Sorn motorhome

I wouldn't bother getting scrap wheels / tyres. Just jack it up off the ground and put axle stands under the chassis. It would be much better to take it for 15 minute / 30 minute runs though. Also, if any sun gets to the windows or tyres, cover them up to prevent UV degradation. I have got some ex-army cover-all things, light proof and waterproof which I wrap over the tyres. I also have a caravan cover, a heavy tough one that is covering the whole van. That keeps the UV out from inside so the upholstery won't fade. Also, don't just pull down / up all the window blinds because the perspex windows will overheat and crack.
I can't take mine out for a drive but I can move it backwards and forwards by a metre or two so that is another way to change the tyre tread. When I went away on a two month holiday without it, I jacked it up and removed the wheels and locked them in the garage.

You'll have to find a set of scrapper wheels close to home, may not be easy.
I can't even move my van to change tyre position as it's one inch from the house and right on drive/pavement edge. The tyres will be 5 years old in August so was going to get new ones in the autumn anyway so will get them as soon as we can move again.

When my tyres were quite new and the hurt was still fresh in my wallet, I used to jack the van up when it was on it's 5 month lay up. Axle stands on the rear, wooden blocks on the wishbones on the front. It only took ten minutes or so with my trolley jack.
I admit I've not bothered now for several years. I was a good added theft deterrent though..
Al.

Hi all,
What I will do to help the tyres is say once a month jack each wheel up and rotate a quarter of a turn.
This is better than letting them take the weight in the same place for a time.
Malc.

our MOT is due June, would it be better to wait and SORN motorhome then.

jsmile wrote:our MOT is due June, would it be better to wait and SORN motorhome then.

You're too late now to save April's tax by SORNing - so you would only lose May's tax by waiting until June.

But there's no real connection between the two, especially as you'll probably still be within the rules for 6 months grace on the MOT. You may not, but at present it doesn't seem likely that we will be through it by June!

jsmile wrote:our MOT is due June, would it be better to wait and SORN motorhome then.

If your MOT was due in June 2020 that has been extended to December 2020 and might be extended even further. See the dedicated thread for details.

My MOT ion the Topaz is due in May, so have the extension, does mean that the MOT,and Tax will be staggered not sorning it, not sorning Brians car either, have sorn the Hampshire, first time ever have sorn a vehicle.

MOT is being extended, Road Tax isn't.

daisy mae wrote:My MOT ion the Topaz is due in May, so have the extension, does mean that the MOT,and  Tax will be staggered not sorning it, not sorning Brians car either, have sorn  the Hampshire, first time ever have sorn a vehicle.

Same here, first time I have sorned, did it Sunday + renewed my Licence 73 in June, Licence back already, refund still waiting.

Still kept the cars taxed, after paying some £750 a year road tax for years and years and only doing 6500m PA and 3500 of that was on French roads where the tax is on the fuel, I feel I am a winner, some people I know pay £0 tax on "clean cars" but still wear out roads.

That's how I feel anyway.
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Richard

Interesting point, Peter......  if we try and tax on line and the MOT is expired but on its period of grace, will the licencing authorities accept this??

Yes. See this https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-mots-for-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-due-from-30-march-2020
You can check your vehicle MOT status here. https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history
Your MOT date will be extended on the day it runs out, and you can renew VED after this has happened. If you try to renew before the extension is added, the DVLA system will refuse as the computor says MOT not valid for VED date renewal.

rgermain wrote:
Still kept the cars taxed, after paying some £750 a year road tax for years and years and only doing 6500m PA and 3500 of that was on French roads where the tax is on the fuel, I feel I am a winner, some people I know pay £0 tax on "clean cars" but still wear out roads.

That's how I feel anyway.
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Richard

That's how I feel Richard. I SORN whenever I can because as a biker I feel discriminated against. I own lots of bikes, three of which are over 1000cc, on which the rate of VED is £93. This compares to lots of neighbour's large Audis etc who pay £20 or £30. I know the rules have now changed for new cars, but it's still grossly unfair.
To those who say they're not going to SORN in order to support the economy in these hard times, I consider I've contributed by recently switching a big chunk of our savings into NS&I.
Al.

bikeralw wrote:

rgermain wrote:
Still kept the cars taxed, after paying some £750 a year road tax for years and years and only doing 6500m PA and 3500 of that was on French roads where the tax is on the fuel, I feel I am a winner, some people I know pay £0 tax on "clean cars" but still wear out roads.

