Insurance

[GeorgeG]

I emailed Product Support at Mercedes HQ and my email bounced back. I contacted the supplying dealer who gave me their phone number. I phoned Product Support and they would not speak to me about the V5 issue as they are a support team for dealers only and they were pretty irritated that I’d been given their number.

The upshot of all this was that Product Support phoned the dealer to tell them off, they phoned me to apologise and asked me to send them my email which they would forward to Product Support. You couldn’t make it up!

I wait with interest to see what happens. Presumably, I will be hearing from the dealer rather than Product Support, so I don’t anticipate an early resolution of the issue. I’ll keep you updated.

 

[GeorgeG]

Collected my replacement MP last Saturday 30th March, insured with Comfort. Got the V5 in the post today registered as MPV, so firstly called the dealer and told them it should have been registered as a Motor Caravan, the reply was that DVLA had auto filled form so not their problem. Secondly called DVLA who were very helpful and checked the electronic registration that the dealer had filled in and con firmed that the dealer had filled in MPV, so dealer needed to return the V5 along with a letter to confirm it should be registered as a Motor Caravan. Third call was back to the dealer who was a bit put out after I passed on the DVLA information. Fourth call to Comfort who were very helpful and said as long as it it was in process of being altered they would keep the insurance valid.

Paul, you posted the above as I was writing my post! I’ll phone my supplying dealer tomorrow and see how I get on.
The complicating factor is I’m going to France and Spain for 6 weeks at the end of the month and you need to take the V5 with you. Also, my insurance with Comfort runs out on 1st June and I’ll need to get it sorted before I go away. Do you know how long it takes to get it re-registered with DVLA?

 

[Paul Merritt]

I emailed Product Support at Mercedes HQ and my email bounced back. I contacted the supplying dealer who gave me their phone number. I phoned Product Support and they would not speak to me about the V5 issue as they are a support team for dealers only and they were pretty irritated that I’d been given their number.

The upshot of all this was that Product Support phoned the dealer to tell them off, they phoned me to apologise and asked me to send them my email which they would forward to Product Support. You couldn’t make it up!

I wait with interest to see what happens. Presumably, I will be hearing from the dealer rather than Product Support, so I don’t anticipate an early resolution of the issue. I’ll keep you updated.

The dealer should sort every thing out for you, Mercedes customer service is only there to make sure that they do there the job properly, as I found out battled for months on rejecting my first MP.

 

[Paul Merritt]

Paul, you posted the above as I was writing my post! I’ll phone my supplying dealer tomorrow and see how I get on.
The complicating factor is I’m going to France and Spain for 6 weeks at the end of the month and you need to take the V5 with you. Also, my insurance with Comfort runs out on 1st June and I’ll need to get it sorted before I go away. Do you know how long it takes to get it re-registered with DVLA?

Phone DVLA on 0300 790 6802 and talk it through with them they will advise on how to proceed.

 

[Steven rhodes]

Collected my replacement MP last Saturday 30th March, insured with Comfort. Got the V5 in the post today registered as MPV, so firstly called the dealer and told them it should have been registered as a Motor Caravan, the reply was that DVLA had auto filled form so not their problem. Secondly called DVLA who were very helpful and checked the electronic registration that the dealer had filled in and con firmed that the dealer had filled in MPV, so dealer needed to return the V5 along with a letter to confirm it should be registered as a Motor Caravan. Third call was back to the dealer who was a bit put out after I passed on the DVLA information. Fourth call to Comfort who were very helpful and said as long as it it was in process of being altered they would keep the insurance valid.

I've recieved a letter today from mercedes asking dvla to change it to motorcaravan they sent me the letter so I can now forward it along with my v5 and a covering letter stating that I would like it changed to the correct panel type so I can insure it with comfort myself as it's cheaper and more specialist, so il post it tomorrow and see what happens,I did phone dvla again just to check I had all the correct paperwork and the chap I spoke with agreed all ok just send it in,so wait and see now

 

[Steven rhodes]

Paul, you posted the above as I was writing my post! I’ll phone my supplying dealer tomorrow and see how I get on.
The complicating factor is I’m going to France and Spain for 6 weeks at the end of the month and you need to take the V5 with you. Also, my insurance with Comfort runs out on 1st June and I’ll need to get it sorted before I go away. Do you know how long it takes to get it re-registered with DVLA?

