I didn't know the Countryman never went hysro - but I do now.
Though the one I mentioned was 1961 so pre-hydro anyway.

Jim

FWIW, all Countrymans were cone suspension - hydro is unsuitable for
estates as the back end would sit down when loaded. And later cars all
reverted to cone as it was cheaper.
I still have two hydro cars - the ride is lovely!

But what would happen if the Xantia refused to start?

I had a relative who (some years ago) had a 15 mile commute to work, and
he was expected to arrive and start work before the first bus in the
morning.

He had a Sierra to commute daily to work, but in the barn was an early
cone-suspension Mini Countryman with tax and MOT.  On the few mornings
when the Sierra wouldn't start, the Mini always did - first time - and
it took him to work.  It was probably not more than half a dozen times a
year, but technically he did commute in it.

Jim

The date being 17 Dec 2008, "Charles Hamilton"
<dyolfknip@btinternet.com> top-posted:

Quite correct. If you have an accident on the way to work the
insurance company doesn't know whether you've been making the same
journey every day or once in a blue moon.

I have a W reg Xantia HDi estate and a 1948 Vauxhall 14, my commute is a
daily 36 mile round trip consisting of 15miles each way of unrestricted mud
and cow sh.t splattered country roads and 3miles each way of nose to tail
crawling city traffic at the peak rush hours, no question what my commuting
chariot is and always will be!! Wouldn't dream of using "Dolly"

Mileage limits amount of use. SDP/Commuting/Business/Commercial limits
amount of use. As several of us have been trying to point out, there
is no such thing - to an insurance company - as "occasional
commuting". You can either use it to go to and from you usual place of
employment or you can't.

Ian

Then shouldn't it say "occasional commuting" rather than "commuting"? I
reckon an ins.co. would have a hard time not paying out on a policy on
the grounds of 'excessive use for commuting' when the policy has made no
mention of there being any potential limit on that!

Phileaus Leaius <whos@prettyboy.then> gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying:

Use for commuting. Occasionally.

Even then, not all classic policies will include that - I've had to ask
for it before, and I've had it refused before.

It doesn't? What *does* it imply then? I've got a couple of FJ policies,
both of which grant unlimited mileage (I only wanted 3K each, but they
gave me unlimited anyway) AND commuting along with SDP. If none of those
conditions include daily use, do you want to point out what extra
condition *does* do that which is included on 'normal' policies?

Commuting doesn't imply daily use.

Ian

So why do all my classic policies have "commuting" specified?

Chris Bolus <chrisB@RILEYELFb0lus.com> gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying:

It's the definition that FIVA agreed with the German authorities last
year, for the exemption from urban bans on pre/non-Euro-emission-standard
cars.

All they've done is say "Well, this is as good as we're going to get to a
standard definition of 'classic'". Does it fit every situation? No. Is it
better than "built before 1/1/73"? Very probably.

Are you really suggesting that some bastardised heavy rebuild, wrapping
an old shell around modern mechanicals, is "historic"? All those coil-
spring series Landies, "split" Beetles, 602/disk "ripple bonnet" 2cvs.
They're not. They're taking the piss, and putting the current historic
tax class into jeopardy.

I very much doubt that a simple and easily reversible modernisation like
an alternator or radial tyres or electronic ignition will make a car fall
outside these regs.

The "non-daily-use" is certainly more controversial - but classic
insurance will rarely touch daily-use cars, either. <shrug>

Absolutely. I have four Mini variants, all of which are over 30 years
old, and one of which is my daily transport. It's marginally modified -
what Mini isn't? - so why should it not be regarded as historic? My Elf
has also done its share of the daily run, and that _is_ as original bar
the fitment of an alternator. So should the fact that I drive it to work
(last year it was may main vehicle) make it any less historic?

Some of these people just talk b*ll*cks for I living I think.

Anyone seen the latest issue of PC, looks like the FIAI [1] is trying
to define what will be classed as a historic vehicle, it seems to come
down to the vehicle being 30 or more years old, maintained in original
condition (does that mean period extras or how it would have come off
the production line?) and *not* used as the owners main method of
motoring. The point of all this is, whilst we might well think
otherwise the legislators (such as the EU) that this organisation will
have the ear of will make it very important for the future of classic
cars. Whilst I welcome any move to stop people taking a classic car
and 'modernising' it I'm not so sure that these vehicles should be
forced to become all but museum items, there is no reason why a 30
plus year old car can't be used as daily transport and preserved- the
tow are not mutually exclusive!

[1] I think that is who they said, I was only browsing a copy