mick miller said:

Following a few PM's asking how to get your Defender exempted from the 2012 changes to the LEZ I thought I would create a quick step-by-step guide for all those CSW owners whose vehicles are currently listed as having the body type: Light Utility 4x4.

Firstly, you need to check your VIN. Plenty of vehicles that appear to be CSW are in actual fact later conversions, with windows and seats added. In order to meet the DVLA's requirements for changing the body type you must have a genuine CSW from manufacture.

If you have a 90 CSW the 7th letter of the VIN will be a 'B'. If you have a 110 CSW the 7th letter will be an 'M'.

Also, check that your V5C states 'County SW' in section D.3. If you have met all those criteria then please read on.

Next step is to take several photos of your CSW, ensure all seats and windows are in situ, if your County has had panel sides fitted and the seats removed you'll be stuffed as far as getting the body type changed. You will need to have the vehicle as originally manufactured, after all, you're stating to the DVLA that your vehicles primary purpose is the transportation of passengers, not goods. Panel sides and no seats doesn't exactly scream 'family car'.

So take the photos, take photos of the front seating arrangement, and the rear seats including any jump seats in the folded down position, make it look like a family car, albeit a rather chunky, biscuit tin type one. Include the number plate in at least one photo. I took a pic of the rear door open, number plate in view with the seats folded down. They (DVLA) need to be able to marry the photos of the interior to the licence plate.

Next, get your V5C; in section D.5 cross out Light Utility 4x4 and write in black pen 'Estate'.

In section 7. write ESTATE in the box marked Wheelplan/Body Type.

Get your photos and your V5C together and get ready for the next step, a nice, friendly, polite letter.

For guidance I wrote something along these lines. I really would suggest you use this as a guide and all word it in your own way, otherwise it'll begin to look like somebody has posted a how-to on the interweb and a bunch of lazy gits have simply cut'n'pasted it. Funny that.

"Dear Sir/ Madam,

Please find my returned V5C document enclosed. I wish to have the correct classification of body type added to section D.5.

According to the V5C my vehicle is listed as a being a Light Utility 4x4, which is the classification for a panel sided van. However, my vehicle is a ‘County Station Wagon’ or ‘Estate’ vehicle primarily designed to carry passengers and is fitted with (X) seats. My V5C lists this classification correctly under model (D.3) but incorrectly under body type (D.5).

I've attached photos of both the inside and outside of my car so you can see the seating arrangement and that it is an estate vehicle designed to carry passengers not goods.

I would be grateful if you could make the corrections and send the document back to me.


Best regards,"

Finally, get your V5C, the photos, the nice letter to the DVLA and staple the lot together so that it doesn't end up in several different pieces when it reaches it's destination, much like a Freelander would. Post it to, and this bit is important so pay attention, the address ON THE REVERSE OF SECTION 10.

Good luck,

Mick.

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There are choices of filter for an LCV. Dependent upon technology choice, prices range from £1,755 up to over £3,000 + VAT. Your solution for the London LEZ may be based on a decision between available budget for the fitment and acceptable maintenance requirements once fitted.

We are fitting two alternative filter systems:

The full technology Active Regeneration DPF that includes a monitoring system and active regeneration technology - CPU, wiring loom, data logger, dosage pump, catalytic fluid tank, and dashboard display unit. The benefit of these systems is that they constantly monitor the status of the filter itself and automatically initiate regeneration of the filter (self cleaning) by injecting a small amount of catalytic fluid into the vehicles fuel tank to cause the soot trapped in the filter to burn off. Unit 17 are fitting these for £2,495 + vat, supplied, fitted, tested, and with compliance paperwork.

The other option is a DPF system which works by manual dosage of the catalytic fluid: you add a small dose of fluid at each fill-up to initiate the filter cleaning. You get a filter service condition display light in your cab - but it does not require the complex equipment fitted for the active regeneration system above. This system also comes with an acoustic filter module* that you can use if the DPF needs to be serviced, and we are including two years supply* of catalytic fluid with fittings we do in the next four weeks. Unit 17 are fitting these for £1,755 + vat, supplied, fitted, tested, and with compliance paperwork.

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mark g said:

I did the above and have just got my V5 back amended to now say "Estate" so I feel i'm halfway there.

