I would appreciate some advice on a possible car purchase. My budget is just under £1000 cash, plus a P reg Megane for possible part exchange.
I've spotted a couple of cars online which I'm interested in, but looking at the online tax database has thrown up some questions.
Firstly, a Nissan Primera, from a dealer with RAC Approved status.
The tax status is as follows:
Date of Liability = 01 01 2010
Vehicle Status = SORN Not due
The car is MOT'd until Jan 2010
Should I be suspicious of the fact it's currently SORN'ed? Also, it probably won't have been driven since it's MOT in January this year.
Would I be able to test drive it on the dealer's trade plates without a tax disc?
Second car: Mazda 626, being sold by a different dealer.
This is showing on the database as being unlicensed, with a Date of Liability of 5 Nov 2008. I thought cars were only allowed to be either licensed or SORN'ed these days?
I'm more suspicious of this one!
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Hi Dave,
Theres nothing to fear with either car...or at least not with the taxation status anyway!!
The Mazda is currently whats known as in the trade... When a dealer purchases stock, he or more usually the supplying auction will notify the DVLA that the car is currently with a dealer ie 'In the trade' and when the dealer sells the car on, he notifys the DVLA of the new keepers details and they effectively become the next name in the logbook.
With regards to the Nissan, the dealer has notified the DVLA that the vehicle is SORN, which is unusual but not unheard of. The fact that it hasn't been driven for a couple of months is unlikely to be a problem... some of my stock has been with me since the back end of the year and won't be forced off my forecourt until 6 months is up.
Regards, Neil
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Thanks Neil, that's very reassuring!
How about if I was to test drive the SORN vehicle on trade plates, is this OK?
I was curious as to why there was a strange date of liability on the Mazda, as I was expecting it to be on a month boundary, but from what you say this was probably the date that the dealer notified DVLA.
It also makes me wonder why the dealer's not been able to get rid of the Mazda since November, but maybe things are slower right now.
What's your policy on taxing vehicles? If a buyer comes along and is quite keen to drive away the same day, even if the insurance is legally sorted out by phone it would be impossible for the buyer to get a tax disc that day, as the post office would refuse to deal with the request without the original insurance certificate, which would be in the post... Maybe the dealer would be willing to use his insurance cert. to get the car taxed that day?
Thanks for your help :)
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Many of the car supermarkets sell without tax - when we asked they just told us to stop at the post office up the road and tax it!
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Many of the car supermarkets sell without tax - when we asked they just told us to stop at the post office up the road and tax it!
Yes and if they go wrong you are told to take them to a main dealer, the car supermarket doesn't want to know.
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hi Dave,
Just to reassure you re the 626...they are often overlooked and unloved by the general public... nondescript is the word I am looking for.
I bought my S plate 2.0 petrol SE hatch in Oct '07 for £995 as a 3 month cheap stop gap whilst I decided on my next car (previously running an Elise and a VW Transporter which was no longer required since I sold my business). With climate, sunroof, leather, 6 disc CD etc etc it has everything I need in the real world. With £500 spent on 4 new Michelins, service and belt change, it is almost like new. I only drive 5k pa and use SWMBO company car...I shall only sell it when the right MX5 with folding hardtop comes along, maybe next week, maybe next year?
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Yes, the dealer will be able to tax the vehicle for you - ring him to confirm.
At the same time he hands over your details as the new owner, and you receive logbook in your name in x weeks from DVLA.
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How about if I was to test drive the SORN vehicle on trade plates, is this OK?
I have test-driven cars on trade plates - they are just a legal substitute for a tax disc.
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If dealers can afford to they like to buy in November/December when cars are at their cheapest and sit on them until Spring when cars are usually at their most expensive.
The wholesale price of cars just at the moment is actually higher in many cases than the RETAIL price in December but some dealers still have some older stock at the older prices - once they've gone retail prices will be going up, up, up so grab them while you can.
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Sit on them until Spring when cars are usually at their most expensive ...
I notice that Fords of Winsford are stocking up on Pug-207 convertibles just now.
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Thanks for all your replies, I may get to see it tomorrow and find out more about it.
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