New owner in Buckinghamshire

[russty_james]

Yeah it's very confusing! It's all around what's plated on the Car/Trailer as the maximum weights rather than what's on it... They go on the Maximum Authorised Mass(MAM) of the vehicle and trailer to determine the total permisable weight, If these are over 3500kg it's potentially illegal.

This may help or confuse further
http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/helpandadvice/technicalhelp/datasheets/driving-licences/page1/

[911tom]

Dropped my car at Ariel this morning. My plan is to get it perfect now so maintaining in the future is more straight forward. The factory have come up with quite a list. I nearly fell over when the estimate came through but after negotiation I have agreed to do all of the below;

18000 mile service
Fixed price 4 wheel alignment
Front number plate sticker
Labour to replace above inc AAOC discount
Wheel bearing kit (noisy and excessive play)
Drive flanges in above
Extra labour (on top of wheel alignment) for above Engine mount bush kit
Labour to replace above inc AAOC discount Supercharger drive belt
Steering rack shim (has play)
Labour to replace above inc AAOC discount
5/8 rod end (excessive play)
3/8 rod end (excessive play)
Labour to replace above inc in wheel alignment Labour to install air filter correctly
Labour to reroute handbrake cables (incorrectly fitted) Battery retention strap (broken)
Chassis rail protection kit (badly scuffed)
Labour to replace above inc AAOC discount
Seat stop kit (excessive movement in seat)
Labour for above inc AAOC discount
2013 ECU reflash
Rear crankshaft oil seal (leaking)
Labour to remove engine and gearbox and refit
Clutch kit (maybe worth replacing whilst engine out) Reroute lambda wiring (getting very hot)
Repair body tub (has deep gouges)
Extra for Atom 3.5 steering revision


As you can imagine I am spending a fairly large lump of cash but actually not too much more than I had budgeted. Really can not wait to get it back!

[phil4]

A bit like a Ducati, it looks like it pays to keep on tops of small things as they arise.  It looks like the previous owner wasn't quite so hot on that front.

[reg]

It'll be perfect once it's done Tom, it's nice to know everything is right and as Phil says once you have got things up to scratch it'll be far easier to keep it that way in the future 

[911tom]

This is the first time the car has been back to the factory. The previous owner was an older gentleman that used his local garage for servicing. It has clearly had oil changes regularly and the filter has been cleaned etc. But it has only ever had the 'normal car' stuff. Many of the points noted at the factory today I was aware of which is why I made provisions for them to have it for the week. For me the most important thing when buying a car is that the engine has had regular oil changes. Pretty much everything else can be addressed so long as the sale price reflects this. Shame it will be going straight on to the trailer when I collect it!

[phil4]

[quote="reg"]
It'll be perfect once it's done Tom
[/quote]

Reg is spot on, the factory are meticulous when it comes to the cars.

[911tom]

Picked the car up today. Ended up having new discs all round on top of the original list. As I trailered it to and from the factory I have only taken it for a quick drive of around 5 miles. So far the difference is obvious. All the noises have gone, I had no idea just how 'refined' these cars could be. Every thing feels so much more precise and tight. Hoping to go for a bit more of a run tomorrow weather pending.

[reg]

[quote="911tom"]
Picked the car up today. Ended up having new discs all round on top of the original list. As I trailered it to and from the factory I have only taken it for a quick drive of around 5 miles. So far the difference is obvious. All the noises have gone, I had no idea just how 'refined' these cars could be. Every thing feels so much more precise and tight. Hoping to go for a bit more of a run tomorrow weather pending.
[/quote]
You back...fancy a meet tomorrow am?

[911tom]

Yes back home now. Got a busy day tomorrow, usual post holiday catching up to do. Could do possibly do next weekend? Did you go along to the penn meet this morning?

[reg]

[quote="911tom"]
Yes back home now. Got a busy day tomorrow, usual post holiday catching up to do. Could do possibly do next weekend? Did you go along to the penn meet this morning?
[/quote]
Yes, no drive out before though. I was messing about with the suspension a bit today, had some fun

[911tom]

[quote="RU55 COS"]
I know the feeling, the trailer license thing is a right pain and doesn't make much sense overall. It took me a while to find a trailer I could legally tow behind a Yeti. 

