Bongo Fury

I have spent many happy hours looking at threads on this forum and elsewhere, have got fed up with people phoning me up asking the same questions time and time again, and thought I would post the definitive rules. Thanks to Trevd01, Dave Pumford, and the VW owners club for much of this info.

The band that your vehicle falls in to is based on the date it was first registered in the UK, NOT the date it was manufactured.

The emissions test at your MOT has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO with your CO2 rating for road tax purposes.

Look at your V5 document. In Part 4, Vehicle Details, if your “Taxation Class” is shown as “Motor Caravan”, then you will pay £185 up to 31 March 2009, and £200 from 30 April 2009. It does not matter if you have a CO2 figure on your V5 or not. The exception to this rule is where your vehicle was originally registered in the UK as a Car or Light Goods Vehicle, and the vehicle has been re-registered as a Motor Caravan, then you will pay duty as if you are still a car (see below). HOWEVER, you should note that if you are registered as a Motor Caravan, and you do not have a full camper conversion, and you are subjected to a roadside or VOSA check, your vehicle may be confiscated and even crushed!

If you are not registered as a Motor Caravan, and a CO2 figure is shown in Part 4 of the V5, you will pay £400 up to 31 March 2009, and £440 from 30 April 2009. This is based on a CO2 figure of 302 gm/km. Different rates may apply for later model petrol Bongos.

If you are not registered as a Motor Caravan, and no CO2 figure is shown in Part 4 of the V5, you will pay £185 up to 31 March 2009, and £200 from 30 April 2009.

And that’s it. Until it changes again.

, just checked mine and its registered as PLG, but no emissions are written on my V5

That's a bit worrying Ian

martnin wrote:That's a bit worrying Ian

Which bit?

First post I looked at tonight and off I ran to get my document....I'm with you waycar8. PLG and nothing written in the co2 section

Ian wrote: The exception to this rule is where your vehicle was originally registered in the UK as a Car or Light Goods Vehicle, and the vehicle has been re-registered as a Motor Caravan, then you will pay duty as if you are still a car

Possibly dumb question but how can you tell if its previously been changed?

Phew. Same here Wayne.

mister munkey wrote:

Ian wrote: The exception to this rule is where your vehicle was originally registered in the UK as a Car or Light Goods Vehicle, and the vehicle has been re-registered as a Motor Caravan, then you will pay duty as if you are still a car

Possibly dumb question but how can you tell if its previously been changed?

It will be indicated on front page of V5, in Part 3.

Ta. Will check.

PLG for me as well


you've been bongod

Ian, the bit about having the vehicle confiscated and possibly crushed. You've obviously put a lot of time and effort into this, thank you for that. A few sleepless nights ahead I suspect. Nightmares of a beautifull Bongo in a crushing machine. Strange, my grandad fought in two world wars to keep this country free, but it seems the Nazis have gained power after all.

martnin wrote:but it seems the Nazis have gained power after all.

For those of us who have visited Poland in the last week or two, zis ve do not find funny.

It's not fascists that will be responsible for crushing your vehicle. It will be VOSA. Ultimately it is the fault of dodgy car dealers breaking the rules. Because campervans are exempt from various importing rules, some dealers converted Bongos to Campervans, registered them as such, and then converted them back to MPVs. To save themselves a few hundred quid. So if your Bongo has 8 seats and is registered as a Campervan, I would be looking at going back to where I bought it and asking some questions..........

Perhaps a silly question but what if its registered as PLG but has been converted to campervan can there be any comeback for not declaring its changes if stopped and checked on police etc.


freda boss
Viv

Freds boss wrote:Perhaps a silly question but what if its registered as PLG but has been converted to campervan can there be any comeback for not declaring its changes if stopped and checked on police etc.


freda boss
Viv

That won't make any difference in terms of excise duty, but it may invalidate your insurance.