Time to Roam Magazine Issue 11 - October/November 2014 | Page 7

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upfront industry news

REGO RIP OFF: MOTORHOME
OWNERS PAY A HEFTY PRICE
NT
$270.05

QLD
$891.40

$805.00 metro
$679 non-metro

SA

NSW
$1227.65

WA
$755.40

ACT
$1344.10
VIC

Massive Territory gap
3 tonne tare/4 tonne GVM 2010 model six-cylinder
vehicle with CTP insurance, a 38 year old driver with
no claims made over the previous two years.

$657- $757 (depending
on garage location)

TAS
$603.08

Following our recent
comparison of
national caravan rego
charges, disgruntled
motorhome owners
demanded we do
a similar survey.
There were no surprises in
that once again we found
NSW and ACT motorhome
owners pay the most.
ACT registration and insurance
is five times higher for a standard
B class motorhome than that
in the cheapest jurisdiction,
the Northern Territory.
Charges vary according to
the size of the vehicle, its age
and the age of the driver.
For the purposes of the
survey, we gauged the price
based on a 3 tonne tare/4 tonne
GVM 2010 model six-cylinder
vehicle with CTP insurance,
driven by a 38 year old with no
insurance claims made over
the previous two years.

D SHACKLE
HOAX D-BUNKED
A rumour circulating around the country suggesting
police are cracking down on unauthorised caravan
attachments is continuing to dupe caravan owners.
Social media has been abuzz with stories suggesting highway
patrol officers in various states have been fining caravan owners
for not having the right D shackle clamps used to connect the
emergency chains from the caravan chassis to the towbar.
Where the story started is anyone’s guess, although a
Facebook post claimed Queensland Police had been issuing
Infringement Notices in the Gympie area for non-load rated
D shackles used to tow caravans, boats and trailers.
The misinformation has spread around parks and camping
grounds like a bushfire, no doubt inflamed by happy hours.
Police in almost every state have now denied the rumours,
although Roam is aware of one NSW repair business recently
asked by a caravan owner to drill bigger holes in a tow bar
to accommodate more sturdy “yellow coloured” shackles.
Police say the only requirement for all towing
equipment, balls, chains and D shackles, is “suitability
for purpose”. No specific colour coding is mentioned in
the relevant Australian standards or recommendations.
Colour coding may be used by manufactures to indicate
capacity, however this is not necessarily the case.

Unchain my car: silver isn’t good enough – they have to be yellow

Issue 11 Oct/Nov 2014

7