General advice when buying another car

JohnB47

Hi.

It's been so long since I'd bought a car (over 10 years) that I thought I'd make sure I know all of the ins and outs. This will be a second hand car (never bought new) to replace my old jalopy.

I'm thinking mainly about processes - eg changing over insurance and car tax. Although any advice on selecting and buying would be welcome too.

OK, thoughts on insurance - eg do I wait 'till I've agreed a purchase then agree a date, then call my insurance co to change over the policy on that date?

Car tax. I understand that it doesn't transfer now. So how do I arrange things to be able to drive the car away after purchase. Can I get a refund on unused tax on my current car?

Any other things to think about? THings that a dealer might try on - finance (not interested). Pitfalls?

Hopefully you can see what I might need to know.

Thanks.

AdrianC

JohnB47 wrote: »

OK, thoughts on insurance - eg do I wait 'till I've agreed a purchase then agree a date, then call my insurance co to change over the policy on that date?

Get quotes beforehand. It may be cheaper to cancel the old policy and take out a new one. If you're changing the existing policy and you'll be selling the old one separately, ask your insurer about keeping both on-risk for a short overlap.

Car tax. I understand that it doesn't transfer now.

Correct - any car you buy is untaxed.

So how do I arrange things to be able to drive the car away after purchase.

https://vehicletax.service.gov.uk/ using the number from the V5C/2 new keeper slip. So long as you do it in a reasonably timely manner (within a day or so), you'll be fine - no need to do it before driving home.

Can I get a refund on unused tax on my current car?

It's generated automatically from sending the V5C back with the new keeper's details.

Aylesbury_Duck

On the tax, you get complete calendar months' tax refunded so you can "save" an (admittedly small) amount by sending it just before month-end rather than just after.

glentoran99

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

On the tax, you get complete calendar months' tax refunded so you can "save" an (admittedly small) amount by sending it just before month-end rather than just after.

You don't send it off anymore sure, and if he swaps cars at the end of the month he'll have to pay for the full month previous for the new car, its a money making scam

izzy65

Hi, re tax your correct cannot transfer so I would
1 sorn current car before midnight on last day of the month, do it online as only complete months will be refunded
2 tax new car on the first of the month, I arrange for insurance to start at 00.01 on the first of the month.
To do this you will need the c2? Part of the v5, may mean buying the car but not driving it until the 1st

I even sold a car in the third week of the month and kept it until the first so the lad wasn't out of pocket unnecessarily :beer:

To be honest it's a bit of a minefield, as you stated tax is not transferable but also think that the rules about sorn and insurance are complicated, worth checking the .gov site for dvla

izzy65

AdrianC wrote: »

Get quotes beforehand. It may be cheaper to cancel the old policy and take out a new one. If you're changing the existing policy and you'll be selling the old one separately, ask your insurer about keeping both on-risk for a short overlap.



Correct - any car you buy is untaxed.



https://vehicletax.service.gov.uk/ using the number from the V5C/2 new keeper slip. So long as you do it in a reasonably timely manner (within a day or so), you'll be fine - no need to do it before driving home.



It's generated automatically from sending the V5C back with the new keeper's details.

Adrian c, I have much respect for your advise but:o, I do know of one friend who bought a car , even arranged the insurance at the purchase, the beauty of mobile phones, he was stopped that night and the over zealous traffic officer charged him with no insurance as it was not valid on an untaxed car, I admit probably a one off, and he was "known" as a bad boy in his youth:o.

AdrianC

izzy65 wrote: »

...I do know of one friend who bought a car , even arranged the insurance at the purchase, the beauty of mobile phones, he was stopped that night and the over zealous traffic officer charged him with no insurance as it was not valid on an untaxed car...

That sounds like even more of an urban myth than the usual "no mot, no insurance" line...

izzy65

AdrianC wrote: »

That sounds like even more of an urban myth than the usual "no mot, no insurance" line...

I would agree, but this person was known to the traffic police locally, not a big town, they new him by name, and as he was one of the boy racers they would of charged him with too much hair gel if they could.

AdrianC

izzy65 wrote: »

I would agree, but this person was known to the traffic police locally, not a big town, they new him by name, and as he was one of the boy racers they would of charged him with too much hair gel if they could.

That does more to confirm, not allay, my scepticism - I strongly suspect that he was actually nicked for far more real reasons...

izzy65

AdrianC wrote: »

That does more to confirm, not allay, my scepticism - I strongly suspect that he was actually nicked for far more real reasons...

You could be right, he was not the best of character

wgl2014

Road tax (or lack of) does nothing to invalidate an otherwise OK insurance policy.