Sub 3500 kg vans

[Jim]

Is this honestly all about informing new members about payload or informing over half the members on this forum that they may have made the wrong choice ?

Over the years plenty have people have bought vans without a thought for payload. Dozens have posted here, often distraut, when they later discover they have no payload or very little.

Without exeption every one of those people has received good advice as to the way forward and out of their predicament, uprating, selling etc, and received sympathy for their position. To insinuate that there is some sort of weight divide here is just not true and entirely imagined.

 

[The Wino]

Has anyone on here ever actually been prosecuted for being overweight....in a motorhome sense!. Just wondering because there are lots of opinions quite often they can seem derogatory about buying motorhomes that are marginal on payload but I recon that the number of fines members have had for speeding outnumber ones for being overweight possibly by 1000/1 !

 

[Graham of Madrid]

Jim, I'm not insinuating anything. I thought I was being clear. Deeply sorry that you are offended. Please accept my appologies. (my big sorry's because I can't spell)

There are too many generalisations about payload and 3500kg vans There is a chasm between what people think they know and advise and actual fact. Nobody knows all the payload figures for all the vans especially with changes in construction methods. No two peoples use their van in the same way so why say that these vans are overloaded and illegal. It's my opinion and it's no less valid than anyone else's.

 

[deleted79651]

Has anyone on here ever actually been prosecuted for being overweight....in a motorhome sense!. Just wondering because there are lots of opinions quite often they can seem derogatory about buying motorhomes that are marginal on payload but I recon that the number of fines members have had for speeding outnumber ones for being overweight possibly by 1000/1 !

No, but I was on the receiving end of some stern words from the cardiac consultant about being overweight in the non-motorhome sense ... The gist of the message was that a failure to act would add motorhome payload to a long list of things I wouldn't have to worry about after a fatal heart attack ... Gentle, subtle, and perfect pauses to let the words sink in!

Steve

 

[Jamesh]

Btw are the new MH construction methods like bailey alutech, swift solid etc leading to heavier vans like for like layout / length etc.

Cheers James

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[cyberyacht]

"You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much payload" - Wallis Simpson

 

[deleted79651]

"You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much payload" - Wallis Simpson

You sure it wasn't Homer Simpson?

Steve

 

[Jonno1103]

Btw are the new MH construction methods like bailey alutech, swift solid etc leading to heavier vans like for like layout / length etc.

Cheers James

No they're getting lighter... so too are engines, gearboxes and chassis'.

 

[tonyidle]

I'd love to see a dealer prosecuted under the the CPRs (The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008).

Misleading omissions​

Regulation 6 prohibits giving insufficient information about a product. It is a breach of the CPRs to fail to give consumers the information they need to make an informed choice in relation to a product if this would cause, or be likely to cause, the average consumer to take a different transactional decision - for example, in order to make an informed decision about whether to buy or how much to pay, the average consumer buying a car needs to know whether the car has previously been an insurance write-off; the trader therefore has to disclose this information, whether or not the consumer asks for it.

Traders must give information to consumers in a timely manner. It should be provided to assist the consumer in making an informed choice. Supplying information too late could constitute an omission.

It is a breach of the CPRs to:

• omit material information
• hide material information
• provide material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely
• fail to identify the commercial intent (unless this is apparent from the context)

'Material information' means information that the consumer needs to make an informed transactional decision and generally any information required to be given by law.

From: https://www.businesscompanion.info/...ctice/consumer-protection-from-unfair-trading

I would say that it is a breach if a customer buys a motorhome which can only reasonably be used in an overweight state. Or where they can only pack the very lightest child and leave the others at home

I found dealers to very cagey when asked about weights

I believe that dealers get away with a lot for two reasons: if the van is purchased new there will almost certainly have been a long lead time. By the time it's available to the purchaser plans for its use will have been made long before weight issues can be discovered; vans are a toy, a leisure vehicle, a means to an end, a dream purchase. It is always going to be difficult to burst that bubble by initiating controversy with the dealer. Dealers will be very aware of their customers and will use both these things to their advantage.

 

[Rosemary1]

On this forum not many but in the big wide world probably many thousands.

Looking back - before I joined this forum and on our first motorhome we must of been so overweight! I knew nothing about it and the dealer definitely didn’t tell us. Next van we asked the dealer for a weight bridge reading - you live and learn and I learnt that on here. - and I wasn’t made to feel foolish about it

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[kevenh]

Is there a contingent on here that really believes people with 3500kg vans are idiots ? I have a C1 licence but chose such a van.

There seems to be a 'mine has more payload and is bigger and better than yours' group on here and I don't think it's healthy for a forum.

people do it without realising they're doing it.
e.g. The inevitable post on how to carry water like Fresh water filling

 

[Snoopy]

I certainly think there is a lot of good advice about payload on here especially the suggestions that new owners of 3500kgs vans need to be aware of how little leeway they have when loading but I've never read anything that suggests sub 3.5 tonners are idiots or that there is a bigger is better group.

to be honest, we were very lucky, very nieve but thankfully with reading info on here, we realised our 5 berth did not mean, carry 5 passengers and all their Gear!
Hubby and i, usually 1 grandchild, and we quickly got ourselves to the weighbridge after positive, constructive advice on here, hubby has a C1 licence 3.5 tonne, at no time did the dealer mention the payload, I or hubby at that time, knew nothing ( now we do!) Only because of this site, so for us A Great Help.

