Left Hand Drive (LHD) Motorhomes - No Longer Acceptable for UK Registration?

Hymer Life

Hymer Life

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A very well known dealer in the UK is telling me that I cannot now order a new LHD vehicle for UK delivery from them as the CoC's being provided by EU manufacturers are not acceptable to UK authorities.

Can anyone confirm or challenge this, please?
 
Solution2
Lenny HB
OurMoreloLife said:
My options are to accept a RHD version or do a personal import for a LHD version with +10% Import Duty plus +20% VAT (on the vehicle and on the Import Duty) to pay on arrival in the UK.
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As said there is no import duty on vehicles from the EU, the duty only applies to vehicles from outside the EU.
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Lenny HB said:
Never heard that before wonder if it's salesman BS, always paid cash for our vans, the thought of how much interest you would pay would make my wallet abandon ship.
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Your wallet is safe, Lenny... But, for the less well heeled, imagine not wanting to borrow to buy a M/home and saving from, say, late 2015 for 5 years to get the cash together. With savings rates being so dismal, and M/home prices rising between 3-5% per annum, and then the COVID propelled price explosion means that your purchase fund would be losing ground year on year!

Anyway, now that I've learned to spell 'recently impoverished', I have been able to adjust to my changed circumstances ... AND I've got a much lower risk of being mugged, so my insurance premiums should fall ... :giggle:(y)

Steve
 
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Most of Europe I found being RHD wasn't an issue. The only places it was hard was Spain and Italy.

Spain because they have lots of short slips on to faster roads and you pretty much have to decide to merge or stop while you're still curving down the slip, but you can't see well from a RHD. A permanent rear camera helped a lot!

In Italy, it was mainly because the drivers (especially suicidal scooter riders) would make eye contact with my wife and assume the driver had seen them and pull out!
 
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Wack said:
I bought a brand new RHD transit from Belgium in 2001 , because I'd imported it I had to take it for an IVA check
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Just had a thought on that, C of C weren't the norm on vehicles until 2004 that's why you had to have an IVA inspection.

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Simon-Alan Kerr said:
I have sold and financed left hand drive vehicles including to WESTY66
I am also registering a used French Mclouis at the moment and there are no issues.
Yesterday we registered a brand new left hand drive Knaus as a customer wanted a LHD.
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Do you think it's going to cause any problems next year if the European C of C is not reckonised?
 
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marchie said:
Your wallet is safe, Lenny... But, for the less well heeled, imagine not wanting to borrow to buy a M/home and saving from, say, late 2015 for 5 years to get the cash together.
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We would have a Motorhome years before our first one if we hadn't waited until we had saved enough.
 
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Lenny HB said:
Do you think it's going to cause any problems next year if the European C of C is not reckonised?
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Well in theory I couldn't ever register any of my German brands again for instance. I cannot see it being a problem.
It may be that another type of inspection is needed if it arrives in the UK.
 
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Simon-Alan Kerr said:
Well in theory I couldn't ever register any of my German brands again for instance. I cannot see it being a problem.
It may be that another type of inspection is needed if it arrives in the UK.
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I know you can do it with an IVA inspection but that wod be real hassle for a dealer.
 
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I used to drive RHD 12mtr coaches and double decker's in Europe, and drive LHD WII Jeep and - at one time a LHD Chevrolet Camaro and an Impala convertible in the UK! No problems. Easier driving around Paris, sightseeing in the coach than driving it in London. All coaches had to have a 'Continental exit door in the centre of the coach, and the emergency is at the rear were both on the RHD side. Dangerous getting anything up to 77 people off of a coach into the Blvd St Germain! I prefer to drive in France, as they cater more for MH's and a
always try to keep off of the autoroutes, as it much nicer and you see more of the real France, and you can basically stop where you want.

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Jim said:
The thread title is wrong, it will be acceptable. Dealers have been bringing LHD vehicles in from outside the EU for years. They have to jump through hoops, but they do it. US RV's for instance.
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I was told they had to jump through hoops for 4 months (DVLA delays etc.)
 
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I am of the view that this 'Application for GB Conversion IVA - Motorhomes' (IVA link) is what is required.

It wants some info (including a C of C) but mainly;

1. That the headlamps are UK specification (headlight beam dips to the left).
2. That a speedometer has been fitted which is capable of indicating speed in both miles per hour and kilometres per hour, either simultaneously, or by operation of a switch.
3. That a rear fog light is fitted to conform to United Kingdom specifications.

So long as it's a modern vehicle (which in my case it will be), I can't see how this is an issue. LED headlamps are neither left or right-hand drive as they have a standardised beam. Speedo's can digitally switch between MPH and KMH and the rear fog light is a 1 hour 'ish job to put right if it's a problem.

Or did I miss something?

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OurMoreloLife said:
I was told they had to jump through hoops for 4 months (DVLA delays etc.)
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Even if it was more than 4 months of hoop jumping, it still makes the title wrong. LHD vehicles will be accepted. And like I have seen some happen with RVs dealers, they develop relationships with officialdom and bring them in quickly without too much hassle.
 
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Jim said:
Even if it was more than 4 months of hoop jumping, it still makes the title wrong. LHD vehicles will be accepted. And like I have seen some happen with RVs dealers, they develop relationships with officialdom and bring them in quickly without too much hassle.
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Agree it won't be a problem for dealers just a little bit more difficult for personal imports.
 