It should take a couple of weeks at best and four max,we shouldn't have to do this messing around on mercedes behalf tbh I'm a bit miffed about this ! oh and don't forget to keep section 10 in case anything happens people

 

[BabaJen]

Just a tip for anyone travelling with their original vehicle documents, insurance, V5 etc, in the vehicle.

You don't want them getting nicked by someone breaking into the vehicle.

I keep copies of mine in the back of my seat pocket and the originals underneath the upstairs bed. The originals are virtually impossible for anyone to find without a key and lifting the roof and if stopped and ask to produce my documents flash the copies first, and only if they insist on seeing originals then explain that you have to raise the roof to get them.

When Douane stopped me in France and asked to see my documents they were fine with copies once they knew I had the originals but it would be the proverbial pain to get them.

 

[mptripsaway]

I own a V250d AMG Marco Polo which is classed as M1 and MPV on the V5. I am insured fully comp by a reputable insurance company (LV) at a competitive price including protected NCB, legal assistance, etc on a multi vehicle policy covering SD&P (60 days in Europe) on the MP and business & commuting use included on the other vehicle. I have booked and traveled as a car in my MP with Brittany, P&O and DFDS ferries with no questions asked at any point. With all that in mind I can't see any benefit to me or any reason for getting the V5 changed to N1 Motorcaravan. If I am missing something please let me know.

 

[Steven rhodes]

I think in my case it's a lot cheaper on insurance and give me more options and choice being in the camper van category

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[GeorgeG]

I own a V250d AMG Marco Polo which is classed as M1 and MPV on the V5. I am insured fully comp by a reputable insurance company (LV) at a competitive price including protected NCB, legal assistance, etc on a multi vehicle policy covering SD&P (60 days in Europe) on the MP and business & commuting use included on the other vehicle. I have booked and traveled as a car in my MP with Brittany, P&O and DFDS ferries with no questions asked at any point. With all that in mind I can't see any benefit to me or any reason for getting the V5 changed to N1 Motorcaravan. If I am missing something please let me know.

This V5 business is causing me to lose the will to live! In view of your comments Braysaway, I decided to give LV a call as my wife’s car is insured with them and they offer multi-vehicle policies. Their annualized quote comes in at about £350 with protected NCB and reduced excess which is slightly less than I was paying on a Westfalia Columbus (Fiat Ducato).

I raised the question of the MP’s classification on the V5 and was told that if their system provides the details of the vehicle through a registration search - in my case it came up with Mercedes Marco Polo V220d Sport - they go with that regardless of the MPV tag. However, when the vehicle is clearly a conversion of a van chassis (as my Westfalia Columbus) they have to list it as a Motor Home because it’s not possible or realistic to list every conceivable van conversion.

It would seem, certainly in my case, that whether the MP is treated as an MPV or Motor Home makes little difference to the premium. My only reservation about leaving things as they are is if changing the Body Type to Motor Caravan would reduce the hideous VED it would be worth pursuing. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was involved in the re-classification of the California, some 12 years ago, to (I think?) Motor Caravan, which then reduced the VED by about half because it was in the same tax band as PLG. I’m guessing this would not be the case now as it seems the DVLA have backtracked on the VED reduction in the intervening years. Has anyone any knowledge of the likely effect on VED rates if the MP becomes a Motor Caravan?

 

[Brian Drought]

I'd also check with the DVLA if classification as a Motor Caravan reduces your speed limits as it would if it were a van

 

[Brian Drought]

FYI, looking on here: https://carfueldata.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/new-vehicle-tax.aspx

Both a Vito and the Marco Polo show as VED of £145 after the first year, but then also subject to "Please note that if the list price of a car is over £40,000, then an additional rate of £310 will be payable on top of the standard rate for five years"

 

[GeorgeG]

I have booked and traveled as a car in my MP with Brittany, P&O and DFDS ferries with no questions asked at any point. With all that in mind I can't see any benefit to me or any reason for getting the V5 changed to N1 Motorcaravan. If I am missing something please let me know.