 

[poppycamper]

You were very lucky and by your own addmition nieve. BUT why should you have been put in that situation.
IMV and please understand it, It is really only how I feel but should it not be illegal for dealers/manufacturers to constantly sell "Not fit for purpose" goods to us.
We go to them as customers looking for advice and end up being victims because all they are interested in is selling us vehicles that are really not fit for the purpose that we want to use them for.
HOWEVER really glad Funsters were able to help you, as they have me in past... g8 place 2 B...

 

[drpeej]

Is there a contingent on here that really believes people with 3500kg vans are idiots ? I have a C1 licence but chose such a van.

There seems to be a 'mine has more payload and is bigger and better than yours' group on here and I don't think it's healthy for a forum.

I agree with you. I dont think they intend to be like that but it's definitely how it comes over.

I am amazed at the size of some outfits.

 

[Jonno1103]

Thing is though, there are a vast selection of heavier motorhomes on out there which don't have enough payload for the berths and belts they have either. Here's an example:
Our 3500kg Auto Trail motorhome has almost the same payload (we have 632kg) as a nearly 9m long 6 berth tag axle Swift Kontiki, it would struggle with 2 adults and two young teenagers never mind filling all of the belted seats. A standard model at 4800kg has a 635kg payload... for six!

Add an auto box, bike rack, 2nd leisure battery and maybe roof aircon and you're looking at a 560kg payload... I'll type it again... For Six...!

Average weight of the average U.K. male is 83.6kg... that's for someone 5ft 9ins.

I'll stick to my 3500kg motorhome thanks.

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[Northernraider]

Thing is though, there are a vast selection of heavier motorhomes on out there which don't have enough payload for the berths and belts they have either. Here's an example:
Our 3500kg Auto Trail motorhome has almost the same payload (we have 632kg) as a nearly 9m long 6 berth tag axle Swift Kontiki, it would struggle with 2 adults and two young teenagers never mind filling all of the belted seats. A standard model at 4800kg has a 635kg payload... for six!

Add an auto box, bike rack, 2nd leisure battery and maybe roof aircon and you're looking at a 560kg payload... I'll type it again... For Six...!

Average weight of the average U.K. male is 83.6kg... that's for someone 5ft 9ins.

I'll stick to my 3500kg motorhome thanks.

Ah those pesky british vans again

 

[63720]

The latest C&MC magazine has an item on the Autotrail 3.5t A Class which has a user payload of only 230kg.

 

[The Wino]

The latest C&MC magazine has an item on the Autotrail 3.5t A Class which has a user payload of only 230kg.

I bet it still wins their awards thing this year according to them the best motorhome in almost any class is British.

 

[Ivory55]

Only vans that are sub 3.5 with a decent pay load we have seen are under 6 m

 

[Lenny HB]

The latest C&MC magazine has an item on the Autotrail 3.5t A Class which has a user payload of only 230kg.

And of course as they now consider themselves a club for Motorhomers they streesed the point in their review the van was not fit for purpose & if the was on the top tolerance of the 5% allowance the payload would be 67 kg.

So if you had a driver at 90 kg and a passenger at 60 kg you would be 75 kg overweight with nothing else in the van.

I think it should be illegal to sell van with less than 700 kg payload.

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[Lenny HB]

Only vans that are sub 3.5 with a decent pay load we have seen are under 6 m

Our last Hymer A Class was 7.2 m payload of 580 kg just about usable if you were careful but not really enough we uprated it to 3850.

 

[Steve N Tracy]

A motorhome salesman once gave me a useful bit of information, he said for every metre you go over a 6m motorhome you loose about 300 kg off the payload.

 

[Northernraider]

My vario sounds ever more appealing ....7.3 metre and currently 3636kg of payload

 

[Lenny HB]

My vario sounds ever more appealing ....7.3 metre and currently 3636kg of payload

I prefer a van with a floor, makes life so much easier.

 

[Northernraider]

I prefer a van with a floor, makes life so much easier.

This is very true ...but it will have a nice insulated and hardwood flooring next spring

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[Wabs]

I try never to look down on anyone, whatever size van they choose is their choice, I’m just happy to see motorhomes out and about enjoying themselves,,,and they are possibly friends that I just haven’t met yet.

 

[Stealaway]

Could it be that the ministry inspectors know that sold a a commercial van they are safe up to 3800. They know ourr motorhomes are safe up to the Ducato wieght of 3800 kg and they know have been down spect just for us old people.

 

[Stealaway]

Oops

 

[busby]

That's insane. Assuming the 5% MIRO allowance goes their way, the empty van could weigh 3297kg, allowing 203 kg for your 5 passengers and all their stuff.

They would have to be very very light passengers, not many of those around.BUSBY.

 

[deleted79651]

I prefer a van with a floor, makes life so much easier.

Ah, but it's the Vans with the flaws that grab your attention, especially the battery problems ... BTW, thanks again for the silicone food grease tip for the water tank seal. It was one of those very rare 5 minute jobs that I actually completed in 5 minutes, and without lots of scraped knuckles, Anglo Saxon vocabulary and the award of another Mr Grumpy sticker from Elaine ...

Steve

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