Who else is getting their Summer cars out?

[UTH]

caiss4 said:

UTH said:

Yes I wondered that. Can someone let me know the right thing to do as I'm poised to tax it today if that's wise?

I've just taxed mine from tomorrow. The .gov website gives you the option to tax from 1st March or 1st April. Even if you select 1st April you still only pay the lower pre-increase amount. Go on line tomorrow and you'll have no choice but to pay the increased VED.

Ahhhh I'm with you, thank you, will do now

[UTH]

itcaptainslow said:

caiss4 said:

UTH said:

Yes I wondered that. Can someone let me know the right thing to do as I'm poised to tax it today if that's wise?

I've just taxed mine from tomorrow. The .gov website gives you the option to tax from 1st March or 1st April. Even if you select 1st April you still only pay the lower pre-increase amount. Go on line tomorrow and you'll have no choice but to pay the increased VED.

As this poster says - the website gives you an option for taxing from the 1st March or 1st April, both at the “old” price.

Yep, did it earlier, great tip. Weather even looks ok mid next week!

[UTH]

UTH said:

As quite a few sides of life remain pretty depressing in the UK, one positive about this time of year is getting the summer cars out of hibernation and hopefully a sign that spring is nearly upon us!

So time to revive the thread!

I dropped the Corvette off for service and MOT this morning, ready to be taxed from Saturday. Of course, nothing is simple at the moment so of course it's raining and filthy, so even my 5 mins drive has immediately undone the good work I did before putting it under the cover.

Looking forward to putting some miles on this year, including 5 days family boy's trip to the Loire Valley in July

Grand total of 0 miles done since the MOT. This weather plus bad timing when the weather did get better has ruined April.

[UTH]

Now that the calendar has ticked into March, I can allow myself to start looking forward to getting the Corvette out in the coming weeks.

Based on nothing but hope, I think we're due a good Summer. Last year was rubbish, and so far this year we've been drowning in rain, so here's hoping it all gets a lot better very soon.

[UTH]

Om said:

Un-SORNed my 370z on Friday as the VED rates go up next month. Looking forward to a few sunny or at least dry days now.

The Cayman wasn't off the road but has hardly been used since last Autumn because of the foul weather. Did some work on the brakes over the weekend so now ready to head out into the blue yonder.

Looks like it might be sunny tomorrow evening!

Maybe a dumb question but does this happen ever year?
I seem to remember someone on her advising me to tax my car a bit sooner than I had planned to save a fair bit of ££.....might be the same this year?
I think I ended up taxing end of March to avoid a price hike in April, even though I basically paid for a full month right at the end of the month.....

[UTH]

chriscoates said:

If you re-tax a car before the start of April the existing rates apply - every little helps when you're in the rip-off post '06 Band M category like my XJR. Had the car two years and from next month the VED will have gone up by over £100 in that time

Ok good to know.....assume I need to do a little maths and work out if it's more cost effective to tax in a month I'm unlikely to drive it (march) vs paying the higher rate in April. Having said that, more likely I'd want to drive it in Sept than in March.....so my hands might be tied.

[UTH]

UTH said:

chriscoates said:

If you re-tax a car before the start of April the existing rates apply - every little helps when you're in the rip-off post '06 Band M category like my XJR. Had the car two years and from next month the VED will have gone up by over £100 in that time

Ok good to know.....assume I need to do a little maths and work out if it's more cost effective to tax in a month I'm unlikely to drive it (march) vs paying the higher rate in April. Having said that, more likely I'd want to drive it in Sept than in March.....so my hands might be tied.

Sorry, just back on this for a second.....if I only use the car in the Summer, but to make the most cost effective decision, would I be best to tax it today for 12 months, use it a bit in March if the weather is good, then SORN it most likely in Sept and take the refund?
Or am I still wisest to tax for 6 months come April as I would usually?

[UTH]

RATATTAK said:

UTH said:

Sorry, just back on this for a second.....if I only use the car in the Summer, but to make the most cost effective decision, would I be best to tax it today for 12 months, use it a bit in March if the weather is good, then SORN it most likely in Sept and take the refund?
Or am I still wisest to tax for 6 months come April as I would usually?

Twelve months is best ... you get a refund of the full monthly amount, whereas if you do it for six months it costs more. (Although if you put the saving in a high interest account for six months, it may still balance out.)

FYI
If you pay using Amex Credit Card, you get the 1% cash back on the twelve month cost, and when you sorn the car you get a cheque back from DVLA. Win Win.
Cost of motoring matters on PH ha ha !

