# What weight motorhome do i need



## waterloo (Mar 6, 2009)

Hi, 
We are moving to France next year, and wish to purchase a LHD van, (Rimor Superbrig or similar) before moving. 
Apparently in France you need a special license if the van is over 3500kg, therefore if we ever resell a van over this weight, can prove difficult.
I am 63 and it seems that I can drive a heavier weight in the UK, but uncertain if this is the case in France. 
It will only be myself, wife, 2 dogs, 2 battery bikes and usual paraphernalia.
Occasionaly there will be 2 other adults and 2 children.
Will a 3500kg be ok, or do I need to be looking at a larger weighted van. 
This is our first purchase, and am finding it a minefield, not only technically, but also choice of vehicle.
Any advice.
terry


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## jaytee (Jul 19, 2009)

If your UK licence permits you to drive over 3500kgs then you are ok to do so in France.
To keep your uk licence in France you must have a UK address. If you change to a french licence,you have to have a medical every two years.

John


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

See this website it gives a very easy to understand explanation of the whole licensing system. It is derived from EU harmonisation so should also represent the position elsewhere in the EU.


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## loughrigg (Nov 10, 2008)

Looking at payload rather than licensing, with you, your wife, two dogs, two electric bikes and bits, a 3,500kg should be OK.

If you are adding two more adults and two children (plus associated supplies), I think you will find it tough to stay legal in a 3,500kg vehicle.

Mike


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

At a guess, 2 adults say 125kg (10 sone and 12 stone), 2 electric bikes say 25kg each = 50kg, 2 children say 25 kg ecah = 50kg, water say 50kg, 2 dogs say 20kg, other stuff say 100kg, gas say 20kg = Total 390kg. 

A big pay load for a small van, I think althought I am not very familiar with pay loads, Alan.


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## loughrigg (Nov 10, 2008)

erneboy said:


> At a guess, 2 adults say 125kg (10 sone and 12 stone), 2 electric bikes say 25kg each = 50kg, 2 children say 25 kg ecah = 50kg, water say 50kg, 2 dogs say 20kg, other stuff say 100kg, gas say 20kg = Total 390kg.
> 
> A big pay load for a small van, I think althought I am not very familiar with pay loads, Alan.


That leaves out two of the adults. Add them (using the same assumptions)and you are over 500kg.

Mike


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Loughrigg, I left them out because they are not regulars, the OP says two other adults and two other children so add 175kg = total 565kg, but regardless it hardly seem possible in a 3500kg van Alan.


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## loughrigg (Nov 10, 2008)

erneboy said:


> Loughrigg, I left them out because they are not regulars, the OP says two other adults and two other children so add 175kg = total 565kg, but regardless it hardly seem possible in a 3500kg van Alan.


Hi Alan - I know there are a number of 3,500kg MHs that offer 6 berths and payloads over 600kg. They would cope with the maximum occasional load on paper, but I probably just like my space a bit too much to contemplate that sort of loading. I imagine the limitations on sundry items would have to be pretty severe.

Mike


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

jaytee said:


> If your UK licence permits you to drive over 3500kgs then you are ok to do so in France.To keep your uk licence in France you must have a UK address. If you change to a french licence,you have to have a medical every two years.


If you do subsequently change your UK and 7,500kg license for a French one you will only be allowed to drive up to 3.500kg.

Ray.


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

raynipper said:


> If you do subsequently change your UK and 7,500kg license for a French one you will only be allowed to drive up to 3.500kg.
> 
> Ray.


Not sure if you are right Ray, see here, I know it's an Irish site but the rules are EU. My reading of it is that whatever vehicles one is licensed to drive in the home state are transferable to the licence of the adopted state.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Hi Jean-Luc,
I would not profess to be an authority on this. I am going on my French HGV specialist medical doctors advice. 
When he asked me why I needed to retain my HGV license being retired in France. I said I might need to drive an American RV again.
He said OK and did the medical.

Ray.


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

raynipper said:


> jaytee said:
> 
> 
> > If your UK licence permits you to drive over 3500kgs then you are ok to do so in France.To keep your uk licence in France you must have a UK address. If you change to a french licence,you have to have a medical every two years.
> ...


Your wrong on that one, My brother changed his and several other Brits I know changed theirs, without a reduction of weight allowance on their new French licence.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Dunno Wobby.
Been trying to plough through page after page to find the official answer.

This
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/home/drivinglicence/principles/003_en.htm
Seems to indicate a category 'B' car license is limited to 3,500kg. Maybe this was what my French doctor was relating to.

My French license indicates that I will need another medical next year to renew all categories ( C, D & E) other than 'B' which has 3,500kg indicated beside it.

Ray.


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Ray, are UK licence categories still the 'old' pre EU harmonisation types eg. A for Car, HGV class1 & class2 etc etc


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

raynipper said:


> Hi Jean-Luc,
> I would not profess to be an authority on this. I am going on my French HGV specialist medical doctors advice.
> When he asked me why I needed to retain my HGV license being retired in France. I said I might need to drive an American RV again.
> He said OK and did the medical.
> ...


Were you driving on a full HGV as in a lorry, or was your licence the same as mine, allowing me to drive up too 7500kg on the grandfather clause.

Wobby


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

raynipper said:


> Hi Jean-Luc,
> I would not profess to be an authority on this. I am going on my French HGV specialist medical doctors advice.
> When he asked me why I needed to retain my HGV license being retired in France. I said I might need to drive an American RV again.
> He said OK and did the medical.
> ...


