Finshed our conversion

[wildebus]

Do you mean they will not insure you as motor caravan Dave, or are you saying they will not allow you to join the Caravan and motorhome club, if that's what your suggesting this would be incorrect they are even now accepting tents even. There is no designated criteria for what is classed as a motorhome. I believe they have realised that they were losing out to the Motor Caravan club and the Camping and Caravan Club which is by the by a much older organisation than the Caravan and motorhome club. Phil

I am saying (tongue in cheek) that the Caravan and Motorhome Club are a snooty bunch and if (this was the case when I looked at joining anyway) your vehicle was not in their predefined list of Motor Caravans, they would consider you AFTER they inspected your van to see if you were acceptable (even if the DVLA had already reclassified you as a Motor Caravan).

If it has changed, then jolly hockey sticks and all that

PS. the last photo I saw of a C&MH site, there was a sign saying "no tents"

 

[SquirrellCook]

They accepted me, they might even accept Trevor. I think I’ve even been on one of their campsites.

I think I will struggle getting the Betty build reclassified, but I want to keep it looking like a coach. So I’m not going to bother.

 

[Squiffy]

I am saying (tongue in cheek) that the Caravan and Motorhome Club are a snooty bunch and if (this was the case when I looked at joining anyway) your vehicle was not in their predefined list of Motor Caravans, they would consider you AFTER they inspected your van to see if you were acceptable (even if the DVLA had already reclassified you as a Motor Caravan).

If it has changed, then jolly hockey sticks and all that

PS. the last photo I saw of a C&MH site, there was a sign saying "no tents"

Things have changed dramatically over the last year or so with the Caravan and motorhome club, as you say they used to be very choosy as to who could join but younger folk are now getting control of the club. We have been members of the club for 35 years and I have to say that we initially used the club sites when we had a Caravan but also went on rallies held by various local associations of the club I.e. West Wales or Glamorgan local members. These events were usually friendly and good times. We are also members of all the other clubs so have a fairly overall idea of how they work. As for tents in the Caravan club this started to creep in over the pandemic period and now has been officially accepted by the Club council who now allow various Club sites to host Tents, you have always been allowed pup tents within your pitch but now bona-fide tents are allowed. When I had finished our conversion there was no objection or investigation by the Caravan club as to what our motorhome was like or what make and model it was and that was 7 years ago, previously to that we had a Swift Sundance 630L and again was never questioned as to what model it was and that went back to 2005. Phil

 

[wildebus]

When I was on the website, you had to put in the make and model and if not listed, the message was your motorhome would need to be checked and approved.
whether or not this actually happened is a moot point - that is what the membership application said would happen (and this was within the last 7 years).

 

[Squiffy]

I suppose because we've been members for 35 years it's possible that the question was never asked I don't know, our membership just continues . Phil

 

[Squiffy]

Belay the last post my wife has just reminded me that her sister has just in the last 8 weeks joined the Caravan and motorhome club with her Mercedes Vito self build camper van and no such question was apparently asked !! I've just checked the New members site and it's down for maintenance so unable to physically check. Phil

 

[Millie Master]

I am saying (tongue in cheek) that the Caravan and Motorhome Club are a snooty bunch and if (this was the case when I looked at joining anyway) your vehicle was not in their predefined list of Motor Caravans, they would consider you AFTER they inspected your van to see if you were acceptable (even if the DVLA had already reclassified you as a Motor Caravan).

If it has changed, then jolly hockey sticks and all that

PS. the last photo I saw of a C&MH site, there was a sign saying "no tents"

I have been (by choice) a member of the C&MC for quite some time, and when it came to the tick box on the application form for the type and make of motorhome/campervan, I left it blank.
When they came back to me about the fact that I hadn't answered the relevant questions I said that I hadn't completed the section as I hadn't as yet purchased my outfit but wanted to join the Club now so that I could start booking sites and Channel crossings etc.

That was over 6 years ago and I still haven't told them and I have never been asked about my 'Millie' at even the snootiest snotty nosed Club sites by their wardens or committee officers on the very rare occasions I have stopped on these ridiculously priced sites of theirs as we only ever stop on the most remote farm CL sites.

 

[wildebus]

maybe I might try and join again (especially as I now have a "proper" motorhome!)

Is it worthwhile though? I am a member of the C&CC and I have got my moneys worth with them just in one trip.

 

[Squiffy]

The main reason we joined is for cheaper ferry crossing which is considerably cheaper and the use of their CL network and as mentioned the local rallies though you can join a rally at the other end of the country if you wish to, the rally fees are cheap much cheaper than camp sites and can be for a weekend or holiday rallies that can be 2 weeks long. Phil

 

[mb2tv]

We are members of the C&MC club. Mainly as our caravan is stored in one of their sites. We mainly use the CLs and now that we are not working some midweek fees are reasonable. Crossing fees is another good one. I do however agree that they are a bit snooty. When we first had the caravan we went on one of their sites and packed the caravan 'incorrectly' and were told of (well, we wanted the front window to the view not the other caravans).

 

[wildebus]

We are members of the C&MC club. Mainly as our caravan is stored in one of their sites. We mainly use the CLs and now that we are not working some midweek fees are reasonable. Crossing fees is another good one. I do however agree that they are a bit snooty. When we first had the caravan we went on one of their sites and packed the caravan 'incorrectly' and were told of (well, we wanted the front window to the view not the other caravans).

I have heard different reasons to that "how you must part your caravan (and motorhome for that matter)" thing. Some make sense but also not that the same time!

