# Seat belt issue Burstner 640 importing from Italy



## finyar (May 25, 2008)

Hi All, 
As always I would appreciate any advice or experience you may have on an issue that I have come up against in importing a van from Italy

The van I am looking to buy is a 2011 Burstner 640-2 Argos (which is an ultra rare layout) and is a 6/7 berth with bunks across the back and a double and single dinette arrangement in the middle.

My problem is that there are only two seatbelts in the back (which is extemely unusual) both forward facing. I would have expected to have at least 2 lap belts on the rear facing seats but this is not the case.

On speaking to the dealer by phone, she tells me that this is to comply with a licencing law in Italy and that this is basically Burstners way of complying ( van was an ex-rental) with Italian regulation.

My question are as follows

(1) Could these be retrofitted by Burstner and if yes, would they be legal
(2) Will I have problems passing the DOE test in Ireland if I get the seatbelts added.
(3) Will I be insured for carrying more than a total of four in the van?
(4) Has anyone else come across this and how did you resolve it.

Thanks in advance
Raymond


----------



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

I'm afraid few of us have much knowledge of Irish regulations so a definitive reply may be quite a while in arriving.

In the UK (so far as I am aware) ONLY forward facing seats have any requirement to be fitted with a belt of any kind. Side facing seats are "frowned upon" for travelling use in any case and rear facing seats do not (again so far as I am aware) need to be fitted with any belts at all.

The only way to get an opinion (and it will be only that) on whether the Irish DOE test will pose problems is to ask a testing station. That station may pass or fail depending on their interpretation another may do differently. For a truly definitive answer you are going to have to go to the DOE itself for an official reply - however that may not be the answer you want.

The insurance question can only be answered by an insurer - some may be happy to insure others may not touch you with a bargepole.


----------

