I've just had a Navara pickup as my company vehicle and fitted a cover> to the back, which I was told would not affect the status of the> vehicle in terms of classification as a commercial vehicle as the> vehicle could still carry in excess of 1000kg.> Since doing this, someone has advised me that this might not be the> case.

AFAICT fitting a "truckman" type top or a permanent _rigid_ cover *might*> change the vehicle status. HMRC subtract 45kg (the deemed weight of the > top> or cover) from the manufacturer's declared payload to arrive at the> effective payload. If the effective payload is under 1000kg, it's a car > for> tax purposes! However, I do wonder about the case where you, personally,> buy and fit the cover.>

http://www.hmrc.gov­.uk/manuals/eimanual­/EIM23045.htm>

However, things are changing anyway in April with a massive increase in > the> taxable benefit in kind for vans (which would include your Navara). For > tax> year 2007/08, this is ё3,000 per annum regardless of the age of the van> unless private use is forbidden and no private use occurs. Additionally,> should the company pay for any fuel for private use, there will be an > extra> taxable benefit of ё500.>

http://www.hmrc.gov­.uk/manuals/eimanual­/EIM22790.htm>

HTH,>

-- > Geoff