“Car used abroad”
Discussion
Looking to buy a car and ones come up. Decent spec. Super low miles but on a 22 plate which should be impossible.
Phoned the dealer and he’s said it is a UK spec car originally delivered to UK but the guy who bought it lived in Germany. So the car went to Germany. It’s done 2000 miles and then he’s come back to England and the car has been re-registered on a UK plate.
Dealer said HPI won’t show it as an import and it will just show up as used abroad.
I’m not too fussed as I plan to keep the car long term but will I face any issues insuring it or selling it in the future? Never heard of this before. Car is probably priced the same as an equivalent normal UK car but just with about 10,000 less miles on it.
Phoned the dealer and he’s said it is a UK spec car originally delivered to UK but the guy who bought it lived in Germany. So the car went to Germany. It’s done 2000 miles and then he’s come back to England and the car has been re-registered on a UK plate.
Dealer said HPI won’t show it as an import and it will just show up as used abroad.
I’m not too fussed as I plan to keep the car long term but will I face any issues insuring it or selling it in the future? Never heard of this before. Car is probably priced the same as an equivalent normal UK car but just with about 10,000 less miles on it.
This is correct. It won't show up as an import.
When I moved overseas I took 2 vehicles with me and had them re-registered in the countries I lived. When I moved back to the UK they needed to be re-registered in the UK and the DVLA re-assigned their old plates. They don't show up as imports and the V5s have all the original registration dates etc.
The only thing that might affect future resale vale for you is if there is no overseas service history file with the car. It creates a gap in the records and you (or a prospective purchaser) have no idea what happened to the car during that period.
So both my vehicles have an 8 year gap in MOT records if you look them up which might put buyers off. I made sure I kept paper copies of all overseas registrations, servicing, MOT equivalents etc to fill that gap should I ever decide to sell either vehicle.
So just make sure you get copies of all overseas servicing etc. Also make absolutely sure to see the original V5 as that will show whether it really was first registered in the UK. If they can't provide you with that then you will have to treat the car as an import which is far more complicated.
When I moved overseas I took 2 vehicles with me and had them re-registered in the countries I lived. When I moved back to the UK they needed to be re-registered in the UK and the DVLA re-assigned their old plates. They don't show up as imports and the V5s have all the original registration dates etc.
The only thing that might affect future resale vale for you is if there is no overseas service history file with the car. It creates a gap in the records and you (or a prospective purchaser) have no idea what happened to the car during that period.
So both my vehicles have an 8 year gap in MOT records if you look them up which might put buyers off. I made sure I kept paper copies of all overseas registrations, servicing, MOT equivalents etc to fill that gap should I ever decide to sell either vehicle.
So just make sure you get copies of all overseas servicing etc. Also make absolutely sure to see the original V5 as that will show whether it really was first registered in the UK. If they can't provide you with that then you will have to treat the car as an import which is far more complicated.
AndrewT1275 said:
Actually, just re-read your post.
If it's on a 22 plate then that suggests its been treated as new on registration which makes no sense as it should either have an age related plate if imported or its original registration if previously UK registered.
I'd be wary.
According to the seller the car was taken unregistered from the UK to Germany. And then was registered when it came back on a 22 plate. V5 shows 1 keeper 04/22 and if I buy I would be owner 2 according to V5. Car has. I history anywhere as it’s basically brand new. If it's on a 22 plate then that suggests its been treated as new on registration which makes no sense as it should either have an age related plate if imported or its original registration if previously UK registered.
I'd be wary.
If it was never registered in the UK and its first registration was in Germany then it will show as an import.
Insurance will be harder to get, e.g. most online quote engines exclude imports.
It still shouldn't be on a 22 plate as it should have been allocated an age related plate. Unless it was first registered in Germany this year?
What is it and what year is it really? Unless it's something rare, special or very well priced I'd be tempted to keep looking.
Insurance will be harder to get, e.g. most online quote engines exclude imports.
It still shouldn't be on a 22 plate as it should have been allocated an age related plate. Unless it was first registered in Germany this year?
What is it and what year is it really? Unless it's something rare, special or very well priced I'd be tempted to keep looking.
AndrewT1275 said:
If it was never registered in the UK and its first registration was in Germany then it will show as an import.
Insurance will be harder to get, e.g. most online quote engines exclude imports.
It still shouldn't be on a 22 plate as it should have been allocated an age related plate. Unless it was first registered in Germany this year?
What is it and what year is it really? Unless it's something rare, special or very well priced I'd be tempted to keep looking.
Golf R. Dealer said HPI doesn’t show it’s an import and to be fair. It doesn’t…. Yet. Insurance will be harder to get, e.g. most online quote engines exclude imports.
It still shouldn't be on a 22 plate as it should have been allocated an age related plate. Unless it was first registered in Germany this year?
What is it and what year is it really? Unless it's something rare, special or very well priced I'd be tempted to keep looking.
He did say it wasn’t registered when it left the country. It’s only done 2,500 miles so it’s still quite new. It’s not like there’s load of history missing as there isn’t any at the moment. I’m confused how it left and came back and is now on a 22 plate tho
If it's a fairly new car then it could be correctly on a 22 plate.
I've also got 2 imported cars, neither of which show up as 'imports'. Look at the top of the second page of the V5.
B: Date of first registration
B1: Date of first registration in the UK
This will give a better idea of what has gone on.
If it has been fully registered in the UK then that at least avoids any major headaches. Why not contact a couple of insurers to see if you can get sensible quotes.