Braysaway, my wife was looking to book a ferry last night. Do you enter your MP actually as a ‘car’ when you make a booking?If you do it through the Caravan Club the MP does not appear in their drop down list and you have to call them to manually add it to your membership details. Am I correct in assuming that it is possible to list your MP as a Mercedes MPV with the ferry operators and get a price based on length and height? Does this make it cheaper and what about the gas on board not being declared?

 

[GeorgeG]

FYI, looking on here: https://carfueldata.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/new-vehicle-tax.aspx

Both a Vito and the Marco Polo show as VED of £145 after the first year, but then also subject to "Please note that if the list price of a car is over £40,000, then an additional rate of £310 will be payable on top of the standard rate for five years"

Of course Brian, we’re stuffed by the ‘over £40,000’ price tag. I’d overlooked that clever move by Osborne to redress the reducing tax take as a result of the massive increase of lower emission vehicles in recent years. You may remember that when Gordon Brown introduced zero VED rates for low emission cars there were none available at that time in the UK that qualified for no VED!

 

[Steve B]

To (hopefully) make you feel better about costs; our MP is an additional vehicle and my wife is the insured main driver. The issue is she had 9 years NCD, but it lapsed by 1 year so she had to start again! Admittedly, not a huge premium as we are older now, but it still hurts....

 

[mptripsaway]

Braysaway, my wife was looking to book a ferry last night. Do you enter your MP actually as a ‘car’ when you make a booking?If you do it through the Caravan Club the MP does not appear in their drop down list and you have to call them to manually add it to your membership details. Am I correct in assuming that it is possible to list your MP as a Mercedes MPV with the ferry operators and get a price based on length and height? Does this make it cheaper and what about the gas on board not being declared?

My experience when booking online is: Select Mercedes and as V class does not appear in the drop down menu, select Other, then I type in V250d Marco Polo. Select the correct dimension catagory and declare any extra length/height from bike racks etc. It has not been challenged yet by any ferry company. I have been asked at ferry ports if I have gas on board to which I say yes and it's turned off, that has always satisfied them. Hope that helps?

 

[BabaJen]

I'd also check with the DVLA if classification as a Motor Caravan reduces your speed limits as it would if it were a van

It does not. As long as it is M1 classification then it is classed as a passenger vehicle.

 

[PaulE]

Hi George, where did you end up on this?

My dealer is telling me that all MPs are registered as MPVs but Comfort told me they need me to get it reregistered as a motor home.

I'm not sure if a camper van is a motor home or an MPV.

Has anyone else out had their MP registered as a motor home or are they MPVs?

Kind regards

PaulE

 

[GeorgeG]

Hi George, where did you end up on this?

My dealer is telling me that all MPs are registered as MPVs but Comfort told me they need me to get it reregistered as a motor home.

I'm not sure if a camper van is a motor home or an MPV.

Has anyone else out had their MP registered as a motor home or are they MPVs?

Kind regards

PaulE

Hi Paul
The supplying dealer was contacting Mercedes about the V5 issue (see my earlier posts). I still haven’t heard anything, but to be honest I don’t think I ever will!
I decided to contact LV who insure my other car to see if I could put the MP on a multi car policy. No problem as LV list the MP on their data base and they don’t seem bothered what it’s registered as. Also, I was able to use 9 years NCD I had built up on the car that the MP replaced.
I couldn’t see the point of going through the rigmarole of re-registering when doing so could always lead to unforeseen consequences.

 

[Method7]

I understood that a motor home gets reduced road tax but there are several conditions need to be met, I think the MP would meet these since it’s something like a fixed 2 ring stove and a 6 foot bed.. I’m not certain of the details as a friend of mine was considering converting a sprinter, maybe it needs a window in the back as well.

The real value in this classification is the reduced road tax and insurance. Unfortunately the horizon will not pass, otherwise I would be all over this.