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Help.... - Printable Version

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Help.... - mark - 03-05-2011

Hi, I've been stuck in the dark ages for too long now and it's time to join the Berlingo Crew! I'm a builder in London for my sins and l'm looking at buying a Multispace as they seem to be the answer to all my problems- what can l cart my tools around the city in during the week and escape to the coast on the weekends to go surfing with friends? So everything has lead me here to you and of course the masterful Berlingo! But there's still some unanswered questions so if anyone could help that would be amazing. I'm looking at parting with around £2500 as l want to install LPG which is a further £1000 to save on the congestion charge down in London and do my part for the planet of course and was wondering what peoples thoughts would be as to which year to go with. I've been looking at 1.4's & 1.6 as l'm 28 and living in London so insurance is still pretty high for me.
I was also wondering if anyone has removed the back seats completely from their multispace to create even more space and whether it was easy enough to do, or is there really just enough space with out doing so? One last question has anyone attached a tow bar themselves? Is there anything l should be looking out for when l'm inspecting my first Berlingo that l might not have had to think of with other cars?
Thank you so much if you've bared with me to the end anything that you can think of that might help please let me know even the simplest and most obvious tips will be of great value to me......

Thanks again,

Mark


RE: Help.... - lemsworld - 03-05-2011

Welcome Mark

Seat removal is covered here I believe for the mk2 http://www.berlingoforum.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=153

Hope this is of some help


RE: Help.... - shedpete - 03-05-2011

Can't help directly but just to say welcome to the forum! Will also be interested in answers re back seat removal and tow bar as both might be handy in future. Hope some helpful people will chip in soon.


RE: Help.... - Andre - 03-05-2011

Welcome along Mark.

Give these a read

http://www.berlingoforum.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=342

http://www.berlingoforum.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=293


RE: Help.... - Chris - 03-05-2011

Hi Mark and welcome to the forum.

I would look carefully at the Congestion Charge issue as the rules changed at the end of last year regarding converted LPG cars/vans. Unless the car is on a pre-approved list of previously tested vehicles, then the discounts for converting a car don't apply any more. I believe that the 1.4i is ok, but please check further rather than assuming that you will automatically get the discount.


RE: Help.... - j90xxx - 03-05-2011

Hi Mark,
I bought an Anker (definately spelt correctly!) towbar from a company specialising in towing on eBay.
Is really heavy and robust and seems well made.:thumbsup:
Paid less than £70, complete with single electrics and free p&p.
Comes in 3 pieces and took less than 2hrs to fit. You need to cut a small slot in the bumper which is not noticeable when fitted.
Have fitted a Witter and Towsure to vehicles in the past and this one is the easiest.
Time to fit did not include the electrics as not had chance yet due to work commitments. (Single socket fitted and wires ran to back of lights, just not connected yet.)
Good luck,
Martin.:wave:


RE: Help.... - mark - 10-05-2011

Thanks for the reply.... It looks pretty simple to take the back seats out so l'll just have to see how simple it really is! Turns out that l won't be congestion charge free with LPG as of this year so a bit of a kick in the teeth. So l was wondering what you ran? Does the diesel pay off or is the petrol really that good?
Thank,
Mark

Ah well l got that wrong didn't l and l was about to reply to you all! So thanks to everyone for your replies and to Chris who burst my congestion charge free driving bubble but saved me from getting it all installed only to find out later that l wasn't exempt! So l'll throw it to everyone then Diesel or petrol? I'll be covering quite a lot of mileage up and down the British Isles with passengers and kit ie- surf boards, climbing kit and wet dogs!! Any thoughts would be great as it's just proved it's better to learn on here than in reality!!
THanks,
MArk


RE: Help.... - Chris - 10-05-2011

Are you 100% sure about the Congestion Charge? From what I have read I thought that you might be ok with a 1.4 for now, but basically it was being phased out before long.

Here's another suggestion which worked for my brother without a problem for two years; he bought a Landrover Defender 110 with the bench seats in the boot. This is classified as a 9-seater according to DVLA so you can get a 100% discount on the Congestion Charge as they consider you to be a minibus Wink


RE: Help.... - Andre - 10-05-2011

Source Wrote:The very cleanest alternative fuel vehicles have been granted 100% discount from the £10 per day London congestion charge, providing they register before 24th December 2010. This discount will apply for two years as the scheme has been replaced by the Green Vehicle Discount.
To be eligible, a vehicle and the specific conversion (make of conversion equipment) must have undergone government approved tests to demonstrate an improvement in Euro IV emission results. Such vehicles are then eligible to be included in the Energy Saving Trust Powershift Register. The Register also includes the installers who are approved to fit that specific conversion.
If your car makes the grade, you need to register with Transport for London, http://www.tfl.gov.uk and pay an annual £10 fee to receive the discount. If you enter the zone most days, this move could save you up to £1600 per annum.
Converted cars with appropriate documentation (e.g. LPGA conversion certificate are accepted as an Alternative Fuel Car and on submitting the documentation to the DVLA will be eligible for a standard reduction on VED.

Still worth looking into, give them a quick call to be sure.


RE: Help.... - mark - 10-05-2011

THanks guys,
YOu don't have to twist my arm about the LAndy l've been wanting one for years but have always told myself to wait till l move back to Africa to get one.
I did try call the TFL line but was told in no certain terms that l was not eligible as l have not registered and that it would be an LPG rather than 100% car direct from the manufactures as l'm sure their giving the government a back hander......and to top it off l just did a quick insurance quick on a 1.6hdi 2006 and it was £2,250!! What do they think l'm going to do in it!!