Buying a car with no tax - Private seller - Advice please

scheming_gypsy

could also live on a street like mine; a cul-de-sac at the back of an estate half a mile from the only entrance.. as we're all nice nobody bothers about what you park there and there's no chance of it being seen by the passing police.

TonyMMM

d.ross wrote: »

A car that isn't taxed isn't legal to drive on the road.

You would commit a simple offence of not displaying a valid tax disc.

d.ross wrote: »

So although it may be insured against theft whilst stored in a garage, the second you drive it on the road the insurance won't be valid.

I've never seen an insurance policy that says anything about a vehicle having a current tax disc ... even not having a current MOT won't invalidate insurance (contrary to many peoples belief), unless specifically stated in the policy.

d.ross wrote: »

Also isn't it the case that the car actually has to be insured before someone else can drive it under their own insurance?

Depends on the wording of the DOV section of your comprehensive policy ... some do say that, many don't.

shaun_from_Africa

If your own insurance will cover you to drive the car and after viewing it you are seriously considering buying, why not book it in for an MOT so you can get an independent opinion of the condition.

This will allow you to legally drive without tax (provided you are going to the testing station), you will have insurance for 3rd party cover, so the only person who could possibly come to grief is the owner, and all they could get fined for is for not having sorned it

TonyMMM

d.ross wrote: »

There is a big fine, and your car would probably be seized..

I'm not condoning the offence merely saying it is a straightforward one ...i.e you are displaying a tax disc or you are not.

Failing to display a valid tax disc = Non-endorsable offence, and a £60 fine.

Yes DVLA could seize your vehicle and they do employ teams to do so when untaxed vehicles are reported to them.... however police can only seize vehicles themselves for offences of No Insurance (which could apply in this case) or No Driving Licence ... the power is under Sec 165a Road Traffic Act 1988.

d.ross wrote: »

If the car isn't legal to be on the road, then your insurance is not valid, simple as that.

Morally perhaps, but in law, not always the case.

EdGasket

So long as your own car insurance covers you to drive 'other cars not belonging to you with the owners permission', just take it for a blast. Life is too short to worry about petty rules. The police are not interested in untaxed cars anyway; they told me as much when I reported one; they said and I quote ' It is not illegal to keep an untaxed car on the road; we are not interested' - another 'civil' matter then I guess.

Foxy-Stoat_3

Life IS too short, thats why you shouldnt "hope" that a police car wont drive past and their on board computer goes mad and pulls over.

Worse case you will be banned from driving for 6 months and fined about £600 + costs, with 6 points on your licence and the seller will also be convicted of aiding and abeting and lose his car and get hit for removal, storage and transport costs and you will pay even more insurance premiums for a few years to come.

Or you can test drive the car with no incidents, if he lets you.

I would find a second hand car that IS currently taxed and insured and buy that one, or explain the situation the seller is in and take a punt on it for a redeuced price.

I dont think folk realise how hard it is now to sell an untaxed car. I am not sure even with trade plates its legal for the road.

THANK YOU, UK GOVERMENT !!!!

And it IS illegal to keep an untaxed car on the public highway, that copper was talking from his bottom !

shaun_from_Africa

If the car isn't legal to be on the road, then your insurance is not valid, simple as that.

So when insurance companies pay out to the innocent victims of drunk drivers, speeding drivers, drivers whose cars were unroadworthy etc, are we to assume that they only do this out of the goodness of their hearts and their Philanthropic nature and not because they are legally obliged to do so.

Provided there is an insurance policy in place for your vehicle, whatever you do whilst driving will not invalidate the policy cover for 3rd parties.
The insurance company will probably have a clause in the policy stating that they will refuse to pay for your vehicle in the case of an accident do to some or all of the examples given above, but they cannot refuse to pay out to 3rd party claimants.

Worse case you will be banned from driving for 6 months and fined about £600 + costs,

For driving without valid tax?

Foxy-Stoat_3

There is a fund that all insurers pay into called the Uninsured Loss Fund that pays out in the event someone is hit by an uninsured driver but this normally pays out when the driver is caught and prosocuted for no insurance.

As the law sits now, if a car is not taxed, it HAS to be sorned. Full stop and therefore not allowed on the public highway. If the car is not mention to be on the public highway then no insured company in the land will cover it.

If you are now caught driving a car with no tax, then its not insured so you will receive a IN10 conviction and points and must probably a ban.

xoleeb

Foxy-Stoat wrote: »

There is a fund that all insurers pay into called the Uninsured Loss Fund that pays out in the event someone is hit by an uninsured driver but this normally pays out when the driver is caught and prosocuted for no insurance.

As the law sits now, if a car is not taxed, it HAS to be sorned. Full stop and therefore not allowed on the public highway. If the car is not mention to be on the public highway then no insured company in the land will cover it.

If you are now caught driving a car with no tax, then its not insured so you will receive a IN10 conviction and points and must probably a ban.

Absolute rubbish!

jim22

As I understood it current tax and mot have no relationship on whether the car is insured unless it specifically says so in your policies terms and conditions. You are allowed to drive a car to a pre-booked MOT and as you cannot tax a car without a valid MOT certificate.......