I've also got 2 imported cars, neither of which show up as 'imports'. Look at the top of the second page of the V5.
B: Date of first registration
B1: Date of first registration in the UK
This will give a better idea of what has gone on.
If it has been fully registered in the UK then that at least avoids any major headaches. Why not contact a couple of insurers to see if you can get sensible quotes.
AndrewT1275 said:
Actually, just re-read your post.
If it's on a 22 plate then that suggests its been treated as new on registration which makes no sense as it should either have an age related plate if imported or its original registration if previously UK registered.
I'd be wary.
I bought a TVR that was originally used in Ireland. When the DVLA issued the plate they dated it when it was brought to the UK, rather than it was first registered abroad. Yes, probably a mistake but it didn't worry me. (So, the plate made it look two years newer).If it's on a 22 plate then that suggests its been treated as new on registration which makes no sense as it should either have an age related plate if imported or its original registration if previously UK registered.
I'd be wary.
Mind, the only times that plate was on it was when I bought & sold it.
AndrewT1275 said:
If it was never registered in the UK and its first registration was in Germany then it will show as an import.
Insurance will be harder to get, e.g. most online quote engines exclude imports.
Hmm... I think that insurance co's care about it being 'uk spec', if it was first sold here as a UK car then probably ok? Insurance will be harder to get, e.g. most online quote engines exclude imports.
Plate sounds like a DVLA mistake to me, but probably no big deal.
If you're planning on keeping it then perhaps no real downsides.
samoht said:
Plate sounds like a DVLA mistake to me, but probably no big deal.
Why do you say that - was the car not supplied by the original UK franchised dealer on or after 1st March this year - do we even know when it was supplied?Can the OP find who was the orginal dealer and contact them?
Mark V GTD said:
samoht said:
Plate sounds like a DVLA mistake to me, but probably no big deal.
Why do you say that - was the car not supplied by the original UK franchised dealer on or after 1st March this year - do we even know when it was supplied?ashleyman said:
Looking to buy a car and ones come up. Decent spec. Super low miles but on a 22 plate which should be impossible.
also I've seen other cases of such DVLA mistakes in the past.I.e. I'm taking OP at their word that the plate is newer than the car.
Mark V GTD said:
So why is it 'impossible' - its only done a few thousand miles? At no point has the actual age of the car been mentioned or verified here.
I remember Motorpoint, the car supermarket people, used to sell all kinds of stuff that had come in from foreign channels that had been sitting around for years, in some cases, so, for example, you could get an Alfa 156 from them on a new plate a couple of years after the 159 had replaced it.So 'impossible' may have a very simple explanation behind it.
Car stopped production mid 2021. Registration plate of car is 2022. Actual build was 2020. So it’s a 2020 car on a 2022 plate. So either it sat around for a few years before it was registered, was taken unregistered from UK to Germany and then re-registered here.
HOWEVER Upon further investigations VW say it was actually registered back in September 2020 and they don’t know how or why it’s on a 2022 plate as the VIN is for a 2020 vehicle.
What makes it more interesting is VW say on their records the car is showing as being written off the day it was registered. The warranty on their systems is showing active and that it expires September 2023.
There is no German registration just yet as nobody knows how the car was taken to Germany or even if it was registered in Germany.
I’ve got no idea how a 2020 built and registered car can show as written off on VW system but not on HPI. VW UK dont recognise the 2022 plate. They just know the VIN is on a 2020 plate car that’s written off.
Honestly. No idea. Not buying the car though.
HOWEVER Upon further investigations VW say it was actually registered back in September 2020 and they don’t know how or why it’s on a 2022 plate as the VIN is for a 2020 vehicle.
What makes it more interesting is VW say on their records the car is showing as being written off the day it was registered. The warranty on their systems is showing active and that it expires September 2023.
There is no German registration just yet as nobody knows how the car was taken to Germany or even if it was registered in Germany.
I’ve got no idea how a 2020 built and registered car can show as written off on VW system but not on HPI. VW UK dont recognise the 2022 plate. They just know the VIN is on a 2020 plate car that’s written off.
Honestly. No idea. Not buying the car though.
Edited by ashleyman on Thursday 3rd November 21:49
Edited by ashleyman on Thursday 3rd November 21:51
Doesn't make sense.
VW don't 'register' the car. That may have been the day it was completed / dispatched by the factory, though. And I'm not sure why they'd have it recorded as a write-off, either, as that's nothing to do with them.
Built in Sept. 2021, but not registered for 6-12 months doesn't sound too unusual to me, though.
VW don't 'register' the car. That may have been the day it was completed / dispatched by the factory, though. And I'm not sure why they'd have it recorded as a write-off, either, as that's nothing to do with them.
Built in Sept. 2021, but not registered for 6-12 months doesn't sound too unusual to me, though.
Auslander said:
Doesn't make sense.
VW don't 'register' the car. That may have been the day it was completed / dispatched by the factory, though. And I'm not sure why they'd have it recorded as a write-off, either, as that's nothing to do with them.
Built in Sept. 2021, but not registered for 6-12 months doesn't sound too unusual to me, though.
Don’t know what to tell you. Not like I’m making it up. Somethings fishy with the car. Built and registered 2020. Written off and now back with a 2022 plate. Odd. VW don't 'register' the car. That may have been the day it was completed / dispatched by the factory, though. And I'm not sure why they'd have it recorded as a write-off, either, as that's nothing to do with them.
Built in Sept. 2021, but not registered for 6-12 months doesn't sound too unusual to me, though.
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