"All Caravans must be able to be quickly towed away in the event of an emergency". - if an emergency, would you stay in the vicinity to hitch up?
"All motorhomes must face forward be able to be driven away quickly...." - more likely to be able to do that, but often seats swivelled, covers on screen, so may not be that quick? And you have reverse gear anyway of course.
"All face forward so all hab doors same way" - continental caravans and motorhomes break that principle compared to UK. And some people pitch together and want facing doors anyway.

I reckon it is individual camp wardens wanting to assert their 'power' over what are meant to be their guests. Park the way that suits you and you layout best I would say (though there is something to be said about the door thing for the privacy of other stayers). When it comes to both caravans and motorhomes, the end lounge is a popular layout, but so is completely blanked off windowless rear end, so regimenting park up position is not good

 

[Millie Master]

maybe I might try and join again (especially as I now have a "proper" motorhome!)

Is it worthwhile though? I am a member of the C&CC and I have got my moneys worth with them just in one trip.

Personally speaking, we find the 2 big clubs to be quantum miles apart when it comes to their respective CS & CL sites with, for us, the CL sites of the C&MC being so very much better and less crowded!
Neither of us are into children, as such we found the C&CC to be overtly child friendly, their CS sites we also found to be far more overcrowded as in the same area they pack in not only the wheeled units but also a thousand and one tents.

On receiving each year the new sites guide and map, I spend a long time going through it, carefully marking the sites we are likely to use (normally at under £14 per night) and which have suitably good walking direct from the CL's front gate

 

[Squiffy]

Further to previous, I asked my sister in law what she had put on her joining application for C&MC she said "I just put down Camper van " no make or model just Camper van. Phil

 

[SquirrellCook]

I have heard different reasons to that "how you must part your caravan (and motorhome for that matter)" thing. Some make sense but also not that the same time!

"All Caravans must be able to be quickly towed away in the event of an emergency". - if an emergency, would you stay in the vicinity to hitch up?
"All motorhomes must face forward be able to be driven away quickly...." - more likely to be able to do that, but often seats swivelled, covers on screen, so may not be that quick? And you have reverse gear anyway of course.
"All face forward so all hab doors same way" - continental caravans and motorhomes break that principle compared to UK. And some people pitch together and want facing doors anyway.

I reckon it is individual camp wardens wanting to assert their 'power' over what are meant to be their guests. Park the way that suits you and you layout best I would say (though there is something to be said about the door thing for the privacy of other stayers). When it comes to both caravans and motorhomes, the end lounge is a popular layout, but so is completely blanked off windowless rear end, so regimenting park up position is not good

If left to there own devices, most people would behave like savages. In an emergency it would be impossible to unpick the mess. You only need a fire to brake out.

 

[mistericeman]

Personally speaking, we find the 2 big clubs to be quantum miles apart when it comes to their respective CS & CL sites with, for us, the CL sites of the C&MC being so very much better and less crowded!
Neither of us are into children, as such we found the C&CC to be overtly child friendly, their CS sites we also found to be far more overcrowded as in the same area they pack in not only the wheeled units but also a thousand and one tents.

On receiving each year the new sites guide and map, I spend a long time going through it, carefully marking the sites we are likely to use (normally at under £14 per night) and which have suitably good walking direct from the CL's front gate

I've considered joining the caravan and motorhome club for about the first time this year...to give us a bit more flexibility and choice...
Been members of the Camping and caravan club for years (only ever using their 5 pitch CS sites....

And hand on heart have seldom been disappointed...
Usually we've had the place to ourselves with not a child to be seen (detest the bloody things frankly)
Let alone tents everywhere... In fact the ONLY CS I've ever seen with a tent on it was our tent before we bought the transit.

 

[wildebus]

As has been said, by joining both you get a wider range of options.
I'll likely join the C&MH club, but will wait until next year as very unlikely will get any benefit from it for the next probably 6 months.

Out of interest I checked the price of the last campsite I stayed at last month ... it was a C&CC site and the member price was around £5 per night less than the non-member price which was handy. And next year will be cheaper again for me the price I would have paid would have been under £5/night which is pretty good (This was a non-EHU pitch).

 

[MacL]

Okay so received the tax book today and im not sure if this right the body type is S/D BUS/COACH and Taxation class private/light goods (PLG) but number of seats is 4 which is what we had changed to,surely it shouldn't still be classed as a bus or coach.

 

[wildebus]

Given that the reason for refusal was exterior apperance, but the general side profile looks very much like a tag-axle motorhome, I would be inclined to get "motorhome style" graphics on the side, mimicing typical motorhomes with similar shapes, and reapply.

One of the guidelines that had been removed a long time ago but has made a reappearance when they started rejected most applications was to have graphics on the body. Maybe work, maybe not, but if you really want reclassification, that is something worth trying.


PS. 4 seats don't make a coach or bus, no. But the previous classfication of 8 seating capacity was wrong for a Minibus also. Minibuses have 9 to 16 passenger seats. Only 8 and you have a car (my last but one van was a 9 seater, but that included the driver so it was classified as an MPV Diesel Car.
PPS. What weight is your van? I would have though with a tag axle, it would be over 3.5t, which would suggest the tax group should not be PLG?

 

[SquirrellCook]

Okay so received the tax book today and im not sure if this right the body type is S/D BUS/COACH and Taxation class private/light goods (PLG) but number of seats is 4 which is what we had changed to,surely it shouldn't still be classed as a bus or coach.

To me that looks perfect, at a glance in the dark it's still a S/D Bus/Coach. Body type is just what it looks like. PLG is good too, depending on how much road fund tax they are asking for. Like David points out it must be over 3.5 tonnes? It can't be PHGV as it was never type approved as a goods vehicle.