Selling a car without insurance (but with months tax disc)?

anfield1989

Hi there,

Need some advice urgently please!

Recently my Car insurance ran out. I haven't renewed as I actually want to buy another car. My tax disc runs out end of February.

Since my car insurance is cancelled do I need to SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)? or return the tax disc for a refund to DVLA?

If I want to sell my car without insurance surely I need the tax disc for the new buyer (to sell on ebay, gumtree or autotrader perhaps) so they can take away within the next month?

This car is an S reg (SN82) FYI. An old Vauxhall Corsa in good nick. Bought it from mate for about £200 so a first type car really.

Not sure how people go about selling and I have never done so. As I said I have tax disc for the next month or so without any insurance currently on this cheap-ish car. Hoping it won't all be too much hassle.

Thanks in advance. Much appreciated.

Dan

Quentin

You do need continuous insurance or SORN, otherwise not insuring is an offence.

You won't get till the end of Feb without getting pulled up over this! (They check for continuous insurance via the database, not just when they catch you on the road uninsured)

If the car has no tax, the buyer will have to get it taxed prior to driving it away (or take it on a trailer)

AdrianC

anfield1989 wrote: »

Since my car insurance is cancelled do I need to SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)? or return the tax disc for a refund to DVLA?

Yes, you do. You'll get a refund of the tax from the start of Feb through to the expiry. If it was a six month disc, you won't get the 10% extra.

If I want to sell my car without insurance surely I need the tax disc for the new buyer (to sell on ebay, gumtree or autotrader perhaps) so they can take away within the next month?

Rather more importantly, a potential buyer won't be able to test-drive it. I hope it's not parked on the road or in a publicly-accessible car park...?

But, if it's only worth a couple of hundred quid, you may well find the cheapest overall way to shift it is just to scrap it. Otherwise, I'd be looking for a policy with a low cancellation fee, insure it until you sell it, then cancel the policy.

Weird_Nev

Given the expected return of £200, and the cost and effort of advertising it, I'd be scrapping that and be happy with £100 from the scrap man.

You'll spend more than £100 prepping it for sale and sorting paperwork out. Unless you know someone locally who'll have it tomorrow, just be rid of it before you start getting hit with fines!

paddedjohn

When did your insurance run out? if only the last week or so then you should get away with bunging the car on ebay and selling it with the tax, this gives the buyer the option of insuring it and driving it home.

anfield1989

Weird_Nev wrote: »

Given the expected return of £200, and the cost and effort of advertising it, I'd be scrapping that and be happy with £100 from the scrap man.

You'll spend more than £100 prepping it for sale and sorting paperwork out. Unless you know someone locally who'll have it tomorrow, just be rid of it before you start getting hit with fines!

Never sold before so was looking at ebay, gumtree or Autotrader. Was hoping for a free site to advertise but you might be right tbh.

anfield1989

paddedjohn wrote: »

When did your insurance run out? if only the last week or so then you should get away with bunging the car on ebay and selling it with the tax, this gives the buyer the option of insuring it and driving it home.

It ran out last week yeah. Well that's when I cancelled it.

Wanted to sell for about £250 or so.

Can anyone give advice on where to sell. As in last post I was thinking autotrader, ebay or Gumtree. Never sold anything like a car of that amount before. Thanks.

paddedjohn

Bung it on ebay with a few pics, brief honest description and a starting price of £150-£200 and you should get shot of it easily enough

missile

I would try local options like free advert on Gumtree and in shops and supermarkets. Give an accurate description:
FOR SALE:
Vauxhall Corsa S reg 19... , colour, in good condition XX Miles, MOT until ... Tax until ...£250 ono

It costs you nothing to SORN, do it so to be safe. However this could make it more difficult to sell.

I wouldn't cash the TAX. Makes it so much easier for the buyer if car is taxed, he may be able to drive away on his existing insurance.

It would have been better had you advertised it before insurance ran out, then you could have demonstrated the car to potential buyer(s).

Do you have a local car auction?

If it doesn't sell, phone your nearest car breaker and ask them to take it away.

Quentin

missile wrote: »

It costs you nothing to SORN, do it so to be safe.

I wouldn't cash the TAX. Makes it so much easier for the buyer if car is taxed, he may be able to drive away on his existing insurance.........

The flaw in these suggestions is you can't do SORN and keep the TAX!

DUTR

anfield1989 wrote: »

Never sold before so was looking at ebay, gumtree or Autotrader. Was hoping for a free site to advertise but you might be right tbh.

Autotrader is about £10 (much cheaper than any penalties) Gumtree is free.
Wash and vac the car , polish it if you have chance and are able, I'm sure it will sell quickly if you price it right.