SORN'd car. Tracing owner

[Gad-Westy]

I think I might know the answer to this already, i.e. no!

Is there a means by which I can trace the owner of a car I'd be interested in buying if it still exists? DVLA seems to have means for tracing owners following incidents etc but nothing like this.

I guess a second question would be how reliable is tax status for knowing whether a vehicle still exists? If tax status is sorn is that a reasonable indication it has not been scrapped?

[CypSIdders]

Gad-Westy said:

If tax status is sorn is that a reasonable indication it has not been scrapped?

I would say no!

My wife permanently exported a car five years ago, it still shows up as SORN, despite not existing in the UK!
That may just be a glitch in the system, but it doesn't exactly fill you with confidence in the system, as a whole!

[sixor8]

On a DVLA database query, there is a field for Export Marker Yes or No (this often doesn't appear on other data sites, like car check, etc. )

The status of the vehicle at the time of export is retained, which will be SORN or untaxed (if if they forget to cash in VED, it will expire), because some cars are re-imported back to the UK.

Putting the registration in here will indicate if it has been exported:

https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/?_ga=2.10466...

[jeremyc]

Gad-Westy said:

I guess a second question would be how reliable is tax status for knowing whether a vehicle still exists? If tax status is sorn is that a reasonable indication it has not been scrapped?

You could also try checking whether it is currently insured (on askmid) and take a look at it's MOT history to get an idea when it was last tested.

[Baldchap]

What is it out of interest? And yes, this might be part of getting to an answer...

[Gad-Westy]

Cheers all. It’s a 1987 polo. My first car. Very unlikely to still be around but I thought it was interesting that it’s shown as sorn rather than scrapped. No mot history. No export market. There was a forum post about the car (not by me) in 2006 but no other trace of it.

[aaron2k0]

What's the reg? It's probably long gone but can do some checks for you

[Gad-Westy]

D592 AUY

[aaron2k0]

Scrapped 09/04/2006

[Gad-Westy]

aaron2k0 said:

Scrapped 09/04/2006

Arrrgh shame. Cheers though. How did you find that out out of interest?

[aaron2k0]

Gad-Westy said:

aaron2k0 said:

Scrapped 09/04/2006

Arrrgh shame. Cheers though. How did you find that out out of interest?

Carbaba, enter the reg and any random number as mileage. Tells you owners, scrapped markers etc. I use the sell car function on Autotrader for HPI checks and VehicleSmart for MOT related checks

[Gad-Westy]

aaron2k0 said:

Carbaba, enter the reg and any random number as mileage. Tells you owners, scrapped markers etc. I use the sell car function on Autotrader for HPI checks and VehicleSmart for MOT related checks

Cheers

[DaveCWK]

aaron2k0 said:

Carbaba, enter the reg and any random number as mileage. Tells you owners, scrapped markers etc. I use the sell car function on Autotrader for HPI checks and VehicleSmart for MOT related checks

Didn't realise that info was so easily available just from a reg - top tip!

[Sebring440]

aaron2k0 said:

Carbaba, enter the reg and any random number as mileage. Tells you owners,

Owners? Or number of owners?

[DaveCWK]

Sebring440 said:

Owners? Or number of owners?

It tells you number of owners on the V5 (with change dates), & also interestingly the pure date changes to the V5 (including when people have just changed address, not sold/bought the car!)