As you can check if your vehicle's exempt or not by typing in your registration on the tfl website I have now emailed tfl to say their database is in correct and that my vehicle should be registered as an estate and therefore will be compliant. Not sure if that will be enough but hopefully it will.

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Dear .......

Thank you for your recent correspondence concerning your Land Rover 110 Defender displaying the above registration number.

Please be advised that the manufacturer has confirmed that Defenders manufactured before 1998 can only be described as a light 4x4 utility. Therefore, as your vehicle was manufactured in 1994, the vehicle record is correct and will not be amended.

I have issued a vehicle registration certificate (V5C) to you having changed the address, which you should receive shortly.

Yours sincerely

..............
Central Casework Group

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mick miller said:

Following a few PM's asking how to get your Defender exempted from the 2012 changes to the LEZ I thought I would create a quick step-by-step guide for all those CSW owners whose vehicles are currently listed as having the body type: Light Utility 4x4.

Firstly, you need to check your VIN. Plenty of vehicles that appear to be CSW are in actual fact later conversions, with windows and seats added. In order to meet the DVLA's requirements for changing the body type you must have a genuine CSW from manufacture.

If you have a 90 CSW the 7th letter of the VIN will be a 'B'. If you have a 110 CSW the 7th letter will be an 'M'.

Also, check that your V5C states 'County SW' in section D.3. If you have met all those criteria then please read on.

Next step is to take several photos of your CSW, ensure all seats and windows are in situ, if your County has had panel sides fitted and the seats removed you'll be stuffed as far as getting the body type changed. You will need to have the vehicle as originally manufactured, after all, you're stating to the DVLA that your vehicles primary purpose is the transportation of passengers, not goods. Panel sides and no seats doesn't exactly scream 'family car'.

So take the photos, take photos of the front seating arrangement, and the rear seats including any jump seats in the folded down position, make it look like a family car, albeit a rather chunky, biscuit tin type one. Include the number plate in at least one photo. I took a pic of the rear door open, number plate in view with the seats folded down. They (DVLA) need to be able to marry the photos of the interior to the licence plate.

Next, get your V5C; in section D.5 cross out Light Utility 4x4 and write in black pen 'Estate'.

In section 7. write ESTATE in the box marked Wheelplan/Body Type.

Get your photos and your V5C together and get ready for the next step, a nice, friendly, polite letter.

For guidance I wrote something along these lines. I really would suggest you use this as a guide and all word it in your own way, otherwise it'll begin to look like somebody has posted a how-to on the interweb and a bunch of lazy gits have simply cut'n'pasted it. Funny that.

"Dear Sir/ Madam,

Please find my returned V5C document enclosed. I wish to have the correct classification of body type added to section D.5.

According to the V5C my vehicle is listed as a being a Light Utility 4x4, which is the classification for a panel sided van. However, my vehicle is a ‘County Station Wagon’ or ‘Estate’ vehicle primarily designed to carry passengers and is fitted with (X) seats. My V5C lists this classification correctly under model (D.3) but incorrectly under body type (D.5).

I've attached photos of both the inside and outside of my car so you can see the seating arrangement and that it is an estate vehicle designed to carry passengers not goods.

I would be grateful if you could make the corrections and send the document back to me.


Best regards,"

Finally, get your V5C, the photos, the nice letter to the DVLA and staple the lot together so that it doesn't end up in several different pieces when it reaches it's destination, much like a Freelander would. Post it to, and this bit is important so pay attention, the address ON THE REVERSE OF SECTION 10.

Good luck,

Mick.

Click to expand...

kurt-ldn said:

Hi, looking to buy a Landie but live inside the LEZ.... the V5 says Defender 110 County TD5 and Body type light 4x4 utility and taxation class PLG. Will that be an issue or is that a good basis for getting things amended? Thanks.

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Dippypud said:

Put the reg number into the LEZ calculator .... see what it spits out ...

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Martin Goode said:

I found this useful TFL site

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low-emission-zone/check-if-your-vehicle-is-affected

I checked my 1998 90 300Tdi CSW, and it's exempt. Strange really, as ever since I tweaked the fuel pump following installation of an Allisport intercooler, it smokes like a pre-war railway locomotive on full power!

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