Payload:is 3500kg enough?

[Poppy Williams]

The majority of Motorhome all seem to be 3500kg but is that enough payload for two people wanting to travel for weeks at at time? We have been looking at bigger vans but it means my husband taking his C1 licence as he had a NZ licence and they wont add it on. I look at lots of Motorhome with 3500kg and love the layout and design but are they practical? We would like to take two bikes with us also. Just wondered what your thoughts were and how you find your Motorhome with regard to weight. Is everyone driving round exceeding their weight limits?

 

[Stealaway]

When Full time you need four seasons clothing, not just flip-flops and two pairs of Speedos' and lot more 'stuff' than you have on a few weeks on holiday..

Full timing would be a whole world of difference. But away for a few weeks away pose no problem. If you do get short of clean clothes there are landry's everywhere, or buy some, new clothes are ridiculously cheap these days.

 

[gus-lopez]

It just seems to me at the moment that there must be a lot of motorhomes exceeding the payload at the moment as there is not much left to us

Yes ,I'd even guess at between 75 & 90%

Also, having now passed the magic age of 70, its worth considering that health requirements are more stringent over 3.5, and you need a medical to renew your C1 licence.

Here in Spain it is the same medical at 70 as at 60,50,40,30 & 20. & if you can't pass it you shouldn't even be walking .

an even find our 7.5 white brick stands out like a sore thumb when trying to park up somewhere decretly.

When looking at replacements, or vans to convert, first words from wife were "it will have to be repainted"

 

[hilldweller]

When Full time you need four seasons clothing.

OP did not mention full timing.

 

[hilldweller]

What is your experience of traveling with an RV , as I don't find it that restrictive

You would if you went where we have been.

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[hilldweller]

I wanted more living space and comfort - just for me - fixed bed - decent size shower and not having to sit at a dinette.

Comfort and not sitting like a train passenger - essential.

We have all those things with 260kg to spare when I drove over the weighbridge. Swift Sundance 620FB. OK, we need to be frugal but we'll cope with a couple of bikes on the back.

No-one has mentioned ( or have they ) that sometimes roads are limited to 3.5t.

They pay their money, they make their choice.

 

[tacr2man]

You would if you went where we have been.

You forgot to mention your RV experience
I get where I need with everything that I need , and then pop the scooter off the back and get where even 3500 might not get . It all depends how you want to go about it . @hilldweller

 

[Larrynwin]

I have had RVs and now have a 6.5m ice cream van which I do find more convenient for tight spots but almost always tow toad so exploring is easy.

 

[vwalan]

mind you do need a good payload if you want long range fuel tanks . and bring a summer worth of beer /wine /brandy home from spain etc . could have more than a ton just of liquids including water. even more sometimes .
far better to get a fifth wheeler or mini artic and have 3,500kg payload .

 

[scotjimland]

OP did not mention full timing.

neither they did...

I assumed full time when they said "traveling for weeks at a time" .. point being they will need more payload than the average holiday maker.. hence the OPs first post asking..

you end up with an RV and you are obliged to miss all the good bits because you can't get there or if you do you are too big to park.

hmm.. didn't miss any 'good bits' in 3 years wandered around Europe, we went everywhere we wanted.. including Morocco..

once a van is over 'car length ' you are too big to park in a normal car park without overhang or using more than one bay, besides many now have height barriers, so even a high roof camper can be 'too big'

will concede it takes a bit more planning .. but it's perfectly doable

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[Cheshirecat57]

I have up played to 3650, but only coz I can and it cost nothing

What i would add is that if you have a 6x3 shed in your garden, it will be full to the brim with “stuff”
If you have a 10x10 shed......it will full to the brim with “more stuff”

Your choice really, but as said elsewhere...dont listen to heresay ( not the popstars band- the salesman and their brochures)

 

[mitzimad]

our van is limited to 3.5tonnes we travel with two e bike every thing we need and drive with full tanks the trick is dont weigh it

 

[Langtoftlad]

our van is limited to 3.5tonnes we travel with two e bike every thing we need and drive with full tanks the trick is dont weigh it

Ah, you've got a Schrödinger van...
Does the weight exist if it hasn't been weighed ?

 

[Langtoftlad]

If you have a 10x10 shed......it will full to the brim with “more stuff”

Worse than that - the item that you really need right now is further out of reach ...

 

[TheCaller]

Worse than that - the item that you really need right now is further out of reach ...

Yes, but at least it will be in there somewhere, whereas if you only had a 10 x 3 shed.....

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[Minxy]

Yes, but at least it will be in there somewhere, whereas if you only had a 10 x 3 shed.....

... unless your hubby has put it somewhere else without telling you ...

 

[MyrtleGuru]

We've wandered all over Europe and Africa for 10 years in under 3.5t.

You have to adjust to mobile life to survive. Once you start down the road of "I want all I have in my house" you end up with an RV and you are obliged to miss all the good bits because you can't get there or if you do you are too big to park.

Yes, choose your van carefully and you can live well on 3.5t.

