge?

 

[Solwaybuggier]

Only in uban areas I believe, you only ever seen them on really large French vans, I've never bother with them. Loads of French lorries without them.

I think the suggestion it was only in urban areas was in the original draft decree, but never made into the final version. Certainly the point has cropped up on numerous occasions on here, but no one AFAIK has ever been able to show definitive evidence it's only in urban areas.
As for whether you'd be likely to get pulled up on it outside towns, that's another matter. We did notice last year that a lot more vans had them on than the previous year, and some of them were even French registered!

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[buzz1]

Would they be likely to transport an accident vehicle to a weighbridge?

I don’t know wouldn’t of thought so, but if van looks over weight or skid marks showed it took excessive braking before collision how knows,
I just think if your doing to up plate then worth getting the extra pay load ,
The negative could be as other have said resale issues? + Need for c1

 

[L' Hobo]

Would they be likely to transport an accident vehicle to a weighbridge?

That, surely, depends on the severity of the accident and who was involved. A French local Mayor and an English Motorhomer, for instance?

 

[Fat Albert]

Another disadvantage of the OP up plating from 3500kgs to 3650Kgs. That according to the French Angles Mort regs, he now has a blind spot and requires the stickers. 2 identical Fiat Ducato PVC's, one on a light chassis 3500Kgs and another on a Maxi Chassis 4250kgs. Same body length I believe, but the Maxi has to have the stickers applied. I have read on a website that the stickers were only required if the vehicle length was 7 mtrs or longer and above 3500kgs but I have searched the web for far too long but can't a reference or the site. Knew I should have bookmarked it.

 

[DT]

We Brits over discuss, over think, over worry about stuff.

 

[L' Hobo]

We Brits over discuss, over think, over worry about stuff.

That isn't what my partner said, she reckons that I don't think enough about her!
I have to remind her, I was born in Oz. so only part Brit!

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[Roby2008]

That isn't what my partner said, she reckons that I don't think enough about her!
I have to remind her, I was born in Oz. so only part Brit!

Which part?

 

[L' Hobo]

Which part?

In the Western NSW outback, I was dragged back to the UK very young when my Fathers contract ended just after the war.

 

[Fdhadi]

My advice would be to uprate to the heaviest weight you can before spending any money on upgrades. If you would like to go even heavier you will need air assist on the rear axle approx 2k.

We uprated to 3.7t (heaviest we could go without changes) from 3.5t which is enough for us. Most LEZ areas in the UK are now free where at 3.5t there was a charge, don’t ask and road tax is now £165 which is down from £290 again don’t ask why!

Travelling through Switzerland is as Lenny H has said a 10 day pass which is any 10 days within a year of issue cost £30 odd pounds V5 needed at border.

French tolls will be exactly the same so no change there.

Angels Mort, what’s that

Speed limits, I don’t speed anyway.

Trains, what trains?

Enjoy the wedding

 

[Roby2008]

In the Western NSW outback, I was dragged back to the UK very young when my Fathers contract ended just after the war.

Nice, my late stepfather was from Dandenong nr Melbourne.....been a couple of times, 30 yrs between visits.....super country

 

[the1andonly]

Totally empty the van and remove spare wheel, bike rack, lowest fluid capability then get a certified weight. Then up plate. if you ever need to sell to someone without a C1 just get it downplated using the old weight certificate.

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[Peter Clark]

I would have thought that the main drawback is the lower speed limits and reducing the market available when you sell to only people with the right license

Hi Wino - Speed limits for up plated MH’s

I got these figures from Oaktree MH website, for MH’s under 12m without a trailer - do you think they are correct?

Under 3.05 tonne unladen weight:

• Should not exceed speeds of 30mph in built-up areas.
• Should not exceed speeds of 60mph on single-carriageways.
• Should not exceed speeds of 70mph on dual carriageways.
• Should not exceed speeds of 70mph on a motorway.

Over 3.05 tonne unladen weight:

• Should not exceed speeds of 30mph in built-up areas.
• Should not exceed speeds of 50mph on single-carriageways.
• Should not exceed speeds of 60mph on dual carriageways.
• Should not exceed speeds of 70mph on a motorway.

These figures are for UK of course - do you know the figures for EU?

 

[Littlewheels]

We Brits over discuss, over think, over worry about stuff.

Absolutely and this thread is a perfect example.

 

[The Wino]

Hi Wino - Speed limits for up plated MH’s

I got these figures from Oaktree MH website, for MH’s under 12m without a trailer - do you think they are correct?

Under 3.05 tonne unladen weight:

• Should not exceed speeds of 30mph in built-up areas.
• Should not exceed speeds of 60mph on single-carriageways.
• Should not exceed speeds of 70mph on dual carriageways.
• Should not exceed speeds of 70mph on a motorway.

Over 3.05 tonne unladen weight:

• Should not exceed speeds of 30mph in built-up areas.
• Should not exceed speeds of 50mph on single-carriageways.
• Should not exceed speeds of 60mph on dual carriageways.
• Should not exceed speeds of 70mph on a motorway.

These figures are for UK of course - do you know the figures for EU?

Can't remember the numbers but in Europe they depend on total weight being either above or below 3500 kg so a lot more logical than unladen weight.