C1 licence

I was told recently about €600 to cover everything, lessons, use of van and tests. I was advised to bargain with the schools!!!
I had a C1, lost it 16 years ago because I didn't bother to bring in my medical cert and didn't think about 4500kg vans back then.
There does seem to be a better selection of "over" 3500kg vans available around
Wish you well

The rules changed for Cat C gearboxes in 2014 - "The vehicle must be fitted with anti-lock brakes, be equipped with a gearbox having at least 8 forward ratios and providing for a manual selection of gears by the driver, and with recording equipment (tachograph)."
From here - http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Le…g-test.pdf
Auto box with an option to change manually does the job.

My wife & I did the C test this year in an auto and as long as you have a manual car licence, you also get manual entitlement in the C. I started in C1 but found the C a lot easier despite the bigger size. Taking gears out of the equation made the driving a lot easier. We both passed first time in Cat C despite never previously driving anything bigger than a LWB Transit.
I'm in Scotland these days, most driving schools in the UK replaced manual trucks with autos as soon as the rules changed,the schools say it's much easier pass in an auto.

I don't know about prices back home but here in Scotland it cost about £1,100 each including theory and hazard perception tests.

eta - we went through all that because we are 2 adults, 3 kids, 2 dogs and a cat when travelling!
3,500kg vans looked to have enough payload left for a sliced pan and a pack of Taytos. We needed the higher weight.

Watch out for the 3500kg campervans. We bought a brand new camper specified as 3.5k. I decided to have it weighed and was alarmed that it weighed 60kg over the limit. On board was myself, my wife, full tank of Diesel, 1/2 tank of water, no gas cylinder, no food, no clothes, a few bits and pieces in the garage, some bedclothes, no bicycle. How you are supposed to carry 4 adults, food, clothing I don't know.(Additional items were satellite dome - 10kg and bike rack c 9kg).

Luckily we can upgrade to 4650kg and then must have the c licence. Even at that there maybe weight issues. Luckily, too, we both can restore our c licence (we are within the 10yr period for renewal).

I fear that with previous camper vans I have been driving a lot over the max. weight.

Some 3.5t motorhomes can have as little as 280kg payload which can be eaten up surprisingly easy.

One of the issues is that in Europe vehicles over 3.5t suffer various restrictions and increased toll costs which is why 3.5t low payload versions are offered to the market with an option to increase to 3.85t, 4.0t or 4.25t depending on chassis used.
One of the ways to carry more and still operated a 3.5t model is to add a trailer, a 3.5t motorhome can legally how a .75t trailer and still remain within the regulations governing a 3.5t vehicle and be driven on a B licence without the need for a B+E.

The development of CP (Camper) tyres was a response to the general practice of chronic overloading of 3.5t motorhomes, such tyres are designed with a significantly increased margin of safety against structural failure over regular commercial van tyres when inflated to their recommended 5.5bar (80 psi)

Pat: In reply:
It is a Benimer Mileo 264. I should have said upgraded to 3,650kg not 4,650kg. A lovely machine with automatic gearbox and single beds in back (lengthways) + pull down double over dining area. Ducato 150hp engine and getting over 30mpg. Bought from Anchorpoint, who offer brilliant service.

Here's the [url=

]French Design[/url], it's also available with two wheels for heavier loads

And here's the German Design with lots of options

The German one looks the biz, but how can they justify the price? you could buy a triple axle Ifor Williams trailer cheaper.

Quote by Droffats

Pat: In reply:
It is a Benimer Mileo 264. I should have said upgraded to 3,650kg not 4,650kg. A lovely machine with automatic gearbox and single beds in back (lengthways) + pull down double over dining area. Ducato 150hp engine and getting over 30mpg. Bought from Anchorpoint, who offer brilliant service.


Just Googled it, Wow, that is a beautiful Motorhome, being an automatic it ticks nearly all my boxes. had you to get it upgraded or did Anchorpoint do it, could you not have upgraded it to a larger weight? 150kg is not a lot extra.

Hope you have many years safe enjoyable Driving with it, Richard.
The only Man that knows what is in front of him is the Man with the wheelbarrow.

Pat: In reply:
With regard to upgrade, Anchorpoint are arranging it free of charge. Apparently the existing chassis is suitable for 3,650kg so all that is needed is the new VIN plate plus paperwork for tax documents. The larger , over4k model, is a different chassis so ours cannot be upgraded. We probably would have gone for it but did not realise at the time what the weight restrictions would have been.(Although this over 4k would probably cost c€2k extra.)