What's so bad about a Q plate?

[Mark Benson]

OK, so it's getting ever closer to the dreaded SVA, and having the V5 for a 'V' reg 'Ford Saloon' of undeclared type I can, with a bit of wrangling (ie. telling the DVLA I've put a v8 in it, then telling them I've used the V8 and running gear in the kit) put the 'V' plate on the Fury.

But why?

I see in the classifieds many people proudly declaring their cars as being non-Q plated, is it an emissions thing (I thought it went on the age of the engine, not the car) or is there something I've missed?

[DamienCBR]

I wondered this when i bought the Cat and all i can make out is that it is a bit of a snobbery thing. I know you cant put a private plate on a Q-reg to.

In the classifieds people do hightlight "non Q-reg".

Who knows
D

[s7paul]

I think you're right in that it does seem to be largely snobbery, probably due to the fact that a Q plate is a "vehicle of indeterminate origin" (the motoring equivalent of a b*stard). Like many other people, I was really keen that my car kept the original reg rather than get a Q, but in hindsight it probably doesn't make any difference.

[v8owner]

Dont know why but I have heard it can effect insurance too..

[dern]

I think it used to have a bearing on emissions but now anything that goes through an sva will have the levels determined by the component parts and stated on the v5 so it shouldn't make any difference. I've had 2 Q plate westfields and it makes no odds in my experience. I would never let it put you off unless you want that factory built car with an age related plate so you may sell it more easily to someone who has an aversion to Q plates.

Thinking about it it probably has more to do with a 'normal' car being put on Q plates due to the fact that its original identity can't be discovered... maybe because it's stolen recovered or written off or something like that. The stuff about insurance has probably come from that.

Edited by dern on Wednesday 21st February 11:43

[Russ Bost]

Reason people don't like "Q" plates is the snobbery/writeoff associations that are madewith it.

However, contrary to what has been stated above & irrelevant of how the car is tested at SVA, when it comes to MoT any "Q" plated vehicle is treated as follows:-

"Vehicles having a Q registration - for emission purposes only, all types of vehicle are to be considered as vehicles first used before 1st Aug 1975. For all other testing purposes should be considered as vehicle 1st used before 1st June 1971."

That text comes straight from the Ministry manual so although it may seem strange a "Q" can be a big advaantage when it comes to MoT time. You may find you need to advise the tester of the above text tho' as many are completely unaware of it.

[antony moxey]

The ONLY thing wrong with a Q plate is that it is then stuck with the vehicle for life, I believe. If you have an age related plate you can transfer your cherished registration, but you can't with a Q. Personally I think it's all a load of old tosh and to be honest I'd rather people looked at the car than the number plate. Oh, I have a Q plate on my Tiger.

[Davel]

I guess that some folk will build or buy a kit car and try to pass it off as say a genuine Ferrari or Cobra etc.

The Q plate makes it pretty obvious that it isn't.

As said by others, snobbery mainly.

[alant]

Think the issue with Q plates was originaly snobbery, I remember when I got my first kit car a Q plate showed exactly that, that it was a kit car, whilst if it had a normal reg: those who didn't know much about kit cars, a lot of the population, would think it was some manufactured sports car that cost a lot more.

I am currently building a Freestyle buggy which is quite clearly a kit car and I have worked all along on the basis that it would have a Q plate, I can hardly pass it off as a Mercedes sports. However I read some comments the other day, I think it was on the Locust forum that a car SVA'd and registered on a Q plate does not get the 3 years grace before its first MOT as per one that is registered with an age related plate.

Might be incorrect and it is something that I intend checking out when I get more time

[Furyblade_Lee]

My Libra is on a Q, and the only annoying thing is that I cannot put my old Fury's private plate on it. Upside is no emmissions worries, and no need for a CAT so once its got some throttle bodies and is spitting fuel, should give loads of power! I think a Q is quite cool unless it's on a "replica".

[iwingstein]

Deimos is on a Q. At the time of registration, I was slightly peeved, thought about it for about 3 secs, and decided the pro's outway the cons. As mentioned above, emissions plays quite a large part.

ATB

Simon

[CorseChris]

Nowt wrong with a Q (can be quite a lot right with it if you want to swap engines and have a recent reg.). Had 2 cars on Q plates, last build managed to get an age-related plate but I wasn't really concerned either way TBH as it's a '78 reg and was SVA'd with a '78 set of emmisions regs.

[knightly]

yup Q-plates are actually a real plus - the emissions test is a visual only, which is a real bonus on some old cars, not to mention if you want to put a bike engine in, or post 92 engine with a catalytic converter, you could bin all the emissions tosh and never worry again.......my engine is 20 years old and not in the best of health, but visually quite OK - see this link from none other than VOSA

www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository...0Oct%202004.pdf

Insurance is no problem - I have a Q-plated car (UVA Fugitive-4) and its about a hundred quid or so

yes - its mostly to do with snobbery.....regarding replacing Q-plates......I once heard someone say Q-plates are like AIDS - you have it for life......so you can forget changing them

[jacko lah]

On a kit car it's hardly an issue, but on a mass produced car it might be different.

A bloke I worked with YEARS ago bought an RS Turbo Kitted Escort mk3 Cabriolet with a Q plate. I had to agree that the Q reg looked more cool. There was something that said "hardba*tard" about it. (Despite my hatred of Escort cabriolets I thought it looked very cool - although it needed a Turbo engine)

And going back even longer a mate of a mate had a GPZ900R with a Q reg. It had no fairing, was painted mat black and was quite a scarey looking bike even at stand still.

I'd be happy to have a Q reg provided the seller could prove some reasonable level of providence.

[honda-mini]

so if i build a spaceframe mini, SVA it and get a q plate... what happens about tax?

i know the old system is under 1500 and over (or something like that) but the newer system is categorized..

so which do they go on?

[Xenocide]

So you can't plonk a personal plate on a Q?

Damn..

[DamienCBR]

Xenocide said:

So you can't plonk a personal plate on a Q?

Damn..

Nope

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Not so sure, I think you can have a personal plate but it has to be a Q plate, if you see what I mean... Once a Q always a Q but don't think it stops you changing to another different Q plate.

[tribbles]

There was talk about having personalised Q plates (I wanted one), but I think that was only at registration - i.e. once a Q plate, always that Q plate.