[pattorpey]

Hello all.

I’m new to the forum, having just purchased a new-to-me 2010 159 Sportwagon. I’m importing this car into Ireland and have come across a very strange issue.
The original V5c says the car is a four seater, even though there are three seat belts in the rear. The registration authorities in Ireland have refused to register the vehicle due to this discrepancy. They give me two choices- return the V5c to Swansea to have it altered, or get an automotive engineer to certify that the car has been “converted” by adding a fifth seat, and that the conversion conforms to construction-and-use regulations. The first option is going to result in a long delay, even if DBVLA agree to change the V5c, and the second option is going to deplete my pocket.

My questions to the members of the forum are:
First, how many seats does it say on your 159 V5c logbook?
And second, has anyone come across this craziness before?
I did think about simply removing the centre seatbelt in the rear, but this does leave an obvious gap in the rear seat base where the seat belt receiver emerges.
Any info welcome!

 

[GroovyBoovy]

The V5 for my saloon says 5 seats

 

[Lord_of_beard]

Just write to the DVLA. They are prone to admin errors.

 

[pattorpey]

159 official seating capacity- insurance implications?

Thanks for the replies.
I know I could do battle with DVLA and (I think) have the log book changed to show five seats instead of what it shows now, which is 4 seats.
So far just one other forum member has confirmed that his saloon log book shows 5 seats. I'm just wondering whether my log book showing 4 seats is a one-off error, or whether many others have the same. After all, someone must have made a deliberate effort to put down 4 seats when the majority of cars of this size would be five seaters?

I'm also wondering whether there are any insurance implications?

 

[kandlbarrett]

2007 Salon logbook says 5 seats.

 

[Kildare Alfa]

Hello all.

I’m new to the forum, having just purchased a new-to-me 2010 159 Sportwagon. I’m importing this car into Ireland and have come across a very strange issue.
The original V5c says the car is a four seater, even though there are three seat belts in the rear. The registration authorities in Ireland have refused to register the vehicle due to this discrepancy. They give me two choices- return the V5c to Swansea to have it altered, or get an automotive engineer to certify that the car has been “converted” by adding a fifth seat, and that the conversion conforms to construction-and-use regulations. The first option is going to result in a long delay, even if DBVLA agree to change the V5c, and the second option is going to deplete my pocket.

My questions to the members of the forum are:
First, how many seats does it say on your 159 V5c logbook?
And second, has anyone come across this craziness before?
I did think about simply removing the centre seatbelt in the rear, but this does leave an obvious gap in the rear seat base where the seat belt receiver emerges.
Any info welcome!

Hiya,
I'm in Ireland & imported a 2010 159ti Sportwagon myself last year with no probs as a 5 seater. Surely when they inspect the car, they'll see it has 5 seats?

Not sure I can be of any specific help, but feel free to PM if I can. I'm in Kildare

 

[pattorpey]

159 Seat Capacity- That's logical, but logic doesn't always win

I know that should be self-evident, but I DID have the car inspected and they told me with great glee that "We have a problem". It seems it was an error on the V5, no-one else has come back to me who has a log ook stating four seats. So I have to get a Certificate of Conversion to state that the car now has 5 seats, despite what the V5 says.
Thanks for the offer of help, but I have admitted defeat!

 

[David C]

I know that should be self-evident, but I DID have the car inspected and they told me with great glee that "We have a problem". It seems it was an error on the V5, no-one else has come back to me who has a log book stating four seats. So I have to get a Certificate of Conversion to state that the car now has 5 seats, despite what the V5 says.
Thanks for the offer of help, but I have admitted defeat!

Have you at least spoken to the DVLA?
It is clearly an error on the V5 which I'm sure the DVLA would be able to correct.

I'm sure there was never a 159 with four seats (ie an option to delete the centre rear seat belt).

 

[halftone]

It's a DVLA error, why not get them to put it right? Far the simplest, cheapest option, and it happens so often (wrong colour, wrong number of doors, wrong engine etc) they even have a special webpage for corrections

https://emaildvla.direct.gov.uk/emaildvla/cegemail/dvla/en/vehicle_2_21.html

 

[Mr_Mike]

I agree with everyone else who has responded.. It'll be much easier to get a new V5 to have it corrected. Also, when you come to sell it, you'll end up with a bunch of paperwork about a conversion that a) never happened, and b) will confuse the hell out of the next buyer.

I know it's a pain, but it'll be much easier in the long run to just get the correct V5 papers. It's unlikely to take particularly long and as has been mentioned, DVLA even have a website to request corrections (which shows just how common they are).

 

[mapalfa]

If you go down the certificate of conversion route you may end up with an insurance problem. Do you say it's non-standard when you know that 5 seats is correct, but on the registration documents file there's a note to say it's had some conversion work done. I've known insurance companies turn down or delay claims because of non-disclosed extras, so I wouldn't risk it.