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OurMoreloLife said:
I am of the view that this 'Application for GB Conversion IVA - Motorhomes' (IVA link) is what is required.

It wants some info (including a C of C) but mainly;

1. That the headlamps are UK specification (headlight beam dips to the left).
2. That a speedometer has been fitted which is capable of indicating speed in both miles per hour and kilometres per hour, either simultaneously, or by operation of a switch.
3. That a rear fog light is fitted to conform to United Kingdom specifications.

So long as it's a modern vehicle (which in my case it will be), I can't see how this is an issue. LED headlamps are neither left or right-hand drive as they have a standardised beam. Speedo's can digitally switch between MPH and KMH and the rear fog light is a 1 hour 'ish job to put right if it's a problem.

Or did I miss something?
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Hi Peter

That looks like the old system with a different name, I can't honestly see the problem, on our MORELO for example we ordered a LHD vehicle with UK specifics so headlights and fog light tick the speedo as standard is KMpH or MPH tick, then the habitation 240v was UK 3 pins but that wouldn't matter either way.
 
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OurMoreloLife said:
I am of the view that this 'Application for GB Conversion IVA - Motorhomes' (IVA link) is what is required.

It wants some info (including a C of C) but mainly;

1. That the headlamps are UK specification (headlight beam dips to the left).
2. That a speedometer has been fitted which is capable of indicating speed in both miles per hour and kilometres per hour, either simultaneously, or by operation of a switch.
3. That a rear fog light is fitted to conform to United Kingdom specifications.

So long as it's a modern vehicle (which in my case it will be), I can't see how this is an issue. LED headlamps are neither left or right-hand drive as they have a standardised beam. Speedo's can digitally switch between MPH and KMH and the rear fog light is a 1 hour 'ish job to put right if it's a problem.

Or did I miss something?
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When i imported mine last year Peter i took it to a friends garage and his MOT tester checked the items on your list.
I have 2 fogs on the back so that was fine, headlights were good, speedo i just took a picture with my phone then showed him as i said to him your not going in the van dressed like that :giggle:
I had a report on headed paper stating all checked and good i give him £20....

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Jim said:
Even if it was more than 4 months of hoop jumping, it still makes the title wrong. LHD vehicles will be accepted. And like I have seen some happen with RVs dealers, they develop relationships with officialdom and bring them in quickly without too much hassle.
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Can you not alter the title Jim so it is more accurate?
 
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Jim said:
Even if it was more than 4 months of hoop jumping, it still makes the title wrong. LHD vehicles will be accepted. And like I have seen some happen with RVs dealers, they develop relationships with officialdom and bring them in quickly without too much hassle.
Click to expand...
Jim said:
Even if it was more than 4 months of hoop jumping, it still makes the title wrong. LHD vehicles will be accepted. And like I have seen some happen with RVs dealers, they develop relationships with officialdom and bring them in quickly without too much hassle.
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Why do you think the title is wrong?

And what would you propose it is changed to?
 
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Lenny HB said:
Costs £200 but there are only a few test centres with long waiting lists.

www.gov.uk

Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA): forms and guidance

Forms and guidance to apply for Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) if you’re making or importing a single vehicle or a very small number of vehicles.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
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The probable reasons for lack of Test Centres is that I was asked by the then Department of Transport when I had a garage with a half acre site in Ipswich, to set this Centre up I was expected to buy all the equipment like the jointed manikins to see if there was enough room for a human in a vehicle ,and worse of all, nobody could give me an idea what the numbers on average would be , for me it was a business risk too far
 
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jongood said:
Quite a few German layouts work better as LHD. We couldn't buy our layout as RHD. Imo its a bit crazy that we are the only country on the whole continent to drive on the left.
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Don't forget Eire is another European country! which makes two. Channel islands are not officially the UK either, I believe, being self governing.
 
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Ian Bosman said:
Don't forget Eire is another European country! which makes two. Channel islands are not officially the UK either, I believe, being self governing.
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Plus IoM, Malta and Cyprus.

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Plus Guernsey & Jersey, I had to have IVA certification on a Ducati I bought from Guernsey.
 
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A CoC is only applicable to vehicles registered in the EU. It is most likely that the UK will develop something to mirror the EU system of assessment so vehicles can be confirmed as 'safe' to register in the UK (the UKCA system is currently being developed to mirror the EU CE marking system for product safety). I will just take time and money so an IVA may be a short term workaround for moho builders.
 
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dunnah01 said:
A CoC is only applicable to vehicles registered in the EU. It is most likely that the UK will develop something to mirror the EU system of assessment so vehicles can be confirmed as 'safe' to register in the UK (the UKCA system is currently being developed to mirror the EU CE marking system for product safety). I will just take time and money so an IVA may be a short term workaround for moho builders.
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The link that OurMoreloLife put on at post 74 goes to the GB conversion IVA and says,

"European Certificate of Conformity (CoC):
This document is vehicle specific; issued by the vehicle manufacturer; there will be a colour logo and I or a watermark. For passenger cars we can accept CoCs with 51 or 52 numbered items. As well as giving details of the vehicle it will also include a European Type-Approval number and be signed by a specified individual. If your vehicle is a Motorhome, please provide the CoC for the final stage. The original, or a clear scan of the original, would be acceptable".

Which suggests to me that a European CoC is perfectly acceptable.
 
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