Test driving a car - no tax/insurance

iolanthe07

Their insurance would cover it

Probably not. Most companies would insist that the car is insured, though it is hard for them to get out of third party liability.

mambury

all insurance in null and void if the car is not road legal, ie taxed and mot'd.

Quentin

Whoever told you that has mislead you, it's just not true. Insurance is not dependent on the vehicle being taxed, and requires the vehicle to be roadworthy, but rarely insists on an MOT (no guarantee of roadworthiness anyway).

sarahg1969

mambury wrote: »

all insurance in null and void if the car is not road legal, ie taxed and mot'd.

Really? Are you sure about that?

Hintza

gaz_jones wrote: »

Exactly as I thought then Andy. Buyer willing to lie to get a test drive. Doesn't bode well for his character and how much I am giong to haggle!

I think that is a bit strong.

How about seller not letting me have a test drive by not having car in a roadworthy condition. I would bother coming to see it.

gaz_jones wrote: »

but I'm sure the right buyer will come along soon

The one that just parts with their cash?

McKneff

mambury wrote: »

all insurance in null and void if the car is not road legal, ie taxed and mot'd.

You are quite wrong in this, there was a major thread here a month or so ago and it was proved otherwise. (i have to admit i thought the same as you) but i was wrong at that time and happy to be proved so.

iamana1ias

McKneff wrote: »

Their insurance would cover it but only on a third party basis. So if he wrote off or even damaged your car - then tough, he would walk away.

That isn't certain. TPF&T rarely if ever provides cover, and not all fully comp insurance offers it either. So "their insurance might cover it" would be a more accurate statement.

DaveF327

Driving without insurance is an offence, as is aiding and abetting as well as causing or permitting. The way around this is for the test driver to possess an insurance policy in his own name (as already posted here) which states that "the policyholder may also drive a private motor car not belonging to him/her ... as long as the policyholder has the owner's permission to drive the car" or words to that effect. To absolve you from any criminal proceedings for aiding and abetting driving without insurance, you must demand that he produces this evidence to you on the day. Do not just take his word for it. Check the policy carefully. Tax isn't usually an issue on insurance policies, but check the small print to make sure. A valid licence is an issue, so demand to see that too. No licence, no insurance cert, no test drive.

Driving without tax is another matter. The driver will usually be the one questioned about this, so at the end of the test drive, be sure the car is parked on private land before the driver gets out.

gaz_jones

Hintza wrote: »

I think that is a bit strong.

How about seller not letting me have a test drive by not having car in a roadworthy condition. I would bother coming to see it.

But I told him this on the very first first call. Its not as if I let him come to my house and then told him. I made it very clear that because the car was untaxed I wouldn't be able to let him test drive it. If he had said to me 'Don't worry about it mate I nkow its illegal but we'll only be quick' then I wouldn't moan at him. But he stressed that 'his brother is a mechanic' and he knows for sure that it would have been him that got in trouble not me. Its not the fact that he wants a test drive I'm bothered about, its the fact that he was happy to lie and make up 'facts' to get a test drive.




The one that just parts with their cash?

No. The one that likes the car for the price. They are welcome to have any AA or RAC inspection. They're even welcome to come and get the car up on jacks for a few hours and check it themselves. I just don't like to have my clean licence put at risk because the buyer was lying.

Thanks for your help everyone. In the end he didn't drive it and has put a deposit down on it subject to an AA inspection.

Hintza

I was probably a little grumpy last night so my apologies.

I just wonder how many cars are actually legal for a test drive at any time (mainly) from an insurance point of view? You would have though there was an opportunity here to insure it and tax it on either a daily or weekly basis. OK admin costs would be relatively high but you would have thought the DVLA could make some money that way.