Fitting side windows: Does it affect tax etc?

[edmason]

If I fit side windows to my Defender van does it change the taxation class (by making it a car rather than a van), and if so will that matter to me, or at point of sale? Am I supposed to notify DVLA?

[Psimpson7]

There are some rules but I dont know them accuratley.

I think it has an age limit. so within the first 5 years you cannot do it without informing / paying tax

Sure someone will have the correct answer shortly.

[V8DNW]

A left-field consideration is that you will be allowed to go faster if reclassified from "Van" to "Car", ie. Hardtop to Station-wagon.

"It is very important for drivers to bear in mind that vans (and all goods vehicles not exceeding 7.5 tonnes) are subject to lower national speed limits than cars on both single and dual carriageway roads.

Whilst a car may travel at up to 60 mph on single carriageways and 70 mph on dual carriageways vans are only allowed to travel up to 50 mph on single carriageway roads and 60 mph on dual carriageway roads." From: http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/speedmanageme...

Your local DVLA office should be able to tell you how to get reclassified, plus any other considerations.

[mechsympathy]

V8DNW said:

A left-field consideration is that you will be allowed to go faster if reclassified from "Van" to "Car", ie. Hardtop to Station-wagon.

Permanent 4wd gets you out of that one.

[V8DNW]

Really?
In what way?

[mechsympathy]

As it's a permanent 4wd it counts as a dual purpose vehicle and therefore has the same limits as a car.

DVD explains it here:A dual purpose vehicle is (briefly)

constructed/adapted for carriage of both passengers and goods
a vehicle with an unladen weight not exceeding 2040kgs which either is constructed/adapted that the driving power of the engine can be transmitted to all wheels or satisfies conditions:
must have rigid roof, transverse passenger seats and rear windows amongst other things.
With relation to speed limits dual purpose vehicles (not exceeding unladen weight of 3050kg or 8 passenger seats) have the speed limits as follows, (unless shown as restricted) are,

motorway 70mph
dual carriageway 70mph
single carriageway 60mph