London Emisssion Zone

[exkay]

Hi Folks,

Has anyone had a letter through the door from Boris Johnson at City Hall London regarding London Emissions ?
Apparantly those of us who own a Land Rover defender 90 (51 reg) will have to fit a particulate filter (catalytic convertor), anyone know anymore about it apparantly all pre 2006 4x4 vehicles have to have one fitted, and they are around £1500 to buy !! info would be good from those in the know
Billy.

[Bill]

Do a search, it's been covered. You're also probably better asking on a LR specific forum as they'll have more ideas for work arounds.

(And it is AFAIK only commercial vehicles, ie hardtops, and a particulate filter isn't a cat.)

[exkay]

Thanks for that Bill.

[jbi]

exkay said:

Hi Folks,

Has anyone had a letter through the door from Boris Johnson at City Hall London regarding London Emissions ?
Apparantly those of us who own a Land Rover defender 90 (51 reg) will have to fit a particulate filter (catalytic convertor), anyone know anymore about it apparantly all pre 2006 4x4 vehicles have to have one fitted, and they are around £1500 to buy !! info would be good from those in the know
Billy.

Only if it's registered as "utility" vehicle on the V5.

If it is registered as an "estate" you will be alright.

[exkay]

Just had a look and it says utility on the V5

[jbi]

exkay said:

Just had a look and it says utility on the V5

Did it come from the factory with rear windows and seats?

You can write to the DVLA and ask for them to change your V5 classification.

Send a letter with photographs showing the rear seats and windows.

You can only get your V5 changed if it is a genuine factory estate though. (CSW or County Station Wagon).

The 7th digit of the VIN should be a B or M, anything else, forget it.

Edited by jbi on Sunday 10th July 14:16

[exkay]

Hi, Just had a look at the Vin number, and yes, the 7th digit is a B, and also the Landy did come from the factory as it is, i.e windows and seats at the back, its a Lara Croft Tomb Raider 90 Short wheel base.
So your saying get in touch with the DVLA ? is mine classed as a CSW do you know ? seeing as its a short wheelbase. Thanks for all this info by the way.

Edited by exkay on Sunday 10th July 18:46

Edited by exkay on Sunday 10th July 18:47

[varsas]

exkay said:

Hi, Just had a look at the Vin number, and yes, the 7th digit is a B, and also the Landy did come from the factory as it is, i.e windows and seats at the back, its a Lara Croft Tomb Raider 90 Short wheel base.
So your saying get in touch with the DVLA ? is mine classed as a CSW do you know ? seeing as its a short wheelbase. Thanks for all this info by the way.

Edited by exkay on Sunday 10th July 18:46

Edited by exkay on Sunday 10th July 18:47

SWB could be 'utility' (i.e. a commercial vehicle) or an 'estate' (i.e. a passenger vehicle) so that alone doesn't help you. As a rough rule of thumb, if it came with the larger openning rear windows it's probably a passenger vehicle. Should be easy for you to find out I would have thought given its a special edition... I have heard you need a letter from LR confirming that it was registered incorrectly in the first place for the DVLA to change it for you. I also can't help wondering if they'll start chasing for the VAT?

Just to clarify, not all 4x4's are affected:

Petrol powered vehicles are exempt.
Pre '73 vehicles are exempt.
Passenger vehicles are exempt.
(some other odd things...show vehicles etc)

I would start here:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/17700.aspx#tkt...

if it says you are clear then no need to worry.

Edited by varsas on Sunday 10th July 18:57

[jbi]

exkay said:

Hi, Just had a look at the Vin number, and yes, the 7th digit is a B, and also the Landy did come from the factory as it is, i.e windows and seats at the back, its a Lara Croft Tomb Raider 90 Short wheel base.
So your saying get in touch with the DVLA ? is mine classed as a CSW do you know ? seeing as its a short wheelbase. Thanks for all this info by the way.

Edited by exkay on Sunday 10th July 18:46

Edited by exkay on Sunday 10th July 18:47

Yes the DVLA claim to be examining on a case by case basis, although apparently they are awaiting a decision on land rovers from the mayors office.

Quite what that entails we don't know.

