low emission zone filter

[tavvi]

also mentioned something about a new classificaion for surfs and similar vehicles they want to set up.

This cannot be good in any way!!!

I suspect it might actually be a good thing. At present DVLA are (usually) intransigent when it comes to changing the body type from 'Light 4x4 Utility' to 'Estate' and they may actually have a case in that while both might be inaccurate 'Light 4x4 Utility' does seem more appropriate to a Surf than 'Estate'. I have no idea what DVLA use this piece of data for - they may claim that it is or could be used in the future to calculate road tax. However, there is no doubt that TfL are using the same piece of data for a completely different purpose, i.e. determining TfL compliance. If TfL plan to introduce a new classification (I assume for vehicles such as the Surf, Pajero and Bongo) then it may be in order to resolve this conflict - it would allow them to recognise that the DVLA classification of 'Light 4x4 Utility' does not always mean LEZ non-compliance.

Then again, maybe I'm over-estimating their powers of reason.

[John McC]

Anne Marie is not only the most helpful person I've every had the pleasure to deal with, But SHE'S A GODDESS Surf is now "Not Subject to LEZ" after the 03 Jan 2012. Thank you soooooooo much

[flounderbout]

Anne Marie is not only the most helpful person I've every had the pleasure to deal with, But SHE'S A GODDESS Surf is now "Not Subject to LEZ" after the 03 Jan 2012. Thank you soooooooo much

Bottle of plonk?

[John McC]

Bottle of plonk?

Big box of M&S Chocolates (more likely to make it there in one piece )

[triumphstag]

Bumpety Bump Bump Bump..........

I know that this is an old thread that I am resurrecting, and I am massively late to the party..... but I wanted to share my experience on this.

So - I picked up my first Surf (Gen 2) about 6 months ago. Have friends that live in "the zone" so have not been able to visit them in the Surf....

So, after reading all the info in here, I sent in the log book to the DVLA with the word estate in the "change in body type" box..... waited expectantly...

Back came a V5 with a body type of ........ "4x4 Light Utility".... No explanation, nothing.

1 week later, a letter arrives, saying "The body type must remain as Light 4x4 Utility as that is the information supplied when the vehicle was first registered in the UK."

OK I thought, Good job it didn't get registered as an ice cream van or I would have to start selling cornettos then...

Anyway - warning shots fired.... time to get serious.....

Took one of the longer letters mentioned on here, took some photos, printed out three pages of words and pics and stapled the log book to it, send it to the good people at DVLA.....

One month later.....

The original log book turns up back at my house, complete with staple holes in the corner and a letter saying "We have received this V5, but unfortunately there is no indication as to why it has been sent to us, so we are returning it to you as last registered keeper".....plus some blurb on what to do if I have sold the vehicle

Seriously.......?

So I phoned them up, the guy on the end of the phone sounded as frustrated as me.... anyway he asked me to send the letter in again, and include a letter from Toyota stating the body type......

Damn!

Anyway, undeterred, I wrote a new letter, stating how upset I was that they had lost my original letter and how I had been advised to write in again. In this letter I mentioned that I cannot get anything from Toyota UK as they have no information or records of these type of vehicles, and that anything I could get from the original suppliers would be in Japanese..... I included a reprint of my original letter, took the V5, filled in the back again and scribbled in big letters "SEE COVERING LETTER" on every bit of blank space, together with my phone number". Stapled the whole lot together and sent it off to them last week.

Today, I get a brown envelope from the DVLA......

Open it tentatively, peek inside and it says.....

.
.
.
.
.

ESTATE!!!!!!!!!



RESULT......

I think this is from the original letter that got separated from the V5 and obviously made its way along a different route through the organisation. I cannot see any way they would have read and dealt with my latest letter this quickly....

I am now expecting another letter in about a month asking why I want to change the body type to Estate when it already is......


Anyway, thanks to all those who paved the way and worked out how to get this sorted, Your pains and tribulations are appreciated.

I checked on the TFL site, and it still shows as not-compliant, but I have written to them and sent a copy of the new V5 so hopefully that should be sorted soon.

[andyverran]

Well done!

[Mr Malleenos]

I gotta get on and sort mine out at some point. It's registered as a camper!

[budweiser]

I gotta get on and sort mine out at some point. It's registered as a camper!

cool, could you not make use of that?

[triumphstag]

And got a nice letter today from TFL saying "Not subject to LEZ"

Happy days....

[popuptoaster]

I gotta get on and sort mine out at some point. It's registered as a camper!

A lot of imports (Subaru Impreza wagons turn up a lot like it) used to be registered as motorhomes to get round some regulations and costs.

it's the main reason there is now a whole page on the DVLA website that tells you you must have fixed tables and cooking space etc etc to be classed as a camper van, importers were slinging a mattress in the back and claiming "Motorhome!".

[Mr Malleenos]

A lot of imports (Subaru Impreza wagons turn up a lot like it) used to be registered as motorhomes to get round some regulations and costs.

it's the main reason there is now a whole page on the DVLA website that tells you you must have fixed tables and cooking space etc etc to be classed as a camper van, importers were slinging a mattress in the back and claiming "Motorhome!".

Interesting.... Some of my mates have gone through loads of hassle to get their vans classed as campers and my hilux really is a mattress slung in the back when I go camping! (except I can park anywhere )

I can't think of any advantages for having the hilux classed as a camper, yet. I already have a blue badge for the blooming bridge tax to get back into Wales. (when classed as camper, a van is cheaper, ie not commercial) Plus I'd rather be able to drive inside the LEZ. Good to see others are managing to sort it though.

[popuptoaster]

Interesting.... Some of my mates have gone through loads of hassle to get their vans classed as campers and my hilux really is a mattress slung in the back when I go camping! (except I can park anywhere )

I can't think of any advantages for having the hilux classed as a camper, yet. I already have a blue badge for the blooming bridge tax to get back into Wales. (when classed as camper, a van is cheaper, ie not commercial) Plus I'd rather be able to drive inside the LEZ. Good to see others are managing to sort it though.

The import rules changed a good while ago now, for a year or so the DVLA insisted that home built motorhomes looked like motorhomes with white paint and plastic windows and some vinyl stripe graphics.

They soon had to change it but if you try and register as a motorhome these days you still have to have a fixed bed (can fold up for seating) a table that can be fixed to a wall, onboard water storage and some other bits i've probably forgotten.

i'm not sure on the LEZ now as we got our Surf sorted out ages ago so i haven't bothered to check recently, but back when it started motorhomes under 2.5 tons were classed as cars and so were exempt from the LEZ.


Looking at this link,

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/...buses-and-4x4s

It would appear that that is still the case, a motorhome has to be between 2.5 and 3.5t to be subject to LEZ a lighter one such as a Surf should be exempt.

Don't take my word for it without more checking though!