As I'm sure you are aware they go on the maximum weights printed on the trailer and not the actual weight loaded, if the trailer's platted more than 1500kg you could potentially be breaking the law (loaded or not).

Stupid hey?
[/quote]

[quote="911tom"]
It's far too confusing surely the total 'maximum authorised mass' is dictated by the towing vehicle. In my case maximum towing weight of 1200kg + the weight of the car circa 1500kg and then some allowance for myself luggage and the family.
[/quote]

[quote="RU55 COS"]
Yeah it's very confusing! It's all around what's plated on the Car/Trailer as the maximum weights rather than what's on it... They go on the Maximum Authorised Mass(MAM) of the vehicle and trailer to determine the total permisable weight, If these are over 3500kg it's potentially illegal.

This may help or confuse further
http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/helpandadvice/technicalhelp/datasheets/driving-licences/page1/
[/quote]

Hi all. I just thought for the benefit for anyone in this I should confirm that RU55 COS is absolutely right. I chose to take a risk which was silly but I was too far in. I took the test on Monday and passed so will be a lot more relaxed next time I tow. But yeah on a standard licence issued after 1997 the 3,500KG limit is calculated by MAM of the trailer + MAM of the car. Silly rule really as if I had used a trailer stamped differently it would have been legal  It defies all logic but hey.

Also for any grown ups on here that passed before 1997 be aware that if you renew your photo card licence from next year you will loose your mini bus driving entitlements. May effect some people that hire them from time to time. If you are still rocking the old paper licence then as they do not expire I am told you will not loose it until you upgrade or downgrade as it were to a photocard.

[phil4]

[quote="911tom"]
Also for any grown ups on here that passed before 1997 be aware that if you renew your photo card licence from next year you will loose your mini bus driving entitlements. May effect some people that hire them from time to time. If you are still rocking the old paper licence then as they do not expire I am told you will not loose it until you upgrade or downgrade as it were to a photocard.
[/quote]

I'd not consider myself grown up, but passed my test in 1995 (so proper old), and am currently on my 8th license (address changes, categories added etc), and still have a D1 (and D1E) entitlement - So upto 16 passengers, shorter than 8 metres, with a trailer either up to 750Kg (D1) or total MAM of bus + trailer of 12,000kg (D1E), oddly though I also have a 119 Weight limit does not apply on that one, so unlimited weight?

Last change of my license was Feb this year, so unless this is a really recent removal... I've still got what I had, and can still drive minibuses.  Only restriction is not for hire or reward... which doesn't fuss me much.

[russty_james]

[quote="911tom"]
I took the test on Monday and passed so will be a lot more relaxed next time I tow.
[/quote]
Well done on passing the test! How was it? Did you need many lesson before?

Its something I keep thinking about doing as I want to own a VW camper again. I can't tow legally behind these unless I pass the test... :-(

[911tom]

The mini bus change comes in next year as far as I know. Someone's clearly found away to bring in some government cash

Cheers ru55. It is well worth doing but it is a driving test. Spent a good 50 minutes on the road. They can and will fail you for the same things on the normal driving test. The reversing exercise is easy enough if you've done it before. I opted to do a free one hour assessment session with a local instructor. He advised that I should do it in a day so the test was booked. I met him at 8.30 Monday morning and we set off. Spent about an hour doing the reverse excercise. Then drove to the town where the test was booked. He committed on my driving throughout. Giving me advice on using mirrors, braking distances, checking blind spots etc. Cost £395.00. But I guess if you don't pass first time it won't be the full price again for half a day and the test fee.

[phil4]

[quote="911tom"]
The mini bus change comes in next year as far as I know. Someone's clearly found away to bring in some government cash
[/quote]

Well for one they're keeping it super-quiet... google isn't coming up with anything.  I can't recall that they've ever previously removed people's entitlements, almost always "grandfathering" them, or slightly modifying the category.

If you have any more info, a link or similar, do post.