Vito Traveliner - Is It A Car Or A Van For Ferries And Tolls

[KTMsm]

I've got a Vito Traveliner - essentially a Vito with 8 seats and windows all the way down it and in the back

I'm aware of the UK speed limit situation it comes under car speed limits as it's a dual purpose vehicle

But what's the situation for Ferries and tolls in Europe ?

It makes a hell of a difference on some routes

To complicate matters I will be carrying a motorbike in the back although as it's got tinted glass it won't be seen

Is it as simple as - it's a car because it's got windows or is it a van as it's the same size and registered as a "Vito"

[Davie]

What does the V5 say?

[MDMA .]

If it has 8 seats, is it not a minibus? So LCV rules/class?

[shtu]

Ferry companies set this out in their own rules, eg

https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/information/faq...
https://www.dfds.com/en-gb/passenger-ferries/passe...

I would aim at MPV \ Large Car classes, rather than Van. (Providing that the dimensions work)

[OldGermanHeaps]

My crew cab vito got on a few ferries as a car.

[KTMsm]

V5 just says Vito

Minibus is 9 or more seats

[KTMsm]

This shows the problem taken from the Britney ferries link



A Transporter is probably even more popular than a Vito and is available as a minibus car or van

It fits within the size requirements of a car yet is used is as an example of a van

[numtumfutunch]

The Peage booths in France have sensors that measure vehicle height and charge accordingly

A trip from Calais to the Loire showed that a Volvo V90 with roof box was charged a lot less than our mates Honda CR-V also with roof box

Hope that helps

[KTMsm]

If it's just done on height I'd be ok

The difference on tolls in France (according to a toll calculator site) is that a van would pay almost 3x more

IIRC on the IOM ferry it was £200 v £1200

[ED209]

Is it within the weight limit for a dual purpose vehicle? My Vito 122 long dualiner isn’t.

[Axeboy]

I've got a Vito Tourer, 8 seats, V5 classes it as a car

Any ferry I've been on classes it as a car

When going to the local tip, it's classed as a minibus even though by their own definition that needs 9 seats.

It basically depends on the case by case definition or opinion of each service. I find it generally causes confusion as it's fully windowed, basically a MPV, but not quite a minibus or a van.

[KTMsm]

Axeboy said:

I've got a Vito Tourer, 8 seats, V5 classes it as a car

Any ferry I've been on classes it as a car

When going to the local tip, it's classed as a minibus even though by their own definition that needs 9 seats.

It basically depends on the case by case definition or opinion of each service. I find it generally causes confusion as it's fully windowed, basically a MPV, but not quite a minibus or a van.

Yes, I've had it a while so I've come across all this before in the Uk

My local tip object if I remove the seats - I've told them it's exactly the same as an MPV and they can remove their seats and why would I pile crap on my seats when I can remove them - they just leave me alone these days

I haven't taken it to Europe before, hence the question because I know everyone has different rules

[blue_haddock]

I've got a caddy maxi life which is similar, the deciding factor is if it's registered as M1 or N1 on the log book.

The caddy is officially registered as a 7 seat mpv so M1 class which is passenger vehicle.

N1 is for light commercial so just look at what it is registered as on the v5

[Matt_T]

KTMsm said:

IIRC on the IOM ferry it was £200 v £1200

I took a van to the IOM to clear out a flat last summer. I rented one of these https://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vans/combo/model-overvi...
as it was charged as a large car and was half the price of a proper van.

[KTMsm]

blue_haddock said:

I've got a caddy maxi life which is similar, the deciding factor is if it's registered as M1 or N1

N1 is for light commercial so just look at what it is registered as on the v5

Except that's not what the various bodies use as has already been discussed, it might be length, height or any number of factors

My local tip banned "long wheel base vans"

I called to ask what their definition was - there wasn't one !

I pointed out that a long wheel base transporter and vito were shorter than a Medium wheel base sprinter. They didn't have an answer

I carried on going to the tip in my extra long wheelbase Vito

[oldagepensioner]

Don't know if this will help but Mercedes dealers and possibly all motor dealers should have access to a programme call oasis.This should tell them what Mercedes classified it as as car and van dealers were not in my day anyway (2020) supposed to work on each others class of vehicle.Especially anything that needed programming.

[scorcher]

ED209 said:

Is it within the weight limit for a dual purpose vehicle? My Vito 122 long dualiner isn’t.

I reckon it would be overweight ! Especially with all those seats in it. My LWB VW Kombi was, although most SWB ones scraped within the 2040 kg unladen limit . Presumably they have Commercial rates of tax (N1 on V5)

[KTMsm]

scorcher said:

ED209 said:

Is it within the weight limit for a dual purpose vehicle? My Vito 122 long dualiner isn’t.

I reckon it would be overweight ! Especially with all those seats in it. My LWB VW Kombi was, although most SWB ones scraped within the 2040 kg unladen limit . Presumably they have Commercial rates of tax (N1 on V5)

I went through all this when I bought it for speed limits and there really isn't a straightforward answer that I can find

I've seen unladen weight quoted online at 1850 kg

The VIN plate gives a max weight at 2940kg and I believe the load capacity is 900+kg but I'm not certain

I presume the difference between unladen, weight and gross weight is not only be load capacity but also fuel and the driver as a minimum so I should be below 2040 unladen regardless - not that any of it matters for tolls or ferry charges

Edited by KTMsm on Saturday 20th January 19:12

[scorcher]

Only way is to stick it on a weighbridge in its factory configuration with minimal fuel. Unladen weight and kerb weight all differ slightly. All totally confusing as normal

[blank]

KTMsm said:

I went through all this when I bought it for speed limits and there really isn't a straightforward answer that I can find

I've seen unladen weight quoted online at 1850 kg

The VIN plate gives a max weight at 2940kg and I believe the load capacity is 900+kg but I'm not certain

I presume the difference between unladen, weight and gross weight is not only be load capacity but also fuel and the driver as a minimum so I should be below 2040 unladen regardless - not that any of it matters for tolls or ferry charges

Edited by KTMsm on Saturday 20th January 19:12

If it's registered as M1 then all that is irrelevant anyway as it's a passenger vehicle (car) not a goods vehicle (van).