Road tax was abolished in 1937.


It is vehicle excise duty and is based on vehicle emissions, as far as I am aware it is impossible to change the emissions group

 

Some VW's were incorrectly classified as N1 instead of M1, but think it only makes a difference if it was originally a motorhome.

Read this - http://www.ukmotorhomes.net/motorhome-road-tax.shtml

 

Mine's £490 too; if it's still a kombi you'll get car speed limits with the M1 Diesel car type rather than van speed limits with N1.

The seller lied - If you're really unwilling to pay £265 extra a year try to return it quick, if you can.

 

sounds about right for an early T5 there are quite a few from 2005 to 2007 that are in the high VED band. nothing can be done to change it.

so see about returning the van or pay it.

 

Any T5 (03-09) which left the factory with glazed side panels is type approved as an M1 passenger car. Most then get put in the Diesel Car category which attract VED (Tax class 49) based on their CO2 emissions (purely fuel economy, not CO, NOx, HC which dictate the EU emissions grading).

The tax bands are shown here....

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...s/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/419799/V149_Budget_2015_Final_version.pdf

If the vehicle is converted to a motorhome prior to first registration then its VED class is changed to LGV class 39 (or 36 if its an early adopter of the latest emissions regs). If you subsequently change your T5 into a camper then it stays as class 49 Diesel Car.

What you need to find out is whether your van came out of the factory as a panel van (which would normally be LGV VED class 39 or 36) and had windows fitted later or whether it was a Kombi / Window Van / Shuttle / Caravelle.

I have a 2007 Window Van (fully glazed but no rear seats even thought the log book says 9 seats - these are sold as base vehicles for taxis and mobility buses) which produces 221 g/km of CO2 and thus pays Diesel Car VED Band K at £290 a year. If I had an automatic gearbox the penalty on fuel consumption and thus higher CO2 would trip it over the 225g/km threshold and drop it into the Band L at £490.

How do you tell if your in the right band? Firstly - chassis number those starting WV1### are panel vans (LGV) and those like mine are WV2### (Diesel Cars). Next, under the steering wheel (or maybe on the drivers seat base and there's also the same sticker in the front of the service book) there is a white paper sticker and on the 4th row it will say in big letters the factory vehicle name - mine is TRANSPORTER KOMBI LR so Kombi = car, LR = long wheel base. I think a panel van would say kastenwagen (kasten = box).

 

PS. Vehicles which are sold off to none disabled buyers loose their zero VED status and anything can happen at that point so I wouldn't be surprised if it was dropped into the wrong category.

My last T4 (96 P reg Motability window van) got re classified as a Motorcaravan and cheap LGV tax when it was nothing of the sort (but it was 6 weeks later when I fitted cupboards and a bed etc).

 

Mine is a factory fitted window van with 3 seats. Sadly its auto so the £490 VED rate is probably the most fitting. I have filled out a form V10 requesting it be classed as light goods vehicle but that's highly unlikely. I have re-contacted my seller who swears blind he was advised by the DVLA that its in the category.
£225 is acceptable but £490 is ridiculous. I will check my VIN numbers tonight when I get home.

 

I have just checked my VIN and its WV2............ I presume it's £490 a year from the previous post.

 

If it's a Shuttle or Caravelle then it's a diesel car not a van. This can't be changed, it will always be a car even if you convert it into a motor home. A 174 auto will be £490 a year unless anyone knows of any exceptions.

 

That applies to T5 Kombi and Window too though. They all have the WV2 chassis number. They share the same basic chassis features such as bonded side panels and seat belt anchorages.

Only after 2010 when the T5GP was launched did they punt the Kombi over to commercial status and LGV VED. I've not seen a Window Van T5GP so cant comment on what they did with that...

 

Vehicle category M1 is car, so VED is based on emissions, N1 is van but can be changed to motorhome. Shuttles & Caravelles have welded window apertures.

 

My van is fitted with a speed restrictor, plan was to get someone to remove it and remap for more power and to change vw to camper but have been informed that the it will affect the tax band of the van, can anyone tell me for sure what the situation is?:*

 

Nah, some one's yanking your chain. Tax never changes unless there was a mistake when it was registered.

Adding a speed limiter to a new van wont change emissions as all the drive cycle testing is at low speed.

Registering a vehicle as a camper can only influence the VED at first registration. Campers are taxed as LGV (vans) anyway.

Re classifying a van to campervan will allow you to drive faster as the speed limits are higher. Insurance drops for campers too but many insurers (mine included) don't care what the log book says as long as you use the van as a camper.