Ok cool, def worth me taxing it today for 12 months I reckon then, take the pre April saving and then possibly use it this month as a bonus, then SORN end of Sept for a 5 month refund.....

(Don't have an AMEX sadly)

[UTH]

Rumdoodle said:

I parked up mine in early January, and it's booked in for some fettling next month, which I fully expect to be a galaxy of pain. But, it'll be tax and MOT exempt from April, and next time I'm back in the country in May it'll hopefully be purring like a kitten.

Very much like that

Is that photoshop skills, or does your number plate really end XXX? That's very cool!

[UTH]

With hindsight I wish I'd taxed the Corvette for this weekend just gone and taken it out on Saturday! Weather is back to crap again for the forseeable.....

[UTH]

cerb4.5lee said:

Love that!

Seeing the dry roads and the temp at 15 degrees today, has really got me wanting to bring the 370Z back out of hibernation for sure. I wasn't planning on bringing it back on the road until the 1st of May, however I may do it sooner if we get more days like today though.

I'm seriously hoping this weekend's forecast changes and it turns out dry.....the Corvette might get its first outing of the year, as I do think I should tax it pre April!

[UTH]

Due to collect mine from MOT/service a bit later.
It was lovely and sunny when I dropped it off, but of course it's raining now.

[UTH]

Car is drenched. But, at least it sailed through another MOT/service, and reminded me yet again I didn't do enough miles in the last 12 months haha.

[UTH]

Tickle said:

I was planning to un-SORN in April, the forecast is looking solid rain for the next two weeks though.

Hopefully the weather will be more favourable for wanting to go for a drive.

Starting to wonder if I'll end up waiting until May to tax mine!

[UTH]

Last weekend we transformed the garage by clearing and painting it. Apart from moving the Corvette backwards and forwards a few times, I didn't actually get around to taking it out. But, at last, I have just taxed it and I'm taking our neighbour's son to a car meet tomorrow.
Just picked up the RS with 4 new tyres as well, so both cars are ready for Spring/Summer now.

[UTH]

I'm very lucky at my company that we get to finish at 1pm on Fridays in the summer, starting this week.

But of course, today looks like the only nice day of weather, so right now I have to be working and the Corvette remains tucked up in the garage, then come Friday it'll be raining and I'll probably just end up working later than 1 anyway!

If someone could align the good weather with Friday afternoons/weekends, that'd be great, thanks.

[UTH]

cerb4.5lee said:

UTH said:

If someone could align the good weather with Friday afternoons/weekends, that'd be great, thanks.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Failing that I'll try and float the idea of flexible half day with the company, so that I can cash it in whenever the weather is playing ball haha.

[UTH]

soxboy said:

Needed a couple of tins of dog food, any excuse:

HAHA love it. It's a shame the parking situation at my local Sainsbury's is not setup for easy use for something like my Corvette otherwise I'd have done my quick food shop in it!

[UTH]

To those who take the chance for a little run out in their cars when the weather briefly allows.....where do you go?

I live in Surbiton, which in some senses is still rather London-esque in terms of being built up, 20mph limits etc......so I don't really know where I'd go if I had 30 mins to take the car out. I'd spend all of that either in traffic, or on the A3 heading nowhere. Maybe that's just the fact of life if you don't live right in the middle of the countryside where even 30 mins can be a lot of fun?

[UTH]

Krhuangbin said:

UTH said:

To those who take the chance for a little run out in their cars when the weather briefly allows.....where do you go?

I live in Surbiton, which in some senses is still rather London-esque in terms of being built up, 20mph limits etc......so I don't really know where I'd go if I had 30 mins to take the car out. I'd spend all of that either in traffic, or on the A3 heading nowhere. Maybe that's just the fact of life if you don't live right in the middle of the countryside where even 30 mins can be a lot of fun?

Me too. If I fancy a little blast I usually do a warm up from Tolworth down to Ripley A3 Junction, and have fun on the roads between there and Dorking (including Ranmore Common rd) slow up through Mickleham 50mph then fun again to Leatherhead bypass and back up to Malden Rushet, Oxshott, floor it back onto the A3 and home.

More like an hour than 30 mins.... but ain’t gonna get much better round here!

Although.... needs to be reasonably quiet , I.e early

Edited by Krhuangbin on Wednesday 1st May 23:27

Well at least that gives me something to aim for, thank you.