4Motion - Dual Purpose Vehicle?

[Samro]

Just looked up the conditions that have to be met to be classed as a DPV:

Just to clarify, is your van we are talking about a Kombi, with rear seats or is it a panel van?
If it is a panel van with no rear seats then the discussion ends there as to be a Dual Purpose vehicle it has to have fixed rear seats, there are also stipulations about how big the sizes are but off the top of my head I cant remember.


Edit on finding the information below as long as it is 4 wheel drive it seems it doesn't need rear seats but must be below the magic 2040kg.

Just to clarify, is your van we are talking about a Kombi, with rear seats or is it a panel van?
If it is a panel van with no rear seats then the discussion ends there as to be a Dual Purpose vehicle it has to have fixed rear seats, there are also stipulations about how big the sizes are but off the top of my head I cant remember.


Edit on finding the information below as long as it is 4 wheel drive it seems it doesn't need rear seats but must be below the magic 2040kg.

It's arriving as a panel van and then being converted into a Kombi.

My understanding is that all 4 wheel drive vehicles are classed as dual purpose so long as the unladen weight is less than 2040kg.

I can see that this is possible for some 4motion owners, so long as they are short wheelbase and haven't opted for any of the heavier options on the options list. (Rear heater, towbar, etc.)

The ordered vehicle will primarily be used at work which will include some towing, hence the 4 Motion spec.
It was never initially intended to be purchased as a passenger carrier, but after getting hold of some brand new rear seats at the right price I will get rear seats fitted. In hindsight I should have ordered a Kombi at the outset.

 

[Samro]

This may sound daft...but the weight limit is 2040kg as DPV....

so how does a Rolls Royce Cullinan with kerb weight 2660kg get away with it if you apply the same rules

Do you really need to ask? Let me explain.

A Rolls Royce is a car therefore much safer than a van. Vans are rubbish and have an inability to stop. They may also tumble upside-down or burst into flames if driven over 50 MPH on an A road.

Luckily, motorways are completely safe and vans are therefore permitted to drive at the exact same speed as cars.

However, whilst dual carriageways (Which are are essentially the same as motorways) are safe for cars, it has been noticed that the green signs were causing lots of accidents with vans. Pickup trucks seem unaffected, unless they weigh more than 2040kg, then these also self combust when 51MPH is reached on an A road.

There are exceptions if vans have windows and extra seats fitted (and weigh 2039kg or less). This is because the windows are special safety windows which prevent harm. Panel vans weighing less than 2039kg are not exempt due to the missing safety feature provided by the windows.

I hope this clears up your query?

 

[DaveD]

This may sound daft...but the weight limit is 2040kg as DPV....

so how does a Rolls Royce Cullinan with kerb weight 2660kg get away with it if you apply the same rules

Because it isn't derived from a commercial vehicle.

 

[Daffy]

Because it isn't derived from a commercial vehicle.

Because it isn’t a commercial vehicle, even some car derived vans are restricted to the lower limits as their MAM pushes them out of being a CDV.

The uk is unique in that it considers a van as a commercial vehicle and then applies Truck speed limits, this is historical and wont be changed as it would result in a demand for car speed limits to be raised on the basis that if a modern van is safe to be doing car speeds than a modern car is safe to be doing more.

This wont happen as it will be an environmental PR disaster for any government that agreed it when the pressure is to reduce emissions and reduced speed is seen as a way to do this.

 

[Samro]

Because it isn’t a commercial vehicle, even some car derived vans are restricted to the lower limits as their MAM pushes them out of being a CDV.

The uk is unique in that it considers a van as a commercial vehicle and then applies Truck speed limits, this is historical and wont be changed as it would result in a demand for car speed limits to be raised on the basis that if a modern van is safe to be doing car speeds than a modern car is safe to be doing more.

This wont happen as it will be an environmental PR disaster for any government that agreed it when the pressure is to reduce emissions and reduced speed is seen as a way to do this.

True, but lobbying for the weight limit of dual purpose vehicles to be increased to say 2500kg would be worthwhile. Current legislation was derived prior to consideration of the safety requirements now found on all vehicles, whether they be a smart car or truck. This is the core reason that modern vehicles are massive when compared to equivalents of yesteryear.

Look at:
Austin/Morris mini vs bmw mini.
Escort vs focus.
Transit vs modern transit.
Original Transporter vs T6.

All of these have become heavier/bigger but safer as a result.
Surely lobbying for legislation to keep up is worthwhile?
Also: general speed limits could be argued to stay the same due to the volume of traffic on our roads, but the environmental effect of rolling road blocks in the form of 50 mph speed limits cannot be considered anything other than bad for the environment.

 

[Daffy]

True, but lobbying for the weight limit of dual purpose vehicles to be increased to say 2500kg would be worthwhile. Current legislation was derived prior to consideration of the safety requirements now found on all vehicles, whether they be a smart car or truck. This is the core reason that modern vehicles are massive when compared to equivalents of yesteryear.

Look at:
Austin/Morris mini vs bmw mini.
Escort vs focus.
Transit vs modern transit.
Original Transporter vs T6.

All of these have become heavier/bigger but safer as a result.
Surely lobbying for legislation to keep up is worthwhile?
Also: general speed limits could be argued to stay the same due to the volume of traffic on our roads, but the environmental effect of rolling road blocks in the form of 50 mph speed limits cannot be considered anything other than bad for the environment.

I don’t dispute anything you say but building an argument to allow an increase in speeds for vehicles that are bigger, heavier and driving on much more congested roads is not going to win any support from the media or environmentalists.

I think I read somewhere that there are some sections of motorway being reduced to 60mph on noise pollution grounds, if true I’m sure it will be a step away from a general 60mph limit....

I don’t say I support this at all but I think the writing is on the wall for more general speed reductions on certain roads....

 

[DaveD]

Speed limits are becoming irrelevant during peak times due to congestion, this isn't going to get any better.
In 1995 there were 25 million cars registered in the UK, by 2010 that figure had increased to 34 million, it is likely to be 40 million now.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/8995/vehicles-summary.pdf

I stick to van limits and my journey times are not significantly different compared to when I use a car.