If they introduce MOTs, road taxation will follow plus compulsory insurance. What about people whose caravans are on seasonal sites for most of the year?
If they go for caravans, they will need to introduce it for all trailers including horse boxes. I cannot see that as being a popular move to keep a government in power.
Then of course a MOT service station would need specialized equipment to perform a MOT on a caravan and to be able to cater for single and twin axle caravans. Would you trust your dealer to do a MOT on your caravan and not to rip you off?
In essence to make it fair, council MOT stations would have to be upgraded to cater for caravans. I cannot see this happening!
It is only a matter of time. MOT, driving tests and legal enforcement of towing ratios will all come in. Self regulation does not work, many people ignore the weight guidelines, and that is usually followed by legislation.
Jim
well to what i am reading here is that most people dont mind an mot/check sort of thing for vans and trailers as long as it dont cost em owt. others say that we as drivers/caravanners are too regulated as we are now. he is a thought for you all.
you think you are badly done to.. i am a hgv driver ( since 1974 ) and drive the big juggernaughts lol. we have to have a medical every five yrs if you are over 45.
that can cost up to £125 depending on your doctor.
we have to do a driver training course by 2014 of 35 hrs split into 5 modules of 7 hrs per module, this can cost up to £100 per module plus a days wage that would be lost for attending.
we also have to pay for our digital drivers card ( £19 ) that records all our duties
( rest, work, or driving )
some companys will help with payments, but the majority wont. its we the drivers have to pay out of our own pocket.
dont get me started on vosa.
i see far too many caravans trashed on the uk roads and wonder why.
i just wondered what you all thought about mot's for vans/trailers.
its been nice to hear your views though.
take care all.
------------- Maker Of Fine Handcrafted Writing Instruments
It does appear sensible that anything that can travel on the road at motorway speeds should be subjected to some sort of periodic test. In countries where this has always been the case the system works well enough.
I'm guessing that German caravanners spend less on caravan maintenance that UK 'vanners. They just get their 'vans serviced & mot'eed every 2 yrs. Caravans don't need servicing every yr. but they do need servicing & the German system ensures they get serviced every 2 yrs thruout their lives which ensures that even old caravans are in reasonable mechanical condition.
This would actually reduce servicing costs while ensuring even old caravans recieved some sort of maintenance.
My feeling is that it will be introduced eventually, but what any MOT should include is open to debate.
Wheels, brakes, chassis, hitch, brake lighting, and a body work that is safe to be towed, at the absolute minimum, but costing no more than a car MOT: not main dealer service charges, which is what I am afraid of, and what most opponents of this caravan MOT may also be wary of.
Quote: Originally posted by jim oldham on 28/6/2011
My feeling is that it will be introduced eventually, but what any MOT should include is open to debate.
Wheels, brakes, chassis, hitch, brake lighting, and a body work that is safe to be towed, at the absolute minimum, but costing no more than a car MOT: not main dealer service charges, which is what I am afraid of, and what most opponents of this caravan MOT may also be wary of.
Jim.
There is even less to check on a caravan than a car so if there was a charge it should be about 50% of the car MOT. Anyway councils cannot afford to set up MOT bays at this time so no worries for another 10 years at least!
Our ancient 'van got fully serviced after we got it to ensure it wasn't going to drop to bits on the motorway. The O/H is overhauling the brakes/ checking the chassis, tyres ect. at the start of every season and throughout.
In an ideal world no-one would risk the lives of themselves and their families by towing a ropey 'van, everyone has a duty to make sure their outfit is safe for the road, but as for an annual MOT, it's just adding more cost. Running the system and enforcing it would cost a fortune and we'd have to pay for it so i doubt it would only be half the price of a car MOT.
So MOT? no thanks.
It would be cheaper to SORN a caravan as many caravans never see a road as they are stuck on seasonal pitches. If you only use a caravan once or twice a year, it seems a waste of money taking it for a MOT once every two years.
I agree from a safety point of view, but the logistics of setting up MOTs for caravans would be a nightmare and the government cannot afford it at this time as they are too busy giving away billions in foreign aid to worry about it!
Quote: Originally posted by gregg495 on 28/6/2011
well to what i am reading here is that most people dont mind an mot/check sort of thing for vans and trailers as long as it dont cost em owt.
I'd go along with that. My van is serviced every year and things that are wrong are put right. I don't want to pay more.
I wonder how many people do actually have an annual service carried out on their vans, though? Judging by the condition of many of the ones we saw when looking round, most people don't bother- otherwise the chronic damp/delamination problems would have been caught a whole lot sooner.
Given the number of people who seem incapable of carrying out a even basic safety check of tyre pressures/lights on a regular basis, I think anything that assesses the roadworthiness of a caravan is a good thing. Few people on here admit to failing to properly maintain their caravans, but I bet lots of owners in the real world leave them standing for 50 weeks of the year then simpy hitch them up and assume they're ready to drive 200 miles at motorway speeds.
So yes, for me it'd be a relatively small price to pay, given how darned expensive this hobby is anyway (the cost would probably equate to about a third of a tank of petrol!) to hopefully keep some badly maintained vehicles off the road. Hopefully it would perhaps even dissuade some of those who don't look after their vans properly from caravanning (and being a danger to me and mine on the motorway!).
Quote: Originally posted by White Rose on 29/6/2011
I wonder how many people do actually have an annual service carried out on their vans, though? Judging by the condition of many of the ones we saw when looking round, most people don't bother- otherwise the chronic damp/delamination problems would have been caught a whole lot sooner.
Given the number of people who seem incapable of carrying out a even basic safety check of tyre pressures/lights on a regular basis, I think anything that assesses the roadworthiness of a caravan is a good thing. Few people on here admit to failing to properly maintain their caravans, but I bet lots of owners in the real world leave them standing for 50 weeks of the year then simpy hitch them up and assume they're ready to drive 200 miles at motorway speeds.
in the haulage industry trucks and their trailers are serviced every six weeks, or should be. even if the truck is brand new.
of course you will get some cowboy firms that do not adhere to it. thats why i like vosa there to do their job and keep them off the roads.
i was parked at birch sevices last night/this morning for my mandatory 45 mins break and vosa was there getting set up.
the guy said they were there for caravans and trailers of the holiday makers, so be aware.
------------- Maker Of Fine Handcrafted Writing Instruments
In the armed forces, all trailers have their own reg no.Servicing is done on a basis of1,000 miles or every 2 months whichever comes first.So even if they are not used they still have to be serviced,.This goes for vehicles too.
------------- Corpogreen esq
dead horse
and
donkey buyer
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: caravan mot yes or no
My van is serviced every year and things that are wrong are put right. I don't want to pay more.
