Buying untaxed, uninsured car on Saturday

[hitops]

I have a feeling this was done recently but I can't find the thread, so I apologise.
I will be purchasing a car ('93 Eunos Roadster) on saturday that is 100 miles from my home address. The car is currently uninsured (swim did an askMID) and on a SORN. I am mentally wrestling with the practicalities of getting it legal to drive home on the Saturday as it can't be taxed without insurance, and I'm assuming the owner won't insure it for a day just so they can buy tax, and I will have no proof of insurance on the day as obviously I won't be buying the ins until I have actually purchased the car. Thought about towing with another car - is this the best option?
Thanks in advance.

[wrighty78]

Are you serious?

1. Buy insurance now and tell them you want it to start on Saturday.
2. Ask them to e-mail or courier the insurance certificate to you today / tomorrow.
3. Take insurance certificate with you to collect car
4. Go to closest Post Office with green V5 slip and insurance certificate and buy tax.
5. Drive home legally.

Easy.

[hornetrider]

You want to tow a car 100 miles?!

The way I would do it would be to insure it as soon as I bought it and drive it home sans tax, then tax it on the Monday. You'll have the purchase receipt on you as well as all the other paperwork, so I think any copper would have to get out on the wrong side of bed to do you for that.

[hornetrider]

wrighty78 said:

Are you serious?

4. Go to closest Post Office with green V5 slip and insurance certificate and buy tax.
5. Drive home legally.

Easy.

4. On a saturday afternoon?

Also, what if he decides not to buy the car? The insurance money will be down the pan.

[Jayho]

Cant you just take a laptop with you or something, get it insured when you've decided to buy the car, then tax it online???

[hitops]

I appreciate the replies & I have thought of both of these - but I'm loathe to insure a car I havent bought yet or even seen. Obviously it would be great if the car was exactly as described in the ad but this is a risk. Bear in mind I'm 22 and insurance, even on this, is nearly a grand.

[Marf]

How do you propose to give it a full and proper test drive if it is currently SORN?

Do yourself a favour, find another car that is legit, there are enough MX5s around

[wrighty78]

hornetrider said:

wrighty78 said:

Are you serious?

4. Go to closest Post Office with green V5 slip and insurance certificate and buy tax.
5. Drive home legally.

Easy.

4. On a saturday afternoon?

Also, what if he decides not to buy the car? The insurance money will be down the pan.

Get up earlier and be there for Saturday morning.

He said he is buying the car. And anyway, distance selling regs mean a cooling off period so he can cancel the insurance and get his money back if he turns up to buy the car and then changes his mind.

[hitops]

Jayho said:

Cant you just take a laptop with you or something, get it insured when you've decided to buy the car, then tax it online???

The problem I can see with this is the seperate offence of not displaying a valid tax disc.
cheers

[hornetrider]

hitops said:

Jayho said:

Cant you just take a laptop with you or something, get it insured when you've decided to buy the car, then tax it online???

The problem I can see with this is the seperate offence of not displaying a valid tax disc.
cheers

The DVLA database won't update that quickly anyway.

[LeoZwalf]

Not sure if they still do it but Elephant used to give a full refund if you cancel the policy within a certain (short) amount of time.

Buy the policy. See the car. If you buy the car, drive it home on that insurance (and you can tax it too, not sure about the Saturday afternoon bit though) then cancel the policy and find something cheaper. If you don't buy it, cancel the policy too.

Alternatively, any family/friends with a towbar'd car? If yes, hire a trailer and trailer it home. Sort the rest at your leisure.

[Marf]

LeoZwalf said:

Not sure if they still do it but Elephant used to give a full refund if you cancel the policy within a certain (short) amount of time.

Direct Line do.

I had to do this when I bought my MR2, twas a sunday and the broker who I was going to insure through wasn't open. Insured via Direct Line, 2 days later cancelled policy under 14 day cooling off rules, full refund of deposit received.

Still, doesnt answer my question about how he is going to give the car a proper test drive given its SORN.

[S3_Graham]

Marf said:

LeoZwalf said:

Not sure if they still do it but Elephant used to give a full refund if you cancel the policy within a certain (short) amount of time.

Direct Line do.

I had to do this when I bought my MR2, twas a sunday and the broker who I was going to insure through wasn't open. Insured via Direct Line, 2 days later cancelled policy under 14 day cooling off rules, full refund of deposit received.

Still, doesnt answer my question about how he is going to give the car a proper test drive given its SORN.

also post office wont tax a car with just a green slip will they!?

I know BMW wont do me a new key or any plates without the full V5.

[Marf]

S3_Graham said:

also post office wont tax a car with just a green slip will they!?

I think you can, not 100% on that.

[Raify]

I understood that all insurance policies have a 14 day "cooling-off" period.

[Munter]

All sorts of people on e-bay who'll pick up a car and deliver it for you on a truck. If you like that car agree with the seller that one of these guys will pick it up in a few days.

[Marf]

Munter said:

All sorts of people on e-bay who'll pick up a car and deliver it for you on a truck. If you like that car agree with the seller that one of these guys will pick it up in a few days.

I used shiply.com to find someone to transport a car.

[Beefmeister]

I've used www.dayinsure.com a few times when going to view cars. It only costs a small amount, and covers the car for 24hrs.

Not sure if the car has to be taxed though, i don't recall any checks being done...

[Gareth79]

Raify said:

I understood that all insurance policies have a 14 day "cooling-off" period.

All where you aren't buying in person, yes. An admin fee can be charged though, usually around £35.

[falkster]

Only thing with taxing online, the disc will go to current owner - plus being a tight Yorkshireman the months nearly over so wait and do it begining of June and be more organised so you don't have a worry about driving a car 100 miles waiting for anpr to go off.