Yes, I think it's partly a state of mind. When we first started camping we would just ride our two bicycles onto the ferry to France, with a tent strapped to one, sleeping bags and a camping stove to the other, etc. We went for weeks at at time with such basic equipment.

As we got older we wanted a bit more comfort!

Although I have a C1 licence I don't feel the need for a van over 3,500kg. We do consider the weight of EVERYTHING we take though e.g. melamine plates instead of ceramic, aluminium pans instead of steel, multifunction items over single function, etc. For any cycle-racing fans out there, Chris Boardman's "marginal gains" springs to mind: all the little weight-saving measures add up!

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Someone mentioned overseas tolls-- I've just been 'bitten' by the new Runcorn toll bridge ( on way to Isle of Man) at 3650kg it's £6 each way instead of £2 each way...........

 

[peterc10]

Someone mentioned overseas tolls-- I've just been 'bitten' by the new Runcorn toll bridge ( on way to Isle of Man) at 3650kg it's £6 each way instead of £2 each way...........

How did they know what weight you were?

 

[Minxy]

How did they know what weight you were?

I should imaging it has number plate recognition and compares it to the DVLA record which gives the weight

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[Cheshirecat57]

Absolutely @Minxy Girl , ANPR brings my MoHo up as “up to 12tonne HGV”

 

[peterc10]

Absolutely @Minxy Girl , ANPR brings my MoHo up as “up to 12tonne HGV”

In that case remind me not to use that bridge.

 

[Deneb]

our van is limited to 3.5tonnes we travel with two e bike every thing we need and drive with full tanks the trick is dont weigh it

What's the trick when you've been pulled over, weighed and served with a prohibition notice though?

 

[Larrynwin]

What's the trick when you've been pulled over, weighed and served with a prohibition notice though?

Would depend on how much over weight, if within +5% of gvw just a warning I believe.

 

[spitfire]

Would depend on how much over weight, if within +5% of gvw just a warning I believe.

Not sure about the UK but two of our club members travelling together were stopped . Claude got a warning as just over ( not sure how much was just ! ) But his travel buddy was fined as more over

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[Larrynwin]

Not sure about the UK but two of our club members travelling together were stopped . Claude got a warning as just over ( not sure how much was just ! ) But his travel buddy was fined as more over

Yes it’s been posted on here before, I believe up to +5% warning, above that and up to +10% fine and remove surplus weight before continuing, above +10%

On a tv programme on the A1 this week a scaffold truck was stopped and weighed by DVSA , 3500kg gvw weighed at 5600kg , naturally it was impounded.

 

[Deneb]

Would depend on how much over weight, if within +5% of gvw just a warning I believe.

5% on any axle, gross or train weight. Over 10% on a single axle but less than 5% gross still a prohibition, but you might be able to mitigate that by redistributing the load.

The 5% allowance is supposed to allow for the possibility that the load might have increased in weight since it was placed in the vehicle, i.e. dry sand that got wet when it rained. Bit more awkward to explain how someone stuck another bike on the back whilst you weren't looking!

But the point I was really making - if you're going with the attitude "the trick is, just don't weigh it", how do you know you're within 5%?

A bit academic to an extent, as overweight offences under the Road Traffic Act can only be committed by goods vehicles, which a motorhome is not. However, the offence of driving or using a vehicle in a dangerous condition by reason the of the weight, distribution, packing etc. of the load neatly covers that, and would certainly be considered at 10% or more above the permitted weights.

 

[tacr2man]

5% on any axle, gross or train weight. Over 10% on a single axle but less than 5% gross still a prohibition, but you might be able to mitigate that by redistributing the load.

The 5% allowance is supposed to allow for the possibility that the load might have increased in weight since it was placed in the vehicle, i.e. dry sand that got wet when it rained. Bit more awkward to explain how someone stuck another bike on the back whilst you weren't looking!

But the point I was really making - if you're going with the attitude "the trick is, just don't weigh it", how do you know you're within 5%?

A bit academic to an extent, as overweight offences under the Road Traffic Act can only be committed by goods vehicles, which a motorhome is not. However, the offence of driving or using a vehicle in a dangerous condition by reason the of the weight, distribution, packing etc. of the load neatly covers that, and would certainly be considered at 10% or more above the permitted weights.

I would advise don't go down the route of "this isnt a goods vehicle" argument ,if pulled , as the level of inspection rises in direct relation to the degree of aggravation of the Inspector

 

[Deneb]

I would advise don't go down the route of "this isnt a goods vehicle" argument ,if pulled , as the level of inspection rises in direct relation to the degree of aggravation of the Inspector

Of course not. I'd save it until I appealed the ticket or stood in front of the bench, when it's too late for the prosecution to lay the correct offence

 

[joka250]

If over 3500kgs the V5C will show the vehicle revenue class as
Private Heavy Goods. Difficult to argue it is not a goods vehicle. I suspect the legal cost of trying to prove that point is greater than original penalty and no guarantee of success.

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[vwalan]

motor homes do carry goods .
your goods . they arent for sale or hire /reward .
clothes ,food , bits and pieces , they are all goods .
there is also the term or burden.
most things could be classed as burden.
another one of those language terms that can be several versions of the same thing ,or not.