What counts as Commercial Vehicle
- Thread starter Martin24
- Start date
- Jul 15, 2008
- 3,822
- 958
- 20,935
….the tow vehicle would have to have a Maximum Authorised Mass of over 3500kgs to be able to tow the Bailey Retreat which is over length for lighter vehicles.
The driver would need a C1+E license to drive the tow vehicle as a minium requirement.
The driver would need a C1+E license to drive the tow vehicle as a minium requirement.
Caravan manufacturers used to have a clause in the warranty terms voiding cover if the caravan is towed by a commercial vehicle but there was usually a rider to exclude LandRovers from that voiding - go back 30 years and it would have been shooting themselves in the foot if the didn't allow towing by LandRovers.
According to the Bailey website, they now specify "only be towed by a private car or private 4x4 vehicle" for their Alutec range - I'm not sure what the full legal definition of "private" is but I guess a LandRover used for business purposes wouldn't be permitted.
The big irony is that half of caravans are delivered to dealers are towed behind a commercial flat-bed truck and most dealers use pickups for commercial purposes to move caravans around.
According to the Bailey website, they now specify "only be towed by a private car or private 4x4 vehicle" for their Alutec range - I'm not sure what the full legal definition of "private" is but I guess a LandRover used for business purposes wouldn't be permitted.
The big irony is that half of caravans are delivered to dealers are towed behind a commercial flat-bed truck and most dealers use pickups for commercial purposes to move caravans around.
Nice, but nothing to do with the original question??Gafferbill said:
One definition of a commercial vehicle could be the tax category that the vehicle falls into. E.g. my pickup is classed as 'commercial' for road tax, while my Santa Fe isn't. I used to have an Astra van and despite just being an Astra estate with the side filled in (it even still had the back seat) it was classed and taxed as commercial.
On the other hand, my Santa Fe is owned and maintained by a Limited company and provided to me for my job so technically that could be commercial as well. However, I'd take the former definition as the one to follow rather than who owns it as that's the definition people like HMRC use when deciding taxable benefits. They may tax a car as a company car, but if the vehicle is classed ass 'commercial' for road tax then HMRC tax it differently. If the car is classed for road tax as a car then it's not commercial.
There is another way of identifying the two, try and drive over the Severn Bridge or down the M6 Toll and see what they charge!
Shirker - I think this is EXACTLY the original question !!!Martin24 said:
The Defender CAN'T tow the new Bailey Retreat for the reasons given by Gafferbill.
RogerL said:
No it's not: the question was "What counts as Commercial Vehicle" followed by thinking about the Defender. He's not mentioned or asked about tow weights or ratios, he's asked fairly clearly what counts as a 'commercial vehicle' - basically is a Defender a commercial vehicle. Otherwise it would be 'can a Defender pull this Bailey thing?'.
- Mar 14, 2005
- 18,675
- 3,933
- 50,935
I think that the logical extension that Gaffer and Roger have made is fully justified, and the information may be of great value as it would be an expensive mistake to buy a van that you can't tow.
As the size of the caravan dictates the class of vehicle to tow it, and in this case the van is too big for a none commercial vehicle to tow, it may be a factor the OP had not considered.
Just because LR's may be rated to tow 3500Kg, that only takes into account the weight, not take into account the size of trailer.
As the size of the caravan dictates the class of vehicle to tow it, and in this case the van is too big for a none commercial vehicle to tow, it may be a factor the OP had not considered.
Just because LR's may be rated to tow 3500Kg, that only takes into account the weight, not take into account the size of trailer.
In that case, i guess the right answer to the OP is 'forget whether it is a commercial vehicle or not as that has nothing to do with towing ability'. My pickup (commercial) can only tow 3000kg but some Landies can dp 3500kg. An Astra van is a commercial vehicle but can barely pull itself up a hill, never mind a caravan. Forget the commercial designation then, unless you can swing it as a company vehicle as the taxable benefit is lower if it is classed as commercial.
The OP was specifically referring,in the body of the post, to the new Bailey Retreat which cannot be towed by any vehicle under 3501kg MAW because the Retreat is 8m long. The information needed is nothing to do with commercial or private although that was the post heading.
No LandRover or officially imported pickup can tow the Retreat, regardless of their towing limits. Some of the unofficially-imported Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram pickups, the ones with twin rear wheels may fall into category C1 which is needed to tow the Retreat.
The issue is the 7m limit for trailer body length which applies to both private and commercial vehicles under 3501kg MAW, regardless of their towing limits. The Retreat exceeds that limit. There are exceptions to the 7m rule applicable to "indivisible loads" to permit longer glider trailers.
No LandRover or officially imported pickup can tow the Retreat, regardless of their towing limits. Some of the unofficially-imported Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram pickups, the ones with twin rear wheels may fall into category C1 which is needed to tow the Retreat.
The issue is the 7m limit for trailer body length which applies to both private and commercial vehicles under 3501kg MAW, regardless of their towing limits. The Retreat exceeds that limit. There are exceptions to the 7m rule applicable to "indivisible loads" to permit longer glider trailers.
Parksy
Moderator
- Nov 12, 2009
- 11,904
- 2,400
- 40,935
The OP appears to be referring to the new Bailey Retreat and the article from the news page of this website gives the answer when it states:Martin24 said:
'...........The Retreat is not a touring caravan range. It is too long to be towed by a car or even a light commercial vehicle. Tow vehicles must have a gross weight in excess of 3500Kg to be within the law. This means that for the vast majority of buyers, there is no alternative but to have the Retreat sited professionally.'
- Jul 15, 2008
- 3,822
- 958
- 20,935
Martin24
..........you could tell us which answer was the most hepfuI!!
Was it mine or Shirkers?
You asked the original question
..........you could tell us which answer was the most hepfuI!!
Was it mine or Shirkers?
You asked the original question
- Jul 15, 2008
- 3,822
- 958
- 20,935
OK ……I will get back to living in my parallel Universe.
Message to my brain….. Do not bother answering ambiguous questions on caravan forums.
Message to my brain….. Do not bother answering ambiguous questions on caravan forums.
Facebook
Twitter