Send in a polite letter to the DVLA with photo's of your car and VIN requesting it to be changed to "estate"

Alternatively fit a petrol V8 as these are exempt from the low emission zone since petrol's have much lower particulate emissions than diesels.

[exkay]

Just phoned Land Rover UK and the LEZ, and there looking into it for me, apparantly the car is described as a "Utility" vehicle when it should be "estate" full marks to you guys for putting me on the right rack.
Lets see how it all ends up, i`ll let you know.

Edited by exkay on Monday 11th July 10:20

[jbi]

good luck

[TVR Tommy]

I'm glad this topic popped up, I had no idea this was being enforced on Defenders. I would have been right up st creek. As I was ready to buy a defender 90 van (CSW). Guess that plan is on hold.

[Hot Dog Harrigan]

Yep this is a real pain in the arse. I'm thinking about a Defender myself at the moment & although I can probably get round not taking it in to London this emission zone is still putting me off, there's bound to come a point where I need to pick something up in town with it & I'll forget and then get a big fine come through the door. There's always the option of having a dpf fitted but that's not a cheap option.

Also I haven't seen older diesel van prices dropping in the area that significantly yet either, I was expecting a few bargains to be around by now. Maybe at the end of the year when people start to worry about it a bit more.

[TVR Tommy]

Hot Dog Harrigan said:

Yep this is a real pain in the arse. I'm thinking about a Defender myself at the moment & although I can probably get round not taking it in to London this emission zone is still putting me off, there's bound to come a point where I need to pick something up in town with it & I'll forget and then get a big fine come through the door. There's always the option of having a dpf fitted but that's not a cheap option.

Also I haven't seen older diesel van prices dropping in the area that significantly yet either, I was expecting a few bargains to be around by now. Maybe at the end of the year when people start to worry about it a bit more.

I could also probably get away with not using it in London. But that then means I need to run another car, just so I can visit friends and pick up and deliver the odd computer into London. I really want a Defender but this has put me off somewhat. If the prices crash then I'll think about it again. There has been a van up for sale in London for a while which seemed well priced. I now know why it's not selling and I'm glad he rejected my offer or I would've not been best pleased finding out about this LEZ rubbish.

[Denis O]

TVR Tommy said:

I could also probably get away with not using it in London.

One of the problems is the size of "London" in terms of LEZ. Take a look on the net but it's pretty much anywhere inside the M25 in fact why they didn't use the M25 as the border is beyond me. Certainly cheaper and easier to understand that way but obviously not in the minds of those that decided the area.

[exkay]

Hi Folks,
I live just inside J4 of the M25...in fact the "Entering LEZ" sign is about 2 miles away from me on the slip road of the 25.

I phoned LEZ this morning, and they seemed quite helpfull, as well as LR UK were, and the DVLA, all are saying that my Landy is probably listed wrongly on the V5 as a "Utility" vehicle, and it should be "Estate" as it left the factory new with rear seats and windows.
As a friend of mine pointed out to me, he owned a Discovery, and it was listed as an Estate on the V5, whats the difference to my Landy ??
To be honest i think its 4x4`s that are being singled out, Boris does`nt like them and thats that

[exkay]

The Landy in question, how can i sell it, it`d hurt too much !!

Edited by exkay on Monday 11th July 12:50

[thinfourth2]

exkay said:

The Landy in question, how can i sell it, it`d hurt too much !!

I've got a fiver

[exkay]

Mmmmm, not quite enough i reckon

[cjs]

exkay said:

To be honest i think its 4x4`s that are being singled out, Boris does`nt like them and thats that

That's a bit unfair, the LEZ was thought up way before Boris came in, it was the previous car hating idiot. Boris actually postponed a lot of the new legislation, it should have come in over a year ago. I think his hand is being forced by Europe, Boris is not anti car.

I do think the LEZ is a stupid idea, natural wastage will get rid of most of the polluting vehicles over the coming years and the occasional use of an old vehicle by an enthusiast or small business will not make a difference to London's pollution issues.

A builder friend has to give up his pick up truck which is used solely for dumping waste and does under 1500 miles a year, crazy.