Brunswick 10 Posted March 21, 2019 (edited) I have a 3.5 ton transporter, previously had 7.5 ton slide beds. The long and short of it is you need a operators licence, CPC and tacho for any transporter / recovery truck / trailer combination over 3.5 ton train weight. If you have a CPC you will know this as its part of the course. Even a 4 x 4 with a car trailer needs all of the above if you are moving cars as part of your business activity. There are exceptions such as caravans and plant etc but the DVSA have long been all over this. Going back to the original question the viability depends on your stock mix. We have a 65 plate Crafter with a full alloy body, no spare wheel and stripped back as much as we could and that carries 1500kg with me in it. If you want to carry anything bigger than lets say a Golf / petrol 3 series then you run the risk of hitting problems. Fuel wise we get 30 mpg empty, 24 mpg loaded. If you are going to build one it might as well have a winch (just in case) that will need a LOLER certificate annually. If you move any cars with it for someone else you need to add hire and reward insurance, if you do recovery you will need to add that to your insurance plus goods in transit insurance for your own cars. It all ads up in cost. Build a good one though and it will really hold its value and you will never look back. Edited March 21, 2019 by Brunswick 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
metcars 394 Posted March 21, 2019 (edited) 5 hours ago, Brunswick said: I have a 3.5 ton transporter, previously had 7.5 ton slide beds. The long and short of it is you need a operators licence, CPC and tacho for any transporter / recovery truck / trailer combination over 3.5 ton train weight. If you have a CPC you will know this as its part of the course. Even a 4 x 4 with a car trailer needs all of the above if you are moving cars as part of your business activity. There are exceptions such as caravans and plant etc but the DVSA have long been all over this. This confirms my thoughts. I used to run a lwb shogun and a twin axle trailor which couldn't legally carry anything bigger than a lawn mower! Its fair to say there are a lot of guys who feel none of the above applies to them because they dont want it to! Edited March 21, 2019 by met Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kes 7 Posted March 21, 2019 On 20/03/2019 at 1:27 PM, Dave2302 said: Nice rig, but waaaaaay over weight It goes on up here a lot too but a few fellas have got impounded and all the aggro that goes with that, we do see VOSA up here a lot in the summer, they also check the Tour buses out as well BTW does anyone know exactly how much a 3.5 t Sprinter can carry legally, I've got a W220 S Class (1860 kg IIRC) to pick up from Glasgow very soon and usually borrow the Sprinter off a buddy Hmmmmm a quick check suggests a 1400kg Car would be borderline for a RWD 3.5 t Sprinter A bit less than that- 1350. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RJEauto 18 Posted March 22, 2019 We have ours for sale around the £6k mark if any is interested in buying one, PM me Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NickGCS 14 Posted March 22, 2019 We had a 3.5t sprinter, steel back and a trailer Collecting 2 at a time all over the country I was convinced I was saving money - got pulled by Vosa, overweight in the truck with a polo on the back We were let off with a slap on the wrists which was lucky in hindsight. Since sold the truck, kept the trailer for the odd move, but use drivers now. Much the same price per unit I’ve discovered, by the time insurance, maintenance, tax, fuel etc is accounted for. I wouldn’t bother with another but depends on your set up, availability to collect etc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted March 23, 2019 (edited) Just look at all the 3.5t Recovery Trucks you pass, now we all have this at the forefront right now, I'll bet most of them are overweight .............. I just don't understand how we don't see more getting pulled in !! Hell I've done it myself a lot, when I bought my C Class I brought it back on the 3.5t Steel Bodied Sprinter, From Canterbury to NW Scotland, around 700 miles, at that time I didn't give it a thought !! @NickGCS was very lucky, I bet if that were me I'd have got FUBAR 'd Or am I just getting less bold in my old age lol Edited March 23, 2019 by Dave2302 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
metcars 394 Posted March 23, 2019 4 hours ago, Dave2302 said: Just look at all the 3.5t Recovery Trucks you pass, now we all have this at the forefront right now, I'll bet most of them are overweight .............. I just don't understand how we don't see more getting pulled in !! Hell I've done it myself a lot, when I bought my C Class I brought it back on the 3.5t Steel Bodied Sprinter, From Canterbury to NW Scotland, around 700 miles, at that time I didn't give it a thought !! @NickGCS was very lucky, I bet if that were me I'd have got FUBAR 'd Or am I just getting less bold in my old age lol I'd say the gods smiled on you that day! There's a weighbridge just next to the dartford crossing on the north side. The 'feds' like sitting there waiting to strike! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave2302 387 Posted March 23, 2019 40 minutes ago, met said: I'd say the gods smiled on you that day! There's a weighbridge just next to the dartford crossing on the north side. The 'feds' like sitting there waiting to strike! LOL, yeah I knew that, but I honestly hadn't given it a thought I know ignorance is no excuse, and I know I would've got done, I just got lucky. Throughout my life I have taken the piss against authority where I could, but these days I do my best not to, as I am old enough now to know to quit while I'm ahead That's why I'm not taking the 3.5 tonner to Glasgow to pick up an 1855 kg S Class next weekend, the Car is sat on it's bump stops right now, so un driveable. I know the Sprinter would carry it OK, but I don't need the potential hassle of getting tugged, impounded, fined etc etc My buddy who owns that steel bodied Sprinter carries a fuckin great V8 powered Drift Car on it every weekend, with loads of wheels and spares etc and has never got tugged I'm gonna drive down there next Saturday in my Workshop Van, (kitted out), then I'll do a good temporary repair on it's Air Suspension pipe, and give it a once over, make sure it'll do the 120 miles, then I'll come home and get a lift down the following w/e and drive it back I'll quite enjoy the adventure and meeting new people in our trade, I don't venture outta our little hamlet that often these days 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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