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[Closed] Buying a vehicle from a trader, how do they tax it for you? Help!
When I bought my car last year trade, we negotiated 6 months tax included, we paid the deposit, turned up a week later and drove away complete with tax disc showing.
I've now paid a deposit on a van, trade. Couldn't negotiate tax included as it was already cheap, so I said tax it for me and pay for it out of the deposit. Seller is fine with this but says he needs my certificate of insurance for the Post Office. Obviously, I'm running into problems getting the paperwork quick enough, plus its a temporary laser printed covernote only valid until the end of the month until I've returned the form to confirm my details, which the Post Office can get funny about (both the fact its printed and also that its a short term policy)
So how did the first guy tax my car without my insurance stuff? I know it wasn't arranged in advance as the insurance company gave us a four hour overlap on the old and new vehicles.
I can't even tax the car online as I think the tax disc will end up being sent to the registered keeper (the trader at this point in time) and he lives 100 miles from me, and I'll have had the van a week by then with no tax displayed, though it won't get flagged by the number plate readers as it'll show as being taxed.
Anyone?! I'm wondering if traders can normally tax cars for customers on their trade insurance policy?
Maybe this should be in the bike section as it'll be a bike van?! (partly)
Dont know how they did it, but when I bought my last car from a garage they taxed it for me.
I was worried it was going to add to the number of previous owners, but it didnt.
No one got any ideas? 🙁 I don't want to drive a 100 mile trip to be told by the post office that my cover note isn't good enough then have to drive home again without the van!
Most garages have trade insurance which cover them and customers to test drive cars. As a bonus they are able to tax a vehicle with said trade insurance without having to hand the log book to the post office to change ownership details. It's the same if you buy a brand new car and negotiate tax for 6 or 12 months in the sale. Phone the garage to ensure that they have trade insurance and are able to tax the vehicle on your behalf........
WRONG
A car cannot be taxed in any other name other than that showing on the insurance. Impossible and illegal.
If you are buying a second hand vehicle and you get it with tax on it without you having to provide your own ins there are only three options
a) It already had tax on it and they had it put aside to 'swing a deal'
b) They have taxed it in their own name and put another owner on it.
c) Some manufacturers do 7 days free ins even on used vehicles. They may have self issued a covernote on this basis.
Again, it is mpossible to use a trade ins to tax SOMEONE ELSES MOTOR without it showing another owner
Thanks. Think my only option is to post my covernote next day special delivery to the trader and cross my fingers. If he can't tax it, I'll just have to wait until I get a proper certificate before picking it up 🙁
cover notes ok to tax a motor
Original Covernote is fine.
Some insurers will email an 'original' covernote and these are acceptable. A copy isnt.
Thanks...I did ask for a copy by email in case they were slow to post but they sent me a fax quality copy and you could barely read the details!
I think the PO also has access somehow to the Ins database to be able to check validity - in these days of online insuring, etc. these things have been thought of.
Check if it's insured there. Though I don't think it'll tell you *who* insured it.
A trader *CAN* tax a car using their covernote, it's not the right way to do it, but it can be done by filling in the green slip (V5C/2) with their details & then just fill out the main V5 in your name & post that off to the DVLA for the new owner details. If you really needed to you can tipex out the V5C/2 & write newe details over the top, but you rarely need to.
Cheers.
2U2R (car dealer)
So you are advocating taxing the vehicle on the V5C/2 (Little green slip) in the dealers name & Ins. Then sending off the main section in the customers name.
And i wonder why they bring in all these new regulations for taxing vehicles. If a customer asked me to do that i would refuse to sell him the motor.
TLH (Commercial Motor Dealer)
TLH, it's not like I sell £500 cars, people who buy the stuff I sell ALWAYS have insurance, sometimes they buy on the spur of the moment & although they are covered by making a phone call, they don't have a covernote, it not exactly crime of the century is it.
The principle is that whoever is taxing the vehicle has to produce relevant insurance for the vehicle. If a member of your family is hit by someone driving without insurance i hope you dont complain. Maybe they just forgot to make that call to get cover.
The only way to know that the people you have sold the vehicle to has insurance is to either produce it yourself or to insist on an original, as you dont then imo, yes it is quite a serious crime. I have travelled some quite insane distances to collect ins covernotes for customers to help them out
Oh and people spending £30k on a vehicle are just as likely to forget to make that call as those spending £500 in my experience
Sorry, I don't want to appear antagonistic, but really, get over yourself, I'm not selling clapped out cars to chavs & Bosnians, with the stuff I sell the customer has a lot more to lose than the insurance company, I was merely pointing out that it WAS possible, I didn't want a fight.
Sorry again, needed to make a point, have a nice evening.
Gents, one coin two sides, isn't it?
2U2R - thats it. Now you mention it, I remember the new keepers supplement was tippexed out with our details over the top.
Sent my covernote off special day by 1pm on Saturday, they told us it would arrive Monday but the receipt says Tuesday 🙁