Hi,

Saw a very cool race truck for sale eariler and it got me thinking about my licence entitlement. Seems as I passed my car test after 97 I can't drive anything over 3500kg, which rules a 32 foot race home out

I looked around and found a few sites saying I can pass my HGV licence for £799 inc medical, theory everything - and in 5 day course too!

Sounds great, and even if I never buy a big race home it's worth getting for a) different career options for the future
b) if I ever want a reasonable size motorhome/wynibaygo type thing.

I then got looking round, and found that I can pick up a very reasonabley priced removal van for £2.5k, and it would make a GREAT motorhome.

How about make your own motorhome for £250 and sleep in it?

Just after peoples comments on anything I;ve written - and I dont mean my speelling or puntuation

hmm thats if you pass first time

Is that £799 just for the rigid because if its an artic license you're after then you'll have to pass the rigid test first and then do more lessons on the artic and sit that test. If you only intend to ever drive the tractor cab (without trailer) though then you can legally do this on a rigid only license. Can't remember which class is which now.

You can drive the tractor unit on a car licence aslong as the fifth wheel is removed

I got this from a man who owns a kenworth tha he drives at weekends only for pleasure

You can drive the tractor unit on a car licence aslong as the fifth wheel is removed

I got this from a man who owns a kenworth tha he drives at weekends only for pleasure

You can drive the tractor unit on a car licence aslong as the fifth wheel is removed

I got this from a man who owns a kenworth tha he drives at weekends only for pleasure

I like your thinking. There's a lot of cool individualised motorhomes out there, and there's not got to be a lot to it, with the possible exception of legislation...

Did you see that one on topgear? It had a hydraulic ramp that slid sideways out the bottom of the truck then lowered the rest of the way to the ground... to keep your sportscar in to take it with you. sweet... (drool drool)

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Originally posted by mistergrumpy
Is that £799 just for the rigid because if its an artic license you're after then you'll have to pass the rigid test first and then do more lessons on the artic and sit that test. If you only intend to ever drive the tractor cab (without trailer) though then you can legally do this on a rigid only license. Can't remember which class is which now.

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If your thinking of buying something u2u me with unladen weights etc and i'll tell you if/when/what exceptions you have to drive it. Your right you can drive anything up to 3500 tonnes not inclusive and as long as it doesnt have more than 9 seats inc driver. You can also tow a trailer providing that it doesnt either A- exceed 750kg or B - Exceeds 750 kg but the max gross weight of the trailer doesnt exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle and the overall combination doesnt exceed 3500kg as it sits on the road. I am quite a nerd at these things.

quote:

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Originally posted by mistergrumpy
Is that £799 just for the rigid because if its an artic license you're after then you'll have to pass the rigid test first and then do more lessons on the artic and sit that test. If you only intend to ever drive the tractor cab (without trailer) though then you can legally do this on a rigid only license. Can't remember which class is which now.

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First if all CONGRATULATIONS!

Well done mate!

Thats exactly what I want to do, found a manchester training school that will do a class c for £799. IS the test pretty easy? I rate myself as a pretty good driver and try to drive "properly" and coming from riding road bikes for years my observation and awareness aint bad.

Mentioned it to the Mrs, and she went nuts. "Waste of money" etc. apparently this is one of my most stupid ideas yet.

I think thats a compliment!

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Originally posted by Paul TigerB6

quote:

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Originally posted by mistergrumpy
Is that £799 just for the rigid because if its an artic license you're after then you'll have to pass the rigid test first and then do more lessons on the artic and sit that test. If you only intend to ever drive the tractor cab (without trailer) though then you can legally do this on a rigid only license. Can't remember which class is which now.

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Full artic is 2 courses and 2 tests. If you are over 21 then you can do the class C course and then artic afterwards if you wanted.

I am doing my artic (C1+E) at the moment and passed class C before xmas.

This gives you an idea of what you need to do anyway. linky - proper one this time after not copying it over

I did a 5 day course with them and passed on the Friday. Class C1 + E is requiring a retest though at £240 per time with the lorry hire and test fee



[Edited on 10/3/08 by Paul TigerB6]

[Edited on 10/3/08 by Paul TigerB6]

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pay me and ill drive it for you lol.

If you do want to do the rigid then yes, i'd say go for the course at that sort of price. You will need to apply for the theory / hazard perception and take the medical which allows you to get your provisional entitlement but no reason why you cant get through the test in about a month.

The instructor company will advise you on the forms you need etc and all you really then need is the Driving Standards Agency book to help you through the theory test at £15 from Borders / WH Smith etc. My local £1 shop is selling DVD's for the hazard perception part too which helped me.

What Manchester company out of interest? I did mine with Red Rose. They're kinda Kearsley/Pendleton way.

I have no idea if they are any good - NTDWM and all that!

http://www.trucktraininguk.com/

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Originally posted by Dangle_kt


I then got looking round, and found that I can pick up a very reasonabley priced removal van for £2.5k, and it would make a GREAT motorhome.

How about make your own motorhome for £250 and sleep in it?

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I had a chat to a chap at Witham vehicles, the military vehicles place. They say that you can register a heavy vehicle as a motor home and then you don't need a HGV license.

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They say that you can register a heavy vehicle as a motor home and then you don't need a HGV license.

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Yeah he mentioned that you'd have to do it up as a camper/motorhome and then have it inspected, presumably by the DVLA. I've not looked that much into it so I don't know the details

[Edited on 11/3/08 by Benzine]

Oh aye TrUK. Right around the corner from where I grew up. I seem to remember ringing them when I was doing mine and there was summat a bit funny in the pricing. Can't remember now but just go through the figures and see if they add up all right. Red Rose worked out cheapest for me as I did it as resettlement when I left the RAF.

One thing you will need to be aware of is that you cannot just change the registration from comercial to motorhome.
There is a definition of what a motorhome actually is, unfortunately I can't find it atm but this link should be a good start
http://www.sbmcc.co.uk/