That's how I feel anyway.
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Richard

That's how I feel Richard. I SORN whenever I can because as a biker I feel discriminated against. I own lots of bikes, three of which are over 1000cc, on which the rate of VED is £93. This compares to lots of neighbour's large Audis etc who pay £20 or £30. I know the rules have now changed for new cars, but it's still grossly unfair.
To those who say they're not going to SORN in order to support the economy in these hard times, I consider I've contributed by recently switching a big chunk of our savings into NS&I.
Al.

Yes me also. I have paid my share over the years and you only have 2 wheels and are fairly light. What about the 2.5m who do not tax or insure their vehicles at the best of times.

Bikers are hard done by, like my Windsurfing days, harbour master said we had to pay a launching fee for each board, well we said, we can only sail one at a time!

I have always said, well since I retired and my mileage dropped from 30k to 6500m, put it on the fuel and let those who use the roads pay their way, then they would not get away with it.
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Richard

What about the 2.5m who do not tax or insure their vehicles at the best of times.


That looks like a bit of an overestimate.


Can you link to any source for that information?


Since the advent of ANPR numbers have tumbled dramatically.


This was all I could find...


https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/government-estimates-634000-untaxed-vehicles-uk-roads

GOOD NEWS 

Well two cheques arrived this morning for the surrender of the motorhome and the wife’s car road tax.

My car remains taxed, but has not moved for three weeks.

BAD NEWS

I have a draw down pension, and after a chat with my financial adviser he informs me that my income will decrease by 6% on my minimum risk investments and up to 10% for those who have medium risk investments.

Hopefully both will return over the coming months.

Keep safe and smiling.

Terry

Eltel wrote:

BAD NEWS

I have a draw down pension, and after a chat with my financial adviser he informs me that my income will decrease by 6% on my minimum risk investments and up to 10% for those who have medium risk investments.

Hopefully both will return over the coming months.

Keep safe and smiling.

Terry

Is that all? Mine has dropped 18%. I could have bought (or to be precise afforded the balance for) a new motorhome with what it has dropped by. Still, they all say don't cash it in, it is a long term investment. But I would love to know what the financial advisers are doing themselves. Fortunately we don't as yet need the cash to live on so we can leave it and hope it recovers. Unfortunately with the demise of thousands of businesses and the inevitable tax hikes after it is all over, I don't see it recovering for at least ten years, even if we don't get any more disasters.

Mines also dropped about 18% and stocks and shares ISA by about 10%. Like GG not desperate yet so will hold on.

My experience from the 2008 crisis was that my investments did not get back to break-even (i.e. same value as before the crisis) until early 2012, and I don't see this one being any easier to recover from. All you can do is sit tight and wait (and wait) for it to turn - cashing in is not IMO an option unless you're really desperate, and willing to crystallise a big loss.

The strange thing is that just before it crashed I wanted to trade my Nuevo for a Burstner. Management shouted a lot and forbade me. My investments have dropped more than it would have cost to change. Since then I have with the help of you lovely people learned a lot more about the Nuevo and I somehow don't feel the desire to change it any more. I can overcome most of A/S poor design and build items, and those that may well be faulty such as the TV system and the microwave I will never need to fix because I will never use them even if they did work. I really wish they would bring out a 'base' model without lots of things. Maybe they will, to reduce the entry price. Many other manufacturers do.
Of course it has occurred to me that if I had bought the Burstner, it would be sitting still on the drive and I wouldn't be able to use it anyway, so it would have been a waste of money.

Well my wife and I have both decided to max out on NS&I Premium Bonds, we don't need the money on a day to day basis and at least it gives a bit of excitement every month. On my existing holdings I seem to win £25 to £50 every month. I'll be expecting a knock at the door come June...
Al.

gassygassy wrote:My investments have dropped more than it would have cost to change.

Ah yes, but as Management would no doubt say, your investments have the opportunity to go back up in value, while the resale value of a Burstner does not!

Interesting what you say about a cheaper "entry level" model or two. This is exactly what another converter that's local to me (Bilbos) has done. I was speaking to their main salesman about it a while back and he was saying that they hardly sell any - BUT they don't consider it to be a failure, because it's a genuine way to get people in to look at products with a low starting price. Most buyers then choose a higher-spec van because they decide that they can't do without the extras.

gassygassy wrote:... it has occurred to me that if I had bought the Burstner, it would be sitting still on the drive and I wouldn't be able to use it anyway, so it would have been a waste of money.

Not quite true - it would have helped out your dealer

SORN'ed on 31 March. Cheque received this morning.

inspiredron wrote:SORN'ed on 31 March. Cheque received this morning.

Me also, arrived today, just need to find a bank where I hold an account, or should I hold on to it so as not to spend it!
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Richard