# Fleetwood Bounder



## 101340 (Oct 11, 2006)

Has anyone imported a Fleetwood Bounder from the US. We have one that has to be inspected by the DVLA before registration, it looks like it is very close to the width limit of 2.55m. Any advice on where they are measured from and do they include the awning, lights etc appreciated..


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## zaskar (Jun 6, 2005)

Learner said:


> Has anyone imported a Fleetwood Bounder from the US. We have one that has to be inspected by the DVLA before registration, it looks like it is very close to the width limit of 2.55m. Any advice on where they are measured from and do they include the awning, lights etc appreciated..


According to a phone conversation I had with a certain large dealership in Wolverhampton this morning, they will measure width INCLUDING awnigs and ALL fittings EXCEPT mirrors which mean you ARE gonna be over.
Basically, your gonna have to take the awnings, (both sun canopy & slideout if fitted) off at the dockside. Those RV's (like mine) which are already in the country and registered will have a blind eye turned to the awning tho' there's nothing actually in writing to state this.

ps. if you look at the latest SMMT list and it shows your Bounder as under, print it off and take a copy with you, it might swing thier decision.


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Hi

From our experience the DVLA's measuring methods leave a lot to be desired.
We took some of our RVs to Worcester where they had a couple of blokes with a sloppy reel-type tape measure which was flapping about in the breeze....hardly an accurate procedure.

They took the width measurement across the widest point at the rear of the vehicle which also included the wheel arches, marker lights and the awning. They do not include wing mirrors although these would pose more of a hazard to other road users than the awning legs any day.

We had to physically remove the awning on one vehicle in order to get it passed. 

A subsequent vehicle was passed by Oxford DVLA by post and without inspection despite it retaining its awning which, technically, is over-width so its really a case of where you go as to how stringent they are....a classic case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing :roll: 

Best of luck!


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## 101340 (Oct 11, 2006)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the replies, how did you get a registration by post with DVLA Oxford, that is the DVLA we are registering with. Were your motorhomes close to the width restriction?


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

Hi

The RV we registered through Oxford (a 30Q Hurricane) was on the SMMT list under the "approved" section.

We decided, after the fun and games at Worcester to post the registration forms to Oxford (we are based less than 30 miles away) as an experiment as this is the office where a certain local large dealer register their huge A classes and had been getting them through apparently without any problem despite the manufacturers website showing the width measurements of such vehicles as being over DVLA's maximum.

Oxford sent the registration papers to us within a week and did not ask to inspect the vehicle, despite Worcester telling us they would have to inspect it whether it was on the "list" or not.

There are very few RVs made which are NOT close to the width limit. If you include the awnings then this takes the vast majority of them over.

This subject has been discussed to death, if you have a scroll through the American RV forum topics you'll find several threads all basically saying the same thing.

There is still much discussion going on....... :roll:

The famoust list can be viewed here:
http://www.smmt.co.uk/motorhomes/Motorhome_Directory.pdf


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

Learner,

I believe the official width figure for the Fleetwood Bounder is 102" in fact all the Fleetwood A class range are 102"

You could try e-mailing Itchy Feet to try and winkle out of the owner Eric Randle what is the 'missing piece' or forthcoming information his web site has been crowing about for the past several months. I hardly think he can display that banner for the announcment to say NO CHANGE so I'm presuming its good news :wink: :wink:

It was both he and several other UK RV importers who entered into discussions with the DVLA to sort out this RV import size problem.

http://www.itchyfeet.biz/


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

hi just to add another anomaly JSW has just been told that as his new RV is over 10 years old none of the width or length regs. apply. They still want to check it but only to confirm that it is an RV.

Olley


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Guess our "old buses" will be more valuable soon then :lol: :lol: 

I wish :lol: :lol: 

Keith


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## LC1962 (Oct 6, 2005)

olley said:


> hi just to add another anomaly JSW has just been told that as his new RV is over 10 years old none of the width or length regs. apply. They still want to check it but only to confirm that it is an RV.
> 
> Olley


I've read that post over and over Olley......I'm still not convinced its not another DVLA c*ck up (I hope for John's sake it isn't).

If his Newmar gets registered without being measured up, and passes I'll be the first one in the queue buying air tickets to go RV shopping :wink:

Fingers crossed for you JSW!


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## 101340 (Oct 11, 2006)

*Thanks*

Hi Mick_P

Thanks for your advice, my husband had a long chat with itchy feet and they have given us a few tips to get it through the registration. Will let you all know how we get on


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