Were you driving on a full HGV as in a lorry, or was your licence the same as mine, allowing me to drive up too 7500kg on the grandfather clause.

Wobby


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

wobby said:


> Were you driving on a full HGV as in a lorry, or was your licence the same as mine, allowing me to drive up too 7500kg on the grandfather clause.Wobby


Hi Wobby and Jean-Luc.
As it happens I had a full UK HGV class 1. 
A ..... Bike
B...... Car
BE ....Car + Trailer
B1 .... Small truck
C ..... Large Truck
CE .... Arctic
C1+E .. Truck + Trailer
D1 ...... Minius
D1+E .. Minbus + Trailer.

Swapped this in for a full French after a medical and now have:-

A1 ..... Small Bike
A ....... Large Bike
B1 ..... Looks like 3 wheeler
A ....... Car with 3.500kg indicated
C ....... Truck
D ....... Bus now expired
E+B ... Car + Trailer
E+C ... Arctic
E+D ... Bus + Trailer now expired

A note saying I should wear glasses is attached.

So my UK B car permit when changed to a French one becomes A with a limit of 3,500kg.

Ray.


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## wobby (May 1, 2005)

My Brother is over in the UK this week end, I'll check out his French licence, he only had a uk car licence with the grandfather clause ect when he changed it.

Wobby


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Ray, the French licence seem to be the same as the Irish one. However you should have class C1 which covers vehicles 3,500Kg>7,500Kg, the C is for vehicles 7,500>
B is a vehicle with not more that 8 passenger seats >3.500Kg which would also cover MH's >3,500Kg
AS far as I know the French have adopted the most recent 'European Communities Model' driving licence which may be in paper or card format, we still have the paper type but the layout and info is identical to the card. See examples here


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## tony50 (Oct 16, 2007)

*What weight motorhome do I need*

What ever Motor home you decide on don't take too much notice of their specifacation in my experience they are a load of rubbish ,1st of all they say + or - 5 or 6% , that's a lot of weight if it's + .The Rapido 992MH 4.6 tonnes GVW . I am selling through a dealer has just put it on a weighbridge .(without load , water /gas bottles) leaves 1100 kgs. spare for load. The rason I sold my previous Motorhome was to make it legal was my wife would have had to lay on the bed at the rear which is okay sometimes but not when travelling!!


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## waterloo (Mar 6, 2009)

*Re: What weight motorhome do I need*

Thanks for all the replies.
Is it that the basic weight of most 24' vans are similar, which means that a 4000kg can carry the same payload as a 3500 + about 500kg.
And a 3850 can carry about 350kg more than a 3500kg.
terry


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

There is nothing in common, weight wise, between one van and another. Even the weights the manufacturers print in the brochures are only averages. 

To be sure you will need to weigh the empty van and subtract that weight from the MAM as shown on the plate under the bonnet, thus discovering the payload for that individual van. I suggest you choose the van you would like then do that to be sure it is suitable. A dealer will permit that if he thinks you are genuinely interested. 

You could take a chance and use the manufacturers weight as detailed in their spec. but if it is wrong you may come unstuck, Alan.


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## waterloo (Mar 6, 2009)

*Re: What weight motorhome do I need*

Yes that makes sense.
I am looking at the Rimor range and they are all 3500kg, and they all appear to be the same body/chassis, only differing quality inside.
I am after a Superbrig 677TC, and I have found one on the continent, so there is a problem with getting it weighed. Just have to take a flyer I suppose. (unless I can ask the vendor to weigh it)
Southdowns who used to be the dealer for Rimor still have a site with all the specs, and all Rimors are 3500kg.
For 2 of us I do not think ther will be a a problem.

I understand that the basic weight is, 2 bodies, +90% fuel + 90% water?


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Waterloo, 3500kg what? MAM; ULW? You need both. Subtract ULW from MAM to get your payload. As explained in my reply to your PM yesterday, Alan.


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## waterloo (Mar 6, 2009)

Sorry its the 
Permissible Gross Vehicle Weight 
which I take it as the maximum weight before it is illegal to drive.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Yes, permissible gross weight or gross vehicle weight or maximum authorised mass is the total including all the people, dogs, water, gas and everything else, Alan.


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## loughrigg (Nov 10, 2008)

Waterloo - after the experience I had with my first MH, I would not buy another MH without having it *properly* weighed, knowing exactly what was in the MH at the time.

In short, the documented weights for my MH had been entirely superceded by changes in the specification and layout. After the weights were first documented, all the heavy stuff had been shifted to the overhang area behind the rear axle, which meant that the vehicle was less than 100 kg from being overweight (rear axle) when completely empty. Don't take a chance - it could be expensive.

Mike


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## jaytee (Jul 19, 2009)

I changed my UK license for a french one, it covered me for every thing that I had on the UK license. Just watch for the date when you need to have a medical. A list of approved doctors can be obtained from the prefecture.

John


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## tony50 (Oct 16, 2007)

*Re: What weight motorhome do I need*



waterloo said:


> Yes that makes sense.
> I am looking at the Rimor range and they are all 3500kg, and they all appear to be the same body/chassis, only differing quality inside.
> I am after a Superbrig 677TC, and I have found one on the continent, so there is a problem with getting it weighed. Just have to take a flyer I suppose. (unless I can ask the vendor to weigh it)
> Southdowns who used to be the dealer for Rimor still have a site with all the specs, and all Rimors are 3500kg.
> ...


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