STW hive mind: I need to acquire a cheap secondhand car shortly. Will probably buy from a dealer for a little extra peace of mind, so that I get a 3 month warranty at least.

Under the new rules, do dealers now not include any tax in the cost, expecting all buyers to sort their own? I know that will be the case on private sales, but just wondering how used car dealers are generally approaching this?

Ask for 6 or 12 months tax to be included as part of the deal?

Leave it to the end, when you’re at a price you’re happy with but they don’t know that yet. 12 months tax and a tank of fuel and you’ll buy.

We got rfl included in the purchase we made (a week after new rules came in).

From the dealer’s perspective it’s almost easier now as they just have a ‘fixed’ cost of 6 months rfl to include in their profit calculations.

Bought current car after last October and got 12 months VED in the deal. 🙂

12 months with mine in October, I had to take out the complimentary 7 day insurance so that they could do it ready for me to collect.

Tax is just cash.

DVLA doesn’t give anyone a discount so what it costs them is the same as it costs you.

By all means get a ‘deal’, but be aware of any tax on the vehicle is been paid for by you, just like fuel in the tank.

I didn’t know the dealer could still purchase the tax for someone else so I didn’t even ask for it to be included. The dealer just pulled up the DVLA website and read me the number off the V5 and let me purchase the tax online whilst I was there, but I paid for it.

Picking up my new [to me] car tomorrow morning…. had to supply insurance cert to the dealer so they could tax it – cost is being added to the purchase price.
They may not be allowed to sell a car without VED.

AFAIK they could sell you a vehicle, but you would have to transport it on truck/trailer as it can’t be driven on a public road without current VED?. You may not want to drive it straight away,present or working abroad etc?.

I recently bought a car from a small independant dealer. As it was near the end of the month they were happy enough for me to drive it away untaxed. It’s the drivers responsibility to ensure it’s taxed, they will be the ones commiting an offence of driving an untaxed car. I did tax it, online at the garage just before we drove away.

Just been in a very similar position myself as needed a cheap second car (c.£2.5k FWIW). I also got it from a main dealer as don’t know enough about cars to buy privately with confidence.

I found a car and no tax was included, so I bargained with them and they agreed to include 12 months tax in the deal. I considered this a £180 discount on the car, and didn’t push too much harder for further discounts beyond an additional £100.

I just had to confirm ahead of collection that it was insured, and they arranged the tax.

So I’d view it as the easy and obvious bargaining point when purchasing.

as said above, the easiest thing to do is to take out their free 7 day insurance policy, get the insurance certificate sent to the dealer & pay them to tax it for you. 6 months or 12 is up to you.

So I’d view it as the easy and obvious bargaining point when purchasing.

+1

as br says though, you are in effect paying for it (since if they’re willing to pay £200 for VED then they’re willing to take another £200 off the price).

But, if you hit a plateau on price, it can be easier to get them moving on other stuff, even if it has the same overall effect financially.

This happens all the time in my day job. If one party already feels they’ve given up too much, they can become entrenched. Moving on to other things that get you to where you need to be is generally an easier route than trying to bleed another part dry.

We move by millions in negotiations simply by making it more palatable for the other side to agree to.

You don’t need the certificate, as long as it is showing insured on the motor insurance database and has a valid mot recorded for it if required it can be taxed online. There is a number on the v5 on the new keeper supplement, that you need to enter job done.

http://ownvehicle.askmid.com/ – check insurance online here.

If you tax it yourself you can also pay by direct debit.

I didn’t know the dealer could still purchase the tax for someone else so I didn’t even ask for it to be included. The dealer just pulled up the DVLA website and read me the number off the V5 and let me purchase the tax online whilst I was there, but I paid for it.

Dealer refused to pay for tax, citing the new rules when we bought from them in Jan, instead they got me on their PC to log into DVLA and pay online (I set up a DD rather than 6 or 12 months), and I had to show them the insurance certificate, I think dealers have a legal duty to ensure your are VEDed and Insured before you roll off the forecourt…

Is VED much of a bargaining chip any more really?

I think dealers have a legal duty to ensure your are VEDed and Insured before you roll off the forecourt…

They haven’t, it’s a cover their ass in case you get caught doing it and try to take a case against them. They might want to see an insurance document if the car is on finance, but they are in no position of authority.

Thanks for all the replies. Much as expected. Just need to find something decent for £3,000 within a sensible distance from me now…