Used Car from Private Seller without Tax and MOT
Discussion
Hi All
I'm looking at potentially buying a used car from a private seller, however the car is SORN and has no MOT. From my understanding this makes it difficult/impossible to test drive the car and given if I were to go ahead I'd have to pick up the car at a time when the garages are likely closed so wouldn't fall under the driving to MOT exemption for Tax and MOT.
Does anyone have any ideas on what I could do?
Thanks
I'm looking at potentially buying a used car from a private seller, however the car is SORN and has no MOT. From my understanding this makes it difficult/impossible to test drive the car and given if I were to go ahead I'd have to pick up the car at a time when the garages are likely closed so wouldn't fall under the driving to MOT exemption for Tax and MOT.
Does anyone have any ideas on what I could do?
Thanks
Pay the vendor to take it for an Mot?
Get a recovery firm to take it somewhere?
Get a local garage to go collect it
Borrow trade plates
Drive it with no MOT or tax and hope to god that the probability of meeting real plod is less than a lottery ticket paying out a full rollover jackpot.
(I guess if you have to ask.you probably.dont want to do any of them)
Get a recovery firm to take it somewhere?
Get a local garage to go collect it
Borrow trade plates
Drive it with no MOT or tax and hope to god that the probability of meeting real plod is less than a lottery ticket paying out a full rollover jackpot.
(I guess if you have to ask.you probably.dont want to do any of them)
Get the car booked into a local mot station and test drive the car legally directly to the mot station to get it tested. Do not stop off anywhere on the way, drive it directly to the pre booked mot.
Then you will have a test drive complete and possibly a fresh mot, assuming you then buy the car. After the mot you will need to tax it before driving off.
You will also need to insure it prior to the drive to the mot.
Then you will have a test drive complete and possibly a fresh mot, assuming you then buy the car. After the mot you will need to tax it before driving off.
You will also need to insure it prior to the drive to the mot.
ksed so don't bother.. Yeah as I suspected there aren't any obscure ways to test drive other than the suggested run to the MOT centre which means I have to buy the thing. The reasons behind why the car has been off the road seem fairly legit in that it belonged to a deceased relative of the seller.
Realistically what's the worst that could be wrong with the car, that isn't going to be immediately obvious. There aren't an infinite number of things.
Realistically what's the worst that could be wrong with the car, that isn't going to be immediately obvious. There aren't an infinite number of things.
Khuz360 said:
Yeah as I suspected there aren't any obscure ways to test drive other than the suggested run to the MOT centre which means I have to buy the thing. The reasons behind why the car has been off the road seem fairly legit in that it belonged to a deceased relative of the seller.
Realistically what's the worst that could be wrong with the car, that isn't going to be immediately obvious. There aren't an infinite number of things.
I admire your optimism. I wonder how many people have bought a car without doing proper checks thinking all will be ok, what could possibly go wrong? It might have outstanding finance on it or it could have been written off, who knows.Realistically what's the worst that could be wrong with the car, that isn't going to be immediately obvious. There aren't an infinite number of things.
Presumably it has a proper verifiable service history?
At least do a proper hpi check and I would also get the seller to do the mot. If he refuses I would look elsewhere.
Doing the HPI checks and standard questions about the vehicle and service history are surely a necessity especially when buying from a private seller. The other checks for suspension, tyre tread, engine noise also necessary. The only checks that can't be done are those done during a test drive.
It's a VW Golf 2012 1.6 TDI with just under 37,000 on the clock which matches up with the last MOT.
It's a VW Golf 2012 1.6 TDI with just under 37,000 on the clock which matches up with the last MOT.
Khuz360 said:
Doing the HPI checks and standard questions about the vehicle and service history are surely a necessity especially when buying from a private seller. The other checks for suspension, tyre tread, engine noise also necessary. The only checks that can't be done are those done during a test drive.
It's a VW Golf 2012 1.6 TDI with just under 37,000 on the clock which matches up with the last MOT.
I might be concerned about what it had been doing in the 2 years it had no MOT though! It's a VW Golf 2012 1.6 TDI with just under 37,000 on the clock which matches up with the last MOT.
Luckily I have a mate with trade plates, so test drive wouldn't be an issue.
Unless it is very cheap I'd look at the next one - most things that "seem" cheap tend to be cheap for a reason!
And it's not exactly a rare car.
Khuz360 said:
. The reasons behind why the car has been off the road seem fairly legit in that it belonged to a deceased relative of the seller.
For the hard of reading/understanding brigade posting so far..sounds to me to be a decent reason. One often gets a "vibe" when talking to sellers, I also guess the OP experienced this. Either book it in for MOT or get it inspected, sounds like you might get a bargain. I helped my neighbour sell her deceased mum's car recently, 2003 plate Clio with 17000, sold very quickly, I also probably sounded genuine on the phone to prospective buyers which no doubt helps 
ninepoint2 said:
For the hard of reading/understanding brigade posting so far..sounds to me to be a decent reason. One often gets a "vibe" when talking to sellers, I also guess the OP experienced this. Either book it in for MOT or get it inspected, sounds like you might get a bargain. I helped my neighbour sell her deceased mum's car recently, 2003 plate Clio with 17000, sold very quickly, I also probably sounded genuine on the phone to prospective buyers which no doubt helps
With things like this i ask myself, whats the worst that coukd happen? I do have to say that there are genuine vehicles too that are sold without MOT and tax. For example my work colleague is currently selling his early Fiat Ducato motorhome. It's currently SORN, parked on another family members drive and he has decided it needs to go as he hasn't used it for a couple of years and hasn't got the time to put into it with the rest of his 'fleet' of cars and bikes.
To get it MOT'd he'd have to take out another full term insurance policy, it isn't worth just doing it on a Days Insurance thingy because if it fails he'd have to insure it again and also if someone wants to test drive it, again it'd be another Day Insurance.
Then once it's MOT'd you've got to tax it, again it's a waste because he isn't driving it anywhere other than to potentially get an MOT and for test drives.
So very quickly he would have spent money on a full term insurance policy, a Class 7 MOT and Road Tax at £££ per month. I can understand why he wants to punt it out as it is to save himself a lot of hassle.
To get it MOT'd he'd have to take out another full term insurance policy, it isn't worth just doing it on a Days Insurance thingy because if it fails he'd have to insure it again and also if someone wants to test drive it, again it'd be another Day Insurance.
Then once it's MOT'd you've got to tax it, again it's a waste because he isn't driving it anywhere other than to potentially get an MOT and for test drives.
So very quickly he would have spent money on a full term insurance policy, a Class 7 MOT and Road Tax at £££ per month. I can understand why he wants to punt it out as it is to save himself a lot of hassle.
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